Request: Hi, John! Can you comment this news, please? http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/article/?id=12687 Thank you! Response: I had already seen this article. The papyrus is an interesting find, but I believe the author exaggerates the significance. This is not unusual, as authors have a tendency to overstate the significance of a particular piece, for the obvious reason that […]
Question: Hello, John! Thank you for always answering questions, and your answers are always wise and humble! I have a question regarding the passage in Genesis 15:16. It says that the measure of iniquity Amorites not yet fulfilled. What could this mean? Does this mean that this, and perhaps other Nations, was allotted a certain […]
Question: A friend I am studying the Bible with is growing marijuana in his back yard and says he sells it for medical purposes only. . I am calling him to relinquish his marijuana business and he is willing to give it up eventually, but not right now. He is saying he wants to make […]
QUESTION: A skeptic has claimed to me that the Christian saying “Do unto others” (what we call our “Golden Rule”) was actually plagiarized by the Bible writers from something originally taught by Confucius. Are you familiar with this? I doubt this is true, since no source could be provided, but I have to ask. Answer: […]
Question: My brother recently vacationed in Utah and visited some of the Mormon sites, including the Mormon Tabernacle. He was quite convinced that they are Christian. I explained to him that they are not and introduced him to your website. Question he asked was about the Mormon Tabernacle choir. They sing Christian music, including songs […]
QUESTION: I saw a video (I couldn’t get the URL) where an atheist challenged the veracity of the account of Noah’s flood in Genesis. He reasoned that it couldn’t have been true because of the existence of animal species endemic to Australia. I don’t doubt the Biblical account, and I came up with an explanation that […]
Question: On your webpage https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/why-is-it-that-people-say-the-ancient-sumerian-tablets-are-similar-to-the-book-of-genesis-why-do-people-try-to-find-relationships-between-these/ you mention that: “Logically, one might assume that since the Gilgamesh Epic precedes the Bible account, at least in its written form, it was the source for the biblical story of the flood. From an historical or literary point of view, this is hard to disprove. However, if one can assume […]
Question: To your knowledge have there been any artifacts found in Herod’s tomb? Also, has there been archaeological/historical evidence found, out side of the Bible, of Joshua? Answer: A treasure trove of artifacts was found in Herod’s tomb. Here is a very brief introductory list, found at a web site (http://www.globaltravelerusa.com/artifacts-from-the-royal-room-inside-king-herods-tomb-on-display-at-jerusalems-israel-museum/) describing a museum special […]
Question: I have a question about 1 Tim 4:1. The passage says that “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” Does this mean that demons still exist? My understanding is that demons only existed during the time of Jesus when they […]
[editor’s note: This question rambles quite a bit. I did a lot of correcting of grammar, spelling and the like, but I am afraid it still is a bit hard to follow. Hopefully, you will get the idea.] Question: Aren’t the Bible and the Christian religion a Catch-22? This would be defined as a […]
QUESTION: I have never really thought about the ten plagues of Egypt this way until I was on an online forum where skeptics were lambasting Christians and saying that it is not only wrong but hypocritical for both Christians and God to condemn abortion/infanticide when God killed so many children in the plague that brought […]
Question: I hope my email finds you doing well my friend. I wanted to see if you could help with a previous question I had originally asked you. Here’s the question “What about the charge that God demands his people to force or sell their daughters into prostitution? The scripture that I believe is taken […]
Question: Dear Dr. Oakes, while Googling the use of maritime drogues (a storm drogue is “a device external to a boat, attached to the stern and used to slow the boat down in a storm and to keep the hull perpendicular to the waves”), I found a link to a page at your site entitled […]
Question: My son asked me about why we have saltwater oceans and freshwater lakes in relation to the flood and creation. When the flood waters receded, where did freshwater come from? Why would God create the earth with such an abundance of saltwater as compared to freshwater? How were the land locked saltwater lakes/seas formed? […]
Question: I hope my email finds you doing well my friend. I wanted to see if you could help with a previous question I had originally asked you. Here’s the question “What about the charge that God demands his people to force or sell their daughters into prostitution? The scripture that I believe is […]
Question: I have a couple of questions that are somewhat related. A good friend and myself were discussing what happened to Robin Williams. My friend’s dad committed suicide many years ago, under very similar circumstances. He tried for years to get help, but in the end, he decided to do what he did. My friend […]
Editor’s note: Clearly this is not a Christian evidence question, but I get versions of this often enough, I feel I should post an answer. Question: Recently in a Bible study, we were studying John 1. When we came to the issue of the John’s baptism v the baptism of today, we had difficulty. And […]
Question: You are kidding right? The fact that God offers a “last chance” to people before he destroys them does not change the fact that he did indeed kill them all. What about Eden? Now since God knows all, past present and future; he knew that Eve would take of the fruit and he then […]
Editor’s note: A rather odd question for a Christian Evidences website, but I like to answer all questions, so here goes: MESSAGE: I’d like to know about the role of women in the church. According to 1 Co 14:-34-35 and 1 Tm 2:13-14, we can’t lead and teach in public, but what about leading other […]
A:The fourth gospel does NOT tell us who wrote it. True. It is likely that the apostle John wrote it, but this cannot be proved. We know that it was accepted by the church in the very early 2nd century as inspired but we cannot prove John wrote it. B: The gospel according to John.This […]
Question: In Mark 13:32 Jesus(as man) did not know the hour o his return 2000 years ago, BUT did Jesus (as alleged god) know the hour 2000 years ago? Answer: Jesus was not an “alleged” God. Jesus was God in the flesh, as John tells us in John 1:1 and John 1:18. While in the earthly […]
QUESTION: This is probably a very common question, but concerning the census of Quirinius during the birth of Jesus. Luke does not use the term Legatus for Quirinius or Pontius Pilate, so how can we be sure that Quirinius was not being mentioned as governor? Was Quirinius translated as a governor due to his superior […]
QUESTION: Hello, I have recently been wondering why Judaism seems to reject Jesus as the Messiah. I have found that they have a list of prophecies that they show as evidence of his failure to fulfill the position of Messiah. Do you think you could help explain each of the following prophecies? If they are […]
QUESTION: First of all I would just like to say how much I appreciate you answering my previous queries. It was really kind of you to do so. I recently stumbled across a short webpage which questions the Bible’s scientific credibility. The author of the webpage claims that the Bible refers to mountains as the […]
Question: I was looking over you site and was wondering if there has been any evidence found that the “sun stood still” or “altered it’s position”? As recorded in Joshua 10:13-14 and Isaiah 38:7-8? I may be wrong as I’m not acquainted with astrophysics but I can only imagine that our earth or the sun’s […]
Question: What literature will you suggest me to understand the Second Coming of Jesus? Thank you very much. I have already read two books of John Oakes: Reasons for Belief and From Shadow to Reality, they are amazing. God bless you Answer: There is a lot of bad information out there about the second coming […]
QUESTION: I have studied and read some of the ancient rites that other nations practiced in regards to tattoos and cutting themselves. For a follower of Jesus, how would Leviticus 19:28 relate for today? Anthony: The common interpretation of Leviticus 19:28 is that it prohibits what we would call tattoos for those under the Covenant […]
QUESTION: Hi Dr J. I have just clipped your interpretations of the four parts of the great statue in Daniel for my study: nice summary. But I have been struggling with the origin of the two beasts in Rev 13:1,11. Antichrist-beast comes from the sea – apparently the disorganised nations (whatever they are); but what […]
Question: I recently looked over an essay from Douglas Jacoby on the doctrine of hell and it has changed my views of what it is. I believe the scriptures are pretty clear on it not being eternal torment although some scriptures are up for debate because of ambiguity regarding the word eternal but nonetheless my […]
Question: I am having a hard time seeing how the Christian spiritual condition has anything to do with our physical body (and vice versa). If the physically corrupting nature of sin (like lust, greed, selfishness etc.) affects our spiritual condition, shouldn’t the process of a purified spiritual condition (one redeemed by Christ) affect our physical […]
Question: When I share my faith ( usually before bible talk) I almost always come across at least one person a week that uses the excuse of being Jewish to not come out to the discussion. I want to be able to have a response for that because I find myself not having one because […]
[editor’s note: this question is not apologetics, but I get many questions on this topic, and thought I would address it. J. O.] Question: Can you respond to this video on homosexuality and the Bible? http://www.upworthy.com/there-are-6-scriptures-about-homosexuality-in-the-bible-heres-what-they-really-say?g=2&c=bl3 Response: I understand the arguments, but I definitely disagree with the conclusion of this person. First of all, […]
Question: I have a question about Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65 : 20 talks about how it will be in heaven (new heaven and new earth). Yet, it suggests there will be deaths (since it says he who dies at hundred will be considered young). I am not sure what it means since the Bible indicates […]
Question: I read in one of your recent Q & A in which you explained Calvin’s predestination (or was it more accurately Beza’s double predestination) as a false doctrine. In this light, what is your opinion of the most logical relationship between God’s atemporality, foreknowledge, sovereignty, omniscience, and humanity’s free will without infringing upon one […]
Comment: I’ve been reading your book on Daniel [editor’s note: Daniel Prophet to the Nations www.ipibooks.com] with considerable interest and coming across your note on 11v37 regarding “the one desired by women” wanted to put a consideration that this might refer to the fact that the Roman Emperors (mere men “the one desired by women”) […]
Question: Catholicism VS Christianity I was told that from the beginning there was one real church, which was the Roman Catholic Church. But later on because of conflicts within the church, a man named Luther left the Catholic Church and formed another church which is today’s Christian church. How much truth is in this? Answer: […]
[editor’s note: This inquiry is the result of a presentation I gave in King’s College, London 6/12/14. This is a rather high-level discussion, so be forewarned that this might be above the head of many of our readers. ] Question: I wanted to thank you again for the time you took to meet me last […]
Question: In the event that a Christian is empowered to draft legislature is it biblical to allow for the death penalty for crimes like murder? Answerl: What the government does is their business. The government is not an arm of the church and neither is the church an arm of the government (hopefully). In the […]
[Editor’s note: This is a series of interchanges which might be a bit hard to follow, but I decided to post this pretty much as is. It is a series of exchanges on the rather abstract question of where Quantum mechanics interacts with free will.] Question: Dr. Oakes, I am researching a study for my […]
Question: I was just wondering if you could answer some of these questions. Keep in mind I don’t expect you to answer every single question but maybe a couple answers would help. I recently compiled most of the complaints from a very unusual website called Jesusneverexisted.com. Honestly at the end of the day none of […]
QUESTION: I listened to your lesson on Baptism (thank you, it helped me to better understand this aspect of our walk in Christ). However, I am not able to find any scriptural passages where it mentions that the apostles were baptized. Scripture mentions they did baptize others. Can you help with this question please? Thank […]
Question: I did want to ask you if you have heard of an alleged inscription in the supposed largest near-eastern Mithraeum which was built in western Persia at Kangavar, which is supposedly dedicated to ‘Anahita’, with an inscription reading “the Immaculate Virgin Mother of the Lord Mithras” dated to around 200BC? I see this claim […]
Question: I was trying to do some research on the claims that the founding fathers of the United States either believed in God and or were Christians. I understand that the founding fathers were guided by secular ideas, and self, class, or state interests. Do most scholars believe that the fathers were deists, while other scholars […]
Question: Have you read questioningpaul.com ? Hab 2 is quite the prophecy about the coming of Shwaul as the”plague of death” and the one who “gathers all the Gentiles unto himself”, etc. Paul never quotes the Torah correctly. Response: I spent some time looking at the document you suggested and found this to be a […]
Question: How do you reconcile Matt 16:26,27? They are two distinct prophecies in these verses. One is about the distant future which is the judgment.The other happened six days later. Answer: First of all, I assume you mean Matthew 16:27-28, not 26-27. In this little prophecy of Jesus he is doing what he often did, which is mix prophecies […]
Question: Could you kindly explain in brief whether the widely accepted precept “Once saved is always saved” is consistent with Biblical teaching? Answer: The once saved always saved teaching is false doctrine. It originated as a result of the type of theology most commonly known as Calvinism, having been named after the 16th century theologian and […]
Question: I have a roommate who I am reaching out to. He said that the origin of the word “Christ” comes from the Indian God Krishna and that ancient monasteries have record of Jesus coming from Judea. He quoted John 10:34. Where it says we are “all Gods.” He used that to say that Jesus […]
[editor’s note: this is clearly not a Christian evidence question but we get this question fairly often so thought an answer would be useful to some of our readers] Question: I have a friend I have been studying with about baptism. She has shared with me the belief that we do not need to be baptized to […]
(editor’s note: This is a follow-up to a previous question which explains his asking about my “methodology used to acquire the [claim of] 99% [accuracy for the Greek NT]) Question: Thanks Dr. Oakes for taking the time to look at my contact form. he openly admits that we should avoid like the plague knowing with […]
QUESTION: I am studying with a pre-millenialist who is particularly caught up with Israel, end-times, and the special role of Jerusalem. The materials on Jacoby’s [editor’s note: he is referring to douglasjacoby.com] site recently published on the mass conversion of Israel were timely as well as John Oakes messages on the Kingdom of God. Thanks! […]
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