General – Page 44 – Evidence for Christianity

Regarding Old Testament prefigures and foreshadows: how much evidence is there that these things really happened (Abraham, Moses, etc)? Actually there are nine really good questions here. Lots of stuff!

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, History, Prefigures and Foreshadows .

Question: 1. Regarding foreshadows, how much historical evidence is there for existence of many of the early prefigures and foreshadows; and for the accuracy of the biblical accounts? For example, are there any other known accounts regarding Moses and the Exodus, the existence of Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Melchizedek? Obviously I realise these are very early […]

Do we need historical evidence outside the Bible to establish the historicity of Jesus?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, History .

Question: Is contemporary evidence required to establish the historicity of a person from ancient history, such as Jesus Christ or Alexander the Great? I was wondering if contemporary evidence (besides the Bible) is required to establish authenticity of an ancient historic figure. Answer; I suppose that whether contemporary evidence is required will depend on the […]

Why does Josephus not mention any of the miracles Jesus worked?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, History, Miracles, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: Hey, I love your website…I’ve found it very resourceful. I have a couplequestions that have been brought up that I can’t seem to give an answerfor. First, I’ve heard and read what Josephus had to say about Jesus. Hementions him, true. But, someone asked me, "If Josephus took the time toaccount to mention Jesus, why […]

Prophetic misinterpretations in Matthew (cont.)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy .

Question: This is a response, and subsequent questioning of a response that I just read at your website on "prophetic misinterpretations in Matthew." I believe that in the last 6 cited scriptures, you missed, or addressed the wrong aspect of the issue in question. If you could clarify your response to these I would be grateful, […]

Was the New Testament written in Hebrew?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

Question: My question is this .. was the New Testament originally written in Hebrew? Answer: That is an easy one. No, it was not. It was written in Greek, although some believe that the original Matthew may have been written in Aramaic rather than Greek. At the time Jesus lived Hebrew was more or less […]

What about the Bible contradictions or "prophecy" misinterpretations in Matthew 1:22-23, 2:15, 2:23, 8:16-17, 12:18-21, 12:23, 12:40, 16:4, 24:44 and 27:9?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Prefigures and Foreshadows, Reliability of the Bible .

Question;: An atheist friend of mine claimed that there a many contradictions or prophetic misinterpretations in Matthew. What is your response. The list is Matthew: 1:22-23, 2:15, 2:23, 8:16-17, 12:18-21, 12:23, 12:40, 16:4, 24:44, 27:9. Answer: These are really rather common and in my opinion fairly shallow criticisms of the Bible. Here are my responses. I […]

How do you respond to the "Dragon in my Garage" argument of Carl Sagen?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Science and the Bible .

Question: I have read through some of your pages (as an athiest) and have found many of them to be full of backwards-talk and fluff. The main page I’d like to indicate is this (https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content&task=view&id=5033&Itemid=32) That is – proof of god. What is necessary to convince me that god probably exists is repeatable, scientific and […]

31 questions about Catholic vs Protestant teaching

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Questions: I have compiled the following article of pure historical events as they relate to the Christian religion. Can you please proof read it and critique it? I believe it to be 100% accurate. Please let me know. Answer: Normally, I do not like to get into one denomination versus another denomination as this is definitely […]

Do you have any resources which can help me to share with a friend who has embraced Taoism?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics, Other Religions .

Question: Could you point me towards any resources that would help me preach the gospel to one of my former students who has embraced Taoism? Answer: Forgive me for stating the obvious, but your best resource is the Bible, and more specifically Jesus. I would point my Taoist friend toward the scriptures and toward Jesus. […]

What is the significance of Luke's genealogy of Jesus going through Nathan, not Solomon?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Reliability of the Bible, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I wondered if you could point me in the right direction with regards to the geneology in Luke which mentions Nathan and not Solomon. Forgive my ignorance, but what is the significance in your view? I read it was related to a King Jeconiah. I understood that messianic lineage goes by the father, so Mary’s lineage […]

Do you agree with the Apologetics Bible that physical death (even of animals) had not occurred before the sin of Adam?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, Creation, General, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: According to the Apologetics Bible, and other sources I have read/heard, physical death hadn’t occurred until Adam/Eve sinned. I disagree because of the fossils that would have existed prior to Adam as well as Genesis 3:22; And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. […]

Does the fact that the Bible talks about Jehovah as a "God of gods" does this give credence to the claim that Jesus is merely a god?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Other Religions, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Does the term: "God of gods" used in Deuteronomy 10:17, Psalms 136:2, Daniel 2:47, and Daniel 11:36 show that there are other gods? 1 Corinthians 8:5 states there are many gods and Psalms 82:1 says God gives judgment "among the gods." Of course there’s one true God, the Almighty but would this support the belief […]

When was the Bible first translated into English from the original languages?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: I’m aware that the KJV was written around 1611 but I am curious as to when the Bible was first translated from ancient Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic into English? Belinda: The Old and New Testaments were first translated into English (actually Middle English) by the priest/scholar Wyclyffe in the 1380s. However, this translation was from […]

Does 1 Cor 3:15 teach that we can be saved even if our work does not measure up? Does 1 Cor 5:5 teach that we can willfully sin and still be saved?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: 1. I’m not sure what 1 Cor. 3:15 means. This verse comes from a passage about God testing the quality of our work. And this verse appears to be saying that even if our work and lives as Christians do not measure up to God’s standards, we can still be saved. Yet this verse […]

How do I respond to the claims of parallels between heathen god/man myths such as Mithra and the New Testament?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Reliability of the Bible .

Did Jesus spend the "lost years" studying other religions (not did he travel to other countries, but did he study these religions at home)?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions .

Question: I recently had someone tell me that Jesus spent his "lost years" studying other religions. I am aware that there are unproven theories that Jesus travelled to India and Gladstonbury but no mention about whether he studied other religions. I want to be fully informed before I answer this person. Answer: This is one […]

What is the meaning of "selfish ambition" (also translated as disputes) in Galatians 5:21?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General .

Question: I have been studying out the idea of selfish ambition because I can be a selfish person from time to time! I noticed that in the NASB version it says "disputes" instead of "selfish ambition"……..why the difference? Answer: I assume you are talking about Galatians 5:21. A good rule of thumb is that when you […]

How do I respond to Muslim co-workers who say that Islam is the last and final religion and that Jesus is already passed?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Reliability of the Bible, Resurrection of Jesus .

Question: I am part of the Dubai inter-cultural fellowship here in Dubai. Some of my co-workers who are Muslim ask me how can I explain that their religion is the last & final one. They say Jesus is already passed. They say Islam is the last & final religion. How can you answer this claim? I told them that […]

What happened to Joseph? In what sense was Joseph the "father" of Jesus? Did he marry Mary?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Reliability of the Bible, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Could you please help enlighten me – I am trying to research what happened to Joseph. He assumed loco parentis during his early childhood, his geneology was respectfully referred to as if he were blood related , which in itself confuses me, as we don’t suppose he was his father. I can see no […]

How do we know about exact years from ancient times (for example Artaxerxes' decree in Daniel being 458 BC)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, Daniel, General, History .

Question: How can historians be sure about specific years in history? For example, how did you find the decree of Artaxerxes (the king to issue first instruction to rebuild Jerusalem) to have taken place in 458 BC specifically? I don’t think the Bible mentions these dates. Is there a special way or a tool for this? Answer: There are some […]

How do you explain the apparent contradiction on whether God allowed the Jews to intermarry (Numb 31:17-18 vs Deut 7:3-4)?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: It seems to me that there is a fairly big contradiction in whether or not God allowed the Israelites to intermarry. How does one explain this? "Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man" […]

How can God be timeless when he can answer prayers and "change his mind?"

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I believe that God transcends time and by nature is timeless. However, AFTER Creation, did God enter into time and is now time bound? Many philosophers argue that God must be "in time" subsequent to creation if libertarian freedom is possible. How can God interact relationally with us if not in time and everything to […]

Is there any truth scientifically behind the 2012 sensation or possible asteroids hitting the earth in 2029?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in End Times, General .

Question: The book ‘Is There A God?’ was amazing! It helped to reshape my thoughts & it gave me a better vision on how to think. Thank You. My question has to do with the 2012 myths that are out there. I really enjoy watching Dr.Neil deGrasse Tyson of Nova on PBS. He made some […]

Is there a prophecy of when and where Jesus was born?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy .

Question: Is there a prophecy of when and where Jesus was born? Answer; Yes, definitely there is. First of all, Micah 5:1-5 is a prophecy that the Messiah will be from Bethlehem Ephthrah. "But you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will […]

What is the significance of the Gabriel Stone? What will be its affect on Christianity?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Reliability of the Bible, Resurrection of Jesus .

Question: Can you please explain the Gabriel stone? How will this affect Christianity? Answer: This is a good question. The "Gabriel Stone" has now been around for a while and it is a good time to begin thinking about its significance. I have learned from experience that when a new find comes out it is […]

How can we respond to the claim of some that Jesus is the Archangel Michael?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions, Types .

Question: How do we show those that think Jesus is Michael that he is not? How might you use Jesus’ prehuman existence to bring this out? Answer: I do not think that "we" need to show that Jesus is not Michael the Archangel. I believe that surely the burden of proof is on those who try to teach […]

My friend does not understand the Sabbath. Can you help me to explain it to him?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I need your help regarding the Sabbath. One of my friends is Thai and he needs to learn about this topic. Please help in this area. If you have any Scriptures regarding this area please share them. Answer: It is hard to know where to start, because I do not know the issue being raised by your Thai […]

What "teaching" is Jesus referring to in John 8:31-32?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General .

Question: Reading John 8:12-41, do you think Jesus in verses 31-32 is referring to what he has just said to the Jews as ‘his teaching’ or do this passage refer to his teaching more generally? The distinction is important as the first interpretation says it is our core belief in understanding who Jesus really is […]

Are messianic prophecies taken out of context by Christians? What about a claimed mistranslation of Psalms 22:16? What about Matthew 27:9-10 and Jeremiah vs. Zechariah?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Reliability of the Bible, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: Can you comment on the material about the "historical Jesus" at commonsenseatheism.com? The featured video clips claim that many of the messianic prophesies were taken out of context to apply to Jesus. Can you respond to particularly the claim that Psalm 22:16 is mistranslated particularly the word "pierced"? Also, Matthew 27:9-10, a prophesy from […]

If someone leaves a church, what must they do to return? Do those who leave lose their salvation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Practical Christianity, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: If someone leaves the church what can he or she do to return? Another question: Does a person who leaves the church lose thier salvation? Answer: The Bible does not prescribe a fixed means by which those who have chosen to leave the church should be returned to the fellowship. We could look to 1 Corinthians 5 […]

How can we be sure how accurate Bible translations are? How did the church choose the canon? How can it be written by men and God?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Reliability of the Bible, Versions of the Bible .

If God understands my humanity and sin nature better than I do, why does He still hold me accountable for what I cannot help doing?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: If God understands my humanity and sin nature better than I do, why does He still hold me accountable for what I cannot help doing? Answer: This is a very good question. This gets to the heart of the question. Is God truly fair and is he truly just to judge us for our […]

What is the evidence supporting the hypotheses which are laid out in Genesis?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Science and the Bible .

Question: I often read articles from Christians and other Creationists in which most of their time is spent on disproving arguments which are put forward by scientists against Creationism. For example, a great deal of time and effort is dedicated to raising issues inherent in the theory of evolution. In fact, most Creationists have gone […]

If the bible was written so long ago and interpreted in many different ways and has been re-written so many times how can we be sure the version we read today is not complete fiction?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: If the bible was written so long ago and interpreted in many different ways and has been re-written so many times how can we be sure the version we read today is not complete fiction? Answer: I have answered this question a number of times and in various ways at the web site. I […]

Does Daniel make a historical error in Daniel 11:36-45 with regard to Antiochus Epiphanes as critics claim?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, History .

Question: I have a friend who believes that Daniel 11 gets Antiochus’ death incorrect. Is this true? I tend to believe he is wrong however I don’t know the history all that well. Here is what he gave me http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_11 The second paragraph speaks about details of his death and how they do no match up with what […]

Were Daniel and Esther contemporaries (a question about Darius)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General, History .

Question: I am studying the timelines in the Bible regarding the lifetime of both Daniel and Esther for a school project and I’m hoping to get all my facts straight. I am confused about the dates from my research and was hoping for some clarity. When I research the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, I find that […]

Is 2 Peter 3:10-13 about the return of Jesus or the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in End Times, General .

I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICle WRITTEN BY A CHRISTIAN APOLOGIST EXPLAINING THE MEANING OF 1PETER.3:10-13. I ALWAYS ThOUGHT THAT THIS PASSAGE HAD REFERENCE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AT ARMAGEDDON. HOWEVER, THE APOLOGIST WROTE THAT 1 PETER.3:10-13 HAD REFERENCE TO NOT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE PLANET, BUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD […]

Can you give one solid fact that would prove God exists?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Science and the Bible .

Question: I have debated with a friend over the verification of the Bible and he has pointed me in your direction. I ask you, give me one solid fact that would prove God exists. Answer: One cannot "prove" that God exists in a mathematical kind of proof. We can present facts and evidence which makes […]

What do you think about the convictiosn of Charles Finney about the importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit today?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General .

Question: What do you think about the convictions of Charles Finney about the power of Holy Spirit today? It´s possible pray to receive a miracle? Answer The biblical evidence is that the events at Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) and when Cornelius and his friends were baptized (Acts chapter 10) were unique. The apostles certainly saw […]

Were the Elohim the Anunnaki's? (Akkadian deities)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Were the Elohim the Anunnaki’s? Answer: Many people try to claim that the Jews borrowed their idea about Jehovah from the neighboring peoples: especially from the religions in Mesopotamia. This is certainly not a new claim. I will admit that there is at least some marginal parallel between some of the concepts the Jewish […]

With a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection, how do we get three days and three nights?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Resurrection of Jesus .

Question: I had heard about some debates on whether Jesus was crucified on a Thursday or on a Friday. Tradition teaches that it was a Friday, and we see that tradition in the day called Good Friday. Jesus did say that He would be buried for three days and nights. Those who propose He was […]

What evidence is there for Jesus outside the Bible?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, History, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: What evidence for Jesus is there outside the Bible? Answer: Let me supply a set of notes I just put together for a class I am teaching on the subject this weekend. They may not be fully edited, but the notes are fairly complete. John Oakes Extra-Biblical references to Jesus: 1. Tacitus, Roman historian […]

How did Abraham and Isaac know the Philistines if they did not live in Canaan until 1200 BC?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, History .

Question: The Philistines did not come to Palestine until circa 1200BC at the time of the invasion of the Sea Peoples. How did Abraham & Isaac come to meet them? Answer: I do not know. Believe it or not, I had never noticed this, which is surprising to me. The evidence, as you point out, […]

If Tacitus and Seutonius do not mention the persecution of the church under Domitian, how can we be sure it even happened?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, Daniel, General, History, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I read "Daniel, Prophet to the Nations" recently and was quite awestruck by the prophesies! I’ve been reading online that the Christian persecution under Domitian was historically uncertain and debated. Although the early church fathers routinely mention Domitian, the persecution is seemingly absent from the writings of Tacitus and Suetonius (and other Roman historians). […]

If I accept theistic evolution, how can I understand passages like Genesis 3:20 (the mother of all the living) or Acts 17:26 (from one man every nation)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General .

Question: I have a question about the idea of theistic evolution (I have been reading many of the articles under "creation" by you and John Laing). This interpretation seems to resolve many questions such as: Why was Cain was afraid someone would kill him? Who would be living in the city Cain built? etc… (Genesis 4:14-18) […]

Can you explain some of the Bible "contradictions" found at the web site bibleblunders.com?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: On the site http://bibleblunders.com, many claims are made based on failed prophecies and contradictions. Can you please address some of them, Dr. Oakes? Answer: Which ones do you want me to address? I have already responded to most of these supposed contradiction at my web site. If you go the question and answer section, then […]

Can we trust those who say that the coming of Jesus will be in the near future?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, End Times, General .

Question: It seems just about every time I come across a Christian program on TV there is some mention to how we are getting very close to the end of times. Is it reliable for people to draw the conclusion that the coming of Jesus is going to happen in the near future? Answer; That […]

What about Acharya's claim that Pliny, Seutonius, Josephus and others do not reliably prove Jesus was a real person?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, History, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I just read an article that puts forth some pretty convincing evidence that places the validity of Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Suetonius and a few other well known historians that many apologetics use to help confirm the existence of Chirst into question. Just wondering what the names of the other non-christian scholars are to […]

How do I respond to my friends who accuse God of being harsh in the Old Testament?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: A couple of my buddies always ask about God in the Old Testament: especially about how harsh he can seem to be at times. Have any advice or recommended reading about the topic? Answer: Clearly this is a good question. I have gotten one version or another many times. If you do a […]

What scriptures do you use to help someome from the Jehovah's Witness group?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions .

Question: Greetings from your brother in Soweto –South Africa. My brother, what scriptures do you use to help someone from the JW’s group to see the truth? I’ve read in Hebrews 1 to guide me and also the scripture in John 1. Thomas also calls Jesus, God It would seem that they have their own Bible, […]