Bible Questions

D. James Kennedy on Death and Christ’s Resurrection


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The Betrayal of Sir Thomas More

Mark 14:1 1 It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him. 2 For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot among the people.”

3 While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted? 5 For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” So they grumbled against her.

6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying. 9 Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

10 Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. 11 They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”

13 He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 15 He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there.”

16 His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 When it was evening he came with the twelve. 18 As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”

19 They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”

20 He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. 21 For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

22 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”

23 He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.” 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’  However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”

29 But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”

30 Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

31 But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.

32 They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.” 33 He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. 34 He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch.”

35 He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. 36 He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

37 He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

39 Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. 40 Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn’t know what to answer him. 41 He came the third time, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Arise! Let’s get going. Behold: he who betrays me is at hand.”

43 Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely.” 45 When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 They laid their hands on him, and seized him. 47 But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48 Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.”

50 They all left him, and fled. 51 A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself over his naked body. The young men grabbed him, 52 but he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 53 They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.

54 Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none. 56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn’t agree with each other. 57 Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” 59 Even so, their testimony didn’t agree.

60 The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?” 61 But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

62 Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.”

63 The high priest tore his clothes, and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death. 65 Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

66 As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!”

68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed.

69 The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.” 70 But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” 71 But he began to curse, and to swear, “I don’t know this man of whom you speak!” 72 The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

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Repost: “When You Woke That Thursday Morning”


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

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Repost: Water for Jesus (Ben Hur, 1959)


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Repost: Ben Hur Meets Jesus (1959)


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Repost: Songs of Lent, Music for the Lenten Season | 8 Lenten Hymns | Choir w/ Lyrics |

I am the way, the truth, and the life
Watch the video at Youtube by clicking the link below.

A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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What Was Jesus Charged With?

Judas

Here are some articles from historians and theologians who can explain in detail more about what happened to Jesus in a formal historical context.

What Was the Alleged “Crime” that Jesus Was Crucified For?

What Was the ‘Crime’ of Jesus That Got Him Crucified?

THE HISTORICAL BASIS FOR JESUS’ DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION

Matthew 26:1   When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. 4 They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8 But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

10 However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me. 12 For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”

14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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An Empty House

broom

This is why is is important to be regular in devotion to God.  A life needs to be filled with the things of the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:43   “When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”

Luke 11:24 The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’ 25 When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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The Epileptic Son

medieval

One of the flaws of western thinking is that it has moved away from simple Bible truths. It considers that it has “higher” or “more modern” ways of evaluating scripture than what scripture plainly says. Anything it does not like it calls “medieval” “old fashioned” “ancient” “religious” or any other kind of denigrating term.  In this philosophy’s mind,  the “trendy” or “socially correct” or “politically correct” don’t believe such things. Unfortunately, such people miss out due to unbelief.

Instead of believing the Bible that man has a spirit and soul, the mind is considered to be so many chemical reactions, and not something that connects to the spirit and soul.

When it comes to healing, disease is evaluated in terms of what science has figured out, and if science so-called, has not figured it out, then in the minds of those who do not believe the Bible, then any other explanation is not possible.  They may say “we  have no answer” or “we have done all that we know how to do”.  The Bible offers more answers and more hope.

In the Bible, we see that not all healings were germ-related. Here are some examples.

Mark 9:14 Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them. 15 Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him. 16 He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”

17 One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit; 18 and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.”

19 He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.”

20 They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.

21 He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has come to him?”

He said, “From childhood. 22 Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.”

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”

26 After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead, so much that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.

28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 29 He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.”

 

Matthew 17:14

14 When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

17 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

20 He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”

 

Matthew 8:16 When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

 

Matthew 8:28 When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way. 29 Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. 31 The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!”

They came out, and went into the herd of pigs; and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the water. 33 Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. 34 Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.

 

 


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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The Witch at Endor

grieve not the Holy Spirit

In today’s secular culture, there are books, movies, and even children’s cartoons that promote witchcraft.  Sometimes this is dressed up  in a “friendly” way but at times these things look like demons from hell.

Opening doors to witchcraft opens doors to demonic spirits to play with or influence a life and can only lead to trouble.  Some people seem to be unable to connect the dots of cause and effect, of disobeying the commandments of God and the consequences.

For their own well being, childen and parents need to resist peer pressure to participate in witchcraft. If neighborhood friends like to watch those kinds of videos, tell them about Christian alternatives such as Pureflix, VeggieTales, Yippie, or Superbook. Or have the Christian alternative at your house and invite the neighborhood kids to watch at your home.

Leviticus 19:26   “‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.

Leviticus 19:31  “‘Don’t turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

Deuteronomy 5:9  You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;

I Samuel 28:3  Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had sent away those who had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. 4 The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her.”

His servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor.”

8 Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. Then he said, “Please consult for me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you.”

9 The woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

10 Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, “As Yahweh lives, no punishment will happen to you for this thing.”

11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up to you?”

He said, “Bring Samuel up for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”

13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What do you see?”

The woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.”

14 He said to her, “What does he look like?”

She said, “An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe.” Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and showed respect.

15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?”

Saul answered, “I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, by prophets, or by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since Yahweh has departed from you and has become your adversary? 17 Yahweh has done to you as he spoke by me. Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. 18 Because you didn’t obey Yahweh’s voice, and didn’t execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this thing to you today. 19 Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Yahweh will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

I Corinthians 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

Ephesians 4:30  Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Here is the story of Saul and the witch of Endor in a children’s cartoon.


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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