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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: rabban Ordered by Date
Results		Verse	Author	ID#
1	can anyone here help a seeker	Revelation	rabban	192082
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2	Does anyone understand why this prophet	1 Kin 13:9	rabban	192081
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3	God the Father as Provider or Saviour?	Rom 8:32	rabban	192080
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4	God the Father as Provider or Saviour?	Rom 8:32	rabban	192056
	GOD AND CHRIST AS SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER. The Old Testament points clearly to God as the Saviour and Redeemer. Job can declare, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand at last upon the earth’ (Job 19.25), and the psalmist can speak of ‘the Lord’ as ‘my rock and my Redeemer’ (Psalm 19.14). Thus he can boldly declare, ‘they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer’ (Psalm 78.35), while in Psalm 106.21 we are told of a contrary occasion when, ‘they forgot God their Saviour’. Isaiah reminds God’s people that ‘your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel’ (Isaiah 41.14), and God Himself declares ‘I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour’ (Isaiah 43.3) or alternately, ‘your Redeemer, the Holy one of Israel’ (Isaiah 43.14 compare 47.4), so that He can add ‘beside Me there is no Saviour’ (Isaiah 43.11). Both words are combined in Isaiah 49.26, ‘I the Lord am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob’ (compare also 60.16). Jeremiah declares, ‘Oh hope of Israel, their Saviour in time of trouble’ (Jeremiah 14.8), while in 50.34 he adds, ‘their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of Hosts is His name’, while God declares through Hosea, ‘beside Me there is no Saviour’ (Hosea 13.4). God is therefore constant as Saviour and Redeemer. This passes over into the New Testament where Mary can declare, ‘my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour’ (Luke 1.47), and God is often declared to be our Saviour. Paul is ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ, by commandment of God our Saviour’ (1 Timothy 1.1) and he can speak of what is ‘good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour’ ( 1 Timothy 2.3). Indeed ‘the living God is the Saviour of all men, especially of those who believe’ (1 Timothy 4.10). Again Paul can say that the word is ‘committed to me (Paul) according to the commandment of God our Saviour’ (Titus 1.3). So that we are told to ‘adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things’ (Titus 2.10), for ‘when the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared --- He saved us’ (Titus 3.4-5). And again Jude addresses his paean of praise to ‘the only God, our Saviour’ (Jude 1.25). Thus in the New Testament also God is both God and Saviour. This all makes it very significant, then, that Jesus Christ is regularly called our Saviour, and even ‘our God and Saviour’. The angels tell us, ‘unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2.11), and the woman of Samaria declares Him to be ‘Christ, the Saviour of the world’ (John 4.42). Indeed ‘Him has God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour’ (Acts 5.31). He has ‘brought unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus’ (Acts 13.23). So Christ is ‘the head of the church, and He is the Saviour of the body’ (Ephesians 5.23). Thus we ‘wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 3.20). For God’s purpose in Christ is revealed by ‘the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 1.10) and Paul can speak of ‘God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour’ (Titus 1.4). But he finalises the union when he says that we are looking for ‘the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Titus 2.13). It is to Him, says Paul, that we owe the blessing of ‘the renewing of the Holy Spirit which He poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ (Titus 3.5-6). And John agrees, for he says, ‘the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world’ (1 John 4.14). Peter can speak even more definitely of those who have ‘obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1.1), and of those who have had ministered to them an abundant entrance into ‘the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 1.11) (note that the Greek construction in 1.1 (‘God and Saviour’) and 1.11 (‘Lord and Saviour’) is the same so that if ‘Lord’ refers to Jesus so must ‘God’). So Peter tells us to remember the commandment of ‘the Lord and Saviour’ (2 Peter 3.2) and that we are to ‘grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3.18). To Peter Jesus is both ‘Lord and Saviour’ and ‘God and Saviour’. And in Acts 20.28 Paul can speak of ‘the church of God which He (God) purchased with His own blood’ in a context where the whole stress is on God. Thus the ‘God and Saviour’ of the Old Testament has become the ‘God and Saviour’ of the New Testament as revealed in Jesus Christ, Who is Himself ‘God and Saviour’.
5	can anyone here help a seeker	Revelation	rabban	192054
	If you like to contact me at jonrobb1@lycos.com I will give you all the answers you want, straight from the shoulder :-))))
6	Acts 10:39 "Tree or cross"?	Acts 10:39	rabban	192052
	Nestles Greek text gives 'tree' and suggests no alternative in the apparatus. In view of the fact that the wording reflects Deuteronomy 21.22 in LXX 'tree' is the correct text. It reflects the fact that Jesus bore our curse (Galatians 3.13). 'Cross' is presumably a translator's rendering of tree.
7	Why does the child sneeze 7 times?	2 Kin 4:1	rabban	192048
	Certain numbers were often seen by ancient peoples as having a special significance. This was because numeracy in numbers above ten was limited to the more educated. People on the whole had no need for counting in large numbers. The number seven was seen in many civilizations as a number related to the divine. This especially comes out in early Sumerian literature, which is especially interesting as they were the most advanced mathematicians in the ancient world. Even in recent times there have been numerous tribes in the world that could not count beyond three in, for example, South America, Indonesia and Australia. Numbers therefore gained a special significance. Thus three could indicate completeness, five could indicate covenant and seven could indicate divine activity and perfection. Ten could indicate a full set ('you have changed my wages ten times.') It is possible that the writer saw in the 'seven' sneezes an indication that God was at work, but we must not read more into it than that. (Compare the series of seven activities in Revelation). In Him
8	who are the 144000	Revelation	rabban	192042
	You now have two of the 144,000 explanations. Revelation is apocalyptic literature and is open to wide interpretation, for the purpose of apocalyptic was to get over truth in veiled form.. Some see the church as being the 144,000, becaus they are the true Israel. So you see you can take your pick :-)))).
9	who are the 144000	Revelation	rabban	192031
	If you genuinely have difficulties about this question please contact me at jonrobb1@lycos.com and we can discuss the 144,000 interpretations of this question and allay any doubts. But one thing is sure, no one knows who the 144,000 are. If they are, as some views suggest, individuals, they are known only to God. One thing that they are not is JWs Whoever they are we who are Christians can rejoice in the fact that we too are sealed by God and enjoy God's preserving power (Ephesians 1.13-14, 4.30; 1 Peter 1.5). In Him
10	What was in the cup, wine?	Mark 14:25	rabban	192030
	Hi You wrote "I thought that if alcohol was ingested and entered the bloodstream, the blood would be diluted w/ a foreign substance, making it into an altered state. I thought that Jesus would remain pure absolutely, making His sacrifice acceptable." The acceptability or otherwise of Jesus offering of Himself was dependent on His absolute obedience to the will of His Father (Hebrews 10.1-14). 'He was made sin, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him'(2 Corinthians 5.21). Nothing that enters the body and the bloodstream renders the natural body or blood unclean (Mark 7.1--21). Uncleanness is of the moral 'heart' (center of being). When we speak of the 'blood' of Jesus cleansing, we are really referring to the atonement and 'satisfaction' obtained through the shedding of His blood. The physical blood is irrelevant. The blood in the Old Testament was important for what it symbolised, a life given out in death. Thus Jesus was purer than the driven snow, a Lamb without spot or blemish.. In Him
11	God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit one person?	Col 2:9	rabban	192021
	There is one God and within His Godhead are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are not one person, for they speak with one another (e.g. Mark 1.11). Thus Jesus prayed constantly to His Father. As has been pointed out we define Him in English as one God in three persons. But this is because English does not have adequate words with which to express the situation. (Latin is a little better for the purpose because it has 'persona' which does not quite mean a person). We see a 'person' as an individual, but God is not three individuals. So we have to put in a proviso, 'but not individual persons in the way that human persons are individuals'. Within God are three inter-communicating personalities, Father, Son and Holy Spirit although they are One essence. But we know this because it has been revealed to us. However, understand God we cannot, nor ever will, until possibly that day when we see Him face to face. For He is Spirit. And we do not even understand our own spirits. How then can we understand the God Who is Spirit (John 4.24) In Him
12	FYI - About Duplicate Posts	Rom 12:10	rabban	192019
	Thanks Cheri :-)))
13	What was in the cup, wine?	Mark 14:25	rabban	192017
	While it is unquestionable that Jesus did drink mild wine mixed with water we have to remember that in those days water was in most cases almost undrinkable, unless you could go to a place where there was a spring. From there water jars would be filled and provided a limited supply of water (especially if you had to go a long way). Thus wine was the easily available cheap alternative and mixed with the scarcer water was a necessity. And it was unavoidably drunk by all, children included. The water in Ephesus was particularly bitter. That is probably why Paul said to Timothy (who was in Ephesus), 'Be no longer a drinker of water. Drink a little wine for your stomach's sake and your regular infirmities' (1 Timothy 5.23). This would suggest that Timothy did try to keep off wine, and was nobly sticking to the water that was making him ill. I do not think that this has anything to say either way about whether Jesus would enter a tavern, which is a totally different question. However, the Scriptures certainly condemn 'wine and strong drink', in other words the powerful stuff (Leviticus 10.9; Proverbs 20.1; Isaiah 5.22; 28.7; Luke 1.15). And Paul in Ephesians 5.18 warns against 'being drunk with wine' but rather urges us to be 'filled with the spirit'. Both produce singing, but of totally different kinds.
14	in Prisons	1 Pet 3:21	rabban	191892
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15	is jesus god	John 10:30	rabban	191891
	Hebrews 1.2-3 again emphasises His uniqueness. He is 'the outshining of the glory of God (the visible revelation of the gory of God - see John 1.14, 18), the stamped out image (the exact representation) of His substance' and is the One through Whom all things were made and Who upholds all things by His powerful command. Thus the One Who spoke and it was done in Genesis 1 is Jesus. He is the Creator. It is difficult to think of any way of putting it that could more clearly declare His full deity. Yet at the same time it is made clear that He is not the whole of the Godhead. That is why He is called 'the Son' as against ‘the Father’ in an otherwise inexpressible relationship. This term indicates that He is of the same nature and essence as the Father, but not the whole of the Godhead. It is of course using human terminology to get over divine truth. He is the ever-existent, eternal Son. There was not a time when He had a beginning. Human sons are born after their fathers and are of the same nature. Thus ‘the Son’ was of the same nature as ‘the Father’. But we must not press the analogy too far. Because He is of the same nature as the eternal Father He is the eternal Son. But there was no time when He was not. He was not 'born' later than the Father like a human son is born (except when He became man). Theologians speak of Him as being 'eternally begotten'. The Apostle John further stresses His Godhood. 'In the beginning the Word (Logos) was already in existence, and the Word (Logos) was face to face with God in personal communion (pros with the accusative), and what God was the Word (Logos) was' (John 1.1), and this Word (Logos) 'became flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1.14). It is sometimes argued by those with a limited knowledge of Greek that the lack of the definite article on theos ('God') in the third clause of 1.1 somehow suggests a lessening in His divinity (as though there could be levels of Godhood). However to have put in the definite article ('the') would have been incorrect, firstly because in Greek it would have meant John was saying that Jesus was all there was of the Godhead, i.e. that the terms 'Jesus' and 'the Godhead' were exact equivalents, and secondly because it ignores the fact that the very purpose of the lack of article is to show that theos is used adjectivally to mean 'of the essence of what God is'. As theos has already been used in the second clause, to use it in the third clause adjectivally quite clearly makes the use of theos indicate the same essence and thus it refers to the essential nature of God. 'He was 'face to face with' God in close personal communion, and was Himself of the same 'essence of Godhood'. Thus John depicts Jesus as the creative Word Who made all things (John 1.3), the Creator of Genesis 1, and as of the essence of the Godhead.
16	is jesus god	John 10:30	rabban	191890
	To answer this question we need to look at the Scriptures, and we must be careful to consider each verse in context, and in the light of other Scriptures. Especially we need to look at the New Testament in the light of the Old, for Jesus and the Apostles all looked on the Old Testament as the Word of God. It is this consideration of Scriptures that will enable it to dawn on us Who He is. For the belief must capture our hearts if it is to be meaningful. 1). We will first of all consider the teaching of Paul. In Philippians 2 we have a clear statement of the fact that Jesus is called by the Name of the God of the Old Testament. That Jesus is LORD (Kurios). To appreciate this we need some background information. When God revealed Himself to Moses He revealed Himself under the name 'the I am' (Exodus 3.14). (The Hebrew is Eyeh). Then in Exodus 6 He relates this to His covenant name Yahweh (which means the 'He is', third person singular where Eyeh is first person singular). We do not know how this name was pronounced because it was so sacred that there came a time when to pronounce it meant instant death. All we know are the four consonants that make up the name, YHWH. This was the sacred name, the Name above every name. When a Jew or an Israelite read the Scriptures and came to the divine name he would substitute for it adonai ('Lord') or elohim ('God'). Thus God in the Old Testament was known as the 'I am' and as YHWH, but spoken of as Adonai ('LORD'). Thus the name YHWH was translated into Greek in the Septuagint in 2nd Century BC as Kurios ('Lord'). So when Paul speaks in Philippians 2 of Jesus as having 'been in the form of God' (in essence sharing Godhood), and emptying Himself to take 'the form of a servant' (in essence sharing servitude), being 'made in the likeness of man', and then being exalted to receive 'the Name which is above every name', we know that this latter was the name of YHWH (Kurios - LORD). That is the only Name which is above every name. Thus Jesus is declared to be thw YHWH of the Old Testament, truly God. Furthermore He Himself said that He had to return to ‘the glory which I had with You before the world came into being' (John 17.5).These are clear statements that being essentially God, Jesus became man, and having suffered death on the cross for man, was raised to again be essentially revealed as God, having the Name above every name, YHWH. Because of this every tongue will confess that Jesus is Kurios (the Greek equivalent of YHWH)as in Isaiah 45.23. In the light of the background, familiar to Paul and his readers, there could be no clearer statement that Jesus and the 'I Am' of the Old Testament are One. Furthermore in Titus 2.13 he speaks of 'the appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ'. Jesus is both God and Saviour. Compare also 2 Peter 1.1 which says the same. The same Greek construction says that He is LORD and Saviour in verse 11. That is why in John 8.58 Jesus could say, 'Before Abraham was, I am.' Here He compares His continually existent being with that of Abraham. He was the continually existing One before Abraham came into being. And even before Abraham, became a temporally existing one, Jesus was the eternally existing One. In 2 Corinthians 4.4 Paul can speak of 'Christ, who is the image of God', and thus as the One Who fully reveals what God is like. And he adds 'we preach Christ Jesus as LORD' (Kurios). Again the reference is clear to anyone familiar with the Hebrew background. This reference to Jesus as 'the image of God' (the One Who reveals what God is like) is again made in Colossians 1.15-17 where He is described as 'the image of the invisible God', the adjective 'invisible' thus removing any suggestion that the image spoken of is physical. The only way that you can be the image of One Who is invisible is to fully reveal in His own self what the Invisible One essentially is. Here also He is referred to as 'The Firstborn' (prototokos). This word comes from Greek philosophy where it refers to the Logos ('the eternal reason') with the idea that the Logos is eternal and not created, and is the source of all things. We note especially that Jesus is the ‘Firstborn’ not the first created, thus being equated with the eternal 'Reason' which was seen as ever-existent, as eternal. It equates with the use by Him of Himself as ‘the Son’. We are also told that as 'the Firstborn' He created all things both visible and invisible, is before all things (thus eternally existent), and holds all things together. Thus He is revealed as the Creator of the Old Testament and the sustainer of the world. In other words He was of the same nature and essence of the Father. ‘In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form’ (Colossians 2.9).
17	What was in the cup, wine?	Mark 14:25	rabban	191862
	Four cups of wine mixed with water were drunk at stages throughout the Passover meal. The one Jesus used as the cup of remembrance was probably the third cup, although some disagree. Luke mentions the cup of blessing which would be one of the first two cups (Luke 22.17). In Him
18	in Prisons	1 Pet 3:21	rabban	191859
	Jeff I will refrain from following your pattern of behaviour. I will simply reply 1). That you clearly did not read carefully what I wrote. 2). That you did not have the courtesy to answer any of my questions such as (I quote) a). All I can say is that if you think you know when the angels fell (apart from Satan) other than in Genesis 6.1-2 then demonstrate it from Scripture. b). And perhaps you will also indicate where in Scripture mankind are called in an unqualified way 'spirits'. I have given you a number of references where angels are called 'spirits'. c). Please can you tell me anywhere in Scripture where men are spoken of as 'spirits in prison'? I note also that your answers are in the form of dogmatic statements not of arguments on the basis of Scripture, reference to which in your last reply is singularly lacking. You say, 'The long-held, orthodox view of the Fall is established from a common sense, logical, and contextual approach to Scripture'. That is always the refuge of those who have no arguments. I did not deny that angels had fallen (you see you do not read what people have written). I stated that you could produce no Scripture which said when it had happened. I had already given you detailed Scriptures about Satan so that is irrelevant. I appreciate that you are not a scholar and cannot therefore be expected to take a fully scholarly approach. But I do expect you to be fair. I have been checking back on some of your posts and I would remind you of what you said to one person you wrote to: "let me say that a quick lesson to learn regarding the forum is to not expect to respond to every post made to you. It may seem rude, but it's the reality of it. Very often the multiple responses are addressing the same issue and a response to the first questioner should be sufficient. In addition, there are others who can competently answer questions as well freeing you up from some of the responsibility." I had replied to the first questioner so it seems that you change your coat to suit the situation. You have admitted that you were not genuinely seeking guidance but were simply seeking to find fault. And quite frankly I do not like the way you treat your adversaries. I must therefore request that you will please avoid personally addressing any questions to me in future. Leave it to Doc to do the monitoring. I realise that you will want to have the last blast. It is your way. But please address it to the forum and not to me, for I am not interested. In Him
19	Do this and you shall live	Luke 10:28	rabban	191849
	Hi These words of Jesus were for all people at all times. In them we find summarised the full-orbed Christian life (Galatians 5.14). They describe fully the life of Jesus Christ. They should be the goal of each one of us in their strictest application. However, as you have rightly discerned, we all fall short of it by a large margin. By this we discover the truth about ourselves. We discover that 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God' (Romans 3.23). Thus if we are to find this life we have to come to God as sinners, admitting our sin and our helplessness, and seek forgiveness for our failure through the cross. We have to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Once we truly do that all that Jesus describes here is imputed to us. We are accounted as righteous in His sight (Romans 3.34-25). And His righteousness is put to our account (2 Corinthians 5.21). From that moment on the Great Physician sets about our healing. We are made new creatures in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5.17). God begins to 'work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure' (Philippians 2.13). And gradually we will be transformed into His image (2 Corinthians 3.18; Ephesians 1.4-5; Romans 8.29 etc). And the wonderful thing is that through Him we then do this as those who have already 'inherited eternal life' (1 John 5.13). In Him
20	Explanation of Revelation 12:17	Rev 12:17	rabban	191847
	Hi A widely held view is that the woman is spiritual Israel and that 'the rest of her seed' are Gentile Christians. In that view this took place after the resurrection in the days of the early church, and continues today. There are many other views. Revelation is the subject of more controversy than any other book. In view of that fact I will not discuss it on the forum. If you would like to discuss the matter further with me please email me. In Him

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