Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Still not convinced preterism is false | Matt 16:28 | Wild Olive Shoot | 183768 | ||
“I did not say that no one could count in the 1st century, only that counting beyond ten or twenty and calculating mathematically was beyond the vast majority, and with many their limitation would be counting to three.” That’s a very interesting thing you point out. Why, with so much mention of numbers and the fact that someone had to count, I wonder how limited they were. But then again, those of the first century, well the words probably weren’t meant for them since they couldn’t comprehend anyhow. I guess God inspired those to speak and write so only future generations could understand. Those of the first century were just meant to be confused. Matthew 14:19-21: 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. Who counted the loaves and fishes and baskets and people? I guess this was conveyed only for a more learned people. Deuteronomy 25:3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee. I would really hate to be the one getting the forty lashes while knowing I may get 50 because someone can’t count past three. But it was probably okay to break a command of God because you couldn’t count. Matthew 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Hope they had a calculator for this one. Leviticus 12:2-5: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. Don’t even want to attempt to figure how they knew this. John 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Someone had to count the fish. Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: The good doctor may have been able to count to 40, but someone had to tell him it was forty. Now I’m no expert on the educational standing of first century people, but most couldn’t count past three??? What they do with the extra fingers? WOS |
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2 | Still not convinced preterism is false | Matt 16:28 | jonp | 183776 | ||
Hi, Initially three was the limit of counting for everyone. They thought in terms of themselves, their wives and 'everything else' (that was what the original words for two and three among the Sumerians meant). It was true for absolutely everyone!! There are still tribes today, in Indonesia for example, where people cannot count beyond three, and do not want to. A missionary to the Abiponese tribe in South America was astonished at how the people managed to run their affairs, watch over their herds and so on without being able to count beyond three. Until fairly recently the aboriginal tribes in Australia could only count up to three, some four, even fewer up to ten, and one tribe even up to twenty, but not beyond. This is all a matter of historical record. (My brother-in-law, a missionary in Indonesia, testified to the fact among the tribes he lived among ). Counting is natural to you and I because we were brought up to it. But it was not originally natural for mankind. It only really began about five thousand five hundred years ago and resulted in the invention of writing as men began to note numbers down, initially very low ones, and then add signs to indicate what they meant, and then developed the signs, finally developing more advanced scripts, and more advanced numbers. There were, of course, among the Apostles men who came from the more educated classes, James and John were from a fairly wealthy family connected to the chief priestly families, Nathaniel appears to have been very sophisticated. Matthew, of course, had learned to count for the purposes of his job, and would be extremely numerate. Thus some of them would be able to enumerate to a higher level. Matthew 14.19-21 consists mainly of numbers under twenty. The other figure is 'about five thousand'. This was achieved by dividing up the company into groups 'hundreds and fifties'. Both numbers (like the century in the Roman army) would be approximations. They would indicate groups of different sizes. But they would not specifically be exact figures. People of course understood that 'five thousand' meant a large crowd. But the number was used adjectivally rather than numerically. In Deuteronomy 25.3 there would be an expert present who would count the strokes. But again the judges would be more spophisticated people, some of whom could count. In Matthew 18.22 'seventy times seven' simply meant an unspecified amount. I presume you are not really suggesting that Jesus wanted us to count up to four hundred and ninety and then stop. Leviticus 12.2-5 would be regulated by the priests who would tell the woman what to do. For the thirty three she would be told that after four sabbaths she had five days to go. In John 21.11 there was clearly a numerate disciple present including possibly James and John, Nathaniel and even Matthew. No doubt you are amazed at the thought that 'common people' could not count. The idea takes some getting used to. But the evidence is in fact overwhelming. 'Forty days would indicate a few days past a moon period. This was how they thought. Don't believe me. consult the Encyclopaedia Britannica. See also the article on the Use of Numbers on http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4027/ Best wishes jonp | ||||||
3 | evolving or devolving? | Matt 16:28 | stjohn | 183779 | ||
Hi Jonp. has man ben evolving or devolving sense the fall? Your view on mans history seems to be more secular then biblical peas stj |
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4 | evolving or devolving? | Matt 16:28 | DocTrinsograce | 183788 | ||
Hi, stj... "Claiming to be wise, they [human beings] became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." (Romans 1:22-23 ESV) Look at the order of these items of worship. Sounds like its headed in the wrong direction. In Him, Doc |
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5 | evolving or devolving? | Matt 16:28 | stjohn | 183802 | ||
Hi doc; What a amazing proficy. God is good to his word isn't He. thanks Doc. peas stj P.S. thanks for the good word on post#183719 |
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