Are there what appear to our eyes to be significant, deliberate, factual changes about the life of Jesus in the Gospels? Did the gospel writers seem to fabricate significant details about Jesus? If so, was this an expected and appropriate practice when writing a Greco-Roman Biography? Do "literary devices" exist, which were employed by the gospel authors, which allowed an ancient biographer to add fictional information to historical stories as a kind of "special effects"? Dr. Lydia McGrew joins ...
Oct 21, 2020•2 hr 1 min
Are there what appear to our eyes to be significant, deliberate, factual changes about the life of Jesus in the Gospels? Did the gospel writers seem to fabricate significant details about Jesus? If so, was this an expected and appropriate practice when writing a Greco-Roman Biography? Do "literary devices" exist, which were employed by the gospel authors, which allowed an ancient biographer to add fictional information to historical stories as a kind of "special effects"? Dr. Lydia McGrew joins ...
Oct 21, 2020•2 hr 1 min
Jesus taught people to pay taxes. I think that most of us know that. But I think there is a lot more going on here and it helps us answer some of our tough ethical questions about how to deal with current issues in politics. If my understanding of the Bible is accurate on this then I think many Christians really need to have something of an overhaul on the way they deal with current political issues. This is part 47 of a verse by verse study through the Gospel of Mark. See the WHOLE Gospel of Ma...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Jesus taught people to pay taxes. I think that most of us know that. But I think there is a lot more going on here and it helps us answer some of our tough ethical questions about how to deal with current issues in politics. If my understanding of the Bible is accurate on this then I think many Christians really need to have something of an overhaul on the way they deal with current political issues. This is part 47 of a verse by verse study through the Gospel of Mark. See the WHOLE Gospel of Ma...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 4 min
~Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: ~ 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:12 Do you agree with any of the 5 points of Calvinism? And what is the one “point” you see as the hardest to reconcile? 2. 16:17 Jesus cast out many demon-possessed people on Earth. With the explosion of the human population and religions, one would think this phenomenon would be more prevalent today, but it’s not. Any insight? 3. 18:31 What's your response to the idea that Isaiah was written by multiple authors? 4. 20:06 Do you...
Oct 16, 2020•59 min
~Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: ~ 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:12 Do you agree with any of the 5 points of Calvinism? And what is the one “point” you see as the hardest to reconcile? 2. 16:17 Jesus cast out many demon-possessed people on Earth. With the explosion of the human population and religions, one would think this phenomenon would be more prevalent today, but it’s not. Any insight? 3. 18:31 What's your response to the idea that Isaiah was written by multiple authors? 4. 20:06 Do you...
Oct 16, 2020•59 min
Why is this verse missing from the ESV translation? Why does it have brackets in the NASB? Here's a summary of the reasons why this verse may not be original and how I think we should think about it. This is the shortest video in the whole Mark series so far and I'm just tossing it out there in the middle of a bunch of other content but I thought it was worth taking some time to discuss. Here's the playlist to my three videos on manuscript issues and translations of the Bible (which I mentioned ...
Oct 15, 2020•10 min
Why is this verse missing from the ESV translation? Why does it have brackets in the NASB? Here's a summary of the reasons why this verse may not be original and how I think we should think about it. This is the shortest video in the whole Mark series so far and I'm just tossing it out there in the middle of a bunch of other content but I thought it was worth taking some time to discuss. Here's the playlist to my three videos on manuscript issues and translations of the Bible (which I mentioned ...
Oct 15, 2020•10 min
This was an "in your face" moment between Jesus and the leaders of the Jews. But what strikes me the most isn't just Jesus' rebuke of the leaders, or how cleverly He does it (so that they cannot charge Him with a crime), or how Jesus integrates Isaiah 5 into this parable of the vineyard. What strikes me the most is how they could be totally aware of the failures of their forefathers and totally blind to those same issues when they were to be found in themselves. God help us to see our lives clea...
Oct 12, 2020•53 min
This was an "in your face" moment between Jesus and the leaders of the Jews. But what strikes me the most isn't just Jesus' rebuke of the leaders, or how cleverly He does it (so that they cannot charge Him with a crime), or how Jesus integrates Isaiah 5 into this parable of the vineyard. What strikes me the most is how they could be totally aware of the failures of their forefathers and totally blind to those same issues when they were to be found in themselves. God help us to see our lives clea...
Oct 12, 2020•53 min
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:17 Do we go directly to be with God when we die? Will we see Him immediately, or is there some type of "soul sleep" that happens? 2. 8:29 What do you think about pages like "Memes for Jesus"? Is it ok to make jokes about Bible stories or situations? 3. 11:29 Premil, Amil, or Postmil - which view is the most correct? 4. 13:37 Recently, many people have been uploading videos of their "prophetic dreams," with many implying that the ra...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:17 Do we go directly to be with God when we die? Will we see Him immediately, or is there some type of "soul sleep" that happens? 2. 8:29 What do you think about pages like "Memes for Jesus"? Is it ok to make jokes about Bible stories or situations? 3. 11:29 Premil, Amil, or Postmil - which view is the most correct? 4. 13:37 Recently, many people have been uploading videos of their "prophetic dreams," with many implying that the ra...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 3 min
It seems eerie to me how similar the claims that Roman Catholicism makes are to the claims that the Pharisees and Sanhedrin were making in the time of Christ. The Pharisees claimed to have and oral tradition that wasn't written down but was handed down through an elder-succession from Sinai to Jesus' time (which was simply not historically true). They claimed that this tradition was equal in authority to the written word. They claimed that they had a special right to interpret that Bible and fel...
Oct 05, 2020•56 min
It seems eerie to me how similar the claims that Roman Catholicism makes are to the claims that the Pharisees and Sanhedrin were making in the time of Christ. The Pharisees claimed to have and oral tradition that wasn't written down but was handed down through an elder-succession from Sinai to Jesus' time (which was simply not historically true). They claimed that this tradition was equal in authority to the written word. They claimed that they had a special right to interpret that Bible and fel...
Oct 05, 2020•56 min
0:00 Introduction 1. 0:12 Are Christians supposed to "tithe"? 2. 10:17 To what extent should Christians protect and retaliate? Should we do what we can to stop others from abusing others? 3. 16:14 Someone wants to disciple me, and is asking for payment, citing Luke 8:1-3, Galatians 6:6, 1 Timothy 5:8 & 5: 18, Acts 2: 42, and 2 Samuel 23:8-17. Is being discipled similar to going to school, that you'd need to pay for it? 4. 19:20 Hebrews 10: 26-27 seems to teach a non-merciful judgment for tho...
Oct 02, 2020•1 hr 9 min
0:00 Introduction 1. 0:12 Are Christians supposed to "tithe"? 2. 10:17 To what extent should Christians protect and retaliate? Should we do what we can to stop others from abusing others? 3. 16:14 Someone wants to disciple me, and is asking for payment, citing Luke 8:1-3, Galatians 6:6, 1 Timothy 5:8 & 5: 18, Acts 2: 42, and 2 Samuel 23:8-17. Is being discipled similar to going to school, that you'd need to pay for it? 4. 19:20 Hebrews 10: 26-27 seems to teach a non-merciful judgment for tho...
Oct 02, 2020•1 hr 9 min
This, right here, is probably the most powerful "name-it-and-claim-it" verse in the Bible. Mark 11:23–24 (NASB95) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Honestly, I really struggled in prep for this study. At fi...
Sep 28, 2020•1 hr 23 min
This, right here, is probably the most powerful "name-it-and-claim-it" verse in the Bible. Mark 11:23–24 (NASB95) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Honestly, I really struggled in prep for this study. At fi...
Sep 28, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Every Friday at 1pm PT! 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:04 Must we speak in tongues in order to be saved? 2. 11:39 Does Scripture authorize only one cup during the Lord's Supper? How should we face different government regulations of Eucharist? (E.g. forbidden one cup drinking.) 3. 14:35 What are your thoughts on the book of 1 Enoch? 4. 17:36 A friend just told me he doesn't believe that the Bible is historically accurate (ex. The Exodus, flood). Any advice on resources to help him? 5. 21:26 Can you plea...
Sep 25, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Every Friday at 1pm PT! 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:04 Must we speak in tongues in order to be saved? 2. 11:39 Does Scripture authorize only one cup during the Lord's Supper? How should we face different government regulations of Eucharist? (E.g. forbidden one cup drinking.) 3. 14:35 What are your thoughts on the book of 1 Enoch? 4. 17:36 A friend just told me he doesn't believe that the Bible is historically accurate (ex. The Exodus, flood). Any advice on resources to help him? 5. 21:26 Can you plea...
Sep 25, 2020•1 hr 11 min
I was interviewed by Rachelle and Carder on the Anything But Quiet Time Podcast. We talked about a variety of issues and I think the one consistent theme that might apply to this whole interview is having more wisdom in how we handle theology, apologetics and evangelism. Anyhow, I hope you'll find some personal benefit in it! Here is Rachelle and Carder's podcast but you can also find it on whatever pod catcher you have https://hopeondemand.com/podcasts#/anything-but-quiet-time
Sep 23, 2020•35 min
I was interviewed by Rachelle and Carder on the Anything But Quiet Time Podcast. We talked about a variety of issues and I think the one consistent theme that might apply to this whole interview is having more wisdom in how we handle theology, apologetics and evangelism. Anyhow, I hope you'll find some personal benefit in it! Here is Rachelle and Carder's podcast but you can also find it on whatever pod catcher you have https://hopeondemand.com/podcasts#/anything-but-quiet-time
Sep 23, 2020•35 min
Dr. Tim Stratton presents his case that free will is evidence for God. Tim has spent a good deal of time refining this argument in his PhD studies and we're going to get an accessible breakdown of how it works. Now, Tim doesn't normally have an eye patch but since he didn't send me over a better photo I'm punishing him... and really, I just thought it was funny. I hope this breakdown of the "free will argument against naturalism" will be not only personally enlightening and convincing to you but...
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 55 min
Dr. Tim Stratton presents his case that free will is evidence for God. Tim has spent a good deal of time refining this argument in his PhD studies and we're going to get an accessible breakdown of how it works. Now, Tim doesn't normally have an eye patch but since he didn't send me over a better photo I'm punishing him... and really, I just thought it was funny. I hope this breakdown of the "free will argument against naturalism" will be not only personally enlightening and convincing to you but...
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 55 min
Every Friday at 1pm PT! Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction & Cat Cam! 1. 0:16 How should we correctly interpret "by His stripes we are healed" in Isaiah 53:5? Has physical healing for today been purchased through the atonement? 2. 11:22 Can you explain why Old Testament sacrifices and offerings were "seasoned with salt"? Is there a spiritual/messianic picture or element involved in that? 3. 13:49 We are told to have a large amount of faith, but Jesus said that faith ...
Sep 18, 2020•1 hr
Every Friday at 1pm PT! Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction & Cat Cam! 1. 0:16 How should we correctly interpret "by His stripes we are healed" in Isaiah 53:5? Has physical healing for today been purchased through the atonement? 2. 11:22 Can you explain why Old Testament sacrifices and offerings were "seasoned with salt"? Is there a spiritual/messianic picture or element involved in that? 3. 13:49 We are told to have a large amount of faith, but Jesus said that faith ...
Sep 18, 2020•1 hr
Time Stamp Map 0:00 Introduction 1. 6:24 How did you initially find out about the WMSCOG, and what caused you to recognize the need for their teachings to be refuted? 2. 11:40 What are some of the books and other resources you used to delve into your research of this cult, and how did the difficulty of obtaining certain resources impact your studies? 3. 15:15 Overview of the origin & history of the WMSCOG, and their current teachings 4. 23:55 How does the WMSCOG's modalistic view of God allo...
Sep 17, 2020•2 hr 5 min
Time Stamp Map 0:00 Introduction 1. 6:24 How did you initially find out about the WMSCOG, and what caused you to recognize the need for their teachings to be refuted? 2. 11:40 What are some of the books and other resources you used to delve into your research of this cult, and how did the difficulty of obtaining certain resources impact your studies? 3. 15:15 Overview of the origin & history of the WMSCOG, and their current teachings 4. 23:55 How does the WMSCOG's modalistic view of God allo...
Sep 17, 2020•2 hr 5 min
An atheist offers what he sees as the best arguments against God. I admit ahead of time that this is mostly low hanging fruit. But I also would say that this sort of atheist reasoning is so prevalent that it needs to be addressed. That being said, this stuff is pretty bad. I want to offer a breakdown of this atheist's article which is perhaps a pretty serious commentary on some of the problems in pop-atheism. All in all, there are 4 really bad arguments, and 1 really tough one. I'll try to get t...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr 23 min
An atheist offers what he sees as the best arguments against God. I admit ahead of time that this is mostly low hanging fruit. But I also would say that this sort of atheist reasoning is so prevalent that it needs to be addressed. That being said, this stuff is pretty bad. I want to offer a breakdown of this atheist's article which is perhaps a pretty serious commentary on some of the problems in pop-atheism. All in all, there are 4 really bad arguments, and 1 really tough one. I'll try to get t...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr 23 min
