Articles by BibleThinker

For the first time I’m going to be streaming my Sunday evening Bible study from home. Jesus’ teaching in this passage, Mark 9:33-42, is meant to stop abuses in leadership, unnecessary division and competitive self-seeking in Christians. These issues are so relevant to us today that we need to take Jesus’ words to heart. It may require that we change some things about ourselves or our ministries. Subscribe and make sure to click the bell icon if you want notifications when I go live. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

This is part 32 in the ongoing series through the Gospel of Mark. You can catch the whole series here (and perhaps now is a good time to start a series!) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

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I will be joined by Dr. Michael Brown has spent a large part of his life finding evidence that Jesus is the Messiah and he is one of my favorite go-to sources for answering objections to Jesus as the Messiah. In this interview we will cover not only a number of scriptures that show Jesus is the Messiah but we will answer objections from skeptics and Jewish anti-missionaries like Tovia Singer.

Dr. Brown’s YouTube channel is here (and it has tons of content) https://www.youtube.com/user/AskDrBrownVideos

Dr. Brown’s twitter profile – https://twitter.com/DrMichaelLBrown
My twitter profile – https://twitter.com/MikeWingerii
March apologetics tournament on Twitter https://twitter.com/AApologetics
Your votes will help increase the reach of the ministries you vote for

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I’ll give you the summary in the first minute of this video and you can get the full download if you stick around for the whole talk. I’ts a lot of interesting stuff and some fun with weird comments on Twitter. We will show exactly what was forged, what it means for Christianity, what it means for the Museum of the Bible, and what it means for the Dead Sea Scrolls as a whole. I think it’s important to realize that news outlets, in an effort to get more views on their articles, have given people a false impression about this discovery.

Wesley Huff has his own web site here https://www.wesleyhuff.com/

More resources if you’re interested in knowing more about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Lay-Level
Christian Beginnings and the Dead Sea Scrolls
https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Beginnings-Scrolls-Studies-Theology/dp/080102837X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Christian+beginnings+and+the+dead+sea+scrolls&qid=1584370753&s=books&sr=1-1

Intermediate:
The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls (3 vol.)
https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Dead-Sea-Scrolls-set/dp/1932792341

Advanced:
The Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls
https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Dead-Sea-Scrolls-set/dp/0195084500/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+encyclopedia+of+the+dead+sea+scrolls&qid=1584370840&s=books&sr=1-1���DSS Translations�The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition

Vol. 1 https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Scrolls-Study-vol-1Q1-4Q273/dp/0802877524/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+dead+sea+scrolls+study+edition&qid=1584370923&s=books&sr=1-1

Vol. 2 https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Scrolls-Study-vol-4Q273-11Q31/dp/0802877532/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=The+dead+sea+scrolls+study+edition&qid=1584371001&s=books&sr=1-2

The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Sea-Scrolls-New-Translation/dp/006076662X/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=The+dead+sea+scrolls+study+edition&qid=1584371016&s=books&sr=1-3

Question Timestamps for Quick Reference:

1. 1:36 How do you reconcile Luke 9: 50 and Luke 11: 23? How do we understand them in their proper context, and how can we apply them in our lives today?
2. 5:15 Regarding your recent “flat Earth” video, what does the Bible say about other planets and their purpose for being created?
3. 8:08 Is it possible that Christians made up martyrs’ claims to make their claims about Christianity hold more value and truth to the people in later centuries?
4. 11:55 What is the biblical way to proceed when a member of your church shares a clearly “new age” message, believing it to be a “call to prayer”?
5. 14:20 How do I fire people at work and still show grace and be a godly leader?
6. 15:48 Have you had the opportunity yet to study deeper about whether or not we can lose our salvation?
7. 17:08 Matthew 6: 25-34 talks about not worrying, and that God knows what we need and will provide. But how can that be true when there are Christians who suffer without “the essentials”?
8. 24:10 Why circumcision? Of all things, why did God choose that as the sign of the covenant? What is the history/meaning behind it?
9. 26:12 Can you please teach on remarriage after a divorce of 2 Christians? Is it sinful for one spouse to remarry if the other person is not willing to reconcile?
10. 26:58 How would you suggest I help other believers understand that Christians are not immune to the troubles of daily life in a way that will not cause them to be fearful/anxious?
11. 29:39 I have an unbelieving sister & niece in homosexual relationships. We have a good/loving relationship with them, but have not allowed their partners into our home. Should we reconsider this approach?
12. 30:53 What would you say to someone who is trying to compare mythology to Christianity?
13. 33:08 I was recently asked, “How can I trust your (or any other person’s) interpretation of a Bible verse?” and “If the Holy Spirit is helping both you and I interpret, then why might we disagree?” Thoughts?
14. 36:04 Is the rapture “pre-tribulation”, “post-tribulation”, or “pre-wrath”, and where does the Bible say?
15. 39:38 Do you think Jeremiah 17: 13 is a prophecy of John 8: 1-11?
16. 41:50 I would like to serve the body by making videos, but I’m afraid my sin is too great to be any sort of teacher. Should I deal with my sin first, or am I still able to be a teacher in spite of it?
17. 43:48 What does it mean to “boast in the Lord”, and how should we do it?
18. 44:37 Did Jesus cause or permit drunkenness by providing more wine to (assumably) drunk guests? What is drunkenness?
19. 48:19 Do you have any advice for starting a Christian YouTube channel?
20. 49:18 What is your view on Christians writing fiction and fantasy books?
21. 50:13 In Genesis 4: 13-17, how was Cain afraid of someone finding and killing him, and how did he get a wife if he, Adam, and Eve were the only people on Earth at this point?
22. 53:38 If we are all happy in Heaven/Paradise, will we not be sad/mourning for those in Hell/Sheol?
23. 57:20 Is there hope for Christians struggling with continuous sin like pornography? Or is repentance/struggling through it sufficient?
24. 58:03 Who is the word “Lord” referring to in 2 Corinthians 3: 17? Is it implying that Jesus is the Holy Spirit?
25. 1:00:56 In the Genesis 6 reference to the “sons of God”, who is that referring to?
26. 1:02:34 How do I know if I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit?
27. 1:03:04 Question about Mark/Olivet Discourse
28. 1:03:33 Can a Christian read Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle?
29. 1:04:44 Is there good evidence for the Exodus?
30. 1:05:31 How would you answer a Christian who claims (using 1 Jn. 2: 1) that believers don’t have a “sinful flesh” after being born again, ignoring other verses?
31. 1:07:12 How is annihilationism not the obvious teaching of Scripture, when eternal life is dependent upon salvation and substitutionary atonement requires that the proper punishment be served?
32. 1:09:08 Does ev

Should churches close? Should I change my lifestyle? How does faith impact a choice to put myself or others at risk? How do I respond if government overreaches?
I don’t pretend to have answers to all my own questions about coronavirus or pandemics but I think we have a lot of scripture that does give us some relevant guidance. If we will remember biblical wisdom we’ll be in a much better place to make good choices.

ANNOUNCEMENT – I’m going to try to do more videos while so many people are “social distancing” so make sure to subscribe AND click the bell if you want to know when I’m going live or uploading something new. That bell icon is the only way you can know you’ll get a notification.

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At first it seems like this story is dropped awkwardly into Mark 9 with no apparent reason. But studying the passage more carefully shows that it may well be a deliberate act on the part of God to illustrate the need for faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. This poor boy, afflicted by a demon for years, seems to be a representation of Jesus on the cross and how challenging it would be for the disciples to trust in a Messiah who would die. This passage also has something that is hugely important to me personally; the father of the child crying out, “I believe, help my unbelief!” The fact that Jesus received the conflicted faith of this man shows me that He receives us when our faith is equally conflicted. Thank God for His patience.

This is part 31 in the ongoing Mark series, here’s the whole thing! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

If you love this ministry and want to help me keep making free content, please click here. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/donate

Here’s how this video is going to be different than what some people would expect.
1- If you are a flat-earther you are welcome here. I’m not here to mock anyone. I respect people on both sides of the issue.
2- I’m not going to get side-tracked on questions about geocentricity, the firmament, or ANE views outside the Bible. I’m just focusing on the flat earth question.
3- I’m going to methodically handle the proof-texts used by flat earth proponents to support their views. I only want to ask “do these verses support a conclusion that the Bible teaches a flat earth?”
4- I’m not interested, in this teaching, about what “science says” or questions of conspiracies. I’m only asking about the Bible.

The simple method here is to have a sober look at the passages used to support a flat earth theory and show what they are really saying, in context. This video is meant to be a helpful resource for those who sincerely want to ask whether or not the Bible, on it’s own, is teaching a flat earth.

Links you may be interested in.
The full Dean Odle video I played clips of (really bad exegesis) https://youtu.be/hIMIAdyWEIg
Strong’s concordance for “platus” https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/platus.html

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We can easily read through this passage without having a clue as to how much deep and thoughtful material it contains. We learn stuff about the relationship between Jesus, Moses and Elijah, the difference between the first and second coming, why Peter wanted to build tabernacles for them, how Jesus’ glory shows He is greater than Moses and much more. On a personal note, I have been thoroughly enjoying this methodical study through the Gospel of Mark and I’m grateful that you can join me as we mine the depths of scripture for it’s treasures!

Here’s the whole Mark series playlist covering both theology and apologetics in Mark. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

If you love this ministry and want to help support my continued creation of free content helping people learn to think biblically about everything, click here. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/donate

Here are all the questions and time stamps to them. Thanks to Sarah Zimmerman for providing them!

1. 2:48 Do you think the flood in Genesis was local or global? Do you think it matters a great deal either way/affects the intention/theology of the event?
2. 6:41 Have you ever heard of John G. Lake Ministries, or Curry Blake? If yes, what are your thoughts on their theology? If no, can I pay you to research them?
3. 7:35 Can you explain the reason Jesus cursed the fig tree in Mark 11?
4. 11:27 What does it mean to be “born of water” in John 3: 5?
5. 15:13 Is Romans 1: 20 a good verse to help refute the doctrine of “Total Depravity”?
6. 16:59 How do you love God more?
7. 18:28 I feel the Enemy attacking me as if he’s trying to make me fall. Please help me. What can I do, or what verses should I read?
8. 20:22 How should we reconcile the baptism verses in the book of Acts (Acts 2: 38, 19: 5-6, 10: 48, 8: 16) with Matthew 28: 19?
9. 27:29 Why can’t we be forgiven after death if God’s mercy is forever?
10. 28:24 Do you believe we can lose our salvation?
11. 29:22 Why did God permit the serpent to deceive Adam and Eve?
12. 31:21 I’m starting Bible college in August. Any advice for me?
13. 32:00 Why do we translate Yeshua into Jesus and not Joshua?
14. 33:19 Do women need to wear head coverings when praying or prophesying?
15. 33:35 In 1 Corinthians 3: 15, it seems to mention that even “carnal Christians” can be saved. Does this mean Heaven will have some form of hierarchy among Christians?
16. 39:08 What is the best way to use apologetics to witness to your family?
17. 40:02 Can you explain “saved by faith alone”? Does that mean even if you go on sinning you still have salvation just because you believe?
18. 42:37 What is the difference between a false teacher and someone whose interpretation you simply don’t agree with?
19. 43:42 What is your opinion on nudity in art?
20. 46:03 I know the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection is very strong, but what about the evidence for His virgin birth?
21. 47:49 What is your take on Acts 4: 32-37? Why don’t we see this practice more in congregations today?
22. 51:25 What powers or abilities do demons have?
23. 55:27 Why can an atheist appear to be a better person than a Christian?
24. 56:44 Why would God ever order someone to be killed (ex: in the Old Testament)?
25. 1:00:57 Speaking in tongues is something that really confuses me. Is it real?
26. 1:02:32 How does one make sure that he does not elevate Christian thought and scholarship above God, especially in disciplines like apologetics? How do you avoid making intellect an idol?
27. 1:05:11 Who is the Bride of Christ and the 144,000 in the book of Revelation?
28. 1:06:01 Do you think people should go to college to become a pastor?
29. 1:07:06 I left a church because they taught KJV onlyism and only sang hymns. They thought that contemporary worship music was worldly and not pleasing to God but I really liked the warm, loving people.
30. 1:09:24 What good apologetic books do you recommend?
31. 1:10:27 My Christian friend says we should not offend people while sharing the Gospel. My understanding was that they must get offended in order to be convicted of their sin and see their need for Jesus. What are your thoughts?
32. 1:11:40 What can you share about the “old Earth/young Earth” topic of discussion?
33. 1:13:37 What is your opinion on Christians doing yoga?
34. 1:13:54 How do we know if Joseph Smith was wrong theologically but the Book of Mormon is right? I see more contradictions within the D&C and not really in the Book of Mormon.
35. 1:15:53 Where is your church located?

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This is the “big reveal” moment in the Gospel of Mark. It turns out that Jesus was highly anticipated and largely misunderstood. What Jesus does in Mark 8 is to keep us from misunderstanding who He is or what He has come to do. It’s really remarkable! Come and see how the cross is at the center of the purposes of Christ and how Jesus wanted to make sure that nobody interpreted Him apart from His death and resurrection.

This is part 29 in the Mark series, here’s a link to the whole playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

If you want to support this ministry then please click here. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/donate