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Is the Gospel of John arranged as a chiasm?
In his book the Literary Structure of the Old Testament, David Dorsey compiles a list of fifteen ways the writers of the Hebrew bible linked narrative units into narrative patterns. One of these patterns is known as symmetric parallelism or…
Matthew Miller
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In John 18:10 why does John note the name of the servant whose ear was cut off?
Unlike the synoptics, John notes the name of the man whose ear was cut off during Jesus' arrest.
John 18:10 - Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was…
Soldarnal
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Could the law give life?
This is more of a semantic question, but I keep coming back to it and can't seem to come to a conclusion.
Was the law able to give life? I know that Galatians 3:21-22 (and other places) tells us that since we are innately sinful and unable to keep…
Ben Robinson
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Why does Luke associate the birth of Christ with the census conducted by Quirinus?
Luke states that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem because of a census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria (2:1-5).
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the
world should be registered. This was the first…
Matthew Miller
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Why did Paul collect and deliver an offering for the Church in Jerusalem?
Paul's collection for the Jerusalem church occupies significant portions of his letters (1 Cor 16:1–4; 2 Cor 8:1–9:15; Rom 15:14–32). It is so important to Paul he is willing to face hostility (Romans 15:30-31) and is indeed arrested in Jerusalem…
Matthew Miller
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What evidence is there that "morphe theou" in Philippians 2:6 means "God's nature"?
Is there any evidence that μορφῇ θεοῦ (morphe theou) in Philippians 2:6 means the "nature" of God the Father?
ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, — SBLGNT
Several translations including the NIV render it as…
R. Brown
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Who is the intended audience of Matthew 5-7?
Matthew 5 begins:
1Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ESV
and Matthew 7 ends:
28And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were…
Jack Douglas
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In Acts 2:6, was the miracle in the speaking or the hearing at Pentecost?
I have a few questions about tongues during the Pentecost event in acts. Here is the main verse :
And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.…
acc abb
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What is the "systematic typology" hermeneutic method and how does it work?
There's a hermeneutic method that's been used on this site called "systematic typology". What is it? How does one apply it? Are there contexts where it is considered to be a particularly good or particularly bad fit? Where can one go to learn…
user3457
14
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Did Jephthah have pets?
Judges 11:29-40 tells the story of Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites. Before the battle he promises, "whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it…
Soldarnal
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In 1 Kings 17:4-6 is Elijah fed by ravens or Arabians?
A couple of commentaries mention that scholars dispute that Elijah was fed by ravens and instead think the word in 1 Kings 17:4-6 ought to be translated black arabs or perhaps "Orbites, i.e., inhabitants of Orbo." I'm also told though:
In support…
Soldarnal
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Are the 'ten virgins' told in Jesus' parable multiple brides or just general wedding party?
Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of God involving "ten virgins" and a "bridegroom". It starts out in the beginning of Matthew:
Matthew 25:1-2 (ESV)
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet…
Caleb
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Is " Ὁ ὢν" used as a title for Yahweh in LXX Jeremiah?
While looking into a question about the Greek phrase "ο ων" ("the one being") as a title for Yahweh in Koine Greek literature, I ran across this appellation in LXX Jeremiah. It occurs three times in Swete's edition, each time as a vocative:
Ὁ ὢν…
Susan
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Why is it significant for the author to point out that no iron tools were used on the site of Solomon's temple? (1 Kings 6:7)
The temple of Solomon was built in a sort of strange way. Since Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived (according to scripture), there must have been some element of divine wisdom in his decision.
1-Kings 6:7 (NKJV)
And the temple, when it was…
user20490
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To whom was Isaiah referring in Isaiah 53?
I already asked a variant of this question at Christianity.SE.
Consider Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV), which is commonly interpreted as a prophecy that the Messiah would die for the sins of the world:
4Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
…
Flimzy
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