The Gospel of John reports that early in Jesus’ public ministry he entered Jerusalem’s temple, got angry at its ungodly commercialism in selling animals there (which should have been outside), and made a whip to expel those merchants and moneychangers (John 2.13-16). Yet, all three synoptic gospels report a similar incident at the end of Jesus’ ministry, during Passion Week (Matt 21.12-13; Mark 11.15-18; Luke 19.45-48). Did Jesus “cleanse the temple” on two separate occasions? That’s … [Read more...]
Did Jesus Cleanse the Temple by Expelling the Moneychangers Once or Twice?
March 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Anthropology, the Intermediate State, and Sheol/Hades
March 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Most Christians believe that the human soul is immortal and that when they die their soul goes to heaven to enjoy conscious bliss. The foremost Bible texts they cite for support are 2 Cor 5.1-8 and Phil 2.21-23; others are 1 Th 3.13; 1 Pt 3.18; Rev 6.9-10. Like most Christians, this is what I was taught, and I believed it for nearly thirty years. But this is not what the Bible teaches or the early Christians believed. Paul says only God possesses immortality (1 Th 1.17; 6.16). Famed William … [Read more...]
Saying Christ Is God in the Fourth Gospel Misunderstands that Spiritual Gospel
March 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Nearly all Christians have believed Jesus is God. Scholars call them “traditionalists.” And most scholars claim that the foremost New Testament (NT) book that identifies Jesus as God is the Gospel of John. It contains the two most formidable NT texts that have been interpreted as declaring that Jesus is God. They are John 1.1 and 20.28. Even liberal and historical-critical NT scholars, such as those of the Jesus Seminar, assert that the Gospel of John presents Jesus as God. Since the … [Read more...]
The PGA TOUR Winner Yesterday: The Bear Trap
March 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment
A bunch of PGA TOUR pros got caught in "the bear trap" yesterday. It was the final round of the Honda Classic on the Champions Course at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. So, the real winner was the bear trap. This golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus. It's a good track, especially its last four holes: 15, 16, 17, and 18. They are called "the bear trap" because of Jack's nickname--The Golden Bear. Watching this tournament on television, the commentators kept telling … [Read more...]
Houdini Almost Won at Golf
February 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Victor "Houdini" Dubuisson almost won the Word Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship yesterday at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona, which is near Tucson. That is, after his finals performance Sunday, this 23-year old Frenchman should add "Houdini" as his middle name. Why? He was about 3 down with five holes to play, so I turned off the TV figuring Victor's opponent--the fledgling 26-year old Australian Jason Day, who married an American, lives in the U.S., and … [Read more...]
Is Israel a Jewish State? Better Yet, What is the Land of Israel?
February 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Recently, a group of Israeli Jewish lobbyists have been trying to get the Knesset for the first time to declare Israel "a Jewish state." And Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is demanding that in the U.S.-brokered peace process the Palestinian Authority acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state. Concerning Israel, he said in a speech this week, "This is the Jewish land. This is the Jewish state." So, Netanyahu identifies the State of Israel with the land Israel possesses. (That land should … [Read more...]
Predictions of the End of the World, Yet We’re STILL HERE
February 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Harold Camping, founder and owner of the large Christian radio network Family Radio, died at 92 years of age on December 16, 2013. He had predicted that the world would end and Jesus would return on May 21, 2011. But the next day we were STILL HERE. When I won my first pro golf tournament on the PGA Tour--the Kaiser International in Napa, California, in 1968--I listened to Family Radio the entire time while driving to and from the Silverado Country Club and my motel in St. Helena, thirty … [Read more...]
Interactive Map Shows Genetic Makeup of Populations
February 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment
The University College of London has a Genetics Institute. It's website says it is "a world-leading centre to develop and apply bio-statistical and bio-informatics approaches to genetic research. Its major, although not exclusive, remit is to focus on clinical and human population genetics." Last week, the UCL Genetics Institute and the University of Oxford made public for the first time its "interactive map" which shows the history of genetic mixing of ninety-five current populations in … [Read more...]
The Bible Predicts Future Metal Scarcity
February 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Two days ago, USA TODAY had an article by Ray Locker entitled "Western militaries risk losing access to resources." It begins as follows: "Western militaries may lose access to critical materials needed for weapons and other systems, because of the growing demand for new technologies, questionable supply lines and production in unfriendly or dangerous countries, NATO documents show. "'Key strategic materials are those that are crucial in the manufacture of sophisticated military hardware … [Read more...]
Was Jesus Original in Telling Nicodemus To Be “Born Again”?
February 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment
During the time of Jesus, the Sanhedrin ruled the religious life in Israel. It was a council of seventy members. They consisted of Sadducees, Pharisees, chief priests, and elders. One of the chief priests was the high priest who presided. One of the members of the Sanhedrin was Nicodemus. For the Fourth Evangelist tells us, "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews" (John 3.1 ESV). The last phrase likely indicates that Nicodemus was also a member of the … [Read more...]
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