What’s up with the crazy-long lifespans in the Bible? What are we to think when we read that Adam lived to 930, Noah to 950, and Methuselah (the record-holder) to 969? How would that even work? Did they Benjamin Button their way through childhood (30-year-old toddlers)? ...Probably not. But let’s look at some common interpretations… The traditional view is that the pre-Flood world was a very different era, and people actually lived that long. In this view, God originally crea

It’s one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. ...So let’s talk demon possession! Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount the story of Jesus healing the “Gadarene demoniac.” Picture a naked man (bear with me…) living in the tombs outside of town. He’s constantly screaming and cutting himself with stones. He’s so violent that no one can pass by, and so supernaturally strong that he snaps the iron chains whenever townspeople are brave enough to bind him. Oh, and did you kno

Why did John always refer to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”? Did he have a complex? Was he bragging? Scholars generally agree it’s the opposite… Humility: John may have stayed anonymous out of humility. Instead of boasting about his role, he keeps the focus on Jesus. A casual reader wouldn’t even know that John wrote it without making some inferences, comparing it with the other Gospels. Even then, we can’t be 100% sure. Identity in Christ: John’s primary identity

The biblical story of David killing a lion is only two verses long, but it always captivated me, and stirred up so many questions in my head. What kind of lions lived in ancient Israel? Was it a male lion? How does one kill a lion with their hands? Does it feel good to kill a lion? Why haven’t I killed a lion? These important questions led me to do some light research… I quickly found the conventional talking points of the story… The wilderness was the young shepherd’s traini

You were probably taught that the little boy was a generous and willing participant in the feeding of the five thousand. That’s what is taught in Sunday School, and I think there's a high probably that's what happened... but it’s not in the bible. If you read all four accounts of the story, and consider the historical context, another plausible narrative is that the disciples found him, commandeered his lunch, and then brought it to Jesus. Children had no social status, and i

Just a few of my favorite lines from the Song of Solomon. He was a master of romance. Take note, men.

I figure John the Baptist must have been the greatest preacher of all time after Jesus. I picture him climbing out of a bush to preach, snacking on locusts dipped in honey, dressed in a camel-hair toga. And yet people came from all over the whole region to hear him preach and be baptized by him. If you saw this man preaching on the sidewalk, would you guard your wallet and avoid eye contact? Or would you stop and listen? Matthew 3: 4-6 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair

Which position do you take on dinosaurs and the Flood?