The name “Jesus Christ” is very familiar to most people as the central figure of Christianity. However, some wonder if this Greek-based name accurately represents who Jesus was as a 1st century Jew living in Israel. This article will examine what the Bible teaches about the Hebrew background and identity of Jesus Christ. The Name “Jesus” In most English Bibles, the name “Jesus” is used to refer to the Messiah. This is a transliteration of the Greek name “Iesous” which came through the Latin “Iesus.” However, in his lifetime, Jesus would have been known by his Hebrew name “Yeshua” (or…
Author: Richard Curi
The Bible was originally written thousands of years ago in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. When translating the Bible into modern languages like English, translators face many challenges. One of those is deciding what punctuation to use. Punctuation like periods, commas, question marks, etc. were not used in the original biblical manuscripts. But they are necessary in English for the text to make sense. So how do translators determine where to put punctuation when translating the Bible into English? The Original Biblical Languages Did Not Use Punctuation In the original languages, the biblical texts were written in all capital letters with…
StudyLight.org is a Christian website dedicated to helping people understand the Bible better. The site offers a variety of resources and tools to make studying the Bible easier and more insightful. Some key things to know about StudyLight.org include: Bible Study Tools StudyLight.org provides several tools to enhance Bible study: A Bible search engine to look up verses quickly Parallel Bible option to compare multiple translations side-by-side Cross reference tool to find related verses across Scripture Advanced word study options like original Greek/Hebrew definitions Highlighting and bookmarking capabilities Printable Bible study sheets Audio Bible recordings Having all these study aids…
The question of whether believers today have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is an important one for Christians. Ephesians 1:19-20 says, “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” So do believers really have this same resurrection power? Let’s explore what the Bible says. The Power that Raised Jesus First, we need to understand what Paul means by “the immeasurable…
The passage in Revelation 12 that describes a war in heaven has led to much discussion among Bible scholars as to whether this is referring to Satan’s original fall from heaven or a future end times angelic battle. There are good arguments on both sides of this debate, and it is a complex textual issue with no definitive consensus. Looking closely at the text in context provides insight into the possible interpretations. The Passage in Revelation Let’s first look at the key verses in Revelation 12 describing this heavenly war: And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels…
The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This commandment comes directly from Jesus’ own words in the Gospels. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). This commandment to wholeheartedly love God encompasses the first four of the Ten Commandments, which deal with our relationship with God (no other gods, no idols, not taking the Lord’s name in…
Do animals sin? The question of whether animals can sin is an interesting theological question. The Bible does not provide a definitive answer, but looking at relevant biblical principles can give us insight into how to think about this issue. First, it is important to define what we mean by “sin.” The most basic definition of sin is disobedience to God’s laws and commandments. Humans are given clear commands in the Bible, such as the Ten Commandments, that establish God’s moral law. When humans willfully disobey these laws, they are committing sin (1 John 3:4). Animals, however, are not given…
Xerxes was a king of Persia who ruled from about 486 to 465 BC. He is mentioned several times in the Old Testament books of Ezra, Esther, Daniel, and Haggai. Xerxes is best known for his appearance in the book of Esther, where he plays a central role in the Purim story. Xerxes’ Hebrew name was Ahasuerus. He was the son and successor of King Darius I. Xerxes continued his father’s massive building projects, including the palace at Persepolis. He also led an unsuccessful invasion of Greece in 480 BC, which was rebuffed at the famous Battle of Thermopylae (as…
The origins of the modern Palestinian people is a complex topic with roots going back thousands of years. According to the Bible, the land now known as Israel and Palestine has been inhabited by various peoples throughout history. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about the ancestors of the modern Palestinians: The Canaanites The Canaanites were in the land long before the Israelites arrived. According to Genesis 10, the Canaanites were descended from Ham’s son Canaan. They established cities and kingdoms throughout the region including where modern day Palestinians now live. Major Canaanite cities included Jericho, Megiddo,…
Monergism vs. Synergism—Which View is Correct? Monergism and synergism are two major views within Christian theology regarding salvation and the role of free will. The main difference between the two views is the role humans play in their own salvation. Monergism holds that God alone enables a person to come to faith in Christ. The human will is unable to cooperate or respond freely to God’s grace without first being regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is entirely the work of God from beginning to end. Synergism, on the other hand, teaches that humans have the free will to cooperate…