Bible Authenticity

Was Egypt Devastated, as Ezekiel 29:1-16 Predicted?

March 22, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 0 Comment

Skeptics and critics have asserted that Ezekiel’s prophecy is false. Was Egypt literally devastated, as Ezekiel 29:1-16 predicted? Could the prophecy have only been fulfilled in a figurative sense?

Here is an example of the assertions of skeptics and critics of the Bible:

Possibly the most pessimistic of the Old Testament prophets, Ezekiel proclaimed impending doom upon everyone from Judah itself to the enemy nations surrounding it. The failure of his prophecies to materialize as he predicted makes a compelling argument against the Bible inerrancy doctrine. In one of his doom’s-day prophecies, Egypt was to experience forty years of utter desolation: read more

Did Jesus Ride Into Jerusalem On One Animal?

March 21, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 1 comment

8 Things Most Christians Don't Understand about Jesus' Triumphal Entry

Did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on one animal? This is an alleged Bible contradiction:

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?
(a) One – a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3,5). “And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
garments on it; and he sat upon it.”
(b) Two – a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). “They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments
on them and he sat thereon.”

Jesus obviously did not ride into Jerusalem on two animals, only on one.

Zechariah 9:9 foretold that the future King, the Messiah, would ride into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Matthew quotes this fact in Zechariah 9:9, as he records the fulfillment of the prophecy:
“Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:

“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,
HUMBLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.’”
The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks.”—-Matthew 21:5-7 NASB read more

Contradiction About Whether Everyone Sins?

March 20, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 7 comments

Is there a contradiction in the Bible about whether everyone sins?

Here is an alleged contradiction:

Does every man sin?
(a) Yes. “There is no man who does not sin” (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9;
Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:8,10)
(b) No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. “Every one who
believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. (I John 5:1). “We should be called children of God; and
so we are” (I John 3: 1). “He who loves is born of God” (I John 4:7). “No one born of God commits sin;
for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God” (I John 3:9). But, then
again, Yes! “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8) read more

Did Jesus Die Before Or After The Temple Curtain Was Torn?

March 19, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 1 comment

Some skeptics and critics have claimed there is a contradiction in the gospels about whether Jesus died before or after the Temple curtain was torn in two. The article will examine the question, “Did Jesus Die before or after the curtain was torn?”

Here is claimed “contradiction”.

Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?
(a) Yes (Matthew 27: 50-5 1;Mark 15:37-38)
(b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I
commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)

When we actually carefully read the scriptures that are alleged to contradict, we see there is no contradiction after all.

“When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”—Matthew 27:50,51 NIV

“The curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last”—Luke 23:45,46 NIV

“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom”—Mark 15:37,38 NIV read more

Was Baby Jesus’ Life Threatened In Jerusalem – Contradiction?

March 18, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 0 Comment

Was baby Jesus’ life threatened in Jerusalem?
(a) Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23)
(b) No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to
the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee ( Luke 2:21-40)

The above is a claimed contradiction in the Bible accounts of Matthew and Luke. However, by combining the gospel accounts, we get a better picture of the events in Jesus’ life.

“Eight days later when the baby was circumcised , he was named Jesus . . . Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”—Luke 2:21,22 NLT
In Luke’s account, Jesus’ parents took him to the Temple to be presented to God after he was circumcised on the 8th day after his birth. read more

Is The Law of Moses Useful Today? – Bible Contradiction?

March 17, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 3 comments

Skeptics and critics have claimed that the Bible contradicts itself regarding the Law of Moses is useful for Christians today. Here is the alleged “contradiction”:

Is the Law of Moses useful?
(a) Yes. “All scripture is… profitable…” (2 Timothy 3:16)
(b) No. “ . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness… “(Hebrews
7:18)

This is a case of the scriptures being taken out of context.

The Old Mosaic Law Covenant was”set aside”, because it was “canceled” (Ephesians 2:14 NLT) since it could not permanently remove sin. “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, but not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they never were able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship” (Hebrews 10:1 NLT). read more

Judas’ Death and The Field of Blood

March 17, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 0 Comment

Skeptics and critics often assert that the Bible contradicts itself about the details of Judas’ death and the “Field 0f Blood” (Matthew 27:8; Acts 1:19). Let’s first get some background information from the scriptures.

The field, known as the “Field of Blood”, or Akeldama, is traditionally located in the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem. This purchase is indirectly attributed to Judas, as the chief priests used the returned silver to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners (Matthew 27:6-8). This act fulfills the prophecy found in Zechariah 11:12-13, which speaks of the thirty pieces of silver and the potter’s field. read more

Who Heard Jesus’ Voice On The Damascus Road?

March 17, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 3 comments

Skeptics and critics frequently claim that the Bible is full of contradictions. One of them is about who heard Jesus’ voice on the Damascus road. Here it is:

When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice, did those who were with him hear the voice?
(a) Yes (Acts 9: 7)
(b) No (Acts 22: 9)

Many Bible translations do not precisely translate the Greek, which makes it appear that there really is a contradiction as to who heard Jesus’ voice. However, this supposed “contradiction” is easily cleared up when we look at an accurate translation of the verses under examination. read more

Discussion About Sheol, Gehenna and Hades

March 7, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 5 comments

Gehinnom Valley of Hinnom

A photo of Gehenna at Jerusalem Many Bibles render the Hebrew words Sheol, Gehenna and Hades as “Hell”. What are the accurate translations? The following is an actual discussion about this issue.

BA: “Hell” translates the Greek word “hades”, not “Gehenna”.

XX: Please present evidence from an expert on your claim about the translation. I want quotes, citations, and links.

BA–“Gehenna . . . It is place where the wicked are destroyed body and soul, which perhaps echos the idea of annihilation (Mt 10:28). . . . These passages suggest the apocalyptic imagery of other NT passages is to be taken for what is, imagery, and not as strictly literal theological affirmation”—Dictionary of the Bible, pp 299-300, by John L McKenzie, S. J. read more

Should Modern Christians Speak In “Tongues”?

February 22, 2025 BibleAuthenticity Comments 11 comments

Speaking in Tongues - Fort Worth Christian Counseling

Millions of people around the world claim to have the “gift of tongues”, and to be able to “speak in tongues”. That the Bible speaks of such a gift is beyond dispute. The New Testament books of Acts and 1 Corinthians contain historical and doctrinal information relating to this gift of the spirit. What about today? Is the miraculous gift of “speaking in tongues” still happening today?

“TONGUES” IN THE EARLY CHURCH

What Were They?

First of all, let’s consider what “speaking in tongues” was in the 1st century. When miraculous “tongues” were first spoken, “there were devout Jews from every nation” present in the crowd, and although “all these people who [were] speaking [were] Galileans . . . each [person in the crowd heard] them in his own native language” (Acts 2:4-8 NAB). In attendance at that gathering of Jews from all around the Roman Empire were people from about 15 diverse areas, who were native speakers of about that many different languages, hearing Galilean Jews “speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves” (Acts 2:4 NJB). These speakers were empowered by the holy Spirit to miraculously speak foreign languages that they did not know. And yet, each person in the crowd heard “them preaching in [their] own native language about the marvels of God” (Acts 2:11 NJB). read more