Category Archives: Bible

The Code of Hammurabi and the Law of Moses

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Hammurabi was a Babylonian king who reigned in the 18th century BC.  His code of law was discovered by French archaeologists in 1901-2.

Among the 300-odd laws are many that are similar to those of the Mosaic law.  For example, some of the laws deal with the concept of ‘an eye for an eye’, and these are quite closely parallel to those contained in the so-called ‘book of the covenant’ (Exodus 21-23).

The following examples are cited by Peter Enns (Inspiration and Incarnation):-

[ezcol_1half]If a son has struck his father, they shall cut off his hand.…

The Nuzi tablets

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Nuzi tabletsA number of stone tablets have been discovered at the site of Nuzi (in present-day northern Iraq).  These date from the 14th and 15th centuries BC.  Although scholars think that the parallels between the customs and practices recorded on these tablets and those recorded in Genesis may have been over-stated, they do nevertheless provide some historical background to the world of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob’s twelve sons.

According to Peter Enns (Inspiration and Incarnation) the commonly-agreed parallels would include the following:-

  1. In the story of Abraham, we read that he and his wife Sarah were childless.
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Adam: a historical figure?

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What options are available for relating the biblical account of Adam and Eve to the scientific account of the evolution of the human race?

Todd Beall lists some of the main alternatives.  Adam and Eve are variously considered to be:

(1) historical persons, though if there were many humans around at the same time, they would be chieftains of a tribe specially selected by God (Collins 2011, 121);

(2) archetypes but historical people, though not necessarily the first or only humans (Walton 2015, 96–103);

(3) literary figures who may or may not be historical (Longman 2013, 122); or

(4) not historical at all, though Paul thought that they were (Enns 2012, 120–122, 138).

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The Bible and science

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Attempts at harmonisation

The earth is a sphere, floating free in space.  Matter consists of microscopic particles.  There are mountains on the ocean floor.  Light can be divided into separate colours.  There are an incalculable number of stars.  The continents originated as one large land mass.  The universe contains black holes and dark matter.

These just some of the anticipations of the findings of modern science that are said to be found in the Bible.

Here’s a web site that lists 101 of them.…

Scripture and tradition

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John Stott (Christ the Controversialist) outlines the following points, arising from Mark 7:1-13:-

1.  Scripture is divine, tradition is human.  What the Pharisees referred to as ‘the tradition of the elders’, vv3,5, Jesus calls, ‘the precepts of men’, v7, and ‘the tradition of men’, v8.  ‘Thus we have our Lord’s own authority for distinguishing between Scripture and tradition as between God’s Word written and all human interpretations and accretions…Therefore as Jesus distinguished between Moses and the elders, so we must distinguish between apostolic tradition (which is Scripture) and ecclesiastical tradition (which is the teaching of the church). …

Prophecy and prediction

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Biblical prophecy is more than “fore-telling”: two-thirds of its inscripturated form involves “forth-telling,” that is, setting the truth, justice, mercy, and righteousness of God against the backdrop of every form of denial of the same. Thus, to speak prophetically was to speak boldly against every form of moral, ethical, political, economic, and religious disenfranchisement observed in a culture that was intent on building its own pyramid of values vis-à-vis God’s established system of truth and ethics.…

New Testament preaching

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Robert Mounce, in his 1960 book The Essential Nature of New Testament Preaching, explains that the in outline form kerygma consisted of three parts-

1. A historical proclamation of the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus, seen as the fulfilment of prophecy and involving man’s responsibility.

2. A resulting theological evaluation of Jesus as both Lord and Christ.

3. An ethical summons to repent and receive forgiveness of sins.

This summary is derived from an analysis of Peter’s five speeches recorded at the beginning of Acts.…

Discussion starters, Matt 8:23-27, Luke 8:22-25

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(a) From reading Luke’s account, what would lead you to think that this is a true story, based on eyewitness testimony, rather than some kind of fairy tale?

(b) This event leads to two exclamations, as recorded in Luke 8:25.  The first is the exclamation of Jesus: “Where is your faith?”  Why do you think Jesus seemed so surprised at the disciples’ lack of faith?  And in what ways might he be surprised at our own lack of faith? …

Psalms of lament in the Gospels

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The function of the psalms of lament in the Gospels, especially in the passion narratives, reflects a righteous sufferer typology.

  1. Jesus is betrayed by his friends. (Mk 14:18; Ps 41:9; 55:12-14)
  2. He is sorrowful. (Mk 14:34; Ps 43:5)
  3. He is falsely accused (Mk 14:56 par.; Ps 27:12).
  4. Pilate washes his hands of Jesus’ death. (Mt 27:24; Ps 26:6)
  5. Jesus’ clothes are divided among his enemies. (Mk 15:24; Ps 22:18)
  6. He is mocked. (Mk 15:29-31; Ps 22:7-8; 109:25)
  7. He thirsts.
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The Pilate inscription

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In 1961 an Italian archaeologist, Antonio Frova, discovered an inscription at Caesarea Maritima on a stone slab which at the time of the discovery was being used as a section of steps leading into the Caesarea theatre.  The inscription in Latin contained four lines, three of which are partially readable.  Roughly translated they are as follows:-

Tiberium
Pontius Pilate
Prefect of Judea

The inscribed stone was probably used originally in the foundation for a Tiberium (a temple for the worship of the emperor Tiberius) and then reused later in the discovered location. …