The Lord is my Operating System, I shall not hang. He makes me to boot normally without errors. He loads my routing table with cool links; he restored my path. He routed me to the server of righteousness, for His domain sake. Even though I browse hackers’ sites, I will fear no attack, for he is my Firewall. Thy antivirus and Intrusion Prevention System, they comfort me. Thou preparest a link before me in the presence of time-outs; thou connected my links with fiber optics. Surely solid connection and replies shall follow me all the period of my pings. And I shall telnet from the server of the Lord for ever and ever.
Amen
February 14, 2008
February 11, 2008
The Gospel of Barnabas: Bad News for Muslims and Christians
The purpose of this paper is to present in a limited fashion the results of the internal and external evidences which show that this gospel does not make a convincing or credible claim to be the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ. All references to The Gospel of Barnabas will be notated with the abbreviation GB followed by the numerical chapter of the book; e.g. (GB 52) for The Gospel of Barnabas, section 52.
Internal Evidence
Historical setting
With even a superficial reading, The Gospel of Barnabas cannot be said to breathe the first century atmosphere. It bears too many traces of European Medieval times, some of which are:
1. The mention of casks of wood or barrels washed and refilled with wine (GB 152)*. In the days of Jesus skins were used for wine. Casks or barrels of wood were unknown in ancient Palestine.
2. ‘The Virgin’ (GB 219) as a title was not given to the mother of Jesus before 300AD.
3. Expressions (words and phrases) well known in Italy from the Italian poet Dante who lived 1265-1321 are scattered throughout the book (GB 23, 59, 60, 78, 217).
4. Adam and Eve were commanded by God to do penance (GB 41), a practice of the Middle Ages, not of New Testament times.
5. Reference to court procedure of the Middle Ages is given where a prisoner is questioned by a magistrate while a notary records the evidence (GB 121).
6. Reference is also made to a duel between two rival lovers which reminds one of the age of chivalry In Medieval Europe (GB 99).
7. Among the clearest of all European traces are those of feudalism. The Gospel of Barnabas represents Mary, Martha and Lazarus as feudal lords of whole villages (GB 194, 122).
8. The picturesque description of the summer season in the fields and valleys (GB 169) is much more suggestive of beautiful Italy than of Palestine in summer when the fields are utterly burnt dry.
9. Asceticism and other traces of Medieval society, customs, times and beliefs appear throughout the book, e.g. (GB 150) taking the habit of a monk-like Pharisee and dwelling in seclusion for 30(?) years.
Historical Errors
The Gospel of Barnabas is filled with errors such as:
1. When Jesus was born ‘Pilate was governor in the priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas’ (GB 3). These men did not come to office until later - Annas 6 AD, Caiaphas 8 AD, Pilate 26 AD.
2. "...in the time of Elijah, friend and prophet of God, there were twelve mountains inhabited by seventeen thousand Pharisees..," (GB 145). There were no Pharisees in the days of Elijah. History first knows about Pharisees seven centuries later in the period between 135-104 BC.
3. The Gospel of Barnabas erroneously quotes Jesus as saying that the Year of Jubilee came every 100 years (GB 82, 83). From the time of Moses (Leviticus 25: 11 ) the Year of Jubilee came every 50 years. There was only one time in history that the festival was known to have fallen in 100 year cycles. That was when Pope Boniface VIII (about 1300 AD) announced that it should be celebrated every 100 years. Pope Clement VI (1343 AD) rescinded Boniface’s order and returned the celebration to every 50 years as it had always been. The Gospel of Barnabas was written, therefore, sometime after Pope Boniface 1300 AD for certain, not during the 1st century.
4. The Gospel of Barnabas records (GB 92) that Jesus and his disciples kept "the 40 days" at Mt. Sinai. The context clearly shows that this refers to the period of Lent before Easter. The Church meditates at this time on the suffering of Christ and his resurrection, which was obviously unknown when Christ was still alive. And it is most unlikely that Jesus and his disciples would have gone some 450 KM away to observe a fast of 40 days.
5. The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 80) has the Prophet Daniel only two years old when taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Since he interpreted the king’s dream In the 2nd year of the king’s reign (Daniel 2: 1), this would make Daniel only 3 or at the most 4 years old at the time. This is an impossibility, for the king immediately made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon. Daniel was then still a young man, but not that young.
6. It was Darius who committed the Prophet Daniel to the lions’ den, not Cyrus as The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 50) states. Jesus as prophet would have been accurate in quoting from Daniel 6.
7. The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 54) has Jesus saying: ‘For he who would get in change a piece of gold must have sixty mites.’ The Italian version of the book divides the golden "denarius" into 60 "minuti." These coins were actually of Spanish origin during the Visigothic Period and betray a Spanish background to the manuscript.
Geographical Errors
1. Jesus traveled to Nazareth by ship (GB 20). This cannot be, for Nazareth is on a hill in Galilee at 2000 ft. elevation and half a day’s march from the sea.
2. The next section (GB 21) confirms the confusion where it is stated that Jesus went up to Capernaum (from Nazareth). Of course it is just the reverse. He would have landed at Capernaum (the seaport), gone up to Nazareth and then down again to Capernaum.
3. The mistake is further compounded, for the incident which is reported to have taken place in Capernaum in fact occurred on the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee) in the region of Gerasenes (Mark 5: 1).
4. The same mistake is made again when Jesus comes to Nazareth (GB 143), gives a long uninterrupted discourse (GB 144-151 ) and then embarks on a ship (GB 151) and arrives (by ship?) at Jerusalem (GB 152), also far inland.
5. The Prophet Jonah (GB 63) mistakenly flees and sails to Tarsus (In present-day Turkey) instead of to Tarshish (present-day Spain) as in Jonah 1: 3.
6. Then the fish that swallowed Jonah cast him out near Nineveh (GB 63). It is well founded that Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was built on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, not on the Mediterranean coast.
Is the Gospel of Barnabas consistent with the Bible and the Qur’an?
Following are only some of its contradictions of one or of both:
1. Muhammad is referred to as the Messiah (GB 42). To be the Messiah, Muhammad would have to have been a Jew. Both the Bible (John 1:41) and the Qur’an (Al Imran 45; Maida 72) state that Jesus is the Messiah.
2. Mary gave birth to Jesus without pain (GB 3). The Qur’an (Maryam 23) states that Mary gave birth to Jesus with pain.
3. Only one wife is permitted (GB 115). The Qur’an says that a man may take 3 or 4 wives (Al Nisa 3).
4. The accounts of the Day of Judgement in the Qur’an and Gospel of Barnabas contradict each other (GB 53 vs. Surahs ‘Abasa 80:33-37 and Al-Haqqa 69:13-18).
5. There are nine heavens (GB 105,178), following Dante. The Bible states three heavens (2 Cor. 12:2). The Qur’an states seven (Surahs, Nuh, 71:15; Aal-Mulk 67:3; Al-Mu’minun 23:86; Ha-Mim Al-Sajda 41:12; Bani Israil 17:44; Al-Talaq 65:12; and Al-Baqara 2:29).
6. Ishmael was offered on the altar by Abraham (GB 44). The Bible names Isaac (Gen. 22; James 2:21). The Qur’an infers Isaac as well who is twice named in the surah (Saffat 100-113).
7. Circumcision is necessary for eternal salvation (GB 23). The Bible teaches that circumcision is not necessary for eternal salvation (Acts 15: 1-16).
8. A Biblical quotation from the Prophet Ezekiel (33: 11) is attributed to the Prophet Joel (GB 165), and a prophecy mistakenly attributed to Ezekiel (GB 67) is actually from the Prophet Jeremiah (31: 31). Also attributed to the Prophet Daniel is an historical account found much earlier in I Kings 22. It is strange that Jesus, knowing the Old Testament so well, does not correct ‘Barnabas’, if he were indeed the author of the record.
9. God is said to be the "God of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac" (GB 212). The Old Testament consistently reads the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob".
10. Adam circumcised himself (GB 23). The Bible declares Abraham to be the first man circumcised (Gen. 17: 24).
11. The Gospel of Barnabas totally ignores the existence of the Prophet John the Baptist (Yaha Ibn Zakariyya), so prominent in both the Bible and the Qur’an, yet the very words of John (John 1: 27) are put into the mouth of Jesus (GB 42,96), an obvious plagiarism.
12. Jesus supposedly relates a dialogue between the Prophet Elijah and a blind man that nowhere exists in Biblical history (GB 116,117).
13. Stranger still is the statement in The Gospel of Barnabas that the Jewish high priest, and perhaps also Herod and Pilate, wished ...to bow himself down and worship Jesus...(GB 93). The high priest, it should be remembered was the chief enemy of Jesus and would not be about to worship Him for two reasons: I) He considered Jesus guilty of blasphemy (Mark 14:63,64). 2) Jesus constantly convicted the priests of hypocrisy.
Other distortions and perversions in The Gospel of Barnabas could be exposed, but the above internal evidence ought to be sufficient to convince anyone of the false nature of this book. However, there are additional facts to be considered.
Internal Evidence
Historical setting
With even a superficial reading, The Gospel of Barnabas cannot be said to breathe the first century atmosphere. It bears too many traces of European Medieval times, some of which are:
1. The mention of casks of wood or barrels washed and refilled with wine (GB 152)*. In the days of Jesus skins were used for wine. Casks or barrels of wood were unknown in ancient Palestine.
2. ‘The Virgin’ (GB 219) as a title was not given to the mother of Jesus before 300AD.
3. Expressions (words and phrases) well known in Italy from the Italian poet Dante who lived 1265-1321 are scattered throughout the book (GB 23, 59, 60, 78, 217).
4. Adam and Eve were commanded by God to do penance (GB 41), a practice of the Middle Ages, not of New Testament times.
5. Reference to court procedure of the Middle Ages is given where a prisoner is questioned by a magistrate while a notary records the evidence (GB 121).
6. Reference is also made to a duel between two rival lovers which reminds one of the age of chivalry In Medieval Europe (GB 99).
7. Among the clearest of all European traces are those of feudalism. The Gospel of Barnabas represents Mary, Martha and Lazarus as feudal lords of whole villages (GB 194, 122).
8. The picturesque description of the summer season in the fields and valleys (GB 169) is much more suggestive of beautiful Italy than of Palestine in summer when the fields are utterly burnt dry.
9. Asceticism and other traces of Medieval society, customs, times and beliefs appear throughout the book, e.g. (GB 150) taking the habit of a monk-like Pharisee and dwelling in seclusion for 30(?) years.
Historical Errors
The Gospel of Barnabas is filled with errors such as:
1. When Jesus was born ‘Pilate was governor in the priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas’ (GB 3). These men did not come to office until later - Annas 6 AD, Caiaphas 8 AD, Pilate 26 AD.
2. "...in the time of Elijah, friend and prophet of God, there were twelve mountains inhabited by seventeen thousand Pharisees..," (GB 145). There were no Pharisees in the days of Elijah. History first knows about Pharisees seven centuries later in the period between 135-104 BC.
3. The Gospel of Barnabas erroneously quotes Jesus as saying that the Year of Jubilee came every 100 years (GB 82, 83). From the time of Moses (Leviticus 25: 11 ) the Year of Jubilee came every 50 years. There was only one time in history that the festival was known to have fallen in 100 year cycles. That was when Pope Boniface VIII (about 1300 AD) announced that it should be celebrated every 100 years. Pope Clement VI (1343 AD) rescinded Boniface’s order and returned the celebration to every 50 years as it had always been. The Gospel of Barnabas was written, therefore, sometime after Pope Boniface 1300 AD for certain, not during the 1st century.
4. The Gospel of Barnabas records (GB 92) that Jesus and his disciples kept "the 40 days" at Mt. Sinai. The context clearly shows that this refers to the period of Lent before Easter. The Church meditates at this time on the suffering of Christ and his resurrection, which was obviously unknown when Christ was still alive. And it is most unlikely that Jesus and his disciples would have gone some 450 KM away to observe a fast of 40 days.
5. The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 80) has the Prophet Daniel only two years old when taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Since he interpreted the king’s dream In the 2nd year of the king’s reign (Daniel 2: 1), this would make Daniel only 3 or at the most 4 years old at the time. This is an impossibility, for the king immediately made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon. Daniel was then still a young man, but not that young.
6. It was Darius who committed the Prophet Daniel to the lions’ den, not Cyrus as The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 50) states. Jesus as prophet would have been accurate in quoting from Daniel 6.
7. The Gospel of Barnabas (GB 54) has Jesus saying: ‘For he who would get in change a piece of gold must have sixty mites.’ The Italian version of the book divides the golden "denarius" into 60 "minuti." These coins were actually of Spanish origin during the Visigothic Period and betray a Spanish background to the manuscript.
Geographical Errors
1. Jesus traveled to Nazareth by ship (GB 20). This cannot be, for Nazareth is on a hill in Galilee at 2000 ft. elevation and half a day’s march from the sea.
2. The next section (GB 21) confirms the confusion where it is stated that Jesus went up to Capernaum (from Nazareth). Of course it is just the reverse. He would have landed at Capernaum (the seaport), gone up to Nazareth and then down again to Capernaum.
3. The mistake is further compounded, for the incident which is reported to have taken place in Capernaum in fact occurred on the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee) in the region of Gerasenes (Mark 5: 1).
4. The same mistake is made again when Jesus comes to Nazareth (GB 143), gives a long uninterrupted discourse (GB 144-151 ) and then embarks on a ship (GB 151) and arrives (by ship?) at Jerusalem (GB 152), also far inland.
5. The Prophet Jonah (GB 63) mistakenly flees and sails to Tarsus (In present-day Turkey) instead of to Tarshish (present-day Spain) as in Jonah 1: 3.
6. Then the fish that swallowed Jonah cast him out near Nineveh (GB 63). It is well founded that Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was built on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, not on the Mediterranean coast.
Is the Gospel of Barnabas consistent with the Bible and the Qur’an?
Following are only some of its contradictions of one or of both:
1. Muhammad is referred to as the Messiah (GB 42). To be the Messiah, Muhammad would have to have been a Jew. Both the Bible (John 1:41) and the Qur’an (Al Imran 45; Maida 72) state that Jesus is the Messiah.
2. Mary gave birth to Jesus without pain (GB 3). The Qur’an (Maryam 23) states that Mary gave birth to Jesus with pain.
3. Only one wife is permitted (GB 115). The Qur’an says that a man may take 3 or 4 wives (Al Nisa 3).
4. The accounts of the Day of Judgement in the Qur’an and Gospel of Barnabas contradict each other (GB 53 vs. Surahs ‘Abasa 80:33-37 and Al-Haqqa 69:13-18).
5. There are nine heavens (GB 105,178), following Dante. The Bible states three heavens (2 Cor. 12:2). The Qur’an states seven (Surahs, Nuh, 71:15; Aal-Mulk 67:3; Al-Mu’minun 23:86; Ha-Mim Al-Sajda 41:12; Bani Israil 17:44; Al-Talaq 65:12; and Al-Baqara 2:29).
6. Ishmael was offered on the altar by Abraham (GB 44). The Bible names Isaac (Gen. 22; James 2:21). The Qur’an infers Isaac as well who is twice named in the surah (Saffat 100-113).
7. Circumcision is necessary for eternal salvation (GB 23). The Bible teaches that circumcision is not necessary for eternal salvation (Acts 15: 1-16).
8. A Biblical quotation from the Prophet Ezekiel (33: 11) is attributed to the Prophet Joel (GB 165), and a prophecy mistakenly attributed to Ezekiel (GB 67) is actually from the Prophet Jeremiah (31: 31). Also attributed to the Prophet Daniel is an historical account found much earlier in I Kings 22. It is strange that Jesus, knowing the Old Testament so well, does not correct ‘Barnabas’, if he were indeed the author of the record.
9. God is said to be the "God of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac" (GB 212). The Old Testament consistently reads the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob".
10. Adam circumcised himself (GB 23). The Bible declares Abraham to be the first man circumcised (Gen. 17: 24).
11. The Gospel of Barnabas totally ignores the existence of the Prophet John the Baptist (Yaha Ibn Zakariyya), so prominent in both the Bible and the Qur’an, yet the very words of John (John 1: 27) are put into the mouth of Jesus (GB 42,96), an obvious plagiarism.
12. Jesus supposedly relates a dialogue between the Prophet Elijah and a blind man that nowhere exists in Biblical history (GB 116,117).
13. Stranger still is the statement in The Gospel of Barnabas that the Jewish high priest, and perhaps also Herod and Pilate, wished ...to bow himself down and worship Jesus...(GB 93). The high priest, it should be remembered was the chief enemy of Jesus and would not be about to worship Him for two reasons: I) He considered Jesus guilty of blasphemy (Mark 14:63,64). 2) Jesus constantly convicted the priests of hypocrisy.
Other distortions and perversions in The Gospel of Barnabas could be exposed, but the above internal evidence ought to be sufficient to convince anyone of the false nature of this book. However, there are additional facts to be considered.
External evidence
Can be found here: http://www.spotlights.org/BarnabasTOC.htm
OTHER HELPFUL BOOKS AND BOOKLETS CONCERNING THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS
Abdul-Ahad, Selim, and Gairdner, W.H.T. "The Gospel of Barnabas: An Essay and Inquiry." Hyderabad: Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies, 1985.
Campbell, William F. "The Gospel of Barnabas: Its True Value." Rawalpindi: Christian Study Centre, 1989.
Gilchrist, John. "Origins and Sources of the Gospel of Barnabas." Brighton: FFM Publications, 1980.
Jadeed, Iskandar. "The Gospel of Barnabas: A False Testimony." Rikon, Switzerland: The Good Way.
Sox, David. "The Gospel of Barnabas." London: George Allen & Unwin, 1984.
"The Gospel of Barnabas." Edited and translated by Lonsdale and Laura Ragg. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, 1907.
(bold, italic and highlight color are my emphasis)
February 7, 2008
Nehemiah - Life without compromise
King Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:3b) and Nehemiah wanted to rebuild its broken wall (2:5b).
He prayed before starting doing this work (1:4-11a).
He sacrificed his work as the king’s cupbearer (1:11b) and the king permitted him to go to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall (2:6b).
But some enemies (Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem) were furious as they heard that Nehemiah wants to rebuild the wall and conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem to create confusion (2:10,19; 4:1-3,7-8,11). Nehemiah prayed to God (4:4,9) and God had brought their plot to nothing (4:15a).
Nehemiah also faced other troubles while rebuilding the wall: half of the servants worked at construction, while the other half were armed to defend themselves from their enemies (4:16,21); there was a great outcry of the people (5:1-13); and all the time while being appointed to be their governor (12 years!), he did not demand the governor’s provisions (5:14), because of the fear of God (5:15b) and because the bondage was heavy on the people (5:18b). But in spite of all these, Nehemiah did not compromise himself, not even once. He continued the work he had started!
When the enemies had seen that Nehemiah had rebuilt the wall, they tried to stop him from his work. Sanballat invited Nehemiah to leave his work and go down to meet him (6:2). But Nehemiah did not compromise himself and sent him the following message: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down…” (6:3). Nehemiah did not compromise himself! Even if Sanballat sent him this message 4 times (6:4).
Then Sanballat tried to intimidate Nehemiah through a letter (6:6-7). But Nehemiah recognized that what was written in the letter was not true (6:8). Nehemiah again did not compromise himself!
Sanballat and Tobiah wanted to cheat Nehemiah by hiring a Jew (6:12-13) who should talk to him in God’s name (6:10b). But Nehemiah who knew the Scriptures very well, knew that only the priest is allowed to go into the temple, and he was not a priest (6:11-12). Nehemiah did not compromise himself!
So the wall was finished (6:15) and the enemies have been humiliated and recognized that this was God’s work and that Nehemiah was God’s man (6:16).
He prayed before starting doing this work (1:4-11a).
He sacrificed his work as the king’s cupbearer (1:11b) and the king permitted him to go to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall (2:6b).
But some enemies (Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem) were furious as they heard that Nehemiah wants to rebuild the wall and conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem to create confusion (2:10,19; 4:1-3,7-8,11). Nehemiah prayed to God (4:4,9) and God had brought their plot to nothing (4:15a).
Nehemiah also faced other troubles while rebuilding the wall: half of the servants worked at construction, while the other half were armed to defend themselves from their enemies (4:16,21); there was a great outcry of the people (5:1-13); and all the time while being appointed to be their governor (12 years!), he did not demand the governor’s provisions (5:14), because of the fear of God (5:15b) and because the bondage was heavy on the people (5:18b). But in spite of all these, Nehemiah did not compromise himself, not even once. He continued the work he had started!
When the enemies had seen that Nehemiah had rebuilt the wall, they tried to stop him from his work. Sanballat invited Nehemiah to leave his work and go down to meet him (6:2). But Nehemiah did not compromise himself and sent him the following message: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down…” (6:3). Nehemiah did not compromise himself! Even if Sanballat sent him this message 4 times (6:4).
Then Sanballat tried to intimidate Nehemiah through a letter (6:6-7). But Nehemiah recognized that what was written in the letter was not true (6:8). Nehemiah again did not compromise himself!
Sanballat and Tobiah wanted to cheat Nehemiah by hiring a Jew (6:12-13) who should talk to him in God’s name (6:10b). But Nehemiah who knew the Scriptures very well, knew that only the priest is allowed to go into the temple, and he was not a priest (6:11-12). Nehemiah did not compromise himself!
So the wall was finished (6:15) and the enemies have been humiliated and recognized that this was God’s work and that Nehemiah was God’s man (6:16).
February 4, 2008
Life without compromise
Joseph did not compromise himself, not even once in his life, although he went through many difficult moments. His brothers hated him (Gen.37:4,8), then he had been cast into a pit (Gen.37:24) and was then sold to the Ishmaelites (Gen.37:28) who took him to Egypt where they sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh (Gen.37:36).
The Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:2) and he found favor in his master’s sight (Gen.39:4) who made him overseer of his house and all that he had (Gen.39:5-6a).
But his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph and said to him: “Lie with me.” (Gen.39:7) but he refused (Gen.39:8,10), although she spoke to Joseph day by day! Joseph did not compromise himself! Even though he was young and handsome in form and appearance (Gen.39:6b), he was far away from home (Gen.37:28b,36; 39:1), and he could have said to himself that no one is seeing him and no one would know what he is doing there. But Joseph said to his master’s wife: „How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9b)
Even if he did not compromise himself, Joseph was put into prison (Gen.39:20) where he stayed more than ten years, but even there he found favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen.39:21,22) because the Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:23b).
Joseph had the Spirit of God in him (Gen.41:38) and thus the Pharaoh put him over his house and all his people were ruled according to his word (Gen.41:40).
That way God raised Joseph and he reigned over his father and over his brothers (Gen.43:26,28; 44:14) as he had dreamt when he was living in the land of Canaan (Gen.37:5-11).
God blessed Joseph and brought his father Jacob and his brothers to live with him in the land of Egypt (Gen.47:11-12) and Joseph forgave his brothers for the evil they had done to him in the past (Gen.50:15-21).
The Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:2) and he found favor in his master’s sight (Gen.39:4) who made him overseer of his house and all that he had (Gen.39:5-6a).
But his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph and said to him: “Lie with me.” (Gen.39:7) but he refused (Gen.39:8,10), although she spoke to Joseph day by day! Joseph did not compromise himself! Even though he was young and handsome in form and appearance (Gen.39:6b), he was far away from home (Gen.37:28b,36; 39:1), and he could have said to himself that no one is seeing him and no one would know what he is doing there. But Joseph said to his master’s wife: „How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9b)
Even if he did not compromise himself, Joseph was put into prison (Gen.39:20) where he stayed more than ten years, but even there he found favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen.39:21,22) because the Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:23b).
Joseph had the Spirit of God in him (Gen.41:38) and thus the Pharaoh put him over his house and all his people were ruled according to his word (Gen.41:40).
That way God raised Joseph and he reigned over his father and over his brothers (Gen.43:26,28; 44:14) as he had dreamt when he was living in the land of Canaan (Gen.37:5-11).
God blessed Joseph and brought his father Jacob and his brothers to live with him in the land of Egypt (Gen.47:11-12) and Joseph forgave his brothers for the evil they had done to him in the past (Gen.50:15-21).
February 2, 2008
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Please hold on a moment and think about something… I know that you are a busy person living in a busy world, who probably has to go to school or work day by day, and this takes away almost all your time… but how do you spend your free time? How do you use your talents and your money? What kind of treasures do you store up for yourself?
Think about the following:
Do you prefer reading the Bible?
Or do you prefer reading a novel (which is very often just an invented story)?
Do you prefer meditating about a Bible verse?
Or do you prefer meditating about what you read in the newspaper in the morning?
Do you prefer praying to the Almighty God?
Or do you prefer chatting with you friends?
Do you prefer going to church on Sunday morning?
Or do you prefer sleeping longer?
Do you prefer spending time with your spouse and kids?
Or do you prefer going out with your colleagues?
Do you prefer spending your money in helping poor people?
Or do you prefer buying for yourself more and more things which you do not need?
Do you prefer helping someone who is in need?
Or do you prefer saving your money?
Do you prefer going to visit someone who is in hospital and who needs maybe an encouragement from you?
Or do you prefer staying at home watching TV without being disturbed?
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."(Matthew 6:19-21)
Think about the following:
Do you prefer reading the Bible?
Or do you prefer reading a novel (which is very often just an invented story)?
Do you prefer meditating about a Bible verse?
Or do you prefer meditating about what you read in the newspaper in the morning?
Do you prefer praying to the Almighty God?
Or do you prefer chatting with you friends?
Do you prefer going to church on Sunday morning?
Or do you prefer sleeping longer?
Do you prefer spending time with your spouse and kids?
Or do you prefer going out with your colleagues?
Do you prefer spending your money in helping poor people?
Or do you prefer buying for yourself more and more things which you do not need?
Do you prefer helping someone who is in need?
Or do you prefer saving your money?
Do you prefer going to visit someone who is in hospital and who needs maybe an encouragement from you?
Or do you prefer staying at home watching TV without being disturbed?
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."(Matthew 6:19-21)
February 1, 2008
Jesus - Son of God
Many people do not understand how Jesus was a human being, but is at the same time the "Son of God"... such people are especially Muslims, who try to understand this fact from a physical point of view and not in a spiritual sense. But to be able to understand God (although the human mind is able to understand only a little part of God's greatness!) you have to think spiritually! If you do this and if you are honest, then I'm sure God will guide you to the right way, the way which leads directly to Him!
I will show you now a brief explanation by Abdullah Ibrahim , which was originally written for Muslims, but anyone who does not understand how Jesus was a human but is at the same time also the "Son of God", is welcome to read the following:
*****************************************
JESUS - SON OF GOD! AN EXPLANATION FOR MUSLIMS
By Abdullah Ibrahim
Christians do not believe that Jesus is the son of God in a physical sense. God forbid that he should take a wife! That would be blasphemy. However, they do believe that Jesus is the Son of God in a spiritual sense. Arabs, for example, are commonly known as "sons of the desert". Nobody would ever think that the desert would have given physical birth to the Arabs. No, the term "sons of the desert" has to be understood in a spiritual sense. Arabs know the desert in and out; they are one with it, that is why they are called "sons of the desert." In the same way the Quran calls a wayfarer a "son of the road", "ibn as sabeel" (Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 177) The Arabic word "ibn" is used in a figurative sense as opposed to "walad" which is used in a physical way.
Besides having many other titles, such as "Messiah" or " Son of man", Jesus calls himself "Son of God" because he knows Him in a profound way, he is one with Him in essence.
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He (Jesus) replied, "You are right in saying I am." (Luke 22:70)
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father..." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father ... Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?" (John 14:8-10)
Because God is so much greater than man, He chooses to express Himself in human terms so that we can understand Him. When Surah 22, Hajj, verse 61 says that Allah sees and hears, it does not mean He has ears and eyes. Rather He is expressing a spiritual truth in such a way that we can understand that He is All-knowing. Similarly, behind the title "Son of God" is a spiritual truth expressed in human terms.
The Bible calls a number of people "sons of God" but Jesus is addressed as such in a particular way:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Greek word for "one and only son", "mono-genes", means literally, "one in kind, unique" and has sometimes been incorrectly translated into Enlish as "only begotten". This rendering is wrong because "Mono-genes" is also used in Hebrews 11:17 to describe Isaac as Abraham's "one and only son", namely the one who was promised by God to Abraham and his wife Sarah. (Genesis 15) Since Ishmael too was Abraham's son, but through his servant Hagar (Genesis 16), the term "one and only" distinguishes Isaac as being uinque in his kind but not as the only begotten.
Furthermore, the Hebrew word used to describe Isaac in the Old Testament story as "only son" in Genesis 22:2 is completely different from the word "begotten" used, for example, in Psalm 2:7 :
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father (or, I have begotten you).
"In the ancient Near East the relationship between a great king and one of his subject kings, who ruled by his authority and owed him allegiance, was expressed....also by "father" and "son"." (N.I.V. Studybible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, U.S.A., 1985, footnote) Psalm 2:7 is applied to the relationship between God and Jesus in a filial not in a carnal sense in Acts 13:33 as having been a fulfilled prophecy through his resurrection.
Just as other people are called "one and only sons" in the Bible because of their uniqueness in some ways, Jesus too is called exclusively "one and only son of God." On a number of occasions he made statements to prove this fact:
All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Luke 10:22)
Nobody else has ever used such language to speak about himself!
(For more examples see: John 5:22-23, Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 3:17)
Jesus, the Son of God, has come to show us what God is like:
No-one has seen God; but God's only Son, He who is nearest to the Father's heart, he has made him known. (John 1:18)
For questions, comments, more information, a free Bible in the language of your choice or a free Bible correspondence course please write to Abdullah Ibrahim at AAbraham@biblicalchristianity.freeserve.co.uk
This article may be reproduced in any manner without permission from the author, provided the meaning of the content is not changed.
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(bold,italic and highlight color are my emphasis)
*****************************************
For reading the highlighted passages from the Bible (green color) , go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/
For reading the highlighted passages from the Quran (blue color), go to: http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/
I will show you now a brief explanation by Abdullah Ibrahim , which was originally written for Muslims, but anyone who does not understand how Jesus was a human but is at the same time also the "Son of God", is welcome to read the following:
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JESUS - SON OF GOD! AN EXPLANATION FOR MUSLIMS
By Abdullah Ibrahim
Christians do not believe that Jesus is the son of God in a physical sense. God forbid that he should take a wife! That would be blasphemy. However, they do believe that Jesus is the Son of God in a spiritual sense. Arabs, for example, are commonly known as "sons of the desert". Nobody would ever think that the desert would have given physical birth to the Arabs. No, the term "sons of the desert" has to be understood in a spiritual sense. Arabs know the desert in and out; they are one with it, that is why they are called "sons of the desert." In the same way the Quran calls a wayfarer a "son of the road", "ibn as sabeel" (Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 177) The Arabic word "ibn" is used in a figurative sense as opposed to "walad" which is used in a physical way.
Besides having many other titles, such as "Messiah" or " Son of man", Jesus calls himself "Son of God" because he knows Him in a profound way, he is one with Him in essence.
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He (Jesus) replied, "You are right in saying I am." (Luke 22:70)
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father..." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father ... Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?" (John 14:8-10)
Because God is so much greater than man, He chooses to express Himself in human terms so that we can understand Him. When Surah 22, Hajj, verse 61 says that Allah sees and hears, it does not mean He has ears and eyes. Rather He is expressing a spiritual truth in such a way that we can understand that He is All-knowing. Similarly, behind the title "Son of God" is a spiritual truth expressed in human terms.
The Bible calls a number of people "sons of God" but Jesus is addressed as such in a particular way:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Greek word for "one and only son", "mono-genes", means literally, "one in kind, unique" and has sometimes been incorrectly translated into Enlish as "only begotten". This rendering is wrong because "Mono-genes" is also used in Hebrews 11:17 to describe Isaac as Abraham's "one and only son", namely the one who was promised by God to Abraham and his wife Sarah. (Genesis 15) Since Ishmael too was Abraham's son, but through his servant Hagar (Genesis 16), the term "one and only" distinguishes Isaac as being uinque in his kind but not as the only begotten.
Furthermore, the Hebrew word used to describe Isaac in the Old Testament story as "only son" in Genesis 22:2 is completely different from the word "begotten" used, for example, in Psalm 2:7 :
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father (or, I have begotten you).
"In the ancient Near East the relationship between a great king and one of his subject kings, who ruled by his authority and owed him allegiance, was expressed....also by "father" and "son"." (N.I.V. Studybible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, U.S.A., 1985, footnote) Psalm 2:7 is applied to the relationship between God and Jesus in a filial not in a carnal sense in Acts 13:33 as having been a fulfilled prophecy through his resurrection.
Just as other people are called "one and only sons" in the Bible because of their uniqueness in some ways, Jesus too is called exclusively "one and only son of God." On a number of occasions he made statements to prove this fact:
All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Luke 10:22)
Nobody else has ever used such language to speak about himself!
(For more examples see: John 5:22-23, Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 3:17)
Jesus, the Son of God, has come to show us what God is like:
No-one has seen God; but God's only Son, He who is nearest to the Father's heart, he has made him known. (John 1:18)
For questions, comments, more information, a free Bible in the language of your choice or a free Bible correspondence course please write to Abdullah Ibrahim at AAbraham@biblicalchristianity.freeserve.co.uk
This article may be reproduced in any manner without permission from the author, provided the meaning of the content is not changed.
*****************************************
(bold,italic and highlight color are my emphasis)
*****************************************
For reading the highlighted passages from the Bible (green color) , go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/
For reading the highlighted passages from the Quran (blue color), go to: http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/
Hebrew Grammar
Did you know?
The Hebrew grammar has submitted itself to God's commandments.
Our grammar says: I (= my ego), You (= our neighbour), He (= God),...
Their grammar says: He (= God), You (= our neighbour), I (= my ego),...
The Hebrew grammar has submitted itself to God's commandments.
Our grammar says: I (= my ego), You (= our neighbour), He (= God),...
Their grammar says: He (= God), You (= our neighbour), I (= my ego),...
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