Exploring the Bible

  When we hold a Bible, we are not holding a single book, but a library—a collection of 66 documents written over a span of roughly 1,500 years. For the modern reader, the chronological context is often lost. We read Genesis (written near the beginning) and then flip to Job (which likely describes events from the same era) without realizing they are separated by hundreds of pages but linked in time. Understanding when these books were written helps anchor our faith in history. It moves the narrative from "once upon a time" to real years, real kings, and real cultural moments. Below is a breakdown of the traditional dates of authorship. Note that "traditional dating" generally accepts the self-attested authorship of the books (e.g., Moses wrote the Pentateuch, Paul wrote his epistles) and places them during the lifetimes of those authors.   The foundation of the Bible begins with the Torah (Law), traditionally ascribed to Moses during the Israelites' wand...

 Of all the enigmatic passages in Scripture, few capture the imagination quite like the first few verses of Genesis 6. Here, right before the account of the Great Flood, the Bible drops a narrative bombshell: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown." — Genesis 6:4 Who were these "mighty men"? Were they human tyrants? Demonic hybrids? The text is sparse, leading to centuries of debate, but a closer look at the Hebrew and the surrounding context offers some fascinating clues. To identify the Nephilim, we must first identify their parents. The text states they were the offspring of the "sons of God" (Bene Ha'Elohim) and the "daughters of men." There are three primary views on what this union represents: 1. The Sethite View: This traditional view suggests the "son...

 Few topics in our modern cultural landscape generate as much heat, passion, and division as the conversation surrounding human sexuality. It is the defining debate of our era. For the modern observer, the rapid shift in societal consensus regarding same-sex relationships has been staggering. Yet, for those who look to the Bible as a moral compass, the question remains steady: What does the text actually say? It is easy to rely on soundbites, cultural slogans, or emotional appeals, but a serious faith requires a serious engagement with Scripture. When we strip away the political rhetoric and look at the ancient documents, we find a consistent narrative—one that is demanding, certainly, but also deeply rooted in a specific vision of human flourishing. To understand the biblical prohibition, one must first understand the biblical permission. The narrative of Scripture does not begin with a list of "thou shalt nots," but with a picture of positive design. In Genesis 1 and ...