Exploring the Bible

  The Signs Source “Semeia Source”   There is a theory known as the “Signs Source’ that claims the Gospel of John was primarily based on a previous writing. These writings, also known as the Semeia Source, were believed to be a list of the miracles , or signs , performed by Jesus. The theory claims that John, or another author, used this list as a basic outline for the Gospel of John. This theory is primarily based on John’s use of the term ‘signs’ rather than ‘miracles,’ as used in the other Gospels . Some go even further and believe this Signs document contained more than just a list of miracles, but also contained the story of Jesus’ life. In John 20:30-31 , John writes,   “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”     The mention that o...

    New Testament Miracles The 37 Miracles of Jesus During His earthly ministry, Jesus performed thousands of miracles. From curing all types of diseases to calming a storm to raising people from the dead, Jesus showed His power over and over again. The writers of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, recorded 37 specific miracles out of the thousands performed. These were selected to give us a better understanding of who Jesus is as well as demonstrate His power and authority. Each miracle has multiple lessons to teach, and only by close examination can you see everything Jesus was attempting to teach his followers two thousand years ago, and today. This book puts the 37 miracles of Jesus in chronological order. Each entry shows the scripture, where the miracle took place, and gives a commentary on the meaning and lessons of the miracle. There are also interesting facts inserted, including archaeological discoveries that help put the miracle stories in a proper con...

Common Bible Questions (Some of these numbers will change depending on which translation of the Bible you are using.)   1.      How many books in the Bible? a.       Catholic Bible – 73   (First assembled around 382 A.D.) b.      Protestant – 66   (First assembled around 1529 A.D.) c.      Eastern Orthodox Bible – 79 to 81 (varies)    (First assembled sometime in the 4 th century A.D.) d.     Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) – 24 (Believe finalized around 164 B.C) (For the following answers we will use only the Protestant Bible.) 2.      How many pages in the Bible? This depends on the page size, font, line spacing and what version of the Bible you are reading. Each of these will have a vastly different page count. 3.      How many words in the Bible? 783,137 4.      How many chapters in th...

  Random information from the Bible (What the Bible Teaches)   1.      What are the Ten Commandments? a.       I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me. b.      You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. c.       Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. d.      Honor your father and mother. e.       You shall not kill. f.       You shall not commit adultery. g.      You shall not steal. h.      You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. i.        You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. j.        You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.   2.      What are the Beatitudes? a.       Blessed are the poor in spirit, for...