Resen: One of the Cities of Nimrod
Resen is a city mentioned in Genesis 10:12: “Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 And t...
What is paedobaptism? A Christian scholar explains
Paedobaptism is the more technical or older way of referring to the baptism of infants. “Paedo” or “Pedo” come from the Greek pais (πάις), which means “child.” However, because “pedo” in modern slang has come to be a shorthand ...
What is wrong with reformed theology? By a Christian PhD
Reformed theology is a broad religious system with many different elements. Its theology is organized around the absolute sovereignty of God—the idea that God is in total, complete control of everything. In grappling with this ...
Christian Mythology: Criticism, Genre, Truth
“Christian mythology” is a broad term that gets used in a few different ways. Some people (atheists and skeptics, primarily) try to use it in a derogatory way to suggest that the stories in the Bible are fictional. In the same ...
Who was Phanuel? Archangel or Father of Anna?
Phanuel the angel is not mentioned in the Bible. This figure comes from the Book of Enoch, where he belongs to the ranks of the good angels who serve the God of gods. Those good angels are opposed to the fallen Watchers, a grou...
Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz, the Son of the Prophet Isaiah
The book of Isaiah features a long name: Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz. It is often considered the longest name in the Bible, though that depends on how you count. It first occurs in Isaiah 8:1: “Moreover the Lord said to me, ‘Take a la...
Plant of Fertility and Magic: Are mandrakes in the Bible?
The mandrake is mentioned in two places in the Bible: in an episode between Rachel and Leah concerning fertility, and in the Song of Solomon. The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs or the Canticle of Canticles, is...
Is “love conquers all” in the Bible?
There are a lot of little catchy sayings that may seem like they’re from the Bible, but actually aren’t. A great example is “hate the sin, love the sinner” which comes from one of the letters of St. Augustine: “cum dilectione h...