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67 Surprising Things Not Found in the Bible;
How Many Can You Guess?
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Jeff Lampl
67 Surprising Things Not Found in the Bible;
How Many Can You Guess?
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Jeff Lampl
Note:
This is a growing list compiled by David Housholder in
no particular order.
1.
Angels with wings (there are angels but no mention of wings). Or
that people become angels when they die. And would you believe the angels are
not singing at the birth of Jesus, but rather just speaking? And yes, seraphim
(the "burners" – flame on!, plural form of "seraph") have
wings, and no, the Bible never identifies seraphim as angels. Ditto cherubim
(plural of cherub), who are intimidating beasts in the Bible, but turned into
fat, naked, winged babies on the walls of Italian churches. Find me one place
that says seraphim (burners) are angels (messengers). I'm waiting. . . .
2.
The devil with horns and a pitchfork (there is a devil but no red
skin, horns or pitchfork)
3.
Any account of a battle at Armageddon. They gather for battle, but does
the Bible say that anything happens? Have a look. I once had coffee at the
Armageddon truck stop in Israel. Yes, it's a real place and you can get gas
there.
4.
Any female angels at all in the Bible. In both biblical languages,
spiritual masculinity comes out of heaven and femininity comes out of earth.
Ruach/Malkuth/Shekhinah (feminine), form the connection between the two. Kinda
like the Christmas song "let earth receive her king—let heaven and nature
sing." Female angels are found mostly in gift shops on earth, and of
course, with wings. Gabriel (GBR-i-El) is literally, in Hebrew, God's
intimidator. Hardly a precious moments statue.
5.
A singular apocalyptic Antichrist figure (used in plural
by John)
6.
Anywhere that says any singular Antichrist is the "Beast" of
Revelation
7.
That people mocked Noah for building an ark. By the way, seven (!)
pairs of many animals were taken into the ark – not just two by two.
8.
Jesus being the reason for the winter season. We're not sure
what time of the year Jesus was born. December 25 to January 6 (Epiphany) was
just a beautifully symbolic guess.
9.
The word or even the concept of a "halo."
10.
Any prohibitions against certain kinds of peripheral "cuss" words.
Taking the name of the LORD (YHWH-יהוה) in vain is specifically mentioned
and forbidden in the strongest terms. Cursing (but that was literally cursing
people and things, not just dropping salty adjectives) is prohibited in the book
of James. But throwing in occasional H, S and F words (although I don't use
them) is not specifically prohibited. Only the Old Testament forbids taking the
name of יהוה in vain; there is no equivalent prohibition of the expletive
use of Jesus' name (or Christ).
11.
Any encouragement to celebrate Advent or Lent. Or even any mention of them.
12.
Any English version of the Bible with God's pronoun capitalized. (i.e.
"He"). Let alone the original versions that didn't have an
upper-case/lower-case writing system at the time.
13.
Any mention of birth control (Although there is plenty of
encouragement to have children).
14.
The idea that God literally calls us to "be our brother's keeper."
Cain simply asks it of God: "Am I my brother's keeper?"
15.
Any mention of the New Testament church celebrating Ash Wednesday or any
biblical suggestion to do so in the future.
16.
An apple in the Garden of Eden (only fruit)
17.
Any suggestion that clergy should perform marriages, or that a wedding is
anything but a family/community reception/feast. Old Testament priests never
perform weddings that we can see anywhere in the Bible.
18.
The Bible says that those who have sex before marriage should indeed
get married. And that once you join with someone in that way, there are
permanent consequences. But a strict, specific prohibition against cohabitation
before marriage is hard to find, and all of we youth pastors would like
to have had it handy. Courtship-betrothal-marriage customs in the Bible do not
mirror our own very well, so it's hard to know exactly how that worked. My guess
is that premarital chastity was expected and assumed (for property and
disease-prevention reasons) and thus not explicitly mentioned.
19.
For that matter, any ordained clergy in the early church at all. Jesus and
Paul were lay preachers who learned crafts. The former was a stone
contractor (tekton). The latter likely supplied tents to the Roman army.
20.
Any in-the-Bible explanation as to how we switched from worship on Saturday (Sabbath)
to Sunday. Quite a historical mystery with a lot of speculation. . . . .
21.
That Jesus was a (just a poor) carpenter. Inaccurate English translation
of the original "tekton" (builder/contractor); likely with stone.
22.
Any sense that communion, baptism, "sin management so we can get to heaven
someday," etc. were central to Jesus' teaching. He did mention these
things, but clearly his core teaching was always about Malkuth (Kingdom–the
Creator's creative and sustaining power in the universe). And his main purpose
seemed to be to convince us to have the faith to share and operate in this
power. The Kingdom is like unto a mustard seed. . . .
23.
The fish which swallowed Jonah identified as a whale (just a fish).
24.
Jesus uttering the word "grace."
25.
Any word for "faith" (as we understand it) in the Old Testament.
26.
Discipleship. A made-up word based on a military, Latin mis-translation
of "mathetes" (students).
Any clear doctrine of Original Sin, let alone "total depravity." Sure, there are proof texts you can find to support it, but there is tension with the fact that we are made in the Image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, and "behold God saw that it (humankind) was very good." There's tension there.
Any clear doctrine of Original Sin, let alone "total depravity." Sure, there are proof texts you can find to support it, but there is tension with the fact that we are made in the Image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, and "behold God saw that it (humankind) was very good." There's tension there.
27.
Shepherds and wise men visiting the baby Jesus at the same time
(wise men came way way later). Or that the number of wise men was three. I just
saw this error (three wise men walking thru the shepherds to visit Jesus in the
manger) watching the movie Ben-Hur last night! Most people ignore the fact that
Magi are Zoroastrian holy people.
28.
Anything that specifically says Jesus was single. No evidence either way.
Very few ancient records of any famous people bother to mention spouses.
29.
The fact that we live in heaven forever. No matter what your end times view, we
end up on a renewed earth at the end (See the end of Revelation). Heaven is at
best a way station in the Bible to our ultimate destiny.
30.
Any suggestion that we should dress up for church
31.
Any prohibition of gambling
32.
Any record of a vote in the early church. They'd rather cast lots for big
decisions ;-). Nor any votes at congregational business meetings.
33.
Any sense that "liturgy" is on the Creator's short list. Jesus
never even mentions any "order of worship." Mostly just "on the
road" informal outdoor ministry.
34.
Any overwhelming proof that Jesus was poor. Most evidence suggests the
opposite.
35.
Any mention of Mary remaining a virgin after Jesus' birth
36.
Any direct mention or description of an abortion. Or comment upon
the issue. (For the record, I am very pro-life, but that's beside the point)
37.
Any record of a "confirmation class" or "confirmation
ceremony." Ditto first communion.
38.
Any direct linking of Mary Magdalene being a prostitute or woman of
ill-repute. Ditto any direct mention that Herodias' daughter was doing any kind
of suggestive dance.
39.
Anyplace where the original languages of the Bible say that a person is "possessed"
by an evil spirit. It usually just says a person "has" an unclean
spirit or something like that. We have unclean spirits. They don't
"have" us. Most modern translations which use the word
"possessed" were published after the movie The Exorcist.
40.
Any specific mention of transgenderism, although men and women are
forbidden from wearing each other's clothes. Sorry, Boy George.
41.
Any sense that Jesus wanted the government (Caesar) to take care of the poor.
That would be our job.
42.
Any record of anything Jesus said in his native language (Aramaic) except for
"Abba," "Talitha Kumi," "Raca,"
"Mammon," "Jot and Tittle," and "Eli Eli Lama
Sabachthani" His teachings and sayings were written down by Greek speakers.
43.
Anyone praying with hands folded
44.
Pews or Pulpits
45.
"God helps those who help themselves." That would be Benjamin
Franklin, not God.
46.
"God will never give you anything you can't bear." Obviously not true
in real life. God only knows where it came from.
47.
"Cleanliness is next to godliness." That would be Francis Bacon, not
the Bible.
48.
Any suggestion that churches should be decorated with crosses, outside or
inside. Or that there should even be church buildings at all.
49.
Any blanket prohibition of drinking alcohol
50.
Any prohibition of consciousness-altering through external or internal means.
Drunkedness is discouraged; but never controlled altered states. We alter our
consciousness through prayer, going to movies (an induced vision), reading
imaginative books, running (endorphins), and using coffee. John was in a serious
altered state seeing the vision in Revelation. Ditto Ezekiel in his prophecy.
Ditto Paul (who wasn't even sure if he was in his body or not).
51.
Any mention that church leaders should wear different clothing than the regular
peeps (clerical collars, robes, etc.)
52.
Anything that says church music should be reflective, subdued, or played on an
organ. (See the loud clashing cymbals in the Psalms–with trumpets and shouts)
53.
Anywhere that says women can't wear pants (pants aren't mentioned at all) or use
makeup
54.
Any mention that women should work at home (see Proverbs 31)
55.
Any specific "age of accountability" for baptism. Or even the
concept.
56.
Any command that baptism has to be by submersion. Paul was baptized
in a home which likely had no running water.
57.
Of course, only people in the New World were smoking tobacco; a substance and
behavior totally unknown to the writers of the Bible. And using "your body
is a temple" to forbid smoking would also outlaw junk food if you wanted to
be specific.
58.
Any mention that there should be separate "departments" in the church
for kids (Sunday School), youth groups, or men's and women's ministries
59.
The word or explicit description of a holy Trinity
60.
Elijah taken up in a chariot (he was taken up in a whirlwind)
61.
God changing Saul's name to Paul (Paulos, or "shorty" was just his
Greek trade/business nick-name). Imagine: "O Saul, from now on thou shalt
be named . . . . Shorty!"
62.
The word "wine" associated with the "cup" in the Last
Supper. Fruit of the vine is probably wine, but the Bible does not make the
explicit connection.
63.
Jesus' command to baptize mentioning water (could be Spirit baptism–See Mark
1:8)
64.
The "rapture" mentioned anywhere in the book of Revelation
65.
Anything mentioning that Jesus had long hair (or a beard)
66.
The phrase "personal relationship with Jesus."
67.
Any record of anyone ending a sermon in the Early Church inviting people to
receive Jesus into their hearts (the altar call perfected by Finney over a
century ago)
Here
are some of the biggest errors in Bible interpretation:
1.
The mistake that "description is prescription." Since Jesus "came
up out of the water" (description), baptism by immersion is commanded
(prescription).
2.
Inference equals explicit command. You can make an argument that the Bible
infers a trinity (and I am a trinitarian, by the way), but the word is never
used nor is the concept explained in even the most basic ways. The Bible doesn't
connect the dots. We have to. But our "dot connecting" is not
equivalent to an explicit Bible text.
3.
Thus implicit does not equal explicit. My list is a list of things NOT explicit
in the Bible.
4.
An unfounded equating of terms. E.g. "seraphim are angels." Perhaps in
your world this is true, and you are welcome to believe it; but the Bible uses
different words here for different kinds of beings.
5.
"You can't disprove it!" (e.g. that seraphim are angels). "You
can't disprove/prove it" only works (and it works well) if you are trying
to start a conspiracy theory. E.g. "You can't prove men landed on the
moon." I'm just stating a list of things that the Bible simply does not
explicitly teach. They may be true, but not because "the Bible tells me
so."
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Loved this! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for passing this on. Everyone should see it.
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