Bible Studies, Inspired by Faith and Science

 It's been a "long and winding" year, but we're getting back to those Gospel Bible studies at last, and here's the next in the series: (111) Some Very Important Meetings Last time (yes, I know, a long long time ago) we read Mark’s cryptic comment that the risen Lord had appeared to “two of them.” This time we’ll join those two, travelling from Jerusalem after the crushing of all their hopes – having heard rumors of resurrection, but clearly not believing them. 1.       Read Luke 24:13-18, John 19:25 Who is traveling, where and why? a.       Some traditions say Clopas was the brother of Joseph, making Mary the “sister” of Jesus’ mother Mary.   Clopas’ son Simeon becomes Bishop of Jerusalem after the destruction of the city in 70 AD, which might make him Jesus' cousin. But what difference does all this make to how we view the story? b.       Was Jesus’ face hidden by supernatural means, or natura...

What Stories are Told of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection? 1. Who was Veronica? 2. What is the Turin shroud? 3. Who was Simon of Cyrene? 4. Who was Joseph of Arimathea? 5. What was the Holy Grail? 6. Who guarded the tomb? 7. Who moved the stone? 8. Who first realized Jesus was risen? 9. Who did Jesus first appear to? 10. Who first spoke in tongues? In the Bible, Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem as he carries his cross. Catholic tradition names one of the women as Veronica (a Latin version of Berenice, which means bearer of victory, though tradition includes the Greek eikon in the name, making it bearer of the image). Some traditions say she’s the woman who was healed of an issue of blood (establishing a prior connection between her and clothes touched by Jesus); others that she’s Martha, Lazarus’ sister. The story appears in the apocryphal Acts of Pilate. Some stories say Veronica’s veil was destroyed in the sack of Rome; others that it was never found; tradition says it had healing...

Why did Jesus die? 1. Who said “no one can see God and live?” 2. Who said “with his stripes we are healed?” 3. Who said “You shall bruise his heel?” 4. Who said “on a colt, the foal of an ass?” 5. Who said “they know not what they do?” 6. Who said “behold your son?” 7. Who said “you will be with me in Paradise?” 8. Who asked God why he had forsaken him? 9. Who said “It is finished?” 10. Who committed his Spirit into his Father’s hands? Why did Jesus die? In the Old Testament there are several places where we read that “no one can see God and live” (Exodus 33:20, Genesis 16). If the Godhead is “veiled” in Jesus, at least until the transfiguration, perhaps Jesus had to die so that we, all over the world, could see God and live. The Old Testament mandates different animal sacrifices to preserve the relationship between the people and God. Today we view the sacrifice of animals as somehow barbaric, though these animals died surrounded by sacred ritual and the devoted thanks of the people, ...