The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast

Welcome to this episode of Bible Difficulties and Answers, a deep dive into the captivating story of Cain and Abel. Our understanding will be immensely enriched by recent Christian scholarship, illuminating the age-old question: why did God accept Abel's sacrifice and not Cain's? We delve into Abel's sacrifice, noted as 'the best portions of the firstborn lambs', and contrast this with Cain's offe...

Today we explore a verse to determine why Adam and Eve tried to hide from God walking through the garden. Actually, does God “walking” and humans hiding from an omnipresent God even make sense? We’ll look at how cartoons like Arthur and Thomas the Train might help us understand this problematic verse, along with a doctrine of Christology and how it might fit here, and finally, how a clearer unders...

Today we explore a verse that looks at the initial creation of man. Is Man made like God or does he become like God? Genesis 3:5 details a famous Biblical incident–as the serpent (Satan) tempts Eve and subsequently Adam to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Our problem is, if we were made in the image of God, how can we become like God as this verse states? As usual, I will prese...

Today we explore a verse that gives a potentially contradictory account of the first creation story in Genesis 1. We’ll look at different Biblical translations to solve this apparent contradiction and in the process discover if the desire is to actually create an accurate rendering of the scripture or to advance a preferred political narrative. And lastly, we’ll see how an obscure English grammar...

Today we explore a verse that liberal scholars use to undermine and discredit the Genesis account of creation. Other Biblical scholars argue that God's command that if you eat (of the fruit) you will surely die, means a spiritual death and not an immediate physical death. Or, does the Hebrew word in this verse actually give us the clearest and best answer? As usual, I will present a number of diff...

Today we explore a verse that a large number of biblical scholars in the late 19th and early 20th century were regarding as nothing more than myth. However, thanks to modern day textual interpretation, scholarship is shining a new light on the reliability of the story as described in Genesis 2:8. And, how does the story of the Garden of Eden run afoul of today’s view of a social justice Jesus? As...

Today we dive into a verse that may be proof that a new writer took over Chapter 2 of Genesis. Or, it is nothing more than a difference without a distinction–same kind of name and no big deal. Or, does the change in name, going from “God” to “Lord God” signify something else–maybe a personal relationship with God? As usual, I will present a number of different opinions from my research and conclud...

Today we dive into a verse that has vexed biblical scholars and agnostics for centuries –Genesis 2:1-How Could The World Be Created In Six Days? Typically this discussion revolves around two propositions: 1) A literal 7-day week, which correspondingly, must fit in with only a young-earth creation model or 2) A six day creation-event, not limited by time or a 24-hour lunar cycle. As usual, I will p...

Today we dive into a really interesting verse–Genesis 1:27-Were Adam and Eve Real People. To outline our discussion today, I think it’s important to focus on two main areas, 1)The Scientific and Biblical explanation for an actual Adam and Eve, and 2) The equal and the special creation of just a male and female sex. As usual, I will present a number of different opinions from my research and conclu...

Today we dive into a really interesting verse–Genesis 1:26-why does the Bible use the plural “us” when God refers to himself. And, as you would expect, there are varying interpretations as to what this problematic verse means and its solution. We’ll explore God’s traditional Jewish explanations along with other religious groups, also, we’ll take a look at basic Hebrew grammar to help us interpret...

Today we discuss Genesis 1:14-How Could There Be Light Before The Sun Was Made? In this episode we discuss how light can appear on one day of creation and the Sun and Moon appear on another day of creation. We discuss three main explanations behind this verse: 1) Astrological, 2) God as light, and 3) Creation finally becoming visible. As always I will give my thoughts on the best explanation at th...

Today begins our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, discussing Genesis 1:1-How can the universe have a “beginning?” In this episode we discuss two main problems, 1) “According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, ‘Energy can neither be created or destroyed.’ If this is so, then the universe must be eternal, since it is made of indestructible energy. However, the Bible indicates that the u...

Occasionally, this podcast may go into some different areas besides the biblical timeline we follow each week for Bible Difficulties and Answers. For these types of episodes, we will refer to them as sidebars. Today, I want to give a baseline of how this podcast finished last calendar year by reviewing some numbers.

Show Notes: Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the last of our five introductory episodes–is the New Testament reliable? In this episode we discuss the Historical Truth and the Alleged Bible Errors (Divergent Details) of the New Testament. Special thanks to Frank Turek for carrying the Lion’s share of the work for this podcast. We conclude with...

Show Notes: Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the third of three philosophical arguments for the existence of God. In this episode we discuss the Moral Argument. Why do we agree certain things are right and wrong? Where does this standard of good and evil arise? And what does CS Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia, say about Moral Law? R...

Show Notes: Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the third of three philosophical arguments for the existence of God. In this episode we discuss the Moral Argument. Why do we agree certain things are right and wrong? Where does this standard of good and evil arise? And what does CS Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia, say about Moral Law? R...

Show Notes: Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the second of three philosophical arguments for the existence of God. In this episode we discuss the Fine Tuning of the Universe or Teleological Argument. And, you probably would not expect to hear references to scientists James Webb, Edwin Hubble or Steven Hawking on a podcast about Christian Phil...

Show Notes: Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the first of three philosophical arguments for the existence of God. In this episode we discuss the Cosmological Argument. And, you probably would not expect to hear references to a “Big Banger” or the Marvel Cinematic Universe on a podcast about Christian Philosophy! References to items discussed...

Today as we prepare to begin our journey into Bible Difficulties and Answers, we discuss the term “Christian Apologetics.” What does it really mean? References to items discussed on this podcast may found at the following: https://seminary.grace.edu/what-is-apologetics/ https://crossexamined.org/podcasts/ https://www.str.org/w/why-apologetics- https://www.str.org/w/how-apologetics-can-address-the-...

The who, what, where, when and why of the podcast Bible Difficulties and Answers.