The term "Bible" is derived from the Greek phrase ta biblia, meaning "the books" or "the scrolls". This term reflects that the Bible is a collection of 66 (or more, depending on tradition) individual, sacred books written by various authors over centuries, rather than a single volume.
The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblia, meaning “books.” It took more than 1,100 years for all of these books to be written down, and it was many more years before the list of books now known as the Bible came together in one large book.
What does it mean when Mary pondered in her heart?
Mary was making memories. She was collecting a sort of mental scrapbook. The other key word in this verse is the word, “pondered.” The Greek word means “to throw thoughts together; mull over, draw conclusions, consider, confer mentally.” Another definition for ponder is to wonder at a deep level.
Albert Einstein viewed the Bible as a collection of "honorable, but still primitive, legends which are nevertheless pretty childish," seeing it as a product of a pre-scientific era, though he respected its ethical teachings and the figure of Jesus, while rejecting organized religion as superstition and believing in a God revealed in the universe's harmony, not a personal one. He famously stated that the "word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses".
There are multiple Christian views on this question. Many churches teach the bible is inerrant and, as you put it, "100% the word of God." I doubt any say that picking and choosing is appropriate, however they do have differing levels of the amount of biblical interpretation required.
In Luke's account, the woman is called a sinner, likely meaning a prostitute, while the woman in Matt/Mark/John is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who is never identified as a prostitute in the Gospels.
777 is considered "God's number" in some traditions because it's seen as a triple emphasis on the biblical perfection and completeness of the number seven, often symbolizing the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and divine fulfillment, standing in contrast to 666 (imperfection). This meaning comes from scriptural themes like creation in seven days, Revelation's seven seals/trumpets, and the Jubilee cycle, though the Bible only mentions 777 once for Lamech's age.
On Jesus' thigh, as described in the vision in Revelation 19:16, is the name "King of Kings and Lord of Lords," written on His robe where it covered His thigh, signifying His ultimate authority and power, not a literal tattoo, as the book is symbolic and Jesus followed Jewish law against tattooing.
What is the meaning of this number? A few things come to mind. In the Bible, two is the number of a “faithful witness,” or someone who is set apart for God. Also worth noting, the word “wisdom” is mentioned 222 times in scripture.
While He acknowledges such connections (Mark 3:33), He considers all those who obey God as His true family (verses 34-35). The Hebrew word sadeh (Strong's #H7704) is the only original language word in the Bible that is written 333 times.
Are Mary Magdalene and Mary the sister of Lazarus the same person?
In fact, modern scholars often refer to Mary as Mary of Bethany to avoid the lengthier phrase Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. This means that, when Luke and John refer to another of the Marys as Mary Magdalene, they are referring to a different person.
Matthias (/məˈθaɪəs/; Koine Greek: Μαθθίας, Matthías [maθˈθi.as], from Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ Mattiṯyāhū; Coptic: ⲙⲁⲑⲓⲁⲥ; died c. AD 80) was, according to the Acts of the Apostles, chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following the latter's betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death.
What does "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" mean?
The phrase "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" means that even those considered lowly or outside a primary group can receive blessings or benefits from the abundance available to the favored group, showcasing deep humility, persistence, and faith in the source of grace, as seen in the biblical story where a Gentile woman convinces Jesus to heal her daughter by using this analogy.
Mary's act was far more than a kind gesture of respect and adoration. The gift was equivalent to a whole year's salary and possibly tied to her hope for marriage—her hope for a future. It was often saved for a young woman's wedding day, when she would pour it on her husband as an act of devotion.
But they kept several millions of pictures of Mary the mother of Jesus, called icons. It was because Mary humbly obeyed God's will to conceive the baby by the Holy Spirit before marriage. God honored her simple and humble obedience to God's will and made her the mother of Jesus and a comfort even to communist people.
The basis of Mariology are the four Marian dogmas: Mary's Divine Motherhood (or being the Mother of God, also known as Theotokos, Θεοτόκος in Koine Greek), Her Immaculate Conception (having no stain of original sin), Her Perpetual Virginity, and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.
In the Bible, "70 times 7" (or sometimes "seventy-seven times") in Matthew 18:22 signifies limitless, perpetual forgiveness, not a specific number (490), responding to Peter's question about forgiving someone up to seven times; Jesus used this hyperbole to emphasize that Christians should forgive continuously, reflecting God's own boundless mercy, making forgiveness an ongoing lifestyle, not a finite act.
Scholars largely agree that much of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament reflects a combination of historical memory, oral traditions, and later literary editing, with key events like the Patriarchs, Exodus, and United Monarchy either lacking strong archaeological evidence or reflecting a smaller-scale historical reality ...
