“And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 7:1-3).
Although most people traditionally think he took 2, please note that the word “sevens” is plural. It literally means, “seven pairs” (or 14). Although the Bible says the animals ENTERED the ark “two and two”, or as a pair (see Genesis 7:9), it is clear that Noah actually took 14 of some animals and birds and 2 of others.
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem” (Matthew 2:1).
Although most people traditionally think there were 3 wise men, the Bible only speaks of them in the plural sense (i.e., “men”), but does NOT give a specific number. Everywhere the Scriptures mention these men, they are ONLY referred to in the plural sense (see Matthew 2:7, which speaks of “wise men” and refers to “them”, and Matthew 2:8-12, which all refer to “they”). The Bible DOES say they gave Him “gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (see Matthew 2:11), but no specific quantity of any of these substances is listed, nor does it require 3 men to give three different kinds of gifts. It could have been 2 wise men giving these gifts; it could have been 200. All we know from the Scripture is that there was more than 1, since they are identified as “wise men.”
We celebrate “Good Friday” in honor of the day on which He was crucified.
“And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun” (Mark 16:1-2).
“And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6).
Although most people traditionally celebrate “Good Friday” in honor of their belief that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, the Bible shows that such could not possibly have been the case. It is clear that Jesus rose on “the first day of the week,” which is Sunday. Jesus stated that He would spend three days AND three nights in the grave.
“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).
Some may claim that part of the day Friday, all day Saturday, and part of the day Sunday would constitute “3 days,” but the Lord said He would also be in the grave for “three nights.” It is impossible for Him to have been crucified on Friday, spend 3 nights in the grave, and resurrect by Sunday!
“Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (1 Corinthians 11:14).
Although most people traditionally think Jesus had long hair, the Apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (see 2 Timothy 3:16) that it is a shame for a man to have long hair. Would the Spirit of God have inspired Paul to call something a shame if Jesus Himself was guilty of it? Furthermore, Paul plainly stated he had seen Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 9:1). Would he have written that it was a shame to do what the Lord he worshipped had done? The answer to both questions is a resounding, “NO!”
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20).
Although many people traditionally think everyone is allowed to interpret the Bible freely based on their own opinions, the Scripture emphatically states that there is no such thing as a “private” or personal interpretation. Rather than make the Bible confirm our beliefs, we should change our beliefs to fit the Bible. After all, the Bible is the ONLY source of absolute truth.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).