Far from being impervious to critical questions, the Bible, as we know it, presents several intriguing and perplexing questions, which are due to the corrupting influences of man. 

If we are serious about the pursuit of truth, like a finely cut diamond, we must examine the subject matter through every discoverable facet.  This pursuit will ultimately lead to the difficult conclusion that the Scriptures have been tampered with, and that the connection of the Scriptures to more ancient documents has been obscured.  This realization will lead to the question, “Why was this done, and with the corruption can we still find eternal truth within its passages?” 

The purpose of the following list of questions is to provide enough research data to formulate an educated and informed conclusion.  My own experience, during my personal study and formal religious education, was marked by periodic observations of these same questions and seeming contradictions.  When unable to find answers, my usual reaction was to accept the simplistic responses from trusted elders, or to file them away on a figurative “shelf.”  Eventually, as my knowledge grew, these “answers” became increasingly unsatisfactory and the “shelf” began to collapse under the weight of questions I was afraid to pursue.  This was until I reached the critical, cathartic nexus of events and knowledge when I realized my acceptance by the Eternal, Infinite Creator and Savior did not require turning off the brain He endowed me with, and be afraid to ask critical questions.  The following questions are intended to provoke your own study and research, and to impel you along the path of the pursuit of Truth.

Questions:

1.      Why does the Torah not name any of the Pharaohs mentioned during the Genesis period, which would precisely time-locate the Biblical characters and events?

2.      Why would Rachel originally name her youngest son Benoni (Benjamin), in honor of On (Anu), the Egyptian religious center? Gen. 35:18.

3.      What is the etymology (word origin) of the name Zion ?

4.      Why is there such a seeming lack of extra-Biblical historical evidence for the life of Moses?

5.      Per Scripture, Terah was seventy when his son Abram was born, and that he later died at the age of two hundred and five.  However, a few verses later we are told Abram was seventy-five when his father died, when simple math indicates he should have been one hundred and twenty-five.  Why? (Gen. 11:26, 32)

6.      Who wrote of Moses’ death in the Book of Deuteronomy if he was the author?  Joshua?

7.      Why the discrepancies given for the length of the Hebrew sojourn in Egypt ? (Gen. 15:13 – 400 years; Gen. 15:16 – Four generations; Ex.12:40-41 – 430 years)

8.      Why did Rachel take the household gods of Laban?  Why did she sit on them? (Gen. 31:19,30-37)

9.      Why does there appear to be something missing or added in the account of Zipporah’s circumcising her son?

10.  Why is Egypt consistently a place of refuge throughout the Bible?

11.  What is the etymology of the term “amen?”

12.  What is the root origin of the names Eleazar, Eliezer, Lazarus, etc.?

13.  What are the etymologies of the names Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Hophni, Phineas, etc.?

14.  Is there historical, extra-Biblical evidence of the rapid conquest of Canaan/Palestine by Joshua?

15.  If circumcisions was a rite and sign to set the Hebrews apart from surrounding tribes and nations, what is the significance of the fact that this rite was practiced for thousands of years prior to Abraham in Egypt and elsewhere in Africa ?

16.  What are the parallels between the Ausar/Osiris resurrection story and the Christian Gospel account?

17.  Why does an exact replica of the Ark of the Covenant appear on the temple walls in Egypt ?

18.  Why does the “Hymn to the Aten” so closely resemble Psalm 104?

19.  Why does the earlier written Wisdom of Amenenope so closely resemble a major portion of the Book of Proverbs?

20.  Are Aten/Adon, Twt/Dwd(David), Amon/Amen linguistic equivalents?

21.  What were David, a man after Yahweh’s own heart, and his wife Mikhal doing with a household idol, big enough to disguise as David, when he had to escape Saul’s men?  1 Samuel 19:11-17.

22.  To what extent did the Babylonians and the Persians influence Israel ’s religion and culture during their respective captivities?

23.  Was Ezra born a Hebrew?

24.   Why did Nebuchadnezzer write portions of the book of Daniel?

25.  What role did the successive Roman councils, beginning with Nicea, play in shaping our understanding of Christian doctrine?  What were the prevailing doctrinal views prior to the councils?

26.  With whom and when did the concept of Messiah/Christ originate?

27.  Why does the Pauline doctrine outweigh the word of Yahshua in the New Testament Church?

I purposely have not provided any of my personal responses to these questions at this time to allow the individual analysis and discovery of each student.  My responses will follow in a later essay.  Many would argue that we have to accept certain things by faith.  But, this was not the case of the Bereans who did not accept doctrine at face value, but searched out the Scriptures for verification (Acts 17:11). 

When studying, do not presume the Israelites were immune or quarantined from neighboring cultural, philosophical, and religious influence.  Try to put flesh on the characters presented; don’t over spiritualize.  Pray for wisdom, illumination, and revelation in connecting the dots of information.  Check the sources of information. 

And, above all, think critically!

Dr. Keita Kenyatta

[Yahshua Yeshiva]