Episode 10, the final video in our Bible 101 series of short videos.
Is the Bible just another book written by men a long time ago? Or is it more than that?
You can watch the 10-part Bible 101 series on YouTube here.
Biblical Literacy
Bible 101:9 – Four Exceptions To Literal Interpretation
Part 9 of our Bible 101 series – should we take everything in the Bible literally?
Is the Bible just another book written by men a long time ago? Or is it more than that?
You can watch the 10-part Bible 101 series on YouTube here.
Bible 101:8 – Study Tools
Part 8 of our Bible 101 series discussing Bible study tools.
Is the Bible just another book written by men a long time ago? Or is it more than that?
You can watch the 10-part Bible 101 series on YouTube here.
Literal Biblical Interpretation: Four Exceptions
This is Episode 9 of Bible Rebel’s 10-part ‘Bible 101’ series. It’s about seven minutes in length and briefly covers the exceptions to the principle of understanding scripture in a strict literal sense.
You can find the complete 10-part series here.
They Said It: Four Quotes On The Book Of Numbers
Here are some interesting and insightful quotes about the fourth book of the Bible, Numbers.
R. K. Harrison (Old Testament Scholar)
“Numbers reminds us that spiritual progress requires trust and obedience. Israel’s wanderings reveal that unbelief stalls the journey, but God’s patience endures even in the midst of human failure.”
Timothy Keller (Pastor & Author)
“In Numbers, we see a God who walks with His people even when they complain, rebel, and wander. Grace is not a New Testament invention—it’s woven throughout the wilderness story.”
Gordon Wenham (Biblical Scholar)
“Numbers is a book of transition—from promise to fulfillment. It shows that while God prepares His people for blessing, He also forms them through discipline, shaping them into a covenant community.”
John MacArthur (Pastor & Commentator)
“The Book of Numbers reveals the seriousness of sin and the faithfulness of God. The wilderness becomes a classroom where God teaches His people to trust His word above their fears.”
Faith Of The Pilgrims
What was the religious faith of the Pilgrims?
The Pilgrims were predominantly English Separatists, a branch of the Puritan movement within Protestant Christianity.
Separatists believed the Church of England was too corrupt to reform and chose to break away entirely (unlike other Puritans who sought to reform it from within).
Their faith was deeply Protestant, emphasizing personal Bible reading, simple worship without liturgy or ritual, covenant community life, and strong moral discipline.
The Pilgrims were mainly Puritan Separatists — English Protestant Christians who left the Church of England to practice their faith freely.
Our Free Monthly Newsletter: What Is ‘Curious Fearless Faith’?
Please take a minute to subscribe to the Bible Rebel monthly newsletter – it’s free and will keep you up to date on all our articles, videos, and features.
Our Mission at Bible Rebel
- To monitor current news and events related to faith and culture.
- To provide an alternative viewpoint to the world’s pervasive climate of darkness, nihilism, and hopelessness for those seeking truth, light, and purpose.
- To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.
- To present the Biblical truths which reveal God’s nature and purposes and proclaim the lifechanging, world-altering, radical message of Yeshua the Messiah – Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Savior.
At Bible Rebel, this is our one and only creed:
Our living God is a loving God and the Bible is His revealed word and will.
Our hope and eternal salvation relies entirely on the work of God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
So, expect some controversial viewpoints and uncomfortable ideas in some of the coming content from Bible Rebel.
Coming in November and December
More in our “Your Life and What Comes After” series.
More in-depth content on deeper biblical studies and theological issues.
You can find all of the current Bible 101 episodes and One-Minute Mini Messages here on our YouTube Channel, and you can subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
We’ll also be continuing our regular features, guest articles, and series:
- Biblical Literacy: What the Bible does and doesn’t say
- They Said It: Poignant quotes on a variety of topics
- Guest articles
- And more…
Watchdogs
As always, we’ll be keeping a watchdogs eye on all of the latest political, religious, biblical archaeology, and cultural news and events from around the world and bringing to you in bite-size chunks to keep you informed.
Subscribe to the Bible Rebel monthly newsletter here
Biblical Literacy: Sayings, Not Bible Verses
Here are four common ‘old sayings’ that many folks mistakenly believe are bible verses. While these sayings may contain practical wisdom, and even reflect values taught by scripture generally, they are not inspired scripture.
“God helps those who help themselves.”
This one is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1736).
The Bible teaches dependence on God, not self-sufficiency (see Psalm 121:2, Proverbs 3:5–6). The phrase reflects a moral idea, but it’s not scriptural.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
Popularized by John Wesley in a 1778 sermon.
While the Bible values purity of heart and spiritual cleanliness (James 4:8), it never equates physical cleanliness with godliness.
“This too shall pass.”
Likely from ancient Persian or Hebrew proverbs, but not found in Scripture.
The Bible expresses similar sentiments (e.g., 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, Psalm 30:5), yet the phrase itself never appears.
“Money is the root of all evil.”
This one is a misquotation of 1 Timothy 6:10.
What the Bible actually says: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” The difference is crucial — Scripture warns against greed, not wealth itself.
Free Bible Rebel Newsletter And YouTube Channel
Please take a minute to subscribe to the Bible Rebel monthly newsletter – it’s free and will keep you up to date on all our articles, videos, and features.
Our Mission at Bible Rebel
- To monitor current news and events related to faith and culture.
- To provide an alternative viewpoint to the world’s pervasive climate of darkness, nihilism, and hopelessness for those seeking truth, light, and purpose.
- To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.
- To present the Biblical truths which reveal God’s nature and purposes and proclaim the lifechanging, world-altering, radical message of Yeshua the Messiah – Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Savior.
At Bible Rebel, this is our one and only creed:
Our living God is a loving God and the Bible is His revealed word and will.
Our hope and eternal salvation relies entirely on the work of God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
So, expect some controversial viewpoints and uncomfortable ideas in some of the coming content from Bible Rebel.
Coming in October/November
More in our “Your Life and What Comes After” series.
More in-depth content on deeper biblical studies and theological issues.
You can find all of the current Bible 101 episodes and One-Minute Mini Messages here on our YouTube Channel, and you can subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
We’ll also be continuing our regular features, guest articles, and series:
- Biblical Literacy: What the Bible does and doesn’t say
- They Said It: Poignant quotes on a variety of topics
- Guest articles
- And more…
Watchdogs
As always, we’ll be keeping a watchdogs eye on all of the latest political, religious, biblical archaeology, and cultural news and events from around the world and bringing to you in bite-size chunks to keep you informed.
Finally, are you interested in contributing content to Bible Rebel?
Bible Rebel is always looking for interesting, compatible content for our biblerebel.com website/blog. We are accepting writing and video submissions for review and possible publication on our platform.
If you have a teaching series, opinion piece, research piece or other content that fits with the Bible Rebel mission we’d like to see it!
If your content fits our mission and creed, included below, then email it to us at in**@********el.com. Written pieces should be no more than 500 words and video content no longer than 7 minutes – either can be submitted as part of a longer series for consideration.
Thanks, and stay tuned for our next newsletter.
Oh, and please go over and give us a follow on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Biblical Literacy: 3 Kings For Baby Jesus?
Kings or Magi?
The Bible does not actually say that three kings brought gifts to baby Jesus.
In Matthew 2:1–12, the Bible tells us that “wise men from the east” (Greek: magoi, meaning “magi” or scholars/astrologers) came to visit Jesus after His birth. It mentions that they brought three gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — but it never specifies how many magi there were, nor that they were kings.
Here’s the key verse (Matthew 2:11, KJV):
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
The Bible mentions magi (wise men), not kings.
It mentions three gifts, but not the number of visitors.
The idea of “three kings” likely came later from tradition and song (like “We Three Kings”), probably because there were three types of gifts.
Also, according to the Bible, the wise men (Magi) did not arrive at the same time as the shepherds. The shepherds came the night Jesus was born, but the Magi came later, possibly months — or even up to two years — afterward.
The Shepherds
Found in Luke 2:8–20.
The shepherds were in the fields nearby when the angel announced Jesus’ birth.
They immediately went to Bethlehem and found “the babe lying in a manger.”
This clearly happened the night of Jesus’ birth.
The Wise Men (Magi)
Found in Matthew 2:1–12.
They came “from the east” after seeing a special star that signified a new king.
When they arrived, they entered a house (not a stable) and saw “the young child with Mary his mother” (Matthew 2:11).
King Herod asked when the star appeared and later ordered the killing of boys two years old and under (Matthew 2:16), suggesting Jesus could have been as much as two years old by the time the Magi visited.
Summary
| Group | When They Arrived | Where They Found Jesus | Biblical Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherds | The night of His birth | In a manger | Luke 2:8–20 |
| Wise Men | Weeks or months later | In a house | Matthew 2:1–12 |
So, while Christmas pageants often combine the two groups for simplicity, the Bible clearly describes two separate visits — first by shepherds, then later by the Magi.