So, what can be established as being literally true in the Bible? Speaking in the broadest of brushstrokes, I think we could conclude the following to be pretty accurate:

1. The overall history and culture of the Patriarchs, most of which was recorded from Chapter Twelve to the end of the Book of Genesis. This is the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their culture, which is very similar to and very influenced by the Code of the Babylonian king, Hammurabi.

2. A great deal of I-II Samuel and I Kings – stories about Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon – most of which was recorded by the Court Historian;

3. Historical references, overall events, and cultural undertones in the Old Testament during the Schism between Israel and Judah and their independent exiles – Israel to Assyria and Judah to Babylon;

4. Stories of Jesus’ teaching during his two-year ministry – especially his cynic-like one-liners and his many parables of the new, inner Kingdom of Heaven;

5. Jesus execution in Jerusalem just prior to Passover;

6. The general history of the times reflected in Paul’s original eight letters – I-II Thessalonians; Galatians, I-II Corinthians; Romans; Philemon, and Philippians.

“Okay,” you say. “I’ll buy that. But what about heaven and hell? What about the final destruction of the earth? What about the Virgin Birth? What about …?”

Good questions. Let’s take these major concerns one-by-one.

Heaven and Hell: Heaven and hell are here on earth, not just in the hereafter. If you have a loving relationship with God, as you understand God, while you’re physically alive – that relationship will continue after your physical death. That’s the message of Easter. If you don’t have a transforming relationship with a Higher Power while you’re alive, you won’t get it after you’re dead.

The Second Coming: The general consensus among scholars, both Christian and Jewish, leads us to conclude that virtually all the references to some form of final destruction refers to a final destruction of life as the audience knew and understood it. For example, many Jews, Christians, and Jewish-Christians all believed the Roman destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 CE was the beginning of the end of the world. The Jews believed it was a final punishment of God. Christians and Jewish-Christians believed it was the coming of the Lord Jesus, as predicted by the Apostle Paul, who thought it was just around the corner. So, he counseled people not to have sex, not to complete business transactions, and other admonitions. Theologically – not literally – it was the end. It was the end of the Jewish Temple-State of Jerusalem. It was the end of life as Jews, Christians, and Jewish-Christians knew and understood it at the time.