There are plenty of things we swear are straight from biblical scripture, but when you actually look through pages, they’re nowhere to be found. Today, we’re looking at 25 of the most common biblical “facts.” Spoiler alert, none of these are actually in the Bible at all.
The Forbidden Fruit Was an Apple
When you think about the story of Adam and Eve, you probably remember that deadly apple that doomed us all, right? But the thing is, the Bible never actually mentions what kind of fruit was on that infamous tree, it just says the “fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Somehow, the apple got all the blame, which is probably because it makes for a good story.
Three Wise Men Visited Jesus
Anyone who has a nativity scene at Christmas almost certainly has three wise men as part of it, even though the Bible never said that. It actually just says that some wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to baby Jesus. People only assume there were three men because there were three gifts, but there could’ve been a lot more or less.
Jonah Was Swallowed By a Whale
While the story of Jonah and the whale is certainly a good one, the Bible’s a lot more vague on the whole thing than you might think. It says that a “great fish” swallowed Jonah but doesn’t specify what type it was. Even so, “great fish” just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “whale,” does it?
The Earth Was Created in 7 Days
Some people take the creation story to mean that God created the universe in a week of 24-hour days, although that’s not true. In ancient texts, “days” could mean a long and unspecified time, so our universe might have taken a lot longer than a week. Our modern concept of 7 days in a week didn’t even start until 321 CE.
Angels Have Wings
Those angel figurines on your shelf might have wings, but the Bible doesn’t say anything about them. It does mention Seraphim and Cherubim, who do have wings, but there’s nothing about the everyday angel messengers having them. It’s more likely that this classic angel look came from artistic license rather than actual scripture.
Satan Rules Hell
Although most of us imagine Satan as the big boss down in hell, the Bible actually says it’s a place of punishment for him, not a kingdom where he rules. Forget about that fiery throne or crown because they don’t exist. Satan’s not there to rule over that fiery realm because he’s actually suffering there with the other sinners.
The Immaculate Conception Is About Jesus
It’s easy to get mixed up, but the Immaculate Conception isn’t about Jesus being magically conceived. Instead, this idea is about Mary being born without original sin from Adam and Eve. The stuff about Jesus is known as “the Virgin Birth,” although most people get that part wrong.
Jesus Was Born on December 25th
There’s no mention in the Bible of when Jesus was born, and Christians picked the date of December 25 much later. Most biblical scholars disagree on when he was born, though some of them think it could’ve been March 25th. Even so, the current Christmas date fits pretty well into our traditions now.
The Bible Encourages a “Prosperity Gospel”
Some people believe the Bible says that if you’re good, you’ll get rich, although that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Bible talks a whole lot more about dealing with difficult times with faith rather than just getting money from it. You’re not going to win any lottery tickets just by believing.
Moses Parted the Red Sea
The idea of Moses parting the Red Sea is a pretty powerful image, but the original text might be talking about something different. It could refer to the Sea of Reeds, which is a far shallower and less dramatic body of water. Maybe it’s time to rethink some of those Sunday school lessons.
Sodom and Gomorrah Were Destroyed Because of Homosexuality
A lot of people who are against LGBTQ+ people use the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as evidence that God doesn’t like homosexual people. Actually, the Bible blames their downfall on them committing a bunch of bad behaviors and doesn’t directly claim that homosexuality was the main cause. Instead, the people being inhospitable could’ve been more to blame.
The Seven Deadly Sins Are in the Bible
Many churches will preach the importance of avoiding the seven deadly sins, but guess what? It’s not in the Bible. It was Christian thinkers who came up with this idea much later because they were trying to clear up their teachings on vice and virtue. Those lists we see today have nothing to do with actual scripture.
The Eye of the Needle Was a Gate
One of Jesus’s most famous lines in the Bible is, ”it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” Some people took this as Jesus talking about a gate in Jerusalem called the “Eye of the Needle,” but that’s simply not true. There was no such gate, and Jesus was just being metaphorical.
The Antichrist is One Person
Lots of people think of the Antichrist as being like the main villain in the Bible. In reality, the scripture talks about the Antichrist as being anyone who denies Jesus instead of just the ultimate bad guy with a master plan. It’s not a singular person that the Bible is warning us to be fearful of.
The Rapture
The rapture is supposedly the moment when believers are taken away before things get really tough on Earth. But no matter what you think, there’s no clear-cut script in the Bible about what’ll happen during this time. It’s actually a concept pieced together from different passages. Some people have filled in the blanks to make their own interpretations.
666 is the Number of the Beast
We all know that “666” is the Devil’s number, but here’s a twist. Some ancient versions of the Bible actually record it as 616, which could be because there was a bit of a mix-up somewhere down the line. Other scholars believe it might’ve been a code for the real-life Roman emperor, Nero.
Mary Magdalene Was a Prostitute
For many years, people have called Mary Magdalene a prostitute, but you won’t find that story in the Bible. She was actually a devoted disciple of Jesus who may have given him financial support. This misunderstanding probably came from people muddling up stories about a bunch of different women.
The Tower of Babel Story Explains Multiple Languages
The Tower of Babel story isn’t supposed to be a myth that explains why people speak different languages. Of course, that’s part of the story, but not the full thing. This story is meant to be a life lesson to teach Christians about the dangers of human ambition and what happens if you go too far.
The Writings of Paul Are Not Part of the Bible
Many Bible scholars aren’t sure if Paul’s writings should be part of the Good Book because they’re not about Jesus or his life. Even so, his letters have been an important part of the New Testament for a long while now. They created some of the foundations for early Christianity, which is why they’re still relevant.
The Bible Supports Slavery
Some critics of the Bible point to its apparent support for slavery as being one of the reasons we shouldn’t read it. But actually, there’s no scripture supporting it, as the book just accepts that it was a normal part of society back then. There are actually several passages that tell slave owners to treat their slaves better than what people thought was normal back then.
All Animals Were On Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark is probably one of the most famous Bible stories, especially the part about him saving two of every single animal on Earth. Of course, that’s practically impossible, but that’s probably the point. This wasn’t meant to be a conservation project but more a tale about survival and starting over. Noah probably saved just two of each animal from his village.
Jesus’s Physical Appearance
Although we’ve got plenty of paintings about him, the Bible doesn’t actually mention what Jesus looked like. If he was a man of his time and place, he probably looked very different from the Western versions of him. All of those “pictures” we have of him are really just examples of the artist’s imagination.
Judas Died By Hanging Himself
Judas’s death isn’t clear in the Bible. In one version, he hung himself, but in another, he fell to his death. Many Bible scholars have debated Judas’s death for many years, but they still haven’t reached any kind of agreement. Even in foundational texts like the Bible, the reports don’t line up.
The Prayer of Jabez
Writer Bruce Wilkinson published “The Prayer of Jabez” in 2000. In it, he made a big deal about a section in the Bible that talks about Jabez’s prayer. But the truth is, even the Good Book only briefly mentions his prayer, and although it’s powerful, it’s nowhere near as important as some people think.
Dogs Are Unclean Animals
While many people love dogs today, this wasn’t always the truth in the path. In the Bible, it does talk about dogs in a negative light, calling them “impure” and referencing them as “scavengers.” But, no matter what some people say, there’s no verse that directly calls them “unclean,” as this was more of a cultural point-of-view at the time.
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