#12599 Did Jonah Really Get Swallowed by a Whale? Bible Questions - Jimmy Akin

Did Jonah really get swallowed by a whale, or is the story symbolic? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists tackle this question along with several others about Scripture and theology. They discuss how to prepare for conversations with Muslims using the Bible, why giants appear after the flood, and whether Catholics can accept the Orthodox canon as inspired. The conversation also explores what St. Paul means by being “slaves to sin” and what Christ truly accomplished through redemption. Additional questions address modern concerns about alcohol in light of the wedding at Cana and clarify how the Bible uses terms like mind, heart, soul, and spirit. A wide-ranging discussion on biblical interpretation and Catholic teaching.

Questions Covered:

• 01:22 – Did Jonah actually get swallowed by a whale? 
• 11:27 – Is there some part of the bible I should study to prepare to speak to Muslims? 
• 17:16 – When the Israelites entered the holy land they fought giants. Why are there giants after the flood? 
• 21:03 – Can we as Catholics personally hold the belief that the Orthodox canon is divinely inspired? 
• 23:54 – Romans talk about being a slave to sin. What did Jesus actually accomplish if we are slaves to sin? 
• 34:39 – New research suggests that no human should consume alcohol because of how bad it is for humans. How could God create and make water into wine at the wedding of Cana knowing how harmful it is for humans? 
• 45:50 – Does the bible mean the same thing when it refers to the mind, heart, soul and spirit?