Sometimes I get a little lost when reading the Bible, and I come across names of Bible characters that are either the same or have different names for each character.  Obviously Saul, who later was called Paul, in the New Testament is not the same as King Saul in the Old Testament.  And we have Peter who was also called Simon in Mark 14:37.

But what about:
Acts 12:25 "And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.

So, is it this "John" that wrote the book of "Mark"? I am under the impression that Mark was the son of Mary (Acts 12:12) and the cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10).

Also, the book of Revelation was written by the apostle John.  Is this a different John, or is this Mark?

I really wish they had cameras back then!

Sincerely,
Whatzisname

Dear Whatzisname,

There are several names that are so common in the Bible that it can leave your head spinning as you try to keep them all straight.  The name ‘John’ is especially common.  So is the name ‘James’.  We’ll see if we can break it down for you.

The name John:

• John the Baptist – born six months before Jesus; John the Baptist preached in the wilderness that the Christ was soon to come (Matt 3:1-2).  John the Baptist was killed by Herod (Lk 9:9)
• John the son of Zebedee – this John was a fisherman who became one of Jesus’ apostles (Matt 4:21-22, Matt 10:2).  James the son of Zebedee, his brother, was also an apostle – therefore ‘John son of Zebedee’ is also referred to as ‘John brother of James’ (Mk 5:37).  This is the same apostle John who wrote the gospel according to John, 1^st through 3^rd John, and the book of Revelation.
• John the father of Simon Peter – To further complicate things, the apostle Peter’s father’s name was John (Jhn 1:42).  This John is of no relation to the others.
• John Mark – John Mark was a zealous christian that Paul and Barnabas took with them on their journeys (Acts 12:25, Acts 13:5).  Some people say that John Mark wrote the gospel of Mark, but there is no decisive evidence concerning this.  John Mark was also Barnabas’ cousin (Col 4:10).  His mother, Mary, is mentioned in Acts 12:12.

The name James:

• James the son of Zebedee – one of the apostles and brother to John, son of Zebedee (Matt 10:2).  He was the first apostle to be killed for the Gospel (Acts 12:2).
• James the son of Alphaeus – another one of the apostles that is rarely mentioned.  He is also referred to as ‘James the less’ (Mk 15:40).
• James the brother of Jesus – Matt 13:55 mentions that Jesus had a younger brother named James.  This James is also mentioned as one of the elders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 21:18).  This James is also attributed with writing the book of James.

Hopefully, that helps with the confusion a little bit.  There is no doubt that studying the Bible takes hard work and attention to detail!

We are instructed not to take the name of the Lord in vain, but can the word ‘god’ really be considered the Lord’s name? We do not know how to pronounce the Lord’s name, so we refer to the Lord as ‘God’, ‘Father’, and ‘Lord’, but aren’t those just classifications? God is what the Lord is; Father is His relationship to us (as is Lord), so should we consider those the name of God or just classifications for Him?  I know this doesn’t apply to Jesus or the Holy Spirit, for we are given Their names, and we know how to pronounce Them.

Sincerely, Name Recognition

Dear Name Recognition,

There is more to treating God’s name as holy than just avoiding the word ‘Yahweh’. It is true that the Jews didn’t pronounce the name ‘Yahweh’ (the name God gives Himself when He talks with Moses – Ex 3:13-14), considering it to be such a holy name that it was best left unsaid. The technicality of not being able to pronounce a particular Hebrew word is missing the point though.

The command to not use the Lord’s name in vain comes from Ex 20:7, otherwise known as the Ten Commandments (Ex 34:28). This is an Old Testament verse, but it is just as applicable to New Testament Christians because the concept is reiterated in the New Testament as well. Not using His name in vain is about more than just God’s technical name of ‘Yahweh’; it is about treating God as holy. Peter said it best when he said that you and I are to “show forth the excellencies of Him who called you” (1 Pet 2:9). We are to treat God with reverence (Heb 12:9). You would never use your parents’ names as swear words or exclamations of disdain. You would never speak ill of your friends or treat their names as bywords and cursing. When you say ‘God’ or ‘Lord’, everyone knows who you are referring to. Be very careful that you only use His name with the utmost respect. Sanctify all the names and terms you use for God as holy (Lk 1:49). God will not be mocked (Gal 6:7); if we don’t treat Him with respect and admiration – no technicality of pronunciation will save us on the Judgment.

     Could you please tell me what God’s Word says about gambling and show me the Scriptures?  I feel in myself it's wrong, and money and time could be better spent.

Sincerely,
Nagging Doubts

Dear Nagging Doubts,

The Bible never specifically mentions gambling as a sin, but it doesn’t have to be specifically mentioned to be wrong.  There are a great many things surrounding gambling that are sinful.  Consider that:

1. Gambling focuses around money and greed.  God warns us clearly about being fixated with money (1 Tim 6:10, Heb 13:5).  God wants us to be satisfied with our income (Eccl 5:10).  Contentment is a major component of spiritual maturity (1 Tim 6:6).
2. Gambling is used as a means to gain money without working for it.  God finds pleasure in people working for their livelihood (2 Thess 3:10-12, Pr 10:4).
3. Gambling wastes money because, ultimately, the house does always win.  God expects us to be good stewards (1 Cor 4:2) and save for the future (Pr 6:6-8).
4. Gambling and the places where gambling occurs are often associated with other sinful things.  There is a reason Las Vegas is called “Sin City”.  That industry is not one that a christian should be supporting (2 Cor 6:16-17).
5. Gambling can be very addictive.  We can only have one master (Lk 16:13).

     Do some churches have a "dress code" for men who stand in front for prayers, etc.?  Our church has many men wearing old t-shirts and shorts and going to the front!  I feel it is disgraceful; what do you think?  We also have women wearing the same thing.  I don’t believe our preacher likes it, but he is an elder, and it has not been addressed in the elders’ notes.  Just wondering what other churches do.  Thanks.  I enjoy this site.

Sincerely,
Attire Aware

Dear Attire Aware,

Some elderships do ask the men who are in public worship roles to have a certain level of formality to their dress; others leave it up to the individual to assess their attire appropriately when leading.  There isn’t a right or wrong way to handle the issue, but there are some definite principles that should be considered.

The Bible is clear that we shouldn’t honor a rich man that can afford to buy fine suits over a poor man that has more humble attire (Jas 2:1-4).  Our judgment should never be based upon such things.

However, the Bible also states that we should serve God with reverence and awe (Heb 12:28).  Financial concerns aside, how we choose to dress often reflects our attitude toward the occasion.  If someone shows up to worship God in the same clothes they would wear to paint their house or work on their car… that says something.  We take great pains to present ourselves respectable before men; we ought to think the same way when approaching God.  Once again, if all you can afford is a pair of old jeans, that is one thing… but most folks in America have other options.

      I have a question about playing video games and video game violence.  When I am playing video games (like first person shooter games), if I know that it is just a game, that the violence is not really happening, and if I only intend to have fun, not vent anger and enjoy killing people, and if I only play a few hours, not wasting away my whole life doing it, and if I am avoiding games that are known to be deliberate in trying to influence Satanism… would it be a sin to play them?  If one is biblically knowledgeable enough that the video games do not corrupt him or cause him to fall away from God, is it a sin to play video games?

Sincerely,
Game Face

Dear Game Face,

Playing video games is like many other forms of recreation – it is not inherently wrong, but it certainly can become wrong if abused.  War video games come in all shapes and sizes.  Some are ridiculously bloody and violent, others only moderately so.  It isn’t wrong for a Christian to enjoy playing battle-type games any more than it is wrong for boys to play “cops and robbers” in the backyard.  The key to the whole thing is wisdom.  It takes wisdom to decide when a video game has “crossed the line” into dark and disturbing realms.  Video games like Grand Theft Auto (which portrays prostitution, theft, domestic violence, etc.) certainly qualify to be labeled as sinful, but not all video games are of that character.  The key is to make sure that you aren’t filling your mind with evil or dwelling upon ungodliness.  God wants us to contemplate pure things (Php 4:8) and set our minds on heavenly, godly things (Col 3:2).  Examine yourself and your habits to see whether that is the case for you (1 Cor 11:29-31).