In May 2023, I did a comparison of BibleMate and ChatGPT (now ChatGPT 3.5) in terms of how they responded to a couple of Bible related questions. (HERE is original post.) Since AI is by nature an evolving technology that keeps learning, I decided to revisit them with the same questions now (11/23/2023) as I posed six months ago.
I am getting rather different answers. (Of course one can get different answers simply by
refreshing the request in ChatGPT. BibleMate does not offer that option, and it
appears that its answers have become somewhat fixed.)
As to the question: Was Jonah swallowed by a whale?
BibleMate in May answered:
Yes, according to the Bible, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, not specifically identified as a whale, in the book of Jonah. The book of Jonah is a narrative about a prophet named Jonah who was called by God to go to the city of Nineveh to preach repentance to its people. However, Jonah disobeyed God and tried to flee by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction.
As a result, God sent a great storm that threatened to sink the ship. The sailors on the ship realized that Jonah was the cause of the storm and threw him overboard. It was then that Jonah was swallowed by the great fish. After three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, Jonah repented and prayed to God, and the fish vomited him onto dry land.
While some people may view this story as a metaphor or allegory, others believe it to be a literal historical event. Regardless of one's interpretation, the story of Jonah teaches important lessons about obedience to God and the power of repentance and forgiveness."
BibleMate now answers:
Yes, according to the biblical
account in the book of Jonah, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, commonly
referred to as a whale. In Jonah 1:17, it says, "Now the LORD had prepared
a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three
days and three nights." This miraculous event serves as a sign of God's
power and mercy, as Jonah was eventually vomited out by the fish and given a
second chance to fulfill his mission. The story of Jonah is often interpreted
as a lesson about obedience and repentance.
ChatGPT in May answered:
The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale or a great fish is found in the biblical Book of Jonah. According to the account, Jonah was a prophet who was commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver a message of repentance. Instead of obeying, Jonah attempted to flee from God's command by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish.
During the journey, a great storm arose, and the sailors realized that Jonah was the cause of their misfortune. Jonah instructed them to throw him overboard, believing that this would calm the storm. As he was cast into the sea, the text says that "the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17).
The Book of Jonah does not specify the exact creature that swallowed Jonah, using the Hebrew word "dag gadol," which generally refers to a large sea creature. The term "whale" is commonly used in translations, but the text itself does not provide specific details.
The story of Jonah being swallowed by a great fish is often interpreted symbolically or as a miraculous event. It emphasizes the themes of obedience, repentance, and God's mercy. Some consider it to be a parable or an allegorical tale rather than a historical account, while others view it as a literal event.
As with many biblical narratives, the interpretation of Jonah's story varies among different individuals and religious traditions. Ultimately, whether one believes the account to be a historical event or a symbolic story is a matter of personal faith and interpretation.
ChaptGPT 3.5 now answers:
The story of Jonah being swallowed
by a whale is a biblical narrative found in the Book of Jonah in the Old
Testament. According to the account, Jonah was a prophet who tried to escape
God's command to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver a message of repentance.
As he tried to flee by sea, a great storm arose, and the sailors on the ship
eventually cast lots to determine that Jonah was the cause of the storm. Jonah
instructed them to throw him into the sea, and a great fish, traditionally
described as a "whale," swallowed him.
The relevant biblical passage is
found in the Book of Jonah, specifically Jonah 1:17 (New International
Version):
"Now the Lord provided a huge
fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and
three nights."
The story goes on to describe how
Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the fish, and after three days and
nights, the fish vomited him onto dry land. Jonah then went to Nineveh and
delivered the message as God had commanded.
Whether the events in the story are
to be understood as literal historical events or as a symbolic or allegorical
tale is a matter of interpretation. Some people interpret the story as a
miraculous event that actually happened, while others see it as a literary
device with a moral or theological message. It is important to note that
interpretations of biblical stories can vary among different religious
traditions and denominations.
As you can see, BibleMate has
shortened the answer and removed the possibility of an allegorical or
metaphorical reading. ChatGPT's response again provides more context, but it
has simplified the response somewhat.
Regarding the question of "What does the Gospel of John say about the 'Jews'?", I got new answers from both, but I would say they are similar to the May responses and a bit better. Interestingly, BibleMate concluded with this statement:
If you have any specific passages or questions in mind regarding the
references to "the Jews" in the Gospel of John, feel free to mention
them, and I'll be glad to provide more insight and biblical citations.
SUMMARY
As is the nature of AI, things are evolving. I'm wondering if there were 'conservative' responses to BibleMate's earlier answer about Jonah and the whale that have caused it to become more 'conservative.' The comparison also shows how good AI can be AND how you still need to confirm whether AI responses are any good at all. We still need to wonder about how AI is scouring the web to come up with its answers and how that all infringes on copyright matters. The evolving nature also shows how easy it can be to plagiarize from these AI engines without getting caught.