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orthodoxydaily · 1 year

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Saints&Reading: Friday, February 10, 2023

february 10_february 28

St EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN (373)

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me a spirit of despondency, sloth, love of money, and idle talk. But give to me, your servant, a spirit of sober-mindedness, humility, patience, and love. Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, since you are blessed to the ages. Amen.( St Ephrem the Syrian)

Saint Ephraim the Syrian, a teacher of repentance, was born at the beginning of the fourth century in the city of Nisibis (Mesopotamia) into the family of impoverished toilers of the soil. His parents raised their son in piety, but from his childhood he was known for his quick temper and impetuous character. He often had fights, acted thoughtlessly, and even doubted God’s Providence. He finally recovered his senses by the grace of God, and embarked on the path of repentance and salvation.

Once, he was unjustly accused of stealing a sheep and was thrown into prison. He heard a voice in a dream calling him to repent and correct his life. After this, he was acquitted of the charges and set free.

The young man ran off to the mountains to join the hermits. This form of Christian asceticism had been introduced by a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great, the Egyptian desert dweller Eugenius.

Saint James of Nisibis (January 13) was a noted ascetic, a preacher of Christianity and denouncer of the Arians. Saint Ephraim became one of his disciples. Under the direction of the holy hierarch, Saint Ephraim attained Christian meekness, humility, submission to God’s will, and the strength to undergo various temptations without complaint.

Saint James transformed the wayward youth into a humble and conrite monk. Realizing the great worth of his disciple, he made use of his talents. He trusted him to preach sermons, to instruct children in school, and he took Ephraim with him to the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea (in the year 325). Saint Ephraim was in obedience to Saint James for fourteen years, until the bishop’s death in 338.

After the capture of Nisibis by the Persians in 363, Saint Ephraim went to a monastery near the city of Edessa. Here he saw many great ascetics, passing their lives in prayer and psalmody. Their caves were solitary shelters, and they fed themselves with a certain plant.

He became especially close to the ascetic Julian (October 18), who was of one mind with him. Saint Ephraim combined asceticism with a ceaseless study of the Word of God, taking from it both solace and wisdom for his soul. The Lord gave him a gift of teaching, and people began to come to him, wanting to hear his counsel, which produced compunction in the soul, since he began with self-accusation. Both verbally and in writing, Saint Ephraim instructed everyone in repentance, faith and piety, and he denounced the Arian heresy, which at that time was causing great turmoil. Pagans who heard the preaching of the saint were converted to Christianity.

He also wrote the first Syriac commentary on the Pentateuch (i.e. “Five Books”) of Moses. He wrote many prayers and hymns, thereby enriching the Church’s liturgical services. Famous prayers of Saint Ephraim are to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Son of God, and to the Most Holy Theotokos. He composed hymns for the Twelve Great Feasts of the Lord (the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism, the Resurrection), and funeral hymns. Saint Ephraim’s Prayer of Repentance, “O Lord and Master of my life...”, is recited during Great Lent, and it summons Christians to spiritual renewal.

From ancient times the Church has valued the works of Saint Ephraim. His works were read publicly in certain churches after the Holy Scripture, as Saint Jerome tells us. At present, the Church Typikon prescribes certain of his instructions to be read on the days of Lent. Among the prophets, Saint David is the preeminent psalmodist; among the Fathers of the Church, Saint Ephraim the Syrian is the preeminent man of prayer. His spiritual experience made him a guide for monastics and a help to the pastors of Edessa. Saint Ephraim wrote in Syriac, but his works were very early translated into Greek and Armenian. Translations into Latin and Slavonic were made from the Greek text.

In many of Saint Ephraim’s works we catch glimpses of the life of the Syrian ascetics, which was centered on prayer and working in various obediences for the common good of the brethren. The outlook of all the Syrian ascetics was the same. The monks believed that the goal of their efforts was communion with God and the acquisition of divine grace. For them, the present life was a time of tears, fasting and toil.

“If the Son of God is within you, then His Kingdom is also within you. Thus, the Kingdom of God is within you, a sinner. Enter into yourself, search diligently and without toil you shall find it. Outside of you is death, and the door to it is sin. Enter into yourself, dwell within your heart, for God is there.”

Constant spiritual sobriety, the developing of good within man’s soul gives him the possibility to take upon himself a task like blessedness, and a self-constraint like sanctity. The requital is presupposed in the earthly life of man, it is an undertaking of spiritual perfection by degrees. Whoever grows himself wings upon the earth, says Saint Ephraim, is one who soars up into the heights; whoever purifies his mind here below, there glimpses the Glory of God. In whatever measure each one loves God, he is, by God’s love, satiated to fullness according to that measure. Man, cleansing himself and attaining the grace of the Holy Spirit while still here on earth, has a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven. To attain to life eternal, in the teachings of Saint Ephraim, does not mean to pass over from one realm of being into another, but rather to discover “the heavenly,” spiritual condition of being. Eternal life is not bestown on man through God’s one-sided efforts, but rather, it constantly grows like a seed within him by his efforts, toils and struggles.

The pledge within us of “theosis” (or “deification”) is the Baptism of Christ, and the main force that drives the Christian life is repentance. Saint Ephraim was a great teacher of repentance. The forgiveness of sins in the Mystery of Repentance, according to his teaching, is not an external exoneration, not a forgetting of the sins, but rather their complete undoing, their annihilation. The tears of repentance wash away and burn away the sin. Moreover, they (i.e. the tears) enliven, they transfigure sinful nature, they give the strength “to walk in the way of the the Lord’s commandments,” encouraging hope in God. In the fiery font of repentance, the saint wrote, “you sail yourself across, O sinner, you resurrect yourself from the dead.”

Saint Ephraim, accounting himself as the least and worst of all, went to Egypt at the end of his life to see the efforts of the great ascetics. He was accepted there as a welcome guest and received great solace from conversing with them. On his return journey he visited at Caesarea in Cappadocia with Saint Basil the Great (January 1), who wanted to ordain him a priest, but he considered himself unworthy of the priesthood. At the insistence of Saint Basil, he consented only to be ordained as a deacon, in which rank he remained until his death. Later on, Saint Basil invited Saint Ephraim to accept a bishop’s throne, but the saint feigned madness in order to avoid this honor, humbly regarding himself as unworthy of it.

After his return to his own Edessa wilderness, Saint Ephraim hoped to spend the rest of his life in solitude, but divine Providence again summoned him to serve his neighbor. The inhabitants of Edessa were suffering from a devastating famine. By the influence of his word, the saint persuaded the wealthy to render aid to those in need. From the offerings of believers he built a poor-house for the poor and sick. Saint Ephraim then withdrew to a cave near Edessa, where he remained to the end of his days.

St ISAAC THE SYRIAN, BISHOP OF NINEVEH (7th c.)

Saint Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Ninevah, lived during the sixth century. He and his brother entered the monastery of Mar Matthew near Ninevah and received the monastic tonsure. His learning, virtue, and ascetic manner of life attracted the notice of the brethren, and they proposed that he head the monastery. Saint Issac did not want this burden, preferring a life of silence, so he left the monastery to live alone in the desert.

His brother urged him more than once to return to the monastery, but he would not agree. However, when the fame of Saint Isaac’s holy life had spread, he was made Bishop of Ninevah. Seeing the crude manners and disobedience of the inhabitants of the city, the saint felt that it was beyond his ability to guide them, and moreover, he yearned for solitude.

Once, two Christians came to him, asking him to settle a dispute. One man acknowledged that he owed money to the other, but asked for a short extension. The lender threatened to bring his debtor to court to force him to pay. Saint Isaac, citing the Gospel, asked him to be merciful and give the debtor more time to pay. The man said, “Leave your Gospel out of this!” Saint Isaac replied, “If you will not submit to Lord’s commandments in the Gospel, then what remains for me to do here?” After only five months as bishop, Saint Isaac resigned his office and went into the mountains to live with the hermits. Later, he went to the monastery of Rabban Shabur, where he lived until his death, attaining a high degree of spiritual perfection.

From the early eighth century until the beginning of the eighteenth century, nothing was known about Saint Isaac of Syria in Europe except for his name and works. Only in 1719 was a biography of the saint published at Rome, compiled by an anonymous Arab author. In 1896, more information on Saint Isaac came to light. The learned French soteriologist Abbot Chabot published some eighth century works on Syrian history by Iezudena, bishop of Barsa, where the account of Saint Isaac the Syrian was found.

Source, all texts: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

MARK 14:3-9

3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they criticized her sharply. 6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.

1 JOHN 2:7-17

7Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #eastern orthodox church #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscripture #gospel #bible #wisdom

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beloved-not-broken · 10 months

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TW: This article talks about ancient beliefs on food, gluttony, and eating in general.

Growing up fat in white evangelical churches was an experience. But all the toxic messaging I picked up on from leaders and churchgoers wasn't really biblical. Surprise, surprise—it's based on historical commentaries on gluttony that were taken out of context. 🤪

#growing up evangelical #christian diet culture #cw fatphobia

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angeltreasure · 2 years

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The Eucharist is a simulation of human blood sacrifice and cannibalism. Do you not find that strange and disgusting?

The consecrated Eucharist is truly the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, the son of God, second person of the Holy Trinity. We call it Transubstantiation. (Plain bread that is not consecrated is just plain bread btw.)

Jesus is the ultimate sacrificial lamb, who gave Himself willingly for the atonement of our sins and those of the whole world. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:26-28). The place where He was born, Bethlehem, literally means house of bread. Jesus is the bread. There is no greater love story.

While the consecrated Eucharist is literally the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus, this does not mean it is cannibalism. Transubstantiation means the substance has changed but the appearance, smell, and taste remain the same.

“The charge of cannibalism is not new. Roman pagans called early Church Christians cannibals precisely because the disciples spoke of eating and drinking their God. In doing so, the pagans provide further evidence that belief in the Real Presence of the Eucharist is an ancient Christian doctrine, and that the first Christians understood Jesus to be speaking literally when he established at the Last Supper the ritual we have come to call the Mass.

Yet the charge of cannibalism is misplaced. Cannibalism, simply put, is the eating of human flesh, typically after a person has died. A corpse (dead body) is usually present, or at least a dead body part. Second, the quantity of the flesh diminishes as it is being consumed. Third, digesting flesh results in physical nourishment, protein included.

In the banquet of the Eucharist, however, Jesus is not dead but is a living sacrifice. Second, his substance is not diminished by consuming the Eucharist. To the contrary, Jesus is bodily in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, though his body becomes miraculously present wherever the Eucharist is celebrated. Third, the eating of his Body and Blood does not result in practical physical nourishment on a natural level, although some have miraculously subsisted solely on the Eucharist. The purpose of the Eucharist is to provide spiritual nourishment.

In summary, cannibals consume the flesh of a dead person in a way that diminishes and profanes the corpse. Through the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus freely gives himself to us; and we consume his living body, blood, soul, and divinity in a way that mysteriously and miraculously does not diminish him but instead enhances our spiritual life.” Source.

“1381 That in this sacrament are the true Body of Christ and His true Blood is something that ‘cannot be apprehended by the senses,’ says St. Thomas, ‘but only by faith, which relies on divine authority.’ For this reason, in a commentary on Luke 22:19 (‘This is my body which is given for you.’), St. Cyril says: ‘Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since He is the truth, He cannot lie.’” - #1381, page 386. Catechism of the Catholic Church.

youtube

Bishop Barron on the Mystery of Eating Jesus' Flesh

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Explaining the Faith - The Eucharist In Scripture

So no, I don’t find the Eucharist disgusting. In fact, there was nothing greater I wanted as a child way before my First Communion. I would get so sad at each Mass because I was too little to receive Jesus. My mother would make a pretend Eucharist at home for me using a shot glass like a cookie cutter on white bread, and a knife to make a cross upon it. She helped me learn how awesome God’s love is. Some people don’t like the taste of the Eucharist, saying it tastes like cardboard… but to be it doesn’t taste like cardboard to me at all. As for strange, I would rather use the word mysterious instead.

#asks #Eucharist #Body of Christ #Transubstantiation #Catholicism #Catholic

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dailyaudiobiblechronological · 2 years

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10/11/2022 DAB Chronological Transcription

Matthew 8:1-13, Luke 7

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. Today is the 11th day of October, and I'm Jill. It's so good to be here with you as we walk through the Word in chronological order every day. We do it every day until the we will get through the entire Bible together in a year. So if you are brand new, just joining us, welcome. We are as a community so glad that you're here, but I am so glad that you are here, that you are listening, engaging in the word of God, letting it transform you from the inside out. It's what happens. Brian, the founder of the Daily Audio Bible always says, just give it 30 days. I dare you, give it 30 days and see if something inside of you doesn't change, especially now, especially learning who Jesus is. We get to know Him better, we get to know Him at all by his interaction with people in the Scriptures. And then we get to know Him personally in our own personal interaction with Him by listening for his voice, by listening to other people and hear what he might speak to us through others, by sitting still and being intentional and allowing and giving Him room to speak. I live in the country, so I love to just sit outside. People always ask Brian and I, who do you guys listen to? What fills you up? And I think they're looking for those certain people that they can, to follow. And there have been those people in our lives along the path that have transformed our lives dramatically, different ministries and pastors, speakers and such authors. But I like to tell people, I like to listen to the birds. I've become that lady. I sit and I listen to the birds and I observe how they communicate to one another. And I listen because the words of Jesus said, if I care for the sparrows of the field, how much more do I care for you? And so I listen with that reminder that I am loved, that I am seen, that I am cared for. That's just one thing I listen to. We are here to read. And today we're reading Matthew, chapter eight, verses one through 13. And then we're going to jump over to Luke and read the entire 7th chapter of Luke. This week we're reading the Christian Standard Bible, matthew, chapter eight.

Commentary

There's an ancient practice of listening to scripture called lactio divina. It is one of my favorite things to do with small groups of dear friends. And it's just listening while the scripture is being read. Sometimes you do it with your eyes closed, sometimes you do it with your eyes open, sometimes you do it making your senses aware of what you are seeing, hearing, tasting and feeling. But honestly, it is just it's one of the most beautiful ways of approaching scripture, because then afterwards you talk about the things that you heard, you talk about the things that you experienced in the reading, and it's so deeply personal to everyone participating, and it's so vastly different. And the great thing is there's no wrong or right answers because it's so individual. And there's times that I wish we could just participate in that together. I wish we could just do that. I wish we could just hear from all of you, what did you hear when Jesus said this to this woman? What did you feel in your body when Jesus turned to Simon and spoke to him? Because I'm just one person reading, but so many of you experience different things, and this is how we all learn together and learn from one another. So when you hear these Gospels, when you hear about this man named Jesus, I would very much encourage you to pay attention. What sticks out to you? Maybe write it down. What is your body feeling in this moment? What is your approach to someone trying to catch this woman in her sin? What is your response when Jesus redirects Simon away from her sin and speaks to her? Forgiveness. That could make me weep. That could make me weep for a week. We can sometimes get so engrossed in other people's sin. I feel like sometimes we even have to draw attention to ourselves by drawing attention to somebody else's sin. We've got to be the one that everyone knows who is in the room. I just thought I would let everybody know we see Jesus response to this pharisee who is shaming this woman, knowing that this woman would be rejected in just about any other setting. And when we hear what she actually did, we can feel almost the tenseness of intimacy. I'm not talking about a sensualized intimacy here. I'm talking about intimacy through an act of touching, especially when women were forbidden to touch or approach men in this way. So it is a very intimate act. I don't know if you've ever washed somebody's feet or had your feet washed. It can be very uncomfortable because, well, one, it's not every day that someone washes your feet. I mean, we as women like to go, I like a pedicure. I'm not going to lie. But in an act of humility, the motive is completely different. It is intended to be a humble act of humility, adoration, intimacy. And perhaps it did make the other men in the room uncomfortable witnessing such an act. And the way to sort of speak out of discomfort is to point out the fact that she's a sinner. Hey, did you know that you're letting a sinner wash your feet? I find such beauty in the fact that Jesus knew who she was, and he never addressed her as a sinner. He never acknowledged or validated the pharisees words, validating her as a sinner who Jesus chose to see her as and call her forth after that, was forgiven. In fact, I would go a step further and say, jesus actually turns it on Simon by pointing out to him that when I entered your house, you didn't bother to offer me water to wash my feet. You didn't bother to give me a kiss at the greeting when I first came in. You didn't anoint my head with olive oil. But she did those things, and she did them a step further than just normal hospitality. And then I think, as we're listening, we might want to point out the final words of Jesus. He doesn't acknowledge her as a sinner. He doesn't mention her sin. He tells her it's her faith. Her faith. It was nothing that Jesus did, even though he just forgave her. It was her faith that saved her faith that potentially did or did not consider the cost of what she was about to do to Jesus. Knowing that that would be scandalous in any other setting if she chose to do it anyways. Faith that may or may not have considered that she would be exposed in a room full of men for her past sins. She chose to do it anyways. Her faith that maybe or maybe not considered that Jesus could potentially outright reject her, she did it anyways. Her faith that either said, I've got nothing to lose. I am going to Jesus, or her faith that said, I have everything to lose, and I'm going to Jesus.

Prayer

Jesus, I sit in awe of you, marveled by your response when the world tries to throw in our face our past, when fellow believers, people that we love and love us, try to throw our past in our face. Oh, I thank you how you meet us. I thank you how you show us compassion, how you show up for us when nobody else will. Sometimes we get it so backwards. We are so consumed with what everybody else is doing. Show us your compassion. You give us your mercy. You laughish us in grace. And, oh, Father, I prayed we hear the risk that this woman took in her act of faith to get to you, to just get to you. And I pray that we would be people among the religious, we would be people among the world, and we would be people among the darkness that would take risks in our faith to get to you, to be with you. To show the world you by our love. Because you first loved us. By our compassion. Because you were motivated by compassion. That we. In great faith. Would walk people to you where they can be healed. Where they can be whole. Where they can go in peace. I pray that we would rise above the noise, the messages that try to stop us, the people pointing fingers and shaming, criticizing, judging, condemning that your voice would call us above that and we would resonate the truth within us with the truth of who you have called us to be, as you called this woman forgiven. May we rise in all faith to who you say we are, forgiven, loved, changed, free, healed, whole. I thank you for this now and pray this all in great faith. In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Announcements

Daily Audio Bible, that's home base, check it out if you have not. Download the app, it's a great place to be, a great community to be a part of, and there's several different ways for you to be a part of this community, especially if you are just feeling alone and isolated. There are people here waiting for you, they have been waiting for you and you can just jump on in. The door is always welcome, and the welcome mat says, "come as you are". We'll talk about those ways that you can be a part of this community in just a second. If you would like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, we thank you so much for this partnership. We cannot do it without you. DAB PO. Box 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee 37174, if you're giving by mail. Or if you've downloaded the app, you can hit the Give icon up at the top right hand corner of your mobile device. Or lastly, look for the Give icon on the website as well. If you need prayer, that's one way to be a part of this community. If you'd like to pray for someone that's previously called in several different ways for you to do so, 800 583-2164. Or utilizing the app again, hit the red circle, button it's up at the top right hand corner of your app. You have two minutes on the prayer line, hit Submit, turn the wheel to Chronological and it will get to the right place. Or look for the prayer wall that is both on the website and the app itself. Just hit the menu icon, look for the prayer wall and that will be a situation where you type it out rather than speak it out. And there are people there willing, ready, available to pray for you no matter the time of day, this is global community. So while some are sleeping, some are working and vice versa. While it's light somewhere, it's dark somewhere, and vice versa and that's a beautiful thing. There is always a log burning on the global campfire. Lastly, if you'd like to reach out to someone that's called or prayed or just a part of this community, we encourage you to do that on our social media platforms. Daily Audio Bible, Daily Audio Bible Chronological, DABC Friends, and DAB Friends, and then my little playground is Daily Audio Bible Women. I love to connect with the ladies over there. So if you go to any of those pages, like the pages, you will get all of the updates and notifications that happen daily there. That's going to do it for me today. We will turn the page together tomorrow and I look forward to it every day. We will learn more about Jesus. I look forward to that very much. So I'm Jill. Until then, love one another.

Community Prayer Line

Good morning, family. This is Kim, your sister in Kentucky, and it's Thursday, October the 6th, but I'm just calling in to say I'm in agreement with my sister from Alberta, Canada, who called in yesterday in her prayer for Blossom and for Abigail. I am in agreement with that. I am still remembering the sons, James and Daley, for God to just come and meet them right where they're at to anoint their ears, that they would hear his voice to rip any veil that the enemy may be having over their eyes so that they could see the love of the Father and his hand held out to them. I'm praying for dawn, for God to just give her a holy hug, who lost her 31 year old son by suicide, that accident that the sister talked about today. I have a 31 year old son and I'm just lifting him up to you lifting Don up to the Father. I'm praying for Roy, who is concerned about being obedient in the little things because he knows that when he is faithful in the little things, then God will give him bigger things to be faithful in. And then I'm asking for prayer for my son who is 31 years old, who on October 29 will be taking a certification test for PA school. He failed it the first time. It's been a challenge, other things going on in his heart, but that God would give him the wisdom according to James 1:5, that he passes this test and that his whole heart is just open to receive all that God has for him. Thank you for being in agreement with me, family. I'll give you all an update afterwards. I love you.

Hi, this is Renee from Cleveland and I shattered my wrist and have to have surgery today for the broken bones. So I would appreciate your prayers and I am praying for all of your prayer requests as I always do. So if you can keep me and my family in your prayers today, that would be great. Thank you, Renee from Cleveland.

Hello, DABC family? This is Michael from London. I want to go back to the 4 October. I just want to thank China for her commentary on the reading and the reminder of how earth shattering baptism was the first time when John did it. Truly amazing and a reminder of how important it was and how he shaken up the people at the time. And while listening, that's what I thought. They'd pray for everybody who listens to the DABC, including the people who were behind the scenes. And Chastity's last prayer, Chastity from Kansas, was confirmation I should do this. But before that, I want to quickly read out Psalm 100. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the Earth. Serve the Lord of gladness come before him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord himself is God. It is he who has made us, are not we ourselves, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name, for the Lord is good, his lovingkindness has everlasting and his faithfulness to all generations. Thank you Jesus placed wonderful for him. Thank you all God, for all that we hear, lord God, all the prayers that are lifted up, all those silent prayers from people who do not post, it doesn't matter to you all, God, because as long as the prayers from our hearts you act upon them. Thank you for everybody involved with the DABC and DAB in terms of the technical side of things or God that we can listen every single day and we are so blessed by their work. So all this after just intervene with God in our lives and just do the mighty work that we know that you can do for us. We'll get all your precious wonderful name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Because everybody bye bye.

This is candy or unraveled by God's grace. Today is October the 7th and my prayer is for Emmy from Illinois in her various conflicts with her marriage and other spiritual matters. Heavenly Father, Lord, I just come to you, thanking you and praising you, Lord God, for all that you do for us, Lord God, for your presence. Lord God, even though we don't see you, you are there. Father, I lift up to you Emmy, lord God, and her husband. I lift up to you their marriage, Father God. You know. Lord God what needs to be fixed, Father God. And you are the one that has the power and authority Lord God, to restore and renew Lord God, and restore the mindset Father God, towards you. Father, I lift her husband up to you, Father God. And I just pray that you would work in his heart and his life Father God. That he would be able to see your hand working in him. Father. Whatever the conflicts toward the God that are going in within this marriage. Lord God. Whatever the conflicts that are going on with him and his son. Father, we pray Lord God, that your hand would be upon him, Lord God. We bind the enemy, Lord God. Who is causing chaos, Lord God, and confusion, Lord God. And all kinds of distress, Lord God. And oppression and depression, Father God, in the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Lord God, for restoration of relationship of marriage, of father and son, Lord God, and of the church, Lord God, as well. Father, you are the almighty God, Lord God, and we are leaving them before your throne of grace, giving you all the honor, all the glory and all the praise in Jesus name, peace be within you and me. We love you, bye.

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walkswithmyfather · 2 years

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“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

—Romans 12:21 (BSB)

“Romans 12:21- Meaning of Overcome Evil with Good” by Natalie Regoli:

“Explanation and Commentary of Romans 12:21: The command to overcome evil with good is one of the most fundamental aspects of the Christian faith. While it was considered foolishness to the ancient world (1 Cor 1:23), followers of Jesus are called to weaponized love and goodness. It is encouraging first to know that God has given us a cause and a way to resist evil, and not be overcome by it. There is no evil that can overcome us. Jesus said the gates of Hades cannot stand against his church (Mt 16:18). This means that we are not to passively sit still like a bulwark against the onslaught of evil, but rather we are to take the fight to darkness, bringing the light with us. We are to storm the gates of hell with our weapons of warfare, which is goodness and love.

Practically, if someone is evil towards us, we are to return blessing. Step one is to forgive them. Step two is to bless and even give love to them, speaking and acting with kindness. First of all, this attitude will make us impervious (spiritually/emotionally) to evil. The goal of evil is to bring us down and turn us from God. If we forgive and bless our persecutors, then they fail in their goal. Secondly, this attitude will eventually drive back the evil, the darkness, right through the gates of hell. In all the best movies, the good guys eventually win, because that principle is hardwired into the creation. We know that eventually Jesus is going to return, and evil will finally be overcome once and for all. Evil is on borrowed time. Satan is already defeated, and while he still is dangerous, we in the Church have been charged with plundering his house. We are to do this with goodness and love.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Romans 12:21:

#1 “Do not be overcome by evil,”

God has given us certain principles so that no matter what is happening or what sort of evil is opposed to us, we will know what to do, and we will not be overcome by it. We know that how we walk through things is dictated to us by Scripture: with love, courage, total truth, gentleness with shrewdness (Mt 10:16). But we also know that all outcomes belong to the sovereign God. If evil seems to overcome us in our own deaths, as in the case of Christ, the reality is that our hope is not in this world, and our end is Christ.

#2 “but overcome evil with good.”

This works in two possible ways. The first way is that by being and doing “good” we can turn the hearts of our oppressors from evil to good when they see our works and find in them an illustration of the Gospel. The second way is that by walking in a Christlike way through the struggle, even though we perish, our victory is in our resurrection and reward.”

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shatar-aethelwynn · 2 years

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Why do people call superheroes the morden myth

I’ve already answered this, so if this is tumblr being weird and suddenly sending me something old, then please ignore this. But I'll try for a slightly different approach this time, because this really is a complicated topic, and not one I'm thoroughly versed in.

There’s a problem with the question, and that is “what is the definition of ‘mythology’ that is being used?” For the most part it seems that people who equate these two things are defining myth as “made up stories that may or may not have served the purpose of giving people ‘heroic’ role models” and that’s about it. This is a definition that is readily compatible with Jungion concepts and comparative religion, but not with historical religious analysis. If you believe that ancient myths were made up by people whose entire purpose was to entertain, especially to entertain children, and maybe to make some kind of social commentary along the way, then it’s easy to see why you would see no difference between the myths and modern fantasy. For that matter, it’s not just superheros but any media that displays literary parallels with mythology that is susceptible. And that ‘literary parallels’ part is significant. A lot of the “they’re the same!” claims come down to the way comparative religion works – namely, by drawing supposed parallels in the structure of the narratives or characters. In this case how comic books stories, for example, can be based on older stories in some way, or can fit into the Archetypal system or Hero’s Journey.

The analysis breaks down though if you take a historical perspective on myths. Because that says that “no, they weren’t just fantasy stories to entertain.” Myths are often religious in some way, but because they do not necessarily serve the same function as Christian scripture it is sometimes hard for people to accept that. The story of the birth of Athena is myth. It tells about the birth of a goddess, and it says something about her character and nature and role within the pantheon. This is religious content. But take the Iliad and Odyssey for example, are these also mythology? They contain some of the same characters as myths. They can be used by historians to extrapolate information about the gods and what and how people believed at a specific time, but are they mythology? As you can see, the term really needs to be defined.

Superheroes are, well, heroes, but they are not gods in the sense that very rarely will you find someone who genuinely believed that the characters exist. Some people might give them archetypal existence, but you’d have a hard time finding someone who says “I believe [insert superhero name here] is a real being with concrete existence, I worship them, and they do stuff for me.” Which is not the same as someone saying “[superhero] is a role model for me, I learn a lot from them.” (I say this while knowing that someone on tiktok probably does this and I find that thought concerning.) In order for a superhero to transcend heroic status to true mythology they have to first become real. And people can’t even all agree on what makes a god real. And at some point you have to start asking “what is ‘truth’?” before you can even decide what is “real.” Because archetypal truth/reality, mythological truth/reality, spiritual truth/reality, and physical truth/reality can all be different things, depending on the worldview and experience of the individual you ask. Which brings me back to the historians, whose definition of a “real” god is usually something along the lines of “a being that the people at that place and time in history believed actually existed and interacted with the perceivable world.” This is the definition I default to when no other is given. Is that true about superheroes? They can be role models and serve a specific social need. But gods? Nah.

Mythology is about belief. And if superheroes provide that, it is not about the heroes as much as it is about the ideals they represent. The ideals become the gods and the heroes are their prophets and champions. If you want superhero stories to become mythology, that would be the way to do it. People don’t worship the heroes, but they respect them. What they worship are the Ideals the superheroes claim to deliver. And for someone who may not believe in a god, perhaps reverence toward those ideals may serve the same purpose of edification, motivation, and self-betterment. That is when the story starts moving in the direction of myth.

Anything more specific than this and you’re going to be doing a deep dive into literary analysis, historical studies, religious studies, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Because different fields have different opinions and perspectives (and disagreements) on the matter, including whether the comparison is valid.

If anyone wants to share some scholarly work on the topic, or just chime in with some different definitions or perspectives, fell free to do so. This is not as simple a questions as it sounds, so I'm sure there are plenty of people who will disagree for valid reasons.

#im not much into comic book culture so I dont have much of an opinion on how fans interact with them #someone who reads a lot of comic or is super unto superhero media will probably have different opinions

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carlmccolman · 2 years

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Far too many Christians fall into the trap of thinking that the Old Testament presents God as wrathful, angry, judgmental and violent, while the God of the New Testament is merciful, forgiving, compassionate and joyful. This is actually echoes of an ancient heresy (Marcionism), plus, it’s a very subtle (but real) form of anti-Semitism. If you have it in your mind that the OT God is a meanie but the NT God is benevolent, read the works of Amy-Jill Levine, or check out this book by Matthew Curtis Fleischer: “The Old Testament Case for Nonviolence.” It’s so helpful to read good commentaries that offer a balanced and positive view of the Jewish scriptures, this can be a big help not only in promoting a better understanding between the religions, but even in helping Christians to learn how to interpret the Bible in a more honest and accurate way. #OldTestament #Bible #God #nonviolence #faith #Christianity #Judaism #HebrewScriptures #Tanakh #books #bookstagram #spirituality (at Clarkston, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CePBNAouKSj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#oldtestament #bible #god #nonviolence #faith #christianity #judaism #hebrewscriptures #tanakh #books #bookstagram #spirituality

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biblenewsprophecy · 1 month

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Christian Growth: Consider the Monarch

God has a purpose for everything He does. This sermon is based on a shorter message given by the late deacon Richard Close. Richard pointed out certain patterns of numbers and also tied some of them in with the physical creation. What about clean and unclean meats? What are the four stages of development of a monarch butterfly? Are humans called worms in scripture? What about the appearance of a chrysalis seemingly doing nothing? Is there any relationship that can be drawn from the metamorphosis of a pupa/chrysalis and a begotten child of God being changed? Like the stages of a butterfly's life, are we to be renewed and changed? What will we be like after we are changed in the resurrection? Will Christians bear the image of Jesus? Are there lessons on Christian growth we can glean from Monarch butterflies? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues in this message he updated, from the late Richard Close, with additional scriptures, comments, and edits.

A written article of related interest is available titled 'The Monarch Butterfly and Christian Growth'

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Sermon Youtube video link: Christian Growth: Consider the Monarch

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Monarch Butterfly and Christian Growth Are there lessons Christians can learn from the life stages of a monarch butterfly? This is an updated transcript of a message given by the late deacon Richard Close. Dr. Thiel added scriptures, comments, and made various edits. Here is a link to a related sermon: Christian Growth: Consider the Monarch.

Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.

About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.

Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian.Two related sermons are also available: Living as a Christian and Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Here is a video in Spanish: ¿Qué es un verdadero cristiano?

Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Here is a link to a related sermon: Evolution is NOT the Origin of Life. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?

Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.

Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to a video in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios.

Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?

Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there.

Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.

Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.

LATEST SERMONS

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pamphletstoinspire · 2 months

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Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Mark – Chapter 15

St. Mark, the disciple and interpreter of St. Peter (as noted by St. Jerome.) according to what he heard from St. Peter himself, wrote at Rome a brief Gospel at the request of the Brethren (fellow Christians), about ten years after our Lord's Ascension; which when St. Peter had heard, he approved of it, and with his authority he published it to the Church to be read. Baronius and others maintain, that the original was written in Latin: but the more general opinion is that the Evangelist wrote it in Greek.

First, Christ is handed by the high priests over to Pilate, is accused, rejected in favor of Barabbas, scourged, crowned with thorns, and mocked. Second (v. 21), He is crucified on Golgotha between two thieves; His garments are divided by lot; He is blasphemed by passers-by, and even by the thieves. Third (v. 33), darkness covers the whole earth, Jesus laments that He has been abandoned by the Father, and with a loud cry expires; hence the centurion says: Truly, this man was the Son of God. Fourth (v. 42), He is buried by Joseph.

And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him in many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse thee. 5 But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered. 6 Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they 7 And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. 8 And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. 9 And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? 13 But they again cried out: Crucify him. 14 And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. 15 And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: 17 And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. 18 And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. 19 And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. 20 And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him. 21 And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. 22 And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not. 24 And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: And with the wicked he was reputed. 29 And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again;

30 Save thyself, coming down from the cross. 31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. 33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold he calleth Elias. 36 And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down. 37 And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. 39 And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God. 40 And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph, and Salome: 41 Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem. 42 And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath,) 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 44 But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead. 45 And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher. 47 And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.

Commentary: Saint Mark - Chapter 15

Verse 25. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. The third, not beginning, but ending, and going on to the sixth. For that Christ was crucified at the sixth hour, or midday, appears from the verse 33. Some suspect that there is an error, and that the sixth ought to be read for the third. For the Hebrews had divided the day and also the night into four parts or “hours,” namely the first, the third, the sixth and the ninth, each of which contained three of our hours. The first began at sunrise, and lasted for three hours. When they were over, Terce began, and lasted for as many hours, or until midday, when Sext began, and ended three hours afterwards, when None began, and lasted till Vespers, or evening. When Sext or the sixth hour was beginning, Christ was crucified; and when None, or the ninth hour, was beginning, He died. I will say more on this subject at John 19:14.

Verse 28. And with the wicked he was reputed. Hebrew הנמנ, nimna, i.e., was numbered, was counted. (See commentary on Isaias 53:12.) The reason was, because Christ took upon Himself our place, our account and reckoning. But we were wicked. He, therefore, was reckoned with the wicked, that He might make us wicked men to be righteous, just, and holy instead.

Verse 42. Because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath. Greek, which is the prosabbatum. For parasceve means preparation. Friday was so-called because on that day were prepared meals and things needed for the Sabbath, when it was not permitted to work. Hence it was called the pro-Sabbath, i.e., the day before, or the vigil of the Sabbath. Antesabbatum [in Latin, or “pre-Sabbath” in English], therefore, is the only word corresponding to the Greek, προσάββατον.

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orthodoxadventure · 6 months

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The Lord's Prayer [Part 4 of 4]

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

This petition could be wrongly taken to imply that God Himself tempts us. Nothing could be further from the truth. On this, the Scriptures are absolutely clear: "No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be temped by evil and He tempts no one. Rather, one is tempted by one's own desire" (James 1:13-14). We are tempted by our own desires: our egotistical arrogance and selfishness, hatred, cruelty, lust for power, greed, anger and a host of other vices that pull us away from God's loving Presence, forcing us to sink back into ourselves and making us children of evil instead of children of the God who is love (1 John 4:8)

FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY...

This closing doxology that is today said by the priest is first found in an ancient Christian document from the early 2nd century called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles which recommends that the Lord's Prayer should be prayed by Christians at least three times every day as part of one's discipline of personal prayer.

[Source of text: The Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom (with Commentary and Notes)]

#Lord's Prayer #Prayer #Christianity #Orthodox Christianity #Religion

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jrhughes · 2 months

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Line of Esau, Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors

(Sunday February 25th, 2024)

Genesis 36-37

Golden Text: 17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. 19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. - Obadiah 1:17-19

Introduction - When I first read Genesis 36 and realized it had to do with Esau and Edom and nothing to do with the lineage to Messiah, I thought seriously about skipping over Chapter 36 totally, as it did not seem relevant. However, the Bible tells us All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16) so I thought perhaps I should check out whatever happened to Esau and the Edomites.

Wikipedia states:

Esau is the elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible. He is mentioned in the Book of Genesis and by the prophets Obadiah and Malachi. The Christian New Testament alludes to him in the Epistle to the Romans and in the Epistle to the Hebrews. According to the Hebrew Bible, Esau is the progenitor of the Edomites and the elder brother of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites.

As to the Edomites, Wikipedia tell us:

Edomites are related in several ancient sources including the list of the Egyptian pharaoh Seti I from c. 1215 BC as well as in the chronicle of a campaign by Ramesses III. 1186–1155 BC), and the Tanakh. Archaeological investigation has shown that the nation flourished between the 13th and the 8th centuries BC and was destroyed after a period of decline in the 6th century BC by the Babylonians. After the fall of the kingdom of Edom, the Edomites were pushed westward towards southern Judah by nomadic tribes coming from the east; among them were the Arab Nabataeans, who first appeared in the historical annals of the 4th century BC and had already established their own kingdom in what used to be Edom by the first half of the 2nd century BC. More recent excavations show that the process of Edomite settlement in the southern parts of the Kingdom of Judah and parts of the Negev down to Timna had started already before the destruction of the kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar II in 587/86 BC, both by peaceful penetration and by military means and taking advantage of the already-weakened state of Judah.

Once pushed out of their territory, the Edomites settled during the Persian period in an area comprising the southern hills of Judea down to the area north of Be'er Sheva. The people appear under a Greek form of their old name, as Idumeans or Idumaeans, and their new territory was called Idumea or Idumaea (Greek: Idoumaía; Latin: Idumaea), a term that was used in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, also mentioned in the New Testament. During the 2nd century BC, the Edomites were forcibly converted to Judaism by the Hasmoneans, and were incorporated into the Jewish religion.

So it is clear that the Edomites never were in the line to Messiah through Abraham Isaac and Jacob. However, since all Scripture is given by inspiration of God we present it here. We are not going to delve into it in any detail. We are going to include only the names and the comments by Matthew Henry.

When searching for the reasons to set forth this lineage of Esau, we find no clear commentary as to why this lineage of Esau, which will not lead to Messiah or any of the tribes of Israel is set forth. We know of the propensity of Israel to keep genealogies but that is not offered as an explanation.

Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) writes:

In this chapter 36 we have an account of the posterity (family) of Esau, who, from him, were called Edomites, that Esau who sold his birthright, and lost his blessing, and was not loved of God as Jacob was. Here is a brief register kept of his family for some generations. 1. Because he was the son of Isaac, for whose sake this honour is put upon him. 2. Because the Edomites were neighbours to Israel, and their genealogy would be of use to give light to the following stories of what passed between them. 3. It is to show the performance of the promise to Abraham, that he should be "the father of many nations," and of that answer which Rebekah had from the oracle she consulted, "Two nations are in thy womb," and of the blessing of Isaac, "Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth."

We have here, I. Esau's wives, Genesis 36:1-5. II. His remove to mount Seir, Genesis 36:6-8. III. The names of his sons, Genesis 36:9-14. IV.

The dukes who descended of his sons, Genesis 36:15-19. V. The dukes of the Horites,

Genesis 36:20-30. VI. The kings and dukes of Edom, Genesis 36:31-43. Little more is recorded than their names, because the history of those that were out of the church (though perhaps it might have been serviceable in politics) would have been of little use in divinity. It is in the church that the memorable instances are found of special grace, and special providence; for that is the enclosure, the rest is common. This chapter is abridged, 1 Chronicles 1:35-54

Other then knowing the names of the several offspring of Esau, we learn little about Esau.

Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) writes: The Generations of Esau. B.C. 1780.

1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. 6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. 7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. 8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

Verses 9-19

The Dukes of Edom. B. C. 1729.

9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: 10 These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife. 13 And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. 14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. 15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah. 17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. 18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.

Verses 20-30

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, 21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. 25 And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. 29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.

Verses 31-43

31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. 32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. 35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. 36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 38 And Saul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 39 And Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, 41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.

This is a summary of the line that led no where and ended: 18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

Since it is clear these are not in the Messianic line we move on to Genesis 37.

Message Text -2 Chapter 37:1-11

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

Verse 1 tells us Jacob lived in the land wherein his father Isaac was a sojourner not a landowner. His father Isaac had no property and the only property we know that was owned by the family was the burying place purchased by Abraham where they buried Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and would later bury Jacob and Leah

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Verse 2 tells us these are the generations of Jacob. Joseph was 17 years old and was out feeding the flock with his brethren. He was with the sons of Bilhah (Dan and Napthtali) along with the sons of Zilpah (Gad and Asher) and Joseph brought to his father Jacob an evil report. Apparently the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah were not acting in the best interests of Jacob their father. Joseph saw this as wrong and there was nothing he could do except report what was really happening to his father Jacob.

Adam Clarke says:

These are the generations ... the history of the lives and actions of Jacob and his sons. ... brought unto his father their evil report — Conjecture has been busily employed to find out what this evil report might be; but it is needless to inquire what it was, as on this head the sacred text is perfectly silent. All the use we can make of this information is, that it was one cause of increasing his brothers' hatred to him, which was first excited by his father's partiality, and secondly by his own dreams.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

Verse 3 tells us that Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children because Joseph was the son of his old age and the biological son of Rachel. As you will recall, it was Rachel who was Jacob’s true love. It was Rachel for whom Jacob worked 7 years and then was enticed to work another seven. Jacob was a deceiver and he met his match in his uncle Laban. Both families were a mess.

The Ideal Family: Let us think for a moment of the ideal family. The Bible tells us that marriage is to be one man, one woman together forever. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Later the Bible tells us: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:4

So we have one man and one woman together for ever having sons and daughters. This is the picture of marriage and family.

Fast Forward to more modern times. A man meets his wife at a young age, say after they both graduate from college. They both come from two parent homes where divorce is not even thought of. At first both work, but then she becomes pregnant and after the child is born, the wife becomes the mother and becomes a stay at home mom. The father makes enough money to meet the needs of the family. They have three or four children. Not one is favored. The children all feel loved and cared for by their parents. They have great home and school life and all of the children go to college. The children also have good marriages. Now this is the ideal home and family. Do we have that here with the eleven sons and one daughter of Jacob and his four wives? No. Are the children all treated the same? No! Does the father openly favor one child above the others? Does this cause envy, strife and jealousy among the others? YES! Would we have to admit that Jacob was not a good father for each of the children?

And contrast that one wife for life with Jacob. Jacob had four (4) wives and eventually 12 sons and one daughter. This family of Jacob was no where near the ideals set forth in the Bible. Jacob was in messy marriages. His wives were from the pagan religions and had their own gods. Furthermore Jacob had a favorite son, Joseph Everyone knew Joseph was his favorite. Joseph was envied and his brothers resented his favored status.

If Jacob-Israel had wanted to, he could have kept his thoughts to himself and probably lessened the strife in the family, but he not only made it clear Joseph was his favorite, he made Joseph a special coat of many colors. Some commentators tell us it means various things, but the 54 men who translated the King James verison of the Bible, who could all read Greek, Hebrew, English and Latin stated it was a coat of many colors.

Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832) states:

A coat of many colours ... Similar to this was the toga praetexta of the Roman youth, which was white, striped or fringed with purple; this they wore till they were seventeen years of age ...Such vestures as clothing of distinction are worn all over Persia, India, and China to the present day. ... We have already seen some of the evils produced by this unwarrantable conduct of parents in preferring one child to all the rest.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

They hated him: His brothers were not fools, they could see the outward signs of favor shown to Joseph. Although I suppose one should be upset with the father, instead they hated Joseph and could not carry on a peaceful conversation with him. So we see that we have a father who has caused strife among the other children. And they chose to have Jospeh. Joseph was despised by his brothers because of the favoritism showed him by their father. Parents should take heed at this point in time and not find themselves outwardly favoring one child over another, as it would disrupt the family. I am sure that in some cases one child is preferred above the other but wise parents will not make that obvious and cause strife in the family. The same can be said for grandchildren, for those of you old enough to have grandchildren. Hatred can often lead to death as Cain slew Able. Esau vowed to kill Joseph.

Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832) states of the brothers:

And could not speak peaceably unto him (Joseph). — Does not this imply, in our use of the term, that they were continually quarreling with him? but this is no meaning of the original ... they could not speak peace to him... They would not speak peaceably to Joseph.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

Verse 5 tells you Joseph dreamed a dream. So far no problem but then, either through his naivety, or perhaps even some arrogance, he decided to tell his brothers the details of the dream.

They were in the fields and they were binding sheaves, which was in this case most likely wheat or barley wrapped together with ties around it. Joseph said to his brothers, that his sheaf stood up and the brothers’ sheaves made obeisance - bowed down to the sheaf of Joseph.

This had to inflame their anger even more greatly than before. Probably in an uncivil tone, they asked Joseph, So you think you’re going to reign over us? You think you’re going to have dominion over us? They were angry and more hatred arose in their hearts, especially for Joseph having such an arrogant dream.

And we know that when one is jealous and envious, this often leads to death. Cain slew his brother because of his jealous envy. Later Esau threatened death against Jacob, causing Jacob to flee from the area and go to be with his uncle Laban.

One has to wonder what caused Joseph to take this position so blatantly and obviously. Was he that naive? Was he just being what he considered honest? Did he understand his words would engender strife amongst his brethren against him? What was his motive?

Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832) states of the dream of Joseph:

We were binding sheaves in the field - Though in these early times we read little of tillage, yet it is evident from this circumstance that it was practiced by Jacob and his sons.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

We do not know how much time has passed, but Joseph dreamed yet another dream. By now Joseph had to know that the dream about the sheaves bowing down to his sheaf angered the brothers and made them think less of him. One has to think that by now he would know that what he was doing would not be popular but he couldn’t stifle himself.

Now Joseph told his brethren of his second dream. His told his brothers that he has dreamed a similar dream and the sun and moon and the eleven stars bowed down (made obeisance) to him, to Joseph.

Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832) states of Jospeh:

He dreamed yet another dream ... Why eleven stars? Was it merely to signify that his brothers might be represented by stars? But not the head of the family?

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

When Joseph told his father and his brethren about them bowing down to Joseph, his father (who favored Joseph) rebuked Joseph and said unto him, Are you saying that your mother and I are going to bow down to you? What is going through your head, young man? We will not know for certain the motive behind the dream of Joseph and his believing he had to express it.

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

What was the reaction? His brothers were very upset with him, they envied him, they were jealous of him and were upset by him. (Remember Cain) However, his father Jacob thought about what Joseph was saying and pondered it in his heart.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we touch on Genesis 36, although we do not speak of it in detail as it is clear that this does not concern the line to Messiah, through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob-Israel or the twelve sons of Jacob-Israel. Yet all Scripture is given by God and so we include it so one will have a completer picture of Scripture. Then we return to Jacob-Israel and the line to the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of all mankind. Here we see the error of a father, making it so very clear that Jacob holds one out as special. Jacob does not try to hide it from the other brothers who may be seeing themselves as second class family members. Then Jacob-Israel adds fuel to the fire with his dreams. He, Jacob would be superior to his brothers. They would bow down to him. This further angers the brothers. Joseph dreams yet another dream where the parents and brothers bow to Joseph. This further upsets the brothers and Jacob rebukes Joseph. But Jacob-Israel ponders this in his heart. Not knowing that not too many years ahead, God will provide a way to fulfill the dreams when Joseph is made second ruler, after Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. There his brother and family end up being benefactors of the love and supplier of the food to keep Israel and all his alive. Thank You Lord that You are with us always. Because you live we can face tomorrow assured that You will meet our needs. Thank You Lord. This I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen and amen.

May God bless you in all that you do for Him, Brother J.R. Soul winner, Bible teacher, Defender of the Faith

#bible study #genesis #Joseph

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