Podcasts about CG

Wednesday, 25 February 2026   Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. Matthew 17:11   “And Jesus answering, He said to them, ‘Elijah indeed, he comes first, and he will reconstitute all'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples queried Jesus, asking, “Why therefore the scribes, they say that Elijah, it necessitates, to come first?” Having recalled that, Matthew next records, “And Jesus answering.”   What Jesus says is the spoken word of God. Therefore, what He says is to be taken literally. He will make His statement based on what Scripture has already taught about Elijah. Therefore, what seems contradictory in the coming verse is due to a misunderstanding of what Jesus is saying. Understanding this, “He said to them, ‘Elijah indeed, he comes first.'”   Some texts omit the word “first,” as if this resolves the issue that many find difficult to understand. However, Mark 9:12 includes the word “first,” but accompanies it with an aorist participle, saying, “Elijah, indeed, having come first, he reconstitutes all.”   Thus, there is no reason to assume the word “first” doesn't belong here. The words of Jesus so far don't tell when Elijah is coming. It is a statement of fact, “He comes first.” However, the next words add more clarification, saying, “and he will reconstitute all.”   The future tense leaves no doubt that Elijah's coming is yet ahead. Therefore, what is coming is what was prophesied in Malachi 4 concerning him –   “Behold! I sending to you Elijah the prophet, To faces coming day Yehovah – The whopping and the ‘being feared,' 6 And he will cause to return, heart fathers, upon sons, And heart sons, upon their fathers. Lest I come, and I cause to strike the land – anathema.” Malachi 4:5, 6 (CG)   These are not words describing immediate family relations, as in, “He will turn the people in the families to love one another.” Rather, this is a word concerning the Hebrew people as a whole. The fathers are the patriarchs, especially Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.   The children are those who have misunderstood both the promise to the patriarchs and the purpose of the law. The heart of the fathers was that of promise while trusting in the gospel of the grace of God. Paul explains this in Galatians 3 –   “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”  ... “And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:8, 9, & 17, 18   The hearts of the children, the unbelievers of Israel, will have their hearts turned to the hearts of the fathers who trusted the gospel of Christ as a certain and sure promise. If they do not turn their hearts, the warning stands.   Life application: The Old Testament, the time of man's living under the curse of law, ends with the word kherem, anathema. It speaks of the utter destruction or ban of something. It is a fitting end to the thirty-nine books of law.   Only with the hope of God in Christ is there life and renewed fellowship with God. Only in understanding the gospel can that state be realized.   As with the whole chapter of Malachi 4, the final words speak of a dual fulfillment. The first part of it came about when Israel rejected Jesus. He told them as much in Matthew 23:36, saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.”   The nation as a whole rejected Jesus, remained under law, and fell under the ban because of it. The second fulfillment will be for those of Israel who continue to reject Jesus during the tribulation. However, for the nation, that will eventually end. The land of Israel, symbolized by Jerusalem, was anathema because of Israel's rejection of Jesus. This is seen in Zechariah 14:11 –   “The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction [kherem], But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.”   This prophecy concerns the future when Israel finally receives Jesus. Only when the hearts of the children are turned to the hearts of the fathers, meaning those who lived in faith and not by law, will this time of woe for Israel end.   The day is coming, and the world is being readied for it with the return of Israel to her land. The nation has been reestablished, prophecies of the past have come to their fulfillment, and many more prophecies are set to be fulfilled.   The book is written, and these things will come about. We are simply spectators watching as the words of Scripture are faithfully realized, often before our own eyes. At some point, the rapture will take place, and the attention of the Lord will be directed to bringing about the final restoration of Israel while also bringing about judgment upon all who refuse to believe.   Malachi sets forth both the hope of restoration and the warning of rejecting it. Though it is directed to Israel, for those who know Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, we can learn from what is said there.   Our trust is not to be in the Law of Moses but in the One who is spoken of there and throughout all of Scripture. It is not easy to let go and place ourselves solely under the authority of another, but we must do so. If we are in need of surgery, we have to trust that the surgeon will get us through the ordeal.   In the case of our eternal souls, we have to let go of trusting in ourselves and look to the eternal gospel, which God has slowly and methodically revealed to the world through His word. And that gospel is centered completely and entirely on the Person of Jesus Christ.   Lord God, help us in our stubborn desire to earn what You have so freely given. May we never assume that we can somehow merit Your gracious offering of Jesus. Rather, may we trust only in the word that tells us of what He has done, accepting it as the one acceptable means of restoration with You. Thank You for Your grace, which is found in Jesus Christ! Amen.

Niall Stanage is an outstanding White House Columnist for TheHill.com, a political analyst and can be seen regularly on NewsNation. He joined CG on Fresno's Morning News to offer commentary and analysis on President Trump's first State of the Union address in his second term. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Niall Stanage is an outstanding White House Columnist for TheHill.com, a political analyst and can be seen regularly on NewsNation. He joined CG on Fresno's Morning News to offer commentary and analysis on President Trump's first State of the Union address in his second term. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday, 24 February 2026   And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Matthew 17:10   “And His disciples, they queried Him, saying, ‘Why therefore the scribes, they say that Elijah, it necessitates, to come first?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples who joined Him on the mountain that they were not to tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man arises from the dead. Continuing the conversation, it next says, “And His disciples, they queried Him.”   As with most people who grew up in a place where the Bible is discussed, these men, having grown up in Israel, would have heard all kinds of teachings that people like to focus on. Therefore, they would have an awareness of matters that related to the vision they just saw.   Jesus, telling them not to share the vision, now complicates the sequence of events in their minds. To clarify their understanding, they queried Jesus, “saying, ‘Why therefore the scribes, they say that Elijah, it necessitates, to come first?'”   The scribes, understanding the prophecies found in Malachi, stated that Elijah would come back before the Messiah was revealed to them. That is based on two thoughts from Malachi –   “Behold Me! Sending My messenger, And he turned, road, to My faces And instantly, He will come unto His portico, The Lord, whom you seeking, And Messenger, the covenant, Whom you delighted. Behold! Coming! He said, Yehovah Sabaoth.” Malachi 3:1 (CG)   “Behold! I sending to you Elijah the prophet, To faces coming day Yehovah – The whopping and the ‘being feared,' 6 And he will cause to return, heart fathers, upon sons, And heart sons, upon their fathers. Lest I come, and I cause to strike the land – anathema.” Malachi 4:5, 6 (CG)   The scribes concluded that Elijah would come before the Messenger of the covenant, who is understood to be the Messiah, based on these thoughts. If this is so, and if he came in the vision they beheld, then in their minds, that would mean the prophecy was fulfilled. However, that would only be the case if people knew about it.   They could tell the people they saw a vision of Elijah and that the prophecy was fulfilled. Or Elijah could stay and reveal himself. But neither was the case. Elijah was there for a short span, and he disappeared. Along with his disappearance was the voice telling them to hear Jesus, not Elijah.   And more, Jesus just told them to tell no one of the vision until after He rose from the dead, and for all they knew, He could be speaking of the end-times resurrection. If they couldn't tell anyone, and if Elijah had come and left, then nobody would ever know Elijah came. But the scribes were waiting for Elijah.   It would be silly to have a prophecy in the Bible that was fulfilled, but nobody knew it was so! Therefore, they could not understand how things fit together because of this.   Life application: There are things that are clear and explicit in Scripture. If Scripture is truly the word of God, then those things must come to pass. There are things that must be inferred from Scripture, or which may require taking individual sections and tying them together to conclude what is being said.   In the case of the latter, if things are put together incorrectly, a misunderstanding of what will take place will occur. The scribes have the information laid out in Malachi concerning the Lord's messenger and the Messenger of the covenant from Malachi 3, and they have the note about Elijah from Malachi 4.   They put the two thoughts together and drew a conclusion based on those passages. However, Malachi 3 never said the Lord's messenger was Elijah. And Malachi 4 speaks of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, something they assumed meant the time when the Messiah was set to initiate.   Their conclusion was faulty because they misunderstood the content of the verses. And this is because they misapplied what those verses were saying. This is a common thing, especially with those excited about end-times prophecy to the exclusion of the rest of Scripture. They don't have a full understanding of what the Bible says. In fact, they may never have read the Bible through once. But they are “specialists” in eschatology.   This is as common as beans in a Mexican diner, but it is a poor way of handling the Bible. However, when people sound like they know what they are talking about in prophecy and eschatology, they are usually given an ear because people tend to really dig those things.   The answer to this problem is for people to read their Bibles and know, in advance, if the things they are being taught match up with what their own studies have made them understand. From there, it is much easier to work through the details than it is to sit blindly, accepting someone's teaching without any clue if he is doctrinally on the right page or not.   Lord God, whatever time we have left in our lives, may we use that time wisely, reading and contemplating Your word. Help us not to get distracted by too many irrelevant things, where we will then forsake this task. Give us wisdom to know You and what You expect of us through reading Your word. Amen.

Wes's nerdy-thing that he is absolutely obsessed with: CG in the original JURASSIC PARK. Watch  The T. rex Escapes the Paddock in 4K HDR | Jurassic Park to follow along for this daily dose.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_i5TKdmhs www.orwhatevermovies.com 818-835-0473 orwhatevermovies@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monday, 23 February 2026   Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” Matthew 17:9   “And descending, they, from the mountain, Jesus, He enjoined them, saying, ‘You tell none the vision until that the Son of Man from dead, He arose'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that when the disciples uplifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus. It next says, “And descending, they, from the mountain, Jesus, He enjoined them.”   They are returning to where the other disciples are. However, just as they went to the mountain separately for a reason, Jesus wants what they saw to be kept to themselves also. Therefore, He enjoins them concerning the matter, “saying, ‘You tell none the vision.'”   A new word is seen here, horama, a vision. It is derived from horaó, to stare at, and which is, at times, translated as behold. This refers to what is beheld. It is something gazed at, such as a spectacle. What these men beheld was a vision.   Looking at the various uses of this word leads to the notion that what was seen may not be a concrete event, but a mental perception of something, somewhat like a dream. For example –   “But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 8 But I said, “Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.” 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.'” Acts 11:4-10   What Peter saw was real to him, but it was not necessarily real. These men saw a vision. Was it a concrete event where Moses and Elijah literally appeared with Jesus, or was a point being made concerning their ministries without them actually having been there? Being dogmatic about the matter may be barking up the wrong tree.   Regardless, what they saw was real to the disciples, and Jesus confirms that what they saw should be taken as such. But they were to refrain from speaking of it “until that the Son of Man from dead, He arose.”   Mark adds in the words, “So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.” The words of Jesus were perplexing to them, but they were obedient to His directive, keeping silent about the matter. But two obvious questions that arise from the event and Jesus' admonition are, “Why weren't all of the disciples taken along, and why should Jesus not want the other disciples to know what happened?”   It can only be speculation, but one reason that seems apparent is that if Judas had gone, or if he had been informed of what happened, he may never have betrayed Jesus. He was looking for one thing, but God had other plans. If he were aware of what took place, the necessary death of Jesus for the people of the world may not have come about in the manner it did.   For this, and any other logical reasons, the matter of the transfiguration was kept to a select few men until the time it could be freely spoken of by those who saw it.   Life application: Understanding that what the disciples saw may have been a vision without actual substance may then lead to other various points of doctrine or personal opinion falling apart. Pastors will adamantly speak of Moses' appearance as an actual event where he literally stood there. Because of this, it is then used as a springboard to say that Moses can, in fact, be one of the two witnesses noted in Revelation 11.   This would be contradictory, however, to Hebrews 9:27, which says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Because of Hebrews 9, it is clear that Moses will not be one of the two witnesses, but despite that, it would be unwise to proclaim either way that what was seen in the transfiguration was an actual physical event rather than a divinely prepared mental image, or vice versa.   Did a sheet really drop down from heaven with animals on it in front of Peter? It is unlikely at best. And yet, it seemed as real to Peter as if it actually happened. We should be careful not to be dogmatic about things we simply cannot know. Rather, whether Moses and Elijah actually stood there with Jesus or not, the point of why they were there with Jesus is what is important.   The disciples, and thus us because it is recorded in Scripture, were being taught truths concerning the ongoing plan of redemption. Jesus, not the Law and the Prophets, is who we are to focus our attention on.   Lord God, someday, we will have many answers to questions resolved. Until then, help us to not stubbornly claim things that may be debatable. Help us to contemplate Your word, consider what You are telling us, and hold fast to the truths we can glean from it. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.  

Sunday, 22 February 2026   When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Matthew 17:8   “And having uplifted their eyes, they saw none, if not Jesus alone” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus came to the disciples who had been overwhelmed by the voice and events on the mountain, touching them and telling them to arise and not be afraid. It next says, “And having uplifted their eyes.”   A new word, epairó, to uplift, is seen. It is from epi, upon, and airó, to take up or away. It can be used literally, as in this verse, or it can be used figuratively, such as exalting oneself, etc. The disciples had fallen on their faces from fear. Once Jesus' comforting touch and voice came, they uplifted their eyes and “they saw none, if not Jesus alone.”   Moses and Elijah were gone, and in whatever way the voice from the cloud was transmitted, there was nobody except Jesus to behold. The sudden removal of Moses and Elijah as soon as the voice had been uttered is instructional. Jesus and the message concerning Him are what are to be focused on. The Law and the Prophets had served their purpose and are now no longer what God is doing in the process of redemption.   Life application: If this short section concerning the events on the mountain is evaluated, the message it conveys is crystal clear. In Matthew 16:28, Jesus told the disciples that of those standing with Him, some would not see death until they saw the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.   Just a short time later, He took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain where He metamorphosed before them. His countenance changed to brilliancy with radiating light. What does Paul say about the message of Christ? He explains it in 2 Corinthians 4 –   “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6   With His radiant countenance manifested, Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with Him. As noted, Luke includes the note that their conversation was about Jesus' coming death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.   At that time, Peter offered to build three tents to accommodate Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Tents are for dwelling in. But what was the divine response from the Father? It concerned hearing Jesus. The temporary tabernacling of Moses and Elijah was done. The new and eternal tabernacling with God is through Jesus –   “And I heard – voice great from the throne, saying, ‘You behold, the tabernacle [skéné], the God, with the men, and He will tabernacle [skénoó] with them, and they – peoples of Him, they will be, and He – the God with them, He will be, their God'” Revelation 21:3 (CG). After the voice, the men fell down terrified, but when Jesus came to reassure them, they looked up, and there was only Jesus. Jesus promised that there would be those who would see Him coming in His kingdom.   The kingdom is that of understanding who He is, meaning the God/Man in whom God tabernacles, and that the law only anticipated His coming. It is no longer what God is doing. The kingdom Jesus was referring to has arrived in the preaching of the gospel. It will be realized in those who receive it someday. Jesus' words were not referring to an earthly kingdom during the millennium. That will occur, but it is not what is being referred to here.   “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13, 14   If your eyes are on law observance, you are missing the kingdom. Eyes on Jesus! The law is over. God wants us to focus our attention on what He has done through Jesus.   Lord God, thank You for the wonderful news of Jesus Christ. Through faith in Him, we are transferred to His kingdom and now have full and forever restoration with You. Thank You for this wonderful news. Yes, O God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Carth and Scrybe check in on CG..are they OK, are they safe?

Ищем плюсы CG комьюнити by CG ПОДКАСТ №1

タイトルから受ける印象の100倍うすあじです。なんか自己啓発本っぽくなっちまった。「これまでの人生を二分するならどこで分ける？」というおたよりを起点に、企業型確定拠出年金を始めたトロニーと、ワンルーム投資に誘われて頭がパンクした中西が、投資ってした方がいいんかなぁ…？とかなんか言ってます。(編集：トロニー)取るに足りないものごとを拾い上げて面白がるポッドキャスト、中トロラジオです!!◎最高のオープニングゆnovation『pop out!』(yunovation.net)各種配信サービスでいつでも聞けます！https://linkco.re/SSFZfhxF登場人物・中西→名古屋、男子校、演劇サークル出身。・トロニー→内モンゴル、富山、音楽系（根暗）サークル出身。名字がない。ふたりとも建築学科から非建築業界に就職した男性、30歳です。おたより、感想ツイートなどなどお待ちしています！おたよりはこちらから↓https://forms.gle/2dR4MwLpdDDoJgLd6中トロラジオのdiscordサーバーはこちら↓https://discord.gg/8bHBj5wd2Fーーーーー◎珠玉のアートワークプランニング : 古林萌実(@__moem3in)デザイン：佐藤祐太郎(@yutarooo811)CG：嶋江大悟

ポッドキャストにて公開させて頂きました。 なんだかんだで104話です。 回数の増すことに驚くのではございました。 その割に進化はしません。 楽しみにして下さるかたが居られると信じて作らせてはいただいています。 何かご要望などもありましたら、いつでもください。 今後とも何卒よろしくお願い申し上げます。 【ネットショップ】通販うさぎ部長vol104

Saturday, 21 February 2026   But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” Matthew 17:7   “And He came, Jesus. He touched them, and He said, ‘You rouse, and you fear not'” (CG).   In the previous verse, after hearing the voice from heaven, the disciples fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. Matthew next records, “And He came, Jesus. He touched them.”   This is something seen elsewhere, in both testaments. When a person is presented with the presence of deity, it so overwhelms him that he falls to the ground in a stupor. But then, a comforting hand is presented to him –   “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. 10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.' While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.” Daniel 10:7-11   “When I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.'” Revelation 1:12-18   Along with touching them, it says, “and He said, ‘You rouse, and you fear not.'”   The words of Jesus and the familiarity of His voice would have brought them to their senses and let them know that, despite the terror the manifestation of the voice brought, they were safe in His presence.   Life application: The lesson for the disciples is the same as the lesson for us today. Though humans throughout the world and in an almost unlimited number of religions constantly talk about God in their regular conversation, there is no fist-bumping fellowship between the two.   Rather, the perfections of God in contrast to the imperfections found in man mean that we should rather be terrified of encountering Him on our own merits. It cannot be known how the voice from the Father occurred, but it struck terror in the hearts and minds of the disciples.   It is the same reaction as occurred at Mount Sinai when Israel heard the words of the Lord God when the Ten Commandments were spoken. At that time, their response to Moses was, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”   Jesus is there to mediate between His Father and us. It is His perfection that allows this. Without that, there would only be horror at the majesty of God in relation to our own infinitely fallen state.   It is Jesus who restores harmony between the two. It cannot come about through Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Mary, or any other person or figure who is prayed to by the deceived people of the world. Without Jesus, there is only the expectation of judgment and condemnation. Thank God for Jesus Christ, who makes our restoration with God possible.   Lord God, how grateful we are for the giving of Your Son to bring us back to You. We praise You, and we will praise You forever and ever because of Him. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

UK Garage legend ColourGirl, graces us with her wisdom, experience and positive vibrations. Dive deep into her discography as we explore the sounds of CG, which continues to influence generations...

[School of Movies 2026] Finally, after twenty years of half-assed attempts (thirty if you count the Roger Corman production never intended to see the light of day) to bring Marvel's First Family to the big screen, they actually nailed it... mostly. First Steps delivers not just the Silver Age superheroes, but the era itself, in a gorgeous, memorable, hopeful vision of the Kennedy-Era 1960s (one where racism has been dealt with, and women don't struggle to be taken seriously). This alternate Earth of 828 is put in jeopardy when a version of Galactus (who isn't just a big angry CG cloud) comes calling. Setting aside a dedicated section to air our misgivings over two crucial factors, (wherein Sharon comes up with one subtle but significant story change that blows me away) this episode brings us closer to Doomsday, where these fantastic folks will play prominent roles.

Friday, 20 February 2026   And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. Matthew 17:6   “And having heard, the disciples, they fell upon their face, and they feared exceedingly” (CG).   In the previous verse, a cloud overshadowed those on the mountain, and a voice came out of the cloud proclaiming Jesus is God's beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. Matthew next records, “And having heard, the disciples, they fell upon their face.”   The terror of the event was overwhelming for the disciples. Elsewhere, John records what a voice from heaven sounded like –   “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” John 12:27-29   As the disciples were enveloped in the brilliant cloud, they would be mentally confused about the source of the voice. The mental overload could have been magnified depending on how the voice spoke. If it were authoritative, it could have been shocking. If it was a bit miffed, as in, “Forget those others. I want you to focus on My Son,” they could have been fearful for having had the wrong attitude, etc.   A natural reaction would be to fall down and lie prostrate in fear. That is confirmed with the next words, “and they feared exceedingly.”   The disciples, knowing there were three there, and having heard the voices as they conversed, the sudden introduction of another voice with nobody else having been present would have been truly shocking. Peter's memory was permanently affected by this event. Many years later, he referred to it in his second epistle –   “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:16-18   Life application: At some point in human history, the Lord will return for His church. We have no idea when that will be. All the speculation in the world is wasted time that could have been used to do something productive for the Lord.   When He comes, the Bible says this will be how it occurs –   “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17   We will hear the shout of the Lord. Now imagine what that will be like for people under different circumstances. Some may be in church praising Him. Hearing that should be a glorious moment as the joy of those who were praising Him has found its true purpose.   Another group will be working, some in very tedious jobs. That will be a call to rest from their labors. It will be a relief for the weary, toiling souls. Another group might be people on the beach or on a mountain hiking. The majesty or beauty of their surroundings will suddenly mean nothing compared to the glory that lies ahead.   Others, however, might be engaged in stealing from Walmart, cheating with their neighbor's wives, or doing other things that Christians should not be engaged in. Their final acts on this earth before being taken to glory will be a source of embarrassment and shame.   How do you want your last moments before Jesus comes to be remembered? We should focus our minds on Him and honor Him at all times. We should have our eyes directed to Him and our activities in line with what He would find pleasing in His eyes.   The Lord is coming, and we don't know when. Be about your business with that in mind.   Lord God, help us to spend our time wisely as we await Your return for us. We may die before that day and await Your call from the sleep of death, but You may come while we are still alive. Give us wisdom to remember that day, considering it at all times as we contemplate a better life in Your presence forever. Amen.  

Marina Stabile is a Brazilian-born, Swiss-raised producer and line producer with over 20 years of experience in film, documentaries, commercials, and digital content. She is also one of my favorite humans and I'm lucky I get to call her a friend. She grew up in São Paulo, moved to Geneva at 10, attended an international school with 118 nationalities, and knew she wanted to produce after watching the Irving Thalberg Award presented at 3 a.m. on an Oscar broadcast. She studied film and international relations at USC, produced documentaries for the United Nations in Geneva, and returned to the U.S. to earn her MFA in producing at AFI, where her thesis film The Response won a Student BAFTA. Marina's credits span indie and studio, including Miguel Arteta's Beatriz at Dinner starring Salma Hayek, the Sundance Grand Jury Prize–winning Clemency starring Alfre Woodard, Harrison Ford's The Call of the Wild (as VFX supervisor), Searchlight's Hold Your Breath starring Sarah Paulson, The People We Hate at the Wedding, and the pandemic-shot Untitled Horror Movie alongside fellow producer Bronwyn Cornelius. Most recently, she produced Josephine — written and directed by Beth de Araújo and starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan — which won both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival before being acquired by Sumerian Pictures in a competitive seven-figure deal. The film went on to screen in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. In this conversation, we explore how culture impacts your craft, define once and for all what line producers really do, why the best career moves sometimes look like steps backward, and whether Los Angeles is still a special place to make movies. Enjoy!! CG

The second part of CG's conversation with luge bronze medalist Ashley Farquharson features Ashley's thoughts on the mental aspect of luge, her expectations for these Winter Games vs when she competed in Beijing 2022, what she did or didn't feel going down the track on her fourth and final run and while she may be a Park City girl, we felt a lot of Cool California coming out of her... and in the very best possible way! She is a great example of the very best in young, world class, American athletes. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday, 19 February 2026   While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5   “Yet he speaking, you behold! Cloud – lustrous, it overshadowed them. And you behold! Voice – from the cloud, saying, ‘This, He is My Son, the Beloved in whom I approved! You hear – Him!'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Peter said to Jesus that it was good for them to be there and that he and the others would build tabernacles for Him, Moses, and Elijah. Matthew next records, “Yet he speaking.”   Peter was in the process of what was essentially an idol-fest. He was star-struck with the audience gathered with Jesus. However, his thoughts were misdirected and unsuited for the situation. Remember what he himself had proclaimed just a short while before –   “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.” Matthew 16:16   Therefore, his words were cut off as he spoke, and “you behold! Cloud – lustrous, it overshadowed them.”   Two new words are seen here. The first is nephelé, cloudiness, or concretely, a cloud. It is from nephos, a cloud. The second new word is the verb episkiazó, to overshadow. It is from epi, upon or over, and skia, a shadow.   Saying that this cloud was lustrous may be because of the brilliant light radiating from Jesus, like when one is in fog and shines a light. The light is gathered into all of the fog particles, and the entire area turns lustrous.   If a cloud overshadowed them, even a regular cloud, this would be the result. This appears to be what is conveyed in the thought because of what continues to transpire. Next, it says, “And you behold!”   The excitement rushing from Matthew's pen is palpable as he introduces a second thought in a row this way. The inspired word of the Lord is asking us to really pay heed to what is being conveyed. First, the group was overshadowed, blocking out Moses and Elijah. Understanding this, it continues with, “Voice – from the cloud.”   Within the cloud itself is a voice. Like the burning bush on Mount Horeb, there was a physical demonstration of the presence, and yet, there is a concealing of the Source of the voice at the same time. Thus, the One speaking can only be understood by what He states, not by actually seeing Him. Understanding this, He was “saying, ‘This, He is My Son.'”   The voice, being derived from eternity itself, calls out who He is, God the Father. As He is in the eternal state, the words were prepared from before the creation of a single atom to occur at this moment. Having indicated who Jesus is in relation to Him, He continues with, “the Beloved in whom I approved!”   The words are repeated from Matthew 3:17 when Jesus was baptized –   “This, He is, My Son – the Beloved in whom I approved!”   God had ordained Jesus to initiate His ministry. He was pleased with Him at that time. Now, after Jesus has told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, and be killed, meaning His ministry was on its downward trajectory, the Father affirms His relationship with Him. Because of His pleasure in His Son, He next calls out, “You hear – Him!”   The point that the Father was making was that they were no longer to look to the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) for their spiritual guidance. They were to listen to Jesus, the Fulfiller of everything spoken of in the Law and Prophets. It is an admonition from God that has not changed since then –    “Eyeballing unto the ‘the faith Pioneer and Perfecter,' Jesus” Hebrews 12:2 (CG).   This is the directive from God for all people, meaning to focus on Jesus. Nothing else will do. All else will lead to a sad end.   Life application: Although there are innumerable doctrines set forth in Scripture, the main point of doctrine for one's life conduct in the presence of God is understanding the matter of law versus grace and being obedient to the latter.   The Bible's first recorded words of God speaking to man are words of grace versus law. From that point on, because Adam disobeyed the law he was given, the violation of that law has been the source of every problem that mankind has ever faced. Adam failed to understand that he had been given grace. In Genesis 2:17, it said –   “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.”   Adam was given everything, though he had done nothing to earn it. God lavished upon the man His goodness in a variety of tastes, textures, and physical sensations as he experienced each new fruit. At the same time, and in the same sentence, the Lord gave Adam law –   “...but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”   This set forth a choice that has been set forth again for the people of the world. Will we choose to trust God and accept His grace, or will we ignore that, choose law, and perish apart from the grace? It is what Paul calls “a different gospel, which is not another” in Galatians 1.   God, in His words concerning Jesus, is setting forth that choice by telling the disciples, and thus us, because the words are recorded in Scripture, that we are to focus on the grace. That grace could only come through the crucifixion of Christ. When we return to the law, we crucify again for ourselves the Son of God. In this, we put Him to open shame. May we never presume to have such an attitude.   Lord God, thank You for the grace that is poured out on us through the giving of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.  

The second part of CG's conversation with luge bronze medalist Ashley Farquharson features Ashley's thoughts on the mental aspect of luge, her expectations for these Winter Games vs when she competed in Beijing 2022, what she did or didn't feel going down the track on her fourth and final run and while she may be a Park City girl, we felt a lot of Cool California coming out of her... and in the very best possible way! She is a great example of the very best in young, world class, American athletes. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we head into full remake territory with Doug Liman's glossy, bone-crunching update of Road House. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into Patrick Swayze's boots as Dalton: a drifter, ex–UFC fighter, and walking concussion who takes a job cleaning up a Florida Keys bar where violence isn't a possibility — it's a nightly guarantee.From the opening underground fight circuit to the neon chaos of the Road House itself, the film wastes no time establishing its tone: sunburnt, hyper-kinetic, knowingly ridiculous action with a wink. Dalton isn't just muscle — he's a philosopher-bouncer trying (and often failing) to de-escalate a town addicted to throwing punches.What we talked aboutThe remake question: why revisit a cult classic, and does this version justify its existence?Gyllenhaal's performance — shredded, funny, and oddly charming as a smiling human weaponThe bar as a war zone: nonstop fights that feel both brutal and cartoonishDoug Liman's direction and the slick, CG-enhanced fight choreographyConor McGregor as the chaos agent villain — distracting stunt casting or perfect cartoon henchman?The movie's throwback 80s energy: big action, simple stakes, zero realismThe strange lack of romance in such a sweaty, hyper-physical filmStreaming vs cinema: whether this deserved a theatrical releaseVerdictIt's loud, dumb, stylish, and fully aware of it. Road House doesn't try to outthink the original — it turns the dial toward modern action excess and lets Gyllenhaal carry the vibe. Not high art, but a breezy, violent crowd-pleaser that knows exactly what it is.Strong recommend if you want neon-lit mayhem, broken bones, and a remake that leans into its own stupidity instead of apologising for it.You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com. Until next time, we remain... Bad Dads

Wednesday, 18 February 2026   Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Matthew 17:4   “And answering, Peter, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, good, it is – us to be here. If You desire, we will make here three tabernacles: You one, and Moses one, and Elijah one'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that during the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. Matthew next records, “And answering, Peter.”   All three gospel narratives agree that it was Peter who spoke to Jesus. However, each will show the individual preference of how Peter addressed Him. Matthew continues the narrative with, “he said to Jesus, ‘Lord.'”   Matthew records the word, kurios, lord. It is derived from kuros, supremacy. Mark records the word rhabbi. It is derived from the Hebrew rab, abundance, which is fixed to a pronominal suffix. The meaning then is “my master,” with the intent of “my great one,” or “my Mr. Full of Knowledge.” Luke records the word epistates, master. That is derived from epi, upon or over, and histemi, to stand. Thus, it is one who stands over another.   Each of them gives the same general meaning but is taken from the author's own well of knowledge when penning the account. The word spoken by Peter would have been in Aramaic, thus rhabbi is probably what was said. With that stated, Peter next says, “good, it is – us to be here.”   The meaning probably isn't, “It is good to be here, because...” Rather, Peter's intent seems more akin to “What a satisfying experience it is for us to be here.” To bolster that thought, he next says, “If You desire, we will make here...”   Some manuscripts say, “I will make.” Scholars who lean toward this as correct indicate it is in line with the impetuous nature of Peter, as if “I will handle this.” However, that doesn't change with “we.”   Depending on the situation, there is no less impetuosity if Peter volunteered others. However, it isn't certain that we have all that was said. Rather, the gospel focuses on particular things while probably ignoring other things that may have transpired. Understanding this, Peter continues, saying, “three tabernacles.”   It is a new word, skéné, a tent. In this case, it would be referring to a tabernacle built out of whatever branches could be obtained by the disciples. The word can be used literally, as it is here, or it can be used figuratively, such as in Hebrews 9:11. Peter, assuming this may be an extended stay for them, or maybe hoping it can be extended by his suggestion, offers to build three tabernacles, which are, “You one, and Moses one, and Elijah one.”   The offer to build tabernacles, akin to the sukkah made for the Feast of Tabernacles, is made. Mark adds to the thought, saying, “For not he had known what he should say. For terrified, they were.” Luke says, “not having known what he says.”   In other words, there was confusion in his mind about how to address the issue at all, and he blurted out his words, probably in an attempt to bring some sort of control to the events around him that he could not fully understand.   Life application: One of the most common things passed on in Christian circles from this verse, and which has been repeated in innumerable sermons and commentaries, and then which is passed on by lay people, is that everyone will know everyone else in heaven immediately because Peter knew who Moses and Elijah were without being told.   How anyone can come to that conclusion is hard to figure out, but it now permeates Christian thinking. The account has already said that Moses and Elijah were conversing with Jesus. Conversing means... anyone? Having a conversation. It could have gone on for five minutes or an hour. And yet, not a word of what was said is recorded.   The general tenor of the conversation was that they “spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). But that is just what the conversation was about, not the details that were conveyed.   For all we know, Peter was listening and heard the names of Moses and Elijah stated by Jesus. Maybe Jesus introduced the two, saying, “Moses, this is Elijah. Elijah, this is Moses.” Or maybe the two were wearing name tags. To jump to the conclusion that everyone will know everyone else assumes too much.   It is not a good policy to make such statements without qualifiers, such as “Maybe...” The fact is, we have no idea whether we will know everybody's name or not.   Use discretion when passing things on. To insert thoughts that may or may not be correct can only lead people down incorrect paths of thinking. One idea, such as this, can, and normally will, lead to other unfounded suppositions.   Lord God, it is good to be in Your presence and to share in Your tenderful blessings and mercies each day. We are the recipients of all of Your goodness toward mankind because of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Help us to remember this in times of troubles, trials, and difficulties. What we have coming will forever replace anything we are now suffering. Thank You for this great hope we possess. Amen.  

Christine Brennan is a sports columnist for USA Today and is widely considered one of the finest at her craft in the nation. She also is a New York Times bestselling author (ON HER GAME: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports) and can be seen contributing analysis and commentary on ABC, CNN and the PBS NewsHour. She joined CG on Fresno's Morning News LIVE from Milan to discuss women's figure skating (in particular, Alysa Liu), how good mental health at the Olympics can be a challenge and her thoughts on the final scoring in ice dancing when Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates fought for gold with France's Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christine Brennan is a sports columnist for USA Today and is widely considered one of the finest at her craft in the nation. She also is a New York Times bestselling author (ON HER GAME: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports) and can be seen contributing analysis and commentary on ABC, CNN and the PBS NewsHour. She joined CG on Fresno's Morning News LIVE from Milan to discuss women's figure skating (in particular, Alysa Liu), how good mental health at the Olympics can be a challenge and her thoughts on the final scoring in ice dancing when Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates fought for gold with France's Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes 0:00: Justin and Helen decide to talk about the news that’s popped up instead of what they’ve been up to as they have many licenses and an anime season to talk about! Starting with Alphapolis acquiring a CG studio, which suggests they’re trying to ramp up their anime production line. News 3:50: The World’s End Harem: Fantasia manga is back after a lengthy hiatus, and it’ll also be released weekly until the manga ends; meanwhile one series that returned — Kai-Hen Wizards — will go back on hiatus after it returned not too long ago. 6:12: My Unique Skill Makes Me OP even at Level 1 will go on hiatus due to artist Mawata’s health issues; Yūgo Kobayashi’s preparing for the new series that he will launch in Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine, so Fermat no Ryōri is going on a temporary hiatus after its 26th chapter; and Kazue Katō announced that her Blue Exorcist manga is going on hiatus as she prepares the manga’s final chapter — this will also involve some changes in her environment. 8:15: There are two anime that Doga Kobo’s involved in that were planned to come out this year. Well, one’s getting moved to 2027 (Roshidere S2) as Inept Villainess will not air in Spring, it’ll instead air in Summer. 10:35: Terminator Zero Season 1 happened and was watched, but not watched enough, as showrunner Mattson Tomlin announced there will be no more seasons of the anime; The talent agency Intention announced that voice actor Kenichi Suzumura is going on hiatus to recover from adjustment disorder. Licenses 12:23: Yen Press decided to announce they licensed this many titles last week: Yuji Iwahara's Clevatess: The King of Dark Beasts, the Baby, and the Undead Hero Rin Minato's Hand in Hand with Mu-chan: Lessons from My Autistic Daughter Yūshi Ukai, BanzaiKotobukiDaienkai, & necometal's Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table manga  Kiyomi Sugishita's Deep-Sea Aquarium Magmell Yukiaki Kurando & Sōsō Sakakibara's Then Shall I Kill in Your Stead? Yuki Azuma's The Blood-Crawling Princess of a Ruined Country Mamoru Hosoda's Scarlet (Yen On) Nikita Kitagawa's My Yandere Girlfriend Hiding in the Dungeon Kills Me Over and Over Again (Yen On)   Shina Inoguchi's Don’t Confuse Me, Yamori-kun Haruichi & FromSoftware, Inc's Elden Ring: Distant Tales Between Risako Natade & Toshiko Machida's The Demon Bride: “I Love You” Are Frightening Words Petos & Kōji Megumi's Golden Man A collector's edition of Tsukumizu's Girls’ Last Tour 17:31: J-Novel Club also had a lot to announce for whatever reason, which also includes titles in print: The light novel & manga of Hanmenkyoushi’s Starting on Hard Mode: God Levels, Got Problems Yuu Tanaka, Watarinica, & Llo’s The Accursed Chef and His Pair of Furry Foodies manga Yuki Kashirome & icchi’s Fired? But I Maintain All the Software! Mary=Doe & Kuga Huna’s Proud to Be the Villainess: If My Doom Can Be Her Happily Ever After, So Be It! Byakushi & Falmaro’s Reborn to Reign: Imposing My Rules with My Mastery of Magic Satou & Hitakiyuu’s The Path of an S-Rank Adventurer: From Deadweight to Weapon Master Sty & Tumeki’s Return of the Corpse King: Reining in My Cringe Secret Society Ryou Yuuki & Nakamura’s The Reincarnated Mastermind: Sundering Fate with Magic Swords Tama Masaki & Kureta’s Miss Medic’s Diary at War Hachigatsumori & Nat.’s Unsung Epics of the Hero’s Journey Kazuki Minamoto’s All Eyes on Nekoyashiki-kun! Notice Me, Not My Characters (J-Novel Knight) J-Novel Heart imprint Adachi & Kyozip’s Sister Mafioso: O God, Let This Lie Stand Yuji Yuji, Roharu Kai, & Nami Hidaka’s The 100th Time’s the Charm She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock “Super Love” Mode! manga (Print) Fuyu Aoki, Yuyu Kouhara, & Minori Aritani’s Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight manga (Print) The light novel and manga of Tadashi Kubou's The Water Magician light novel & manga (Print)  Gabihime & Reine Kuwashima’s The Young Lady Is the Substitute Harvest Goddess in print Will re-release Fuminori Teshima & COMTA’s An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride as an Omnibus Edition 22:39: Kodansha had some additions to their Kodansha Print Club line, but interestingly enough one of the titles is new: Shikiso Utsuzawa, Mokuba Matsu, & Pukyunosuke's Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! Kana Nakatsuki's Don’t Tempt Me, VP! Akamaru Enomoto's I Have a Crush at Work Akiko Higashimura's Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns Kazuto Mihara's The World Is Dancing Satoshi Morie's Killing Line Miko Senri's A Kiss with a Cat (will be released as 2-in-1 omnibuses) Ayumu Nagisa's Omega of the Divine (was never released by Kodansha in the US) 24:13: Seven Seas had a Yuri day, and announced the following titles: Kon Fukaumi’s A Love Yet to Bloom Masakazu Ishiguro’s Sleeping Idiot Puebro’s A Couple Drifting in the Wind Inori & Hanagata’s I’m in Love with the Villainess: Come on and Notice Me Already (Airship) Teren Mikami’s There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… Short Stories (Art by Eku Takeshima) & There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… Spin-off Collection (Art by Musshu) 26:14: TOKYOPOP finally made time to announce they've licensed the following: Neko Kiirono's Nagi & Hayasaki Natsuwo Ichikawa's Beneath the Fallen Camellia Blooms Sai Asai's 300 New Days With You Ishiko's The Devil’s in the Lunch Deals Odayaka & Comic Room's Sanctuary Princess Rokakoen's Ugly Girls Macho Tako's Ghoul Work, Kurose Kappe Hoshi's Better the Devil You Know Than the Devil You Don’t Know Tomo Kitaoka's Chibon Kaburi: The Masked God Kororiyo's 365 Days with the Yokai Nashi's Six Ryō Koshino's Dr. Ashura 27:40: Hanashi Media announced too many titles as well, but they’re at least distinct since most of their announcements have long names: Shizuru Minazuki & Yamakawa's A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring Umee & Kawaku's The Disfavored Prince is a Genius Alchemist: All I Want is to Spoil My Little Siblings take4 & Hinaco Hino's It Was Supposed to Be My Second Life, but It Turned Out to Be My Third So I’ll Change History with Knowledge and Reform Cancellara & Riv's Reincarnated as a Poor Farmer: Building a Castle Brick by Brick Yо̄suke Akano & hakusai's Reincarnated Onmyoji: Powered by the King of Hell I Refuse to Return to Hell Masanobu Serizawa & Kyou Kitazawa's The Vampire and the Chocolatier: A Genius Alchemist’s Sweet Obsession Rerux & Ryūta Fuse's I Was Banished from the Royal Capital So I’m Building the Ultimate Golems with My Hero Disciples Yuyushita Sasuga & Tamagonokimi's The Guy Who Thought He Was the Hero Used the Real Hero as a Stepping Stone and Won Mesopo Tamia & Carimarica's A Dumped Villainess Married Me, a Lazy Villain Noble—and We Became the Ultimate Power Couple Torisuke & nyanya's I Was Reborn as a Refugee Girl, So I’m Working Toward Citizenship from Scratch Takumi Yanai & Kurojishi's GATE: Thus the JSDF Fought There! 32:14: More manga have been announced for Abrams Comicarts‘ Kana imprint, which includes a new Inio Asano title; New publisher Crossed Hearts licensed for their new Yuri imprint TaaRO’s Borrowing Your Textbook 175160; MANGA Plus added a couple new series to their service, which includes a new Karuho Shiina work; Ichiha Hiiragi & Nagi Ōkawa’s Playing the Vixen to Find Happiness is now on K MANGA; Nobuko Takekawa’s Yuko, the Ghost in My Room is now on MANGA Up. 36:06: And in final licensing news, Helen and Justin remark over 2018 Captain Tsubasa getting released…in DVD format! Streaming News 39:41: Whatever the Kodansha-Disney deal was supposed to mean, Justin at least doesn’t know since the newest Ghost in the Shell anime will be streamed on Prime this summer; Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc will stream on Crunchyroll this Spring but Justin of course will make this about Demon Slayer; And not surprisingly, things don’t get cheaper, they get more expensive so Crunchyroll upping the subscription price for all tiers is not a shock. 44:43: GKIDS acquired the North American theatrical rights to Shōji Kawamori’s original animation film Labyrinth and it will be in theaters for two days in May; The 76th Berlin International Film Festival is screening a 4K restoration of Ninja Scroll; and Oceanveil continues branching out from what they’re usually known for, and now has Haigakura & Scum’s Wish on their service. Main Topic: Winter Anime 2026 First Impressions 48:04: Justin and Helen discuss a very packed Winter Anime season, which means you should find a lot to like, whether it’s sequels (Frieren S2, Jujutsu Kaisen S3) to thoughtful and dense shows (Journal With Witch) or hilarious romcoms (Tamon's B-Side, You and I Are Polar Opposites). Just don’t do what Justin’s doing and watch objectively bad anime because you liked the original source (Roll Over and Die at 53:03, Tune in to the Midnight Heart at 1:07:47). Weird News 1:57:24: The year of reviving old material continues, as now Chie Shinohara’s Red River is getting an anime adaptation, so once again Justin implores everyone to let their dreams be dreams and put out in the universe what you want to become an anime! 2:03:51: You wouldn’t think a collaboration between artists would generate any controversy, but if it involves China and My Hero Academia, then yes, there will be controversy; if you like spicy foods and Hatsune Miku, Thailand’s got something for you; And finally, Mamoru Oshii has too much time on his hands since he’s logged way too many hours on Fallout, why would he share this with anyone (meanwhile Justin reveals how many hours he’s logged into Fire Emblem: Three Houses) If there’s anything you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out to us on Twitter (@TheOASG) or comment below with your thoughts! The post TheOASG Podcast Episode 237: The Longest Talk We’ve Done Yet! (Probably) appeared first on TheOASG.

A loss for Swindon men in the STFC derby but a chance to put it right midweek. A win for Swindon women and midweek action at the CG. And a review of the FRI derby between Bassett and Corsham - it is a packed show.

Monday, 16 February 2026   and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Matthew 17:2   “And He metamorphosed before them, and it radiated, His face, like the sun, and His garments, it became whites, as the light” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus took Peter, James, and John off alone up on a high mountain. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And He metamorphosed before them.”   It is a new word, metamorphoó, to transform, change, transfigure, etc. It is from meta, a preposition denoting accompaniment, usually translated as “with,” and morpho, to fashion or form, a word found only in Galatians 4:19. Thus, this word signifies “changing form in keeping with inner reality” (HELPS Word Studies).   It is the word used twice by Paul concerning our transformation in Christ, in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. Jesus changed His appearance and yet maintained His inner reality. Thus, this is a revelation of who He is that exists in accord with His being. The effect of this change was, “and it radiated, His face.”   The word signifies to radiate brilliancy or beam with light. The word is used by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:6 –   “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone [lampó] in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”   Along with this, it says, “like the sun.”   If His face shone like the sun, then the brilliancy of Christ's divine nature is that of a light so strong it cannot be focused on directly without harming the eyes of the one beholding it. His glory can only be beheld in a glance that would be stunning and impossible to maintain a constant view of. And more, it next says, “and His garments, it became whites, as the light.”   The reason for changing the singular “white” to the plural “whites” is to abstract the concept, changing the intent from merely a color to the idea of purity and divinity. It is incorrect to say that the inner light shone outward and caused the clothes to become bright and shining.   Rather, an object lesson was given in the clothes themselves. The garments are a visible metaphor of Jesus' perfect purity and righteousness. What is seen here is a representation of His divine nature being presented to these apostles, but which has been thus far clothed within His human nature. It is the fulfillment of what He had just said to them as Chapter 16 ended –   “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28   This is not a stretch, as if, “But His kingdom hadn't yet come.” Rather, remember what He Himself said previously –   “And if in God's Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God's kingdom'” Matthew 12:28 (CG).   Likewise, in Luke 17, He says –   “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.'” Luke 17:20, 21   Jesus was not telling the Pharisees that the kingdom of God was within them, meaning inside of them. He was telling them that it was in their midst. Jesus' deity is the kingdom of God. The transfiguration of Christ was given as a witness to these three men concerning this fact.   Life application: In the Old Testament, the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) tabernacled with Israel in the wilderness. Everything about that prefigured Jesus Christ. In John 1:14, it says that the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. John was connecting the event in the wilderness of Sinai to Jesus in His humanity.   The deity of Christ is not a negotiable or debatable concept in Scripture. Rather, it is the fundamental truth found in Scripture. God entered into His creation to redeem us from sin. To deny the deity of Jesus Christ is to deny the only gospel that can save the human soul.    Be sure to get Jesus right. To fail to do so is an eternal error that will never be remedied once your final breath has been taken.   Lord God Almighty, we may not fully understand all the Bible reveals about Jesus, but we do understand what the Bible is telling us about Him. You have come in the Person of Jesus. We take it on faith that this is true. Thank You that You have done what You have done for us, O God. Amen.  

Sunday, 15 February 2026   Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; Matthew 17:1   “And after six days, Jesus, He takes with – Peter, and James and John his brother, and them, He uphefts into a high mountain off alone” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus finished up Chapter 16, noting that there were some standing there with Him who would not taste death till they saw the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Chapter 17 now begins, saying, “And after six days.” Mark says the same. Luke says, “about eight days.” Of this somewhat indeterminate time, “Jesus, He takes with – Peter, and James and John his brother.”   These selected men are, at times, referred to as the inner circle. This is because this is not the only time they are selected to come separately with Jesus. Rather, there are several such instances in the gospels. Of this group accompanying Jesus, it next says, “and them, He uphefts into a high mountain off alone.”   A new word is seen here, anapheró. It is derived from ana, up, and pheró, to bring, bear, or carry. The ten uses of the word combine to give a sense not found in any single English word. It refers to leading others up a mountain, being carried up into heaven, offering up sacrifices, carrying the sins of others, etc.   In each case, there is upward motion and the sense of bearing or leading a mass that has weight. A single word, that now exists as of the typing of this commentary, and which can describe all of these various thoughts understandably, is “upheft.” With a right click of the mouse, the red line under the word has disappeared, and it is now entered into the computer's dictionary.   As for the mountain Jesus uphefted the men to, there are various views. A later tradition identifies it as Mount Tabor. However, it is known that a fortress was on top of Tabor at the time. Further, its location is not conducive to the surrounding narrative as well.   A good candidate is Mount Hermon. It is the snowcapped mountain bordering Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. In typology, it is used in the Old Testament to symbolize heaven from which the Jordan (the Descender) then flows, picturing Jesus descending from heaven.    This seems like the likely mountain to accommodate what will next take place, but because it is not named, this remains speculation. This account, however, is a good contrast to what was said in Matthew 4 –   “Again, the traducer, he takes Him to a mountain – exceedingly high – and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.” Matthew 4:8   “And after six days, Jesus, He takes with – Peter, and James and John his brother, and them – He takes up into a high mountain off alone.” Matthew 17:1   Life application: It was noted above that Matthew and Mark say, “after six days,” while Luke says, “about eight days.” There is no contradiction in that. The word after means “after.” The word about means “about.” Seven is after six, and a general ending of seven is about eight. The indeterminate wording allows people to speak and write in their natural way without there being a contradiction.   Depending on the time reference of a person's statement, such things happen all the time. If one reckons the time after the day of an event, the timing would be –   Monday – Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday.   If one reckons from the day of an event, it would be –   Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday – Monday.   Thus, the first is six days after the first day, while the second is about eight days. We do the same type of reckoning all the time. If you arrive in Florida on a plane at 11:30 pm on 11 April, during a later conversation, you might still say you were in Florida on that day. If you left Wednesday morning at 5 am, you might say you were there that day also. Thus, you have been at the location three days, despite your total time there being about thirty-six hours.   When you are reading the Bible, be sure to consider such things. Luke uses a different perspective to say exactly the same thing as Matthew and Mark did. This is to be expected from a chronicler who is from outside of Israel as he sits and counts days. The timing provided by those inside Israel would be from their personal experience and how that aligns with culturally accepted norms.   When considering these things in their proper light, it is evident that no contradiction exists. Instead, the accounts are reliable and actually support the veracity of what is stated.   Lord God Almighty, You have given us a word which is challenging to our minds, and yet understandable when it is properly and carefully evaluated. Thank You that we will get out of Your word just what effort we put into it. Thank You for such a wonderful gift to guide and instruct us. Amen.  

取るに足りないものごとを拾い上げて面白がるPodcast、中トロラジオです！「それでいえばさ」で雑談が数珠繋ぎになりました。これが雑談系Podcastだ！・バレンタインにデカすぎるチョコをもらうはず(想像)のトロニー・共通テストをチラ見→なんもわからん・まぐおによく寝る方法を伝授・トロニー父の初選挙感想・小児科になった友達の話・推し活に目覚めた中西母・トロニー、母の誕生日を初めて本格的に祝う・珠玉のおたより(クソツイのコーナー)などなど…今週もよろしくね！(今回編集した人：中西)登場人物・中西→名古屋、男子校、演劇サークル出身。・トロニー→内モンゴル、富山、音楽系（根暗）サークル出身。名字がない。ふたりとも建築学科から非建築業界に就職した男性、30歳です。おたより、感想ツイートなどなどお待ちしています！おたよりはこちらから↓https://forms.gle/2dR4MwLpdDDoJgLd6中トロラジオのdiscordサーバーはこちら↓https://discord.gg/8bHBj5wd2Fーーーーー◎最高のオープニングゆnovation『pop out!』(yunovation.net)各種配信サービスでいつでも聞けます！https://linkco.re/SSFZfhxF◎珠玉のアートワークプランニング : 古林萌実(@__moem3in)デザイン：佐藤祐太郎(@yutarooo811)CG：嶋江大悟

In deze aflevering van Nerd Culture duiken we vol in noir-spinnen, mutant turtles en nostalgie met een hoofdletter N. Van een zwart-wit Nicolas Cage als Spider-Noir tot de geannuleerde, R-rated The Last Ronin die stiekem een vervolg had moeten zijn op de TMNT-film uit 1990; het is weer zo'n week waarin IP's botsen met creatieve ambities.We bespreken trailers, onverwachte updates en studio's die groot inzetten op hun kroonjuwelen: Paramount dat Turtle-power industrialiseert, Apple dat Severance volledig naar zich toetrekt, en Sony dat eindelijk beweging laat zien rondom Spider-Verse. Ondertussen blikken we terug op klassiekers, checken we nieuwe series en stellen we de vraag: wanneer is franchise-uitbreiding slimme wereldbouw… en wanneer wordt het puur machtsvertoon? Welkom bij Nerd Culture #246.Amazon dropt Spider-Noir TrailerWe duiken in het schaduwrijk van Spider-Noir, waarin Nicolas Cage opnieuw het web spint, maar dit keer in live-action. Geen standaard Spider-Man, geen Peter Parker, maar Ben Reilly als doorrookte privédetective in een depressie-era New York. Cage kanaliseert Humphrey Bogart, een vleugje Edward G. Robinson en – jawel – zelfs Bugs Bunny, en giet dat alles in een noir-jasje dat je zowel in kleur als in stijlvol zwart-wit kunt bekijken. Wat krijg je als je Marvel-mythologie mixt met jaren '30 film noir, radio-serial vibes en Hopper-achtige melancholie? In deze aflevering bespreken we hoe deze serie balanceert tussen pulp, kunst en comic book bombast — en of dit een creatieve heruitvinding is waar het genre op zat te wachten.Paramount gaat all-in op TMNTDaarnaast kijken we naar hoe Paramount vol inzet op Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles als compleet entertainment-universum. Onder nieuw Skydance-leiderschap wordt de franchise uitgerold over élke doelgroep: van de peutervriendelijke Teeny Mutant Ninja Turtles-YouTube-serie tot een volwassen proza-adaptatie van The Last Ronin, en een middle-grade boek met Splinter's Dojo. Daar blijft het niet bij. Mattel neemt vanaf 2027 de speelgoedlijn over, gekoppeld aan Mutant Mayhem 2 en een nieuwe live-action/CG-hybridefilm in 2028. Voeg daar Turtle-pizzeria's, heruitgaven van The Secret of the Ooze en crossovers aan toe, en het is duidelijk: dit is geen losse sequel-strategie, dit is een ecosysteem. De vraag die wij stellen: is dit slimme wereldbouw… of pure IP-exploitatie in slow motion?

Saturday, 14 February 2026   Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28   “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that the Son of Man is about to come in His kingdom, and then He will give each according to his practice. He next says, “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here.”   The Greek verb is a perfect participle. As can be seen, the NKJV fails to properly elucidate this, saying, “some standing here.” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a translation that accurately translates the verb. Instead, they rely on a present tense or present participle rendering. But Jesus' words indicate a completed action, the results of which are still present or relevant, “having stood here.” The same perfect participle is found in the same context in Mark 9:1. Combined with the words, “some...here,” this limits the scope of what is said to those present. Of those referred to, Jesus next says they are those “who not they should taste death.”   A new word is seen, geuomai, to taste. It is used figuratively here to indicate experiencing. It is aorist subjunctive, viewing the whole as a single completed event. In other words, these will not experience death, “until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”   The meaning of this is widely debated. Is this referring to the transfiguration? Does this speak of the resurrection? Is it the beginning of the church at Pentecost? Is it the destruction of the temple in AD70? Is it referring to the millennial kingdom? And so on. Each of these has its supporters. For example, some believe that Jesus' words in John 21:22 mean that John is still alive and he will be one of the two witnesses. One of several problems with that is that the two witnesses will be killed before the Son of Man returns. Further, Jesus' words in Matthew 16:28 are plural, indicating more than one person. One of many problems with the destruction of the temple view is that Jesus didn't return in AD70. If He did, other words of Jesus would be a complete failure, such as Matthew 24:27.   There is no record of such an event, something that would not be lacking. That is an unbiblical attempt by preterists to dismiss any future prophecy, including the restoration of national Israel as a literal, historical event.   The problem with the Pentecost view is that it was the Holy Spirit, not Jesus, who came upon the people in Acts 2. To conflate the meaning of one with the other is stretching the text like a rubber band, which will eventually snap. As for the resurrection view, as Jesus was not in a glorified state at the resurrection, that also seems to be a stretch of the intent.   The account that is noted next at the beginning of Matthew 17 follows in the same manner in all three synoptic gospels, which is a strong hint that tells us that the transfiguration is what Jesus is referring to. It is a kingdom foretaste for the benefit of the disciples. As it is recorded in the word, it is thus provided as a benefit for all.   This glorified state was then viewed by John when he received the book of Revelation, including Jesus' return in Revelation 19. For a fuller and more complete explanation of the details of Matthew 16, please continue reading the life application section of this commentary.   Life application: Chapter 16 of Matthew is a passage that petitions the Jews of the end times to consider who Jesus is based on their own history, comparing it to how He is portrayed in Scripture.   In verse 1, Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who asked for a sign from heaven. As in Chapter 15, these types of men represent the same thinking and paradigm as the rabbis of Israel today. Jesus told them that they could read the signs in the sky, but they could not discern the signs of the times.   With the coming of the end times, the Jews of Israel would naturally be expected to understand the situation they are in, but they will be clueless about the matter. In verse 4, Jesus said that the generation was wicked and adulterous, something akin to what Peter calls the Jews who rejected Jesus in Acts 2:40. Jesus continued that no sign would be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.   As explained, the sign of the prophet Jonah is the destruction of the temple, it being a year for a day based on Jonah's proclamation, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”   In the end times, the Jews will have to look to their Scriptures, understand that their temple was destroyed and they were exiled for rejecting Jesus, internalize this truth, and then have faith in Him based on that.   As an explanation of the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, in verse 5, the disciples went across the Sea of Galilee. As such, they crossed the Jordan because the Jordan runs through the sea. Being on the other (east) side signifies those who have not come through Christ to be saved. Jesus told them in verse 6 to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They thought He was talking about bread. But He corrected them by recapping the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand.   These miracles, anticipating the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, testify to His being the Messiah. What He was warning them about was the doctrine of those false teachers, not about bread. Their doctrine is to be equated with the false doctrine of the rabbis and other law teachers of the end times who have returned to law observance, temple worship, etc. It is a warning that the end times Jews are not to follow those Satan-led examples. Faith in Jesus, as represented by the feeding of the masses, is what brings restoration with God.   In verse 13, it is noted that Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea is derived from Caesar. The idea of being a Caesar is the deification of the individual. He is attributed a god-like status. Philippi is from Philip, a lover of horses. But in Scripture, a horse is metaphorically used as a source of military pride –   “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7   Abarim rightly defines Philippi with the lengthy paraphrase, They Who Lean On Their Military Complex. It is exactly the source of pride that Israel of today is heading towards. Their military superiority is their source of pride and is exalted to god-like status. This will only increase after the battle of Gogd/Magog.   It is in this prefigured end-times state that Jesus asks them who He is. The various answers are answers you could expect from Jews. Jesus was a prophet (or false prophet) or whatever. However, Simon Peter proclaims Him the Christ. What was Jesus' response? “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.”   The same name that was acknowledged as the sign in verse 4 is now noted by Jesus. He is Simon (Hearer) Son of Jonah. In other words, he represents the Jews who have understood (heard) the sign of Jonah. To be a son signifies identity. The end times Jews who acknowledge Jesus as the Christ are “sons of Jonah,” because they have made the connection by understanding the sign. In essence, “We missed Him when He came, but we know now who He is.”   It is on this proclamation that Jesus will build His out-calling of those in the end times. They will receive the keys to the kingdom of the heavens, entering into the millennial reign of Christ. In verse 21, Jesus spoke of His destiny to suffer and die. Peter's words of admonishment stirred Jesus to turn His back on him, call him Satan, and tell him he was not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.   It is a warning to the end times Jews that they are to accept a crucified Savior as the role of the Messiah. Israel looked, and still looks, for a conquering Messiah, but His role as the crucified Messiah is what God highlights in Him more than all else.   From there, Jesus told the disciples the words about denying themselves and losing their souls in order to save their souls. The thought is "losing their souls (meaning their lives) in order to save their souls."  It is exactly what is seen in Revelation –   “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9, 10  &   “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Revelation 15:2   In verse 27, it said, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers.” This is exactingly described in Revelation 19:11 –   “And I saw the heaven having been opened. And you behold! Horse, white! And the ‘sitting upon it' being called ‘Faithful and True,' and in righteousness He judges, and He battles” (CG).   Jesus is coming in His Father's glory. In Matthew 24, it notes that in the end times, He will send out His angels (Greek: messengers) to gather His elect.   The final verse of the chapter then said, “Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Again, this is exactly what occurs in Revelation. Some of the end times Jews will make it through the entire tribulation, not seeing death until they behold Jesus coming in His kingdom.   These things are gleaned from Matthew 16, forming a picture of what is coming in the future for Israel.   Lord God, how precious it is to know that You will not reject Israel, even when the whole world is imploding, You will be with them and carry them as a people through the tribulation and into the time promised to them so long ago. Thank You for Your covenant faithfulness, even to those of us who fail You constantly. Amen. Matthew 16   16 And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2And answering, He said to them, “Evening having come, you say, ‘Good weather!', for the heaven, it is red, 3and early, ‘This day... inclemency!', for glowering, the heaven, it reddens. Hypocrites! Indeed, you know to discern the face of the heaven, and the seasons' signs, not you can. 4Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and a sign – not it will be given it – if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.” And having left them, He departed.   5And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread. 6And Jesus, He said to them, “You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   7And they deliberated in themselves, saying, “Because not we took bread!” 8And Jesus, having known, said to them, “Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed? Because you took no bread? 9You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took? 10Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand, and how many hampers you took? 11How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12Then they comprehended that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread, but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees.   13And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, “Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?”   14And they said, “These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”   15He says to them, “And you, whom you say Me to be?”   16And answering, Simon Peter, he said, “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.”   17And Jesus, answering, He said to him, “Blessed you are, Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood not it revealed to you, but My Father, the ‘in the heavens'.” 18And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.” 20Then He enjoined His disciples that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ.   21From then He began, Jesus, to show His disciples that it necessitates Him to depart to Jerusalem and to suffer many from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be roused.   22And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him, saying, “Propitious, to You, Lord! No, not it will be, this to You!”   23And, having turned, He said to Peter, “You withdraw behind Me, Satan! Snare, you are, to Me. For you think not these of God but these of men.”   24The Jesus, He said to His disciples, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me. 25For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it. 26For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul? 27For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice. 28Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 16 and Nehemiah For BibleInTen.com - By DH, 14th February 2026 Welcome back to Bible in Ten! Today, we have another bonus episode as our daily commentary from CG at the Superior Word rounds off Matthew Chapter 16. Matthew's Gospel contains 28 chapters, and remarkably, it mirrors the first 28 books of the Old Testament as arranged in the Christian Bible. So in this episode, having considered Matthew 16, we'll now look at its fascinating counterpart: Book 16 of the Old Testament-Nehemiah. Nehemiah (נְחֶמְיָה / Nechemyah) means “Yah comforts.” That is appropriate because the whole book is comfort through restoration after judgment. Nehemiah functions as a historical “control text,” showing an established covenant pattern that Matthew 16 then re-presents prophetically (while still being literal history in Jesus' life, confirmed by the other Gospel writers).  Isn't the Word of God Amazing?! Let us now take a look at 12 connections which which support the summary of the chapter as detailed in the previous episode.     Unlike pairings between Matthew 14 with 2 Chronicles—where the correspondence spans a wider sweep of history across multiple dispensational stages—the Matthew 16 / Nehemiah pairing is compressed into a narrower prophetic frame (the tribulation-period restoration conflict) and does not proceed step by step.  The lack of a perfectly locked step-by-step sequence is itself instructive.   In Matthew 14 the picture maps a long, ordered panorama where chronology matters as it spans events across Israel's history from the dispensation of law to and prophetic future carries a clearer, more sequential structure. .. But in the Matthew 16 / Nehemiah pairing—focused on the tribulation—Scripture is not chiefly giving a detailed internal timetable; it is giving the shape of the period.   So lets turn to that shape now with these 12 steps. A Demand for a Sign and the First Opposition Matthew 16 opens with the Pharisees and Sadducees coming together to test Jesus, demanding a “sign from heaven.” It is leadership pressure-religious power trying to control the terms. Nehemiah opens with the same kind of pressure appearing as soon as restoration is announced. When Nehemiah arrives with authorization to rebuild, opposition rises immediately: Sanballat and Tobiah are “grieved” that someone came to seek Israel's good (Nehemiah 2:10). They then laugh and scorn: “What is this thing that ye do?” (2:19) The pattern is consistent: when God moves to restore, the entrenched powers demand proof, challenge legitimacy, and attempt to intimidate the work before it begins. “You Can Read the Sky… But Not the Times” Jesus says they can interpret the sky, but they cannot discern “the signs of the times.” The irony is that the very men claiming insight are the ones blind to what God is doing. Nehemiah carries that same irony in restoration form. The enemies act as if they understand the situation and control the outcome—mocking, threatening, and plotting as though the work will collapse on their schedule. But they do not know what's really happening. Their blindness shows in this: they only learn after the fact that their plan has been uncovered. In Nehemiah —“when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought…” (Nehemiah 4:15). They thought they were the ones reading the moment, but they were misreading it completely. The builders knew; the enemies did not. And once the plot was exposed, the intimidation lost its power and the work continued. The Sign of Judgment Remembered With the coming of the end times, the leaders of Israel would be expected to understand the situation they are in—but in Matthew 16 they are shown as unable to read it. Jesus calls them “wicked and adulterous” and says no sign will be given except “the sign of the prophet Jonah.” In the previous episode we learned that, Jonah's “Yet forty days” becomes a prophetic template—forty as judgment time—fulfilled in the temple's destruction about forty years after Christ, and then the long exile that followed. The end-times petition is therefore not, “wait for a new sign,” but: look back, read your history through Scripture, and believe. Nehemiah begins with that same mechanism already in place. The “sign” is not in the sky; it is in the city. Jerusalem stands as a covenant witness—broken, burned, and shamed: “the wall of Jerusalem… broken down, and the gates… burned with fire” (Nehemiah 1:3). And crucially, Nehemiah interprets that ruin as meaning—he does not treat it as mere geopolitics. He confesses, “We have dealt very corruptly… and have not kept the commandments” (1:7), and he appeals to what God had already spoken in the Scriptures about scattering for unfaithfulness and gathering upon repentance (1:8-9). Matthew 16 points Israel to a coming historical sign—temple judgment—meant to force a right reading of Scripture and history. Nehemiah opens with an earlier historical sign—Jerusalem in ruins—meant to do the same. In both cases, the issue is not that God failed to leave evidence. The issue is whether the people will stop being “clueless,” read the sign correctly, internalize what it says about their covenant state, and then return to the Lord in true faith. Crossing Over: From Exile-Space to Covenant-Space The movement across the sea of Galilee (and thus the Jordan-line running through it) pictured a spiritual boundary-those “on the other side” needing to come through Christ. Nehemiah is structured around a grand “crossing” of its own: movement from Persia and the regions “beyond the river” into the land where God's name was set. The restoration work begins when Nehemiah leaves the place of worldly security and goes to the place of covenant accountability. Beware the Leaven: Corrupt Influence Inside the People In Matthew 16, Jesus warns of the “leaven” of the Pharisees and Sadducees—doctrine and influence that works invisibly, spreading through the whole lump until everything is affected. The disciples first think He is speaking about bread, but Jesus corrects them: the danger is not what you eat, but what you absorb. Nehemiah gives a historical picture of that same leaven-principle. The enemy does not remain at the gate. He aims for infiltration—to become familiar, acceptable, even respected within the restored community. During the rebuilding, Nehemiah notes that the nobles were already entangled: “For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.” (Nehemiah 6:18). The leaven isn't merely threat from outside; it is sympathy and alliance forming inside—compromise that feels normal because it comes through “our own people.” And when that leaven is left unchecked, it advances from relationships to residence. In Nehemiah 13, Tobiah is not simply corresponding with leaders—he is granted an actual chamber in the temple precincts (Nehemiah 13:4-9). The unclean influence in its mature form, so that what begins as tolerated association ends as sanctioned presence. This is exactly the warning Matthew 16 carries forward. Don't misread the matter as “bread,” as though the issue were external details. The real danger is the teaching, the partnerships, the slow drift—leavened thinking that spreads through the body while everyone tells themselves nothing serious is happening, until the holy space itself is compromised. Power, Pride, and the Military Temptation Caesarea Philippi was highlighted as a picture-space: Caesar as deified man; Philippi as leaning on the “horse” principle-military pride. Nehemiah's rebuilding occurs under constant threat. The people must be armed while they build.  They work with one hand and hold a weapon with the other (Nehemiah 4:17-18). But Nehemiah carefully frames this: the sword is not their salvation. Their security is God, and vigilance is obedience. Necessary defense exists, but pride in defense is a snare. The people are restored, yet always at risk of trusting the wall more than the Lord. “Who Do You Say That I Am?” and the Community's Confession In Matthew 16, we have the God assisted confession: “You are the Christ.” Nehemiah contains an extended sequence where Israel is restored not merely by masonry but by identity-confession through God's Word: “So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.” (Nehemiah 8:8). This leads into confession of sin and confession of God's faithfulness (Nehemiah 9). In the Matthew framework: end-times Jews become true “hearers”- not merely readers of signs, but confessors of what the signs meant. 8. Kingdom-Order, and Covenant Enrollment In Matthew 16, everything turns on identity and confession. Israel can offer many assessments of Jesus—prophet, teacher, threat—but the end-times remnant is identified as those who follow Peter's confession: “You are the Christ.” After this, Jesus blesses Peter with a name that ties back to the only sign granted—Bar-Jonah, “son of Jonah.” In other words, Peter typifies the Jews who have heard the sign of Jonah, interpreted their own history rightly, and therefore confess the Messiah they once missed. That confession marks them out as the out-called, and it is on that proclamation that Christ speaks of kingdom entry—the granting of the keys. Nehemiah provides an Old Covenant “control text” for that same movement: a remnant comes to understanding, confession, and then formalized belonging. After the Scriptures are read and the national confession is made (Nehemiah 8-9), the people do not remain in mere emotion or general agreement. They move into enrollment—a defined act of covenant identity: “And because of all this, we make a sure covenant and write it; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it” (Nehemiah 9:38; detailed in chapter 10). Names are written. Allegiance is publicly owned. Commitments and boundaries are stated. And the Hebrew meaning of these written names themselves bear connection to tribulation period events described in Revelation. In typology terms, Nehemiah shows a keys-of-the-kingdom counterpart in historical form, a concrete act of authorized inclusion into a defined covenant community. As Bar-Jonah represents those who finally hear and identify the true Messiah, the sealed covenant in Nehemiah represents those who finally own and enter the restored order. 9. A Messiah Who Must Suffer: The Offense of God's Way In Matthew 16, Peter stumbles over the suffering plan. The moment Jesus speaks openly about rejection, suffering, and death, Peter tries to correct Him—and Jesus rebukes him sharply. The warning is against demanding a triumphant, expectation-shaped messiah while rejecting the true Messiah as God presents Him—first crucified, then glorified. Nehemiah provides the historical control picture of that same offense. Restoration there advances through obedience under scorn. The workers are mocked (Nehemiah 4:1-3), threatened (4:7-8), and worn down by discouragement (4:10). Yet the work moves forward because they refuse the “easy” path of retreat, silence, or compromise. That is the typological connection: Peter's impulse—“this shall not happen to You”—is the human instinct to reject a deliverance that comes through suffering. Nehemiah's remnant models the opposite posture: they accept that God often brings vindication after humiliation.   10. Deny Yourself: The Cost of Faithfulness Under Pressure In Matthew 16, Jesus' call to deny yourself is not abstract spirituality—it is a demand for costly allegiance. In the end-times picture drawn, it means refusing the survival-instinct that compromises truth, and choosing fidelity to Christ even when it carries temporary loss. Nehemiah provides a clear historical control of that same principle. He refuses the governor's allowance—he will not enrich himself at the people's expense: “I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor” (Nehemiah 5:14-19).  In both cases the work of God is advanced by those willing to serve faithfully even when they could have claimed their rights. Vindication: God's Work Revealed Before Enemies Matthew 16 ends with the thought of the Son of Man coming in glory with His messengers-a public unveiling of reality. Nehemiah contains a miniature version of that unveiling: The wall is finished, and the enemies “perceived that this work was wrought of our God” (Nehemiah 6:15-16). The point is the pattern: endurance, completion, public recognition that God did it, not man. What is done in faith is later shown to have been of God. A Remnant Standing at the End Some will make it through the tribulation without tasting death when they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. In Nehemiah, the “standing remnant” idea is stated in the narrative milestones that mark survival through the entire pressure campaign to the realized outcome. They survive to completion: “So the wall was finished…” (Nehemiah 6:15). They survive the intimidation campaign and remain in place: after the plot is exposed and collapses, the work continues and the enemies are put to shame (Nehemiah 6:16). They transition from building under threat to ordered life in the city: once the wall is finished, “the doors were set up,” gatekeepers and Levites are appointed, and watch is established (Nehemiah 7:1-3). They are still there as a gathered people at the end of the building phase: “all Israel dwelt in their cities… and all the people gathered themselves together as one man” (Nehemiah 7:73-8:1). They move from completion to public dedication: “at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem…” (Nehemiah 12:27), culminating in corporate worship and rejoicing (Nehemiah 12:43). Nehemiah doesn't just end with “a wall.” It ends with a preserved community—still present, still assembled, moving from survival under pressure (6:15-16) into established order (7:1-3), unified gathering (7:73-8:1), and dedication/worship (12:27, 43). So the narrative picture of a remnant standing is explicit: some make it through, and they stand in what God established. CONCLUSION: Why This is Controlled Typology In Nehemiah, the question is: Will the returned people truly become God's people again-by truth, separation, and covenant fidelity-rather than by mere structure? In Matthew 16, the question becomes sharper and final: Will Israel discern what their own history meant, reject leavened leadership, confess the true Messiah, accept the suffering plan, and endure to the kingdom? Nehemiah gives the Old Covenant restoration pattern in history. Matthew 16 gives the New Covenant restoration petition in prophecy-picture-centered entirely on Jesus: who He is, what He must do, and what His people must endure in the tribulation period. Nehemiah rebuilds a wall around a city.  Matthew 16 reveals the confession upon which Christ builds His out-calling. Lord God, we thank You for Your word-holy, faithful, and true. Give us discernment for the times we live in. Guard us from leaven-quiet compromise, false teaching, and fear-driven counsel that sounds spiritual but serves another master.  Strengthen us to bear reproach, to deny ourselves, and to endure faithfully until Your purposes are complete.  And may all our confidence rest not in walls, not in strength, not in man-but in the name of the Lord our God. Amen.

Friday, 13 February 2026   For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Matthew 16:27   “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus asked what profit it would be for a man to gain the world but lose his soul. He also questioned what a man could give for his soul. Jesus next says, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory.”   What is Jesus talking about here? Ellicott says, “The fact that the Son of Man is about to come to execute judgment, clothes its abstract statement with an awful certainty.” The Pulpit Commentary says, “the final judgment would put things in their true light.” Gill says, “either a second time to judgment at the last day ... or in his power, to take vengeance on the Jewish nation.”   These thoughts of judgment essentially sum up the overall thought of what scholars say the verse is referring to. It is true that Jesus is coming in judgment. However, His words place “about” in the emphatic position. Word for word, it reads “About for the Son of the Man to come.”   With the emphasis on “about...to come,” it is a stretch to tie this into the final judgment. The chapter began with the Pharisees and Sadducees testing Him, asking for a sign from heaven. The contents of the chapter focus on faith in God's plans as the overarching theme.   Jesus is speaking to and about Israel under the law. As this is so, the “about...to come” is likely referring to Israel's judgment for rejecting Jesus. Understanding that this was the sign of Jonah Israel was to expect, as detailed in Matthew 16:4, it seems to be the logical explanation.   However, all three synoptic gospels mention this general idea of Jesus' coming (Matthew 16:27, Mark 9:1, and Luke 9:27). After each, the transfiguration is mentioned. The transfiguration is something only seen by Peter and John. They were told to tell no one what they saw until the Son of Man was raised (Matthew 17:9, Mark 9:9). They complied with this as noted in Luke 9:36.   Jesus is ultimately referring to the judgment of Israel in AD70, but His words at this time are immediately referring to the transfiguration. This continues to be seen in His next words, “with His messengers.”   When Jesus is transfigured, who is He with? Though getting ahead in the narrative, He is with Moses and Elijah. Jesus is not referring to angels. He is referring to those who received His word and passed it to the people of Israel.   Moses and Aaron are called messengers of the covenant in Acts 7:53 and Hebrews 2:2 (yes, those verses are referring to Moses and Aaron – see the corresponding Superior Word commentaries). John the Baptist is called a messenger in Malachi 3. Jesus equates him to Elijah in Matthew 11:14, and he is prophesied to come as the Lord's representative in Malachi 4:5.   These are the messengers Jesus is referring to now. Moses represents the law, while Elijah represents the prophets of the law. They will appear with Jesus at the transfiguration. Only then are the next words stated by Jesus. “And then He will give each according to his practice.”   A new word is seen here, praxis, a practice (Sure sounds like the Klingon planet's moon). HELPS Word Studies says, “a function, implying sustained activity and/or responsibility.”   Almost all translations make this thought a continuation of what has already been said in this verse. However, it is likely a separate sentence beginning with “And then.” There will be the transfiguration, something Peter will refer to in 2 Peter 1:18 as a witness to the truth of God in Christ.   With the testimony of these apostles, the nation of Israel can accept or reject their word. In their rejection of it, judgment will come. And it did come, just as Jesus said concerning the sign of Jonah. The temple was destroyed forty years later.   The judgment of Israel came upon each “according to his practice.” Was their practice faith in Jesus or continued trust in the law which He fulfilled? This is what Jesus is speaking about.   Life application: God's messengers are both earthly and heavenly. The context of the passage determines which is being referred to. The law was not received by angels from heaven. It was received by men who then passed it to the people of Israel.   Angels did not come to earth and sleep with human women in Genesis 6. Rather, the ungodly line of Cain intermingled with the godly line of Seth. Over-sensationalizing the word leads to confusion of thought and a misunderstanding of what God is doing in the redemptive narrative as it has unfolded throughout the ages.   If someone is constantly referring to such sensational things, it would be best to avoid their instruction on them. If that is all they speak about, they should be rejected entirely. The Bible's focus is on man's restoration and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Keep this in focus, and you will do well.   O God, give us wisdom to rightly discern what Your word is telling us. There are many things that are hard to understand, and there are a lot of teachings that contradict each other. We can easily get lost in a sea of disagreement. So, Lord, lead us to the proper evaluation of what is being said so that we will be rightly trained. Amen.

Новые технологии, сплетни и стоимость подписок на софт. by CG ПОДКАСТ №1

It's movie night in New York City! Join us for some roving recording as we pound the cobblestones of Manhattan and take in two films in vastly different formats: Robert Altman's Short Cuts in glorious 35mm and Sam Raimi's Send Help in sensuous 4DX.Along the way we discuss Raymond Carver's short stories, Altman's influence on hyperlink cinema, Cast Away as an archetype of 21st century filmmaking, and why Raimi is the king of disgusting CG animals.Want to join the study group? Follow TTWS on social media, tell your friends to listen, and leave a rating & review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These all really help the show. And join the Discord too!You can also support TTWS directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhiteseaFor all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me

Thursday, 12 February 2026   For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26   “For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul?” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the importance of following Him, saying, “For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it.” In explanation of that, He continues, saying, “For what it benefits a man.”   He is asking what advantage is gained in the proposition He will set forth. If one were to deal with his soul in a supposed trade-up or barter for better, what advantage would result “if he may gain the whole world?”   Here is a new word, kerdainó, to gain. HELPS Word Studies says, “an ancient mercantile term for exchanging (trading) one good for another; (figuratively) to exchange (trade out) what is mediocre (‘good') for the better, i.e. ‘trading up.'”   So, the thought is that this person has a soul, and he trades it for what seems a better deal. It is the old “sell your soul to the devil” idea, where one gets to be a rock star with lots of money, girls, cars, and ten big houses. In the case of this person, he trades his soul, supposedly up, for the whole world. And yet, Jesus says, “and he may lose his soul?”   It is a second new word, zémioó, to injure. In this case, it is to suffer loss. So the person gets the whole world, something once offered to Jesus by the devil in Matthew 4:8 & 9. Despite gaining the world, he isn't eternal. His soul will be required of him at some point.   When that time comes, he is judged and unceremoniously chucked into the Lake of Fire. Was possessing the world worth it? Only a fool, and the world is filled with them, thinks so. Jesus continues, saying, “Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul?”   A third new word is seen, antallagma, an equivalent or ransom. The word is only found in this context here and in Mark 8:37. What can a man give for the ransom of His soul, securing safety from eternal damnation? The question is answered in Psalm 49 –   “Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me? 6 Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him— 8 For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever— 9 That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.” Psalm 49:5-9   The answer is that no payment can be obtained, apart from Jesus Christ (as noted in the previous two verses), to reconcile finite fallen man with the infinitely pure and holy Creator. The separation exists, and apart from God's intervention in Christ, man stands condemned. It is what Jesus expressly says in John 3:18 –   “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”   Life application: Paul alludes to exactly what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 16 –   “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11   Paul was given a choice. He chose wisely. Each of us is given a choice. Will we follow Jesus, accepting His ransom payment for our souls, or will we cling to this life, attempt to possess everything, and in doing so, lose it all? To attempt to gain in a world of loss is not a smart decision. But to supposedly “lose” now for a life of eternal gain is infinitely beneficial. Choose wisely.   Lord God, we often put way too much hope in things that are unprofitable. It is hard to shake off the desire for the things of this world. Help us to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, 11 February 2026   For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:25    “For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus said, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me.” He now continues the sentiment, saying something similar to Matthew 10:39, “For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it.”   As in Matthew 10, the words seem paradoxical. The psuché, soul, was introduced in Matthew 2:20. It is derived from psucho, breath. The meaning is based on the context, and it can mean the breath of one's life, the seat of affection, the self, a human person, or an individual. The word corresponds to the Hebrew word nephesh.   Jesus is referring to the soul in two ways. The first is the physical humanity of the person. We want to live. It is natural. Animals will respond when their lives are threatened. People are the same. But death is inevitable for all things. Despite this fact, people continue to challenge death, seeking ways to evade it.   However, if a person spends all of his time focused on himself, he will wind up losing the soul he possesses. In this case, it refers to the part of humans that will continue on after death. It is the part that will someday face God for judgment. Jesus next says, “And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it.”   Jesus mentioned a person taking up his cross and following Him. A cross is an instrument of death. To take up one's cross means that death may be ahead for that person. However, for the person who follows this path, it means that he will find life through Christ. This is the main subject that has been discussed, meaning, “Who is Jesus?”   Peter rightly answered that Jesus is the Messiah. Therefore, a part of the role of being the Messiah is granting life to His people. But it must transcend this earthly life if the people are bearing a cross while following Him. Referring to the thought in Matthew 10 is needed –   “The ‘having found his soul,' he will lose it, and the ‘having lost his soul' because of Me, he will find it.” Matthew 10:39   With that remembered, the structure of Jesus' words in Matthew 16 can be evaluated –   *If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, +and he took his cross, ^and he follows Me.   *For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. +And whoever, if he may lose his soul ^because of Me, he will find it.   Jesus directly equates coming after Him to that person saving his soul. He also equates taking his cross with losing his soul (meaning the earthly life he lives). But in following Him with his cross, the person will find his soul (meaning his eternal life). The similarity to Matthew 10 is more readily apparent when the structure is rightly understood.   To find one's soul refers to self-preservation in this life, something that will not obtain eternal life. However, to lose one's soul, and act of pursuing God in Christ, will obtain the desired outcome.   Of course, these things must be taken in the context of Jesus' audience and what it means to be Jesus the Christ. He will go to His cross in Jerusalem. There on the cross, He will die. Pursuing Jesus will no longer mean what it meant. Rather, to look to the cross of Christ in faith is what the epistles proclaim leads to life, meaning eternal life.   With the boxes aligned and in considering all things in their proper dispensation, the matter of what Jesus is referring to is clear and without contradiction.   Life application: Peter admonished Jesus inappropriately. But because he did, we have the words of Jesus' response to him, along with His continued words to the others, to more fully instruct us on what His mission was.   Remember, these men heard Jesus' words. They saw His miracles. They walked with Jesus and learned from Him. And yet, when He was crucified, they lost hope, having completely misunderstood what He came to do.   His mission was not to redeem Israel for their glorification among the nations. His mission was to redeem them from sin so that they could be glorified in the presence of God. Sin is the problem. It is a problem that was not and will not be corrected through animal sacrifices.   Those things only pointed to what Jesus would do. Israel still has not learned this lesson. The apostles and disciples did, but only after His work was complete. Israel is going to go back to temple worship and animal sacrifices.   This is not glorifying of God. Coming to Jesus is. With that in mind, and because Israel has the knowledge of the truth, even though they rejected it, what does that mean for them? Hebrews explains it –   “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:26-29   Until Israel is willing to come to Jesus, they will not save their soul. The words of Jesus are to individuals, but they also are a truth presented to Israel to hear and understand.   Lord God, thank You that we have Jesus to free us from sin's consequences. We pray for the nation of Israel today. They know what Christians believe, but they have rejected that message. May many eyes be opened as they continue to reject the only hope of salvation available to humanity. Amen.

Tuesday, 10 February 2026   Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24   “Then Jesus, He said to His disciples, ‘If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus turned and said to Peter to get behind Him because Peter was an offense to Him. Peter was being mindful of the things of men rather than God. Matthew next records, “Then Jesus, He said to His disciples.”   Mark and Luke add more detail. Mark says, “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also.” Luke apparently confirms this, saying, “Then He said to them all.” There is no contradiction. Matthew is focusing on the disciples. What Jesus says is, “If any, he desires to come after Me.”   Many translations say, “If any man will come after me...” Unless you are using the word to mean “desire,” which it doesn't always mean, the thought is insufficient. The word theló signifies a determined intent, such as want, desire, etc. To say, “If any man will,” might include those who do, but don't desire to do so.   Jesus is referring to those who voluntarily follow in His footsteps. Of them, He continues, “let him disown himself.”   It is a new word, aparneomai, to deny utterly or disown. It is an intensification of arneomai, to deny. There is a sense of an utter refusal to identify with the original source involved. In essence, “I once followed this path. It was my general walk of life. However, I am now following Jesus' path and utterly reject the one I once followed.”   There is a break from the old to take up the new. In this new path, He next says, “and he took his cross, and he follows Me.”   Notice how Jesus doesn't say, “And he takes up My cross and follows Me.” This is similar to Matthew 10:38 –   “And who not, he receives his cross, and he follows after Me, not he is worthy of Me” (CG).   In both instances, Jesus instructs His hearers to receive their cross, not His. This, then, is the beginning and fundamental error of ten thousand commentaries and sermons over the years. Does what Jesus just said square with these words –   “The allusion is, to Christ's bearing his own cross, and Simeon's carrying it after him, which afterwards came to pass.” John Gill, et. al.   It is true that Jesus has alluded to His suffering and death, but that is future. He is not asking them to pick up His cross at all. They have a cross to bear in following Him at this time. Whatever burden He bears, they should be willing to follow Him. They have no idea that He will die on a cross, and when it happened, they were utterly dejected and confused. In fact –   “Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?' 19 And He said to them, ‘What things?' So they said to Him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.'” Luke 24:18-21   These disciples, indicative of all of them, failed to understand anything at all about Jesus' cross. When Jesus tells them to pick up their cross, He is telling them that whatever burdens they have on His path, even if it results in death, is a path they must choose. This is why Jesus rebuked Peter over His appeal concerning the things He would suffer.   In the new dispensation, the dispensation of grace, which began after Jesus' completed work, we are not instructed to take up our cross at all. That is failed sermon speak. What does Paul say? In Galatians 6, the answer is seen –   “For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” Galatians 6:13-15   Jesus was on a trek to fulfill the law and die in fulfillment of it. Those who followed Him were to see this, understand that this was what had to take place (as He explicitly told them), and to take up their own cross, following Him.   With Jesus' work complete, we now accept peace with God through His cross.   Life application: The dispensational model is correct. God is working in certain ways at certain times to reveal and complete His plan of redemption. The problem is that even dispensationalist teachers and preachers fail to keep the boxes straight.   We do not have a cross to bear in the sense that people speak of when they evaluate Matthew 16:24. Rather, we have a cross to accept, revel in, and boast about, meaning the cross of Jesus Christ. Pay attention to what Jesus says in the context in which He says it.   Consider the full scope of what He is referring to, including the stunned reaction of those who saw Christ crucified and thought, “We had a failed hope.” Then consider the victory of what really transpired. Jesus Christ did redeem Israel. He also redeemed all of Adam's fallen seed who are willing to come to Him through His cross.   We don't have to give up this life to obtain it, except in the sense that we are converted to a new life in Christ positionally. We can continue as plumbers, executives, store clerks, or whatever other profession we find ourselves in. We can continue to live in our homes, remain married to our spouses, and so on.   Revel in the new life you have been given, even as you continue to live out your current life in the presence of God who sent His Son to redeem you unto Himself. Yes, revel in the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Lord God Almighty, You are great and greatly to be praised. All glory, honor, and majesty belong to You, forever and ever. Thank You for Jesus Christ and His cross. May that always be our boast. To Your glory, amen.

Monday, 9 February 2026   But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23   “And, having turned, He said to Peter, ‘You withdraw behind Me, Satan! Snare, you are, to Me. For you think not these of God but these of men'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Peter, without proper thought, admonished Jesus for His words concerning His destiny in Jerusalem. Because of his words, it now says of Jesus, “And, having turned.”   We can only speculate what this means. Was Jesus not directly facing Peter until he spoke, but after hearing his words, Jesus turned toward him? Did Jesus turn towards the disciples to allow them to clearly hear what He was going to say, or did Jesus turn His back to Peter, while speaking as a sign of contempt and admonishment?   The latter seems the most likely. Peter would probably have been facing Jesus. With his words contradicting what Jesus said, Jesus probably turned around with His back now to Peter. With this symbolic act accomplished, the next words would have full effect: “He said to Peter, ‘You withdraw behind Me, Satan!'”   The turning, then, would be a metaphor for the words themselves, confirming His words as an object lesson to Peter. It is the same thought, with the added object lesson, that Jesus said to Satan in Matthew 4:10, “You withdraw Satan!” Peter has taken over the bidding of Satan in his unwitting attempt to frustrate God's plans for man's redemption.   This would be what Luke was referring to in Luke 4:13 –   “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”   The devil took full advantage of Peter's overzealous and unintelligent utterance to tempt Jesus. But Jesus was already prepared to defend the Father's will by standing against such an appeal. With His object lesson and admonishment accomplished, Jesus continues, saying, “Snare, you are, to Me.”   The word skandalon has already been seen. It signifies a trap-stick that is used to snare an animal. It is quite often translated as a stumbling block. Jesus is saying that Peter's words are Satan's attempt to trip Jesus up, causing Him to falter through sin.   Once one is in a snare, he is entrapped. Sinning, which it would be for Jesus by denying the Father's will for Him, would be the result if He were so ensnared. But Jesus prevailed over this. His words continue, saying, “For you think not these of God but these of men.”   Peter had just been told that because of his proclamation, revealed to him by the Father, he would possess the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And yet, he still had an earthly view of God's plans. He was a work in progress, something that continued on long after Jesus had completed His earthly ministry.   Life application: Paul uses the same term, skandalon, when referring to the crucifixion of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 1:23 and Galatians 5:11. His crucifixion is the basis for the gospel of salvation. In fact, in 1 Corinthians, he directly makes the connection –   “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block [skandalon] and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25   A trap is something that is hidden and unnoticed. If someone knew he would be trapped, he would simply avoid the thing. However, people overlook what they don't see. This is what the gospel is like. It is so simple and unassuming that people miss its significance. But in denying the efficacy of the cross, people deny the only means of restoration with God.   The world has many different ways of confusing the issue. The term “all paths lead to God” may sound good, but it isn't a very well-thought-out sentiment. Religions, by their very definition, are contradictory to other religions. It would be a ridiculously inept Creator who would send His Son to the cross to die for the sins of the world, but who would then accept people into His list of saved people who denied the very thing He had done.   Maligning Jesus, spitting on His cross, etc., are the same as spitting on God who sent His Son to die. Use wisdom as you hear people's ideas about God, heaven, restoration, etc. It is so easy to be misled by catchphrases, fine-sounding arguments, and appeals to emotion. But such things normally have nothing to do with the reality of what God has done.   Lord God, help us not to be a hindrance to others as they seek the truth of the gospel. Unlike Peter in his admonishment of Jesus, we need to stop and consider things carefully, and then present them in a manner that will glorify You through right instruction concerning Jesus and His complete work. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Sunday, 8 February 2026   Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Matthew 16:22   “And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him, saying, ‘Propitious, to You, Lord! No, not it will be, this to You!'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples about the trials ahead for Him in Jerusalem, including being killed. He also told them about the resurrection on the third day. Peter, who had just stepped forward and proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, now has something to say about Jesus' words. Matthew notes, “And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him.”   A new word is seen, proslambanó, to take aside. It is from pros, signifying motion toward something, and lambanó, to take. In this case, the word pros is used to indicate interacting with, and so it means to “aggressively receive, with strong personal interest” (HELPS Word Studies). A suitable single word that can be taken both literally and figuratively would be clutch.   Peter either actually or figuratively clutched on to Jesus because of His words and began to admonish Him over His words, “saying, ‘Propitious, to You, Lord!'”   Another new word, the adjective hileós, is used. It signifies “propitious.” In Attic Greek, it was used to indicate appeasing divine wrath. It is related to the Greek word hilastérion used in Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 9:5 to indicate the mercy seat of the Ark, which prefigured Christ as our propitiation before God.   Peter's use of it here is idiomatic. He is essentially saying, “For heaven's sake!” or “God forbid!” In such an exclamation, it then indirectly signifies, “May God be propitious to you.” However, behind Peter's intent is, “No way, Jose!” Thus, “God forbid” is a good paraphrase. Having said that, he continues with an emphatic “No, not it will be, this to You!”   The double negative adds heavily to the negative intent of the idiomatic expression. Peter is adamant that Jesus is not going to suffer. And whatever Jesus meant by “be killed” is not going to happen.   As is common with Peter, he has failed to stop and think his words through. Even without understanding that Jesus is God, he is admonishing his Lord, Teacher, and Guide. This is something that is wholly inappropriate for a person in his position. He also acted without further questioning, such as, “What do you mean by...”   But if he had stopped and evaluated Jesus' words before blurting out his admonishment, the most obvious question of all would be, “What do you mean by, ‘and the third day be roused.'” Whatever Jesus meant by “be killed,” that topic is then qualified by the words “be roused.”   Not having a clue about what Jesus was saying, he should have stopped, formed a question, and then asked in a respectable manner. It may be that his zeal is appropriate, but his approach with that zeal is unacceptable.   Life application: In Galatians 4:17, Paul says, while speaking of Judaizers, “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.” There are times when having zeal is good. This is especially so when it is in the service of God, honoring our duties as citizens of our nation, or for the benefit of family, friends, the downtrodden, etc.   However, if we don't put curbs on our zeal, we can fall into the same personal trap Peter did. Our good intentions will turn out to be inappropriate because we didn't consider all the facts. Likewise, if our zeal is misdirected to start with, like the Judaizers in Galatia, we err in whatever we are doing. Peter found this out when he fell into their trap.   If our misdirected zeal is doctrinal in nature, we are working against what God has ordained. That is why when people shoot off their mouths about doctrinal matters without properly understanding what the Bible says about them, they cannot be pleasing to God.   A simple example is the rapture. We have to determine one of two things first. Does the Bible teach there will be a rapture or not? The answer to that needs to be fully understood before talking about the matter in an instructive manner. Only one answer will be correct. The other will be a false teaching.   The next question would be, does the Bible teach about the general timeframe concerning when it will happen? This would mean pre-trib, mid-trib, pre-wrath, post-trib, etc. Only one answer can be correct. The other answers will be contrary to what God expects of us in our instruction.   The next question might be, “Am I maintaining the proper context for my conclusions?” In other words, a person may be using Jesus' words from Matthew XX to support his rapture conclusions. Is that appropriate, or is it out of the context of what Jesus taught?   Next, a good question is, “Now that the general timeframe of the rapture has been rightly understood, can I pinpoint the precise timing of it, or is that going to be unknown to us until it happens?”   The Bible does tell us. So if we take a contrary position, we are harming, not helping, with proper instruction on this matter. Our conclusions are false, and thus we are teaching falsely. Those who teach falsely have become false teachers. And what does the Bible say about such people?   These are only a few of the many parameters to be understood about a single lesser doctrine that is found in Scripture. How much more should we be prepared before speaking about the more important doctrines that can lead people to a complete misunderstanding about who God is, how to be saved, etc.?   No wonder James says that not many should become teachers. Unless we are willing to do the hard work to rightly understand and teach what the word of God says, we will be more stringently judged for our words. Read the Bible! Study to show yourself approved!   Lord God, You are wonderful, forgiving of our transgressions because of Jesus. But we still must consider that You are holy and Your word is sacred. May we never attempt to run ahead without thinking things through carefully. We do not want to do Satan's bidding while intending to honor You. Give us wisdom in this, O God. Amen.  

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Saturday, 7 February 2026   From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Matthew 16:21   “From then He began, Jesus, to show His disciples that it necessitates Him to depart to Jerusalem and to suffer many from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be roused” (CG).   In the previous verse, Matthew said that Jesus enjoined the disciples that they should tell no one He was the Christ. Matthew continues with, “From then He began, Jesus...”   Some manuscripts add the word “Christ” after Jesus. This seems forced and unnatural, but it is included because of the proclamation that was just made. If it said, “Jesus the Christ,” it would seem more natural. It would also be a suitable contrast for what will be said in the next verse by Peter. But almost all translations, despite using that text for their work, omit the word.   There is an obvious change in the tone of the words. “From then” and “began” signify that something new is introduced and ongoing henceforth. A point in the ministry had been reached that necessitated this new direction. Understanding this, Matthew continues with “to show His disciples that it necessitates.”   A new word, dei, what must happen, is introduced. It is a form of deó, to bind. Thus, there is a binding effect on the matter that cannot be avoided. In this case, because it is a matter of Jesus' destiny as the Messiah, it will be necessitated as part of fulfilling His divinely set purpose for coming.  Specifically, it was first for “Him to depart to Jerusalem.”   Jerusalem is the place appointed for the events He necessarily needed to go through or accomplish to occur. If one has read the Bible through several times, a short exchange that realizes this thought, and which gives a sense of foreboding, is –   “On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, ‘Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.' 32 And He said to them, ‘Go, tell that fox, “Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.'” Luke 13:31-33   Matthew next records, “and to suffer many.”   Another new word is seen, paschó, to feel heavy emotion, especially suffering. Thayer's says, “the feeling of the mind, emotion, passion.” This is an alternate form of pathos, the etymological root of our modern word pathos, a word that gives the sense of suffering, experience, and/or strong emotion. Matthew next notes this would be “from the elders and chief priests and scribes.”   To this point, Jesus has been somewhat hounded by these people as they verbally challenged Him. Matthew 12:14 even indicated the thought that they went out and plotted against Him about how they might destroy Him.   Despite this, there has not been any physical attack against Him at this point. Things were to change, however, when He and the disciples began to minister in Jerusalem. Matthew continues to note what Jesus said, “and be killed.”   The word “killed” is plain enough. It is the Greek word apokteinó, first used in Matthew 10:28. It is an intensified form of kteino, to kill. Because of Jesus' use of this word, one would think the apostles would have understood His death as being a part of what should be expected, because it was told them far in advance.   Peter's words in the next verse point to his dissatisfaction with what Jesus says. But it includes more than just killing, meaning the suffering of many things. Therefore, it could be that they thought Jesus was speaking in hyperbole or metaphorically. The word is used this way two other times –   “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed [apokteinó] me.” Romans 7:11   “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death [apokteinó] the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16   As such, Matthew's next words, though understood by us because we know the outcome of the story, may also have been completely misunderstood by the disciples. He records, “and the third day be roused.”   The word signifies to awaken or rouse. Strong's says, “literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence.” With such a broad use of meanings, the confusion of the disciples is completely understandable. Of Jesus' words here, Vincent's Word Studies notes –   “This first announcement mentions his passion and death generally; the second (Matthew 17:22, Matthew 17:23), adds his betrayal into the hands of sinners; the third (Matthew 20:17-19), at length expresses his stripes, cross, etc.”   Life application: Jesus has acknowledged that He is the Messiah. He has noted that the basis of Peter's proclamation, meaning that He is the Christ, would be that upon which He would build His out-calling. As such, it is completely understandable that the disciples would think His words were not really literal. How could someone who was dead do any building of a group of people?   It is easy for us to think of how dull they were, but we hear things like this all the time and don't take them seriously. A football team may be on its way to an important game without three key members. They got thrown into jail for partying too much and have left the team vulnerable.   The head coach attends a press conference where he says that all will be great. They are the “Messiahs of madness” and would prevail. And yet, in the next two minutes, not knowing his mic is still on, he says to his offensive coordinator, “We are going to get killed down there.” It becomes a sensational story. And more, the Chiefs got totally slaughtered by the Eagles.   Nobody took them at their word, and other than getting proverbially slaughtered, all the players returned home. In tears, yes, but still very much alive.   Be sure to give an ounce of grace to the disciples. We were not there and cannot know all that was on their minds as the days of the life of Jesus and His ministry continued to unfold before their eyes.   Lord God, help us to have a clear perspective of what is going on in Your word. There are things that seem so obvious, and yet, we cannot grasp why they occur. In such instances, give us the wisdom to think through what is said and try to understand it from other perspectives so that we can come to the right conclusion about it. Thank You for being with us in our study of Your superior word. Amen.

Thursday, 5 February 2026   And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19   “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus proclaimed Simon Pétros, Peter. He also said that on the Rock, He would build His out-calling, noting that the gates of Hades would not overpower her. Now, still speaking to Peter, He says, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.”   A new word, kleis, a key, is introduced. The word is used both literally and figuratively. In this instance, it is figurative. A key is what provides access. An example of that is seen in Isaiah 22–   “Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah. 22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open. 23 I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, And he will become a glorious throne to his father's house.” Isaiah 22:20-23   Eliakim was given the key, meaning access, to the house of David. In Luke 11:52, Jesus refers to the key to knowledge. Again, the use is figurative to indicate access to knowledge. Jesus is giving Peter the keys to heaven. He next explains what that means, saying, “And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens.”   Access to heaven is through faith in Jesus. That is something ahead at this time for Peter. Hence, the future tense, “I will give.” The seal of salvation based on that faith is the Holy Spirit. Peter is being told that he will be the one to bind, meaning prohibit, that which is prohibited in the heavens. That is seen with the use of the perfect participle, having been bound. Likewise, Jesus says, “And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.”   To loosen means to undo and thus to allow. Peter, along with the other apostles, was given the authority to make decisions concerning what was to be done or not done in the church, confirming that which was bound in heaven. It is not a sleight of hand to include the other apostles. Those who wrote the epistles are demonstrating the same authority.   Peter is singled out here as the first to bear this authority. But in what sense? The answer is found in Acts, where the establishment of the church is recorded. From there, its continued expansion is followed throughout its pages. Who first addressed the people of Israel after Christ's ascension at Pentecost? It was Peter, in Acts 2.   “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?' 38 Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.' 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”   Again, in Acts 8, the message spread to the Samaritans. The people believed, just as those in Jerusalem, but something was missing. Therefore –   “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:14-17   And again, in Acts 10, the message was sent to the Gentiles, specifically Cornelius and his household –   “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46   What is the common element in each account? Peter was present to verify what had already been bound in heaven. The Spirit, the proof of salvation, was poured out on the Jews through Peter's evangelism. Salvation next went to the Samaritans, but the proof of that salvation awaited Peter's presence. Salvation then went to the Gentiles when Peter was instructed to testify to the work of Jesus.   God's plan of salvation was intended for all people. This is the intent of Peter's having been given the “keys” to what was bound in the heavens. The structure of Acts makes it clearly evident that the focus of the book is on Peter from Acts 1 through 12. However, the narrative then shifts to Paul in Acts 13-28. Those things Peter did are repeated through Paul in a precise and meticulously recorded manner.   Peter, being the apostle to the circumcision, verified what God had planned. He spoke the gospel, and he possessed the keys. However, Jesus' words in no way restrict that same ability and authority from any other person. It simply began with Peter's witness of the unfolding events in God's redemptive narrative.   Life application: Something quite common in Christianity is for people to claim they can “bind” a spirit, “loosen a prophetic word,” etc. When you hear this, don't be fooled that they are somehow super spiritual or possess some gift or authority that you don't. Such people are tossing out catch phrases that actually mean nothing.   We don't have such authority. The Bible is written. It is our guide and authority for what we are to do in the church. We don't need to witness proof of anyone's salvation. That is up to God to decide. Mormons claim they are saved. Jehovah's Witnesses do too. And yet, their doctrine is false, and their teachings are heretical.   We are to tell people about Jesus, pray for them when they have needs, rightly instruct them about the faith, and let God be God. Don't get caught up in goofy catchphrases that actually mean diddly. Be sound in your doctrine. That is sufficient. We don't need to impress others. We need to do what God has instructed us to do.   Glorious Lord God, may we not be like those who claim authority that we have no right to. The pope claims he sits in Peter's seat and has the authority to decide things he has no authority over. Help us to stick to Your word, in context, and not get misdirected by false teachings that profit nothing. Amen.  

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Wednesday, 4 February 2026   And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  Matthew 16:18   “And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that Simon Bar-Jonah was blessed because it wasn't flesh and blood that illuminated his proclamation. Rather, it was the Father in heaven who did. He continues, saying, “And I also, I say to you.”   Jesus is going to illuminate more concerning what Peter said, expanding on it to ensure that what was said is highlighted and magnified. With that understanding, Jesus emphatically declares, “that you, you are Peter.”   The name Peter has already been seen and explained. It is a masculine noun, Pétros, meaning rock. It is generally a piece of a rock, like a small rock or stone, found along a path. Jesus continues with, “and upon this – the Rock – I will build.”   The word now is petra, a feminine noun signifying a mass of rock, such as a projecting cliff. HELPS Word Studies, citing Zodhiates, says, “(Pétros) always means a stone . . . such as a man may throw, . . . versus 4073 (pétra), a projecting rock, cliff" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).   Of this difference, Ellicott [et al] says, “it would seem clear that the connection between Peter and the rock (the words in the Greek differ in gender, πέτρος [Pétros] and πέτρα [petra], but were identical in the Aramaic, which our Lord probably used) was meant to be brought into special prominence.”   This conclusion may or may not be correct, but the basis for it is inane. The New Testament is written in Greek, not Aramaic. Therefore, the difference cannot be ignored or downplayed. There is obviously wordplay seen, but a definite distinction is being made between Pétros and petra.   As for what Jesus is talking about, there are several prominent views. One is that He is referring not to Peter, but to his proclamation: “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.” Others believe Jesus is referring to Himself as the Rock. Still others say that it is, in fact, referring to Peter, but without all of the later-added Roman Catholic baggage that has nothing to do with the simple pronouncement.   Further, what is lacking in Jesus' words is as telling as what He has stated. Jesus does not simply state, “and upon you I will build...” However, in the coming verse, Jesus will directly speak to Peter with words concerning his position and authority. Therefore, Jesus is not speaking of Peter in His words now.   Letting Scripture interpret Scripture, both testaments tell us who the Rock is. Again and again, in typology and in direct metaphor, the Lord is called the Rock. A couple of the many such examples –   “He is the Rock [tsur], His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4   “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock [tsur]! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Psalm 18:46   In the New Testament, Paul and Peter both refer to Christ in this way –   Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock [petra] that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4   Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock [petra] of offense.” 1 Peter 2:7, 8   As such, the Rock is both the proclamation and the Person. Peter wasn't speaking about an ethereal concept. He was asked to identify who Jesus was. His proclamation is that of Jesus being the Rock, the Lord Yehovah, who is the Christ, whether Peter realized that or not. Jesus was thinking in human terms, but Scripture, and thus Jesus, is referring to God's means and mode of redemption.   This is all the more certain because the cornerstone is what Paul refers to as well. It is the setting stone of a foundation –   “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God, which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-11   Jesus, probably pointing to Himself, acknowledging Peter's confession and what it means, said that He is the Rock. God's building is not set upon Peter. It is set upon Christ. This building is, as Jesus says, “My out-calling.”   It is a new word, ekklésia, an out-calling. It is derived from ek, from or out of, and kaleó, to call. Thus, it is an out-calling, a group of people called out for a particular purpose. This is the group that Paul calls “God's building” in 1 Corinthians 3:10. Jesus says that His people will be built upon Himself, “and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her.”   Another new word, katischuó, to overpower, is used. It is an intensification of ischuó, to have or exercise force. The prefix kata, down, thus gives the sense of overpowering. What is Jesus referring to here? Unfortunately, it is often claimed as a tool for effective evangelizing, as if saying, “We have the power to storm hell itself!”   That is great for sermons, but it has nothing to do with the intent. Gates have two purposes. The first is a defensive barrier that can be opened to allow people in. The second is containment, such as when the gates are shut to keep someone from getting out, a spy or a prisoner, perhaps.   The gates of Hades are gates of containment. Hades (Old Testament Sheol) is the place of the dead. It is where all humanity is destined to go, including saved believers at this time. This is made clear time and again in the New Testament. But a day is coming when the Lord's out-calling will be taken from there, and the victory Jesus refers to now is realized –   “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.' 55 ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-57   It is true that proclaiming the gospel will change a person's ultimate destiny, but it is not by our power that Hades' gates are overcome, but by the power of Jesus, the Subject of the gospel, who had already overpowered Hades' gates.   Life application: The Roman Catholic coopting of this verse to claim Peter is the first pope and that all popes after him have infallible authority to act and make decrees is utter nonsense. That assumes too much, and it lays hands on that which belongs to God alone.   If Peter were the “rock” spoken of here by Jesus, then it would mean he was the foundation of the church, as they claim. But Peter and Paul laid the same foundation, as noted above. This is then confirmed elsewhere –   “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22   The “foundation” here is not speaking of the apostles and prophets, as if they are the foundation. Rather, it refers to their proclamation, which is Jesus. This is exactly what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 16. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, which is the basis of the foundation. He is also the entire foundation as proclaimed by God's messengers.   Sound theology always points to Jesus, not the Roman Catholic Church.   Lord God, thank You for our sure Foundation and Cornerstone, Jesus! We have a Rock, who is faithful and true, upon which our hope is grounded. Nothing, not even the gates of Hades, can separate us from You. Thank You that when we depart, it will not be forever from Your presence. Rather, a day is coming when we will be gathered to You forever. Hallelujah and Amen.

Tuesday, 3 February 2026   Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:17   “And Jesus, answering, He said to him, ‘Blessed you are, Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood not it revealed to you, but My Father, the ‘in the heavens'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Peter said to Jesus that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew next records, “And Jesus, answering, He said to him, ‘Blessed you are.'”   This is the first time that Jesus has said such a thing directly to a person. So far, His blessing statements have been general in nature, such as –   “Blessed – the pure of heart, For they – God they will see.” Matthew 5:8   His words, then, bear a special highlight that is explained as the verse continues. As for who is blessed, Jesus says, “Simon, Bar-Jonah.”   The name Bar-Jonah means “Son of Jonah,” bar being the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew ben. Both mean “son.” The name Jonah is derived from the Hebrew yonah, a dove.   It is the same name as the prophet Jonah. Some translations say, “son of John” instead of “son of Jonah.” The names are interchangeable from the Greek transliteration. But it is likely Jonah is correct for several reasons, including Old Testament typology, of which the Book of Jonah fits nicely in with events from the life of Peter.   Using the father's name instead of his given name is common in the Bible. Saying a person's first name signifies general talk. Using the father's name can be as an honorific, a term of joking familiarity, a term of indifference, a term of contempt, etc.   The context determines which. But it is a way of highlighting the person when speaking to or about him. Jesus continues, “for flesh and blood not it revealed to you.”   The word haima, blood, is introduced here. The word's origin isn't certain, but it signifies blood both literally, as in that of people or animals, and figuratively, as in juice, such as grapes. It can be used substantially when referring to Jesus' atoning blood. Thus, it refers to His bloodshed and, thus, His death.   The meaning of Jesus' words is that Peter didn't just hear this from someone or when people were speaking. Nor was it something that was derived from earthly facts that he could put together to conclude that Jesus is the Christ of God. Rather, his deduction was one based on God the Father working through Jesus. That is seen in the next words, “but My Father, the ‘in the heavens'”   In other words, there have been lots of people who have been proclaimed the Messiah throughout the years, but those have all been regular people with no basis for the claim. The Person of Jesus is on an order of magnitude so much greater than any other supposed Messiah. Observing Him and seeing His works, Peter saw and understood that He was revealing God in Christ, nothing less.   Having said that, this doesn't mean that Peter was under divine inspiration or that he understood that Jesus is God. At this point, his limited view of Jesus was that God was working in Him. That is not contradictory. Jesus had to explicitly say it to him and the other disciples later in His ministry –   “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.' Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.'” John 14:8-11   Despite this clear presentation of Himself, these men still did not understand. Only after the resurrection did the muddied waters of their thinking begin to clear.   Peter has gone as far as his mind could take him at this point concerning who Jesus is. But what he has contemplated is of divine origin as God has revealed Himself through Jesus, whom he and the other disciples have so closely interacted with.   Life application: A noted pastor was speaking on the blood of Jesus. He essentially said, “It isn't the blood, the substance, that was special but what it signified.” Oh boy, was he barbecued and called a heretic. The know-it-all community pulled out their blood samples from Jesus' cross and proved that he was wrong.   Obviously, that didn't happen. Nobody knows what Jesus' blood is like. The speculation about it could go on and on, but without evidence, we are left with what then must be what is on God's mind, which is exactly what the preacher was trying to communicate.   In the Bible, blood and life, and thus blood and death, are taken synonymously. One of many such examples is found in Leviticus 17 –   “And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:10, 11   To pour out an animal's blood was to pour out its life. When Jesus died, He is said to have poured out His soul (Isaiah 53:12), meaning the lifeblood. Thus, it is a direct analogy to death. This is explicit from Deuteronomy 12:23, where the soul is said to be the blood –   “Only you must seize to failure of eating the blood. For the blood, it the soul, and not you will eat the soul with the meat” (CG).   Be sure that the preacher was not teaching heresy. He was making a point about what the blood signifies. Don't get caught up in every “heresy” accusation that is flung around by people. Think such issues through, and be ready to defend proper theology when someone is in the right.   Glorious God, we thank You for the precious shed blood of Jesus Christ. In His death, we have life everlasting, if we will just accept it as our atonement. We have sinned, and do we ever need a Savior! He has come! Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Monday, 2 February 2026   Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16   “And answering, Simon Peter, he said, ‘You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus, in a question bearing emphasis, asked the disciples who they say He is. A response is given in a similar emphatic form. Matthew begins this statement with, “And answering, Simon Peter, he said.”   Simon Peter is generally the one to step forward and speak for the others. He was a bit impetuous, and he was not sound in backing up his faith at times, such as on the night of Jesus' crucifixion and at the time when Judaizers had come to Antioch. At that time, he waffled in his convictions, withdrew from the Gentiles, and had to be sharply rebuked by Paul for his stand, as recorded in the book of Galatians.   However, he was able to clearly express his thoughts to Jesus about who the disciples agreed Jesus was, saying, “You, You are the Christ.”   The emphatic “You, You” is given as a response to Jesus' carefully structured question. The word Christ is the same as the Hebrew mashiakh, Messiah, both of which mean “anointed.” This was both a recurring thing and a unique thing, depending on the situation.   Kings were anointed for their position. The high priest was anointed for his. Even Cyrus is called the Lord's anointed in Isaiah 45:1. It was as if the Lord had personally anointed Cyrus with oil to accomplish a particular task. These and other examples of anointing meant the person was a messiah, a Christ.   However, Peter's words were indicative of One on a completely different level. There was to be a particular Messiah who would come, anointed of God, to fulfill a role that none other could fulfill. This Messiah was to be the specific representative of God on earth.   It is true that various scholars and sects had varying opinions about what this would mean, but it was generally agreed within society that One was coming who would be Israel's redeemer, leading them to a golden “messianic” age where they would lead the nations of the world.   At the time of the Roman Empire, the people thought this Messiah's role would include casting off the Roman oppression and putting Israel over Rome and all other foes. It is certain that none of them, even these disciples, saw Jesus' role as One who would die for the sins of the people. It is equally certain that none of these people actually believed that the Messiah would be God incarnate. He may be a “god” to the people, but not Yehovah in the flesh. This was a totally unknown aspect of who Jesus would be.   And more, they never, in a thousand lifetimes, would have thought that His messiahship would level the field for Gentiles as well as Jews, offering them the same benefits in the commonwealth of Israel that they would receive. Such an idea would have been totally repugnant to them.   As such, Peter's statement, though true, was not something that meant a whole lot in regard to Jesus' actual ministry and mission. It was a truth, it was an anticipation of Jesus being the fulfillment of their Scriptures, but it was an almost wholly misunderstood proclamation. And that is fine. Jesus would slowly reveal this to them, including things that would only be understood after His work was complete and He ascended to heaven. In some cases, like speaking to Gentiles such as Cornelius in Acts 10, it would cause confusion in their minds and generate hostility among one another. The Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 clearly reveals this. As for Peter's words, he continues with, “the Son of God, the living.”   As noted, this doesn't mean they understood Jesus to be God incarnate. The term “son of the God” is something that was applied to people throughout the Jewish Scriptures, beginning in Genesis 6:2. Even Gentiles were called “sons of the God” in Job 1:6 and 2:1. It is a title that indicates sonship in an adoptive sense.   Peter's proclamation is an indication that Jesus is One who is set apart in a preeminent position, even if it was still misunderstood exactly what that meant. One other point is that this was something that was already known to Peter quite some time before –   “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone).” John 1:40-42   As such, this proclamation of Peter is an adamant assertion of something he and the other disciples already knew. However, Jesus asked it to form the basis of another proclamation that needed to be made at this time.   Life application: The most important question any person can ever answer is, “Who is Jesus to you?” In fact, it is a great question to ask when you are about to evangelize someone. The answer to the question will mean where a person spends their eternal existence.   If someone says, “I don't know,” he needs careful instruction. If he says that Jesus was a “good person,” though true, it tends to imply that they have been indoctrinated by liberal ideology to accept Jesus as someone who will illuminate one's path, but who is on the same level as Buddha, Muhammad, or Gandhi.   If the person says, “Jesus is the Savior,” that still needs to be further defined. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons will say Jesus is the Savior, but their understanding of what that means is so vastly different from what is biblical that they are referring to “another Jesus” who proclaims “another gospel.”   Jesus is the Yehovah Elohim, the Lord God, in human form, nothing less. If this is not accepted and believed, they are following the wrong Jesus. Be sure to be precise and properly instruct others on who He is and what He means to the people of the world. There is no other subject that is as important as this.   Lord God, may we carefully convey the message of who Jesus is to those we interact with. Help us to be bold in our proclamation while being correct in our doctrine concerning Him and what He has done. The world needs Jesus! May we be responsible in telling others about Him so that they may be saved. Amen.  

Sunday, 1 February 2026   He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15   “He says to them, ‘And you, whom you say Me to be?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples answered Jesus' question concerning who people say He is. They answered, saying that some say John the Baptist or Elijah. Others, however, said He was Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Now that Jesus has been told the general speculation floating around about Him, “He says to them, ‘And you, whom you say Me to be?'”   The emphatic nature of the question sets the disciples apart from the others, such as, “Yes, that is fine, but what I am most curious about is who you...  you say I am!” He is looking to see where their understanding of Him rests. But it isn't that He didn't already know. Rather, He is getting them to think through what they already know and verbally proclaim it.   They have seen the miracles, and they have heard the wisdom of His instructions. They already know what they think about Jesus, but the information needs to be unpackaged and properly presented. Once that is out, they can then reinforce that belief, build upon it, and more boldly proclaim it.   Life application: If you ever want to get your thoughts straightened out about something, maybe something you didn't even know you wanted straightened out, have someone interview you.   For example, a college student is told that one of his assignments is to interview three people from three different religions, asking them what they believe and why. The student decides to interview a Muslim, an orthodox Jew, and a Christian radio host.   When he interviews them, he has a list of various questions about their faith, why they do certain things, how they perceive God, etc. It is with all certainty that all three of them will come away with more information about themselves than they ever realized.   The Muslim is a Muslim because his parents were Muslims. He does XX and XX because that is what he grew up doing. Asked where the basis of that comes from, he has no idea. Asked if it is found in the Koran, he admits he has no idea. Rather, he has never read it.   The same is true with the other two as well. They have gone through life never thinking about why they believe what they believe. They just KNOW it is right... well, they think. After the interview, they have no idea exactly why they believe what they believe. Even the Jew spent more time defending his faith from a personal viewpoint than from a valid, researchable, and verifiable source.   The Jew said, “We Jews get along really well with Catholics. We are always going to functions with Catholics.” When asked why, his answer was, “We're a lot alike. Jews and Catholics live for this life. They let the rabbi or priest take care of the next life for us.”   He had never thought that through before, but now he is forced to think through why he associates with some and not with others. Hopefully, he will see how exceedingly dangerous his position is. Letting someone else take care of your eternal state! Didn't Jim Jones do that for his flock in Guyana?   Don't be afraid to put yourself under the microscope and have your views challenged. And don't be afraid to ask probing questions of others that may help them realize how tenuous their position on faith really is.   People need Jesus. If you can't defend why you believe in Jesus when asked about Him, you will not be a very good representative for His cause. So have someone interview you. Their questions are bound to be like others' questions. You will be preparing yourself for the inevitable questions that people really want answers to. This is what Jesus has done with His disciples. Now they must stand up and explain themselves. How will that go?   Lord God, help us to find ways of properly unpackaging our thoughts so that we know what we actually think and believe. We may know something, but not know why we know it or how to properly defend it. It may even be that we know something that is actually indefensible. Help us to get all of this sorted out. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Saturday, 31 January 2026   So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:14   “And they said, ‘These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus questioned His disciples concerning who men say He is. Matthew next records, “And they said, ‘These, indeed, John the Immerser.'”   These words seem confused, just as with Herod's words in Matthew 14:2, when he said, “This, he is John the Immerser! He, he is aroused from the dead, and through this the miracles work in him!” How could a person who is essentially the same age as John be John if John was only executed a relatively short time before?   Two answers could fit. Either John was raised to life, appearing in a different form, or this is what is known as metempsychosis, or soul transmigration, where a soul can enter into another body. Whatever was on the minds of those who held to this view, they claimed that Jesus was John. Next, it says, “and others Elijah.”   This belief was seen in some with the same mentality as that found in John 1 –   “Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?' 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.' 21 And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, ‘I am not.' ‘Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, ‘No.' 22 Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?'” John 1:19-22   Based on the words of Malachi 4:5, there was the anticipation of Elijah returning to Israel. Jesus even said that John was Elijah to come in Matthew 11:14, meaning that he came to fulfill that promised role.   This was the anticipation of the people of Israel, and so it was a logical extension of the communal thought that permeated the culture. When Jesus came, they thought, “This must be him!” Understanding that, Matthew continues with, “and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”   There is a difference in the word “others” that is not evident in the translation. We have one word that must be further explained, whereas the Greek has two separate words. The first, allos, others, before “Elijah” means others of the same kind. This others, the word heteros, means others of another kind.   In other words, there are those with the expectation of someone coming to fulfill Scripture. They didn't understand that John the Immerser was the precursor of Jesus the Messiah. So both categories, defined by the word allos, were thinking about Elijah, directly or indirectly.   On the other hand, the second group, defined by heteros, are just making unfounded guesses, without any scriptural support, as to who Jesus might be. Therefore, they have gone back to Jeremiah or some other prophet, seen a trait in that person as recorded in Scripture, and think he must have come back in the person of Jesus.   Life application: Elijah didn't die. He was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, as recorded in 2 Kings 2:11. Therefore, the Bible can say without any contradiction that Elijah will return. However, it is not the case with John the Immerser, who was beheaded.   Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for men to die once, after which comes the judgment. Moses appearing with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration does not mean that he has received the judgment and can now return again to be one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11.   A point was being made about Jesus being the fulfillment of the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah), as well as a point being made about Jesus having power over the living (Elijah) and the dead (Moses).   When we die, the chance we have for restoration with God is finished. If we die in Christ, we will be raised to eternal life. If we die apart from Christ, we will be raised for condemnation. This is what the Bible proclaims.   Don't expect any loopholes for yourself or loved ones. Be sure to tell people about Jesus. But also be sure you are right with Jesus. This life is our chance to get the matter of Jesus settled.   Lord God, help us to be wise and discerning in this life, not only with our own relationship with You, but also with those we interact with. Help us to share the good news of restoration with those we encounter while there is time. May this be our priority at all times. Amen.

Friday, 30 January 2026   When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Matthew 16:13   “And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples finally clued in to what Jesus was trying to teach them. His words about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees were speaking of their evil doctrine. Matthew now continues the narrative of their time after arriving on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, saying, “And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi.”   A new word, Kaisareia, Caesarea, is introduced. It is derived from Kaisar, Caesar, a Latin word referring to the title of the Roman Emperor. Caesarea refers to two places in the area of Israel. The first is this location, Caesarea Philippi. Of this location, Albert Barnes says –   “There were two cities in Judea called Caesarea. One was situated on the borders of the Mediterranean (See the notes at Acts 8:40), and the other was the one mentioned here. This city was greatly enlarged and ornamented by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod, and called Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor, Tiberius Caesar. To distinguish it from the other Caesarea the name of Philip was added to it, and it was called Caesarea Philippi, or Caesarea of Philippi. It was situated in the boundaries of the tribe of Naphtali, at the foot of Mount Hermon.”   Having come to this general area, “He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?'” Translations consider His words in one of two ways. One is “Whom do men say that I am? The Son of Man?”, or “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”   The latter is correct. Jesus has referred to Himself as the Son of Man nine times already, making this the tenth. Peter's answer will also show that He is not asking if people say He is the Son of Man. Rather, He is asking what He, the Son of Man, is called by others. He is preparing them for a great pronouncement by asking this probing question first.   Life application: Jesus came to His own country in Matthew 13:53-58. He was rejected by them. In Matthew 14:1-12, the account of the beheading of John the Baptist was given. That was followed by the feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21.   Jesus then walked on the sea, as is recorded in Matthew 14:22-33. From there, they came to the area of Gennesaret, at which time He fully saved all who simply touched Him. In Matthew 15:1-20, it then noted the traditions of the Jews which Jesus condemned, explaining that what comes out of a man is what defiles, not what enters into him.   That was then followed by His journey to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, where the faith of the Canaanite woman was noted, and her daughter was saved. After that, Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side of it. There, He healed many and eventually fed four thousand. After feeding them, they crossed the Galilee, coming to the region of Magdala.   While there, He was accosted by the Pharisees and Sadducees who looked for a sign from heaven. He told them no sign would be given but the sign of Jonah. Once that was complete, they once again crossed the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side, being instructed on the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now in the account, they have remained on this eastern side and gone north to the area of Caesarea Philippi.   This crisscrossing of the land and the Sea of Galilee all has a purpose. Jesus' movements are being used as a walking instructional tool in what God is doing in redemptive history. It is good to stop and reconsider where He has gone and where He is at any given time. By considering these things, we can follow what God is doing in reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.   Each area visited, each topographical marker that is mentioned, and each thing Jesus does is being woven into a marvelous tapestry for us to ponder and learn from. Keep paying attention to the details, both from a micro and macro viewpoint. God is telling us a story of humanity's long trek back to Him, and it is all centered on Jesus.   Lord God, it would make no sense for You to send Your Son into the world unless there was something to be gained from it. His life of trials and burdens, culminating in His cross and resurrection, tells us that there is a great plan that has been put in place to bring Your people to a place we cannot even imagine at this time. We are grateful to be on this journey because of Jesus! Thank You for the sure hope we possess. Amen.

Silver and Gold – Still Going. Big week for earnings. Fed decision on Wednesday. Nat Gas price exploding higher. US Dollar drops hard over past few days. PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - What we learned from Davos - President Miyagi - tariffs on, tariffs off - January: stocks are trying to finish with gains - Small-caps flying - S&P  500: All-time highs going into earnings Markets - Silver and Gold - Still Going - Big week for earnings - Fed decision on Wednesday - Nat Gas price exploding - US Dollar drops hard over past few days Can't Keep Track Anymore -Trump has announced he is raising tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% after accusing Seoul of "not living up" to a trade deal reached last year. - In a post on social media, Trump said he would increase levies on South Korea from 15% across a range of products including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and "all other Reciprocal TARIFFS". - South Korea is planning on voting on the "agreement" with the US in February - KOSPI hits all-time high after being down 1% on the news - S. Korea President re-affirms their commitments Davos - 2026 - What we learned - Not much - Same bifurcated view of the world - Trump backed off the Greenland threats - Framework of a "deal" / "plan" - So, no tariffs - (Going to get a boy who cried wolf ....) Gold and Silver - Off to the races - Silver was up again in a big way Monday. Fell back down to earth (up 5% from up 15% earlier in the day - Hovering around $110 - that is impressive - parabolic move - GOLD! - Proving itself as a USD hedge and safety trade (Bitcoin in the dust) - Gold above $5,000 per ounce - - Plenty of reports that central banks are buying up| - USD weakness Economy - Still Strong - The US economy expanded in the third quarter by slightly more than initially reported, supported by stronger exports and a smaller drag from inventories. - Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased at a revised 4.4% annualized rate, the fastest in two years, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data. - Consumer spending advanced at a 3.5% annualized pace last quarter, reflecting the fastest pace of outlays for services in three years, while spending on goods also accelerated from the previous quarter. Amazon - Trimming.... 30,000 jobs is plan - First half of that was in October and now trhery are laying off the remainder - CEO Jassey says that it is not financial of AI issues ---- Again - why so important to state that and make that a focal point? - Layoffs amount to 10% of the corporate workforce - Company still has 1.5 million employees Comeback? - Spirit Airlines is in talks with investment firm Castlelake for a potential takeover of the discount airline, CNBC has learned. - Remember, all started when Jetblue deal was blocked - Frontier tried - Spirit tried a few times to get head above water - nothing worked Booz Cancelled - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent canceled department contracts with the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, whose employee leaked President Donald Trump's tax records to The New York Times. - The department noted that between 2018 and 2020, Booz Allen employee Charles Edward Littlejohn “stole and leaked the confidential tax returns and return information of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers.” - Booz Allen Hamilton's stock price dropped by more than 10% on the heels of the Treasury Department's announcement. - Why does Booz have tax records in the first place? - Stock down 50% since end of 2024 Private Credit - BlackRock TCP Capital shares lower by 13% after it disclosed Friday night that net asset value declined approximately 19.0%; other private credit stocks falling in sympathy - The Company's net asset value per share as of December 31, 2025 to be between approximately $7.05 and $7.09, an anticipated decline of approximately 19.0% during the quarter ended December 31, 2025, compared to a net asset value per share of $8.71 as of September 30, 2025. - This decline is primarily driven by issuer-specific developments during the quarter. - The Company's net investment income per share to be between approximately $0.24 and $0.26 for the three months ended December 31, 2025. - Decliners: TCPC -13.40% OWL -3.07% ARES -3.30% KKR -2.08% BAM -0.41% CG -0.33% Zoom Communications - Valuation of Anthropic stake - The news is driving shares higher as analysts suggest ZM's $51 mln stake could now be worth between $2-$4 bln based on Anthropic's rumored $350 bln valuation, effectively acting as a "hidden gem" on its balance sheet. - From a fundamental perspective, the company's performance has also significantly improved, evidenced by its Q3 beat-and-raise report in late November where revenue rose 4.4% yr/yr to $1.23 bln. - This stronger financial performance is being driven by robust growth in the Enterprise segment, the rapid adoption of AI Companion features, and the scaling of adjacent growth businesses like Zoom Contact Center and Workvivo. - Consequently, the combination of high-margin operational rigor -- highlighted by a 41.2% non-GAAP operating margin -- and the massive unrealized gains from its AI investments has shifted investor sentiment firmly back toward growth. UNH and Health Stocks - DOWN 20% today - The administration's proposal (via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS) for Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates to rise by only 0.09% in 2027. This was far below Wall Street expectations of 4-6% (or higher), following a more generous ~5% increase for 2026. - The near-flat rate aims to improve payment accuracy, curb overbilling practices, and protect taxpayers, according to CMS statements, but it sparked widespread concerns about squeezed insurer margins, potential benefit cuts for seniors, reduced plan offerings, or market exits. - UnitedHealth has significant exposure to Medicare Advantage (roughly 30% of national enrollment), making it particularly vulnerable. The proposal, announced late Monday (January 26), led to a broader sell-off in health insurers: - - Humana (HUM) plunged over 20-21%. - - CVS Health (CVS) and Elevance Health (ELV) each dropped around 13-14%. Tech Earnings Microsoft (MSFT) Reports: Wednesday, January 28 (After Market Close) - Wall Street Expectations:  Earnings per share (EPS): about $3.86 and Revenue: about $80 billion - Growth: high teens year over year revenue growth - Investors are focused on Azure and broader cloud growth, particularly how much of that growth is coming from AI related demand. Microsoft has built a reputation for consistent execution, which also means expectations are high. The critical issues will be cloud growth sustainability, margin stability, and how aggressively management plans to keep spending on AI infrastructure. Meta Platforms (META) Reports: Wednesday, January 28 (After Market Close) - Wall Street Expectations:  EPS: about $8.15–$8.20 and Revenue: about $58–$59 billion - Growth: roughly 20–21% year over year revenue growth - Advertising remains the core driver, with AI driven ad targeting continuing to improve returns for advertisers. While topline growth expectations remain strong, investors are closely watching expense growth. The biggest question is whether rising AI and infrastructure spending can be managed without eroding margins or spooking investors, as Meta works through the next phase of its AI strategy. Tesla (TSLA) Reports: Wednesday, January 28 (After Market Close) - Wall Street Expectations:  EPS (non GAAP): about $0.40–$0.45 and Revenue: about $24.5–$25 billion - Trend: earnings expected to be sharply lower than a year ago - Tesla enters earnings with the weakest expectations among the major tech names this week. Vehicle deliveries declined year over year, and automotive margins remain under pressure. While the energy and services segments continue to grow, they are not yet large enough to offset slowing EV demand. - Investors will be far more focused on forward guidance than on the quarter itself—particularly updates on Full Self Driving, robotaxis, and the broader AI roadmap. Apple (AAPL) Reports: Thursday, January 29 (After Market Close) Wall Street Expectations -  EPS: about $2.65–$2.67 and Revenue: about $138 billion Growth: approximately 11–12% year over year revenue growth - This is Apple's most important quarter of the year. Expectations call for record revenue driven by the iPhone 17 cycle and continued Services growth. The focus will be on margins, China demand, and forward guidance—particularly how higher costs (memory prices and tariffs) may impact profitability. Apple typically beats expectations, but the stock reaction will hinge on what management says about growth beyond this quarter. Company Ticker Report Date Est. EPS Key Focus Area Microsoft MSFT Wed, Jan 28 (AMC) $3.92 Azure AI revenue growth & CapEx spending Meta Platforms META Wed, Jan 28 (AMC) $8.17 Ad monetization of AI & 2026 CapEx guidance Tesla TSLA Wed, Jan 28 (AMC) $0.45 Full Self-Driving (FSD) & Robotaxi updates Apple AAPL Thu, Jan 29 (AMC) Varies iPhone 17 demand & Apple Intelligence rollout ServiceNow NOW Wed, Jan 28 (AMC) $0.88 Enterprise AI software adoption rates IBM IBM Wed, Jan 28 (AMC) $4.28 Hybrid cloud and watsonx performance *AMC = After Market Close; EPS = Earnings Per Share (Consensus Estimates) Boeing - The company's airplane deliveries last year were the highest since 2018, helping drive revenue. Boeing brought in $23.9 billion in the last three months of 2025, a 57% increase over the same period in 2024 and topping analysts' expectations. Cash flow of $400 million was roughly double what Wall Street was expecting. - Boeing brought in $23.9 billion in the last three months of 2025, a 57% increase over the same period in 2024. The airplane manufacturer delivered 600 airplanes last year, up from 348 a year earlier. Another MoonShot - U.S. natural gas prices surged over 17% on Monday morning, climbing above $6 for the first time since late 2022. - It comes as Winter Storm Fern leaves hundreds of thousands without power and forces mass flight cancellations. - The National Weather Service has forecast wind chills as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45.56 degrees Celsius) across the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. this week. -Up 68% YTD - Nat gas is used in a whole lot of things - electrical grid 43% is fueled by Nat Gas Government - Not Again! - Seems like Dems are threatening a shutdown again - A partial U.S. government shutdown is set to begin on Friday, January 30, 2026. - The Senate is expected to vote on a funding package to avert this shutdown, with delays from a winter storm pushing initial votes to at least January 27, 2026 - The issue is being exacerbated with the ICE / Minnesota issues This is precious - Ex-finance minister Noda currently co-heads largest opposition party - He says that Japan unlikely to get international consent for intervention - Yen, bond selloff requires Japan to be in crisis mode, he says - Government must vow to restore fiscal discipline to end yen fall, Noda says - Japan must create environment allowing for steady BOJ rate hikes, he says - THIS shows us all that the whole thing with these guys/gals is all political. - NEVER EVER if he was in the role would he say anything like this.       Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN CUP 2025 Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter