Podcasts about docetic

This Advent we're conducting a Christmas Scene Investigation to sleuth out the differences between our magical, mythical conceptions of Christmas differ from the Biblical reality of Christmas. Title: The ChildScripture Reading: Luke 1:31-35 NIV (1984)Today we investigate the C of CSI as we investigate the Child. Our investigation concludes that Jesus is both divine and human at the same time. However, our magical mythical conceptions of Christmas can easily emphasize Jesus' divinity at the expense of His humanity. What does Jesus' humanity mean for us? 

The heresy of docetism evolved into a complicated web of schools of mythology, which we lump together under the name of gnosticism. These all still denied the real humanity of Christ, though in two distinct ways. Docetic gnosticism continued the trend of seeing Christ as a phantom, with no real tangible body. “Hybrid” gnosticism made concessions to the accounts of a tangible body of Jesus, but called it an ethereal, or luminous, body - in other words, not a true material flesh and blood body. Links For more information on Clement of Alexandria, listen to Mike Aquilina's Episode 16: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/clement-alexandria-teacher-in-new-kind-school/ To read Clement of Alexandria's Exhortation to the Heathen: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1658&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2371968 For more information on Irenaeus of Lyons, listen to Mike Aquilina's Episode 10: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/irenaeus-lyon-putting-smack-down-on-heresy/ To read Irenaeus of Lyons' Demonstration of the Apostolic Teaching: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/irenaeus_02_proof.htm For more information on Hippolytus, listen to Mike Aquilina's Episode 17: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-17the-long-strange-trip-hippolytus-rome/ To read Hippolytus' Refutation of All Heresies: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1706&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2371969 and: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1717&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2371969 For more information on the gnostic gospels, listen to Mike Aquilina's episode “Apocrypha Now!…”: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/apocrypha-now-on-myth-lost-gospels/ To read some of the gnostic writings, see the Primary Sources tab on Dr. Papandrea's home page (scroll down to Infancy Gospel of Thomas and following): https://jimpapandrea.wordpress.com/primary-sources-links/ For more detail on the heresy of gnosticism, see the books: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/ and The Earliest Christologies: Five Images of Christ in the Post-Apostolic Age: https://www.ivpress.com/the-earliest-christologies For more on gnosticism (and the other heresies) and Science Fiction, see the book: From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/from-star-wars-to-superman/ For more on the doctrine of the Resurrection Body and its relationship to anthropology, see the book: What Really Happens After We Die?: There WILL Be Hugs in Heaven: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/what-really-happens-after-we-die/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church:  https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch Join the Original Church Community on Locals:  https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.Forgiveness (v.1) -- this is great news! Not that we should abuse God's kindness, but in case we do sin (and we all do—let's be honest), Jesus is right there speaking in our defense.Advocate, counselor, paraklete (v.1).Christ does not rationalize our sin through slick argument, but neutralizing it through his atoning blood. Would that the whole world grasped this and experienced it (2:2)!Some see in verse 2 a promise of ultimate redemption for everybody. This false doctrine is called universalism.And yet 1 John does not teach that everybody will be saved, only that God wants everyone to be saved. The Lord will never force anyone against his or her will.Rather, we should see 2:2 as a reflection of God's heart, longing that all would accept the message of Christ and be saved.3 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. 4 Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; 5 but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.Verses 3-6 are a clear passage on the commitment the Lord demands.It silences the opposition of those who insist that uncommitted people can be saved.Walking as Jesus did is not walking in sandals or walking on water. As we have seen, the walking of 2:6 is equivalent to the walking in the light of 1:7.There is a tremendous difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. According to Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23), countless individuals confuse knowing about the Lord with knowing him personally. Obedience is the key. (See also 1 Corinthians 8:3.)There is no contradiction between living as a committed Christian and salvation by grace through the blood of Jesus. In fact, grace is designed to bring us into an obedient relationship with Christ.John speaks of "commandments" (v.4), which for some may be uncomfortable language. Yet Jesus did give us numerous commandments (e.g. Matt 5-7), and expects obedience.7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.As in marriage, without commitment (faithfulness) the relationship sours and is eventually destroyed.The command about love (v.7ff) was old (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37-40), but also new, because now we can see clearly what we need to do by imitating God in the flesh (John 13:34). The command to live as Jesus did is all about love (2:5), because the Christian's life revolves around people.The truth of this command is seen “in him and you”: in the life of Christ and in our life as his body, the church of Christ.Those who had left the fellowship didn't love their brothers. It seems John is saying that those who leave the church, who do not keep their commitment of love to God and the family of God, “hate” their spiritual siblings.Whoever hates his brother is in darkness.There are enemies of the truth (see Acts 13:10) an enemies of the cross (Phil 3:18).Yet Christians do not have personal enemies (persons we hate). That is why bitterness, violence, retaliation, and hatred in all its forms are so opposed to the message of Christ.Ironically, John says that darkness blinds us (v.11).12 I am writing to you, little children,    because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.13 I am writing to you, fathers,    because you know him who is from the beginning.I am writing to you, young people,    because you have conquered the evil one.14 I write to you, children,    because you know the Father.I write to you, fathers,    because you know him who is from the beginning.I write to you, young people,    because you are strong    and the word of God abides in you,        and you have overcome the evil one.  Verses 12-14 are a poem, or song, which became familiar to the first century Christians. The rhyme and rhythm are evident in the Greek original, which is why most translators set it out in verse form.“Children” (v.12) isn't referring to infants or toddlers. It's those of us who have become children of God through the new birth. “My dear children” is one of John's favorite descriptions of those who are in Christ.Our sins were forgiven through the name of Jesus, but when? At baptism, as Acts 2:38 and 22:16 make clear.The way to overcome the evil one is to let the word of Christ dwell in you (Colossians 3:16; Psalm 119:9). John assures us that the victory is ours! We need to think of ourselves as overcomers.15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; 16 for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.The warning about loving the world (vv.15-17) reminds us of James 4:4.We are to love nothing in the world because it is not possible to serve more than one master (Luke 16:13).What is “worldliness”? The worldly man thinks about everything in relation to himself; the godly man in relation to God. And the bonus for the man who lives for God: eternal life.Those who had left the church for Docetic theology were, despite their religion, worldly to the core. The false Christians left the fellowship. They stopped going to church—the right church, that is. They started up their own!Thought questions:Am I walking in the light? And is there any area of darkness in my life of which I am aware?Do I love my brothers and sisters? Is there hidden resentment or prideful independence that resists correction? Prejudice or hatred in any other form?Can I say with a clear conscience that the word of God lives in me?Am I worldly? What excites me more: my possessions, experiences, and accomplishments, or my walk with the Lord?

The second Bishop of Antioch, disciple of John the Beloved, and friend of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Ignatius was a fiery leader who fought aggressively against the Docetic heresy and promoted a single elder model for the churches. Martyred as an atheist c. AD 115, he left significant letters to a dear friend and six churches. His theological contribution is still recognized and quoted extensively today.

Our focus is on the term -water and blood-, and it is proposed that it refers to Jesus' baptism and death. With the Spirit, they comprise a three-fold witness to the divinity of Jesus, again arguing against the Docetic view of the Gnostics. The message also proposes that water and blood figure in Jesus' birth, life and death, identifying him as a descendant of Adam. These two perspectives on water and blood take us to the wonderful mystery of the humanity and divinity of the incarnation.

At long last the Third Hour Podcast concludes the epistles by looking at 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude, and discussing early Docetic opposition to the gospel, the Johannine Comma, and the magnificent love of God.

Podcast 3.4: Docetic and Judaizing Opponents of Ignatius, part 2 (Download).

Podcast 3.3: Docetic and Judaizing Opponents of Ignatius (Download).

Ignatius of Antioch in his writing showed knowledge of Matthew, 1 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians. Papias introduces us to the four gospels and mentions 1 Peter, 1 John and Revelation. Consider that Polycarp is the link back to the apostolic era. Out of 112 biblical illusions, about 100 are from the New Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures were standard within the early years of Christianity. Polycarp began to shift in his citing of the Old Testament all the time to more citations of the New Testament. He showed familiarity with Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Hebrews, 1 John, 1 Peter, and alluded to the gospels of Luke and Matthew. Tatian was a pupil of Justin Martyr and wrote Diatessaron which means, “through the four” and weaves all four gospels into one document (He later became a heretic.) Serapion of Antioch, in answer to the argument of what to do with the Gospel of Peter, allowed it to be read. Upon reading it more carefully, he found Docetic tendencies and rescinded his approval to be read. Eusebius recounted Serapion’s words in “The Church History of Eusebius”(6.12.3-6). C. K. Barrett states, “To trace the influence of the Fourth Gospel upon Christian theology would be more than the task of a lifetime; to trace its influence upon the thought of the first half of the second century is easy, for it had none.” By the time of Irenaeus there were certain texts that clearly identified what was truth and what was not. Irenaeus saw that Scripture and apostolic preaching convey the economy of salvation. The church is a guarantor of proper interpretation. Synchronic is the mosaic of a King – each Scripture is a part of the mosaic. Diachronic is a symphony of salvation, bringing mankind to God. God brings humanity closer to himself. Irenaeus saw a consistency and harmony to the Gospels and the heretics follow neither Scripture nor tradition.