Podcasts about flavius josephus

Welcome! Church Online is a community of people all over the experiencing God and connecting with one another like never before in history. Introduce yourself in the chat and let us know where you're from! Get Connected Check us out on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram Find a Small Group www.southpoint4u.com/groups Find out more at www.southpoint4u.com Notes: WHY are we here celebrating Easter? Easter celebrates the historical event of Jesus's resurrection If Jesus stayed dead, His words, actions, ideas, and teachings are useless Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6 -Con man -Crazy delusional -Christ the King When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” “…This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!” - Mark 2:5-7 The thief said to Jesus, “Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!” Jesus replied, “I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me.” - Luke 23:42-43 …the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.” - Matthew 27:62-66 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. - Matthew 27:62-66 JESUS PROMISES: - Forgiveness - Eternal life - God's love conquers evil & you matter NO RESURRECTION: - No forgiveness – No eternal life – evil wins and life is meaningless Jesus can't be good if he was lying about who he claimed to be For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. - 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. - 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 PAUL THE APOSTLE -Martyred in 64/65 AD -Corinthians written 55 AD -Jesus crucified 33 AD -That's 22 YEARS, not centuries later! “Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who became his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, AND THAT HE WAS ALIVE.” Flavius Josephus – Antiquities of the Jews- 90's AD Personally Matters: -Jesus's love shows you matter -Jesus's death erases our sin -Jesus's life destroys death Jesus's resurrection proves that His love, forgiveness, and offer of eternal life are real!

Fußballfreunde waren geschockt: Im September 2023 meldete eine norwegische Tageszeitung, dass der erfolgreiche Torjäger Erling Haaland erschossen worden sei. Glücklicherweise handelte es sich um eine Falschmeldung, die von der Zeitung schnellstens korrigiert wurde. Eigentlich sollte darin von einem Fotoshooting berichtet werden. Das Wort »Shooting« wurde aber durch eine künstliche Intelligenz wörtlich übersetzt und dadurch vermeldet, dass Erling Haaland Opfer einer »Schießerei« geworden sei.War es bei Jesus Christus ähnlich? Sind Millionen Christen durch eine Falschmeldung fehlgeleitet worden? Die Berichte von Tod und Auferstehung des Herrn Jesus Christus kommen jedoch nicht wie diese Pressemeldung nur aus einer einzigen Quelle, sondern sind durch eine Vielzahl biblischer wie auch außerbiblischer Hinweise belegt. Augenzeugen haben die Kreuzigung beobachtet. Dabei handelte es sich nicht nur um Freunde von Jesus, sondern auch um seine Ankläger, die sofort interveniert hätten, wenn Jesus überlebt hätte, und für die Bewachung seines Grabes sorgten. Die Soldaten, die Jesus gekreuzigt hatten, verstanden ihr Handwerk. Sie bestätigten dem Statthalter Pilatus ausdrücklich, dass Jesus tot sei – und wussten, dass sie für die Richtigkeit dieser Aussage mit dem eigenen Leben einstehen mussten. Auch außerbiblische Geschichtsschreiber wie Tacitus und Flavius Josephus berichten vom Tod Jesu. Die Jünger von Jesus haben Entbehrung, Verfolgung und sogar den Märtyrertod für die Verbreitung der Botschaft in Kauf genommen, von der sie felsenfest überzeugt waren: Jesus hat am Kreuz die Sünde von uns Menschen auf sich genommen und mit seinem tatsächlichen Sterben und Auferstehen unsere Schuld bezahlt.Andreas DroeseDiese und viele weitere Andachten online lesenWeitere Informationen zu »Leben ist mehr« erhalten Sie unter www.lebenistmehr.deAudioaufnahmen: Radio Segenswelle

A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent by the Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin In Dante's Inferno, the Italian poet's lurid imagination has created a special circle of hell as a punishment for thieves: because they are sinners who did not distinguish between what was their own and what belonged to someone else, they are punished (in Dante's imagination) by a blurring of the lines distinguishing their own bodies and nature from those of something else: monstrous lizards chase them down as they run in terror, and when they catch up with them, they jump onto them, clasp them with their four legs, and fuse their lizard bodies together with their human bodies, producing a horrific human-lizard hybrid. It is one of the creepiest and most disgusting punishments in the Inferno, and when I read it, my skin crawls. A similar revulsion is evoked by parasites. My fellow American missionaries in the Philippines used to joke, whenever they came back to the United States and got a stomachache, that it was caused by their Philippine parasites becoming unhappy with American food. My wife has seen a pregnant woman cough up a five inch worm, still twitching. I could multiply examples, but you get the point: parasites are uniquely disgusting because they violate our bodies and live inside us against our will. Demon-possession is like this, except that the violation is even more severe: a malevolent and powerful spiritual entity dwelling within a human being, controlling his speech and actions, his mind and body, against his will. This sort of parasitism is subtly implied in an oddity of the language in Luke 11 :14: “And he was casting out a demon, and it was mute.” Who was mute? The gender of “it” is neutered, which matches the word for demon, daimonion. Yet the very next sentence says, “So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke.” Do you see how the properties of the demon are the properties of the man it possesses? This should make your skin crawl. It's very evil. The sorts of frightful scenes of violence depicted in the movie The Exorcist are not actually far fetched in comparison with the actions of demon-possessed persons in the Bible: cutting themselves, breaking chains, attacking people and “prevailing against them so that they flee naked and wounded”, speaking with other voices, throwing the possessed person into fire or water. No wonder the Jews wanted to get rid of demons. One of the marks of a great rabbi was that his teachings were authenticated by miracles, including the exorcism of demons. This was a popular piece of Jewish wonder-working. Acts chapter 19 speaks of “vagabond Jewish exorcists”. The historian Josephus tells how such people operated: “I have seen a certain man of my own country, whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, and his sons, and his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers. The manner of the cure was this: He put a ring that had a Foot of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and when the man fell down immediately, he abjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations which he composed. And when Eleazar would persuade and demonstrate to the spectators that he had such a power, he set a little way off a cup or basin full of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it, and thereby to let the spectators know that he had left the man.” – Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews. By contrast with this, Jesus simply commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. There is no struggle; when demons see that Jesus has arrived, rhey normally beg for mercy before he even says anything. And it is interesting to hear the language they use. In Luke 4, “Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”” (Luke 4:33-34) and again, in Matthew 8: “And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”” (Matthew 8:29) Before the time. These demons know that they are doomed (so their wickedness is also deliberate sin against knowledge), and what's more, they know there is a scheduled day in history when they are to be destroyed. What's surprising to them is to discover that that day has suddenly come forward and is upon them already in the person of Jesus. It is very much like the exchange between Martha of Bethany and Jesus when he comes to raise Lazarus in John 11:23: “Your brother will rise again.” “Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” The expected future resurrection — that event “at the last day” — turns out to have a human face, and he is here now, in 33 AD. So with the demons: they think that they can continue to possess people until the resurrection and judgment, unaware that in the person of Jesus, the judgment is upon them now. 33 AD. Anno Domini. Jesus, from the moment of his baptism in the Jordan river, began to announce that He was himself the fulfillment of the OT's prophecies of the coming kingdom of God. His healings and driving out demons; his parables and commandments; His baptism and transfiguration — everything spoke of His office as the Messiah, “a savior, who is Christ the Lord”. When John's disciples ask Jesus, “Are you the coming one, or do we wait for another?”, He had no need to plead his own cause and use persuasive arguments to convince them of His messiahship. His answer is “Go and tell John the things that you see and hear: “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” That is to say, His actions already matched the job description that Israel knew from the prophets, especially Isaiah. His vanquishing of demons was a sign with the same meaning as the others: behold, your King. And yet we are told by the fourth gospel that Jesus “came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him.” So we are confronted with the question: Why did they refuse to believe in him? 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” This is why the ascribing of Jesus' miracles to the devil is unforgiveable — not that it is especially worse in seriousness than, say, blaspheming against the Father, but that it removes the possibility of salvation. If you mistake the fireman for a bad guy, you're not going to let him remove you from a burning house. 16 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. These people are “testing him” – the same verb used of Satan's temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, and indeed, their request for a “sign from heaven” is a renewal of Satan's suggestions that Jesus should perform a gratuitous miracle to force people to believe in Him. Let's remember that He has just cast out a demon. So they are asking for another miracle to authenticate the first miracle. What end will there be of such doubt? If miracles could compel faith, these people would have believed already. Jesus' reply has three parts. His first response is to point out how illogical it is to imagine that Satan, whose goal is to oppress human beings and subject them to demonic power, would sabotage his own work by freeing anyone from demonic power. His second argument is even more pointed, and to understand its full force we must recognize the echo of the OT and the narrative situation that echo calls up. He asks them, “If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God (ἐν δακτύλῳ θεοῦ), surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” This is a very direct reference to a prominent Old Testament passage, Exodus 8:17-19. It is near the beginning of the ten plagues. Already Moses has inflicted two plagues on Egypt: he has turned the water to blood, and he has brought forth frogs on the land. Amusingly enough, Pharaoh's magicians did so with their enchantments — with the result that there was even more water turned to blood, and even more slimy frogs hopping around Egypt. Pharaoh's administration kept the Israelites in bondage not only by physical whips and brutal oppression, but also by projecting a spurious aura of competence and knowledge, so that they have a wise ability to control events. We see this in our own day, when the Federal Government has so thoroughly persuaded everyone that it can save us, that when a hurricane strikes a coastal city, there are people who blame the Federal disaster relief agencies and the government for not doing more; when evil people shoot schoolchildren, the government must “do something about it”; and our diets must be dictated to us with a food pyramid based on scientific research; synthetic pharmaceuticals must be prescribed for every ailment according to the wisdom of scientists. These wonder-workers are able to put a man on tbe moon; how, then, can we doubt their wisdom. Do not even imagine that there is another way, or another truth. So it is in Egypt bedore the Exodus. As in our day, so in Egypt there was a “ fascination with wisdom, which, in addition to imitating the great regimes, represented an effort to rationalize reality, that is, to package it in manageable portions”. In our day, this wisdom is technological, statistical, scientific. In ancient Egypt it was priestly and magical. And so, even though it means more water turned to blood, and more frogs on the land, Pharaoh's magicians must by all means show that they can replicate the miracles of Moses. The wizard's duel is crucial to maintaining the supremacy of Pharaoh's regime. He has the best magicians. Anything Moses can do, they can do too. But then, something happens: Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast…Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” As one writer (W. Brueggemann) comments: “The Egyptian empire could not! The gods of Egypt could not! The scientists of the regime could not! The imperial religion was dead! The politics of oppression had failed! That is the ultimate criticism, that the assured and alleged power of the dominant culture is now shown to be fraudulent. Criticism is not carping and denouncing. It is asserting that false claims to authority and power cannot keep their promises, which they could not in the face of the free God, [the God of Moses]. It is only a matter of time until they are dead on the seashore.” Jesus' words, “The finger of God” call up in his listeners' minds the contest between Moses and the magicians of Pharaoh. Jesus' accusers are failing to recognize that He is in the position of Moses and Aaron. They and their “sons” — that is, their disciples — are in the place of the magicians of Pharaoh. By whom do they cast out demons? Oh, that's right, they don't. They cannot do what Jesus has done, so they are discredited as judges — and this in the Biblical sense of the word (think Samson, Deborah, Barak). They cannot save. By connecting his actions to Moses' miracles in the Exodus, Jesus is implying that He is the agent of a new Exodus; that the time of salvation has come. Those who oppose that salvation and ascribe His work to the devil are in the position of Pharaoh and Pharaoh's magicians: not only are they powerless to do what He does, but they are actually opposing God's salvation. Jesus' deliverance of the mute, demon-possessed man is actually an instance of that basic conflict, and a preliminary step to the ultimate conquest and final defeat of Satan. He compares himself to a violent house-robber who has defeated the strong man guarding the house; and he contrasts that image with the ineffectual efforts of others before him. A friend of mine once had bats and squirrels living in his attic. By careful use of humane traps, he eventually got rid of them, and raccoons moved in. Once that happened, he decided the time for gentleness was past, and he got his .22 and a dog. Just like that, Jesus suggests that the house of Israel has been cleansed of its idolatry, but it is now suffering something far worse: nowhere in the OT do we hear of anyone possessed by a demon. But demons are seemingly lurking everywhere in the gospels. Past cleansings of Israel have been ineffective, like a situation where seven worse demons move into a man who used to have one. Jesus' intention — for those whom he drove demons out of; for his people Israel; and ultimately for the world, is a permanent and effectual pest-removal. But notice the scenario that Jesus describes: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. This is the prelude to a thorough plundering of all of Satan's dominion over this fallen world. Remember when Satan tempted Jesus? He took him up on a mountain and offered him all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow down and worship him. It is a real estate transaction: that is the significance of taking Jesus up on a mountain and showing him all the kingdoms. God does a similar thing with Abraham, telling him to look at the land of Canaan, “for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” (Genesis 13:15) Satan was offering to trade Jesus the kingdoms of the world. Jesus refused, because he does not make bargains with Satan. His intention is to defeat him, and disarm him, and take away his dominion. And the Bible shows us how that happened: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:1-3) The Gentiles are no longer under the domination of demons. No one is worshipping Thor or Zeus or Baal anymore. And when Satan is released one last time, it is only so that he can be thrown into the lake of fire after he shows how unrepentant he is. So, with the house cleansed, what happens now? God has got rid of the demons, and He intends to dwell in this house Himself. Our gospel lesson closes with Jesus' response to a woman in the crowd who calls his mother blessed: “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed you!” Mary is certainly blessed. But that blessedness was not merely a matter of giving birth to Jesus. Remember that Mary responded to the angel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Mary, as a symbol of faithful Israel, submits herself to God and to His purposes. The result is that God honors her obedience by coming to dwell within her. So too with us. “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it,” for God dwells with them. Now that raises one last issue. I have a number of different quotations I'm going to share with you concerning the relationship of obedience and bodily resurrection and our individuality. Some of you have read CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters? They are a series of fictitious letters in which Lewis pretends that one demon, a senior demon who has a lot of experience, is writing to a junior demon all kinds advice about how to tempt a man and lead him to Hell. C.S. Lewis said this was the most difficult of all his works to write. There was something oppressive and depressing about channeling an evil voice and writing in this style for so many pages. Well, here's what Uncle Screw tape advises his junior devil Wormword about human beings:what God wants to do with human beings. He says, “But the obedience which the Enemy demands of men is quite a different thing. One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself--creatures, whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over. Our war aim is a world in which Our Father Below has drawn all other beings into himself: the Enemy wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct.” Still distinct! Remember what was so creepy about that demon possessed man in our gospel reading this morning was that he didn't seem to be himself. And the demon speaks out of him. The demon is mute, and he is mute. He's lost his distinctiveness. It's like that Dante lizard people, fused with the demon. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher, not a Christian. In fact, he was a persecutor of Christians, even though he has a reputation as a wise emperor. We happen to have his private journal Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, everything he was thinking about his spiritual life. Even though he's the wealthiest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, the emperor of Rome, we can tell from reading what he writes in his meditations. He was terrified of dying. He was not looking forward to it, and he was desperate for any philosophical help that could give him some comfort, some assurance in the face of this terrifying fact of death that seemed inevitable. His solution to the problem was to cling to the hope that his rational soul, his rationality, his sense of reason, was divine. The body, it's going to rot; it's going to disappear. It's going to become collrupt, but the soul, the rational soul, when you die, it's going to be caught up into the divine fire and become one with God. In Stoicism, they thought that the sun is God, the divine fire that everything else that's rational in the universe is a little bit of the divine fire. It's in your soul. And so when your body dies, whoosh! — Up your soul goes and joins God. If I were to take two flames and join them together, there'd be one flame. That's the way they think about it. And so Marcus Aurelius says,  “That's not the person your mother gave birth to. And that divine fire is not part of your body that your mother gest stated and gave birth to. Then he asked his question, the mask slips for a minute and he says, “But what if you're inextricably linked to it through your sense of individuality” — meaning, what if you're really tied to your body by being an individual human being? What if that's what makes you an individual human being is that you have a body that is the center of your consciousness and your agency and you look out of your eyes from your body and you interact with other people and shake hands with them and embrace them and speak to them face to face and see them, and they see you because you have a body and they have a body. And that's what it means for you to be an individual. So if that's what it means for you to be you, is that you have a body, then it's not much comfort to think that your soul is going to be absorbed into the bigger fire of God. Then where are you? There's God, but where are you? So he says, “What if you're inextricably linked to the body through your sense of individuality?” And he he can't answer the question, so he immediately says, “That's not what we're talking about here.” “I don't want to think about that.” It's so scary. It really would feel like standing on the edge of a deep abyss. if when you die, you lose your individuality and you're not you more. Because you'll have body anymore, and you've been absorbed into God. That's not that different from what Screwtape was talking about: the demons would like to absorb you. Marcus Aurelius shies away from the full force of his own pantheism and from the horrible consequences that it has for individuality. Two more quotations. In Job chapter 19, we have those famous words of Job about resurrection. He says, “I know that my Redeemer lives and that the last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold him. I, and not another! My heart faints within me.” Job says he's going to see God. Job in his individuality and his identity is going to see God because he's going to have a body and eyeballs that look at him. One last business. On the day of Pentecost, we have some fire, but it isn't individual souls getting absorbed into God. Rather it's tongues of fire coming down from God and resting on individuals who are filled with God's Spirit, and when they are filled, do they lose their individuality? No, they start speaking, respectively, all their different languages that their hearers know from where they grew up. So when God fills us with His spirit, he doesn't rob us of our identity. He doesn't absorb us into himself, but he fills us with himself and makes us more who we are, and that is why the resurrection of the body that we confess in our creed is a great comfort because it assures us that we, each of you individually, who you are when you are raised from the dead, you “and not another” will see God and be in relationship with him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father we thank you that you've given us victory over Satan and his demons, that you have assured us that you have called us to yourself. You have given us your spirit and you desire to dwell within us and make us into a holy temple fit for your dwelling. Help us by faith to cling to Christ in whose service is perfect freedom. We pray in his name. Amen.

This is the story behind the question that Jesus was asked about divorce. There was more at stake in that exchange than we usually realize! Based on Mark 10:2-12, Mark 6:17-29 and the Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus. Show notes have been posted at retellingthebible.wordpress.com. Media in this Episode The following music was used for this media project: "AhDah" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "The Bees" by Sascha Ende Link: https://filmmusic.io/en/song/48-the-bees License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Support Retelling the Bible If you would like to support the work that I do creating these stories, go to patreon.com/retellingthebible and choose a level of support! Contact me on Social Media! Bluesky Facebook Reddit

Was Yeshua of Nazareth a real person? Outside of the Bible, what evidence do we have for his existence? This teaching looks into the Testimony of the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus and discusses a recently discovered "lost version" of Josephus' account about Yeshua. 

Please, feel free to send a text message here and give us feedback. Also, you may send a text msg or leave voicemail (425) 550-6670Real Israel Talk RadioEpisode 168On today's program, my guest is Professor Jonathan Ben Dov of Haifa University and Tel Aviv University. Professor Ben Dov received international recognition through his scholarly work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Fragment 4Q324d, with Professor Dr. Eshbal Ratzon. Together, their work on DSS 4Q324d taught them about a little-known biblical celebration of the Hebrew Bible, referred to as the Festival of the Wood Offering on the 29th day of the 6th Month. The WOOD OFFERING FESTIVAL referred to as KORBAN ETZIM, is mentioned in the Temple Scroll 11Q19 Column 23, as well as the DSS Calendrical Document fragments 4Q324d, 4Q325, 4Q327, 4Q365RPc, Flavius Josephus' Wars of the Jews, the Hebrew Book of Nehemiah 10:34 (Heb:35), and Nehemiah 13:29. On this program we will learn about DSS 4Q324d and the Levitical Priestly Calendar of 364 Days and how it relates to the Qumran Priestly Community of the Yachad.Support the show

Ooooh! It's de-bunking time! But with a twist: this time we're debunking the debunkers! That's right, we're coming after an idea that certain nonbelievers love to throw at Christians to put them in their place. Well, you can stay safely out of place, Christians, because it's the nonbelievers' turn to eat some humble pie. This week's show, we're looking at the theory that Jesus was just one figure in history among many others that share exactly the same story. This idea purports to show that the central figure of Christianity was just the latest in a long line of saviors, and he stole all of their best features to prop himself up. Well, we will see about that, Bill Maher! Then, we're going to have some fun looking into the only historian anywhere near the time of Jesus who actually mentions him, one Yosef ben Mattityahu, better known by his Roman gangster name: Flavius Josephus. We'll discuss his mentions of Jesus, decide if they're spurious or not, and get to the bottom of what it all means about the man of Galilee. Was there actually a historical Jesus? For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma      Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Genesis 3:15, the bible refers to an ongoing conflict where God declares enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. This verse is considered the first prophecy in scripture, foretelling a spiritual warfare between the forces of evil and mankind.   It's a battle between the serpent's seed and the pure seed of man where the Redeemer from Eve's lineage comes—ultimately Jesus Christ.In this episode of the Revelations Podcast, we're joined once again by Lori Brazier, a passionate Bible teacher, interior designer, and author. Lori dives deep into the concept of the "seed war," a spiritual warfare that stretches across the entire biblical narrative, involving the spiritual realm, fallen angels, and the powerful victory of Jesus. This conversation unearths lesser-known biblical stories, including the supernatural events around the Divine Council, Tower of Babel, Nephilim, and the redemptive plan of God.This episode is crucial for those seeking to connect the dots between biblical history, spiritual warfare, and the authority believers have from Jesus Christ. If you're ready to understand God's power and purpose for His people and how to walk in the dominion restored through Christ, this episode will strengthen your faith and inspire you to embrace your authority.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Discover more about the "seed war"—an ancient spiritual warfare that shapes the entire biblical narrative and continues to influence our world today.Hear about supernatural events involving fallen angels, Nephilim, and the Tower of Babel, and how these connect to God's redemptive plan for humanity.Find out how to walk confidently in the authority and dominion given to believers through Jesus' victory over the powers of darkness.Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | YoutubeA Journey Through God's Redemptive Story by Lori Brazier and Jenny Meyer The Rooted Truth ministry and community - WebsiteSupernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World - and Why It Matters by Dr. Michael S. HeiserLori Brazier - LinkedIn | Instagram | WebsiteRemnant Rising Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remnantrising5.0/Fighting the Nephilim Agenda with Laura SingerBible Verses:Deuteronomy 32Psalm 82 Genesis 3:15Genesis 6:1-4Colossians 2:151 John 3:8-9Mark 16:17Isaiah 5:20-21This Episode is brought to you byAdvanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[4:28] The Rooted Truth Bible Study and Eden to EdenThe Rooted Truth ministry is a community dedicated to spiritual growth and understanding biblical truthsEden to Eden is a new bible study by Lori, co-authored with Jenny MeyerIt is a 420-page in-depth exploration of God's redemptive plan. This study connects elements of the supernatural often left out of traditional Bible teachings, which is critical, especially in the context of current world events.[7:58] The Seed War and Its ImplicationsThe "seed war" from Genesis 3:15, highlights the significance in understanding the broader biblical narrative. It involves a conflict between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed. The discussion also touches on the supernatural aspects of the Bible, such as Jesus' resurrection, and the influence of the spiritual realm on the physical world. In order to fully understand the bible and power of prayer, one must recognize the supernatural.[17:44] Lori: “The supernatural affects the physical. Nothing happens down here without it happening in the spiritual first. And like I was saying, we have to combat that. That's why we pray. That's why we're able to change atmospheres with prayers.”[22:05] The Fallen Angels in the Spiritual WarfareGenesis 6 explains the fallen angels' interactions with human women resulting in the birth of the Nephilim.Historical texts such as Enoch and Josephus provide additional context and support for the biblical narrative.The discussion explores the hybrid nature of the Nephilim and their supernatural abilities.The spiritual warfare that ensued was a result of these events.The fallen angels' evil intentions fueled this ongoing conflict.[35:40] The Flood and Its AftermathActing as a divine intervention, the flood cleansed the earth of the Nephilim and their evil influence.The creation of demons from the spirits of the fallen Nephilim highlights the emergence of a new spiritual realm.Evidence of the flood, such as fossils and petrified remains, is also discussed to illustrate its impact on the earth.Grasping these supernatural events is crucial for understanding the full scope of the biblical narrative.[51:31] The Tower of Babel and Its SymbolismLori elaborates on the story of the Tower of Babel, explaining the significance of the ziggurat's construction.Old writings, such as those of Flavius Josephus, provide insight into the motivations behind building the tower.The tower symbolizes humanity's attempt to reach the divine without relying on God.Lori connects this story to the broader theme of the seed war and the ongoing spiritual struggle between good and evil.[1:01:08] The Role of the Divine Council and Deuteronomy 32God delegated authority to angels to govern the nations.Deuteronomy 32 highlights the roles these divine beings played in the Old Testament.Recognizing the role of the divine council is essential for understanding the larger biblical narrative.[01:05:46] Lori: “ God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He judges among the gods. How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? … And then verse six says, I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High, but you shall die like men and fall like one of the princes.'”[1:07:55] The Redemptive Plan of JesusJesus reclaimed dominion over the earth, defeating the powers and principalities that once ruled the nations.His actions at significant locations, such as Mount Hermon, and their profound impact on the spiritual realm.Understanding the significance of Jesus' victory over the enemy is crucial for believers.Lori encourages believers to exercise their God-given authority and dominion in the world today.[01:19:30] Lori: “ Jesus literally has conquered it all. He took everything back that the enemy stole, and so the entire ministry of Jesus was not only to bring the kingdom, but to destroy the works of the devil, it's to break the chains and the strongholds that hold us captive in sin, because his authority demonstrated a power over both the physical and the spiritual worlds, and that's what he gives us.”About LoriLori Brazier is a devoted follower of Christ, wife, and mother who balances her faith with a dual career in interior design and writing. With over 16 years of experience as an interior designer, Lori uses her creativity to make spaces functional and beautiful. Beyond her design work, she is passionate about exploring deep biblical truths, writing Bible studies, and sharing her insights on various podcasts.Lori co-leads the Rooted Truth ministry, fostering community and spiritual growth, and is the author of Live Like a Champion, a book inspired by her journey as a college athlete. She is dedicated to uncovering the often-overlooked supernatural aspects of scripture, helping others see the full scope of God's redemptive plan.Connect with Lori through Instagram or her website.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in about generational curses and how to break them, leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. Healing comes from understanding God's redemptive plan and embracing the supernatural truths and spiritual warfare within the scripture. Whether you're facing internal battles or struggling to comprehend your place, restoration is possible through the power and authority given by Jesus Christ.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on    

Tuesday, 20 August 2024   Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Matthew 2:19   “And Herod having died, behold, a messenger of the Lord in a dream appears to Joseph in Egypt” (CG).   In the previous verse, Matthew cited Jeremiah 31:15 concerning the prophecy about Rachel mourning for her children. With that now complete, he next records, “And Herod having died.”   Herod's death was recorded by Flavius Josephus and others in antiquity. The Expositor's Greek Testament, citing several sources, says –   “Herod died in 750 U. C. in his 70th year, at Jericho, of a horrible loathsome disease, rotten in body as in soul, altogether an unwholesome man.”   As for the timing, it is debated how long this period was, but most agree it was only a few months after the killing of the children in Bethlehem, though some argue as much as six or seven years. Regardless of the exact time spent there, eventually, Matthew next records, “behold, a messenger of the Lord in a dream appears to Joseph in Egypt.”   This is now the third time a messenger of the Lord has appeared to him. This time, however, it is outside of the land of Canaan. This should not be remarkable as the Lord can appear anywhere and at any time, but it demonstrates that the Lord does, in fact, speak to His people outside of Canaan. This is in contradistinction to some claims over the millennia that the Lord does not do so.   The Bible is filled with such instances, and such ridiculous claims should not ever be entertained. As for the departed Herod, Albert Barnes shares the following –   “Herod left three sons, and the kingdom was at his death divided between them. To Archelaus was given Judea, Idumea, and Samaria; to Philip, Batanea and Trachonitis; to Antipas, Galilee and Perea.   Each of these was also called Herod, and these are the individuals who are so frequently referred to in the New Testament during the ministry of the Saviour and the labors of the apostles.”   Life application: Translation of Scripture involves more than just conveying words or expressions between languages. It takes careful consideration, consistency, and a watchful eye to ensure that each word or phrase is actually translated. Eyes can skip easily over words or phrases, something quite common when similar words are used within a single verse.    As for consistency, when the context is the same, words should be similarly translated. Otherwise, a false sense of what is being conveyed can come about. However, this is not something that is always possible. There are multiple words that can have similar meanings, and there are many possible meanings for some individual words.   Moreover, when there are translation committees that handle individual portions of Scripture, the biases and preferences of each committee will often show through. It may be that one committee may have a book to translate, but individuals within a committee may be responsible for one or two chapters.   This can lead to real inaccuracies slipping through the cracks. For example, the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary says –   “Our translators, somewhat capriciously, render the same expression ‘the angel of the Lord,' Mt 1:20; 2:13; and ‘an angel of the Lord,' as here.”   The exact term in Greek is aggelos kyriou, or “angel Lord.” Notice what JFB is referring to in the KJV –   1:20 - the angel of the Lord 2:13 - the angel of the Lord 2:19 - an angel of the Lord   The first two instances insert a presupposition, “the angel of the Lord.” In the Old Testament, that generally is referring to the Lord. In the third instance, an unnamed angel representing the Lord is signified.   The first two have inserted words without italicizing them to indicate they are not in the original and they are clearly wrong. The KJV is famous for this willy-nilly type of inconsistency in both testaments and so the reader can be led down incorrect paths of thinking about what the text is saying.   Someone could come to the unfounded conclusion that “the angel of the Lord” appears to Joseph only in the land of Canaan, but then He directs one of His subordinates to appear outside of the land. That would be a ridiculous assumption, but this is what happens when faulty translation occurs.   Be sure to not get caught up in reading one translation and assume it is the only God-inspired translation. Be studious and diligent to check things out before making final conclusions about matters of theology.   Lord God, help us to be wise and studious concerning Your word. It is so very precious, and so may You be with us as we read it, contemplate it, and tell other people things that we have learned from it. Above all, thank You for Jesus our Lord who is the One Scripture is pointing us to. Yes, thank You for our precious Savior, Jesus. Amen.  

The Antiquities of the Jews, written by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in 93 CE, is our most important resource for knowing about the history of Israel around the time of Jesus and his earliest followers. This twenty-volume work contains two brief references to Jesus himself, and are in fact the only two mentions of Jesus in any non-Christian writing of the entire first century. But there are many questions surrounding these statements. Are they authentic to Josephus? Were they added to his writings by later Christian scribes? Could the be authentic in part but altered by scribes. If they are authentic do they strengthen the case for the historicity of Jesus, or are they merely records of hearsay? Do they provide us with any valuable informatioin about Jesus that we otherwise would never know?

Sunday, 4 August 2024   When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:3   “And Herod the king, having heard, he was agitated, and all Jerusalem with him” (CG).   The previous verse noted that the magicians had seen the star of the King of the Jews in the direction of the sunrising and they had come to worship Him. With that noted, Matthew now records, “And Herod the king.”   Herod was a power-hungry king who feared any challenge, real or imagined, to his reign. Of him, Charles Ellicott writes –   “The old king (the title had been given by the Roman Senate in B.C. 40) was drawing to the close of his long and blood-stained reign. Two years before he had put to death, on a charge of treason, his two sons by Mariamne, his best-loved wife, through sheer jealousy of the favour with which the people looked on them. At the time when this history opens, his eldest son, Antipater, was under condemnation.”   So fearful was he of any challenge to his throne that he had his own sons executed for simply being popular. Understanding his personality, Matthew next records, “having heard, he was agitated.”   Herod certainly questioned how magicians from the East could come looking for the King of the Jews but not be looking for him. He sat on the throne over the Jewish people! Because of this, Matthew notes that he was agitated.   The word is tarassó. HELPS Word Studies says it means to “put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro); (figuratively) to set in motion what needs to remain still (at ease); to ‘trouble' (‘agitate'), causing inner perplexity (emotional agitation) from getting too stirred up inside (‘upset').”   One can see Herod standing there beside himself, distraught with the thought of a challenge to his throne. Certainly because of this, it next says, “and all Jerusalem with him.”   The word “all” is used in a comparative sense. An important point in Scripture is that not every “every” means “every,” and not all “all's” mean “all.” There were certainly people sitting in local cafes that had no idea what was transpiring in the royal hall. There were servants tending to the homes of their masters who would have no idea about the coming of the magicians. In all, probably very few of the people in the city had an inkling about the report.   Rather, in this case, Jerusalem stands for the seat of power. Therefore, it is referring to those who were in the royal court with Herod. They would have certainly been agitated, knowing his proclivity for harming others, and they would be walking on eggshells at the thought of what he might do in this instance.   Life application: Herod was an Idumean by birth, meaning an Edomite. Idumean is simply the Greek form of the word. Of this people group, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus says that about 129 BC John Hyrcanus –   “...subdued all the Idumeans; and permitted them to stay in that country, if they would circumcise their genitals, and make use of the laws of the Jews; and they were so desirous of living in the country of their forefathers, that they submitted to the use of circumcision, and of the rest of the Jewish ways of living; at which time therefore this befell them, that they were hereafter no other than Jews.” Antiquities, Book 13 Chapter 9 Section 1   What this means is that the Edomites were brought into the nation of Israel, becoming Jews. This is no different than an Arab or a Japanese person today converting to Judaism. They become a part of the Jewish people. Whether their origins are remembered and held against them by other supposedly pure-blooded Jews or not is irrelevant. They are now Jews.   The line of Herod was a part of this conversion, but the racial animosities obviously remained, and despite being a Jew, it is obvious from historical records that he was remembered for his ancestral heritage more than his acceptance into the Jewish culture.   In the Bible, there are references to Edom, Moab, Ammon, etc., that are contained in prophecies that extend even beyond our time. And yet, there is no nation of Edom, Moab, etc. What this means is that the Bible is using the lands, once inhabited by those people groups, as emblematic of the people in those lands today.   Thus, when a future prophecy refers to Philistia, it is speaking of the modern-day Gazans, not Philistines. In referring to Ammon, Edom, or Moab, it is generally speaking of the Arabs who occupy Jordan. In other words, the lands that were originally settled by these people retain those name designations in Scripture.   This is important to understand because the Edomites of the past are now incorporated into the Jews of today. When the Romans exiled the Jews, those Edomites (Idumeans) who had assimilated into the Jewish people were a part of that exile. There are no “Edomites” today in a real sense. The nation does not exist. Instead, only the lands where they were are considered Edom.   Remember this as you read the Bible. There is a baseline for what is presented. That baseline does not change unless the change is recorded in Scripture. But whatever the final designation in Scripture is, that is what is to be considered when analyzing the world today.   Understanding this, the biblical model which refers to Christians is one that is set and unchanging. Jesus came, fulfilled the law, and introduced the New Covenant. Entry into what God is doing now takes place through the baseline that has been set because of Jesus Christ.   Being “Jewish” is no longer what designates a person who is in a right standing with God. Jews may be in a right standing, or they might not be. But the standard that makes it so is by coming to God through Christ Jesus. This is what God is doing in the world. The pattern is set because the Bible is complete.   And for those who have come to Christ, there are no longer any distinctions that should separate us. Herod may have been considered an Edomite even though he was a Jewish convert. However, such designations are no longer to be looked down on as if one group is better than another.   A Japanese, a Kenyan, and a Jew all walked into a church...   When they got there, they were (and remain) on an equal footing before God because of faith in Jesus Christ –   “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatian 3:26-29   Lord God, how grateful we are for what Christ has done for us. We are all one in Him through faith in His completed work. We are granted access to Your heavenly throne where You hear us regardless of who we once were. Thank You for the wonderful blessing of being Your child through simple faith in Him. Hallelujah and Amen.

In today's episode we will be covering a brief history of the southern kingdom of Israel and how we know the people that identify as black, African American or negro are in fact descendants of the children of Israel. Find out this and more in todays episode. Stay tuned.  Sources: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/499/the-arch-of-titus-rome/ https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Jerusalem-70 Windsor, Rudolph R. From Babylon to Timbuktu: A History of the Ancient Black Races Including the Black Hebrews. Bnpublishing.Com, 2018.  Clarke, John Henrik. Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism. Lushena Books, 2014.  Josephus, Flavius. The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. Start Classics, 2014.  Bryant, Al. Zondervan Compact Bible Dictionary. Zondervan Pub. House, 1994.  Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know about the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History. W. Morrow, 2008.  Windsor, Rudolph R. Judea Trembles under Rome: The Untold Details of the Greek and Roman Military Domination of Palestine during the Time of Jesus of Galilee. Windsor Golden Series, 1994. 

Thursday, 18 January 2024   Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Acts 23:31   A more literal rendering is, “Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that having been appointed them, having taken up Paul, brought through night to Antipatris” (CG).   With the letter from the commander fully detailed by Luke, it next says, “Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that having been appointed them.”   The plan was previously detailed. When the commander completed his letter, the soldiers were assembled according to their previously arranged assignment, and Paul was brought out of the barracks to where the soldiers awaited him. At that point, it next says, “having taken up Paul.”   In verse 24, the centurions were instructed to provide mounts to set Paul on. This is what is now taking place. He is taken up onto his mount for the journey and “brought through night to Antipatris.”   Antipatris was previously called Cafar-Saba. It is mentioned by Flavius Josephus in his writings. Herod the Great had its name changed to Antipatris to honor his father Antipater. It is about thirty-five miles north and west of Jerusalem and still another twenty-six miles south and east of Caesarea.   Today it is known as Kefr-Saba, having reverted back to its original name. The majority of the trip from Jerusalem would be somewhat downhill from the hill country of Ephraim and into the plain of Sharon.   If they went all night, which seems likely, they could have reached this by 6 or 7 the next morning. The rest of the trip would take about six hours until they reached Caesarea. If they stopped for an extended break, they could have been there by sometime in the afternoon.   Life application: The Bible isn't just a book that tells of arbitrary events that may or may not be true. It details events that can be verified, including locations, names of those locations, structures that existed in those locations, events that are recorded to have happened in those same locations (like certain details of battles where evidence is readily available), and so forth.   There is no reason to assume that the events of a battle that are recorded in the Bible are true but that the details of the lives of those people – as recorded at the time of those battles – are merely myths. Rather, when it says that a city is besieged by the Assyrians, something that can be verified as true, and that the king said and did certain things at that time, we should assume that those things are also true.   This is true with events like Paul's situation that is now being detailed in Acts. If Luke correctly recorded all of the verifiable information, like names of cities, names of certain officials, distances between locations, etc., then what he says about Paul's personal matters would have been equally well-researched.   Have confidence that what you are reading is accurate and reliable. This is especially so because it is recorded in God's word. Why would God allow something false or misleading to be included there? He wouldn't! Trust the word because God is trustworthy.   Heavenly Father, may we be confident in Your word, knowing that it has been checked, rechecked, and then checked again throughout the time since it was received. Even today, new evidence of its reliability is being discovered. Thank You for the surety we can possess concerning Your word. And, thus, thank You for the surety we can possess concerning what it says about Jesus! Hallelujah for the story of the coming of our Lord. Amen.

‎ In this episode Adam covers a passage from Flavius Josephus's “Antiquities of the Jews” and how it details a historical account that appears to be the first domino in a series of events in Alexander the Great's life that led to the fulfillment of prophecy found in Daniel chapter 8. Music:Hands High‎ ‎Musician:LiQWYD‎ ‎URL:http://www.soundcloud.com/liqwyd‎ — ‎Music:Sweet Love‎ ‎Musician:DayFox‎ —‎Music:Seoul Arcade‎ — ‎Music:Aero‎ ‎Musician:Gabriel‎ ‎URL:https://icons8.com/music‎ ‎Musician:TVARI‎ ‎URL:https://soundcloud.com/tvarimusic/sets/vlogmusic‎ ‎URL:https://pixabay.com/music/beats-sweet-love-121561/‎— ‎ ‎Music:For When It Rains‎ ‎Musician:Juan_Sanchez_Music‎ ‎URL:https://pixabay.com/music/for-when-it-rains-112785/‎

Thursday, 21 December 2023   Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” Acts 23:3   The Greek more literally reads, “Then Paul said to him, ‘God is set to strike you, you plastered wall. And you, you sit judging me according to the law, and law-transgressing command me to be struck?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the high priest Ananias commanded that Paul be struck on the mouth. Now, in response to that, it says, “Then Paul said to him, ‘God sets to strike you.'”   The verb melló gives the sense of “about to happen.” It is variously translated, but it carries with it the idea of expectation. Being in the present tense, and as a single word to define it, “sets” get the idea across. With that, Paul next says, “you plastered wall.”   This is the second and last use of the word koniaó in Scripture. It is derived from konia, dust. Its only other use is found in Matthew 23:27 –   “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.”   The word, though coming from dust, also signifies lime used to plaster something over. Paul uses this expression to describe this terrible person. It was either an idiom of the time which was used by Jesus, or it was something that Jesus coined and became known among the disciples.   If coined by Jesus, it was now idiomatically used by them. In essence, it means a hypocrite or having a hypocritical attitude. The reason for this is seen in Paul's continued words, “And you, you sit judging me according to the law, and law-transgressing command me to be struck?”   Paul cites the intent of the law in his defense, though not a particular passage. In what he says is a word found only this one time in Scripture, paranomeó. It is a single noun derived from para, by or alongside, and nomos, law.   In the sense used by Paul, it means law-transgressing. This is justification for using the idiomatic expression. The high priest was giving a law in violation of the law. His actions were hypocritical. It was as if he was a dirty wall that was simply plastered over to hide the defilement below.   In John 7, in his words to the Pharisees, Nicodemus said, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (John 7:51). This was understood and taken as an axiom within Israel. Before a judgment for guilt and/or punishment was rendered, there had to be a trial to determine the facts. Paul was denied this and given a punishment before he had even spoken in his defense.   As for Paul's words to Ananias, although extra-biblical, Josephus says that he was eventually killed by the Sicarii. (Flavius Josephus, Wars ii 17 2-9).   Life application: Our world today is becoming more and more corrupt. Unlawful renderings of judgment permeate the nations of the world. Set laws are flagrantly ignored, and those in positions of legal authority demonstrate overt biases against particular ideologies. And yet, they refuse to recuse themselves. Instead, they convict the innocent and acquit the guilty.   This type of corruption will only increase as the world continues to devolve into anarchy and chaos. As this occurs, decent people are harmed, Christian rights are removed, and unrighteousness will eventually permeate the world.   It is frustrating and even maddening to behold, but it is not the end of the story. Just as Paul said to Ananias, we can rightfully assert that God will strike them as well. Their teeny little victories will not be remembered when they are brought to an end. Someday, they will be raised before God at the Great White Throne. There, they will be judged and condemned. Their destiny is the Lake of Fire.   We shouldn't rejoice that they will be condemned, but we should be comforted that their actions will be judged and the people of God will be vindicated. From that point on, righteousness will rule for God's people for all eternity. Don't look at what is happening now as a failure of God. He is allowing what shouldn't be saved to destroy itself. What is of value will be purified and will then go forth in perfect goodness forever and ever.   Thank You, O God, for the precious hope we possess. This fallen world is perishing and will pass away. But those who have called on Jesus shall be raised to live in a state of perfection and glory forever and ever. May that wondrous day be soon, O God. Amen.

As part of our new Wisdom Traditions series, the guys talk about the Essenes, an ancient order of mystics that flourished around the 1st century Judea. They also read the historical texts from Flavius Josephus and Philo of Alexandria.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5589952/advertisement

Today I talked to Steven B. Bowman about his book Sepher Yosippon: A Tenth-Century History of Ancient Israel (Wayne State UP, 2022). Sepher Yosippon was written in Hebrew by a medieval historian noted by modern scholars for its eloquent style. This is the first known chronicle of Jewish history and legend from Adam to the destruction of the Second Temple, this is the first known text since the canonical histories written by Flavius Josephus in Greek and later translated by Christian scholars into Latin. Sepher Yosippon has been cited and referred to by scholars, poets, and authors as the authentic source for ancient Israel for over a millennium, until overshadowed by the twentieth-century Hebrew translations of Josephus. It is based on Pseudo Hegesippus's fourth-century anti-Jewish summary of Josephus's Jewish War. However, the anonymous author [a.k.a. Joseph ben Gurion Hacohen] also consulted with the Latin versions of Josephus's works available to him. At the same time, he included a wealth of Second Temple literature as well as Roman and Christian sources. This book contains Steven Bowman's translation of the complete text of David Flusser's standard Hebrew edition of Sepher Yosippon, which includes the later medieval interpolations referring to Jesus. The present English edition also contains the translator's introduction as well as a preface by the fifteenth-century publisher of the book. The anonymous author of this text remains unique for his approach to history, his use of sources, and his almost secular attitude, which challenges the modern picture of medieval Jews living in a religious age. In his influential novel, A Guest for the Night, the Nobel Laureate author Shmuel Yosef Agnon emphasized the importance of Sepher Yosippon as a valuable reading to understand human nature. Bowman's translation of Flusser's notes, as well as his own scholarship, offers a well-wrought story for scholars and students interested in Jewish legend and history in the medieval period, Jewish studies, medieval literature, and folklore studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I talked to Steven B. Bowman about his book Sepher Yosippon: A Tenth-Century History of Ancient Israel (Wayne State UP, 2022). Sepher Yosippon was written in Hebrew by a medieval historian noted by modern scholars for its eloquent style. This is the first known chronicle of Jewish history and legend from Adam to the destruction of the Second Temple, this is the first known text since the canonical histories written by Flavius Josephus in Greek and later translated by Christian scholars into Latin. Sepher Yosippon has been cited and referred to by scholars, poets, and authors as the authentic source for ancient Israel for over a millennium, until overshadowed by the twentieth-century Hebrew translations of Josephus. It is based on Pseudo Hegesippus's fourth-century anti-Jewish summary of Josephus's Jewish War. However, the anonymous author [a.k.a. Joseph ben Gurion Hacohen] also consulted with the Latin versions of Josephus's works available to him. At the same time, he included a wealth of Second Temple literature as well as Roman and Christian sources. This book contains Steven Bowman's translation of the complete text of David Flusser's standard Hebrew edition of Sepher Yosippon, which includes the later medieval interpolations referring to Jesus. The present English edition also contains the translator's introduction as well as a preface by the fifteenth-century publisher of the book. The anonymous author of this text remains unique for his approach to history, his use of sources, and his almost secular attitude, which challenges the modern picture of medieval Jews living in a religious age. In his influential novel, A Guest for the Night, the Nobel Laureate author Shmuel Yosef Agnon emphasized the importance of Sepher Yosippon as a valuable reading to understand human nature. Bowman's translation of Flusser's notes, as well as his own scholarship, offers a well-wrought story for scholars and students interested in Jewish legend and history in the medieval period, Jewish studies, medieval literature, and folklore studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Today I talked to Steven B. Bowman about his book Sepher Yosippon: A Tenth-Century History of Ancient Israel (Wayne State UP, 2022). Sepher Yosippon was written in Hebrew by a medieval historian noted by modern scholars for its eloquent style. This is the first known chronicle of Jewish history and legend from Adam to the destruction of the Second Temple, this is the first known text since the canonical histories written by Flavius Josephus in Greek and later translated by Christian scholars into Latin. Sepher Yosippon has been cited and referred to by scholars, poets, and authors as the authentic source for ancient Israel for over a millennium, until overshadowed by the twentieth-century Hebrew translations of Josephus. It is based on Pseudo Hegesippus's fourth-century anti-Jewish summary of Josephus's Jewish War. However, the anonymous author [a.k.a. Joseph ben Gurion Hacohen] also consulted with the Latin versions of Josephus's works available to him. At the same time, he included a wealth of Second Temple literature as well as Roman and Christian sources. This book contains Steven Bowman's translation of the complete text of David Flusser's standard Hebrew edition of Sepher Yosippon, which includes the later medieval interpolations referring to Jesus. The present English edition also contains the translator's introduction as well as a preface by the fifteenth-century publisher of the book. The anonymous author of this text remains unique for his approach to history, his use of sources, and his almost secular attitude, which challenges the modern picture of medieval Jews living in a religious age. In his influential novel, A Guest for the Night, the Nobel Laureate author Shmuel Yosef Agnon emphasized the importance of Sepher Yosippon as a valuable reading to understand human nature. Bowman's translation of Flusser's notes, as well as his own scholarship, offers a well-wrought story for scholars and students interested in Jewish legend and history in the medieval period, Jewish studies, medieval literature, and folklore studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Today I talked to Steven B. Bowman about his book Sepher Yosippon: A Tenth-Century History of Ancient Israel (Wayne State UP, 2022). Sepher Yosippon was written in Hebrew by a medieval historian noted by modern scholars for its eloquent style. This is the first known chronicle of Jewish history and legend from Adam to the destruction of the Second Temple, this is the first known text since the canonical histories written by Flavius Josephus in Greek and later translated by Christian scholars into Latin. Sepher Yosippon has been cited and referred to by scholars, poets, and authors as the authentic source for ancient Israel for over a millennium, until overshadowed by the twentieth-century Hebrew translations of Josephus. It is based on Pseudo Hegesippus's fourth-century anti-Jewish summary of Josephus's Jewish War. However, the anonymous author [a.k.a. Joseph ben Gurion Hacohen] also consulted with the Latin versions of Josephus's works available to him. At the same time, he included a wealth of Second Temple literature as well as Roman and Christian sources. This book contains Steven Bowman's translation of the complete text of David Flusser's standard Hebrew edition of Sepher Yosippon, which includes the later medieval interpolations referring to Jesus. The present English edition also contains the translator's introduction as well as a preface by the fifteenth-century publisher of the book. The anonymous author of this text remains unique for his approach to history, his use of sources, and his almost secular attitude, which challenges the modern picture of medieval Jews living in a religious age. In his influential novel, A Guest for the Night, the Nobel Laureate author Shmuel Yosef Agnon emphasized the importance of Sepher Yosippon as a valuable reading to understand human nature. Bowman's translation of Flusser's notes, as well as his own scholarship, offers a well-wrought story for scholars and students interested in Jewish legend and history in the medieval period, Jewish studies, medieval literature, and folklore studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I talked to Steven B. Bowman about his book Sepher Yosippon: A Tenth-Century History of Ancient Israel (Wayne State UP, 2022). Sepher Yosippon was written in Hebrew by a medieval historian noted by modern scholars for its eloquent style. This is the first known chronicle of Jewish history and legend from Adam to the destruction of the Second Temple, this is the first known text since the canonical histories written by Flavius Josephus in Greek and later translated by Christian scholars into Latin. Sepher Yosippon has been cited and referred to by scholars, poets, and authors as the authentic source for ancient Israel for over a millennium, until overshadowed by the twentieth-century Hebrew translations of Josephus. It is based on Pseudo Hegesippus's fourth-century anti-Jewish summary of Josephus's Jewish War. However, the anonymous author [a.k.a. Joseph ben Gurion Hacohen] also consulted with the Latin versions of Josephus's works available to him. At the same time, he included a wealth of Second Temple literature as well as Roman and Christian sources. This book contains Steven Bowman's translation of the complete text of David Flusser's standard Hebrew edition of Sepher Yosippon, which includes the later medieval interpolations referring to Jesus. The present English edition also contains the translator's introduction as well as a preface by the fifteenth-century publisher of the book. The anonymous author of this text remains unique for his approach to history, his use of sources, and his almost secular attitude, which challenges the modern picture of medieval Jews living in a religious age. In his influential novel, A Guest for the Night, the Nobel Laureate author Shmuel Yosef Agnon emphasized the importance of Sepher Yosippon as a valuable reading to understand human nature. Bowman's translation of Flusser's notes, as well as his own scholarship, offers a well-wrought story for scholars and students interested in Jewish legend and history in the medieval period, Jewish studies, medieval literature, and folklore studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we look at the slaying of the firstborn from the vantage point of the Bible, the Book of Jasher, The Ledgen of The Jews, and The Works of Flavius Josephus. We look at the power of God's favor: what it means and what it does. During the plague, the firstborn children and even the firstborn of the livestock died as the angel of death passed through Egypt. Only those who obeyed the instructions of the Lord were safe. As the angel of death “passed over” their homes the Israelites ate the very first Passover Meal.

In this episode, we look at Moses and the plagues according to The Works of Flavius Josephus.

In this episode, we look at Moses and Aaron's return to Egypt before Pharaoh from the vantage point of The Legend of the Jews and from the historian Flavius Josephus.

Professor Steve Mason (Ph.D) https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/scholar/steve-mason/https://research.rug.nl/en/persons/steve-masonhttps://rug.academia.edu/SteveMasonhttps://www.thetorah.com/author/steve-mason Get his books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Steve-Mason/author/B01HVVIDJK?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Steve Mason is Emeritus Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Cultures and Religions in the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands. His degrees are from Canada's McMaster University (BA, MA) and University of St Michael's College (PhD), with years of graduate study in Jerusalem and Tübingen, Germany. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society in the UK, Steve has published widely on Roman Judaea, the works of Josephus, historical method, and Christian origins. He leads an international project providing the first commentary to thirty Greek volumes by Flavius Josephus, along with a new translation, and has contributed three volumes to that project. His other books include Flavius Josephus on the Pharisees; Josephus and the New Testament; Josephus, Judaea, and Christian Origins; Orientation to the History of Roman Judaea; A History of the Jewish War, AD 66 - 74; and most recently, Jews and Christians in the Roman World — appearing this month from Brill Academic Publishers. Steve was born in Canada and grew up in Canada, Britain, and Australia. After first jobs in kitchens, factories, a mine mill, security, and counselling, Steve worked for the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Toronto's York University, The Pennsylvania State University, The University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and The University of Groningen. He has been a guest professor with stays in Oxford, Princeton, Konstanz, Berlin, Paris, Trinity College Dublin, and Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute. https://www.patreon.com/GnosticInformant Please Consider joining my Patreon to help finding scholars to bring on. Any amount helps me. Thank you existing Patrons. 2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@gnosticinformanttv Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NealSendlak1 Discord: https://discord.com/invite/uWBZkxd4UX Steve Mason (B.A., M.A. McMaster, Ph.D. St. Michael's) is Professor of History and Canada Research Chair in Greco-Roman Cultural Interaction at York University in Toronto. He edits the twelve-volume Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2000-), and has contributed two of its volumes: Life of Josephus and Judean War 2. His other books include Flavius Josephus on the Pharisees (1991), Josephus and the New Testament (second edn. 2003), and Josephus, Judea, and Christian Origins: Methods and Categories (2009). He is currently writing a book for Cambridge University Press on the Judaean-Roman War of 66 to 74. #gnosticinformant #josephus #stevemason --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gnosticinformant/message

In this episode, we extract information from Legends of the Jews and from The Works of Flavius Josephus dealing with the birth and rescue of Moses from the river. We find out how he got his name and who named him. #bible #biblestudy #biblereading

This week Angie and Stevens finish “The Resurrection of Jesus, Myth?” with the 3rd and final part of the series where they conclude, providing the evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus from non-Christian, haters of Christianity, and the source list below so that anyone else can verify the information for themselves. References:1. Habermas, Gary. The Risen Jesus and Future Hope. (September 8, 2003)2. J, Warner Wallace. Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. (January 1, 2003)3. Dunn, James DG., ed. The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2003)4. F. F. Bruce, Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974)5. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, AD 93, chapter 36. A. J. Levine, D. C. Allison & J. D. Crossan, The historical Jesus in context, Volume 12, Princeton University Press, 2006. p 4057. British Museum, Syriac Manuscript, Additional 14,6588. Tacitus, Annals, AD 116, book 15, chapter 449. Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 11-13.10. Tertullian, Apologeticus, Chapter 21, 1911. Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2.3312. Celsus, Contra Celsum 6.3413. The Babylonian Talmud, transl. by I. Epstein (London: Soncino, 1935), vol. III, Sanhedrin 43a, 28114. Gary R. Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. College Press Publishing Company, Inc.; 2011th edition (3 June 1996)15. Bart Ehrman, The Historical Jesus: Lecture Transcript and Course Guidebook, Part 2 of 2 (Chantilly, VA: The Teaching Company. 2000), pg. 162.16. F, Morrison. Who Moved the Stone?: A Skeptic Looks at the Death and Resurrection of Christ. (27 July, 1987)17. Catherine M. Murphy, The Historical Jesus For Dummies, For Dummies Pub., 2007. p 1418. Josephus, Antiquities, 4.8.1552. Wright, NT. The New Unimproved Jesus, Christianity Today (September 13, 1993), p.2619. National Health Service of the United Kingdom, Hallucinations and Hearing Voices. NHS UK, accessed (1 October 2019) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hallucinations.20. Charles Mackey. Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (London, Office of the National Illustrated Library, 1852).21. Lee Strobel. The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998), p. 238.22. Ludemann, Gurd, What Really Happened to Jesus: A Historical Approach to the Resurrection, 1995, pg. 8023. Kastensmidt, S. Truth Unearthed: Archaeology & the Bible. Examining the evidence: part 5. Reliability of the New Testament Scriptures. Rio Vista Community Church, 201624. Daniel B. Wallace, Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications (May 9, 2006)25. Bart. D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus: The Story behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. 2006 pg. 5526. Bart. D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus: The Story behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. 2006 Appendix pg. 252–25327. Craig, W. Reasonable Faith. (June 9, 2008)28. Daniel B. Wallace, Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications (May 9, 2006)29. Habermas, G. R. (1996). The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (pp. 142-170). Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company30. James D.G. Dunn, Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003, p. 55, 85531. Dr. Edwin Yamauchi, Easter - Myth, Hallucination or History? Christianity Today (March 15; 1974; and March 24, 1974)32. Gary Habermas and Michael Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Grand Rapids, Michael Kregel, forthcoming)SUPPORT THIS PODCAST/MINISTRY at www.christalonenetwork.com/giveFeatured Ad: www.renewedmindsets.comQuestions/Suggestions: www.christalonenetwork.com/contactPrayer Request: www.christalonenetwork.com/prayerImmediate Contact: call/text 407-796-2881

This week Angie and Stevens finish “The Resurrection of Jesus, Myth?” with the 3rd and final part of the series where they conclude, providing the evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus from non-Christian, haters of Christianity, and the source list below so that anyone else can verify the information for themselves. Please call/text for any questions, suggestions or prayer requests at 407-796-2881 or find us at www.linktr.ee/ChristAlone References: 1. Habermas, Gary. The Risen Jesus and Future Hope. (September 8, 2003) 2. J, Warner Wallace. Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. (January 1, 2003) 3. Dunn, James DG., ed. The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2003) 4. F. F. Bruce, Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974) 5. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, AD 93, chapter 3 6. A. J. Levine, D. C. Allison & J. D. Crossan, The historical Jesus in context, Volume 12, Princeton University Press, 2006. p 405 7. British Museum, Syriac Manuscript, Additional 14,658 8. Tacitus, Annals, AD 116, book 15, chapter 44 9. Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 11-13. 10. Tertullian, Apologeticus, Chapter 21, 19 11. Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2.33 12. Celsus, Contra Celsum 6.34 13. The Babylonian Talmud, transl. by I. Epstein (London: Soncino, 1935), vol. III, Sanhedrin 43a, 281 14. Gary R. Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. College Press Publishing Company, Inc.; 2011th edition (3 June 1996) 15. Bart Ehrman, The Historical Jesus: Lecture Transcript and Course Guidebook, Part 2 of 2 (Chantilly, VA: The Teaching Company. 2000), pg. 162. 16. F, Morrison. Who Moved the Stone?: A Skeptic Looks at the Death and Resurrection of Christ. (27 July, 1987) 17. Catherine M. Murphy, The Historical Jesus For Dummies, For Dummies Pub., 2007. p 14 18. Josephus, Antiquities, 4.8.15 52. Wright, NT. The New Unimproved Jesus, Christianity Today (September 13, 1993), p.26 19. National Health Service of the United Kingdom, Hallucinations and Hearing Voices. NHS UK, accessed (1 October 2019) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hallucinations. 20. Charles Mackey. Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (London, Office of the National Illustrated Library, 1852). 21. Lee Strobel. The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998), p. 238. 22. Ludemann, Gurd, What Really Happened to Jesus: A Historical Approach to the Resurrection, 1995, pg. 80 23. Kastensmidt, S. Truth Unearthed: Archaeology & the Bible. Examining the evidence: part 5. Reliability of the New Testament Scriptures. Rio Vista Community Church, 2016 24. Daniel B. Wallace, Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications (May 9, 2006) 25. Bart. D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus: The Story behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. 2006 pg. 55 26. Bart. D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus: The Story behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. 2006 Appendix pg. 252–253 27. Craig, W. Reasonable Faith. (June 9, 2008) 28. Daniel B. Wallace, Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications (May 9, 2006) 29. Habermas, G. R. (1996). The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (pp. 142-170). Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company 30. James D.G. Dunn, Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003, p. 55, 855 31. Dr. Edwin Yamauchi, Easter - Myth, Hallucination or History? Christianity Today (March 15; 1974; and March 24, 1974) 32. Gary Habermas and Michael Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Grand Rapids, Michael Kregel, forthcoming) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christalone/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christalone/support

Introduction      Luke had previously addressed the conflict that arose in the early church between the Hellenistic Jews and the native Jews over the matter of food distribution to the widows in the community (Acts 6:1). To resolve the issue, the apostles directed “the congregation of the disciples” (Acts 6:2) to select seven men of “good reputation” who would make sure the widows were being cared for on a daily basis (Acts 6:2-3). The apostle's reason was so they could devote themselves “to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). The seven men who were selected were described as being “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Act 6:3), and “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5), and were approved by the apostles for their ministry (Acts 6:6). Afterwards, we're told, “The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem” (Acts 6:7). In the following pericope, Luke singled out Stephen, who was a transitional figure in the early church. Stephen takes up such a large section in Acts because he is the first Christian martyr and his death marks the beginning of the great church persecution that scattered Christians all over the world. Text      Luke wrote, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). Previously, Stephen was among those who were said to be “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3), and specifically was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). And here, Stephen was said to be “full of grace and power” (Acts 6:8). The Greek adjective πλήρης pleres, translated full of, appears 16 times in the NT, with half of the occurrences in Acts. According to Mounce, the word means to be “completely under the influence of, or affected by.”[1] Stephen was marked by the good qualities one would like to see in a godly leader. The word grace translates the Greek word χάρις charis, which commonly denotes unmerited favor or undeserved kindness, but here means “a winning quality or attractiveness … charm, winsomeness.”[2] Furthermore, Stephen was under the influence of God's power, Who was working through His servant to perform “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8b). It is assumed these signs and wonders were similar to those performed by the apostles, and that it was done to promote the gospel message to others in the community. According to Charles Swindoll, “In faith, Stephen submitted himself to the direction of the Holy Spirit and worked to serve the church. This is exactly the kind of faithful Christian God loves to use to do big things. Stephen took his faith seriously, and he yielded to the Holy Spirit's control. That's what it means to be ‘full' in this way.”[3] But godliness does not come without resistance. According to Arnold Fruchtenbaum, “Because of his actions in this context, Stephen ended up being the first member of the church to qualify for the martyr's crown. The main purpose of the book of Acts is to tell the story of Peter and Paul, and Stephen is the link between these two key apostles: he was appointed by Peter, but Paul will be consenting to his death.”[4]      Because the church exists in a fallen world, where Satan is ruling in a limited way (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1 John 5:19), and where many people are resistant to God's work (Matt 7:13; John 3:19; Rom 1:18), it was only a matter of time before a conflict arose. Luke informs us, “But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen” (Acts 6:9). Here, we have some men who were from a specific synagogue called “the Synagogue of the Freedmen”, which consisted either of Jewish men who had previously been slaves and were now free, or were the sons of those who'd previously been freed. Their common bond was their freedom from physical slavery, yet they were hostile to Stephen who offered them spiritual freedom in Christ (Acts 6:9-14; cf. Acts 26:18; Col 1:13). Thomas Constable notes, “Like local churches today, these synagogues tended to attract people with similar backgrounds and preferences. Many families that had experienced liberation from some kind of slavery or servitude evidently populated the Synagogue of the Freedmen.”[5] And Charles Swindoll states: "Synagogues not only held services for worship and teaching, but they also served as community centers where people met socially. This made them ideal locations to discuss theology. Stephen and the other believers regularly frequented synagogues, looking for opportunities to testify about Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection from the dead. Stephen quickly demonstrated a remarkable ability to debate, which infuriated these freedmen (Acts 6:10)."[6]      That these men “rose up and argued with Stephen” means they opposed his preaching, not necessarily his grace or good works. We're not told exactly what Stephen was preaching, but from their opposing arguments that follow, it was related to Jesus, the Mosaic Law, and the temple. The apostle Paul was a “Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia” (Acts 21:39) and may have fellowshipped in this particular synagogue. If so, it would make sense why he was listed among those who approved of Stephen's killing in the next chapter (Acts 7:58).      But these Jewish men, collectively, could not adequately defend their position against Stephen's well-reasoned and robust teaching. Luke tells us, “But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10). Because Stephen was so proficient in his presentation of God's Word, showing from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ, he threatened the theological base of those who opposed him. Stephen appears as an unusually gifted teacher who was able to communicate God's Word. Apparently Stephen presented his case with such compelling force that the Hellenistic Jews were unable to cope with his wisdom. Luke's comment about Stephen speaking by “the Spirit” implies his words were divinely sanctioned. That is, they originated with God the Holy Spirit and were truth. This appears to be a display of what Jesus told His disciples, saying, “I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute” (Luke 21:15). Rational words only work with rational minds, and those given over to sin are not always rational. Furthermore, winning an argument does not mean winning a heart, as some who are recalcitrant and committed to their sinful ways will not be persuaded by solid biblical reasoning, but will only dig in their heels (cf., Jer 25:3; John 3:19). That Stephen spoke by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit meant his detractors were actually arguing with God, and thus it was an unfair debate. When the Jews from the Synagogue of the Freedmen could not win their debate by rational means—since they were governed by pride—they resorted to sinful practices that are common to the world. Luke wrote: "Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” (Acts 6:11-14)      Stephen was treated the same as the Lord Jesus, where Jewish leaders employed false witnesses to testify against Him, declaring He would destroy the temple. Mark tells us in his Gospel, “Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands'” (Mark 14:57-58). Though it was Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin, it was as though Jesus were on trial all over again. However, before the supreme court of heaven, and God, “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), it was these unbelieving Jewish men and the Sanhedrin itself that was on trial. Apparently the Sanhedrin had so elevated Moses, that they considered one who spoke against him as worthy of capital punishment. Josephus says of them, “What they most of all honor, after God himself, is the name of their legislator [Moses]; whom, if any one blaspheme, he is punished capitally.”[7]      Those who opposed Stephen, assuming they knew the Law at all, might have been thinking of when Moses wrote, “the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people” (Num 15:30). Of course, these men only used the Scripture as a means of controlling others and destroying their enemies. Luke tells us these men 1) “secretly induced men to say” false things about Stephen (Acts 6:11), 2) “stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes” (Acts 6:12a) 3) “dragged him away and brought him before the Council” (Acts 6:12b), and 4) “put forward false witnesses” to accuse him (Acts 6:13).      These wicked men violated the Scripture in order to protect their power. It was evil that they secretly induced men to spread lies about Stephen, which is a direct violation of the ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex 20:16). Spreading a lie and stirring up the people was their tactic to manipulate the situation and win local support, which they felt they needed to overpower Stephen and the influence he was having on those who heard him. It's noteworthy that such actions are a common tactic among the wicked, as David prayed to the Lord, saying, “Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence” (Psa 27:12). Once they had their false charges and the support of others, they grabbed Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. Luke employs the Greek word συναρπάζω sunarpazo (translated dragged away) which, according to BDAG, means “to take hold of forcibly, to seize someone.”[8] One can imagine a group of strong men approaching Stephen and grabbing him by force and dragging him through the city to bring him before the Sanhedrin. This reveals the physical actions some people will resort to when dealing with God's people, all because they feel threatened by divine revelation and will seek to shut down those who communicate it by whatever means necessary.      Once the false witnesses were put before the Sanhedrin, they said, “we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us” (Acts 6:14). The charge that was brought against Stephen echoed that which had been brought against Jesus a few months earlier (Mark 14:57-58). For the Sanhedrin, this was Déjà vu all over again. According to Stanley Toussaint: "The false witnesses were not necessarily outright liars. Stephen had probably said the things they accused him of; however, they misrepresented the intentions and imports of his statements (cf. Matt 26:61; Mark 14:58; John 2:19). The Lord Himself predicted the destruction of the temple (Matt 24:1–2; Mark 13:1–2; Luke 21:5–6), though He never said He would do it. The other half of the allegation against Stephen involved the temporary nature of the Mosaic system. Undoubtedly he saw the theological implications of justification by faith and the fulfillment of the Law in Christ. Furthermore, if the gospel was for the whole world (Acts 1:8), the Law had to be a temporary arrangement."[9]      Luke closed out this pericope, saying, “And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). The Sanhedrin, fixing their collective stares at Stephen, were probably trying to intimidate him. That, along with the false charges, would normally frighten anyone in that situation. But Luke tells us they “saw his face like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15b). This could very well be God's shekinah glory, resting on Stephen as it had rested on Moses after he'd spoken with the Lord, and whose “face shone” for others to see (Ex 34:29). It could also be Luke's way of saying that Stephen displayed a calmness in the face of his accusers. If so, it reveals a relaxed mental attitude in the face of hostility. No doubt, the Lord was with Stephen, and His Word saturated his thinking, so much so, that Stephen remained calm in the face of great pressure. Present Application      As God's people, we must be faithful to Him in those moments when we have opportunity to share Christ and His Word. When we share Christ with others, it gives them the opportunity believe in Him as their Savior, believing He died for them, was buried, and raised again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4). Once they believe in Jesus as their Savior, they receive forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), and many other blessings (Eph 1:3). However, we must also keep in mind that we live in a fallen world that is largely governed by Satan (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1 John 5:19), and where the vast majority of people are under “the dominion of Satan” (Act 26:18), and reside in his “domain of darkness” (Col 1:13). It is in this realm that we live our lives and must proclaim the truth of God's Word, as lights in a dark world (Eph 5:8-10; Phil 2:5). Sadly, the majority of people in this world will seek to suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18), and to silence God's messengers by whatever means they can. Yet we must be strong, for God has told us, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb 13:5); therefore, we take courage, for “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (Heb 13:6a). Knowing God's Word and walking with Him erects a fortress in our souls that enables us to stand in the face of great pressure. Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] William D. Mounce, Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 1246. [2] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1079. [3] Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 126. [4] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Acts (San Antonio, TX, Published by Ariel Ministries, 2022), 153. [5] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ac 6:9. [6] Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary, 126. [7] Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 606. [8] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 966. [9] Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 368–369.

Introduction      Luke had previously revealed the persecution of the apostles at the hand of the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:17-18), and how God had supernaturally rescued them from jail so they could continue to preach about Jesus (Acts 5:19-20). Afterwards, the Sanhedrin gathered together and had the apostles arrested a second time in order to question them (Acts 5:21-27). After being reminded that they were commanded to stop preaching in Jesus' name (Acts 5:28), Peter stated they were under divine orders and said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Peter proceeded to share the gospel, saying, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross” (Acts 5:30), revealing that God had exalted Jesus to His right hand (Acts 5:31), and that the apostles were witnesses of these things (Acts 5:32). Luke recorded the response of the Sanhedrin and the apostles in the following verses. Text      Recording the hostility of the Sanhedrin, Luke wrote, “But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them” (Acts 5:33). Here we see the wicked hearts of the Sanhedrin—at least a portion of them—as they wanted to murder the apostles as they had murdered Jesus. But the Sanhedrin was a divided group. Josephus said of the Pharisees and Sadducees, “The Pharisees are friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of friendliness and concern for the public. But the behavior of the Sadducees one towards another is in some degree wild; and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them.”[1]      Being a divided group, Luke informs us about one of their esteemed members, saying, “But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time” (Acts 5:33-34). Gamaliel was a prominent leader in Israel at this time, and he was also the teacher of Saul, who later became Paul (Acts 22:3). Whereas earlier the high priest had “rose up” in defiance of the apostles (Acts 5:17), here Gamaliel “stood up” against some in his own party and argued for moderation (Acts 5:34). In a calm manner, Gamaliel asked that the apostles be put out “for a short time”, which indicated his confidence that it would not take long for him to argue his case. Luke records the words of Gamaliel as follows: And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered” (Acts 5:35-37)      Modern historians do not know anything about Theudas mentioned here by Gamaliel. Josephus mentioned a Theudas in his writings, but that was a different man who lived decades later. Gamaliel's mentioning two men, Theudas and Judas, was to present historical precedents for men who rose up within the Jewish community and had followers, but who failed in their efforts. Both of these men “came to nothing” and “were scattered” among the people. Charles Swindoll states: "Beginning with a short history of other failed movements, he reminded the men that their noninterference policy had served them well in the past. As each would-be messiah or populist movement had surfaced, the Sanhedrin had refused to lend its support for fear of Rome's wrath. But they had also avoided taking sides with Rome to avoid angering the people. In each case, the deceptive leader was killed, his movement fell apart, and the crisis passed without the Sanhedrin's involvement (Acts 5:35–37)."[2]      Warren Wiersbe notes, “In spite of the fact that Gamaliel tried to use cool logic rather than overheated emotions, his approach was still wrong. To begin with, he automatically classified Jesus with two rebels, which means he had already rejected the evidence. To him, this ‘Jesus of Nazareth' was just another zealous Jew, trying to set the nation free from Rome.”[3]      Gamaliel argued for a response of noninterference, saying, “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39). Here was an argument for moderation and not hostility. It could be that God was working through this religious non-Christian to mitigate the hostility that was put forth. According to Thomas Constable: "Gamaliel's point was that if God was not behind the apostles, their influence would peter out in time. Obviously Gamaliel believed that this was the case, or else he would likely have become a Christian. He offered the theoretical option that if the apostles were of God, the Sanhedrin would find itself in the terrible position of fighting against God by opposing them. Obviously Gamaliel believed in the sovereignty of God. He advised his brethren to wait and see. He did not believe that the apostles presented as serious a threat to the leaders of Judaism as the Sadducees believed they did."[4]       Apparently, Gamaliel's rational response was received by the Sanhedrin, as Luke records, “They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them” (Acts 5:40). Though the majority in the Sanhedrin backed off from killing the apostles, they still wanted their pound of flesh, so they ordered them to be whipped and commanded them not to preach any more in the name of Jesus. There was legal precedent under the Mosaic Law that permitted the flogging of a wicked person (Deut 25:2-3). Of course, this was an incorrect application and was unjustly applied. The flogging usually required the victim to be stripped of his shirt and be placed in a kneeling position, whipped both on the chest and back, with one whip on the chest for every two whips on the back.      Though Gamaliel represented a portion of the Pharisees, apparently they did not all share his view on non-involvement. Later, we will learn about another Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus who took a different view than that of Gamaliel, and rather than live in peace with the early Christians, sought to exterminate them (Acts 8:1, 3; 9:1-2). This shows that there was not always agreement within the parties. Though Gamaliel seemed to advocate neutrality, he was actually against Jesus, Who said, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matt 12:30). Jesus had previously prophesied this persecution would happen (Matt 10:17; 23:34; Mark 13:9).      Luke records the faith response of the apostles, saying, “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). Here was a faith response as they were able to frame their suffering from a biblical perspective. Scripture reveals that those who wish to live righteously will suffer persecution (Matt 5:10-12; Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 3:12). Part of the reason for their rejoicing was because they knew God was working through them to bring others to salvation. Furthermore, Christians are called to the very difficult task of not retaliating when attacked. We are to obey the words of Jesus, who tells us to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28). It is okay to hurt, but not to hate. Operating from divine viewpoint, we walk by faith and trust God to handle the injustice, knowing He is the “Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25) and that “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Th 1:6), as God states, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom 12:19b). In this way, we follow the example set by Jesus, who, “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; and while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23).      And the apostles continued to follow Jesus' directive to preach, as Luke tells us, “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). The courage of the disciples was evident, considering their prior hiding during Jesus' trial and crucifixion. What happened? Where did their courage come from? First, they had seen what the afterlife was like, having beheld Jesus in His resurrection body over many days. Second, the Holy Spirit had fallen on them and empowered them to be witnesses for Jesus. Third, they had Jesus' promise that He was directing them and was with them, saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20). To be encouraged is to receive courage from an outside source. To know that God is with us, for us, and will sustain us in our trials, is to be encouraged to do His will, trusting He will guide and strengthen us along the way, no matter the hardships of life. Present Application      God has rescued His people on many occasions (Heb 11:32-35a), but the record of Scripture is that there are numerous times in which He has chosen to permit them to face persecution, even to the point of death (Heb 11:35b-40). Whether rescued from harm or delivered to persecution and death, God always provides grace to the believer who lives by faith in the midst of adversity (Dan 3:16-18; Psa 23; Isa 26:3; ; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Phil 4:6-8). Rejoicing in the midst of suffering is a sign of faith under pressure (Acts 5:40-41; 16:22-25; Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4). It's also a sign of spiritual maturity, as the advancing Christian disciplines his/her mind to look to the Lord and His Word rather than people, the world, or the circumstances of this life (Prov 3:5-6; Isa 26:3; 2 Cor 10:3-5; Phil 4:6-8; Col 3:1-2)      Paul wrote, “we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). And James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, [5] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam 1:2-4). Exulting in tribulations and counting it all joy when we encounter various trials is a discipline of the mind and will, in which “we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Warren Wiersbe states: "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to “count it all joy.” If we live only for the present and forget the future, then trials will make us bitter, not better. Job had the right outlook when he said, “But He knows the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). So, when trials come, immediately give thanks to the Lord and adopt a joyful attitude. Do not pretend; do not try self-hypnosis; simply look at trials through the eyes of faith. Outlook determines outcome; to end with joy, begin with joy."[6]      Weakness is a blessing if it teaches us to look to God more and to ourselves less. And we cease to be the victim when we see suffering as divinely purposeful. This is not always easy, but the alternative to faith is fear, and fear brings mental slavery to the circumstances of life. It is true that God desires to bless us; and of course, we enjoy this. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). But it's also God's will to advance us spiritually, and this means He will send trials that are intended to burn away the dross of weak character and refine those golden qualities He wants to see in us. We trust that when God turns up the heat, He also keeps His hand on the thermostat, regulating the temperature. And when we desire and pursue spiritual maturity as an important goal in our Christian life, then we can become content and rejoice in the hardships, because we know God controls them and sends them our way for our good. This is done by faith, not feelings.      If we're not careful, we can easily fall into a pattern of complaining, and this can prove harmful, not only to us, but those around us, for our lives influence others, for better or worse. Scripture states, “Do all things without complaining or arguing” (Phil 2:14). That's a big order. How do we do this? By an act of faith; that's how. Though the pressure can be great at times, we must consciously make the choice not to complain; instead, we must choose to “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th 5:16-18). These divine expectations appear elsewhere in Scripture, as we are called to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4a), “Devote yourselves to prayer” (Col 4:2a), and “Give thanks always for all things” (Eph 5:20a).      These commands are relatively easy to accomplish when life is good, and we should certainly praise God for His many blessings. But what about those times when life is difficult; such as when we've lost our health, work is overly stressful, or we're experiencing unjust persecution? Are we to rejoice, pray, and give thanks even during those times? Yes! Especially during those times. It's in difficult moments that we need to operate by faith, not feelings. In fact, feelings can work against us when we're experiencing difficulty. When feelings rise up, faith must rise higher. As we commit to obeying the Word, our feelings will eventually get in line. It's only when we understand and obey these commands by faith that we rise above our difficult circumstances. Though we aren't physically removed from the hardship, mentally we're lifted above it and experience a joy that is free from it. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12). This is exactly what the apostles did when they were persecuted and flogged, for Luke tells us, “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). And when Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail (Acts 16:22-24), we're told they “were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Act 16:25). Elsewhere, Paul wrote, “we exult in our tribulations” (Rom 5:3a), and “I rejoice in my sufferings” (Col 1:24). One of the reasons we can rejoice in suffering is because we know God is using it to develop our character in order to mature us spiritually. God sometimes uses the furnace of affliction to burn away the dross of weak character and to refine those golden qualities He wants to see in us. As Christians operating on divine viewpoint, it's our responsibility to live by faith when the trials come.      This may seem impossible to do, especially if we're accustomed to living by our feelings and reacting to circumstances. However, living by faith is possible, and is the only way Scripture can be obeyed, especially in difficult circumstances. Living by faith is liberating, because it frees us from the tyranny of difficult circumstances over which we have no control, and from the knee-jerk reaction of hurt feelings that naturally rise up in such situations. If we stay the course of learning God's Word and living by faith, we will reach a place in our spiritual development where His Word becomes more real than our circumstances and feelings. This is the place of freedom and joy, as long as we remain there.  Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 608. [2] Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 108–109. [3] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 426. [4] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ac 5:38. [5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, 338. [6] Ibid., 338.

Flavius Josephus

This chapter of Acts shows God's Divine Providence in action, contrasted with His miraculous powers. We can usually identify a miracle in the bible because we know those things don't happen today. The way Peter was rescued shows God's power working miraculously. Herod's death, though caused by an angel of the Lord (Acts 12:23), did not exhibit the same visuals as Peter's escape from the prison. It was hidden from man's perception, just as Flavius Josephus' account indicates. These workings, hidden from man's sight and perception, are what divine providence is about. Even though "providence" is not a biblical word, the concept of the word permeates the living Word of God. YT: https://www.youtube.com/live/LNyZO5tL2H0?feature=share&t=1938 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/support

Are the Gospel records accurate? Are they trustworthy? The question is not whether the authors of the Gospels had a Christian point of view, they did. The real question is whether they accurately reported the life of Jesus.  We can tell they were from the highly regarded historians of the First century, Cornelius Tacitus and his book "Annals," Pliny the Younger and his famous letter about the Christians to the Emperor Trajan, and from Flavius Josephus and his "Jewish Antiquities."  These highly regarded sources confirm the New Testament narrative that Jesus was executed under Pontius Pilate, in Judea, Jesus was worshiped as deity by the first Christians, Christianity spread fast throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, Christians from the beginning sang hymns and practiced the Sacrament, and, the Jesus' half brother James was a Christian leader.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is part 2 of the Early Church History class. Before the great revolution of 66 in which the Jewish nation declared independence from the Roman empire, no fewer than five micro-revolution occurred between 4 BC and 58 AD. In the years that led up to the first Jewish-Roman war (66-73), incompetent Roman governors repeatedly and egregiously antagonized the Jewish populous until there was no turning back. After the war that destroyed the temple that Herod had renovated, Christians and Jews began parting ways. This episode will briefly cover the three Jewish-Roman wars and how Christians and Jews gradually began to separate. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ9ExalbABs&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=2 —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on history More classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Flavius Josephus (AD 37-100) primary source for first-century Jewish history Antiquities of the Jews The Jewish War Revolutionary Movements Athronges (4 BC) Judah the Galilean (AD 6) The Samaritan Prophet (AD 36) Theudas (AD 45) The Egyptian Prophet (AD 58). Four Types of Judaism Pharisees Sadducees Essenes Fourth Philosophy Sicarii The First Jewish-Roman War (66-73) Began in 12th year of Nero's rule anti-taxation protests Roman governor, Gessius Florus, plundered the temple rebellion took Antonia fortress, forcing King Agrippa II and his government to retreat from the city Nero sent Vespasian with four legions In 69 Vespasian went to Rome to become emperor, leaving his son, Titus, to conquer Jerusalem Titus breached the city in 70 He plundered and burned the temple, leaving for Rome in 71 at the head of a Roman triumph The last holdouts fell at Masada in 73 Christians Fled from Jerusalem Jesus warned his followers to flee “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (Luke 21.2-24) Eusebius (AD 324) and Epiphanius (AD 375) both mention the desertion of Christians from Jerusalem Exclusion of Christians from Synagogue Berkat haMinim = blessing the heretics actually a curse upon Christians whom the Jews called “Nazarenes” late first century or early second century In AD 160, Justin Martyr mentions the curse in the synagogues Rabbinic Judaism organized at Yavneh (Jamnia) at the end of the first century Mishna (AD 200) Talmud (AD 500) Three Total Jewish-Roman Wars 66-73 First Jewish-Roman War 115-117 Kitos War 132-135 Bar Kokhba Revolt These wars made Christians less likely to befriend or interact with Jews throughout the Roman Empire in the late-first and early-second centuries. Jews had the reputation of being rebels. Jewish synagogues made it hard for Christians, even those of Jewish ethnicity, to attend since they regularly pronounced a curse on the Nazarenes. Still, Jews and Christians continued to interact and affect each other for the first several centuries of Christianity. Even so, Christianity from the second century onwards gradually adopted Greco-Roman categories of thought, leaving behind our Jewish roots.

Why would an ancient Israelite father actually want to sell his daughter into slavery? And a Q&A about the famous Flavius —Josephus, that is!

“For a possible hint of Jesus' historicity, Christian authorities relied heavily on a single brief paragraph in the works of the respected Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who was born in 37 C.E., served as governor of Galilee, and traveled extensively in the very same area where Jesus allegedly lived and taught. If anyone was in a position to report the wonder-workings of a local holy man in his own parents' generation, it was Josephus, a dedicated reporter of minute details. Yet in all his voluminous works, the single paragraph says only that Jesus was: "a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day."2 The problems with this famous passage are many. First of all, it is noticeably out of context with the surrounding material. Second, it did not appear in the early copies of Josephus' works, nor in the second-century version quoted by Origen, who would certainly have mentioned it if it had been there. It does not appear until the beginning of the fourth century, and is first quoted by Bishop Eusebius, the enthusiastic advocate of what he called "holy lying" for the greater glory of the church, known to have been responsible for many interpolations, revisions and blatant forgeries.” Link: https://ffrf.org/about/getting-acquainted/item/12844-the-jesus-myth --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support

A classic סֵפֶר once found in every intelligent Jewish home, including leading רִאשׁוֹנִים and אַחֲרוֹנִים. Where Jews once learned the stories of Chanukah and Tisha B'Av.

Join us! For one of the most important events in history, the siege of Jerusalem in 70CE, during the First Jewish Uprising against the Roman Empire.Sources:A, H. “Henry Abramson.” Henry Abramson | Lectures in Jewish History and Thought. No Hard Questions, Please., 2 Nov. 2022, https://henryabramson.com/. Josephus, Flavius. Josephus Flavius: Complete Works. Kregel, 1993. Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Flavius Josephus, the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian, to Which Are Added Three Dissertations, Concerning Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, James the Just, God's Command to Abraham, Etc., with a Complete Index to the Whole. Worthington, 1890. Rogers, Guy MacLean. For the Freedom of Zion: The Great Revolt of Jews against Romans, 66-74 CE. Yale University Press, 2022.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In today's podcast, we are introducing you to the great historian, Flavius Josephus and to the excellent translation and condensation of his works by Paul L. Maier.

Pastors Jason and Michael discuss in detail the context surrounding Paul's trials listed in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 and how they reveal his heart for the church and for the gospel. Pastor Jason misspoke about the historian at the four minute mark, He meant to say Flavius Josephus. To listen to Sunday's sermon: https://whitefieldschurch.com/sermon/boasting-in-weakness/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whitefieldschurch/support

Why are all the Biblical characters described as handsome or beautiful?

Ruth Jackson of Premiere Unbelievable attempts to answer the question "Can you prove Jesus' resurrection?" After we strip away the word games and equivocation, turns out the answer is no.Sources:Reasonable Doubt in Criminal Law: https://tinyurl.com/y46g8j97How Reliable Are Eyewitnesses?: https://tinyurl.com/2xq57z24A New Natural Interpretation of the Empty Tomb: https://tinyurl.com/2pujfpcgThe Life of Flavius Josephus: https://tinyurl.com/2gfxnm8qPilate - Incidents with the Jews: https://tinyurl.com/hlb5zluPost-bereavement hallucinatory experiences: A critical overview of population and clinical studies: https://tinyurl.com/2prle7qmOriginal Video: https://tinyurl.com/2kdb7y9hCards:How Christianity (Probably) Began... No Resurrection Required:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUCI3cMJCvUAll my various links can be found here:http://links.vicedrhino.com

The Apologetics Series takes members through a comprehensive study on Catholic Apologetics from the book The Defense of the Catholic Church, by Francis X Doyle S.J. In this episode, Bishop Donald Sanborn shows how Christ uttered true prophecies and performed miracles in proof of His mission. He prophesied about Himself, His disciples and particularly concerning the fate of the Jews; and these prophecies were fulfilled. He also performed uncountable and irrefutable miracles, also in divine testimony of His mission. Show Notes: Haydock Douay Rheims Bible online - a Catholic Bible commentary compiled by the late Rev. Fr. George Leo Haydock, following the Douay-Rheims Bible, free to use: http://haydock1859.tripod.com/ Also referred to in this show is the book: The Jewish War (The Wars of the Jews), Flavius Josephus: http://sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/#woj Reprints of the The Defense of the Catholic Church, now available in the TR Press Store (strongly recommended by Bishop Sanborn to purchase a copy: https://www.truerestoration.org/press/defense-of-the-catholic-church/ Original Air Date: November 4, 2016 Show Run Time: 1 hour 21 minutes Show Guest(s): Bishop Donald Sanborn Show Host(s): Phil Stone Novus Ordo Watch www.novusordowatch.org Episode: https://www.truerestoration.org/season-5-apologetics-episode-8-christs-prophecies-and-miracles/ Apologetics: www.truerestoration.org/category/radi…/apologetics/ Subscribe: www.truerestoration.org/member-signup/ Apologetics℗ is a production of the Restoration Radio Network. Copyright 2016. All Rights are Reserved.

1 John 1:1 'We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.' Most of the letters in the New Testament start with a greeting in which the author identifies himself. The only exceptions to this are the letter to the Hebrews and this first letter of John. It seems to me that John was so eager to share his message that he hadn't got time for such pleasantries! He wanted everyone to know that Jesus really was the Son of God and that he came and lived a fully human life here on earth. John wrote this letter about 100 years, or two generations, after the end of Jesus' earthly ministry. Some people had come up with the theory that Jesus wasn't really human at all but merely appeared to be human. But John would have none of it. He knew for certain that Jesus really did come to this earth because he had seen him with his own eyes – and even touched him. Throughout the centuries, there has been continuous debate about whether Jesus really was an historical figure. The evidence for Jesus is in fact incredibly strong. We not only have the four Gospels, the earliest of which was probably written within thirty years of Jesus' ministry, but we also have the letters of the apostle Paul, which were written even earlier. Of course, all these writers were followers of Christ so it is important to also look for evidence of Jesus' life from non-Christian sources. Most notable of them was Flavius Josephus, a Jew who wrote a history of Judaism in AD 93. He made two references to Jesus. About 20 years later, two Roman politicians called Pliny and Tacitus wrote about Jesus. Tacitus recorded that Jesus was executed while Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect in charge of Judaea, and Tiberius was emperor, both of which we know to be historically accurate. And Pliny records that when he was governor in northern Turkey, Christians worshipped Christ as a god. Neither of them liked Christians – Pliny writes of their “pig-headed obstinacy” and Tacitus calls their religion a destructive superstition. The fact that Jesus was a real man was desperately important for John, and still is today. Our salvation depends upon it. Question: What encouragement do you draw from the fact that Jesus was a real historical figure? Prayer: Loving God, thank you that because of your love for us you sent Jesus Christ to our world. Amen

Episode: Paul Spilsbury knew Josephus personally ... or at least he's spent so much time with him that it's almost as if he did. In this episode we talk about Josephus' writings, identity, and how understanding Josephus helps us understand the New Testament. We also discuss Christianity in Turkey, the book of Acts, and much more! (This episode is cross-listed on the OnScript podcast) Guest: Dr. Paul Spilsbury (PhD, Cambridge) is Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at Regent College. Paul's teaching covers the full range of the New Testament, with a particular focus on Paul and the Book of Revelation. His research has been supported by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Leverhulme Trust (UK) and has resulted in four authored or co-authored books: The Image of the Jew in Flavius Josephus' Paraphrase of the Bible (Mohr Siebeck, 1998), The Throne, the Lamb and the Dragon: A Reader's Guide to the Book of Revelation (IVP, 2002), Flavius Josephus, Judean Antiquities 8–10: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2005—with C. Begg), and Flavius Josephus, Judean Antiquities 11: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2017—with C. Seeman). He has also published numerous book chapters, articles, and reviews, and has traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries associated with the ancient church. Paul is a frequent speaker at churches, retreats, and conferences. He is also a juried member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, working primarily in watercolours. (adapted from the Regent College website) Give: Visit our Donate Page if you want to help support the ongoing work of OnScript and Biblical World!    

The shifting image of the Hasmoneans in the eyes of their contemporaries and later generations is a compelling issue in the history of the Maccabean revolt and the Hasmonean commonwealth. Based on a series of six Jewish folktales from the Second Temple period that describe the Hasmonean dynasty and its history from its legendary founders, through achievement of full sovereignty, to downfall, Vered Noam's Shifting Images of the Hasmoneans: Second Temple Legends and Their Reception in Josephus and Rabbinic Literature (Oxford UP, 2018) examines the Hasmoneans through the lens of reception history. On the one hand, these brief, colorful legends are embedded in the narrative of the historian of the age, Flavius Josephus; on the other hand, they are scattered throughout the extensive halakhic-exegetical compositions known as rabbinic literature, redacted and compiled centuries later. Each set of parallel stories is examined for the motivation underlying its creation, its original message, language, and the historical context. This analysis is followed by exploration of the nature of the relationship between the Josephan and the rabbinic versions, in an attempt to reconstruct the adaptation of the putative original traditions in the two corpora, and to decipher the disparities, different emphases, reworking, and unique orientations typical of each. These adaptations reflect the reception of the pristine tales and thus disclose the shifting images of the Hasmoneans in later generations and within distinct contexts. The compilation and characterization of these sources which were preserved by means of two such different conduits of transmission brings us closer to reconstruction of a lost literary continent, a hidden Jewish Atlantis of early pseudo-historical legends and facilitates examination of the relationship between the substantially different libraries and worlds of Josephus and rabbinic literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guy MacLean Rogers, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and Classical Studies at Wellesley College and author of For the Freedom of Zion: The Great Revolt of Jews Against Romans, 66-74CE, joins the show to talk about the great uprising of the Jewish people against Rome—including moments that resonate to the present day, like the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem and the siege of Masada.  Times  • 02:20 Introduction • 04:21 The Jewish Revolt In Roman History  • 08:09 Flavius Josephus  • 13:41 Herod the Great  • 22:29 Little Causes, Big Revolt • 26:40 The Leadership Of Rebellion • 30:11 Jewish Strategy And Logistics • 35:03 Vespasian • 41:04 The Temple  • 50:01 The End of the Sacrificial Cult • 52:01 Destruction of the Temple • 56:00 The End Of The Revolt • 1:01:02 Josephus' Speeches • 1:06:13 Could The Jews Have Won?

Thursday, 28 April 2022   And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. Acts 7:22   It was just noted that Moses was set out, but Pharaoh's daughter “took him away and brought him up as her own son.” With that remembered, Stephen next says, “And Moses was learned.”   The word is paideuó. It signifies the process of learning, not the result. In other words, this doesn't mean, “Moses was known for having learned everything.” Instead, it means, “Moses was given training in.” Other than Stephen's speech, this is not recorded in Scripture. However, Flavius Josephus and Philo both referred to this. The Pulpit Commentary states –   “Josephus makes Thermeutis speak of him as ‘of a noble understanding;' and says that he was ‘brought up with much care and diligence.' And Philo, in his life of Moses (quoted by Whitby), says he was smiled [skilled] in music, geometry, arithmetic, and hieroglyphics, and the whole circle of arts and sciences.”   It is evident from this, as well as verses such as 2 Timothy 3:8 and Jude 1:9, that extrabiblical references were accepted among the people concerning their history. Likewise, Paul cites Greek philosophers in his writings as well. Despite the sources not being inspired, their inclusion in Scripture tells us that those particular things that have been cited should be considered accurate statements concerning what is stated.   As for Moses, whatever his final level of education was, he was educated “in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” As noted in the words of the Pulpit Commentary above, this included a wide range of disciplines. It probably also included astrology, medical studies, Egyptian religious rites and practices, various types of divination and dream interpretation, and so on.   Moses was aware of these things, as can be seen in the law. For example, there is great structure and poetical beauty in his writings at times, such as the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. These things can only be speculated on, but by reading what he speaks of, the way he writes, and the things he warns against, a fuller picture of the things he was aware of can be determined. Because of his learning, Stephen next says, “and was mighty in words and deeds.”   This refers to his pronouncements and actions in life. His learning gave him the ability to utter forth things that were intelligent, structured, and of great importance. He was also able to turn the things he instructed into action, accomplishing great feats, such as uniting Israel and keeping them united despite all the troubles that they faced, both from without and from within. The statement in Exodus 4:10 does not at all conflict with what Stephen now says –   “Then Moses said to the Lord, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.'”   Having a speech impediment is not connected to what Stephen speaks of when he says, “mighty in words.” Words can be written down, they can be communicated by another (such as Aaron), and they can also simply refer to what a word signifies – a matter – and not the speaking out of the word. The words of Moses have immense weight, regardless as to how they may have fumbled off of his lips.   Life application: There is often a dilemma among Christians concerning education. Some demand that getting an education in theology is an excuse to reject that person's doctrine (yes, there are people out there like this). Some think that one should only be trained in the Bible. Some find extrabiblical studies relevant to one degree or another, dismissing some things as unacceptable and claiming other things are acceptable.   It is hard to know where education becomes pointless, such as obtaining knowledge merely for the sake of having it, but without any valid reason for having it. Those things can be debated forever. But one should not dismiss being educated as leading to being tainted and unqualified to teach the Bible. For example, someone might learn about heresies in order to know how to identify that which is heretical.   Further, someone may use the writings of Greek philosophers as a way of conveying a biblical truth that can then be more readily understood. As noted above, Paul cites several Greek philosophers. Some are stated in Acts as recorded by Luke, and some are in Paul's own writings.   In regard to the Bible, the first and most important thing is to know it sufficiently before any other training in relation to it is obtained. If one is trained in theology without first knowing the Bible, then two things will immediately be true. The first is that he will have no idea if what he is being trained in is actually in accord with the word or not.   The second is that once he is trained in that theology, he will have presuppositions based on that training which will then bias his analysis of the Bible from that point on. It is very hard to mentally separate oneself from what he has been trained in, even when provided evidence that his training was faulty.   For example, a Jehovah's Witness will be trained, in advance of his knowing the Bible, that Jesus is not God. From that point on, he will always believe this, even when provided all the evidence necessary to validate that Jesus is, in fact, God. It is a state known as cognitive dissonance, and it is an extremely hard thing to overcome.   Only when the Bible is read and understood to a sufficient degree should a person be introduced to various theologies. And it is always good to learn as many viewpoints on those particular theologies as possible. Understanding the variations in thought can help a person process what he already knows and come to a right decision about what is correct and what is to be rejected. Above all, know the Bible intimately first. From there, never stop checking the Bible for confirmation of what you are told.   Glorious God Almighty, give us the desire to seek Your word daily and give us the ability to remember what is there. Help us in this, O Lord, so that when we are presented with a teaching on its contents, we can properly evaluate if what we have been told is correct or not. May it be so, to Your glory and for our benefit. Amen.

Dr. Titus Kennedy returns to The TŌV Podcast for a discussion about the archeological evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What evidence is there for the locations mentioned in the gospels? Is there evidence for the resurrection of Jesus? And what information does the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, provide?

Masada comes from the Hebrew word Metzad and this means fortress. It is basically a fortress that was built on top of a rock plateau. It is located very close to the Dead Sea and it is a bit south of the Westbank, so it is not accessible to Palestinians from the Westbank currently.The fortress was built in the time of Herod the Great who prepared it to be able to withstand a long siege. The rock plateau had palaces, water cisterns, storage halls, workshops, residencies for generals and barracks for soldiers and even a Roman bathhouse. The most famous story about Masada is that of the Roman siege in 73 AD when a group of Jewish Zealots who rebelled against the Romans, had taken the mount and decided that in case the Romans would take Masada, they would commit suicide.This story is only known from one written account, by the Jewish apologist Flavius Josephus. New research has shown that the ramp that the Romans started building, never reached the top of Masada. This really challenges the common understanding of HOW the Roman siege of Masada ended. Nevertheless, this is the story that is told by tour guides to the large amounts of visitors that visit Masada. If you want to watch the film 'Avenge but one of my two eyes" by Avi Moghrabi who made parallels between the bravery of the Jewish Zealots who are praised by the Israeli narrative and the Palestinian freedom fighters who are put aside as terrorists, then go to this YouTube link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Iy-IapIdYConnect to Stories from Palestine on social media, follow the YouTube channel, do a small donation to keep the podcasting going and sign up for the mailinglist. All links can be found in the linktree: https://linktr.ee/StoriesfrompalestineIf you are interested in the October program in Palestine (3 - 14 October 2022) then you can find more information on https://storiesfrompalestine.info/travel-to-palestine/ If you enjoy listening to Stories from Palestine then you should also check out the podcast Jerusalem Unplugged. You can find it on most podcast players and on social media.