Podcasts about Maccabees

This sermon examines Daniel 11:20-45, tracing the historical rise and fall of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his conflict with the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt. The teaching highlights the fulfillment of prophecy through historical records, specifically citing Josephus and the Maccabees, to demonstrate that God sovereignly governs the rise and fall of world powers according to His appointed time. It contrasts the deceit and self-exaltation of the 'King of the North' with the steadfastness of the faithful Jews who 'know their God' and resist persecution. The passage serves as an apologetic for the veracity of Scripture, showing that specific predictions were fulfilled in history, thereby validating God's ultimate control over human affairs. The sermon concludes by encouraging believers to trust in God's sovereignty rather than placing hope in shifting political powers, finding strength in the promise that the wise will shine as stars in the final judgment.

In Week 3 of You Asked for It, Zach continues answering questions submitted by students! (Questions are below) // 2:30 // — If all of my close friends are atheist or not strong on believing and are always saying bad things should I step back and find another group/friends // 4:55 // — What are the different roles of knowledge and feelings in faith? What if I don't “feel” in love with Jesus? // 6:55 // — Why does God create bad people if he already knows that they will do bad since he's omniscient? // 10:30 // — How can I tell myself that I am enough and I don't have to be somebody I am not // 13:13 // — What if demon possession is just the way people of biblical times viewed mental illness? // 14:15 // — Why aren't the dueturocanonical books included in the Bible (Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Baruch, and others)? // 16:24 // — I have issues truly believing. The best way I can explain it is I know the path and how to walk but I can't seem to actually walk. Like I know Jesus I know he saved me but how can I truly devote myself to him and be like others I see who have gotten it.....and how can I use my autism and A.D.H.D to serve God // 19:20 // — How do we know that our “version” or denomination of Christianity is correct? (Non-denominational vs Catholicism: there are many recorded miracles and other proofs for the Catholic Church but they believe different things when it comes to communion for example) // 22:00 // — I was diagnosed with cancer in Jr. High and had to undergo the three most painful years of my life spending so much time in hospitals and surgeries and for the longest time I blamed God. There was a point during this time where I thought death would be better than my current state of life. During these few years I despised god I didn't read my bible I didn't really go to church and I wanted nothing to do with god. I finished chemo in 2024 and over the last year and a half I've tried so hard to love god again and I'm getting better at it but deep down I'm still partly angry at god and can't fully forgive him. Is this okay? What steps should I take next? How can I love God and not blame him for my Cancer? // 25:14 // — How do we know when God will defeat satan? // 26:00 // — How is it possible that Jesus was the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit? // 28:20 // — Everytime I get super close to my baptism, one of my family members has gotten sick or hurt and I can't get baptized, do you think God is telling me not too? It has happened 3 times. // 29:30 // — If God really is all powerful then why was sending his son to die on the cross his only option? Or was it not his only option and he just chose that way to flaunt how sacrificial he can be for us?

“Is Purgatory an invention?” This question leads to a discussion on the nature of purgatory and its biblical foundations. Other topics include addressing doubts about a young earth with a family member and how to engage a lukewarm friend about returning to faith. The conversation also touches on the validity of baptism and the moral implications of suicide. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:05 – How would I answer the claim that purgatory is an invention to excuse people from sinning in their lifetime? 10:33 – My brother-in-law stopped believing because he no longer believes in a young earth. How do I walk through this? 16:20 – How do I approach my lukewarm friend to bring him back to the faith? 22:25 – When I was baptized, I didn’t care. Was it valid? 30:25 – How do I explain to someone that suicide is objectively wrong? 39:15 – 2 Maccabees references praying for the dead but are there any other references in the OT or jewish texts? 46:00 – What resources do you recommend to start learning about the early Catholic Church? 49:10 – My mother left Catholicism for the Assembly of God. She doesn't want to return because she said the Church wasn't feeding her. What can I say to her to get her to reconsider?

This week TMPT welcomes to the show for our special feature episode, USA Fencing Hall of Famer, Jeff Bukantz aka The Mighty Maccabee. Jeff Bukantz aka The Mighty Maccabee joins the show to talk about his entire pro wrestling journey. Host John Poz and Jeff will discuss breaking into the business, Walmart wrestling DVD success, The Maccabiah Mania 3, Crowbar, The Iron Sheik, ISPW, and more! MyFandomCollectibles.com - New Action Figure! Store - Teepublic.com/stores/TMPT Follow us @TwoManPowerTrip on Twitter and IG Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode, James sits down with Pastor Jimmy Williams—the Giant Preacher—for a no-notes deep dive on the Trinity that starts with ragweed, seminary reading loads, and a Tesla near-miss that left James winging it from the farm truck. From Nicaea and the Constantinopolitan Creed through Apocrypha fights, Jerome, and why quoting Maccabees isn't the same as Scripture, Jimmy walks logos, Ruach HaKodesh, Arianism, Jehovah's Witnesses, modalism, and docetism—while James presses Moses' glowing face, the right hand of the Father, divine council language, and whether you pray to saints or ask living saints to pray for you. Second half swings into angels, African motorcycle ministry asks, and a Kenneth Copeland “assign your angels” read that Jimmy calls straight paganism—then a chair-and-grace wrap and a full PJ's Coffee plug off Exit 33 in Haughton. Don't miss it!

The Philistines have won the battle — but they're about to lose the war they didn't know they'd started. Fresh off capturing the Ark of the Covenant, the Philistines carry it into the temple of Dagon at Ashdod and set it beside their god, expecting to prove once and for all that their god has defeated Israel's. Instead, Dagon is found face-down before the Ark — not once, but twice, the second time with his head and hands broken off on the threshold. As tumors and death spread from Ashdod to Gath to Ekron, the Philistines realize they aren't dealing with a defeated deity at all. Desperate, their priests and diviners send the Ark home with a guilt offering of gold — and two untrained cows make the choice no human could. Highlights Dagon falls face-down before the Ark twice — the second time losing his head and hands on his own temple's threshold Why the Philistines placed the Ark in Dagon's temple in the first place, and what "godnapping" meant across the ancient Near East The strange, permanent ritual the Philistines built around Dagon's threshold — and a possible echo of it later in Israel's own history The centuries-old debate over the "tumors" afflicting Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron — hemorrhoids, dysentery, or bubonic plague? Five gold tumors, five gold rats, and the sympathetic-magic logic behind the Philistines' guilt offering Two cows that had never been yoked make the walk home to Beth Shemesh — without ever turning to the right or the left Scripture Referenced 1 Samuel 5:1–12; 1 Samuel 6:1–16 Support the Show If you've been enjoying The History of the Bible and would like to help support the podcast, consider becoming a patron. Your support helps cover the costs of producing the show and allows me to continue creating historically researched episodes. Patreon — The History of the Bible If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following the show, leaving a rating, and writing a review. It helps more people discover the podcast. Facebook Follow The History of the Bible on Facebook for updates, historical images, maps, and additional content related to each episode. The History of the Bible on Facebook Feedback I genuinely appreciate hearing from listeners. If you have general feedback about the podcast: General Feedback Form If the podcast has impacted your life, I'd love to hear your story: Share Your Story If you believe I've misstated or misunderstood something, I welcome thoughtful, well-supported corrections: Submit a Correction Sources ESV Study Bible ESV Archaeology Study Bible Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (NIV) New Spirit-Filled Life Bible (NLT) Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Timelines Satellite Bible Atlas — William Schlegel The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History BlueLetterBible.com WorldHistory.org BiblicalArchaeology.org ArmstrongInstitute.org BibleHub.com BibleGateway.com Chabad.org EarlyJewishWritings.com BibleHub.com — Hebrew text/interlinear, 1 Samuel 5–6 BibleGateway.com — Reformation Study Bible notes; translation comparisons; 1 Maccabees 10:83–85 BlueLetterBible.org — Strong's Lexicon (H3947) BiblicalArchaeology.org — Ashdoda figurine; Ashdod cult stand; Tell Qasile temple; Beth Shan twin temples biblearchaeology.org — "Dagon: The Philistine Fish God" (Roskoski); Beth Shan; Khirbet el-Maqatir infant jar burial JewishVirtualLibrary.org — Ashdod/Ashdod-Yam history   #Ashdod #Ekron #Gath #SeaPeoples #IronAge #BiblicalHistory #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndHistory #OldTestament #BookOfSamuel #EliAndSamuel #Ichabod #TheGloryHasDeparted #GoldenTumors #GodnappingAncientWorld #HebrewWordStudy #BibleArchaeology #ScriptureStudy #BibleStudyPodcast #HistoryAndFaith #AncientReligion #BiblicalCulture #CanaanHistory #WalkThroughScripture #BibleNerd

“Is salvation outside the Church possible?” This question opens a discussion on the relationship between salvation and the Catholic Church, touching on topics such as the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding individuals to the Church, the authorship of the New Testament, and the complexities surrounding the papacy and anti-popes. Additionally, the conversation addresses the apparent tension between traditional teachings and Vatican II’s perspectives on salvation. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:25 – 2 Maccabees 2:5 describes Jeremiah hiding the Ark and Revelation 11:19 shows the Ark. Why do you insist it is Mary? 07:24 – How can I know Holy Spirit is leading me to the Catholic Church? 13:41 – ​​Is it right to say that the Catholic Church wrote the New Testament since the Church came first? 17:30 – How would you show a Protestant the priesthood in the New Testament? 24:41 – Who chooses the Pope? Why have there been various anti-popes? How do we know we have the right one? 41:37 – How do you reconcile no salvation outside the Church with Vatican II's teaching that those outside the Church can attain salvation, if both are infallible teachings? 46:21 – If the Church says there are dogmas which “must” be believed, why doesn't it have a list of those dogmas/beliefs?

On today's episode, James and the Giant Preacher dig into the Septuagint, the Masoretic Text, and why YouTube “gotcha” variants don't sink the Word — including Isaiah's virgin, the Apocrypha (yes, the 1611 KJV had it), Maccabees, and why Jerome already ranked those books below salvation essentials. Jimmy Williams walks Wes Huff–level text history, Gnostic gospels, the Council of Nicaea, and the modern New Apostolic Reformation, then the crew ties it to the high places in Kings, mega vs. little churches, prosperity cults, and the free-will / predestination antinomy. Glenn lands on Trinity-as-chair and fear as a red flag; Jimmy closes with coffee that “doesn't show up on the blood work” if you're actually walking as a disciple. Don't miss it!

In Episode 590, Father Marc Boulos examines Luke 9:39 through Ezekiel, 3 Maccabees, and the linguistic connections between Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. He challenges modern ideas of choice, agency, and the “pursuit of happiness,” showing how Scripture presents God—not the human being—as the true subject and actor. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Gavin Ortlund claims there are no clear examples of Christians praying to the saints during the first 200 years of Christianity—and that the Bible provides no warrant for the practice.In this episode, Stephen Boyce, Pat May, and William Albrecht respond by examining the biblical and historical evidence. We discuss Revelation 5 and 8, 2 Maccabees 15, Origen, Cyprian, Hippolytus, the Acts of Paul, Victorinus, and the early Christian inscriptions asking Peter and Paul to intercede.Does the evidence really begin 200 years after the New Testament, or is Gavin overlooking sources that directly challenge his argument?Join us as we work through the texts in their historical context.#GavinOrtlund #IntercessionOfTheSaints #ChurchFathers #catholicapologetics

In this introductory episode to the sixth biblical book, we learn that it was written to provide the Maccabees with a biblical past they could say they were restoring Watch the view from Gezer Watch the view from Hadid Watch the geographical parallels between the conquests of the Maccabees and those of Joshua A bit of info and pictures of the geography of the Holy Land Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Get your mind out of the gutter — this week it's Aaron's rod, the staff that sprouted buds, blossoms, and ripe almonds overnight to settle once and for all who was in charge. But the text is oddly insistent that it sat in FRONT of the ark rather than inside it, which raises a fascinating possibility: was this flowering stick in the holy of holies an Asherah pole that the priestly writers needed to explain away — and did Moses forfeit the promised land not for striking a rock, but for striking it with this pole? Then it's chapter and verse in 2 Maccabees 6, where a ninety-year-old scribe named Eliezer is offered a very easy out (bring your own meat, we'll all say it was pork) and chooses the rack instead. This, followed by a dying speech that is remarkably well-punctuated for a man having his bones broken. Support Data Over Dogma and get every episode early and ad-free, plus exclusive bonus content — become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Get your Data Over Dogma merch at our online store: https://data-over-dogma-shop.fourthwall.com/ Watch every episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dataoverdogma Follow us: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/dataoverdogmapod TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@data.over.dogma.pod Threads — https://www.threads.com/@dataoverdogmapod X — https://x.com/data_over_dogma Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod Get Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book, The Bible Says So: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happened between the Testaments? Empires Rise and Fall. Alexander. Antiochus Epiphanes. The Maccabees. Hanukkah. Herod. Septuagint. Apocrypha. Synagogs. Dispersion. Pharisees. Sadducees. Scribes. Nature of "Testament". God's choosing of Israel is central.

What happened between the Testaments? Empires Rise and Fall. Alexander. Antiochus Epiphanes. The Maccabees. Hanukkah. Herod. Septuagint. Apocrypha. Synagogs. Dispersion. Pharisees. Sadducees. Scribes. Nature of "Testament". God's choosing of Israel is central.

In this episode of Holy Days, Holy People, we explore Hanukkah—the Festival of Lights—and discover why this beloved Jewish holiday continues to inspire hope in every generation.Yael Eckstein traces the remarkable story of the Maccabees, whose faith and courage preserved the worship of the one true God against overwhelming odds. Along the way, she explains the meaning behind the menorah, the miracles of Hanukkah, and what this holiday teaches us about choosing faith over fear and light over darkness.You'll also hear timeless teachings from Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory, as he explores the biblical and historical significance of Hanukkah and its enduring call to rededicate our hearts to God. Bishop Paul Lanier also reflects on why Hanukkah matters to Christians, reminding us that Jesus Himself celebrated the Feast of Dedication and that its message remains deeply relevant today.The episode also shares a moving Hanukkah story from the Holocaust, revealing how light continued to shine even in humanity's darkest hour. Together, these stories remind us that God's light cannot be extinguished, His miracles are still worth proclaiming, and even the smallest flame of faith can illuminate the deepest darkness.Whether Hanukkah is familiar to you or completely new, this episode will deepen your understanding of this remarkable holiday, strengthen your faith, and encourage you to become a bearer of God's light and hope in the world.Continue your journey through the Bible and the Jewish roots of your faith at The Fellowship's Learn Center.

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Larry Powers Question Timestamps: Chris, VA (4:43) - When Adam and Eve walked with God, did they see Jesus? Did they hear a voice? Matthew, NJ (9:46) - Will Satan be around causing problems during the Millennial Reign? Will some of us be on Earth and some of us in heaven during the Millennial Reign? Charlie, NJ (15:35) - How much can I eat to help regulate my glucose during a fast? Pam, MA (20:09) - Is Jesus coming soon? Are the signs in the world like the days of Noah? Brian, email (23:02) - What should you say to a non-believer who says there is nothing wrong with premarital sex? Susan, email (25:19) - If God saved people before Jesus came, how does that fit with Jesus saying He is the only way to the Father? Mary Jo, caller (26:51, continued after break at 33:33) - How would you respond to a Jehovah's Witness that says 1 Corinthians 13 proves Jesus is not God? Victor, email (38:16) - Why does God seem to want sacrifices in Ezekiel 43, but detest them in other parts of the Bible? John, email (39:47) - How are we supposed to understand the grief of the believers during the White Throne Judgment in Revelation 21? Kevin, HI (42:09) - What do "wine is a mocker" and "strong drink is a brawler" mean? Bryant, email (44:06) - Why does God ask us to obey the government, when the government disregards God's moral law? Michael, email (47:00) - Does taking a well paying or easy job show that you aren't trusting God? Joshua, email (49:04) - Is it necessary to read the books left out of the Bible, like Enoch or Maccabees? Robinson, NY (49:51) - Why did you say people shouldn't fast? Lori, email (54:00) - How do I know what God's calling is for my life? What is the best way to gain clarity on this? Ask Your Questions: Call: 888-712-7434 Email: Answers@bbtlive.org

John 2:13-17Matt's book, The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible is available NOW! - here's a link that gets TMBH a little kickback: https://amzn.to/4pEYSS9Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcastYou're the reason we can all do this together!Discuss the episode hereMusic by Jeff Foote

Telling the Story: Part 4 Acts 7:35-53 by William Klock Not very long ago I got into an online discussion with someone about evangelism.  The people I was interacting with were telling me things like, “I don't confront, I just plant seeds” and “We're suppose to share the gospel, not tell the gospel” or “If people are getting mad at you, you're doing it wrong” and “Jesus just loved people.  He wasn't confrontational”.  I found myself wondering if these people read the same Bible I read.  And I was thinking about that whole conversation off and on these last few weeks as I've been working through Stephen's address—his very confrontational address—before the Sanhedrin. Because there's nothing namby-pamby or wishy-washy—or uh, I mean, “non-confrontational”—about Stephen's address.  I expect that if you set Stephen down in our context today and let him do what he did, a lot of modern Christians would be misquoting Matthew 7:1 at him.  You know, “Judge not lest ye be judged.”  But, of course, being confrontational, calling people to repent, proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the truth that he is Lord as something more than just another choice on the religious smorgasbord has nothing to be with being judgemental.  It has everything to do with knowing and having experienced the reality of God's goodness in Jesus and the Spirit and it's about having a vision, a hope of this broken creation—and of humanity—set to rights and God coming to dwell with us forever. We've made our way through Stephen's address over the last three Sundays.  They accused him of blaspheming the torah and the temple and Moses and instead of defending himself, Stephen instead told the story they all knew so well.  But going back to Abraham and working through it all the way to their present day, he showed how the law and the prophets, the torah and the temple had been signposts pointing the people to Jesus the Messiah.  And so it wasn't Stephen who was blaspheming torah and temple—it was them—because they'd rejected Jesus.  The Christians were the true followers of the law and the prophets, the true children of Abraham and Moses, because they recognised that that's what the story was working toward all this time.  But that wasn't what they wanted to hear.  But if we've heard the story that Stephen told, we ought to be prepared.  Rejection is how God often works.  Joseph had been rejected, but God worked something amazing from it.  Moses was rejected, but God worked something amazing from it.  Jesus was rejected, but God worked something amazing from it.  So if Stephen is rejected, we can be confident God will work something amazing from it.  I think they understood, which made them all the more angry, because they understand: if they reject Stephen, they're actually playing right into his narrative.  But they do it anyway. We'll pick up with Acts 7:54.  [Page 1088 in the pew Bibles.]  Luke tells us: “What Stephen said was a blow right to the heart. When they heard it, they gnashed their teeth against him.” Picture them, sitting in their dignified counsel, the priests and leaders of Israel.  But there's no response they can give that won't condemn them, so they just sit there glaring at him as they gnash their teeth. To us that's probably just a picture of rage, but Luke is pulling this image of gnashing teeth from the Old Testament—particularly from the Psalms—where it's always the wicked who gnash their teeth at the righteous or the wicked who gnash their teeth in frustration, aguish, and rage at God after finding themselves on the wrong end of his judgement.  Luke wants to make it clear that these are the leaders of Israel—the men who were supposed to know and to represent God—but instead they've rejected his Messiah and are revealing their wickedness.  Think of Jesus in John 8, addressing a crowd of angry scribes and Pharisees.  “We've got one father and that's God,” they yelled at him.  And he said back, “If God were really your father, you would love me, because I come from God…No, you are from your father, but your father is the devil.” And then, in stark contrast, Luke describes Stephen in verse 55: “He, however, was filled with the holy spirit, and looked steadily up into heaven. There he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand. ‘Look!' he said. ‘I can see heaven opened, and the son of man standing at God's right hand!' They've rejected Jesus.  They sit there, almost demonically gnashing their teeth at him—the posture of the wicked who stand condemned before God.  And Stephen stands before them full of the Spirit and with the very vision of heaven those men had longed for.  Luke said at the beginning of all this that as they looked at Stephen his face was like the face of an angel.  And Stephen shouts out to them, “Look!”  I can imagine them looking around, wondering what he's insisting they look at, because of course, no one else is seeing what he sees.  But the fact that his own face had been transformed—or even transfigured—says that he must have been seeing something and they knew it.  And he goes on, “I can see heaven opened and the son of man standing at God's right hand!” I think that whenever I've read this, I've tended to picture Stephen looking up, pointing past the ceiling of the room they were in, as if he's been given a glimpse into—you know—heaven—up there.  But the more I think about the imagery and context here, I don't think that's it.  I think we should be thinking back to episodes like the one in 2 Kings 6.  Israel was under attack by the Arameans.  The Prophet Elisha and his servant, Gehazi, were staying in the city of Dothan when it was surrounded by the Aramean army.  They woke up in the morning to see the huge army surrounding the city and Gehazi began to worry.  “What shall we do?” he asked Elisha.  And Elisha calmly told him, “Don't be afraid, for those who are with us are great than those who are with them.”  I picture Gehazi standing there wringing his hands.  And so Elisha prays, and as he prays, Gehazi's eyes are opened and on the hills all around he sees horses and chariots of fire surrounded the Aramean army.  And that heavenly army didn't arrive when Elisha prayed, like heaven, it was there all along.  The miracle was simply God's gracious allowance to open the eyes of Elisha's servant to see it. It's a reminder that heaven isn't up there, some far away place.  Heaven is here.  God created earth and heaven to overlap, for us to live in his presence.  Our sin has driven a wedge between the two.  But God and his realm are never far away.  As Gehazi was reassured that day as he saw a glimpse of heaven, so Stephen was reassured as the stood before the Sanhedrin.  As the highest court of the Jew was about to render a judgement against him and condemn him to death, I think we should understand what he saw as a sudden revelation of the heavenly court.  And there stood Jesus, the son of man.  The son of man was the character in Daniel's vision who rose to take his throne at God's right hand and from there to quelled the angry kings and nations that raged against God.  And now Stephen sees the ascended Jesus, not now sitting on his throne as Lord, but standing at the right hand of God, the great judge, to act as his advocate and witness.  The court of Israel was condemning him to death, but the heavenly court, the heavenly judge was ruling in his favour. What's interesting about this comparison between the chariots of fire and Stephen's vision of the heavenly court, is the result, the aftermath, the response of God's man.  Because the chariots of fire didn't swoop down to crush the Aramean army.  Instead, Elisha prayed again and God blinded the Arameans.  And Elisha then went out and convinced the blinded Arameans to follow him to Samaria, where Elisha prayed again and the Lord opened their eyes.  The king wanted to slaughter Elisha's “prisoners”, but Elisha warned the king.  It wasn't the king who defeated and captured them, God had done that.  So instead the king prepared a feast for them and then sent them on their way home.  This was Israel in one of her finer moments, obeying God, being light to nations, making known the grace and glory of God.  And I'll come back to it shortly. I think Luke's main point in telling us about this heavenly vision of Stephen's ties in closely with the theme of Jesus and the church being the new temple—something that comes up over and over through Acts.  Remember that for the Jews the temple was the supposed to be the place, not just where heaven and earth overlapped, but the thin place between them where God's people could meet him.  Not fully, of course.  His presence was in the holy of holies where no one could go.  But if they offered the sacrifices that would purify them from the stain of sin and death, they could draw near.  The irony was that God's presence had been gone from the temple for hundreds of years.  They'd rebuilt it when they returned from their exile in Babylon, but God's presence had never come back.  As if God was hinting to them there was something new and better to come.  And Stephen's been preaching on that theme.  The old temple was a signpost pointing to Jesus and to a new temple, not this time made with hands, but established by God himself and filled with is Spirit.  And in as much as I expect this miracle vision of the heavenly court was a gift to Stephen to encourage him—even though he doesn't seem to have needed much of that kind of encouragement—the gospel was enough—it highlighted to everyone present that day the thing that Isreal so longed for in the temple—the convergence of heaven and earth—was now happening in Jesus and his people. And while Stephen's vision seems to be unique in Christian history, we see saint after saint, martyr after martyr going to their deaths with the same sort of calm and composure that we see in Stephen.  I have to wonder if God has given others similar visions to which, for obvious reasons, we simply aren't privy.  Polycarp, Perpetua and Felicity, Ignatius, Thomas Cranmer, Nichols Ridley, Hugh Latimer, Maximillian Kolbe—all died with the gospel and prayers for those who killed them on their lips.  Brothers and Sisters, that's the witness of men and women who are confident in the gospel, in the lordship of Jesus, and in the hope of resurrection and new creation.  These are men and women who understood what the gospel is—not good advice, not another option to try on the religious smorgasbord, not something you should give a try; they knew it to be true and they knew it to be truly good news—the way, the truth, and the life.  They knew the grace of God so powerfully, that they went to their deaths praying that those who killed them would one day know it. So Luke goes on in verse 57: “But they yelled at him at the tops of their voices, blocked their ears, and made a concerted dash at him.  They bundled him out of the city and stoned him.  The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.  So they stoned Stephen.  “Lord Jesus,” he cried out, “receive my spirit.”  Then he knelt down and shouted at the top of his voice, “Lord, don't let this sin stand against them.”  Once he had said this, he fell asleep. “Now Saul was giving his consent to Stephen's death. That very day a great persecution was started against the church in Jerusalem. Everyone except the apostles was scattered through the lands of Judaea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” It's not just that Stephen stood firm on the gospel before the Sanhedrin and it's not just that he had a vision of heaven in which he was vindicated and could go to his death with calm and confidence.  His prayer for his enemies speaks volumes—it's a powerful witness—to the gospel itself. I can't image what it was like for Stephen.  In high school I was hit in the throat by a softball trying to catch someone's pop fly.  It hurt. Apparently I was lucky it didn't crush my trachea.  And that was a softball.  Stephen stood there—and I expect pretty quickly knelt and then lay there—as people threw rocks at him.  The biggest rocks they could find and still throw with force.  It was an absolutely brutal way to die and I can't imagine what kind of sadistic person would take joy in doing it to someone.  I guess that's yet more testimony to the influence the gospel has had on our culture.  And there, at a little distance stood Saul of Tarsus, having given the green light to the angry mob, supervising them as they threw their stones.  Keeping guard over their coats.  But as the rocks were hitting Stephen—imagine a rock breaking your jaw, crushing your nose, breaking your skull—Stephen cried out to God.  He cried out for mercy on those who were killing him. And that stands out as another witness to the gospel.  Because the whole going to a martyr's death, calmly and confidently and stoically, that's admirable, but other people had done that before Stephen.  About two centuries before, in the days when the Greek king, Antiochus Epiphanes, ruled Judaea, there had been a lot of Jewish martyrs.  Antiochus wanted to break the Jews, get them to forsake their “law”.  Get them to become more Greek, and they'd be an easier people to rule.  And so he desecrated their temple.  He made it illegal for them to circumcise their sons.  And his soldiers would round up the openly rebellious and force them to eat pork on pain of death.  2 Maccabees 7 tells the story of one family of Jewish heroes.  Seven brothers are tortured and, one by one, martyred as they stand firm in their faith, as they refuse the soldiers' order to eat pork.  They bore witness to their faith in God, to their hope in the future resurrection of the dead, but they also call down horrible curses on those pagan soldiers as they died.  With their last breath, they called down God's judgement on their enemies. But Stephen: Like those Jewish martyrs, he stood firm in faith.  He warned his accusers and his killers of God's coming judgement.  But he didn't lay it down as a curse.  He laid it down as a warning, a call to repentance—and with his last breath, a prayer for grace.  One of those Maccabean martyrs had yelled out, “This mighty power will torture you and your descendants!”  And Stephen, raised on those same stories of the martyrs, he saw that same divine persistence, but in light of Jesus he saw it very differently.  Stephen knew there is no escaping the Hound of Heaven.  But instead of divine judgment pursuing his enemies, he saw divine grace hounding them, the redeeming love of God pursing them—and if they would not be caught by it—it would pursue and catch and enfold and transform their descendants.  Somehow, someday the grace of God in Jesus, the renewing power of the gospel would catch them, because—Stephen was absolutely certain—that power will one day change the entire world.  That was the point of his powerful speech before them, after all.  From Abraham to Joseph, from Jospeh to Moses, from Moses to Jesus.  That's what the story is about: the grace and glory of the God of Israel to save his creation—not just Abraham's family—but all of creation.  It's about God, in love, giving himself to purify us from the stain of our rebellion, so that he can come home to live with us.  To restore heaven and earth.  And that gospel knowledge, that good news changed everything for Stephen. Brothers and Sisters, think about this.  Imagine people knew nothing of Jesus or the gospel or Christianity other than the astounding fact that Christian martyrs go to their deaths, not hurling curses, but calling down blessing and forgiveness from heaven on the very people torturing and killing them.  That, in itself, says something powerful about Jesus and the gospel and Christianity.  That in itself, would, I think, make a lot of people constructively curious.  That this is what we see from Christian martyrs down through history is witness to the gospel and to the very nature of our faith in the God of love who shed his blood to reconcile his enemies to himself.  A witness to the Jesus who, as he died on the cross, prayed that those who killed him would know God's forgiveness. Would that we, Brothers and Sisters, would be captivated by this same gospel of grace and the same sure and certain hope of reconciliation and resurrection and new creation.  Because our generation of Christians seems to be losing it.  We no longer think of the gospel as good news to proclaim, but as good advice to share, because Jesus is no longer the way, the truth, and the life, but now a way, a truth, a life.  We no longer have a clear hope and vision of creation set to rights by Jesus, maybe because we twisted this idea of “heaven” into a distant, ethereal, disembodied realm, instead of God's realm, present, but unseeable because of our sin.  And so we're afraid to speak of sin as that great evil that keeps us from God and we're afraid to call people to repentance and we're afraid to speak of that day when God will, once and for all, wipe the last traces of sin and evil from the world, to heal the breach between heaven and earth, to pull out the wedge we've so firmly driven between them.  And, in the same way, having consigned Jesus' lordship to a distant heaven, we fear to proclaim that most basic Christian creed—the one carved on our lychgate: “Jesus is Lord”.  Lord, not just in a far away heaven, not just someday in a far away future, but here and now. Brothers and Sisters, we need Stephen's witness just as much as the Sanhedrin did that day.  I pray that we would take it to heart.  And if we lack his confidence, if we lack his hope, if we lack his vision, or if—in contrast to Stephen—we find ourselves gritting our teeth in anger and calling down curses on our enemies, that the Lord would give us a clear vision of his grace, of his kingdom, of his glory.  Amen.

August 1st, 2026:  St Peter in Chains & the Holy Maccabees - Pray First, THEN Go to War;  St Alphonsus, Zealous Doctor;  The Holy Maccabean Martyrs;  St Peter Julian Eymard;  St Alphonsus de Liguori;  St Peter in Chains - Who Knows When You'll Be Bound

3 Maccabees 6, 7; Psalm 30:15·25; Proverbs 6:13·16; Romans 2

3 Maccabees 5; Psalm 30:1·14; Proverbs 6:7·12; Romans 1

3 Maccabees 3, 4; Psalm 29; Proverbs 6:1·6; Acts 28

3 Maccabees 1, 2; Psalm 28; Proverbs 5:20·23; Acts 27:21·44

2 Maccabees 14:18-15:39; Psalm 27; Proverbs 5:15–19; Acts 27:1–20

2 Maccabees 12:17-14:17; Psalm 26; Proverbs 5:7·14; Acts 26

2 Maccabees 10:24-12:16; Psalm 25; Proverbs 5:1·6; Acts 25

2 Maccabees 8:21-10:23; Psalm 24:12·22; Proverbs 4:24·28; Acts 24

2 Maccabees 7:1-8:20; Psalm 24:1·11; Proverbs 4:19·23; Acts 23:12·35

2 Maccabees 4:30-6:31; Psalms 22, 23; Proverbs 4:13·18; Acts 22:30-23:11

2 Maccabees 3:1-4:29; Psalm 21:20·32; Proverbs 4:9·12; Acts 22:1·29

2 Maccabees 1, 2; Psalm 21:1·19; Proverbs 4:1·8; Acts 21:17·40

1 Maccabees 14:25-16:24; Psalm 20; Proverbs 3:33·38; Acts 21:1·16

1 Maccabees 13:12-14:24; Psalm 19; Proverbs 3:28·32; Acts 20:17·38

1 Maccabees 11:54-13:11; Psalm 18; Proverbs 3:23·27; Acts 20:1·16

1 Maccabees 10:59-11:53; Psalm 17:33·51; Proverbs 3:17·22; Acts 19:23·41

1 Maccabees 9:54-10:58; Psalm 17:18·32; Proverbs 3:11·16; Acts 19:1·22

1 Maccabees 8:1-9:53; Psalm 17:1·17; Proverbs 3:6·10; Acts 18

1 Maccabees 6:18-7:50; Psalm 16; Proverbs 3:1·5; Acts 17:16·34

1 Maccabees 5:1-6:17; Psalms 14, 15; Proverbs 2:17·23; Acts 17:1·151 Maccabees 5:1-6:17; Psalms 14, 15; Proverbs 2:17–23; Acts 17:1–15

1 Maccabees 3:42-4:61; Psalms 12, 13; Proverbs 2:10·16; Acts 16:16·401 Maccabees 3:42-4:61; Psalms 12, 13; Proverbs 2:10–16; Acts 16:16–40

1 Maccabees 2:15-3:41; Psalms 10, 11; Proverbs 2:6·9; Acts 16:1·151 Maccabees 2:15-3:41; Psalms 10, 11; Proverbs 2:6–9; Acts 16:1–15

1 Maccabees 1:1-2:14; Psalm 9:18·39; Proverbs 2:1·5; Acts 15:22·411 Maccabees 1:1-2:14; Psalm 9:18–39; Proverbs 2:1–5; Acts 15:22–41

In 140 BCE, the Maccabees and Levites broke apart the priestly narrative and drowned it out in their own to create the Torah we have today Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Welcome to Day 2896 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2896 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2896 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East. The promise of resurrection and glorified embodiment is so central to Judaism and Christianity that it's easy to overlook how unprecedented the concept was in the world of the Ancient Near East (ANE). In a cultural landscape dominated by bleak afterlife expectations, the biblical vision of a redeemed, reembodied existence shattered prevailing norms. The idea that humans might not only escape the grip of death but rise again in everlasting glory was nothing short of revolutionary. The first segment is: Death in the Ancient Near East: A Realm of Shadows. In the cosmologies of Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt, the afterlife was not a place of joy or fulfillment. It was a necessary descent into Sheol, Irkalla, or the Egyptian Duat, a dim and dusty realm where all the dead, good or evil, shared the same fate. This was a land of no return, where the dead were stripped of vitality, feasted on dust, and faded into obscurity. In Mesopotamian myth, even kings and gods wept over this fate, and no one, not even the mighty, escaped. These views were not born out of nihilism but reflected a spiritual realism shared across the ancient world. Sheol and its counterparts like Irkalla and Duat were not metaphors. They were real destinations in the cosmology of the time, dreaded places where the dead existed as weakened, diminished shades. Life was fragile. Disease, war, and disaster struck without warning. The best a person could hope for was to retain a name among the living. Immortality was not life eternal, but legacy. The gods might live forever, but humans were destined for the shadowlands. The second segment is: Sheol in the Hebrew Bible: A Shared Inheritance. Early Hebrew thought shared many features with this ANE worldview. Sheol, as depicted in much of the Old Testament, was not a place of torment or reward but of silence and forgetfulness. Job lamented that the grave was a place where both the righteous and the wicked went. Psalmists cried out to God, not wanting to descend to Sheol where praise was no longer heard. What made Sheol especially terrifying was the possibility of not just existing in a diminished state, but being utterly destroyed. In the worldview of Israel and its neighbors, some spirits in Sheol could be devoured, consumed by greater powers such as the Rephaim or forgotten entirely. To be erased from memory was to lose all identity and hope. The dead could descend further into oblivion, where no legacy or relationship with the living or with God remained. In this view, Sheol was not a passive waiting area. It was a realm where final annihilation remained a threat. The third segment is: The Bosom of Abraham: Covenant Protection in the Realm of the Dead. Amid this grim expectation, later Jewish tradition introduced a dramatic contrast. The righteous were not abandoned to dissolution. Instead, they were gathered into what became known as the Bosom of Abraham. Far from being a metaphor, this designation marked out a region of Sheol reserved for those who belonged to the covenant. As seen in Luke 16, the faithful were carried by angels to a place of comfort and remembrance, not terror and erasure. This was not yet heaven, but it was a protected state. While others faded into silence or were at risk of destruction, those in the Bosom of Abraham were remembered, preserved, and awaited resurrection. It was a place of being known by God, a key distinction from the rest of the underworld. Even in Sheol, Yahweh made a distinction between those who were His and those who were not. This growing expectation set the stage for a greater hope, one not just of preservation, but of reversal. The fourth segment is: The Breakthrough: Resurrection and Embodied Hope. The first major crack in the prevailing view comes in Isaiah and Daniel, where we find explicit references to bodily resurrection: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.” These declarations were not metaphors. They were bold theological claims, ones that challenged the despair of the ancient world. No longer was Sheol the final destination. A day was coming when the faithful would be raised, not as disembodied spirits, but as reembodied beings, fully restored and transformed. The language hints at glory, justice, and joy, completely alien to the sorrowful tones of ANE afterlife texts. This was a radical theological move. The idea that the righteous would be bodily raised by Yahweh set Israel apart. The divine council rebelled, humanity fell, but God promised not just deliverance, but a glorified future beyond death. The concept did not develop in isolation. It was forged in contrast to the hopeless tomb-worlds of Israel's neighbors. The fifth segment is: Christianity: From Seed to Splendor. Christianity, rooted in Judaism, took this concept and revealed its full flowering. The Jewish hope of resurrection was never mere metaphor. It was a literal expectation of bodily restoration, rooted in prophetic texts like Daniel and Isaiah and affirmed in Second Temple writings, including the martyrdom accounts in 2 Maccabees. Christ's resurrection was not symbolic. It was the historic and physical defeat of death itself. For Paul, this event was not only proof of life after death, but the firstfruits of what all the faithful would experience. Christ's glorified body was a tangible preview of the embodied glory awaiting those who belong to Him. Whereas pagan religions occasionally flirted with ideas of apotheosis or immortality for heroes or emperors, the Christian claim was far more subversive. Every faithful believer, slave or free, male or female, Jew or Gentile, was destined to rise again in glorified embodiment. This was not mythic metaphor. It was cosmic revolution. The sixth segment is: Resurrection vs. Reincarnation or Spirit Survival Importantly, this vision differed from reincarnation, where the self dissolves or returns in new form, and from spirit survival, where a ghost or shade lingers. The biblical model insists on the restoration of the person, not merely their essence. The soul is not freed from the body. It is reunited with a perfected one. This was revolutionary not just in theology, but in anthropology. The human body mattered. The material world was not evil or illusory, as many surrounding philosophies taught. It was made good and would be remade. In Conclusion. In a world where death was final, where the grave was silent, and where the gods offered no escape, the biblical vision of resurrection was not merely hopeful. It was defiant. It redefined justice, identity, and destiny. No longer would the dead sleep forever. No longer would dust be the final word. From the ashes of Sheol, the faithful would rise, not as ghosts, but as glorified, embodied, eternal beings in communion with their Creator. To explore this subject further, please consider these Discussion Questions. How did Ancient Near Eastern views of the afterlife shape the early Israelite understanding of Sheol, and in what ways did Israel's theology begin to diverge? What does Yahweh's power over Sheol, as depicted in the Hebrew Bible, reveal about His nature compared to the gods of neighboring cultures? Why was the concept of bodily resurrection considered radical in the context of ANE beliefs about death and the afterlife? How does the promise of reembodiment challenge modern views that separate spiritual salvation from the physical world? In what ways does the Christian claim of universal resurrection and glorified embodiment subvert ancient notions of divine privilege and human limitation? Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory:...

Another episode with Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions. In this show, Gil and explore common themes in the books of Chronicles and Maccabees.  Chronicles is two books in the Christian tradition, and one in the Jewish. Chronicles must be the least read book in the Bible, save perhaps for Obadiah. At first sight it is a redundant and profoundly unimpressive re-telling of the history already told in Samuel and Kings. Chronicles does not appear once in the annual cycle of Jewish biblical readings. The medieval rabbis held it in such little regard that they never bothered to produce a commentary on the book. But Gil and I have found hidden treasures in this work, which shows the hand of God behind everything. We also find the hand of God in the second book of Maccabees. If you are a Protestant, you will search in vein for that book in your bible. Martin Luither threw it out. Perhaps ask a friendly Catholic or Orthodox for a copy.

Two swords forged in the land of the Philistines. Two kings. One throne. And a literary motif so intricate that scholars have been misreading it for generations.The death of King Saul at Mount Gilboa is one of the most dramatic moments in the Old Testament. But what most people don't realize is that a misinterpretation of the archaeological evidence at Beth Shean has distorted how scholars understand what happened to Saul's body, his armor, and his sword after his death. The text doesn't say what we've been told it says. And once that mistake is corrected, an entire narrative thread running through 1 Samuel 13 to 31 suddenly comes into focus.In this episode of The Dig In Podcast, Johnny Ova sits down with Dr. Chris McKinny, Associate Professor of Biblical Archaeology at Lipscomb University's Lanier Center for Archaeology, senior staff archaeologist at the Tel Burna project in Israel, co-host of the Biblical World Podcast, and on-screen host of the upcoming feature documentary Legends of the Lost Ark. Dr. McKinny has spent over a decade excavating in the land of the Bible and his research on the death of Saul reveals one of the most sophisticated literary devices in all of ancient literature.Together we explore the full arc of David's rise and Saul's fall, including:- Why the only two swords in Israel belonged to Saul and Jonathan and what that means for the narrative- How Goliath's sword becomes a story device that tracks David's entire journey from shepherd to king- The real reason Saul's armor and head were not taken to Beth Shean but to the land of the Philistines- What archaeologists got wrong about Beth Shean and the Philistine temple identification- How the sword motif connects to the Ark of the Covenant as part of a larger literary structure- Why David never used the sword against Saul and how the narrative builds that restraint into the climax- The significance of Nob, the tabernacle, and the sword of Goliath waiting for David- How the geography of the Jezreel Valley, the Shephelah, and the coastal plain shaped the entire conflict- What Judah the Hammer's sword in 1 Maccabees reveals about how ancient readers understood this motif- How this corrected reading elevates the biblical authors as world-class storytellersThis conversation takes us into the archaeology, the geography, and the literary genius of the biblical authors in ways most readers have never considered.Check out Dr. Chris McKinny's work:Legends of the Lost Ark (in theaters April 12, 14, and 15, 2026): https://www.legendsofthelostark.com/Biblical World Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biblical-world/id1566455453Stay connected with The Dig In Podcast and Subscribe.Website: https://johnnyova.com/Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaGet a copy of Johnny's latest book about the book of Revelation: https://a.co/d/02v5yH7A

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.In this episode of Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright welcomes Matthew Mark McWhorter, author of Canon Crossfire, for a thoughtful conversation about faith, Scripture, evidence, and the formation of the biblical canon.Matthew shares how his journey began not in church, but through a personal crisis. After facing cancer and surviving a massive “widow maker” heart attack, he began reading the Bible seriously for the first time. As someone trained as a lawyer, Matthew approached Scripture through investigation, evidence, and comparison—reading across multiple Bible translations and Christian traditions.The conversation explores Matthew's path from skepticism to faith, including how books like The Case for Christ and Evidence That Demands a Verdict helped him examine whether Christianity is true. Matthew explains why he believes Christians must be grounded not only in the goodness of Christianity, but in the truth of Christianity.TS and Matthew also discuss Matthew's book, Canon Crossfire, which addresses questions surrounding the Old Testament canon, the differences between Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, and other biblical traditions, and why simplistic answers about the canon can create problems when examined historically.A major theme of the episode is the importance of honest investigation. Matthew encourages believers, students, pastors, and scholars to look carefully at the evidence, especially when discussing disputed books such as 2 Maccabees and the broader historical development of the Bible.In This EpisodeTS and Matthew discuss:Matthew's personal testimony and health crisisHow reading the Bible changed his lifeWhy Christianity's truth claims matterThe role of apologetics in strengthening faithThe historical complexity of the biblical canonDifferences among Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, and Syriac canonsAthanasius and the early recognition of the New Testament writingsWhy Christians should avoid shallow answers when defending ScriptureMatthew's book Canon CrossfireWhere listeners can find Matthew's workGuest ResourceLearn more about Matthew Mark McWhorter and his book at:CanonCrossfire.comMatthew also mentions that his book is available in multiple formats, including print, ebook, audiobook, large print, and free copies for seminarians.Mentioned in this episode:TUVU - God Centered Concept Academy

After getting to know Maccabean times so well, if we compare the Maccabean book 2 Maccabees with the biblical book Chronicles, we will see that they seem to have been written by the same people. Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to discuss. To Garry's podcast Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Why did the Pharisees and Sadducees fiercely disagree about the resurrection, and why is the resurrection so central to Catholic belief? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists explain the theological importance of bodily resurrection before tackling questions about the Protestant and Jewish biblical canons, including why Maccabees is missing despite its connection to Hanukkah. The discussion also explores common misunderstandings about Catholic teaching on salvation, including accusations of “works-based salvation,” how justification can grow even while Christians still commit venial sins, and the connection between the Bread of Life discourse and Christ's Passion. The episode concludes with pastoral advice for someone in OCIA facing family conflict about becoming Catholic and attending Mass. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:22 – Why was there a dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees on resurrection, and why is it so central to Catholic teaching?  11:14 – Is the protestant bible based off of the Jewish translation of the bible? Why doesn’t the Jewish bible have  Maccabees, since those books contain the origin of Hanukkah?  20:10 – How would we respond to someone who pushes back when we say don't believe in a works-based salvation? They say that we would claim someone loses their salvation if they miss Mass.  30:20 – How do we reconcile a justification that progresses and still commit venial sin?  37:01 – How close in time was the bread of life discourse to the Passion of Christ?  51:30 – I'm in OCIA and my husband doesn’t agree with my decision. If I were to become Catholic and I can’t make it to mass because of issues at home, will I be in mortal sin? 

What does the Catholic Church do when someone claims the Virgin Mary is appearing to them? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists explain how the Church investigates reported apparitions and discerns whether they are authentic. The conversation also explores why Jewish Bibles do not include Maccabees despite the importance of Hanukkah, why Catholics believe Jesus has two natures, and how to better understand St. John Henry Newman's famous quote about history and Catholicism. Additional questions cover biblical support for confession and Communion obligations, who Jesus was referring to when He said “Father, forgive them,” how Catholics recognize ex cathedra teachings, and when the Eucharist becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. The episode concludes with advice for non-Catholics discerning whether the Catholic Church is true. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:58 – If a person claims that Mary is appearing to them, how is that dealt with in the Church?  12:50 – Since Hanukkah is big in the Jewish tradition, why don’t they have Maccabees in their bible?  20:50 – Why do Catholics believe that Jesus has two natures vs. one nature?  22:56 – How do I better understand Newman's quote, “to be rooted in history is to be Catholic?” I’ve been looking into history, and I’m not convinced.  28:54 – What bible verse could I use to back up the claim that we should go to confession and communion at least once a  33:59 – When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” who was guilty?  37:44 – How do I know when something is declared ex cathedra? How can I brush up more on papal infallibility?  42:30 – When exactly does the Eucharist become Jesus?  48:35 – I'm not Catholic. How do I know if Catholicism is the right way to go?