Podcasts about Sanhedrin

Today’s Topics: Joshua Charles joins Terry for Friday with the Fathers 1) Gospel –Matthew 5:20-26 – Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Memorial of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Saint Gregory, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) In Part 2, Terry and Joshua discuss Early Father of the Church: Saint Pope Leo the Great

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Reflection The Pharisees were all about righteousness. And the mistake they made is that it didn't matter how you felt or what your intention was, as long as you did the action as perfectly as possible that was somehow pleasing to God. So the Ten Commandments could be followed very rigorously, but at the same time, Jesus is opening up a whole new way of seeing ourselves in our relationships. It's not simply about whether we do negative things to each other or must do good things to each other. It's where are you? What's your intention? The mind in the will can follow those kinds of commands that demand action. Only the heart which is promised to be filled with divinity can love. Can never want to do anything that limits a person's dignity, their value, their worth So the beauty of this passage is in keeping us in touch with our intentions. Caring for one another is the most righteous act that we can perform. Closing Prayer Father, open our hearts to the mystery of you within us so that we can turn to that beautiful presence and know that we can put on your disposition toward the world, toward each other. You are not a judging figure, but you are a forgiving figure. You are a teacher that gives us a sense of the importance of empathy and understanding of one another. Bless us with your way and not the way of a system that ignores the heart's intention. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mishna

Mishna

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Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20Imagine a wife asked her husband to go to the supermarket and pick up a pound of potatoes. Being literal, he went to the store, found a pound of potatoes, picked them up, set them back down, and returned home. When his wife asks where the potatoes are, he explains that they're still at the store. Confused, she asks why he didn't bring them home, and he responds, “You only asked me to ‘pick them up.'”While this example might be humorous, it illustrates an essential truth about following instructions. The husband might have technically fulfilled the request but missed the deeper meaning. In much the same way, the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' time scrupulously followed the letter of God's Law but often failed to grasp the spirit behind it.Jesus addresses this issue directly in today's Gospel. The Law, as given by God through Moses, was summed up in the Ten Commandments. But Jesus came to reveal the deeper meaning behind those commands. For example, He explains the true meaning of the commandment, “You shall not kill.”On the surface, one might think that as long as you don't physically murder someone, you are free from guilt. But Jesus shows that this commandment goes far beyond the act of murder. He reveals that the commandment also forbids less serious internal and external sins.Jesus identifies three levels of sin related to this commandment. First is anger. Anger is an interior disposition; of the three sins, it is the least severe. It begins with a judgmental thought or condemnation and often results in feelings of anger. Though feelings are not sinful, allowing anger to take root due to rash judgment or contempt is a sin, even if no further action is taken. Jesus warns that harboring anger makes a person “liable to judgment.”The second level of sin is verbal, specifically calling someone Raqa. This Aramaic term is a derogatory insult, meaning someone is empty-headed or worthless. Such an insult externalizes anger and reveals a more profound disdain for the person and a failure to recognize the person's worth in God's eyes. Speaking this way to someone shows a lack of respect for his or her dignity as a child of God. Jesus warns that those who commit this sin will be “answerable to the Sanhedrin.” In other words, not only will God hold them accountable, but they may also need fraternal correction from family, friends, or the Church if they fail to repent.The most serious offense Jesus mentions is calling someone, “You fool!” In biblical terms, calling someone a fool is more than just an insult; it is a condemnation of the person's character. In Scripture, a fool is someone who rejects God and lives in moral corruption, as in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” To call someone a fool, therefore, is to cast judgment on the person's soul, associating that individual with someone who is cut off from God's grace. Jesus is stern in His warning: those who condemn others this way will be “liable to fiery Gehenna.”Reflect today on Jesus' teaching about the deeper meaning of this and other commandments. Lent is a time of turning away from sin and returning to God. If you struggle with anger, examine its roots. If rash judgment is at the heart of it, seek God's mercy and repent to find peace. If you've hurt others with critical or condemning words, especially if you've judged their moral character, confess this grave sin and remember that God alone is the Judge. Strive to fulfill not only the letter of God's Law but also its spirit, and your life will bear abundant fruit.My meek and humble Lord, though You are merciful, You are also just. I turn to Your mercy today, seeking forgiveness and grace to overcome the sin of anger and all that comes with it. Free me from judgmental thoughts, and help me love others with Your merciful Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Reading Acts 4:19-22 where the Sanhedrin threatens Peter and John and tells them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, but they cannot stop speaking of what they've seen and heard. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 6: Delivered February 5, 1959 Continuing with the idea of Judaism's glorification of the anonymous person, the Talmud says that the participants in the annual “kallah” Torah lectures receive divine reward not according to their intellectual achievements, but according to the amount of discomfort they put themselves through in order to participate. Thus, the diligent ignoramus could receive more reward than the accomplished scholar. Judaism stresses axiological democracy, the equal worth of the great scholar and the little person. Modern Man has yet to live up to this ideal of axiological democracy, and the biggest challenge of today's State of Israel is to live up to this ideal. The Talmud captures this axiological democracy in its dictum, “How do you know that your blood is redder than the blood of your neighbor?” Although Judaism's moral code recognizes the common right to dignity, such that we may not judge or embarrass anyone, it places special emphasis on the dignity on the humble and lowly person, with special injunctions against harming the deaf, blind, orphan, widow, and stranger. Rabban Gamliel the Prince, under the order of execution by the Romans, considered that perhaps he deserved his fate due to once making a widow feel unimportant. This sense of tenderness towards the downtrodden reflects God's own behavior and attitude towards the poor and oppressed, as described in Scripture. Peretz's story “Bontzye Shweig” illustrates this idea as well. This analysis leads to the problem of Jewish loneliness, which requires distinguishing between two different feelings, loneliness and aloneness. Loneliness comes from others inevitably rejecting one's message, one's kerygma. Aloneness comes from the numinous uniqueness inherent in each person. Loneliness brings with it destructive emotions, whereas aloneness is a creative and motivating force. Every person must suffer the loneliness of rejection at some point in life. Next lecture will discuss how Judaism tries to solve the problem of loneliness. Topics triggered by audience questions include the Rosenberg trial, historical controversies among Jews, establishment of a Sanhedrin in Israel, and standardized text for prayer. Jump to: 00:01:15 The Talmudic dictum that reward is granted according to effort 00:08:17 Axiological democracy in Judaism, modern society, and the State of Israel 00:26:24 The human right to dignity and the prohibition to embarrass people 00:44:27 Judaism's concern with the socially anonymous person 00:59:30 Imitatio Dei, imitating God, and the story of the death of “Bontzye Shweig” 01:26:29 Introduction to the problem of Jewish loneliness Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM  The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E6): Judaism's Glorification of the Anonymous Person first appeared on Tradition Online.

A deacon by the name of Stephen has been accused of blasphemy and now stands before the court of the Sanhedrin. False witnesses claimed that he had spoken against the law of God. Today, Stephen turns the tables on his accusers and puts them on trial for refusing to acknowledge Christ. Reciting a brief overview of Israel's history, he plainly shows them that it is Israel who is guilty of rebelling against God and resisting the Holy Spirit. In a rage, they rush to kill him, and Stephen becomes the first known Christian martyr, and as Tertullian later said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.” :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Today's episode is going to be incredibly short and tomorrow's episode is going to be rather long. Chapter 6 is really just a preface leading into chapter 7, in which Stephen speaks to the Sanhedrin concerning the history of Israel and their resistance against God. Instead of breaking up that speech in smaller pieces, I thought it would be best to keep that sermon in one piece. Having said all that, today's reading includes the introduction of deacons in the life of the church, whose role is to serve the church and to lead in doing so. Because of their faithful service, those who were called to teach are free to fulfill their role. Stephen is among those mentioned as being chosen as a deacon. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Wide lines

Reading 1Sirach 15:15-20If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;if you trust in God, you too shall live;he has set before you fire and waterto whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.Before man are life and death, good and evil,whichever he chooses shall be given him.Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.The eyes of God are on those who fear him;he understands man's every deed.No one does he command to act unjustly,to none does he give license to sin.Reading 21 Corinthians 2:6-10Brothers and sisters:We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,not a wisdom of this age,nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden,which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,and which none of the rulers of this age knew;for, if they had known it,they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.But as it is written:What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,and what has not entered the human heart,what God has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.GospelMatthew 5:17-37Jesus said to his disciples:"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letterwill pass from the law,until all things have taken place.Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do sowill be called least in the kingdom of heaven.But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.I tell you, unless your righteousness surpassesthat of the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you,whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment;and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,'will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;and whoever says, 'You fool,'will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.But I say to you,everyone who looks at a woman with lusthas already committed adultery with her in his heart.If your right eye causes you to sin,tear it out and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.And if your right hand causes you to sin,cut it off and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body go into Gehenna."It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you,whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,Do not take a false oath,but make good to the Lord all that you vow.But I say to you, do not swear at all;not by heaven, for it is God's throne;nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.Do not swear by your head,for you cannot make a single hair white or black.Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'Anything more is from the evil one."

Third wide line

Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin models what it means to be a faithful apologist. This is part 2 of a two-part study of Stephen's defense. It calls every believer to know the truth, love it more than life, and live it courageously, even in the face of death, as a testimony to the power of the gospel.

After mishnah

התוכן בנוגע להנהגת מרדכי אחרי הנס פורים מצינו דבר פלא: לאחרי שמרדכי ראה איך שע"י ניצל כלל ישראל מגזירת המן, עד שנעשה "משנה למלך" (דרגה הנעלה ביותר שאפשר להגיע בזמן הגלות), הנה במקום להמשיך ב"עסקנות ציבורית"... עלה מבבל לארץ ישראל כדי שיוכל לעסוק בלימוד התורה ובקיום המצוות ונהי' א' מחברי הסנהדרין! ומזה לימוד נפלא לאלו העוסקים בעסקנות ציבורית (או בקו ד"זבולון" בכלל), שכל זמן שיש להם ציווי מנשיא הדור – עליהם להמשיך בעסקנות זו ולא "לברוח מהחזית", ולעבוד מתוך קב"ע והקדמת נעשה לנשמע כחלק מ"צבאות ה'", (כמו ב"צבא" כפשוטו שלא משנה חכמתו של המפקד – לכל לראש יש למלאות את הפקודה של מי שנתמנה להיות המפקד, ועאכו"כ כאשר מדובר אודות ציווי של ממה"מ הקב"ה!), אבל בשעת מעשה צ"ל אצלם תשוקה הכי גדולה לזמן שיוכלו להתיישב וללמוד תורה בהתמדה ושקידה! ובמילא ברגע שמרגיש או קיבל הוראה ברורה שהשלים עבודתו – ה"ה "עלה מבבל"! (וכן לפנ"ז – מנצל כל רגע פנוי ללימוד התורה).ג' חלקים משיחת מוצאי שבת פרשת שמיני ה'תשל"ח ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=20-02-2026 Synopsis After Mordechai's position at the king's gate helped save the Jewish people from Haman's decree, and after Mordechai became second to the king (the highest possible rank one could reach during exile), instead of staying to continue his work on behalf of the public, he went up from Bavel to Eretz Yisroel to occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos and become a member of the Sanhedrin. The wondrous lesson for those involved in work on behalf of the community (or generally the path of Zevulun) is that as long as they have a directive from the Nasi HaDor, they must continue this work and not flee from the frontlines; they should carry out their mission with kabolas ol, carrying out their mission as part of Hashem's army. But at the same time, they must feel the utmost longing for the time when they will be able to sit and learn Torah constantly and diligently. Accordingly, the moment one feels – or receives a clear directive –that his mission is complete, he should “go up from Bavel” (and even before then, he should utilize every free moment for Torah study).3 excerpts from sichah of Motzaei Shabbos Parashas Shemini 5738 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=20-02-2026

Join my Dad and I as we go through the entire Bible in a year, in conjunction with the Bible Discovery Guide and The Daily Show. This weekend we answer some of the big questions and viewer questions concerning rebellion, leadership, and the cost of disobedience. If you want to know your Bible better, then this is a great place to help deepen your big picture understanding.

Peter and John have just preached the gospel in Solomon's Colonnade after healing a man who was lame from birth. The priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) were annoyed with their preaching, so they seized Peter and John and jailed them overnight. In today's episode they will stand before the Sanhedrin, a counsel of Jewish religious leaders who held court concerning religious matters. Seeing the healed man, the simply threaten them not to preach in the name Jesus. After they are let go, they only request to preach Christ with greater boldness. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Bottom of amud

12 lines from bottom

Packinghouse's Sunday morning worship service from February 15, 2026 Acts 6:8–15 | Pasot Greg Stephen, a Regular Guy with an Uncommon Grace Stephen wasn't an apostle or a leader with a title—he was a faithful servant in the church—and yet God's grace and the Holy Spirit were powerfully on him, proving that spiritual influence isn't about status but about being filled with Christ. As the young Jerusalem church passes a crucial “test of love” by caring for neglected widows and choosing Greek-speaking believers to lead the solution, the church multiplies—and that momentum brings Stephen straight into conflict. When educated opponents in the synagogue can't refute his Spirit-given wisdom, they pivot to slander, false witnesses, and dragging him before the Sanhedrin, showing how people often try to destroy the messenger when they can't defeat the message. The passage ends with a striking picture: Stephen stands in the middle of injustice with a face “like an angel,” a calm that becomes its own testimony and even plants seeds in Saul of Tarsus, reminding us that God uses ordinary believers—and that our response to unfairness can preach louder than our words. - Greg Opean - Sunday, February 15, 2026

February 15, 2026. Fr. Tyler's homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Enjoy! Gospel Matthew 5:17-37 Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. "You have heard that it was said,  You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife -  unless the marriage is unlawful -  causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. "Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one."

In this Thinking Talmudist episode on Ta'anit 22b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the Talmudic teachings on rain as a divine blessing (geshem), its timing, and spiritual lessons from stories of Choni HaMe'agel (Choni the Circle-Maker), the greatest rain-maker in Jewish history.Key points:Rain in its proper time — Rains fall moderately (not oversaturating or leaving earth thirsty) on Wednesday and Friday nights (eves of Thursday/Shabbos) when people are home and inconvenienced minimally (demons are out, Shabbos restrictions limit travel).Excessive rain = curse — Too much rain causes mud and ruins crops; sin turns blessings away (Jeremiah 5:25). In Shimon ben Shetach's days, rains fell only on those nights until wheat kernels grew kidney-sized, barley olive-sized, lentils gold-dinar-sized—saved as examples of how sin causes ruin.Choni HaMe'agel's circle — When no rain fell until Adar, Sanhedrin sent for Choni. He drew a circle, stood in it, and swore by God's great Name he wouldn't leave until rain fell. He prayed for moderate rain (not the light sprinkle or torrents that followed); God responded to his merit. He criticized the generation's inability to handle abundance or scarcity, then prayed for rain to stop—wind blew, clouds dispersed, sun shone.Sanhedrin's praise — They likened Choni to Habakkuk (“I will stand at my post”), saying he uplifted a darkened generation through prayer, saved an “innocent” generation, and brought light to their paths.Lessons — Rain is a direct divine gift; balance is key (too much or too little = curse). Choni's oath was risky (could desecrate God's Name if unfulfilled, like Elijah's drought oath). Truthful, pure prayer brings results; merit can override a generation's sins. We must recognize rain as Hashem's hand—not coincidence.The rabbi reflects on modern disconnect from nature (food from fridge/delivery, not fields) and urges gratitude, balance, and prayer for rain as a reminder of Hashem's constant provision._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 6, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on February 16, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Taanit, #Choni, #Prayer, #Rain, #Geshem, #Blessing ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Thinking Talmudist episode on Ta'anit 23a, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the Talmudic teachings on rain as a divine blessing (geshem), its timing, and spiritual lessons from stories of Choni HaMe'agel (Choni the Circle-Maker), the greatest rain-maker in Jewish history.Key points:Rain in its proper time — Rains fall moderately (not oversaturating or leaving earth thirsty) on Wednesday and Friday nights (eves of Thursday/Shabbos) when people are home and inconvenienced minimally (demons are out, Shabbos restrictions limit travel).Excessive rain = curse — Too much rain causes mud and ruins crops; sin turns blessings away (Jeremiah 5:25). In Shimon ben Shetach's days, rains fell only on those nights until wheat kernels grew kidney-sized, barley olive-sized, lentils gold-dinar-sized—saved as examples of how sin causes ruin.Choni HaMe'agel's circle — When no rain fell until Adar, Sanhedrin sent for Choni. He drew a circle, stood in it, and swore by God's great Name he wouldn't leave until rain fell. He prayed for moderate rain (not the light sprinkle or torrents that followed); God responded to his merit. He criticized the generation's inability to handle abundance or scarcity, then prayed for rain to stop—wind blew, clouds dispersed, sun shone.Sanhedrin's praise — They likened Choni to Habakkuk (“I will stand at my post”), saying he uplifted a darkened generation through prayer, saved an “innocent” generation, and brought light to their paths.Lessons — Rain is a direct divine gift; balance is key (too much or too little = curse). Choni's oath was risky (could desecrate God's Name if unfulfilled, like Elijah's drought oath). Truthful, pure prayer brings results; merit can override a generation's sins. We must recognize rain as Hashem's hand—not coincidence.The rabbi reflects on modern disconnect from nature (food from fridge/delivery, not fields) and urges gratitude, balance, and prayer for rain as a reminder of Hashem's constant provision._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 6, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on February 16, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Taanit, #Choni, #Prayer, #Rain, #Geshem, #Blessing ★ Support this podcast ★

Acts 22:30-23:24 Paul goes before the Sanhedrin and is interrupted by the high priest in an indignant exchange. As arguments ensue, his hope is found in the words of Jesus. The same needs to be true for us as we face moments of contention within the secular world. Jesus is our hope, but the enemy will try to silence us and the spread of the gospel message. 

Acts 7 presents Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin. In this first half of our two-part study of Stephen's defense, we begin following his argument's four stages in Hebrew history. His argument also subtly dismantles the religious pride of his audience by showing that Israel's patriarchs were flawed while presenting God's deliverance through Jesus in some well-known Christ-figures.

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Wide lines

In this shiur, delivered in SKA, Rav Burg explains the inner meaning as to why the Sanhedrin is placed adjacent to the Mizbeach.

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Explore the "Soundtrack of the Sanhedrin" as we examine the recurring pattern of institutional power versus the unstoppable gospel in Acts 5. From the rising tide of global persecution to the bold defiance of the apostles, discover why God's move cannot be subverted by jealousy or violence.

Introduction: Genesis 2:24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Enjoying Your Gift from God. (1 Corinthians 7:1-7) Married? Enjoy God's Gift for MARRIAGE. (1 Cor 7:3-5) 3 Laws of Marital Intimacy: The Law of DEBT. (1 Cor 7:3) The Law of OWNERSHIP. (1 Cor 7:4) The Law of HIATUS. (1 Cor 7:5) Single? Enjoy God's Gift of SINGLENESS. (1 Cor 7:6-7) Matthew 19:10-12 – The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:41Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 7.00:43-00:51And as we said last week, it's going to continue for the next few weeks because we go where the text goes.00:54-01:00And today we're going to be talking about the relationship between a man and his wife.01:03-01:44discretion advised. We are going to be direct, but you know some pastors want to be like edgy by kind of pushing the envelope there and that's I don't think that's cool, but I do think we need to teach the Bible straightforwardly. So we are going to be direct but not explicit, okay? So whether you're sitting here or streaming this from home, parents you decide. If you saw last week's message that would be a good gauge as to whether or not your kids should hear this one.01:44-02:01But again I'll remind you that somebody's talking to your kids about this. I think you should really consider you know whether it's time for them to hear this from God, what He says about these matters.02:02-02:17Alright, so with that said, let's just bow our heads. I'm going to ask that you would please take a moment and pray for me to be faithful to clearly communicate what God said and I will pray for you to receive what it is that this passage teaches today. Let's pray.02:23-02:28Father in heaven, we are once again turning to Your Word for wisdom.02:33-02:38And we're dealing with what is going to be for many here a sensitive subject.02:38-03:05And I pray, Father, against distractions, and I also pray that our hearts and minds are open to what You actually say in Your Word. Not our opinion or not what we think your word might say about these matters, but to examine what it is that you have said, and that we would be faithful to apply.03:08-03:53Come meet us now, Lord, through the proclamation of your word, we pray in Jesus' name, and all of God's people said, "Amen." Amen. Many years ago, I was leading Bible study the prison, and one man raised his hand. He said, "I have a question. I have a question about what happens when we die." Well, I was ready for this. You should have heard. You should have heard the sermon. It's probably the best sermon I ever gave. It was just both barrels, and I explained to him, "Okay, first of all, let me explain how death came into the world. We went through Genesis chapter 3. Death We need Jesus Christ.03:54-03:56Jesus died on the cross to take our sin away.03:56-03:59He rose from the dead to give us eternal life.03:59-04:00We all need the gospel.04:00-04:05And if you've received Christ, when you die, the Bible says you are in the presence of the Lord.04:05-04:10Okay, and someday he is going to come and he's going to take his people to be with him.04:10-04:12John chapter 14, we talked about the rapture.04:13-04:17But if you have not received Christ, I talked about the tribulation that's coming after the rapture.04:18-04:21There's seven years of just hell on earth.04:21-04:26and then Christ returns, and I talked about all the millennial kingdom, right?04:26-04:41And then after the kingdom, there's the great white throne judgment, and at that point, you know, if you die and you're not in Christ, you do go to a place of suffering, Luke 16, but then you're thrown into the lake of fire at the great white throne judgment, and you should have heard it.04:41-04:44It was comprehensive.04:47-04:49So I got done, it was about 20 minutes.04:50-04:57I got done and I said, "So, does that answer your question?" He stared at me blankly.04:59-05:01And he goes, "No."05:02-05:03(congregation laughing)05:04-05:25I said, "Why not?" He goes, "I just wanted to know "if we become angels when we die." And I said, "No." He goes, "Okay, thanks." And I learned that day to answer the question that's being asked.05:27-05:30Well, the Corinthians, they had a lot of questions.05:31-05:35They had a lot of questions about marriage, about idols, about women in church, about the Lord's Supper.05:36-05:38Look at chapter 7 verse 1.05:39-05:45Paul says, "Now concerning the matters about which you wrote," stop there, we're entering a new section, okay?05:45-05:49He talked about the church unified, chapters 1-4.05:50-05:55He talked about the church purified, chapters 5-6.05:56-05:58And now you can see there's a shift.05:59-06:06He says, "You sent me questions and I'm going to give you answers now to the questions that you sent me." Do you see that?06:07-06:09And first up, marriage.06:12-06:13You're going to be shocked.06:13-06:14I'm glad you're sitting down.06:15-06:17But the Corinthians had a lot of problems when it came to marriage.06:20-06:28But you know, the problems that we bring into marriage are our own doing, because the Bible was clear on marriage.06:30-06:34Genesis 2.24, this is the most important verse in the Bible about marriage.06:34-06:38I know this because when asked, this is the verse that Jesus quoted.06:39-06:42When writing about marriage, this was the verse that Paul kept quoting.06:42-06:55The most important verse in the Bible about marriage says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." It's clear.06:55-07:00You leave, you join to your wife, and then the two become one.07:02-07:10Jesus was asked about marriage, divorce, all these matters, Matthew 19, we're going to talk about this later, but Jesus made, it was very clear.07:11-07:15Jesus said marriage is between a man and a woman.07:15-07:19Jesus said in a marriage, it's two people that are brought together by God.07:19-07:24Jesus said it's two becoming one, and He said it's meant to be unbroken.07:24-07:25That's God's design.07:28-07:32Bible's clear about marriage.07:32-07:38But in Paul's day, the Corinthian culture, there were basically four different ways to get married.07:38-07:51I'm just gonna, I don't usually like to preach my homework, But this might be helpful to give us some context as we go through this section, because there are a lot of ways that people got married in that day, all right?07:52-07:54So one way was for slaves.07:54-07:56Slaves weren't considered people, they were considered property.07:57-08:02So for slaves, the owner had the right to just pronounce them married.08:02-08:08If there were two slaves that wanted to get married, it's like, okay, you two are married, so you go stay over there or whatever.08:09-08:09And that was it.08:11-08:14There was also, in that day, common law marriage.08:14-08:20People that were living together unmarried for a year were considered married at that point.08:21-08:23A third way is a father selling his daughter.08:26-08:30And then the fourth way was the sort of the official Roman way.08:32-08:37Interestingly, it's through the Roman customs where we get our customs for marriage.08:37-08:38Did you know that?08:39-08:44from veil to flowers to vows to ring to cake, all came from the Roman culture.08:47-08:49So here's the point of all that.08:50-08:57In this section, Paul is teaching the sacredness of marriage no matter how you got there.08:57-09:07Okay, because there's going to be a lot of people that could raise objections, "But I was married this way, but I..." Paul's like, "However you got there, we're dealing with from here forward.09:08-09:10Let's talk about the sacredness of marriage.09:12-09:14They were a culture that had a high divorce rate.09:16-09:28They were a culture that had homosexuality, a culture of affairs, a culture of, believe it or not, feminists, and a culture of - we talked about this recently - prostitution.09:30-09:32So it's a culture a lot like ours.09:32-10:03There's nothing really new here as far as the kind of sin that they had to deal with with the same stuff. So the question is, "Well, what about sex and marriage?" Well, again, you're going to be shocked, and I'm glad you're sitting down, but the Corinthians had something else that they were divisive over, and that is this. Should you get married, or should you be single?10:06-10:08Which is the godly path?10:09-10:10That's the issue on the table here.10:11-10:13Which is the godly path, married or single?10:14-10:20Because some people said that righteousness is everybody must get married.10:21-10:22That was the Jewish mindset, by the way.10:23-10:24Everybody must get married.10:24-10:27You're not really fully righteous unless you're married.10:27-10:30In fact, you couldn't be a member of the Sanhedrin unless you were married.10:31-10:38So the Jews especially said, "Look, what's right is everybody has to get married." But then there's the other camp.10:40-10:42And the other camp said, "No, no, no, no.10:42-10:43No one should get married.10:43-10:45I mean, have you been paying attention?10:46-10:48Sexual sin is completely out of control.10:49-10:50Marriage is hard.10:50-10:57So being single and never touching a woman, that's the godly way.10:57-11:00In fact, you want to be godly.11:00-11:03If you're married and you want this godly path, you're just going to have to get out of your marriage.11:04-11:05Both of you be single.11:06-11:07That is more spiritual.11:08-11:09That is more devoted to God.11:09-11:13If you're single, you are more devoted to God.11:13-11:17And you know, there's people today that still hold that mindset, like in the Catholic church.11:17-11:18All right?11:18-11:19Priests don't get married.11:19-11:20Nuns don't get married.11:20-11:20Why?11:20-11:24Because you're devoted to God, and you can't really be devoted to God if you're married.11:27-11:30Well, what does the Bible say about that?11:31-11:35Well, let's see how Paul answers this under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.11:35-11:36Look at verse 1 again.11:36-11:48"Now, concerning the matters about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." Okay, stop there.11:48-11:50He goes, okay, first of all, it's good.11:51-11:53He didn't say it's the only good.11:54-11:54Okay?11:55-11:59Paul's not saying singleness is better than marriage.11:59-12:01He's not saying it's worse than marriage.12:01-12:09All he's saying in verse 1 is, "It's not wrong to be single." It is a fine option if you're single.12:11-12:12But there's another option.12:13-12:13Look at verse 2.12:14-12:36He says, "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband." So Paul says, "The other option, which is marriage, is good too." I mean we saw this, right?12:36-12:42Chapters 5 and 6, there was so much sexual immorality in the church.12:42-12:44They tolerated sexual sin.12:44-12:46They excused sexual sin.12:46-12:48There was no sacredness for marriage.12:48-12:49Huge problem.12:49-12:56So you see, in Corinth and here, it is hard to be pure because of temptation.12:57-12:58That's what Paul is teaching here.12:59-13:04Because there are so many ways to sin sexually.13:08-13:14So Paul here says, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, get a spouse.13:16-13:28Notice he says, "Get your own spouse." design. It's one man for one woman and that one woman for that one man. That is how God designed it. Get your own.13:30-14:11So Paul is saying physical desires are natural and should be enjoyed the way God designed them to be enjoyed. All right? So we're gonna play a quick game here. We're gonna play a game called "Which is Good?" I'm gonna give you a list of two options and you're gonna shout out which is good. You ready for this? You ready? Come on, don't lay an egg here. I need you. I need you. I'll start over. I mean I'll start way over at the beginning. We'll bring the worship team up. We'll start the whole thing over. All right, so you You ready to shout it out?14:11-14:13Which is good, country music or rock music?14:13-14:14Rock.14:16-14:18The answer is both.14:20-14:21All right, which is good?14:22-14:22You ready?14:22-14:23Try again.14:23-14:24I'm gonna give you another chance.14:25-14:26Which is good, pancakes or waffles?14:27-14:28Both.14:28-14:31Both are good, okay?14:32-14:35All right, I think some of you are getting the hang of it.14:35-14:36Let's try one more.14:37-14:39Which is good, baseball or football?14:41-14:42(congregation exclaims)14:49-14:50I'm sorry, the answer is both.14:52-14:53All right, one more, you ready?14:55-14:57Which is good, being single or being married?14:58-14:58Both.14:59-14:59Both.15:02-15:02Both.15:04-15:05The answer's both.15:08-15:12Paul says here - look, if you don't get that, you're going to miss the whole sermon, so you've got to get this.15:12-15:17Paul says here in this passage, look, what you have, church, you have two good options.15:19-15:22Okay? You have two good gifts from God.15:22-15:24You can't have them both at the same time, by the way.15:24-15:26I think I don't have to explain that.15:27-15:29But you have two good options, two good gifts of God.15:30-15:31Single is good.15:32-15:34And married is good.15:35-15:37That's Paul's point here in these first two verses.15:37-16:13expounds on each. So on your outline, draw some things down here. Enjoying your gift from God. Number one, married. Are you married? Are you married? Well, enjoy God's gift for marriage. Okay, now Paul here starts with marriage because it's the norm. Most people are married. Again, one's not better or worse. Most people are married, so that's where he And again in Corinth, many thought you had greater devotion to God if you avoided physical relations.16:14-16:14But there's a problem.16:15-16:22There are some people that thought you have greater devotion to God by avoiding physical relations even if you're married.16:25-16:37And all the men said, "What?" And it's good to not touch a woman even if you're married, and especially if she's not a believer, or vice versa.16:37-16:47If your husband's not a believer, they believe that, look, if you're married to a non-believer, you definitely should not be engaging in any kind of relationship that way.16:48-16:50That was what the people thought.16:51-16:53So here in these verses, Paul's saying, look, are you married?16:53-16:58Then you should enjoy regular times of intimacy.17:01-17:04You should enjoy regular times of intimacy.17:05-17:20And you're like, "Oh, isn't that obvious?" And the answer is it must not be because God spent some time here in His Word explaining some things.17:21-17:22So I don't think it is so obvious.17:24-17:35So what we have here are three laws, three principles for married couples regarding God's design for healthy marital relations, okay?17:37-17:42So we're just gonna break these down by calling them the three laws of marital intimacy.17:43-17:45The three laws of marital intimacy.17:48-17:51First of all, letter A, let's talk about the law of debt.17:52-18:00If you're married, if you're married, You should be enjoying your spouse physically.18:01-18:03And here's the three guidelines, three laws for that.18:03-18:05The first one, the law of debt.18:05-18:06Look at verse three.18:07-18:22He says, "The husband should give to his wife "her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband." Stop there, that's the law of debt.18:22-18:23You're like, why do you say debt?18:23-18:26Because do you know in the Greek, it's literally the debt.18:26-18:30literally in the Greek, it says the husband should give the wife the debt.18:31-18:34And the wife should give her husband the debt.18:34-18:36That's what it says.18:37-18:47Also in the Greek, it's a continuous verb, meaning, Paul's saying husbands and wives, you should continuously be paying a debt to one another physically.18:50-18:57Now listen, the physical part of your marriage is not the most important part of your marriage.19:00-19:06But, it is a very important part of your marriage.19:08-19:09Okay, I'm gonna say that again.19:09-19:13I don't know if I've ever been so careful about the way I worded things in a sermon.19:15-19:20Because I don't want anybody to misunderstand, and I know there's a lot of things that can be easily misunderstood here, so I'm gonna say that again.19:21-19:27The physical part of your marriage is not the most important thing, but it is a very important thing.19:28-19:42And Paul here says, "You owe it to your spouse to allow your spouse to enjoy this." Listen, this is a very sensitive subject.19:42-19:43I know that.19:43-19:46Because there are people that have endured abuse.19:47-19:50There are people who are emotionally scarred.19:50-19:52There are people that have health issues.19:52-20:01And these things make regular, normal relations more difficult.20:06-20:08It might require extra work.20:08-20:12It might require coming to see one of our pastors for counseling.20:12-20:14We can help you with that.20:14-20:17If this is an issue in your marriage, we can help you.20:22-20:24But the principle here is very clear.20:26-20:29If you're married, you are expected to go after this.20:32-20:39God's design is that husbands and wives enjoy meeting each other's needs.20:44-20:59There's a book in the Bible all about that, by the way, right? Song of Solomon. That's what And I know there's some scholars that are like, "The Song of Solomon, you know what the Song of Solomon is about, Pastor Taylor?20:59-21:00You know what it's about.21:00-21:08The Song of Solomon is about the love relationship between Jesus and the church." Spoken like someone who never read the Song of Solomon.21:09-21:10It's not about that.21:12-22:19It is about a couple enjoying the physical aspect of their relationship, their love for another and all its expressions of that love, that's what it's about. God wants you to enjoy each other. I've heard stories of couples that only come together for a physical relationship when it's time to procreate, almost like it's some business exchange. And look, if that happens. If that happens, awesome, awesome. We'll always make room in the nursery. But to reduce the purpose of that just for procreation is still missing the point. The purpose of sex in marriage is intimacy. That's the purpose. It's not just a physical act. It's an act that strengthens love and is an act that sustains love.22:21-22:30But I know, listen, somebody can read this verse, "The husband should give to his wife the debt." Likewise, the wife give to her husband the debt.22:30-22:34Somebody can look at this verse and say, "That sounds so violating.22:36-22:38You mean to tell me…." Is that what you're saying?22:39-22:47I can't… What a patriarchal, male chauvinist church this is, that you're telling me that I can be forced to pay the debt.22:48-22:48Right?22:48-22:49Is that what you're saying?22:50-22:51Not even close.22:53-22:58And I would say that if that's your takeaway, then all due respect, you are completely reading the verse wrong.23:02-23:02Listen closely.23:03-23:10He's not saying that we go into our marriage relationship saying, "You owe me!" No, no, no, no.23:12-23:13Not lording it over.23:14-23:20It's not "You owe me!" It's the mindset of "I owe you." It's submission.23:23-23:26Notice he says to give the debt.23:26-23:27He doesn't say take the debt.23:27-23:28Do you notice that?23:29-23:32He doesn't say, "Husbands, go take what she owes you.23:32-23:35Wives, go take what he owes you." He doesn't say that.23:36-23:43He says in mutual submission, you have to give what you owe your spouse.23:45-23:46That's what he says.23:47-23:52A healthy marriage always focuses on the other person's needs.23:55-23:59And that applies also specifically here to intimacy.24:01-24:02That's what we're saying.24:05-24:09Give your wife, give to her what you owe her.24:10-24:12Wives, give to husbands what you owe him.24:12-24:13It's mutual submission.24:16-24:16All right?24:16-24:17So that's the law of debt.24:18-24:20Secondly, we have letter B, the law of ownership.24:22-24:23Law of ownership, look at verse 4.24:24-24:32And he goes on, "For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does.24:32-24:40Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." Stop there.24:40-24:43Again, please do not read it wrongly.24:43-24:48Don't go through this and totally miss what he's saying because it would be easy to do.24:48-24:52This is not a pass for abuse.24:54-25:05This is, listen, this verse is not allowing for any kind of situation where someone is being forced into something in any way.25:06-25:08It is not saying that whatsoever.25:08-25:19You're like, "Well, what is it saying then?" In marriage, listen, when you make the decision to marry someone, you have released the authority of your body to your spouse.25:20-25:22And again, in the Greek, that's continual.25:23-25:26What you have in marriage is an exclusive claim.25:27-25:34It's saying no one else owns my body the way that my spouse does, and that includes me.25:36-25:37That's what he's saying.25:38-25:43He's speaking again of a mutual love and selflessness.25:44-25:45That's what he's talking about.25:47-25:55He's talking about a mentality of a husband going before his wife and saying, "Hey, hey, this is all yours.25:57-26:04This is all yours." And then the wife in turn turns to her husband and says, "Yeah, and you know what, baby?26:05-26:06This is all yours.26:11-26:14So have fun." That's what he's saying.26:18-26:20There's the law of death, there's the law of ownership.26:21-26:23Letter C, there's the law of hiatus.26:24-26:25The law of hiatus.26:26-26:27Look at verse 5.26:30-26:55He says, "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time that that you may devote yourselves to prayer, but then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." The law of hiatus.26:57-26:59Again, he goes, "Stop depriving.26:59-27:07Stop depriving." Again, the Corinthian culture, "Oh, it's holy to deprive my spouse." No, he goes, "It's not holy.27:08-27:08It's just not.27:09-27:14Do not deprive each other, husbands and wives, do not deprive each other.27:15-27:16He says there is an exception.27:18-27:19There are rules for hiatus.27:22-27:23There are rules for hiatus, right?27:24-27:28First part of the rule, number one, is agree, right?27:29-27:30Agree.27:32-27:33That means consent.27:33-27:38That means it's not just one person making the decision.27:41-27:43It's not the wife saying, "You know what, honey?27:43-27:50I've really been thinking about this, and I decided we're taking a hiatus." And the husband's like, "Wait, what?27:51-27:52That's not how it works.27:52-28:00There has to be an agreement on that, all right?" And also number two, it says for a limited time.28:02-28:29a limited time. It's temporary. Again, that time should be agreed upon. You're like, "All right, well, why are we taking a break?" Well, he says very specifically, "If you two decide to take a break for a time from having normal relations, it should be for prayer." And he's not talking about prayer in general. I think he's talking about praying for something specific.28:31-28:43Maybe there's something in your life that is so burdening, so distracting, that you probably can't even enjoy intimacy in that season.28:43-28:45Do you know what I'm talking about?28:46-28:58Maybe you have a child that is really sick and in the hospital and like, "I can't." Obviously neither of us are in the mood for this right now.28:58-28:58We need to pray.29:01-29:33there's the looming threat of a job loss and the stress that comes with, you know, what am I going to do to provide for my family? And you know what, sweetheart, I think we should take a break from this for a season and focus on praying for God's provision in this way. But you agree upon it and you set the boundary of time, but when you're like, man, I just can't get into it as I should, then you take a hiatus, you agree to pray.29:33-29:53But Paul says, "Then, then you have to come together again," he says, "so that you don't get tempted." But the first part of that verse says, "Do not deprive each other.29:55-29:57Stop depriving each other.30:03-30:08Husbands and wives, you cannot use sex to manipulate.30:11-30:19Or more accurately, you can't withhold sex to coerce or punish the other person.30:21-30:35Listen, when you do that, when you use that as coercion or punishment, what you're doing ultimately is only hurting your marriage.30:36-30:37That's what you're doing.30:39-30:42Notice he says, "Come together again." Why?30:42-30:43Why should we come together again?30:44-31:12may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. In other words, closing the kitchen makes you a partner of Satan. All right? Because the urge is still there, and now all of a sudden the person who is supposed to satisfy me absolutely refuses to do that.31:13-31:15And then what happens?31:21-31:23Bitterness is resentment.31:25-31:27Then the evil thoughts start to creep in, right?31:29-31:32I'm so sick of not having my needs met.31:32-31:35I'm so sick of the bedroom being so cold.31:37-31:39And eventually that leads to adultery.31:42-31:55to physical, you find somebody that's scratching the itch that you have, whether it is that emotional itch for affection, whether it's a physical itch.31:58-32:20And then it's justified because, and I've heard it hundreds of times over my ministry, justified because I'm in a loveless marriage." You know, marriages struggle and ultimately individuals walks with Christ struggle because they're so frustrated physically.32:21-32:29It's like I have this appetite and it's just not being met and nothing good comes from that married people.32:30-32:30Alright?32:33-32:35So this is from the Lord.32:37-32:39Enjoy each other as much as possible.32:40-32:40Okay?32:42-32:43It's fun.32:43-32:50It's God's idea and in this passage he reminds us it is the best help in avoiding temptation.32:55-32:56It's the best help in avoiding temptation.32:57-32:58Think about it this way.32:58-33:00Just imagine this scenario.33:01-33:02Imagine this scenario.33:02-33:09Husband wakes up and he comes downstairs and he sees that his wife is baking chocolate chip cookies.33:11-33:13Seven in the morning she's baking chocolate chip cookies.33:15-33:16What a great wife, right?33:17-33:18Oh, it gets better.33:18-33:47He's baking chocolate chip cookies and he sees on the counter, she's obviously been at it for a while because there's a plate and there's a stack of them. And his wife says, "Honey, have all the cookies that you want." And like the dutiful husband that he is, he sits down and he has one, three, six, ten of them! And you know how you feel after eat a dozen chocolate chip cookies, right?33:49-33:50Just me?33:52-33:52(audience laughing)33:54-33:57You know how you feel after you eat a dozen chocolate chip cookies, right?33:59-33:59Thank you.34:00-34:01Thank you.34:02-34:09Your wife says, "Sweetheart, before you go to work, "I want you to have as many of these cookies as you want, "and I wanna tell you something else, honey.34:10-34:17"When you come home, there's gonna be more." So, you indulge.34:20-34:22Let me ask you something, when you get to work, are you hungry for cookies?34:25-34:25No.34:26-34:27Thank you.34:28-34:29Thank you.34:30-34:33One of you is on board now, the rest of you will catch up.34:34-34:35No.34:35-34:39You get to work, you're not hungry for cookies.34:40-34:46So what happens when the co-worker comes over to you and says, "Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink.34:47-34:48Would you like a cookie?34:50-34:56What do you say?" You're like, "I am full.34:58-35:03You wouldn't believe how many cookies I ate before work today." Well, you probably wouldn't say that.35:08-35:09We need to cut that one.35:10-35:11(audience laughing)35:15-35:19You would say, too much Taylor?35:19-35:20Too, oh, okay.35:20-35:27You would say, if she says blink, blink, blink, would you like a cookie?35:27-35:29You would say, no, thank you.35:31-35:31I'm full.35:34-35:35I have all the cookies that I wanted.35:38-35:45And you know, if you go a long time without cookies, self-control is much harder when someone else offers you one.35:49-35:52So if you're married, enjoy the wedding present that God gave you.35:52-35:52Alright?35:54-35:56Number two, single?35:58-35:59Enjoy God's gift of singleness.36:02-36:04I'm going to touch on this quickly.36:04-36:04Why?36:05-36:08He goes way into more detail later.36:08-36:11But right now, understand the point of what he's saying now.36:11-36:14The point of what he's saying now is two good options, right?36:14-36:14Two good options.36:15-36:16Marriage, good option.36:16-36:20And he's like, let's talk about the other good option, being single.36:20-36:21Look at verse six.36:22-36:35He says, "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this." In other words, he's like, look, I'm not commanding everyone to get married.36:35-36:38I'm just putting this out there because of human needs.36:39-36:39Right?36:39-37:19Verse seven, he says, "I wish that all were as I myself am, but each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." So Paul says, "I have this gift and I wish everyone had this gift." Paul's like, "You may not have this gift." Bible's clear, God gives different gifts to different people and some people are uniquely gifted by God for singleness.37:20-37:21Some people are.37:21-37:24Like that is from God himself.37:28-37:33Quickly, Jesus, Matthew chapter 19, again, we referenced this earlier.37:33-37:38He was speaking of marriage and divorce and adultery.37:38-37:41Look, Jesus, this is where Paul gets this.37:42-37:45Paul's just repeating what Jesus was saying here about singleness.37:46-38:07Like I said, Jesus just got done talking about marriage and divorce, and the disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." But Jesus said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only to those to whom it is given.38:09-38:19For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.38:20-38:24Let the one who is able to receive this, receive it.38:26-38:28Same thing, same point.38:29-38:32Some people have a gift of singleness given by God.38:34-38:41If you're sitting here, you're like, "Man, I couldn't do it." Well, then you don't have the gift.38:43-38:45That's just all there is to it, right?38:47-38:48If you're sitting here and you're like, "You know what?38:48-38:59am single but I really don't want to be, then you don't have the gift. Because it's a gift from God to be single and content.39:02-39:17It's from God to be single and content, not single and consumed by lust. You don't have the gift if that's the case. Not if single and constantly tempted, you don't have the gift.39:17-39:23Not if single and constantly preoccupied by the fact that I am single, you don't have the gift.39:26-39:26Right?39:27-39:32But for some, it is a gift.39:33-39:45And there are definite advantages to this gift that we're going to talk about very shortly down the road, he picks up on that really in verse 32.39:46-39:56So Paul is saying to the Corinthians, "God's Word preserved by His Holy Spirit saying to us same thing." Look, don't judge the single people, right?39:57-39:58Don't judge the single people.39:58-40:04Maybe they have a gift from God to be single and content, to serve Him in a unique way.40:04-40:04Don't judge them.40:05-40:08And on the other hand, don't judge the married people either.40:09-40:24God has given the gift of marriage, and each side here, the single, the married, each has a gift, so enjoy yours how God intended." Our worship team would make their way up.40:25-40:35You know, in talking about this subject, it's hard to not think about how I heard of this subject when I was but a wee lad.40:38-40:46And you know, growing up, I thought, I'm just gonna be honest with you here, I thought sex was a bad, dirty thing.40:50-41:05Growing up, I thought sex was just this really, it was this really secretive, dirty thing that adults kind of whisper about, and you're like, "Why did you think that?" Because that was the only way it was ever presented.41:07-41:27And you know, so much church, so much church is, "Don't do this, don't do that, don't do this." So much church is, "Let me tell you everything that we're against." And too seldom does the church say what we're for.41:29-41:35But listen, sex is not a bad, dirty thing.41:38-41:41You realize God created it.41:43-41:45You realize the whole thing was His idea.41:46-41:52God is 100% for husbands and wives enjoying the heck out of it.41:55-41:56That's what he intended.41:58-42:01Sex to be one of life's greatest pleasures for a married couple.42:03-42:10So it's a gift for the married and the unmarried get the gift of not needing that wedding gift.42:10-42:13So, which is good?42:15-42:17Married or single?42:20-42:21Both are good.42:23-42:23Enjoy.42:24-42:25Let's pray.42:26-42:31Father in heaven, every good and perfect gift comes from above.42:32-42:55And I pray, Father, that you would give us eyes to see the way that you have blessed and gifted us and that we would use the gifts in a way that honors and glorifies you, whether it's single, to serve you in a unique way, whether it's married, to enjoy this picture of Christ and the church to enjoy the intimacy that comes from knowing somebody so deeply.42:57-43:01Whatever it is, God, let us recognize and enjoy.43:02-43:04And thank You and praise You for all of Your gifts.43:05-43:07We praise You in Jesus' name.43:07-43:08Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:1-7What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain the “3 Laws of Marital Intimacy” in your own words (1 Cor 7:3-5).What does it mean that “the wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband does, (and vice-versa)”? Is this making allowance for some kind of coercion to intimacy? Why or why not?How would you respond to a single friend who asks, “How do I know if I have the gift of singleness?”BreakoutPray for one another.

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Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his study on the harmony of the Gospels by exploring the events around Lazarus Saturday and the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany. He explains the significance of Lazarus's resurrection as a foreshadowing of Christ's own resurrection and discusses the division among the Jewish people and religious leaders in response to Jesus's miracles. Fr. Matthias examines the motives behind the Sanhedrin's plot to kill Jesus, highlighting the political concerns of the Pharisees and the fulfillment of prophecy through Caiaphas's words. He also unpacks the symbolism of Mary's costly anointing of Jesus, contrasting it with Judas Iscariot's criticism, and reflects on the importance of faith and genuine sacrifice. The talk connects Old Testament traditions like the Passover and tithing with their New Testament fulfillment in Christ's sacrifice, emphasizing God's sovereignty over human plans and the extension of salvation beyond Israel to all nations. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Witness the beginning of Saul's journey as he grapples with the radical faith of Stephen and the unsettling joy of Jesus' followers, igniting a conflict that will change the course of his life. In this episode of The Jesus Podcast, Saul is summoned by the Sanhedrin to help suppress the rapidly growing movement of Jesus’ followers, but his encounter with Stephen challenges his beliefs and reveals the power of humble service. Saul's rising disdain for the People of The Way contrasts sharply with Stephen’s grace and generosity, setting the stage for a transformative confrontation. Today's Bible verse is Matthew 20:26, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Witness the unwavering faith of Peter and John as they face persecution, and follow Saul's journey into the heart of a city torn by the radical message of Jesus Christ. In this episode of The Jesus Podcast, Saul returns to Jerusalem to find the city divided by the teachings of Jesus’ followers, who boldly proclaim His resurrection before the Sanhedrin. Despite threats and beatings, Peter and John remain undeterred, showing a defiant joy that perplexes Saul and challenges the religious leaders' authority. Today's Bible verse is Acts 5:31, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.