Podcasts about Symbol

Der Volkswagen-Vorstand sieht den eigenen Konzern in seiner Existenz gefährdet. Ein Videoschiedsrichter des Deutschlandspiels äußert sich zum »White-Power«-Symbol. Und Tesla-Chef Musk sieht sich vom ZDF verleumdet. Das ist die Lage am Dienstagabend. Die Artikel zum Nachlesen: VW-Konzern: Volkswagen-Bosse halten Unternehmen laut Recherche für existenzgefährdet WM 2026: Videoschiedsrichter Evans beteuert nach umstrittener Handgeste seine Unschuld Wegen Belfast-Berichterstattung: Elon Musk geht rechtlich gegen das ZDF vor +++ Alle Infos zu unseren Werbepartnern finden Sie hier. Die SPIEGEL-Gruppe ist nicht für den Inhalt dieser Seite verantwortlich. +++ Mehr Hintergründe zum Thema erhalten Sie mit SPIEGEL+. Entdecken Sie die digitale Welt des SPIEGEL, unter spiegel.de/abonnieren finden Sie das passende Angebot. Alle SPIEGEL Podcasts finden Sie hier. Den SPIEGEL-WhatsApp-Kanal finden Sie hier. Hier geht es zu unserem SPIEGEL Shop. Alle Newsletter vom SPIEGEL finden Sie hier. Hier geht es zur SPIEGEL Akademie. Sie möchten den SPIEGEL mitgestalten? Registrieren Sie sich bei SPIEGEL Perspektiven. Informationen zu unserer Datenschutzerklärung.

Benjamin L. Carp describes how, as the fire spread, witnesses reported that pumps and bucket handles had been sabotaged to hinder firefighting efforts. The fire consumed Trinity Church, a prominent symbol of the Crown, which some believed was a deliberate target of anti-Anglican rebels. In the ensuing chaos, British soldiers engaged in summary executions, bayoneting individuals suspected of being "incendiaries" or throwing them into the flames. One man, Wright White, was brutally hanged by his heels by enraged soldiers, serving as a grim example of the arbitrary violence and high tensions characterizing that night of destruction. (4)1776

Weigelt, Julia www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Studio 9

Am 08. April 1991 beging Per Yngve Ohlin, alias Dead, im Alter von 22 Jahren Suizid. Er schnitt sich die Pulsadern auf und erschoss sich anschließend mit einer Schrotflinte im Haus, in dem er mit seiner Band lebte und probte. Mit seinem Tod beginnt ein Personenkult und die Mythologisierung einer Figur, die zum düsteren Symbol einer ganzen Bewegung werden sollte. Eine Bewegung, die weit über die Grenzen der norwegischen Underground-Szene hinauswuchs und schließlich eine Entwicklung in Gang setzte, die in Satanismus-Panik, Kirchenbränden und dem weltweiten Aufstieg des „True Norwegian Black Metal“ mündete. Hier wird dir geholfen: Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen: https://www.hilfetelefon.de Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Männer: https://www.maennerhilfetelefon.de Telefonseelsorge: https://www.telefonseelsorge.de ***ANZEIGE*** Alle Infos zu unseren Kooperationspartnern: https://linktr.ee/podcaststimmenimkopf KoRo: Mit unserem Code STIMMENIMKOPF erhaltet ihr bei Koro 5% Rabatt auf euren Einkauf. Hier geht's zum Angebot: https://serv.linkster.co/r/8PglNuMojL Bowl Rezept: Paprika, Cocktailtomaten und Maiskolben im Ofen rösten Kichererbsen in Sojasauce anbraten Reis kochen Gurke und Möhre Raspeln Tahin mit Zitronensaft, Agavendicksaft und einem Schuss Wasser vermengen. Mit Salz abschmecken. Alles in eine Bowl geben und fertig! :) Taxfix: Spart als Neukunden unter http://taxfix.de mit dem Code KOPF26 bis zum 30.08.2026 15% auf eure Steuererklärung mit Taxfix! Flaconi: Bei Flaconi sparen Hörerherzchen mit unserem Code STIMMEN10 bis zum 15.06.2026 10% auf ihren Einkauf. Das Angebot gilt natürlich auch für Österreich über flaconi.at und für die Schweiz über flaconi.ch – Code und Gültigkeit bleiben dabei genau gleich. // Kontakt // Denise Instagram: podcast.stimmenimkopf E-Mail: podcast.stimmenimkopf@gmail.com Pia Instagram: pia.liest_ Pia Web: www.pia-liest.de // Quellen // TBA // Musik // Epidemic Sound Sabina & Jan Lightless Dawn by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/) https://www.youtube.com/@Myuu

In der letzten Folge in dieser Woche beim "Blick in die Bibel" spricht Domkapitular Prof. Dr. Christoph Ohly zunächst ganz persönlich über sein Leben als Priester. Er erzählt, warum für ihn Wochenende und Sonntag nicht dasselbe sind, wie er freie Stunden mit Musik, Sport, Lesen oder Museumsbesuchen verbringt und weshalb ihm bewusst Zeiten der Ruhe wichtig sind.Anschließend geht es um das Evangelium vom zwölfjährigen Jesus im Tempel. Prof. Ohly erklärt, dass Jesus mit seiner Antwort an Maria und Josef auf seine besondere Verbindung zu Gott hinweist. Zum Gedenktag des Unbefleckten Herzens Mariens deutet er das Herz als Symbol für den ganzen Menschen. Maria bewahrt die Erfahrungen mit Jesus in ihrem Herzen und wird so zum Vorbild des Glaubens. Seine zentrale Botschaft: Wer sich von Gott berühren lässt, kann diese Liebe und Fürsorge an andere weitergeben. Eine Folge voller persönlicher Einblicke und verständlicher Glaubensimpulse, die bekannte Bibelworte in einem neuen Licht erscheinen lässt.Aus dem Lukasevangelium:Die Eltern Jesu gingen jedes Jahr zum Paschafest nach Jerusalem. Als er zwölf Jahre alt geworden war, zogen sie wieder hinauf, wie es dem Festbrauch entsprach. Nachdem die Festtage zu Ende waren, machten sie sich auf den Heimweg. Der Knabe Jesus aber blieb in Jerusalem, ohne dass seine Eltern es merkten. Sie meinten, er sei in der Pilgergruppe, und reisten eine Tagesstrecke weit; dann suchten sie ihn bei den Verwandten und Bekannten. Als sie ihn nicht fanden, kehrten sie nach Jerusalem zurück und suchten nach ihm. Da geschah es, nach drei Tagen fanden sie ihn im Tempel; er saß mitten unter den Lehrern, hörte ihnen zu und stellte Fragen. Alle, die ihn hörten, waren erstaunt über sein Verständnis und über seine Antworten. Als seine Eltern ihn sahen, waren sie voll Staunen und seine Mutter sagte zu ihm: Kind, warum hast du uns das angetan? Siehe, dein Vater und ich haben dich mit Schmerzen gesucht. Da sagte er zu ihnen: Warum habt ihr mich gesucht? Wusstet ihr nicht, dass ich in dem sein muss, was meinem Vater gehört? Doch sie verstanden das Wort nicht, das er zu ihnen gesagt hatte. Dann kehrte er mit ihnen nach Nazaret zurück und war ihnen gehorsam. (Lk 2,41-51a)(© Ständige Kommission für die Herausgabe der gemeinsamen liturgischen Bücher im deutschen Sprachgebiet)

In mehreren Kantonen wurde der Französisch-Unterrecht in die Oberstufe verschoben. Auch die Berner GLP wollte später starten lassen. Sie zog ihren Vorstoss jedoch zurück, bevor er im Parlament landete. Die Debatte über Nutzen und Qualität des Frühfranzösischs im zweisprachigen Bern geht weiter. Weitere Themen [00:04:43] BS Verwechslungsgefahr im Rathaus mit den Politik Zwillingen Hug Zum Verwechseln ähnlich: Die eineiigen Zwillinge Lukas und Michael Hug betreten gemeinsam die Basler Politbühne. Eine Première im Kantonsparlament. Ihre frappante Ähnlichkeit dürfte im politischen Alltag für manchen Lacher sorgen. Während Michael bereits seit Jahren im Parlament sitzt und ihm gar Ambitionen aufs Regierungsamt nachgesagt werden, wagt Lukas nun seinen ersten Schritt in die Politik. Ob er mit dem erfahrenen Bruder mithalten kann? Die beiden nehmen es gelassen. Erzählen können sie jedenfalls viel, vor allem aus ihrer gemeinsamen Schulzeit, in der sie mit reichlich Schabernack für Verwirrung sorgten. [00:07:20] ZH Petition für die Zürcher Langstrasse als Weltkulturerbe Der Machu Picchu, der Eiffelturm, die Pyramiden von Gizeh und bald vielleicht auch das Zürcher Langstrassen-Quartier. Die berühmteste Partymeile der Schweiz soll UNESCO Weltkulturerbe werden. Die Betreiberin einer bekannten Bar an der Langstrasse sammelt derzeit Unterschriften für eine entsprechende Petition. Diese Idee sorgt für Gesprächsstoff. Was halten die Zürcherinnen und Zürcher davon? [00:09:54] SZ Der «Felsputzer» vom Urnersee geht nach 48 Jahren in Pension Die Axenstrasse entlang des Urnersees ist berüchtigt für Felsstürze und Sperrungen. Seit Jahrzehnten sorgen Spezialisten dafür, dass lose Steine nicht auf die Strasse donnern. Einer von ihnen ist Felix Immoos. Mit 16 begann er als «Felsputzer», hing mit der Brechstange im Felsen und räumte gefährliche Brocken weg. 1992 entdeckte er den Riss am Ölberg, der zu einer spektakulären Sprengung führte. Vor dem Besuch von Queen Elizabeth war er im Spezialeinsatz. Nun geht Immoos nach 48 Jahren in Pension und hat viele Geschichten im Gepäck. [00:12:45] AG Grosse Trauer um die über 80-jährige Friedenslinde 1945 von Schulkindern gepflanzt, stand sie auf dem Aarauer Aussichtspunkt «Lueg is Land» als Symbol für das Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs. Schon länger war klar, dass es der über 80-jährigen Friedenslinde nicht mehr gut ging. Doch ihr plötzlicher Umsturz im Gewittersturm hat viele überrascht, und die Trauer in Aarau ist gross. Der Stadtförster versteht diese Emotionen. Er lässt den Baum darum noch einige Tage liegen, damit sich die Bevölkerung verabschieden kann. Im Frühling sollen dann aus den Stecklingen neue mini Friedenslinden wachsen.

Saint, Sinner, Freedom Fighter, Leader, Follower, Symbol of the Divine Feminine - Mary Magdalene is one of the most controversial and significant figures in Christian history. But what does it mean to walk in her footsteps today? In this episode Natasha Serlin embarks on a personal journey to connect with her legacy and explore how it resonates with her today.Natasha traces a path through Southern France, beginning at the spot where Mary is believed to have first arrived: Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer, and continuing to the cave of Saint Baume where she is said to have spent the final 30 years of her life.

If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultrejects?r=7auau0&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageCash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsBibliographyAelian. On the Characteristics of Animals. Translated by A. F. Scholfield. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1958–1959.Assmann, Jan. The Search for God in Ancient Egypt. Translated by David Lorton. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001.British Museum. “Papyrus of Nesmin; Bremner-Rhind Papyrus, EA10188.” Notes that the Book of Overthrowing Apep appears in columns 22–32, with the Names of Apep in columns 32–33, and gives a production date of 305 BCE.British Museum. Babylon Teachers' Resource. Notes Marduk's association with the snake-dragon or mušḫuššu.Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Translated by John Raffan. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985.Day, John. God's Conflict with the Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.Detroit Institute of Arts. “Mushhushshu-Dragon, Symbol of the God Marduk.”Eliade, Mircea. Patterns in Comparative Religion. Translated by Rosemary Sheed. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996.Etymonline. “Draco.” Notes Greek drakon from derkesthai, “to see clearly.”Faulkner, R. O. “The Bremner-Rhind Papyrus—III: D. The Book of Overthrowing ‘Apep.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 23, no. 2 (1937): 166–185.Ferdowsi. Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings. Translated by Dick Davis. New York: Penguin Classics, 2016.Herodotus. The Histories. Translated by A. D. Godley. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1920. See especially 2.75 on winged serpents and ibises, and 3.107 on frankincense-guarding serpents.Hornung, Erik. Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many. Translated by John Baines. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1982.Isbell, Lynne A. The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent: Why We See So Well. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.Jacobus de Voragine. The Golden Legend: Readings on the Saints. Translated by William Granger Ryan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012.Jones, David E. An Instinct for Dragons. New York: Routledge, 2000.Le, Quan Van, Lynne A. Isbell, Jumpei Matsumoto, Minh Nguyen, Hikari Hori, Mai Mai, Tomohiro Nishimaru, et al. “Pulvinar Neurons Reveal Neurobiological Evidence of Past Selection for Rapid Detection of Snakes.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 47 (2013): 19000–19005. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1312648110.LeDoux, Joseph. The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.Lincoln, Bruce. Theorizing Myth: Narrative, Ideology, and Scholarship. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.MacLean, Paul D. The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions. New York: Plenum Press, 1990.Mayor, Adrienne. The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000; revised edition, 2011.Öhman, Arne, and Susan Mineka. “Fears, Phobias, and Preparedness: Toward an Evolved Module of Fear and Fear Learning.” Psychological Review 108, no. 3 (2001): 483–522.Pessoa, Luiz. The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2013.Pliny the Elder. Natural History. Translated by H. Rackham. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1938–1962.Smith, Mark S. The Ugaritic Baal Cycle. 2 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2009.Smith, Mark S. The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.Varenne, Jean, trans. The Rig Veda. New York: Park Street Press, 1984.Yarshater, Ehsan, ed. “Aždahā.” Encyclopaedia Iranica. Defines aždahā as dragon-like, gigantic snake monsters found in air, earth, or sea, sometimes linked to rain and eclipses.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. A

Das "Future Combat Air System" war mehr als ein Kampfjetprojekt. Ist das Symbol des deutsch-französischen Zusammenhalts an der Industrie oder an der Politik gescheitert? Und welche Sorgen weckt Deutschlands neuer Rüstungskurs? Wurzel, Steffen; Detjen, Stephan; Alviz, Laura

Erik Goodwyn, MD, LIVE Thursday, June 11th, 2026- 6 PM ET Topic: The Magic of Dreams: Decoding Reality Through Symbol and Story Bio: Erik Goodwyn, an internationally known psychiatrist, has delved into the dreams and fantasies of individuals in both military and civilian contexts. As a veteran and scholar, he has published works in anthropology, dream analysis, mythology, ritual, philosophy, and archetypal psychology. Erik Goodwyn has lectured internationally, sharing his expertise in Ireland, England, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, and across the United States. Erik Goodwyn's passion for imagination extends to his fantasy fiction, where he explores profound truths of the human soul, notably in his Raven's Tale series. Social media links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimaginarium Instagram: the_imaginarium6 TikTok: The Imaginarium FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheRavensTaleFantasy United Public Radio & UFO Paranormal Radio www.uprntalkradio.com

Das Brot der LiebePfarrer Daniel Guggisberg, Kirchgemeinde LauperswilNach dem Tod eines alten Arztes entdecken seine Söhne zwischen wertvollen Erinnerungsstücken in einer Glasvitrine ein hartes, altes Stück Brot. Zunächst können sie sich nicht erklären, warum ihr Vater dieses unscheinbare Brot über Jahrzehnte aufbewahrt hat. Doch die Haushälterin kennt die Geschichte. In den schweren Jahren nach dem Krieg erhielt der erschöpfte Arzt ein kostbares Stück Bauernbrot geschenkt. Statt es selbst zu essen, gab er es an eine kranke Nachbarsfamilie weiter. Von dort wanderte das Brot zu weiteren Menschen, die noch grösseren Mangel litten. Schliesslich kehrte es zum Arzt zurück. Tief bewegt erkannte er: Solange Menschen bereit sind, das Wenige, das sie haben, miteinander zu teilen, gibt es Hoffnung. Für ihn wurde dieses Brot zum Symbol der Menschlichkeit und der Liebe. Die Söhne verstanden, dass dieses einfache Stück Brot wertvoller war als viele Besitztümer. Es war das eigentliche Vermächtnis ihres Vaters.Spendenaufruf:Das Wort zum Tag lebt von Menschen, die Hoffnung, Glauben und Menschlichkeit weitertragen. Damit dieses Angebot weiterhin kostenlos bestehen kann, freuen wir uns über jede Unterstützung. Herzlichen Dank!https://wortzumtag.ch/unterstuetzenTeilen, Nächstenliebe, Hoffnung, Brot, Menschlichkeit, Dankbarkeit, Vermächtnis, Gemeinschaft, Vertrauen, Glaube#wortzumtag #nächstenliebe #teilen #hoffnung #menschlichkeit #gemeinschaft #glaube #vertrauen #brot #dankbarkeit #leben #inspiration #zusammenhalt #hoffnunggeben #alltag

Gestern Abend hat sie endlich begonnen, die Fußballweltmeisterschaft. Ich gebe gerne zu, dass ich ein unrettbarer Fußballfan bin und mich auch von Skandalen, Niederlagen, frühem Ausscheiden und schrecklichem Millionenwucher nicht davon abbringen lasse. Bis jetzt noch nicht, obwohl die Herren der Fifa scheinbar alles darauf anlegen. Fußball wird auf der ganzen Welt gespielt, in riesigen Stadien und am Strand, in ärmsten Favelas und im Busch, mit modernen Hightechbällen und mit Lumpenbündeln, in Spezialschuhen und barfuß, mit überteuerten Trikots und mit nacktem Oberkörper und die Begeisterung ist überall gleich. Jubel und Tränen, überschäumende Freude und tiefe Trauer sind in jedem Spiel zu finden. Und viele Menschen hängen mit ganzem Herzen an diesem Spiel und strahlen dabei eine unbändige Freude aus.Und heute feiern Christen auf der ganzen Welt das Herz Jesu Fest. Wieso sollte ich ein Herz verehren, ist wahrscheinlich hier eine treffende Frage. Aber in der Herz-Jesu-Verehrung wird Jesus Christus unter dem Symbol seines Herzens als die personifizierte Liebe verehrt. Wir verorten die Liebe eines Menschen am Herzen, weil wir kein treffenderes Bild dafür haben. Und wenn wir sagen, dass jemand ein gutes Herz hat, ist genau das gemeint. „Das Herz des Erlösers steht offen für alle, damit sie freudig schöpfen aus den Quellen des Heils", heißt es in der Eröffnung zur heiligen Messe.In der Lesung des heutigen Morgenlobes aus dem Buch Jeremia gibt es einen wunderbaren Satz, der über die Jahrhunderte für alle Israeliten und über zwei Jahrtausende für alle Menschen gilt, die an Gott glauben und Christus nachfolgen wollen.  Da heißt es, dass Gott sagt: „Ich lege mein Gesetz in sie hinein und schreibe es auf ihr Herz“. Gott gibt uns nicht eine ausformulierte schriftliche Handlungsanweisung, die genau sagt, was zu tun ist. Er macht es viel eindringlicher und schreibt es uns Menschen auf unser Herz.Denn Glauben heißt nicht, im Nachhinein Dinge für wahr halten, sondern Glauben heißt: für die Zukunft und ein gelingendes Leben mein ganzes Herz auf Gott setzen. Es ist ein guter Tipp für uns heute, für unser Leben als Christen mit unserer Begeisterung für den weltumspannenden Fußball.

Die USA wollen ihre Streitkräfte für die NATO in Europa offenbar deutlich verkleinern; Polen hofft kurz vor der Washington-Reise von Präsident Nawrocki auf eine Ausnahme. Ein neues Buch über den ukrainischen Präsidenten Selenskyj sorgt unterdessen für Diskussionen – die Wochenzeitung „Do Rzeczy" nimmt zwei brisante Passagen unter die Lupe. Und Polen wird für deutsche Auswanderer immer attraktiver: Fast 5.000 Deutsche zogen im vergangenen Jahr ins Land. Im Magazin spüren wir mit Arkadiusz Łuba den Emotionen rund um die gestern gestartete 23. Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft nach – von der Liebe zu den eigenen Helden bis zur Rivalität mit dem Gegner. Und in der siebten Folge unserer Chopin-Reihe besuchen Kamila Lutostańska und Dr. Aleksander Laskowski den Warschauer Zamoyski-Palast, in dem ein zerstörter Flügel zum Symbol für das Schicksal Polens wurde.

Join Eric, @TimAndrewsHere, @Autopritts, @JaredYamamoto, Greg, and George LIVE on 95.5 WSB from 3 pm-7 pm as they chat about Elon's I.P.O. El Nino, nuclear chess moves, and so much more! *New episodes of our sister shows: The Popcast with Tim Andrews and The Nightcap with Jared Yamamoto are available as well!

Wasser begegnet uns in unserer Welt in den unterschiedlichsten Möglichkeiten, als Gefahr und als Quelle des Lebens, als Mangel oder im Übermaß. Im Wasser sehen wir auch ein Symbol des Lebens.

Weltweit verehren Menschen Bäume als Symbol des Lebens oder sprechen Bäumen einen besonderen Geist zu. Ein Besuch bei der Bräutigamseiche in Eutin und der Himmelgeister Kastanie in Düsseldorf. Von Elin Hinrichsen.

Es gibt Momente im Berufsleben eines Reisejournalisten, da schaut man auf den Stapel neuer Bücher, Pressemappen und wohlmeinender Branchenliteratur und spürt, wie die innere Gangway langsam hochgezogen wird… Besonders zuverlässig passiert das bei Kreuzfahrtbüchern. Denn seien wir ehrlich: Die Welt ist nicht arm an Berichten über schwimmende Ferienanlagen, an hymnischen Beschreibungen von Sonnenuntergängen über dem Lido-Deck oder an literarisch ambitionierten Schilderungen jener existenziellen Grenzerfahrung, die darin besteht, am Seetag zwischen drei Buffets und zwei Shows wählen zu müssen. Meine Begeisterung war also überschaubar, als das nächste Manuskript über die große weite Welt auf See auf meinem Schreibtisch landete. Brauchen wir wirklich noch einen Reisebericht über „Abenteuer“ auf einem 6.000-Betten-Pott? Noch eine salzige Liebeserklärung an Balkonkabinen, Captains Dinner und das große Glück, morgens in einer anderen Destination aufzuwachen, während im Hintergrund die Klimaanlage summt und die Landstrom-Frage diskret über die Reling geworfen wird? Denn leider viel, was über Kreuzfahrten publiziert wird, ist ungefähr so gehaltvoll wie Instant-Milchreis in der Crew-Messe: süßlich, klebrig und ohne nennenswerten Nährwert für den kritischen Geist… Dann allerdings sah ich den Namen auf dem Cover: Christofer Knaak. Damit war das Interesse bei mir doch geweckt. Christofer ist, wie auch Franz Neumeier von Cruisetricks, keiner jener Autoren, die Kreuzfahrt vor allem als Kulisse für Selbstbegeisterung missverstehen. Er kennt die Branche. Er konsumiert sie nicht nur aus der Perspektive des Champagnerglases, sondern betrachtet sie mit journalistischem Handwerkszeug, historischem Bewusstsein und einem Blick für jene Details, die in PR-Texten gern hinter Adjektiven wie „einzigartig“, „exklusiv“ oder „unvergesslich“ versenkt werden. Sein neues Buch „Vorm Bug die Welt“ ist deshalb keine Broschüre im Hardcoverformat, sondern eine angenehm wache, kenntnisreiche und mitunter wunderbar entromantisierende Vermessung der Seereise. Seereise statt Bettenburg mit Schornstein Knaak interessiert sich nicht für die üblichen Rennstrecken des Massenmarkts, auf denen die Branche ihre Kapazitäten durchoptimiert wie ein Logistikunternehmen mit Showbühne. Sein Blick gilt der eigentlichen Seereise: kleineren Einheiten, besonderen Routen, Schiffen mit Charakter und Situationen, in denen das Meer nicht nur Hintergrundbild für Selfies ist, sondern tatsächlich eine Rolle spielt. Drei Stationen seines Buches zeigen sehr schön, worum es ihm geht. Da ist zunächst die Antarktis, bereist auf der *Sea Explorer*. Schon die Drake-Passage, jene berüchtigte Wasserstraße zwischen Südamerika und der Antarktischen Halbinsel, liefert die dramaturgische Fallhöhe gleich mit. Bei der Anreise zeigt sie sich als beinahe zahmer „Drake Lake“, auf der Rückfahrt dann als veritabler „Drake Shake“ mit acht Meter hohen Wellen und der freundlichen Einladung an die Passagiermägen, ihre bisherige Ordnung zu überdenken. Wer danach noch Energie, Mut oder eine leicht problematische Neigung zur Selbstprüfung besitzt, springt wie Knaak bei rund einem Grad Wassertemperatur ins Südpolarmeer. Sein Fazit ist ebenso schlicht wie richtig: Dort unten steht der Pinguin über dem Homo sapiens. Eine Erkenntnis, die man einigen Produktentwicklern der Branche gelegentlich auf die Tischvorlage drucken möchte. Ganz anders, aber nicht weniger aufschlussreich, ist die Passage über den schwedischen Göta Kanal an Bord der *MS Juno*, Baujahr 1874. Hier wird Luxus radikal neu definiert. Die Kabinen messen ungefähr 1,5 mal 2 Meter – ein Format, das heutigen Suite-Kunden vermutlich als begehbarer Kleiderschrank mit historischem Charme verkauft würde. Doch genau in dieser Reduktion liegt der Reiz. Kein schwimmendes Einkaufszentrum, keine Wasserpark-Architektur, keine LED-getränkte Erlebnisüberforderung. Stattdessen: Entschleunigung, Handwerk, Nähe zum Wasser. Um den historischen Rumpf in den engen Schleusen zu schützen, nutzt die Crew keine Plastikfender, sondern Birkenstämme. Manchmal ist Nachhaltigkeit eben keine Powerpoint-Folie, sondern ein Stück Holz. Und dann ist da noch die *Sea Cloud Spirit* vor den Kanaren: 138 Meter Schiff, 28 Segel, von Hand gesetzt. Während die Passagiere mit jener Mischung aus Andacht und leichter Ungläubigkeit nach oben blicken, arbeitet die Crew in schwindelerregender Höhe. Hier wird sichtbar, was in der Kreuzfahrtindustrie zunehmend selten geworden ist: maritimes Können, das nicht vollständig durch Hotelmanagement, Yield-Optimierung und Entertainmentdramaturgie ersetzt wurde. Mit Salzgehalt gegen Seemannskitsch Schon im Vorwort, das Knaak passend „Einschiffung“ nennt, macht er klar, dass er der Romantik nicht unbewaffnet begegnet. Er nimmt sich ein beliebtes Bild vor: die angebliche Nähe des Menschen zum Meer, weil Tränen und Ozean denselben Salzgehalt hätten. Ein hübscher Satz, bestens geeignet für Kalenderblätter, Taufreden und die sentimentalen Absätze in Kreuzfahrt-Katalogen. Nur leider falsch. Meerwasser enthält im Durchschnitt etwa 3,5 Prozent Salz. Eine menschliche Träne kommt auf rund 0,9 Prozent. Die Verbindung zwischen Mensch und Meer liegt also nicht in dieser poetischen Gleichung, sondern tiefer: in den Bausteinen unseres Körpers, in Natrium, Chlorid, Kalium und Calcium. Es ist typisch für dieses Buch, dass Knaak den Zauber nicht zerstört, sondern präzisiert. Er nimmt dem Meer nicht seine Faszination. Er befreit es nur vom schlechten Marketing. Für Touristiker ist genau das interessant. Denn die Branche steht seit Jahren vor der Frage, wie viel Mythos sie braucht – und wie viel Wirklichkeit sie erträgt. Kreuzfahrt lebt von Sehnsuchtsbildern, keine Frage. Aber eine Industrie, die weiter wachsen will, kann sich nicht dauerhaft in Sonnenuntergangslyrik einrichten, während Häfen über Overtourism klagen, Umweltverbände Messwerte vorlegen und die Crew unter Bedingungen arbeitet, die im Gästebereich kaum jemand sehen möchte. Versenker: Umwelt, Overtourism, Flaggenstaaten Der eigentliche Wert von „Vorm Bug die Welt“ liegt darin, dass Knaak genau diese Schattenseiten nicht ausblendet. In Kapiteln wie „Auf grünem Kurs“ und „Crew only“ verlässt er konsequent das Sonnendeck der Behauptungen und steigt hinab in die Maschinenräume der Realität. Cruise-Fachjournalist Christofer Knaak Er schreibt über Umweltaspekte, über die komplizierte Transformation einer Branche, die gern von Zukunft spricht, aber in der Gegenwart noch reichlich schwere Altlasten mitführt. Er thematisiert Overtourism, etwa in Venedig, wo die Kreuzfahrt jahrelang als besonders sichtbares Symbol für die Überforderung fragiler Stadträume stand. Und er blickt auf die ökonomischen und juristischen Konstruktionen hinter den Kulissen: Flaggenstaaten wie Bahamas oder Malta, steuerliche Optimierungen, Arbeitsregime, Verantwortlichkeiten, die sich je nach Bedarf erstaunlich elastisch anfühlen. Dabei verfällt Knaak nicht in pauschale Verdammung. Das ist wichtig. Denn die Kreuzfahrt ist nicht nur ein Problem, sie ist auch ein Produkt mit enormer Nachfrage, hoher Wertschöpfung, großer emotionaler Bindung und beträchtlichem Innovationsdruck. Wer sie verstehen will, muss mehr können als empört winken. Knaak kann das. Er ordnet ein, statt nur zu urteilen. Auch historisch liefert er Substanz. Die Branche beginnt bei ihm nicht mit Wasserrutschen und Spezialitätenrestaurants, sondern unter anderem mit Albert Ballin und der Hapag. Die erste „Lustreise“ der *Augusta Victoria* im Jahr 1891 erscheint dabei nicht als romantischer Geistesblitz, sondern als das, was sie auch war: ein klug kalkuliertes Geschäftsmodell, um Schiffe im Winter nicht ungenutzt herumliegen zu lassen. Kreuzfahrt war von Anfang an Sehnsucht und Auslastungsmanagement. Wer heute Revenue Management betreibt, darf sich also durchaus in einer langen Tradition sehen – wenn auch nicht zwingend in einer edlen. „Passenger Area – Start Smiling!“ Besonders lesenswert ist das Kapitel „Crew only“. Es sollte Pflichtlektüre für alle sein, die glauben, das Lächeln des Stewards sei im Preis der Balkonkabine selbstverständlich enthalten. Knaak beschreibt die Grenze zwischen Gästewelt und Arbeitswelt nicht abstrakt, sondern anhand eines Schildes: „Passenger Area – Start Smiling!“ Mehr muss man über emotionale Dienstleistungsarbeit eigentlich kaum wissen. Hinter dieser Tür beginnt die Performance. Müdigkeit, Heimweh, Rückenschmerzen, schlechte Laune – alles bleibt draußen. Drinnen wartet der Gast, und der hat schließlich Urlaub. Auf der *MS Europa*, so erzählt Knaak, zählen Crewmitglieder die Zeit bis zum Abmustern nicht in Wochen, sondern in Schnitzeltagen. Jeden Sonntag gibt es Schnitzel. Ein Kalender aus Panade. Man kann darüber lächeln, sollte aber nicht übersehen, was dahintersteckt: lange Verträge, wenig Privatsphäre, harte Routinen. Ein Arbeitstag kann bis zu 14 Stunden dauern. Das See-Arbeitsübereinkommen erlaubt monatliche Arbeitszeiten, die an Land vermutlich jeden Betriebsrat in Schnappatmung versetzen würden. Während der Gast über Servicequalität urteilt, stemmt die Crew ein System, das auf perfekter Freundlichkeit bei maximaler Effizienz beruht. Dass Reedereien Teile der Vergütung über Service-Entgelte faktisch an den Kunden delegieren, ist aus Unternehmenssicht elegant. Aus moralischer Perspektive wirkt es eher wie ein Taschenspielertrick mit Bordkarte. Buch als Branchenlektüre „Vorm Bug die Welt“ ist kein Anti-Kreuzfahrt-Buch. Zum Glück. Davon gibt es ebenfalls genug, und viele sind ungefähr so differenziert wie ein Shitstorm mit Seekrankheit. Knaak schreibt aus Sympathie zur Seereise, aber nicht aus Blindheit gegenüber der Industrie. Das macht sein Buch wertvoll – gerade für Profis im Tourismus. Er zeigt, dass eine Reise auf kleineren, charaktervollen Schiffen wie der *Artania*, der *MS Europa* oder historischen und spezialisierten Einheiten etwas anderes sein kann als das standardisierte Dahingleiten auf anonymen Megalinern. Er zeigt aber auch, dass diese Differenz nicht von selbst entsteht. Sie braucht Haltung, Produktintelligenz, gute Routenplanung, faire Arbeitsbedingungen, glaubwürdige Nachhaltigkeit und Gäste, die mehr erwarten dürfen als Quadratmeter, Buffetmeter und Showminuten. Für jemanden wie mich, der die angekündigten Neubauten der kommenden Jahre eher mit hochgezogener Augenbraue als mit Champagnerlaune betrachtet, ist dieses Buch eine wohltuende Erinnerung daran, was Seefahrt sein könnte: Begegnung mit Natur, Technik, Menschen und Geschichte. Nicht bloß ein schwimmendes Konsumversprechen mit Hafenblick. Die Empfehlung lautet daher: kaufen, lesen, Verstand einschalten. Und den PR-Kitsch bitte an der Gangway abgeben. Wer mehr über die Macher, Mechanismen und Zumutungen dieser Branche hören möchte: Im Reiseradio-Podcast, den Sie mit einem kleinen Klick auf das Kopfhörer-Symbol im Titelbild abrufen können, haben wir auch Christofer Knaaks Buch analysiert (mit Hilfe der Redaktions-KI-Tools) und daraus ein munteres Gespräch produziert  – für die, die lieber nebenbei hören als nicht nebenbei zu lesen Bis dahin: immer eine Handbreit Wasser unter dem Kiel. Und gelegentlich auch eine Handbreit Skepsis im Kopf. Das Buch bei Amazon – hier klicken Um den Podcast anzuhören, bitte auf das Kopfhörer-Symbol im Titelbild klicken Der Beitrag Kreuzfahrt-Buch mit Biss Christofer Knaak blickt hinter die Bordkulissen erschien zuerst auf Was mit Reisen.

“Macht keinen Sinn” - so knapp und barsch wies Russlands Präsident Putin das Verhandlungsangebot des ukrainischen Präsident Selenskyj zurück, das der zuvor in einem offenen Brief gemacht hatte. Ein Waffenstillstand ist im Angriffskrieg Russlands gegen die Ukraine weiterhin nicht in Sicht – auch wenn die Russen weiter unter Druck geraten. In der besetzten Ostukraine und auf der Krim geht ihnen der Sprit aus und ukrainische Drohnenangriffe drohen die Landverbindungen der Krim und damit deren Versorgung zu unterbrechen. Host Kai Küstner spricht darüber mit Wilfried Jilge von der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik. “Ich gehe davon aus, dass Putin zunächst weiter eskaliert”, sagt der Ukraine- und Osteuropa-Experte im Interview. Putin werde erst ernsthaft verhandeln, wenn er keinen Zentimeter mehr vorankomme. Womit aus Sicht Jilges auch klar ist, dass die Europäer die Ukraine stärker unterstützen und eigene Lücken schließen müssen. Eine schlechte Nachricht für den Westen Europas kommt aus Berlin und Paris: Das gemeinsame Rüstungsprojekt FCAS ist Geschichte – und damit die Entwicklung eines neuen Kampfjets. Dieses Scheitern analysiert Streitkräfte- und Strategien-”Neuzugang" Peter Hornung. Der bisherige ARD-Südasien-Korrespondent kennt sich mit Krisen (Afghanistan, Indien, Pakistan) sowie Osteuropa bestens aus. Für Peter ist das FCAS-Scheitern ein Aus mit Ansage: Die beteiligten Firmen Dassault und Airbus stritten sich schon lange über Zuständigkeiten, und auch von den Regierungen angestoßene Vermittlungsversuche blieben erfolglos. Was ein Symbol für enge Zusammenarbeit in der Rüstungsindustrie sein sollte, ist jetzt ein Symbol der Uneinigkeit der Europäer. Zwar wird versucht, Teile des Projektes zu retten. Den europäischen Kampfjet aber wird es nun nicht geben und so werden die Europäer wohl wieder bei den Amerikanern kaufen müssen. Lob und Kritik, alles bitte per Mail an streitkraefte@ndr.de Interview mit Wilfried Jilge: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/audio-3289432.html Putins Ablehnung des Selenskij-Briefs: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/04/europe/zelensky-putin-meeting-intl-latam Alle Folgen von “Streitkräfte und Strategien”: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/podcast2998.html Link zu Stabile Zeitenlage https://1.ard.de/StabileZeitenlage_Weltall?p=awmr

Heute reisen wir nach Bratislava – oder genauer gesagt: nach Pressburg.Die heutige Hauptstadt der Slowakei war über Jahrhunderte hinweg einer der wichtigsten Orte der Habsburgermonarchie. Hier tagte der ungarische Landtag, hier wurden Könige gekrönt und hier entschied sich mehrfach das Schicksal Mitteleuropas.Im Mittelpunkt unserer Reise steht Maria Theresia. Als ihr Vater Karl VI. im Jahr 1740 stirbt, übernimmt die erst 23-jährige Erzherzogin ein gewaltiges Reich. Doch kaum sitzt sie auf dem Thron, greifen ihre Nachbarn nach dem habsburgischen Erbe.Preußen, Bayern, Frankreich und Sachsen wittern ihre Chance. Viele Beobachter sind überzeugt, dass die Monarchie vor dem Zusammenbruch steht.In dieser scheinbar aussichtslosen Situation reist Maria Theresia nach Pressburg. Dort sucht sie die Unterstützung der ungarischen Stände – und erlebt einen Moment, der in die Geschichte eingehen wird.„Vitam et sanguinem!“ – „Leben und Blut!“Der Ruf der Ungarn wird zu einem Symbol der Loyalität und markiert einen Wendepunkt im Österreichischen Erbfolgekrieg. Wir besuchen den Martinsdom, die Krönungskirche der ungarischen Könige, folgen dem historischen Krönungsweg durch die Altstadt und entdecken, warum Pressburg für fast 300 Jahre eine Schlüsselrolle in der Habsburgermonarchie spielte.Eine Folge über Macht, Loyalität, politische Inszenierung – und über eine junge Frau, die ein Imperium rettete.

You ever just sitting around docking with the fellas when you get your Omega Keys all tangled up? No? Just me. Whatever *blows up your secret base*. This datatrack contains discussion of the following topics; debate over Dreadwing's purpleness, mandated cringe compilation viewing, Megatron's inability to hold on to any big boy troops, MacguffinMania, comparing and contrasting a good Prime with a bad one, Starscream and Megatron's changing dynamics, explosive divorces, and fuckin' on the big Autobot symbol. Noise Space | Discord | Patreon This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Warum heißt das Seiheki-Symbol Seiheki — obwohl sein Ursprung eine ganz andere Aussprache hat? In dieser Folge entschlüssele ich drei Reiki-Symbole für dich. Zuerst das Seiheki: Du erfährst, warum die japanische Aussprache auf daoistische und schamanische Wurzeln hinweist, während das Symbol selbst buddhistisch ist — ein faszinierender Synkretismus. Dann steigen wir tiefer ins Daikomyo ein — das Meistersymbol, das seit über 1500 Jahren in den buddhistischen Sutras verzeichnet ist. Es beschreibt das große, hellstrahlende Licht des Sonnenbuddhas Dainichi Nyorai, von dem die Reiki-Kraft kommt. Zum Schluss: der überraschende Zusammenhang zwischen dem Fernkontakt-Symbol Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen und dem japanischen Wort für Japan selbst.

Christian Berndt beleuchtet, wie der Bravo-Starschnitt die Jugendzimmer revolutionierte und zum Symbol für jugendliche Emanzipation und Popkultur wurde.

Im Juni 1946 senden die USA die ersten CARE-Pakete nach Europa, um die die Not der Menschen zu lindern. Vor allem in Deutschland werden sie zum Symbol der Nachkriegszeit. Von Veronika; Biermann Bock.

Clint and Wendy discuss holy water in various religious contexts. They explore its use in Catholicism, where it is blessed by priests and used for rituals like baptism and blessings. They delve into the significance of holy water in Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Shinto, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, noting its roles in purification, spiritual protection, and reminders of faith.

In Wien steht der sogenannte Narrenturm, ein kreisrunder, fünfgeschossiger Bau mit meterdicken Mauern. 1784 ließ ihn Kaiser Joseph II. erbauen, als das weltweit erste Krankenhaus mit psychiatrischem Anspruch, lange bevor Sigmund Freud praktizierte. Der Ort war zur Behandlung psychisch kranker Menschen aus allen Gesellschaftsschichten gedacht. Damals gingen die Wiener gerne am Wochenende dorthin, "Narren schauen". Für die moderne Psychiatrie ist der Bau ein Symbol für das Überwundene. Ein Podcast von Michael Marek (BR 2025)

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports it looks like Colombia's national soccer jersey has become a symbol of political division.

Tomato prices are the latest symbol of the affordability squeeze HR 2 full 2347 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:01:15 +0000 LWL6XTLdB0BABK6AR5M5pzKtn7vPmlDH news MIDDAY with JAYME & WIER news Tomato prices are the latest symbol of the affordability squeeze HR 2 From local news & politics, to what's trending, sports & personal stories...MIDDAY with JAYME & WIER will get you through the middle of your day! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News https://player.amperwavep

Es ist der 3. Juni – Weltfahrradtag. Für viele Rennradfahrerinnen und Rennradfahrer ein Anlass, eine Extrarunde zu drehen. Für World Bicycle Relief ist das Datum mehr: ein Symbol dafür, was das Fahrrad jenseits von Training, Wettkampf und Freizeit bedeuten kann. Die internationale Organisation bringt speziell entwickelte Räder in ländliche, infrastrukturschwache Regionen – vor allem in Sub-Sahara-Afrika. Wir sprechen mit Lena Kleine-Kalmer aus dem deutschen Team über die Idee hinter dem Buffalo Bike, darüber, warum Mobilität Armut durchbrechen kann – und wie die Rennradcommunity konkret helfen kann.

1926 veröffentlicht die US-Vogue eine Skizze von Coco Chanel: Das "Kleine Schwarze" sprengt modische Regeln, wird zum Symbol der Selbstbestimmung und gilt bis heute als Klassiker. Von Steffi Tenhaven.

From Czechia to Myanmar: Karlovy Vary unveils 2026 Crystal Globe competition line-up, Survey finds widespread experience of teacher-student relationships in Czechia, Stalin in Prague: A symbol of electronic music and free spirit

// Für Daniela war klar, dass sie etwas verändern muss, um mental nicht vor die Hunde zu gehen – „meine Welt war einfach so klein geworden”. Wandern, das war eine Option. Aber anstatt für Wochen auf einen Fernwanderweg zu flüchten, begann sie auf einem zu wandern, der in einer großen Runde einmal um ihren Wohnort führte. Immer wieder brach sie für einen Tag auf und ging eine Etappe auf dem 66-Seen-Weg in Brandenburg. Gut 400 Kilometer ist dieser Weg lang und führt durch eine erstaunliche Landschaftsvielfalt. Das Besondere an ihm: die Etappenziele und auch die jeweiligen Startpunkte sind alle mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln von Berlin aus zu erreichen. Für Daniela wurde der 66-See-Weg so zu einem ganz persönlichen Pfad der Veränderung. In dieser Folge erzählt sie davon, was er sie gelehrt hat. Sie berichtet von Begegnungen, die ihr bis heute im Gedächtnis geblieben sind, und erzählt von dem historischen Hintergrund des Weges. Es geht in dieser Folge am Ende aber gar nicht um diesen einen konkreten Wanderweg, sondern vielmehr darum, wie er zum Symbol des Aufbruchs werden kann – auch für diejenigen, die ihn nicht vor der Haustür haben ... // Alle Werbepartner des FREI RAUS Podcast und aktuelle Rabatte für Hörer:innen findest du unter https://www.christofoerster.com/freiraus-partner // Hier kannst du den wöchentlichen Newsletter zum Podcast abonnieren: https://www.christofoerster.com/freiraus // Ich freue mich, wenn du den Podcast mit einem kleinen Beitrag unterstützt! Alle Infos dazu ebenfalls auf https://www.christofoerster.com/freiraus // Outro-Song: Dull Hues by Lull (audiio.com)

In this profound exploration of Matthew 25:1-13, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb unpack the parable of the ten virgins, revealing it as far more than a simple warning about preparedness. Moving beyond dispensational "rapture ready" interpretations, they demonstrate how this parable addresses the spiritual condition required for entrance into God's consummated kingdom. The discussion centers on the critical distinction between outward religious profession and genuine possession of the Holy Spirit's grace. With pastoral sensitivity and theological depth, the hosts examine the meaning of the oil, the significance of the midnight cry, and the urgency of both evangelism and personal examination. This episode challenges listeners to consider whether they possess not just the lamp of profession, but the oil of saving grace that alone sustains faith through the waiting period before Christ's return. Key Takeaways The oil represents saving grace, not perfect obedience - The critical distinction in the parable is not between those who stayed awake versus those who slept (all ten virgins fell asleep), but between those who possessed oil and those who didn't. The oil symbolizes the indwelling, regenerating, sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit—the grace that comes through effectual calling and genuine conversion. This parable warns against mere outward profession - All ten virgins carried lamps and waited for the bridegroom, representing outward religious activity and profession. The difference lay in the interior spiritual reality—whether that profession was accompanied by the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit or remained empty formalism. The "midnight cry" represents both personal death and Christ's return - Historically, Reformed expositors understood the midnight cry as either the actual cry of Christ's angels at His return or the voice of God in individual death. Each person's death functions as their personal midnight that irrevocably fixes their eternal state. Readiness is not about sinless perfection but possession of grace - The parable is not teaching a fearful "rapture ready" theology where Christians must be perfectly sinless when Christ returns. Rather, it teaches that readiness consists in possessing saving grace through faith in Christ, which sustains believers even when they "sleep" (fall into sin or spiritual drowsiness). There is urgency in the gospel call - The parable emphasizes that the opportunity for salvation has a deadline—"you know neither the day nor the hour." This creates urgency both for unbelievers to trust Christ and for believers to share the gospel, since no one knows when their personal "midnight" will arrive. Calvin's insight: you "buy" oil by receiving it freely through faith - Though the parable speaks of "buying" oil, Calvin notes this doesn't imply paying a price. Just as Isaiah invites people to buy wine and milk without money, we obtain the oil of grace not through merit or payment, but by receiving through faith what Christ freely offers. Key Concepts The Oil as Symbol of the Holy Spirit's Grace The oil in this parable has been consistently interpreted throughout church history as representing the grace of the Holy Spirit—specifically the indwelling, regenerating, and sanctifying presence that comes through genuine conversion. This interpretation aligns with Old Testament symbolism where anointing oil signified the Spirit's presence (as in "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit"). The crucial distinction Jesus makes is not about external religious activity (both groups had lamps and waited), but about internal spiritual reality. Just as a lamp cannot burn without oil, religious profession without the Spirit's grace has no sustaining power. This oil cannot be shared or borrowed; it must be personally possessed. The parable thus exposes the deadly danger of assuming that outward Christian activities—church attendance, biblical knowledge, moral behavior—constitute genuine Christianity when the transforming work of the Spirit is absent. All the Virgins Slept: Grace Overcomes Human Weakness One of the most important details often overlooked is that both the wise and foolish virgins fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom. This demolishes any interpretation suggesting the parable is about maintaining perfect spiritual vigilance or sinless living. The wise virgins' readiness was not based on their superior wakefulness or moral stamina—they fell asleep just like the foolish ones. Their preparedness came from having secured the oil beforehand. This has profound theological implications: our salvation and readiness for Christ's return does not depend on our ability to maintain perfect spiritual alertness or sinless perfection. Even when believers "sleep"—when they fall into sin, experience spiritual dullness, or fail in vigilance—they remain prepared because they possess the oil of the Spirit's grace. The parable thus provides comfort alongside its warning: those who have truly received Christ need not live in constant fear that a moment of weakness will disqualify them when He returns. The Midnight Cry and Personal Eschatology The midnight cry in verse 6 functions on multiple levels theologically. Universally, it points to Christ's unexpected second coming at the end of history. But Reformed interpreters have also recognized its application to individual eschatology—each person's death serves as their personal "midnight cry" that ends all opportunity for preparation. This dual meaning creates urgency both for evangelism and self-examination. The parable warns that whether Christ returns globally or death comes individually, that moment will arrive unexpectedly ("at midnight," the hour of deepest sleep) and irrevocably fix one's eternal state. Once the door is shut, no amount of pleading ("Lord, Lord, open to us") can change one's condition. This underscores a biblical truth often denied in contemporary theology: there is no post-mortem opportunity for salvation, no remedial path after death. The time for obtaining oil is now, in this life, before the cry sounds. Memorable Quotes Every man's death to him is the coming of Christ. That's when our state is irrevocably fixed. And so there's an urgency here—an urgency of evangelism and self-examination because the midnight cry may come at any moment. The difference between the wise and the foolish virgins is not that one of them stays awake and one of them falls asleep. The difference between the wise and the foolish is that the ones that are wise are prepared for when the bridegroom comes, even though they fell asleep. The only way to be prepared for the end is to turn to Jesus. It's not about whether or not you've turned to Jesus and have become perfectly sinless. None of us are like that. It's about trusting Jesus. Full Episode Transcript Welcome to episode 494 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:01:10] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:01:15] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Looks like you and I need to get a midnight oil check. That's if you know, you know, that's what's coming up on this episode, and we're headed to Matthew 25 to do that oil check. We're still firmly in all of these beautiful parables that Jesus tells us, and this one goes by various names. You might know it as the parable of the 10 virgins, or if you're Petra. That classic Christian rock group who produced a song called Midnight Oil, which is absolutely a banger that that should be like the the theme song of this episode. If you haven't heard that song, go check out Midnight Oil by Petra and then come back and listen to us. Like, I wish we had the rights to that. We could just drop it in right here. But we're not that cool and we're not gonna edit that. So I'm gonna leave it up to you to craft your own version of this podcast with that great backing track. Have you heard that song?  [00:02:09] Tony Arsenal: I actually haven't. I, I came, uh, came into Christianity sort of at the tail end of Petra's Big Influence. So I know, I knew who Petra is. I've listened to a few of their songs, but they weren't mainstream by any sort, sort of, uh, stretch of the imagination when I was listening to Christian music. So  [00:02:28] Jesse Schwamb: this one's so good. It's so good. And it's right on point for our conversation today. So we're gonna get into all that stuff. The oil check, the midnight nature of it, the 10 virgins. What does it all mean? Of course, Tony and me, we have for you what I believe to be the definitive exegetical and hermeneutical reflection on the parable. So that's what you've come to expect from us and we're happy to deliver, but before we deliver on that, we got all the things we have to deliver to you, and that is affirming with or denying against something that's that point of course in the podcast or our conversation where we choose something they firm with that we think is. Undervalued, something we might recommend or conversely to deny against something that maybe is a little bit too overvalued or just not that great. So Tony, as is our customer, I say to you, sir, what are you doing? Are you affirming with something or are you denying against something?  [00:03:16] Denial Memory Blank [00:03:16] Tony Arsenal: I'm denying something. This is like denial. Ception is what's going on here. So, uh, first of all, thank you, Jesse for, uh, pitch hitting a solo episode at like, literally the last minute, last week. Um, I think we normally record at seven 30 on the Lord's Day, and I think I texted Jesse like 6 45 and was like, I just don't have it in the tank today. Can you do something? And he just hopped behind the mic. So that's a bonus affirmation there. But, uh, Jesse and I were, we're having a little bit of a pregame, uh, today, very much, you know, like five minutes of how you doing and are you ready to go? And, uh, I realized I, I had a really great affirmation last week, all ready to rock. I remember being super excited about it. I remember, uh, when I decided, or when we decided you were gonna do a solo episode thinking, I gotta make sure I remember this for next week. Right? And it has totally left my brain. It's gone. And, uh, it's, it's the worst feeling in the world when that happens. And I remember reading at some point, like, there's a biochemical reason why this happens and why it feels so weird. Like, it, it feels like you should be able to just dive into your mind and like search around enough and find it. And that's just not actually how your, how like your memory works. It's not, um. I think we think of memory as though it's like a big filing cabinet and you can just, like, you can just flip through the CAD catalog like long enough and find it. That's not how it works. Um, it's kind of like more organic network kind of stuff. But yeah, the, the, it's gone. It's just gone and I hate that feeling and it's gone. And that's what I'm denying is that feeling and losing your mind and feeling like you don't remember anything.  [00:04:56] Jesse Schwamb: I'm totally with you because incidentally, as we talked, we discovered we both had that experience because I had something too. And it's not just that, well, you know, we try to set aside or do a little prep on the affirmations and denials because you know, we come across something great in life, or again, the opposite. And you think, I gotta remember this because I wanna talk about this with Tony. And the worst part of that is like twofold. One, it never is great to forget something that you had or you knew you knew at one time, but it's all the less satisfying when it was something that you're super excited about and you're like, this is gonna be great. And it's that thing that you've completely forgotten that's like double the worst. So I'm, I'm totally with you in this denial. [00:05:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's, it's a really frustrating, terrible feeling. And there's not much you can do about it. And the, the secondary denial to that is it always comes back to you in the worst possible part of whatever conversation you're having. It's like you hem and hover it and you think about it and you, and I'm doing it right now. You, you sit here and you, you continue to try to talk thingy. It's gonna come, it's gonna come. Yes. It's gonna get here.  [00:05:59] Jesse Schwamb: Yep.  [00:06:00] Tony Arsenal: And then just when you finally have resigned yourself and, and the conversation moves on, that's when it comes back around. So I don't know if that's gonna happen or not, Jesse. If it does, I will try my best to ignore it, but I probably won't be able to. So No, I think you probably should get moving. So whatever it was the amazing affirmation, I don't remember. It can come back to us.  [00:06:16] Jesse Schwamb: It can come back. Yeah. I'm hoping that it does. And when it does, you guys just tell us you got, just let it, let it rip. Like even if we're like right in the middle of some deep, heavy, robust, thick theology, I just wanna be like. I, I can't even imagine what your affirmation was. It must have been like something pretty, pretty good.  [00:06:33] Tony Arsenal: I don't know. I don't know. I, I'm sure it was something interesting. I don't even, I'm  [00:06:37] Jesse Schwamb: trying to draw it out of you now.  [00:06:38] Tony Arsenal: Course. I can't even like, think of the ballpark of what part of like, what, what the category even was. It's just totally, it's totally gone. Like it never happened. Yep. It's, it's totally, totally gone. So I keep on saying, and you would think with all of my talk of like note taking apps and how important it's to keep a journal and all the stuff we've talked about that I would finally get around to like just jotting down in Apple Notes what my affirmations are and I just never do it. So. Yeah,  [00:07:05] Jesse Schwamb: I have every intention, but then I think, well, this is the record of them and I'll have it available to me when it comes time. The talk that's, and sometimes it just goes away. Has it happened yet? I'm still trying to draw it out of you by talking.  [00:07:15] Tony Arsenal: No, I'm just gonna give up. It's just gone. It's gone. That's just gone.  [00:07:19] Jesse Schwamb: That's, that's fair enough. Maybe. What do you  [00:07:21] Tony Arsenal: got for us, Jesse?  [00:07:22] Prayer and Anointing [00:07:22] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I was gonna say, maybe I can just help push it along, as it were by my own. So I'm also affirming with something, lemme just read a couple verses from James chapter five. Is anyone Among You Sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and there to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the one who's sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, they'll be forgiven him. I had really just the profound opportunity and privilege today to participate in this because. My wife at the end of this week, uh, which will be a week past when this is, this airs, is about to go undergo that serious surgery, which she spoke about in an episode, I don't know, maybe several weeks ago. And, uh, my pastor asked if it would, if he'd like us and the elders, um, to come and to pray over my wife. And they did so after our service today. And it was just a really incredible thing. Even I'm still processing it. I don't really know. Like the words to say with what I can bring forward is just like words of gratitude and gratefulness for this kind of living out of the scriptures. What I can say is that the way in which he brought this forward and the elders prayed was just so incredibly loving and genteel and spirit-filled. And I think which is a manifestation of, of God's love for us in this moment as we prepare for this great thing to give us peace, peace, and to increase our faith and to do so by just following what the scriptures say here. So my affirmation is maybe twofold. One, it's for this particular experience, it's certainly for pastors, for elders who make it their objective to care for their flock and to do so under the rubric and the instruction of the scriptures. So I'm grateful, and if you have those kind of pastors and elders in your life, I hope that you'll be grateful to them for them as well, and that you might express that gratefulness. So this was a really incredible and, and lovely thing, and, uh, fills us with a kind of hope and encouragement. And if anything else was a reminder of the feel, there's something different going to experience like this armed fully with the promises of God and asking that he would be glorified, that our testimonies would be strong, and that of course, that he would bring healing through it. So I'm ever so grateful and affirming what this passage and this passage put into practice.  [00:09:51] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And if you are listening to this, when, uh, when it comes out or shortly after, probably not even shortly after, probably for a couple weeks after or months after, um, uh, Jesse's wife Jen did talk about the surgery and the condition she's been suffering under. So, uh, she's part of the Reformed Brotherhood family. She is, uh, just as important to the show, uh, as Jesse and I are in terms of the support that our wives give us and, and the space that we need to do this. So please do pray for Jen. Um, she'll be recovering when you hear this, if it's anywhere near the time that this comes out. Uh, it's a fairly large surgery with a, a, a moderately long recovery time. So please, uh, please do pray for her, uh, and, and make sure that you're lifting her up. Um, we are trusting the Lord for good things, uh, for her. Yes. And uh, we're confident that he, his will will be done 'cause it always is. But yeah, definitely pray for her. [00:10:42] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. Thank you for saying that, Tony. I appreciate that as her husband and. We are encouraged that we've said this before, but this is where our theology matters, isn't it? It's in the times where we come before the Lord in faith and in full trust, because one, there's nowhere else to go. He has the words of life for us. He is our life, but also because. In his son, this beautiful gift of salvation whereby his son is the suffering servant. So he's well acquainted with all of this kind of thing. And so stands with us in every conceivable way to be both so incredibly transcendent and above the nonsense and the noise of our world with full power and sovereignty over all things. And at the same time, to be fully eminent. To be literally with us in all the ways. In all the things. And again, well acquainted with our condition, including the grief and the suffering, the anxiety, the all of this, which we experience as part and parcel of what it means to be human, who is like our God in this way. And so we do sense his great and uncommon care for us, and it would be dishonest of me even in the midst of these difficult and challenging things to say that he doesn't care for us. He has good and he loves us, and he's making a way, even though that way be hired. So we're sensing even from, I think, following that time of prayer, that whether we receive the bread of affliction. Uh, or the, the water of of agony that we hear God's voice behind us saying, this is the way, walk in it, and he's with us. So I hope that's encouragement maybe to others who are also going through their own things and who isn't going through something, right?  [00:12:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:12:18] Jesse Schwamb: So we all have this great promise in the gospel that God is for us, and I love that James here gives us some practical instruction to that end. [00:12:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, for sure.  [00:12:31] Support the Show [00:12:31] Tony Arsenal: Well, before we move into our topic for the evening, uh, the internet tells me that I'm supposed to do this at this point in the show rather than at the very end like we usually do. Well, let's do it. Um, we are a listener supported episode, not like PBS, uh, not like other things. Uh, maybe kind of a little bit like PBS Yeah, a little bit. Anyway, uh, we have a, a pretty dedicated group of Patreon supporters who, uh, donate a little bit and sometimes some people, a lot, a bit of their discretionary income, uh, to help make the show go. And we've said before, like, we are not interested in providing special content or special gear or swag every once in a while. I think we did it once and we've, we've got plans to do it again sometime in the future. We'll send out a thank you gift to those who are subscribing through Patreon. Um, but we are committed to producing the show and making everything that we put online and everything that we make available, available to everybody. And really the only reason that we can do that, especially in today's economy, is uh, because there are people who support the show. And so we always want to make sure that we're saying we're thank you to those people. Yes. Um, they are a part of this show. I don't know if we are not gonna do like executive producer credits, but they're as close to that as you can get. Since we don't do that, um, we really wouldn't be able to do the show, at least not the way that it is without that supporting group of people. So if that's something that you hear and you no, I kind of think that maybe I wanna be a part of that. We would love for you to go to patreon.com/reform tears. There's no special swag, there's no early releases or anything like that. Um, but we would love if you would partner with us. Um, this is a lowercase m ministry, and if you've listened to the show for a long time, you know what I mean by that. Uh, we, we do consider this to be a calling, something that God has given us and we, we understand there's a responsibility with it, but we also know that we can't do it alone. So if you're interested after you've fulfilled all your personal finance obligations, your obligation to your local church and your immediate area, if there's a little bit left over that you're looking to spend somewhere on something that is valuable, uh, please do consider going to patreon.com/form Brotherhood. [00:14:39] Jesse Schwamb: And if you've been listening for a while and you've thought, you know what, I wonder who else is out there that's like me, that's listening to these guys on the internet. Guess what? You can actually meet some of those people. They have a little spot where they hang out. It's called Telegram. It's just a chat app, and we have our own little section of that app. If you just go to your favorite browser, whatever it is, you can choose and go to wherever you like, just go to t me slash Reform Brotherhood. And that link will take you into kind of a preview land where you can see the space where everybody's talking, and you can peruse some of the different channels, everything from uh, channels just for prayer, for a crusting, prayer to general conversation, talk about the episodes, talk about baptism, all kinds of things. It is, as we always say, one of the kindest, most charitable, most loving corners of the internet. Guaranteed. You can test us on that. So in fact, you should by going to t.me back slash reform Brotherhood, Tony, back to you. [00:15:36] Eschatology Shift [00:15:36] Tony Arsenal: Well, let's just slam it right into gear. We, we, we haven't figured out how to do transitions into or out of, uh, Patreon announcements, uh, or telegram announcements,  [00:15:46] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:15:46] Tony Arsenal: So this, I, maybe this is the awkward charm of the show, or maybe it's just the awkwardness of the show. It's just charm, Jesse,  [00:15:53] Jesse Schwamb: all charm. [00:15:53] Tony Arsenal: We need to talk about some things tonight. We need to talk about some oil. Yes. We need to talk about some lamps. Yes. We need talk about some bridegrooms.  [00:16:00] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:16:00] Tony Arsenal: It's the parable of the 10 virgins or the 10 lamps, or the parable of the oil flasks. Yes. There's lots of different things that it's called. Uh, it's what it isn't, it's not the parable of, uh, the 24 hour Jiffy Lube, which is what it made, what you made it sound like when you talked about the midnight oil check. Um,  [00:16:18] Jesse Schwamb: I  [00:16:18] Tony Arsenal: didn't even think about that. But yeah. This is, this is a good one. And I think we've, we've sort of. I've sort of observed that the parables do tend to clump around systematic theology themes, and they clump within the narrative of the gospel within Matthew itself around themes. So the last three parables that we talked about were all sort of like parables of judgment against the Pharisees and a, a lot of things like unconditional election and reparation were all baked into that pie. You know, we talked about with the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coins and the lost, um, the lost, uh, brother. We talked about how that has a lot to do with like election. It has to do with salvation and what the gospel looks like in terms of justification in the father's initiative. And we're moving into a section of Matthew, um, where Jesus is starting to teach on the last days. And so the parables in this section start to move toward ha to have more of an eschatological bent. Yes. We talked a little bit about some of the eschatology and the parables when we, we went through the, um, through the, the. Um, my brain just left me. It happened again, Jesse. The, the denial thing, uh, when we talked about the parable of the tears and the wind field and the, the, the different kinds of soils back on track, there was an eschatological element to that. But we are in like straight up eschatology Yeah. In these, these sections now. That's right. So we're coming to the end of Matthew, uh, our plan right now and who knows what the Lord has for us. But the plan right now is once we finish Matthew, to go back and visit some of the parables that are present in the other gospels. And there's not too many of 'em, but that are present in the other gospels that aren't necessarily, uh, present in Matthew. So, like you said, there's not a ton of 'em. Uh, we do want to hit all of 'em. And if there's, if there's time, and I say if there's time as though we have some sort of time constraints, um, if there's time we probably will talk a little bit about some of the I am statements and some of the things in John. 'cause John doesn't do parables quite the same way in quite the same fashion, but he does have sort of some of this. Allegorical figurative language baked into some of his, um, some of his writings or some of the accounts of Jesus that he, he, um, captures that are probably worth talking about in the seam light. So right now we're, we're coming up quick on the end of the parables of Matthew. Um, there's not very many left and then we'll, we'll keep moving on. Uh, that said. We are, it's almost unbelievable to say this. We're going to be coming up to the end of the parable series sometime in the next, I dunno, six to 10 months. Uh, if you've got ideas for what you think the next series should be, start thinking about those now. Bring 'em to the telegram chat. Let's start percolating those ideas up, right? And, uh, like a good coffee maker. And we'll, uh, we'll brew some goodness. How many more parables? How many more, uh, metaphors can I throw in there? Puns, can I throw in there? But yeah, Jesse, let's get started. This is a good one.  [00:19:08] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that was a really, I think, fine introduction. I always enjoyed this parable because it has some really fun, dramatic elements, but I think I, I really haven't really appreciated all the eschatological underpinnings that you were just mentioning. And when you think about it as we're, I think we're gonna soon find here. That this is one of the most searching and solemn parables, actually, that Jesus uttered, and you start to get a sense for that as we've just kind of been hitting them, one after the other. As you said, this one belongs to the great olive discourse. It's delivered by Jesus to his disciples on the Mount of Olives just days before his crucifixion. It's in direct response to their questions about the destruction of Jerusalem and the sign of his condiment coming and the end of the age. So you're right. I think this carries like unmistakable eschatological weight because it's not merely this fable about preparedness in general, which sometimes is where we go. Yeah. But it's really more of like a precise theological warning about the spiritual condition required for entrance into the consummated kingdom of God at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  [00:20:11] Tony Arsenal: Yeah,  [00:20:11] Jesse Schwamb: I think that's the full setup.  [00:20:12] Read Matthew 25 [00:20:12] Jesse Schwamb: We, we've gotta go to the scriptures, right?  [00:20:15] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:20:16] Jesse Schwamb: Alright. It's time. You want me to read it? [00:20:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, yeah, go ahead.  [00:20:18] Jesse Schwamb: Okay. Here we go. Matthew 25, beginning in verse one, then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bride groom. Now, five of them were foolish and five were prudent for when the foolish took their lamps. They took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout. Behold the bridegroom come out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered saying, no, there will not be enough for us and for you too. Go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they're going away to make the purchase, that bridegroom came and those who already went in with him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. And later the other versions came also saying, Lord, Lord, open for us. But he answered and said, truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Therefore, stay awake for you do not know the day nor the hour.  [00:21:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:21:29] Assurance Not Fear [00:21:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, this one's heavy. And I just wanna say, kind of coming into this, right, I think a lot of our audience, and I would, I would include myself in this, um, we, we came to sort of like an awareness of faith. And I, I don't say that in a sort of tongue in cheek fashion. What I mean, um. I'll, I'll just speak from my perspective, but I think it's probably one that resonates. I came to faith when I was a, you know, a relatively young teenager, 15 years old, and, um, when you first become a Christian, you're not aware of all the different theological debates or even all of the major implications of the Christian faith. And I think a lot of us and myself, uh, as, as sort of the example when we be started to become aware of the different conversations happening in different dynamics and some of the more, uh, maybe third or fourth tier doctrines that you learn when you're, um, sort of being catechized as a new Christian, uh, catechized in sort of an informal sense, eschatology is probably one of those ones that comes along fairly, fairly late in the game. And I recall, um, when I first became aware of the left behind books, right? And so I, I came to faith in a large Lutheran megachurch, uh, that wasn't really as Lutheran as you would think, cup being a large Lutheran megachurch. It was very dispensational. And I think there is a sense of dread and fear associated with rapture ready theology. And I don't, I don't think all dispensationalist that, um, believe in a, a literal rapture of the church either prior to or following or in the middle of the tribulation. I don't think all dispensationalist fall into this category. But there are definitely dispensationalist out there that would emphasize being rapture ready. And you know, you think of like the song, I wish We'd All Been Ready, you know, and, and this, this sort of existential fear that the Rapture's gonna come and I'm not gonna be ready and I'm gonna be left behind. Right. There's an, the entire book series is about people who thought that they were Christians who thought that they were justified and saved and then weren't. And, and I don't think the book gives all that much explanation other than sort of like a general sense of like, these are sort of nominal fake Christians that maybe some of them think they're saved and some of them don't. I know there were definitely characters in the book who really thought that they were followers of Jesus and then they didn't realize they weren't until they were not raptured with everyone else. The only reason I sort of launch into that progam is I think that the tendency in most circles because of the pervasive. Sort of all expansive influence of dispensationalism in the United States, and particularly sort of this like rapture ready, left behind theology that is a, a major thread within, um, American dispensationalism. There's a tendency to look at this almost exclusively in light of that sort of rapture ready fear that right the end is gonna come and I'm not gonna be ready and. I don't, I'm not a dispensationalist, I don't hold to a rapture in that sense. I don't think you do either. Jesse and I, I think there's an element of this that has that same flavor that we have to acknowledge, but I don't think we should read this in light of like, you think you're gonna be fine, but actually you're not. So you better get it together. I don't think that that's the point of the parable. Um, and I wanna say that upfront because it is easy to read a parable like this and to, to become extremely fearful to the point that it actually shakes whatever assurance you may have had. And I've said it before and, and I, I will say it again, it is not, I am not in the business of robbing the assurance away from Christians. The assurance of faith and the assurance of salvation is the rightful possession and inheritance of all those who are Christ. And so I have no, no desire to shake or rob you of your assurance. That's just not my jam. Um, so I wanted to get that out there. Like I don't think that this parable is here. To scare the daylights out of us and make us question whether or not we actually belong to the bridegroom. I actually think it's here for a different reason.  [00:25:39] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I agree.  [00:25:40] Watch and Be Ready [00:25:40] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think this may have more in common with like the tears in the wheat parable that we've spoken about before versus trying to promulgate a particular understanding of eschatology. There's no doubt that this is calibrated to the period preceding the perusia. At the same time, the parable is a reminder that describes like the visible professing church on earth as it moves toward that consummation. So this is why I think it is important for us to talk about, well, what do we mean by these 10 virgins? What do we mean about the lamps themselves? What is this saying generally about God's church? And again, him addressing the question of what does it mean for that church to be consummated in his kingdom?  [00:26:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I, I'm, I'm trying to find the specific passage, but um. We also should not miss the verbal affinity here. Uh, at the end of the parable, when it says truly, I say to you, I do not know you. We should really read this in light of, um, the, um, the statements. You know, I was hungry and you didn't feed me. I was, you know, and you say, Lord, we did these things. He said, away from me. I never knew you. We really should read this parable. I think in light of that passage and that phrasing, I think that's, that's actually the punchline of this  [00:26:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. [00:26:55] Tony Arsenal: Punchline. That's, that's the point. Parable is that last phrase, and then the, the extra parable, the outside of the parable, um, payoff or sort of like explanation that Christ gives is watch. Therefore, for you neither know the day nor the hour. The point is not, um, you may think you're a Christian. You may think you're, you're on top of things, but you actually, you might be totally wrong. And so you better get your stuff together. The point is what, what happens? Or the point is the same thing as I think it's the author of Hebrew is like, today is the day of salvation, right? Like, do not wait to turn to Christ. Do not wait. That's right to trust in Jesus. Do not wait to enter the kingdom of heaven until the last minute. Do not wait because you don't actually know when the end is coming. And I, I read this when I, when it's watch, therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. I read this less in light of, um. Like universal eschatology, uh, every single person that, that Jesus was speaking to in this original audience that he actually delivered this parable to, did not see that, like, did not see the last days. Right. Whatever the last days looks like. And I mean, like, yes, the last days is from the resurrection to the end of the age. So some of them saw those last days. But what I mean is none of these people saw the return of Christ, like the second return of Christ and that the last judgment. So he would, it would be sort of meaningless to be delivering this parable to those people. With only whatever the last things are with only the rapture in mind with only Right, exactly. The great judgment. None of that would make any sense. So I read this more in light of you never know when your day and hour is coming. Not, not necessarily like the day, like the day of the Lord, although that's true. Yes. There will be a generation on earth who the last day, the final judgment is also their last day in terms of their ordinary human life. But I think this is more of a general call to all of us, and especially to those, um, out there who are in the orbits of the church who are exposed to the gospel, um, and have not yet trusted Christ. [00:29:09] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:29:09] Tony Arsenal: Um, there is a call to turn to Jesus and to, uh, to, to come into the kingdom of heaven, to be prepared by coming into the kingdom of heaven here. That's, that's the main point of the peril that we have to land on.  [00:29:21] Bridegroom And Virgins [00:29:21] Jesse Schwamb: I agree with you, and I think all of the imagery here points in that direction. So even starting with this image of these 10 virgins, which of course you've been listening to us talk for long enough, or you've read through the Old Testament, you're gonna quickly, and I think cogently see that this is the Old Testament imagery of Israel as the bride or the covenant community. It's also of course, like the Greco Roman custom in which the bridesmaids attended the bride and accompanied the wedding procession when the bride groom arrived to claim his bride. So to your point, what I think is really interesting about this is that we're basically saying that this parable is not speaking of like strangers or enemies, but those who have made a profession of faith. And so even this like idea of the bridegroom who, who's without a question? Christ here, that's a self-identification that's rooted in like John chapter three, where even John the Baptist calls himself merely the friend of the bridegroom and a revelation where you are going already, where the marriage supper of the lamb consummate, consummate redemptive history. [00:30:19] Lamps And Oil Meaning [00:30:19] Jesse Schwamb: So once we get through the idea of we have those whom Jesus is speaking about, and even those who he's speaking to as those who have made some kind of profession, religious or otherwise, to me, where this hinges is in this idea of the lamps or these torches or or burning lamps, which I take to be like this outward profession. And so the question is you have all of them coming with these lamps. Lambs represent this external common to true or false professors alike. But I think to what you are driving at, it's whether within that profession there is a true and actual reliance on Christ himself for righteousness.  [00:30:57] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, oil, I think the oil is really key here too, right? Oil in the, uh, in the scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament. Um, but also in some places in the New Testament, oil is associated with the Holy Spirit.  [00:31:11] Jesse Schwamb: Yes,  [00:31:11] Tony Arsenal: exactly right. So if, if we wanna sort of take the symbolism here, take, take the, the situation sort of as a mixture of, of different kinds of symbols. We have these folks that have all of the outward things necessary to be able to light the lamps. They have the lamps, the wicks are there. Um, they're, they're sort of ready to go. They're, they're ready and waiting for a time. Uh, but what they don't have is they don't have oil, they don't have the Holy Spirit. So yes, we, we need in some senses about false professors, but I do think it's broader than that.  [00:31:43] Salvation Has A Deadline [00:31:43] Tony Arsenal: I think this is, um, again, is a generalized parable about. The, the fact that the hour of salvation, the day of salvation, the opportunity to turn to God, the opportunity to come into God's kingdom is not an indefinite opportunity. It's not going to be out there as a possibility forever. There is a day and an hour and a minute for every single person where that opportunity is no longer available. And of course we're the reformed brotherhood, not the Armenian Brotherhood, right? We're the reformed brotherhood. So yes, God has ordained who will come and who will not. He's ordained the hour and the minute of those who will, and he's ordained that some will never come. But that all operates on God's God's level in God's knowledge. And that's not something we have access to know down here, right? Deuteronomy 29, 29, the sacred things belong to the Lord, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever. And one of the things that's revealed is that God calls us to salvation. He calls us to repent and trust in Jesus. And here in this passage, he is cutting us to do that, to not delay doing that.  [00:32:53] Personal Evangelism Story [00:32:53] Tony Arsenal: I think there are a lot of people, um. I can actually think of a couple really specific examples in when I was in high school. Um, I was, I, I don't do as much personal evangelism as I I did when I was, uh, when I was in high school and younger. I, I don't know for sure what the reason is. Some of it's probably my own cowardice, but I think probably just that's normal, that as you grow and you kind of settle into different kinds of relationships, you have a different context. But I remember a, a friend of mine named Dave, I'm not gonna say his last name, I remember his last name, but I'm not gonna say it, but a friend of mine named David, um, who. All of us were coming to faith, like all, all of our friend group were coming to Faith. There was one of my friends, James was sort of like the first guy who, he was raised in a Christian home and he sort of came to faith in a very real faith, real way. And he sort of brought all of us along with him and sort of one by one we, we sort of like, it was like Domino's falling. And we all came to a genuine, true saving faith kind of all right in a row. And then there was Dave and Dave just didn't like he, he with us. He did all the things we were doing. And I remember having a conversation with him where I was like, what are you waiting for? Like, what's, what's the hold up here? And I didn't have any, again, I didn't have any framework for like what apologetics were, I wasn't trying to make an argument or any sort of like, um, any sort of like persuasion. It was just a real raw like we are all loving this. We're all, we're all so joyful and happy. The lives are changing and we. This is real, Dave, what, what are you waiting for? He never had a real answer. He, he didn't ever make an argument against the faith. He was very clear that he believed that God was real. He believed that God existed, that the sort of the facts of the gospel were true. Like he, he, um, to sort of put like theological language on it, um, he had, he had a ticia and a census, right? Right. He, he acknowledged he knew the true facts of the gospel and he acknowledged the reality that, that those facts were true. He just never actually took the step to trust in Jesus. And I don't know what happened to Dave. Uh, there's another friend of mine named Theo that very similar kind of situation. I don't know what happened to Dave and Theo. I have no idea whether they eventually came to faith or not, but, but it was like, you guys never know when the day in the hours. That's the kind of person that I think this is pointing to.  [00:35:15] Against Rapture Ready Fear [00:35:15] Tony Arsenal: Not necessarily the person within the church, um, who has made some sort of credible profession of faith, but thinks, but like, because like they haven't stopped swearing yet, or because they still have lustful thoughts once in a while. Like I think that's the rapture ready theology is like. You better not hope that like that's the day that a pretty girl walks by and you have a lutful thought. 'cause if Jesus comes back right after that, you're really in trouble. Like those are, those are actually, um, again, this is, this is a caricature of dispensationalism, but it's a caricature that I experienced. It's, it was people who were being characters of themselves. Right? This idea that, look, you better, you better not sin ever. You better not be asleep. And being asleep means sinning. You better not ever sin. Because if you happen to sin right before the rapture, then Jesus is gonna leave you behind. Right? You're not gonna fly up in the clouds if you're not perfectly rapture ready. And like, again, not all dispensationalist are like that. I actually think most dispensationalist these days would probably not fit into that category. Right? But when I was coming to faith in the late nineties and early two thousands, that was the real theology being presented. I don't think that's what this is. This is about a life orientation of preparedness. This is about an entire life. Yes. That is prepared for Christ's second coming or for the hour of our death. And that the only way to be prepared for that is to be happy in Christ, is to be blessed, blessed assurance, like to have your blessed assurance because Jesus is mine. Oh, what a, you know, oh, what a happy delight like that is. The only way to be ready for death, to be prepared for the end is to turn to Jesus. It's not about whether or not you've turned to Jesus and have become perfectly sinless. None of us are like that, right? It's not about, I just got done writing this series of articles on John Piper's affectional theology, affectional Justification, like it's not about perfectly treasuring Christ. There are gonna be times where your emotions do not sync up with what you actually believe. It's not about being perfectly obedient or wanting to be perfectly obedient. It's about trusting Jesus. And there's only one day an hour that that opportunity closes, and you never know when that is, when that day an hour is gonna be. [00:37:26] Wise Versus Foolish [00:37:26] Jesse Schwamb: We know that to be true in this particular parable because of what's written for us in verse two, how Jesus himself bifurcates and labels these two groups. He says five of them were foolish and five were wise. So Christ himself introduces the critical distinction, not of course, with reference to whatever the external practice is, because both of these groups are carrying lamps, both weight, both know the bridegroom is coming, but with an interior character judgment one is literally foolish, which is the same contrast that Christ employs actually in the parable of the two builders at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, where the wise man hears and does, while the foolish man hears, but does not translate hearing into obedient transformation. So I'm with you on this. The terms carry, I think, significant Old Testament fruit because in the all the wisdom literature, wisdom is synonymous with the fear of the Lord, that true knowledge of God, right? And that practical orientation, I think as you were saying, of one's entire life toward God. The fool is not like an intellectual simpleton, but it's a world spiritual category. It's one who lives as though God does not exist or God does not matter, or refuses in the light of incontrovertible evidence to come before God and to submit to him In this way. They are foolish or they are wise. And so again, I like what you're saying. It's not as if like they've just exhibited some kind of quick departure or they've fallen into temptation or sinfulness, but instead, rather, there's something way larger at stake here with respect to a spiritual category. And I think that's really what Jesus is after, as he's bringing these two groups apart from each other, explaining that essentially that they access the same things. They heard the same stuff, they had the same on the outward, at least the same priorities, but the true internal character, the interior character of who they were, was not compatible. These are not the the same kind of person.  [00:39:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:39:21] All Virgins Fall Asleep [00:39:21] Tony Arsenal: And this is actually something, um, that I hadn't picked up on before. Right. I think we can get into these ruts when we're reading and understanding, uh, the scripture, especially really familiar passages like this. Um, probably like at some point in the past, someone has taught it to me in this way. I heard a sermon or I heard it at a youth group in a particular way, and I just never really went back. The, the wise virgins also fall asleep.  [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: Exactly.  [00:39:46] Tony Arsenal: Like, like that, that's amazing to me, like Right. I've always heard this passage as though like, falling asleep is the equivalent of spiritual death.  [00:39:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. [00:39:55] Tony Arsenal: But the reality is, in this passage, the difference between the wise and the foolish virgins is not that they, one of them stays awake and one of them falls asleep. One, the, the, the difference between the wise and the foolish is that the ones that are wise are prepared for when the bride root clump comes, even though they fell asleep and, and actually, uh, they're, they're shown to be even more wise because they all fell asleep. Yes. Right. If they hadn't fallen asleep, then the foolish ones probably would've had time to go get more. But the, the wise virgins in this, uh. And not only were they wise in terms of like they had the stuff they needed, they were ready to go, but so wise that in fact their wisdom overcame sort of this happenstance that they were in a state of, of preparedness being asleep when the comes is a state of Unpreparedness, but they have able to compensate for the ready in every other area. And I think this also kind of like mitigates away away from the idea of like the, um. The, the emphasis of the parable here, the readiness of the par of the virgins is not based on the wakefulness of the virgins, right? Yes. The virgins are ready because they have the supplies they need. Right. They're not Exactly, they're not exactly, they're not un 'cause they fell asleep. They're ready because they've, they've prepared by purchasing the supplies they need, by having the supplies they need when the breadroom comes. That's true. Whether they fall asleep or not. So I think like this whole parable needs to sort of like be reoriented in reference to the way a lot of us have, A lot of us have been taught and understood this parable. I was always taught that the, the foolish virgins were foolish because they fell asleep. Yeah, that's probably partially true in that it's foolish to fall asleep when you're waiting for something, but that can't be the only thing that makes them foolish. 'cause it doesn't make the other virgins foolish. [00:41:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, exactly.  [00:41:52] Oil As Saving Grace [00:41:52] Jesse Schwamb: And that's why it's so interesting that Jesus basically doubles down or elaborates in verses three and four by saying for when the foolish took their lamps. They took no oil with them. Yeah, but the wises took flasks of oil with their lambs. I think it's actually, as you're, I think leading us into like the theological height of this whole thing, the foolish virgins took their lambs, but no oil. The wise took lambs and extra oil in vessels. And of course the lambs cannot burn without oil in the same way. I think what we're led to believe here is profession without grace has no sustaining power. So I know like throughout church history, this idea of the oil has been interpreted in various ways, in various forms. I think there's a lot of unification though on the point that the oil is more or less like a representation of the grace of the Holy Spirit. That like specific indwelling regenerating, sanctifying presence of the spirit imparted in effectual calling and genuine conversion. And that's why I think this has a lot in common with both like the tears and the wheat parable. But also what you've been saying about the time that is appointed onto a man to die, either for Christ to return or just for you and I to die. And so this understanding, I think is consistent with the Old Testament symbolic use of, like you said before, anointing oil is a sign of the spirit's presence. Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit. And so I'm seeing here like this oil is, I mean, is it going too far to say almost like a saving grace? It's, it's not common grace, it's not the gifts of the spirit, which the reprobate may possess, but I think we're, we're seeing here like that special sanctifying preserving grace, which is inseparable from true election and calling. [00:43:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I think that's spot on. While you were talking, I was actually just looking up, uh, what Calvin has to say on this. I, I think it's funny because I constantly am saying things that I feel like I'm discovering for myself in real time. But if I actually just took the, a little bit of time to read some of our great sources a little more carefully, I would run into them. This is what he says. He says on, uh, verse five, he says, some interpret this slumbering in a bad sense as if believers along with others abandon themselves sloth. And they were, they were asleep amidst the vanities of the world. This is all together inconsistent with the intention of Christ as structure of the parable. [00:44:05] Slow Down And Read [00:44:05] Tony Arsenal: Like I think it's clear now here as we're working through this and this, and this is the main benefit, um, of taking time to just walk through the parables, any, any text of scripture, but the parables is what we're looking at. Taking time to just actually slow down and read them. I didn't intend to get to like a whole discussion about Bible reading plans, but the typical, I'm gonna read the Bible through, uh, the entire Bible in a year that typically has you reading three to five chapters a day is the average. That's probably too much if you want to be reading for understanding. And there is, there's definitely value. I've, I've commented in the past, there's huge value in reading large tracks of scripture all at the same time. Like if you wanna sit down over 10 chapters of Scripture day and you've got the time and the energy and the discipline to do it, then more power to you. But I think it's not realistic to think you're gonna sit down and read 10 chapters of scripture and have good comprehension and retention of the 10 chapters that you read. This is a really good example of that. If you sit down and you read three chapters, you're gonna be reading this, you're gonna be reading, uh, another parable. The parable of the talents you are gonna be reading. You know, the all of it discourse all at the same time, all in one sitting. Um, it's not until just now when I slowed down to really look at these passages, verse by verse individually and take an hour to discuss 13 verses with my brother-in-law in front of a microphone, right? Then I realized all of the virgins fall asleep. Like that's the kind of stuff that you really only, um, you only overcome. The assumed teaching that you heard when you were in high school, 15, you know, 15, 20 years ago at a summer camp. You really only overcome that when you slow down enough to read things and actually comprehend them. So that's not much of a commentary on the passage, but it is something that I'm learning as we do these parable studies. Just slow down, slow down and read them, read them multiple times, read it over and over again. Um, it is totally fine. The, this is the last, uh, Bible reading soapbox thing I'll say tonight. Um, I think like, because. Of the influence of like expository preaching and like wanting to read things in, in context, and all of those things are good. I think there is this tendency to think that if you sit down and just read a very short portion of scripture, that you're kind of automatically taking that out of context. I don't think that's the case. Like it's totally fine to sit down in the morning and go, you know what? I've got, I've got 10 minutes, I've got five minutes. I've got two minutes before the kids are up. I've got two minutes before the bus stop, you know, before the bus gets here. I'm standing at the bus stop. I've got 30 seconds before the coffee's done. It's totally fine to open your Bible app. And read two or three verses of scripture, that's a totally fine thing to do. It's totally fine because you've got 10 minutes before the kids got up. Oh, and by the way, you've gotta unload the dishwasher before they do. Totally fine to sit down and go, I've got time to read 13 verses of scripture today. So that's what I'm gonna get done. Um, and, and then just think about those things like meditate on those scriptures all day. I just think there's a lot of values to that and that's maybe that's my takeaway from this episode. I know like that's not a takeaway directly related to this passage. That's good. But I think we can oftentimes. Have and understand that isn't right because we've been taught it and we don't ever have the time or space in our life to like realize that what we were taught is maybe exactly right. This is like something so obvious on the surface of the text. It didn't even take any real thought. It just took slowing down and actually reading the words  [00:47:45] Jesse Schwamb: right. It's also a good reminder, like we said from the beginning, that our goal here shouldn't be to torture every detail, to like press it for some kind of allegorical significance.  [00:47:55] Tony Arsenal: Yes.  [00:47:55] Jesse Schwamb: But to take it on the face and to understand in context what's being said. And by context I just mean the context of the story. Of the accounts of the drama that's unfolding. And it is pretty remarkable that all 10 virgins sleep, that maybe even as you start with the details might not be your impression that that was gonna be, was gonna be the difference here, but both the wises and the foolish alike fall asleep. So to me, the parable is not condemning sleep per se, but I think it's the absence of oil which the sleep merely reveals, right? That's the critical detail here. And so Jesus delivers that to us and that's why it's, I think, important to think about these, these variables about what the oil represents and the context in which they're tested with their preparedness. But it's not because like they had it almost times you get the impression, it's like what we're saying here is the wise had more stamina, that they were the ones that were just willing to tough it out, and they knew the bridegroom was coming. And so as a result of that, they decided that they were going to ensure that they stayed awake, even if they had the drink, a couple of extra cups of coffee, just to make sure that was the case. But really their sleepiness, which they both have to endure, is the very context in which proves that they do are not prepared by having sufficient oil, not that they're unprepared by having sufficient energy or stamina.  [00:49:18] Prepared Despite Fatigue [00:49:18] Jesse Schwamb: Well, with all.  [00:49:21] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, that's a good takeaway too, is, is we all, um, we all will succumb to temptation in this life,  [00:49:32] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:49:33] Tony Arsenal: Right. Every single one of us. And even if we think of sleeping in this negative sense, which I think we probably need to move away from it, even if we do, I think the point that you're making is really good, for instance, between the foolish and the wises is not their ability to stay awake. So I do think that, I do think there's a slightly negative connotation to drowsy and slept here. Like I think that, I think it's intended to show some level of fatigue. Fatigue, maybe not like a moral right, maybe not a moral, uh, negativity, but there's a fatigue. There's something that overcomes both wise and foolish virgins in this parable. Fatigue and drowsiness overcomes them and they sleep. And it's because the bridegroom was delayed, right? We wanna talk about eschatology, right? This is probably also more a commentary on the church as a whole. The church becomes drowsy and sleeps right, and then there's the foolish and the wise. The foolish are the ones who are not prepared even though they are drowsy and sleep. And then there's the wise who are foolish, or the wises who are prepared and are drowsy and sleep. But E, either way, if we think of drowsy and sleep, even in moral negative terms, right? All of us will succumb to temptation. All of us will succumb to sin in this life. I would even go so far as to say all of us sin in every moment of our life in that we never love God. Truly. Yes. With our full hearts and souls. You got that right soul the way that we're, we're commanded to. Right. Right. So all of us become drowsy and sleep. The difference is not in those who pull themselves up by their bootstraps and tape their eyelids open so that they don't fall asleep. Right. I don't, I don't know if you ever like had trouble staying awake in school, but I used to, like I used to sit at my desk with my pencil under my chin. Oh my Lord. So if I started to fall asleep, it would like jab me and I would wake up so I could stay awake in school. Oh. It's not about like gimmicks to stay awake.  [00:51:20] Jesse Schwamb: Right, right.  [00:51:21] Tony Arsenal: It's about the fact that those of us who have trusted Christ. Have received the oil. Yes. So even when we sleep, yes. Even when we are drowsy, even when we are overcome by the fatigue that prevents us from, uh, from resisting sin. Right. Even when that happens, we still have the oil. We still have the grace of the Holy Spirit. We still have the empowering presence and the, the, the justifying reality of Christ's death For us, in my mind as I read this parable, that really is what it is, right? Get the oil, go get the stinking oil now, because you never know when the day or hour is coming. Mm-hmm. Whether that's the day or the hour that you fall asleep and you're not prepared, or whether that's the day or the hour that the bridegroom was, even if you're awake. That's the other element of this. Even if the virgins had stayed awake, they didn't have the oil.  [00:52:11] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:52:12] Tony Arsenal: So it it's not as though, it's not as though had they stayed awake, they would've had time to go get the oil and come back. They, they wake up right away. Like there's nothing in the parable that's like, oh, it took 'em a little while to get up. So that's why they didn't have time to get the oil. They, they didn't have time to get the oil. 'cause there wasn't time to get the oil  [00:52:31] Jesse Schwamb: right.  [00:52:32] Tony Arsenal: So the only way you're going to be properly prepared when the bridegroom comes is if you already have the oil and you're already ready to go. Regardless of whether you fall asleep or not.  [00:52:42] Gospel Call Get Oil [00:52:42] Tony Arsenal: So I, I think, I think we have to kind of close this with like a gospel, a gospel call here. Like we don't do this very often on the show, and I think the vast majority of our show are professed, regenerate Christians. I don't, I don't know anyone who listens to the show that is outwardly not a Christian, but I think this is a time for us to say, listen, if you are hearing the sound of my voice, be diligent to make your calling an election. Sure. And that both takes the form of what Peter talks about, where he talks about growing in graces and walking in, walking in the qualities of holine

   (8) Josiah Osgood explains that following his death, Cato became a "Stoic saint" and a symbol of lost liberty, celebrated by poets like Virgil and Lucan. Caesar's attempt to trash his memory in the Anti-Cato failed to dim Cato's luster as a noble martyr. His reputation for reform even influenced Augustus's imperial image. Under Nero's tyranny, Cato's suicide inspired dissidents who sought dignity through defiant ends. The book concludes with the irony of the Civil War: the peace Romans craved ultimately brought a master, ending the Republic through the very rivalry that defined it.CATO SUICIDE

Community as a Symbol of Joining In Strawberry Field Fiesta's second session at La Casa de Milagros, recorded in the morning of Day 2, David Hoffmeister is joined by ministers and beloved companions to explore a profound theme: Community as a Symbol of Joining. Rather than an earthly arrangement or a physical dwelling, true community is recognized as a living demonstration of love, collaboration, and shared purpose. It is a holy classroom where fixed beliefs about personal identity and isolation melt away through open dialogue, presence, and pure reflection.  This session is filled with music, featuring live performances by Emily and Erik. The gathering concludes with a showcase of newly composed spiritual EDM tracks. Get involved:  https://www.the-christ.net/ Register for the Way of the Mystic for free here: https://programs.the-christ.net/courses/the-way-of-the-mystic To participate online in a Movie Gathering, join our online community: https://programs.the-christ.net/courses/membership-weekly-online-movie-gatherings Join our online community:  https://programs.the-christ.net/products/communities/tribe-of-christ If you are interested to know more about David Hoffmeister and Living Miracles events, here is more information:  https://circle.livingmiraclescenter.org/events. Read A Course in Miracles online here: https://acourseinmiraclesnow.com/ Learn more about David Hoffmeister here: https://davidhoffmeister.com

Today’s Topics: Joshua Charles joins Terry for Friday with the Fathers 1) Gospel –Mark 11:11-26 – Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day as they were leaving Bethany He was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went over to see if He could find anything on it. When He reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And He said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And His disciples heard it. They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area He began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then He taught them saying, “Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you have made it a den of thieves.” The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put Him to death, yet they feared Him because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city. Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.” Memorial of Saint Paul VI, Pope Saint Paul, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry and Joshua discuss Early Fathers of the Church on the reality of the Holy Eucharist and that It IS the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports that a summer staple for sandwiches and salads is getting more costly.

Play The Mighty Challenge, Friday May 28 edition to find out if you have the answer correct!

Don't Tread on Me was never just a flag. It was Christopher Gadsden's warning about what happens when free people get comfortable with power. In this episode of The P.A.S. Report Podcast, the America's Founding Series tells the story of Christopher Gadsden, the South Carolina patriot behind the iconic Gadsden flag and the enduring phrase, Don't Tread on Me. From the Stamp Act crisis to the fall of Charleston, from revolutionary defiance to imprisonment in St. Augustine, Gadsden's story reveals why liberty requires vigilance, courage, and a people willing to say no when government power goes too far. What You'll Learn In This Episode: The Making of a Firebrand: How Christopher Gadsden became one of the most aggressive Patriot voices in South Carolina. The Danger of Incrementalism: Why the Stamp Act crisis was never just about a tax on paper, but about sovereignty, precedent, and arbitrary power. The Symbol of the Rattlesnake: The real meaning behind the Gadsden flag and why it was designed as a warning, not a call for conquest. The Test of Conviction: How the fall of Charleston and solitary confinement at Castillo de San Marcos tested Gadsden's dedication to the cause. The Modern Lesson: Why Gadsden's warning still matters as government power and bureaucratic authority continue to expand. Christopher Gadsden's life was filled with contradictions, but his message remains clear: liberty dies when citizens stop guarding it. This episode connects the American Revolution, the Gadsden flag, limited government, and the founding generation's fight against tyrannical overreach to the challenges facing Americans today as we celebrate America 250.  

Haben Sie schon einmal die rot-schwarz-gelbe Flagge gesehen, die neben der australischen weht? Das ist die Aboriginal Flagge. Sie steht für die Ureinwohner Australiens und ihre Verbundenheit mit dem Land, ihrer Gemeinschaft und ihren Geschichten. Für viele Menschen ist sie mehr als nur eine Flagge. Sie ist ein Symbol und eine Erinnerung an Stärke, Überleben und Identität.

Francie má za sebou výjimečnou dražbu. Aukční dům Artcurial vydražil původní schodiště z Eiffelovy věže. Má čtrnáct schodů a propojovalo druhé a třetí patro slavné pařížské památky. Francouzský sběratel za něj zaplatil v přepočtu skoro jedenáct milionů korun.

Francie má za sebou výjimečnou dražbu. Aukční dům Artcurial vydražil původní schodiště z Eiffelovy věže. Má čtrnáct schodů a propojovalo druhé a třetí patro slavné pařížské památky. Francouzský sběratel za něj zaplatil v přepočtu skoro jedenáct milionů korun.Všechny díly podcastu Zápisník zahraničních zpravodajů můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever felt like spiritual growth requires suffering, this one will challenge that belief at the root. We're deep in A Course in Miracles Chapter 3, “Sane Perception,” and we keep circling a single correction that changes everything: God does not demand sacrifice, and the atonement is not a story you interpret. It's a present, living correction that restores the mind to what's already true.We slow down on two lines that hit like lightning: “God Himself is not symbolic, He is fact,” and “The atonement too is totally without symbolism.” When God becomes an idea, an image, or a concept we manage, the ego can make Him loving one moment and punishing the next. But if God is fact, truth isn't something we negotiate with, earn, or figure out. From there we explore “light” as knowledge beyond perception, why confusion never comes from truth, and how willingness, not effort, is what removes the shroud.Then we bring it into real life: bodily symptoms, nervous system stories, heartbreak, and the fear that inner work will expose something shameful. ACIM's answer is blunt and strangely relieving: the atonement radiates only truth, epitomizes harmlessness, and sheds only blessing because it arises from perfect innocence. We end by unpacking the reversal that the world hates: innocence isn't naïve, it's wisdom, because evil has no real existence, and innocence stays perfectly aware of everything that is true.Subscribe for more ACIM deep dives, share this with someone stuck in the “pain equals progress” loop, and leave a review with the line that challenged you most.Support the show

This week's message explores Revelation 18:1–6 and the fall of “Babylon,” the symbol Revelation uses for every system built on greed, power, self-glory, and exploitation. In John's day, Rome looked unstoppable. Wealthy, powerful, and deeply influential, it shaped every part of life. Yet Revelation declares that even the strongest human kingdoms eventually fall when they are built apart from God. That message still speaks today. Many of the systems we trust to give us identity, security, and fulfillment often leave people exhausted, empty, and exploited. Revelation challenges us to ask: What are we placing our hope in? At the center of this passage is God's invitation: “Come out of her, my people.” This is not a call to escape the world, but to live differently within it. Followers of Jesus are called to resist compromise and live with a different allegiance shaped by faithfulness, generosity, justice, and hope. While earthly kingdoms rise and fall, God's kingdom endures. Scripture: Revelation 18:1–6

From first haircuts to lucky haircut dates, this episode explores how hair has been tied to health, fortune, and symbolism in Chinese tradition and how the ideas and beliefs connect across cultures. Folklore Friday- The surprising connection to hair whorls patterns and personality. -------------Symbolismhttps://www.theworldofchinese.com/2021/03/choice-chengyu-symbolism-of-hair/TCM- thoughts on hair https://www.mayway.com/blogs/articles/hair-loss-and-traditional-chinese-medicineChilds first hair cut importance in Chinese culturehttps://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3344479/china-youth-spend-spring-festival-away-nosy-relatives-take-part-time-jobs-extra-cash?module=perpetual_scroll_1_AI&pgtype=articleCutting hair to renew luck or break curseshttps://www.tinyatdragon.com/blogs/short-taoist-wisdom-blog/the-magic-effect-of-cutting-your-hair?srsltid=AfmBOooELjl7a57BoO00MfwZKGN7xJdPB_pvG45kCE7SgChcv1Ri9jQXhttps://deesinglivestocksystems.com/temperament-traits-and-hair-whorls/https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17UZa8GMNJ/?mibextid=wwXIfrTimestamps: 00:00 Intro00:54 The Philosophy of Hair and Respect in Chinese Society01:42 Hair as a Symbol of Social Status and Personal Discipline02:04 Language and Idioms Involving Hair in Chinese Culture03:06 Hair in Chinese Medicine: Reflection of Internal Health03:21 Hair and Vitality: The Kidney and Liver Connection04:31 Blood, Qi, and Hair Nourishment in Chinese Medicine05:22 Hair and Aging: Signs of Vitality and Reserve Depletion05:46 Postpartum Hair Loss and Blood Rebuilding07:00 The Role of Qi Circulation and Scalp Health07:37 Heat and Dampness in Scalp Conditions08:33 Diet, Environment, and Hair Health09:24 Hair as a Diagnostic Tool in Chinese Metaphysics09:45 Cultural Significance of First Haircuts in Chinese Traditions10:26 Rituals and Symbols in Child's First Haircut Ceremony12:05 Timing and Auspicious Dates for First Haircuts13:02 Folklore and Superstitions About Cutting Hair13:55 Haircut Superstitions During Lunar New Year14:43 Hair Cutting as a Symbol of Renewal and Release15:10 Personal Stories of Hair and Transformation16:31 Hair Whorls and Personality Traits in Chinese Folklore17:38 Hair Whorls and Animal Behavior: Horses, Cows, and Dogs22:33 Scientific Studies on Hair Whorls and Behavior24:22 Conclusion

This summer at the New York Botanical Garden, visitors are invited to bask in peace, love, and psychedelia of the hippie culture of the 1960s and 70s, symbolized so strongly by flowers. Flower Power opens to the public on May 23 and runs through October 18. Patrick Nowak, NYBG's Manager of Exhibition Operations, discusses what visitors can expect from the show, ranging from archival photos and paintings from the 1960s, and of course a variety of psychedelic flower displays.  Image courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski discussing Books 6-8 of the Odyssey discussing Odysseus' time with the Phaeacians.Check our our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey.10 Reasons to Read the Odyssey (The Ascent)Why Odysseus Refused to Become a God (The Ascent)Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey and the Phaeacians10:45 The Nature of the Phaeacians16:38 The Role of Rhetoric in Nausicaa's Character22:41 Cultural Norms and Guest Friendship28:23 Marriage Motifs and Political Wisdom34:09 Nausicaa as a Symbol of Virtue43:06 Odysseus and the Gods: A Growing Understanding48:53 The Unique Role of Women in Homeric Epics52:02 The Complexity of Guest Friendship57:25 Divine Intervention: The Role of the Gods01:02:24 Marriage Proposals: Naivety or Strategy?01:04:53 Cultural Embarrassment: Odysseus's Maturity01:08:52 Exploring the Human Side of Heroes01:09:55 The Complexity of Virtue in Homer01:10:50 Beauty and Political Instability01:11:35 Marriage Proposals and Hidden Identities01:11:58 Odysseus' Response to Offers of Hospitality01:13:35 Cultural Insights from the Phaeacians01:15:08 The Nature of Athleticism and War Games01:16:44 The Role of the Bard in Storytelling01:18:32 Odysseus' Emotional Depth and Vulnerability01:19:44 Guest Friendship and Reciprocity01:21:38 Odysseus' Identity and the Stakes of Revelation01:24:07 The Bard's Song and Its Implications01:25:59 Craft vs. Strength: Lessons for Odysseus01:30:09 Adultery and Its Consequences in Homeric Society01:31:15 The Warning Embedded in the Bard's Tale01:34:10 Nausicaa's Role and the Theme of Marriage01:37:04 Odysseus Weeping: A Complex Hero01:40:45 The Final Ask: Identity and Storytelling01:42:13 Prophecies and Their Consequences01:45:10 Narrative Structure and the Art of StorytellingBook 6 SummaryOdysseus washes ashore on the island of the Phaeacians. Athena appears to Princess Nausicaa in a dream and inspires her to go wash clothes at the river with her handmaids. Odysseus awakens, naked and brine-covered, and approaches the princess cautiously. He flatters her with rhetorical skill (comparing her to Artemis), requests aid without grasping her knees, and bathes privately. Nausicaa, showing courage, wit, and political savvy, provides him clothes, food, and careful instructions on how to approach the palace and supplicate her mother, Queen Arete, while avoiding gossip. The book ends with Odysseus praying to Athena in a sacred grove.Book 7 SummaryGuided invisibly by Athena, Odysseus enters the splendid, utopian palace of King Alcinous and Queen Arete. He supplicates the queen as instructed, pleading for passage home. The court is initially stunned into silence until an elder prompts hospitality. Odysseus is bathed, feasted, and given a seat of honor. Queen Arete recognizes her daughter's clothing and questions him; he recounts his arrival but omits some divine help. King Alcinous offers generous hospitality, promises to convey him home, and even subtly proposes marriage to Nausicaa (which Odysseus sidesteps). The Phaeacians are portrayed as peaceful, technologically advanced, and god-kin, living in an Edenic setting.Book 8 SummaryThe next day features athletic games, feasting, and bardic performance. A young Phaeacian (Broadsea) taunts Odysseus, prompting him to compete and win the discus throw, demonstrating his prowess. The bard Demodocus sings of the Trojan War (stirring Odysseus to tears) and the comic adultery of Ares and Aphrodite (trapped by Hephaestus's craft), which Odysseus enjoys. More gifts and dancing follow. Nausicaa bids Odysseus a quiet, flirtatious farewell. Alcinous finally asks his name, setting up the hero's full tale in the next books. The episode underscores themes of hospitality, craft over brute strength, and Odysseus's emotional vulnerability.Check out our 2024 playlist on the Odyssey too!KeywordsOdyssey Books 6-8 summary, Odyssey Books 6-8 analysis, Nausicaa and Odysseus, Phaeacians Homer, King Alcinous Queen Arete, Nausicaa beach scene, Odysseus Nausicaa temptation, guest friendship xenia Odyssey, Phaeacian utopia, Homer Odyssey podcast, Ascend Great Books Odyssey, Odysseus Nausicaa rhetorical exchange, Hephaestus Aphrodite song Odyssey, Odysseus weeping simile, Odysseus Alcinous marriage proposal, Phaeacian ships technology, Calypso vs Nausicaa, Odyssey Book 8 games bard, Odysseus craft over strength, Deacon Harrison Garlick Odyssey, Frank Grabowski Odyssey, Porch and Altar Substack.

Wie immer sprechen wir im ersten Teil unseres Programms über aktuelle Ereignisse. Unsere erste Diskussion wurde durch einen Artikel im Magazin The Atlantic angeregt. Der Autor des Artikels argumentiert, dass die USA im Konflikt mit dem Iran eine Niederlage erlitten haben, und dass dieser strategische Verlust nicht wieder gutgemacht werden kann. Anschließend sprechen wir über strafrechtliche Ermittlungen in Frankreich gegen Elon Musk und seine Social-Media-Plattform X. Die Vorwürfe umfassen die Verbreitung von Bildern von sexuellem Kindesmissbrauch, Deepfakes, Desinformation sowie die Beihilfe zur Leugnung von Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit durch Grok, den KI-Chatbot von X. In unserem Wissenschaftsthema sprechen wir heute über eine Studie, die zeigt, dass wilde Papageien andere Papageien beobachten und nachahmen, um zu entscheiden, ob eine neue Nahrungsquelle sicher ist. Und wir beenden den ersten Teil mit einer Diskussion über die 61. Biennale von Venedig, die am 9. Mai inmitten intensiver geopolitischer Spannungen und massiver Proteste eröffnet wurde. Der Rest des Programms ist der deutschen Sprache und Kultur gewidmet. Die heutige Grammatiklektion konzentriert sich auf Comparatives and Superlatives (Part 3): Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives. Wenn man an Deutschland denkt, kommen einem nicht unbedingt kulinarische Meisterleistungen in den Sinn. Es gibt allerdings ein Gericht, das eine ganze Generation geprägt hat, und das wie kein anderes ein Symbol für eine bestimmte Epoche ist. Sportwetten sind in den letzten Jahren zu einem festen Bestandteil der deutschen Gesellschaft geworden. Die meisten Wetten werden auf Fußball gesetzt. Die Wettsucht ist dabei praktisch zu einer neuen Volkskrankheit geworden. Viele setzen bei diesen Wetten alles aufs Spiel. Genau das ist auch die Redewendung dieser Woche: Aufs Spiel setzen. Erleben die USA im Konflikt mit dem Iran eine Niederlage? Französische Behörden setzen strafrechtliche Ermittlungen gegen Elon Musks KI-Chatbot Grok fort Wilde Papageien folgen anderen Papageien bei der Entscheidung, unbekanntes Futter zu probieren Politische Kontroversen zur Eröffnung der Biennale in Venedig Toast Hawaii Sportwetten in Deutschland

Charlie Chaplin's life was fundamentally shaped by his early years in the Lambeth Workhouse, where receiving a single orange for Christmas became a haunting symbol of his poverty. His father died young of alcoholism, and his mother, Hannah Hill, struggled with profound mental instability and syphilis, leaving Chaplin and his brother Sydney to rely on the "tender mercies" of Victorian institutions. Despite his mother's illness, Chaplin idolized her and viewed his entire successful adulthood as an escape from the humiliations of his youth. His brother Sydney eventually introduced him to the theater through Fred Carno, marking the end of their poverty as Chaplin's comedic genius began to emerge. Guest: Scott Eyman. (1/8)1900 LA

Send us Fan MailYo, members—Peaches hits you with an exclusive rant from his car hideout on November 20th, because life's too chaotic for video. He dives into special warfare selection basics, then torches the Coast Guard's bizarre move to drop swastikas and nooses as hate symbols—calling it pointless scrutiny bait while dropping history bombs on their origins and why redefining symbols is straight Orwellian manipulation. He fact-checks last U.S. and UK hangings to argue nooses aren't inherently racial, questions the whole policy flip like, "What do they gain besides headaches?" Skips to roasting corporate planned obsolescence in everything from ice cream machines to cars—newsflash, they're screwing you for profit. Then, he skewers a Facebook post on "strategic bullying" by leadership, doubting it's real malice over just tough job realities, and urges the poster to get help amid suicidal vibes. Wraps with a hard no on handing ICBMs to the Army, mocking their low standards and reckless High Mars firings—Space Force or bust, idiots. If you're in the grind, stop whining and toughen up, or get roasted next.⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Peaches Breaks Down Special Warfare Selection Grind00:07 - Member Shoutout: Late Drop, No Video, B-Roll Vibes02:09 - Coast Guard's Dumb Hate Symbol U-Turn Exposed04:09 - Symbol Shenanigans: Swastikas, Nooses, and Word Twists06:35 - Hanging History: Last U.S. and UK Executions Fact-Check08:54 - Why Coast Guard's Move is Pure Scrutiny Bait21:43 - Corporate Scams: Planned Breakdowns for Your Wallet22:26 - Bullying Rant: Is Leadership Out to Get You or Nah?24:03 - System Fail? Peaches Calls BS on Victim Vibes28:35 - ICBM Handover? Hell No, Army Can't Handle It