Podcast appearances and mentions of king herod

Now when Jesus heard [that King Herod had murdered John the Baptist], He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

On this episode, Paul White talks about King Herod and the arrival of Jesus. Accompanying scripture: Matthew 2:3-4. 

Full Text of Readings Feast of Saint James, Apostle Lectionary: 605 The Saint of the day is Saint James Saint James' Story This James is the brother of John the Evangelist. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter and Andrew. “He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:19-20). Saint James was one of the favored three who had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus, and the agony in Gethsemani. Two incidents in the Gospels describe the temperament of this man and his brother. Saint Matthew tells that their mother came—Mark says it was the brothers themselves—to ask that they have the seats of honor in the kingdom. “Jesus said in reply, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They said to him, ‘We can'” (Matthew 20:22). Jesus then told them they would indeed drink the cup and share his baptism of pain and death, but that sitting at his right hand or left was not his to give—it “is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Matthew 20:23b). It remained to be seen how long it would take to realize the implications of their confident “We can!” The other disciples became indignant at the ambition of James and John. Then Jesus taught them all the lesson of humble service: The purpose of authority is to serve. They are not to impose their will on others, or lord it over them. This is the position of Jesus himself. He was the servant of all; the service imposed on him was the supreme sacrifice of his own life. On another occasion, James and John gave evidence that the nickname Jesus gave them—“sons of thunder”—was an apt one. The Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to hated Jerusalem. “When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?' Jesus turned and rebuked them…” (Luke 9:54-55). Saint James was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. “About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1-3a). This Saint James, sometimes called James the Greater, is not to be confused with James the Lesser or with the author of the Letter of James and the leader of the Jerusalem community. Reflection The way the Gospels treat the apostles is a good reminder of what holiness is all about. There is very little about their virtues as static possessions, entitling them to heavenly reward. Rather, the great emphasis is on the Kingdom, on God's giving them the power to proclaim the Good News. As far as their personal lives are concerned, there is much about Jesus' purifying them of narrowness, pettiness, fickleness. From James there is much to learn still.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this episode, Pastor Harold Noyes and co-host Pastor Timothy Golden explore Mark 6:14–29 to discuss why people so often become offended by Jesus and a transformed lifestyle, drawing parallels between King Herod's guilt-driven regret over beheading John the Baptist and modern human nature. Highlighting how Herod secretly respected John and enjoyed listening to him in private, yet caved to public pressure and political manipulation by Herodias, the pastors examine the tragic sequence of events leading to John's execution at a birthday feast. Ultimately, the conversation shifts to finding ultimate deliverance in God, reminding believers to stand firm in their faith and avoid becoming offended when God's answers differ from human expectations.

We Followed a StarSeries: Christmas in July Scripture: Matthew 2:1–12 (Common English Bible)What are you following—and where is it leading you?In this message from Christmas in July, we journey with the Magi as they follow a star toward the newborn Christ. Unlike the familiar scenes of shepherds and angels, Matthew's Christmas story introduces us to unexpected travelers from far away who recognize something sacred and respond with faith, courage, and worship.The Magi had no map, no certainty, and no guarantee of what they would find. They simply followed the light they had been given. Their journey reveals something important about seeking God: sometimes faith means stepping forward before we know exactly where the path will lead.In this sermon, Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen explores the contrast between the Magi and King Herod. Both hear the news that a Messiah has been born, but they respond in completely different ways. The Magi move toward the light with curiosity and hope. Herod responds with fear and a desire to maintain control.Matthew's story reminds us that the gospel has always included unexpected people. The Magi were outsiders, people who were not already part of the covenant community, yet they were drawn toward Jesus. Their journey reveals that God's grace reaches beyond boundaries and invites seekers from every place to encounter Christ.When the Magi finally find Jesus, they are overwhelmed with joy. Their response is worship, generosity, and surrender. They offer their treasures, but they receive something far more valuable: an encounter with the living Christ that changes the direction of their lives.After meeting Jesus, the Magi return home by another route. This small detail carries a powerful message—encountering Christ changes us. We cannot always return to life exactly as it was before. God's presence invites us onto a new path.This story invites us to consider what is shaping the direction of our own lives. Are we being led by fear like Herod, or are we willing to follow the light like the Magi? What are the “stars” we are following, and are they leading us toward joy, worship, and a deeper relationship with God?The Christmas story reminds us that God is still calling people forward. The journey may include uncertainty, detours, and unexpected challenges, but those who follow the light of Christ discover that the path leads to transformation.Reflection Questions:• What does the story of the Magi reveal about whom the gospel includes?• What is the difference between the Magi and Herod, and where do you see that contrast today?• How has an encounter with Jesus changed the direction of your life?• What is currently shaping the direction of your life, and is it worth following? Support the show

1. His Imprisonment 2. His Death 3. The Significance This sermon examines the martyrdom of John the Baptist in Mark 6 to illustrate the cost of faithful witness and the foreshadowing of Christ's death. The preacher contrasts John's courageous confrontation of King Herod with Herod's cowardly surrender to peer pressure and pride. By analyzing the parallels between John's execution and Jesus' crucifixion, the message emphasizes that suffering for righteousness is an expected part of Christian life. The text serves as a warning against the fear of man while offering hope in the ultimate vindication of God's servants through the resurrection. Finally, the sermon calls believers to proclaim the gospel faithfully, trusting in Christ's victory over sin and death.

The sermon examines the life of King Herod to illustrate the destructive power of guilt and the failure to act on known truth. It highlights how Herod respected John the Baptist and enjoyed his preaching yet remained paralyzed by fear of public opinion and social pressure. The preacher connects this biblical narrative to the human tendency to project internal guilt onto others through judgment and hostility. By analyzing Herod's eventual compromise and sorrow, the message warns against allowing external validation to override moral convictions. Ultimately, it calls listeners to confront their own hidden sins and release bitterness rather than perpetuating cycles of hurt.

Pastor Bill Wineke discusses King Herod

Today's Bible story is about the Wisemen preparing for an adventure after seeing the Star of Bethlehem in the sky. This specific Bible Story isn't written in the Bible, but this is a creative possibility leading up to the wisemen visiting King Herod.Voice Talent: Quinton Schertz, Craig Malone, Brandon MooreContinually Support Options:BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/schertzSubscribe and rate/reviewShare why you like it on social media (#BibleStoryShorts)Follow Up Questions:Who is someone you would travel and go places with?What are three gifts you have ever given someone?How far are we willing to go to see, experience and connect with Jesus?

Welcome to the Christmas series! The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn't right. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app.  To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Mark 6 we move from Jesus’ humble hometown all the way up to King Herod’s chambers; from a remote place to a boat at sea. In every place, Jesus reveals who he is, and his glory. But everyone, throughout the entire chapter, responds with hard hearts, even to Jesus’ incredible mercy and power. The post Famished to Fed | Mark 6:21-44 appeared first on Village Church - Kelvin Grove.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/submitting-to-gods-governing-authorities-as-they-submit-to-gods-authority/Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaurBV5Jac0On July 4, 1776, John Hancock, the President of Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Secretary of Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. (The famous image of all the delegates signing the document together on July 4th is a historical myth.) The formal signing ceremony took place on August 2, 1776, when 50 of the eventual 56 delegates signed their names to the parchment. The remaining 6 delegates added their signatures over the following months as they returned to Philadelphia.With the Declaration of Independence, the American colonists formerly informed King George III they were leaving the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence was more than a philosophical document. It was drafted as an official legal and diplomatic notice to the Crown that the American colonies were forming their own nation.We today celebrate the "American Revolution." Perhaps, it can be more biblically called the "American Resistance." Colonial theologians argued that "revolution" implies a lawless overthrow of God-ordained governing authorities that will institute anarchy. In contrast, they defined "resistance" as a defensive, legal duty to preserve the rule of law. The colonialists did not view the Declaration of Independence as a sudden act of law-breaking. Instead, they argued that the British government had already legally severed its contract with the colonies and cast them out of the empire through its own legislation.Because we are not good at studying history, most of us don't know that King George III signed the Prohibitory Act in December 1775. This act declared the colonies outside the King's protection. This was the ultimate legal catalyst. It banned all trade with the colonies, authorized the British Navy to seize American ships as "open enemies," and forced captured American sailors into British naval service. Under 18th-century British and international common law, allegiance and protection were reciprocal. A subject owed allegiance to the King only as long as the King provided legal and military protection to the subject.When King George III signed the Prohibitory Act, he officially declared the American colonists to be outlaws and foreign enemies, effectively declaring war on them. John Adams famously observed that the Prohibitory Act was a British bill of divorce, noting that the British Parliament had thrown the colonies out of the royal protection and made them independent long before Congress voted on it. The colonists listed 27 specific actions where the King had broken British law, including suspending local legislatures, taxing without consent, and signing the Prohibitory Act to wage war against them. Because the King legally withdrew his protection, the colonists argued that they were biblically and legally absolved of their oath of allegiance.As Lutherans, we would say that the colonists applied the role of the Lesser Magistrates from The Magdeburg Confession as the legal and scriptural defense of their actions of separating from the British Empire. (We'll study The Magdeburg Confession this fall in our Wednesday Bible studies.) The "lesser magistrates" were the colonial assemblies and the Continental Congress standing up to shield its citizens from a law-breaking tyrant. This was a lawful act of constitutional resistance. The colonists did not operate as a lawless, revolutionary mob. They resisted and operated under the legal authority of their local governments.These were Christian patriots who declared independence from King George III and the British Empire. They were following St. Paul's directives in Romans 13. They submitted to God's servant of the governing authorities when the governing authorities were submitting to God's will for the benefit of its citizens. They did not want to rebel. But when the governing authorities were opposing God's will and bringing harm upon its citizens, then those authorities were no longer acting as God's servant. Now they were acting as Satan's servant according to Revelation 13. (Again, we'll talk about this more in depth this fall in our Bible studies.) So, they resisted. They were Christian citizens holding their governing authorities accountable to God and his divine will.St. Paul writes, "Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God's institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:1-2). What does the word "submit" mean? As Inigo Montoya famously said to Vizzini in The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." While it might be a famous blunder to get involved in a land war in Asia - only slightly less well-known is this: To define a word apart from its natural, contextual meaning.So, what does "submit" mean? Scripture lays out a pattern for wives to submit to their husbands, children to submit to their parents, slaves to submit to their masters, citizens to submit to their governing authorities, and the Christian Church to submit to Christ. Submission is not servitude or slavery. Nor does submit mean "surrender." Submission is yielding to authority. It is willing subjection to another.Submit is not a synonym for "obey." Otherwise, there would be a lot of unhappy wives if they were called to "obey" their husbands' every word or whim. Submit cannot mean "compelled obedience." Rather, it means humble acceptance, according to the order God has given. As Christian citizens, we owe submission to our governing authorities, not obedience. We owe obedience to God alone. As Jesus says in today's Gospel, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).The concept of submission is closely bound to the concept of headship that St. Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians 11. He begins that discussion with the metaphor of a human head and body, "I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and man is woman's head, and God is Christ's head" (1 Corinthians 11:3). The head guides and directs what the body does, but never in a selfish way. Rather the head always seeks the best interest of the body in everything.The head - whether that's the husband in the home, the pastor in a church, the employer in a business, or the authorities in a government - is not to crush or compel others into submission. Rather, the head exercises its headship in loving service to those it leads within the body.Those within the body - whether that's the wife in the home, the members in a church, the employees in a business, or the citizens in a nation - submit to the proper head. Submission isn't forced. It's an inward attitude toward ordained order and authority. Jesus Christ submitted to his head. Jesus' head was his heavenly Father and his heavenly Father's will.The apostles speak a great deal about submission. Those who are submissive are trusting those with authority to take care of their physical and/or spiritual needs. Those who have authority over us have received that authority from God himself. Whether that be husbands, parents, pastors, or governing authorities - each is established by God, and accountable to him for their use of authority.God has placed these authorities over people for their benefit. Husbands care for, love, and support their wives. Parents feed, clothe, teach, and nurture their children. Pastors provide forgiveness, grace, and blessings in sharing God's Word and Sacraments. Governing authorities provide protection, structure, and order to our communities, states, and nation. When God's servants fulfill their vocations in this earthly kingdom, they bring a measure of peace and order. Such peace and order in God's earthly kingdom make it easier for God's servants to live in and share God's heavenly kingdom.Gladly and willingly entrusting ourselves with an attitude of submission to the authorities God has placed over us is beneficial to everyone involved. It usually brings earthly blessing, avoids earthly punishment, and provides a setting for Christian proclamation.Here in America, our governing authorities are given their authority by "we the people". That means that unlike any other government in existence, our American system of government is both given power by and has its powers limited by the governed. The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution states: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."There may come times when a wife disagrees with her husband's leadership, or children push back against their parents' authority, or citizens civilly resist their governing authorities. As Christians, they dare never do this only because those in authority are doing something they don't like. That's rebellion. Rather, they resist and push back only when the authorities are opposing God's will. They may be promoting something sinful or doing something morally wrong or committing an action that will harm other people. These are not acts of sinful rebellion. Rather, these are examples of Christian resistance as Christians hold those God has placed over them accountable to God's will. Authorities in the home, church, and government are God's servants to follow his divine will for the benefit of those within their care. But when those authorities are opposing God's will, then they are acting as servants of Satan and their own sinful flesh. With their actions, they can only harm those within their care.Some have wrongly concluded that "submit" means "obedience" to the governing authorities. But absolute, unquestioning obedience is no different than worship. In the Book of Revelation, St. John records that in the End Times people will be worshiping the beast of the persecuting government (Revelation 13:4). Those who worship the beast follow it with absolute, unquestioning obedience. We owe absolute, unquestioning obedience to God alone. To others we submit.It's difficult to know when to submit to the governing authorities when they are submitting to God's will or when to resist the governing authorities when they are submitting to Satan's will. That's why constant discussion and evaluation need to happen. We need to continually study God's Word and then apply it to these situations within politics and culture. We ask for grace from our fellow Christians when we disagree. We ask for forgiveness from God when we get it wrong. We ask Jesus to apply his righteousness to our unrighteous living. We thank Jesus for dying on the cross to pay for our unscriptural rebellion or our unbiblical obedience.Jesus submitted to and respected his religious and political leaders. But he also resisted them when they tried exercising authority over him that they didn't have. They were exercising authority that Caesar didn't have. When Jesus was accused by the Sanhedrin, he didn't say anything to them (Matthew 27:12). Jesus didn't answer one word of Governor Pilate's questions (Matthew 27:14). Jesus refused to perform like a circus clown when King Herod wanted Jesus to do miracles for him (Luke 23:8-12). Jesus' perfect resistance to the authorities covers over our imperfect resistance to our authorities.Jesus also submitted to the will of his religious and political leaders. Jesus allowed the Sanhedrin to arrest him and hold a sham trial. Jesus permitted the Roman governor to sentence an innocent man to death. Jesus did not fight back against the Roman soldiers as they tore apart his perfect back with the scourge or pierced his divine skin with nails or crowned his heavenly head with thorns. Jesus willingly submitted to their evil actions. Jesus' perfect submission to the authorities pays for our imperfect submission to our authorities.God used an imperfect government in Daniel's time to accomplish God's will of chastising the Israelites with Babylonian captivity for 70 years. God used an imperfect government in Paul's time to allow it to kill Paul, Peter, and other Christians as martyrs. God used an imperfect government to put the Son of God to death to accomplish our salvation. Then he used the Roman peace, Roman roads, and Greek language of the Roman empire for the spreading of his gospel message through that Roman empire. God still uses the imperfect American government to accomplish his divine will.Signing the Declaration of Independence was a profound act of courage by the colonists. Under British law, the Declaration was a treasonous document. By putting their names on the parchment, each delegate was providing the Crown with written evidence of a capital offense. For this reason, Congress kept the identities of the signers secret from the public for six months until the American victory at Trenton proved the revolution/resistance could survive. We pray that those signers and all the colonists were rightly carrying out God's will in resisting -- and not revolting -- against the British Empire.The same is true for us 250 years later as American citizens. The government is God's servant here on earth. We rightly submit to that servant. We trust that servant serves for our earthly benefit. We must remember, though, that the government is filled with sinners. They make mistakes. They can be selfish and self-serving. They can watch out for and benefit one group of people while unintentionally -- or even intentionally -- ignoring and hurting another group of people. That means that the government is fallible. We still submit to the government as God directs. But, when Christians are not allowed to question, debate, or even resist, then the government becomes infallible. And the only one who is infallible is God.We pray to understand properly and apply accurately God's call to submit. We pray for quiet and peaceful lives of submitting to governing authorities who submit to God's authority. Amen.

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Last week was part one of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union, and he explained to us a bit about who the Gnostic Union is and what they believe in. At the beginning of that episode, I read from the Gnostic Union website their history and mission statement. And my brother Billy called me up and said, “Oh, but there’s a point of their theology that’s all wrong. I know they’re ecumenical and all, but we mustn’t fall into the error of wrong teaching.” And, you know, I totally agree with that concept, not teaching anything that is incorrect or that doesn’t make sense, according to the Gnosticism that I share with you here. And it created a very large discussion between my brother and me. And I don’t even have enough time in this short introduction to go into the point that Bill brought up out of their statement of beliefs. So we’ll wait and we’ll do that when these interviews are all over and that way we can go into depth and give the topic the attention it deserves. You see, the Gnosticism that I share with you here mostly comes from the Tripartite Tractate of the Nag Hammadi. And the Tripartite Tractate is a very unusual book. It is not a book of mythology. It is not a book of ancient myths concerning angels and demigods and great battles in heaven and so forth. It’s not that kind of book. We think of it as physics. It’s literally a book that describes the cosmology and the cosmogony, that is, how consciousness came to be transmitted from the base state of consciousness that we call the Father or the Source, and all the way downstream into, ultimately, us. We’re sitting here talking and thinking about it. This is pure consciousness we’re talking about. It’s not particularities. You understand? Gnosis itself we think of as that river of consciousness. That’s what gnosis is. So, I often say, if my dog can’t understand the gnosis, it’s not really gnosis—it's a knowledge claim. If a blade of grass or a tree in the forest can’t bask in the gnosis, then it’s not really gnosis. It’s a human knowledge claim. This is the reason why here at Gnostic Insights and on the Gnostic Reformation, we do not dwell in the history of things. We dwell in the understanding or the gnosis itself. The cosmogony and cosmology of Gnosticism that I share with you here is a logical step-by-step rollout of the consciousness of the Father or the Source. It doesn’t really matter what you call it. It’s the base state. It’s the matrix of consciousness itself and how it flows down to us. There are necessary steps described in the Tripartite Tractate for how that consciousness is differentiated and particularized and then rolled down. And how it is that we material beings are different than the ethereal beings. How could that have possibly happened? It’s like that. It’s a logical progression that necessarily comes out of an a priori statement of consciousness as the ground state. That’s quite a bit different than mythologies of how these angels fit in with these gods and goddesses down here on earth and so forth. Because those particularities definitely come out of the mind of humans. They can be inspired. Okay, I’ll give you that. But they are knowledge claims. They’re not necessarily gnosis and because of that they can go wrong. They can be wrong. Whereas starting with this a priori notion of consciousness ending up in us and how does that occur? By what means does that possibly happen? And how is it that we earthlings plug into that illimitable consciousness? That’s a different thing. That’s a description of process. That’s an understanding or a gnosis of what it is that we are part of. 15 steps in Gnostic Cosmology So I’m not knocking the history or the particularities that Bishop Wilson shares with us. But the gnosis that leads you to enlightenment is simply this: We come from the Father [El Elyon] or from the Source or from the Mother-Father or from the Great Mother—whatever you want to call it. We come from that Source, that unlimited well of consciousness and life and power and might and love. And then we will return to that. That’s all you have to know. We come from Above and we return to Above. And with that knowledge, that’s your base state. That’s what the blades of grass and the dogs and the trees all understand. All the rest of the particularities of who and why and how, those are just details being filled in. Some of them out of gnosis, but most of them out of tradition or history. So we’ll be proceeding now into part two of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union. And later on, we’re going to talk some more about the difference between mythology and the process of gnosis. That is what this podcast specializes in. That’s what my brother Bill and I have parsed out and discovered out of direct mining of the Tripartite Tractate. Our gnosis comes from that and it proceeds in an orderly fashion that doesn’t require any extra research. It’s all about gnosis and what must be. But here, let’s go back to this interview with Brother Wilson. **************************************************************** Cyd: Well, tell me more about your Bible that you wrote. What do you call it? You call it… Bishop Nathan Wilson: I call it The Gnostic Christian Truth Bible. I actually asked one of the older bishops that trained me, Bishop Jason, and he started that. So, I like the name. So, I thought, okay, I want to put Gnostic Christian in there. So, I was going to call it first the Truth Bible. He requested that, but I thought, well, Gnostic Christian makes it less likely for the Catholics to come after me as well, and the Protestants. Many do not like my translations. They are quite upset that I’ve done this, but they don’t put too much light on me. So, it’s best not to give me too much attention, basically. So, the less attention I have, the less people know about this, but which is something unique about mine. I don’t just offer my translations. I offer the original Koine Greek with it, so they can look at the actual text. So, even if my translation, say, could be wrong, they could look straight at that text and go argue with the text that they see, which I also wanted to include for their own reason, and when I included the alternative English, it’s so I might read it one way, but someone else is going to read it another way, and that can teach me something new. I feel, oh, I didn’t understand it like that. So, that’s why I wanted to keep that in there too, and a couple of words I kept in there were Greek. So, I kept Logos. I kept Kosmos, Zoe, Sophia, Archon. Magus. I kept all these words. So, very, very Gnostic, and you won’t find these in the English translations. They have gone out of their ways to censor them. I also kept the word daemon or daimon, daemon, so I did not put that down as demon because that’s not what it means. So, I kept the original Greek context of use, and I also add a Greek, Koine Greek, index in my translation so people can actually look at little snippets of what these words mean. So, I have some things in here. So, this is just on one page on basically all Greek with English meaning. So, there’s Logos, which I explained means God’s word, God’s authority, God’s reasoning, song, and speech, and utterance. So, when you see Christians speak that Jesus is speaking the Word, or in the beginning there was Word, they are doing a disservice to what’s being implied. This is the word of God. Very different, and even the word God we use is very English. I did keep up, but for the English sake of things. So, English people wouldn’t freak out too much on me, and another thing is also a safer mouthful, because this Word means supreme deity, deity of deities, which is very interesting. Otherwise, we would go into a god, which is lesser gods as well. So, we have a pantheon. So, it was very different, like even monotheism would evolve into what we think it is today, but in the ancient past with ancient Jewish people, they did believe in other gods, it’s just they chose to worship one god. So, this would be not the same as monotheism now, where you completely reject them as non-existent. This wasn’t that case. So, they had a very different mind. So I kept Sophia being wisdom. I mentioned this is how this is feminine wisdom, God’s feminine wisdom, coming from the Hebrew word Chokmah. Sometimes those are called Chokmah. So, I kept that in there as Sophia. Zoe, I kept too, meaning basically when you see eternal Zoe, that’s eternal life. So, that’s implying the feminine wisdom again, but also the spiritual benefits one receives with a spiritual relationship with God, or what’s with mine. So, I kept that in there. So, it’s very feminine, and that’s being removed. They would not want you to know that life is Zoe, and there’s other words they could have used for life or soul, but they chose to use the word Zoe, and that’s important. So, I kept that in there. And I’ve also got Megas. I’ve already mentioned that, but Magus comes from—here’s two words that are entwined, but the thing was the church has used a later translation, which would be terrible, but that’s kind of wrong, and this is because the language would evolve over time. It came to words Megus and Magos, which basically would be Magi, and then great and powerful, larger than life. So, Jesus was also called Iesous Magos. So, Jesus the Great, Jesus the Wise, has been censored because of Magus, and they don’t want you to know about Simon Magus. They don’t want you to know anything about Gnosticism. So, this has been censored, and I’ve also put some passages where find this. I kept Daemon in here, or Diamon. Gehenna, I also translated in here. I kept Gehenna. I did not use hell because hell is German. It’s realm of light in German, so it’s a Germanic word. So, I kept the word Gehenna, which is ultimately what we would kind of call hell, but it’s not what people think it is. That’s an evolved tradition. So, Gehenna or even Abaddon, these are two different words, but the same thing. Gehenna was the place where the soul was destroyed or purified. So, the text can translate to eternal punishment, but that’s not strictly bound to it. That’s more would be a later theology bound to that translation where it means period of time. So, it doesn’t necessarily mean all these different things. It’s like the word soma where it’s all about Jesus’ body. It can be living body, dead body, or a carcass, or even the living body of the church, which is more symbolic, but fascinating. I also kept in here a couple words, such as I explained Hades, which is mentioned with Sheol and how that’s separate from Gehenna. I’ve kept Helios, Selene, Astron, or Asterios, as well as Aletheia. These words are very interesting because they are all gods. They’re all Greco-Roman gods. So, the scholars or, I really should say, a Christian apologist, that state there’s no pagan gods in the New Testament—they are entirely wrong. It’s just that they have looked at it in a modern Greek eye instead of looking at an ancient past—they would have seen the gods being mentioned. So that’s very interesting. So when Jesus says that the stars and the sun is falling, he’s not speaking about the sun and stars. He’s speaking about the Helios, the Roman sun god is falling, and the stars and goddesses falling, as well as Selene, the moon, so the moon goddess. That’s the falling of the pagan Roman gods that was subjecting the Jewish people. So very different theology. So theology matters. So we have to look at how people believed back these times. [Jesus speaks of the stars, moon, and sun in Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:25, Luke 21:25. Assigning them as gods and goddesses is Bishop Wilson's interpretation.] The Jewish people did not like the Romans. Not saying that all of them did not. We had some that were pro-Roman. One of the Romans that was involved in the Jewish revolt, fighting against the Jewish people, was Jewish, which is cool. And he was related to Philo of Alexandria. So very interesting. I think he might be his grandson. Cyd: Let me jump in for a second as we’re speaking about gods and the God Above All Gods versus lesser gods. Is it your thought that the God of the Jews of the Old Testament, Jehovah, is a lesser god as opposed to the God Above All Gods? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Yes. Cyd: Okay, so Jehovah is the tribal god of the Old Testament? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Yes, a bit of a mix. So there’s two gods. Well, there’s a couple, if you’ve got to go every single god being mentioned. But what they’re describing is, say, Deuteronomy 32:8, you have El Elyon dividing up the nations according to the Elohim being children of El, and Yahweh received his inheritance from the most high God. So Yahweh was more like a guardian deity, basically. He was a brother of Baal. But some Canaanites believed that Yahweh was Baal. So Yahweh kind of came later after Baal. But the first to worship Yahweh were the Sashu of Yahweh. So they were Canaanite raiders. Hebrew was also a Canaanite language.  [The earliest trace of Yahweh isn't Israelite—it's desert-born. Egyptian inscriptions speak of the “Shasu of YHW,” nomadic peoples on the edges of Canaan, sometimes regarded as raiders. It suggests the name of Yahweh may have emerged out of the wilderness before it was ever claimed by Israel. Even Hebrew itself comes out of the same Canaanite linguistic world.] So I see the views—the ones that were worshipping El would be the ones that would become the Essenes or Jewish mystics. So the Essenes worshipped El. They didn’t worship Yahweh. They viewed Yahweh as a lesser god, which is one reason they challenged the temple, because they viewed, you guys aren’t worshipping God, you’re worshipping the lesser deity, you’re worshipping an angel. And so they rejected the temple. And the priesthood was corrupt. So then you also had the Magharians or Magarites. They were first century BC era Jews. They were proto-Gnostic, so that’s a scholar term. So they were Jewish mystics. They believed that Yahweh was a demiurge and that he was a lieutenant. So not an evil demiurge, but he was ignorant of the most high Father El Elyon, but that’s not a name to them. That was just a title meaning most high God. So they didn’t believe in God with a name, the unknowable Father, they believed was beyond sex as well. So Mother-Father, basically. So beyond all things. Too perfect to interfere with matter. And they believed that the Torah had been corrupted. So that’s fascinating. So that’s a group that we want to talk about. So we had about 25 different versions of Judaism during that time with all different beliefs. So what type of Jew was Jesus? This makes a big, big difference. So not all Jews worshipped Yahweh. Some viewed him as a lesser God and some viewed him as the devil, which is whack. So the only Gnostics or proto-Gnostics would use that word devil at that time. So we have the wisdom of Solomon, which is the first text adored by Christians that they would say, look, this is our Messiah mentioning he’s a dying and rising Messiah calling himself the Son of God and he’s been crucified. So this means that just like our text, he would die a shameful death. But this text mentions that through death, the devil enters the world. So the Pharisees didn’t believe in the devil. The Sadducees didn’t either. But what’s interesting about the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Herodians, which kind of made up both these groups, they were a part of both, just the Herodians mostly supported King Herod. They believed that either King Herod was the Messiah or his family would be, or they belonged to the Sadducees and didn’t believe in a Messiah. So the Sadducees didn’t believe in angels. They didn’t believe in an afterlife. They believed once you were dead, the soul turned to dust. God was too perfect to interfere with humans. So that’s an interesting belief. But we had different subsects of Sadducees that had a different opinion to that. They believed that God did interfere with humans, but we had total free will. So they could interfere with some things, but there was no Messiah. There was no angels. So they believed that a human could be a messenger of God. That was about it. So like Moses. Then you had the Pharisees. They believed that Satan served Yahweh. His job was to test humanity or seduce humanity away from God. So that way mankind had free will. But some Pharisees didn’t believe that. They believed that Satan, Hasatan, was just symbolic for mankind’s inclination towards evil. So they didn’t believe in an evil being. So their belief was that God ordained good and evil, basically, would use evil for his own will. So that’s trippy, very trippy. So the Pharisees had a very different belief. They didn’t believe in the adversary against God. They didn’t believe in fallen angels. Later on, they would take on this belief, borrowing it from mystics and zealots. So funny enough, they would be influenced by Jesus’ teachings, such as saving a life on the Sabbath. The Pharisees would not do that. But to be fair, some Essenes wouldn’t do that either. Some Essenes were very warlike, wanting to join God’s angelic army fighting at the Armageddon of the last days of the world. But these mystics, they are the only groups that believed in fallen angels and believed in a place of punishment. The only groups. And that’s fascinating. So they believed in a physical adversary against God. And these beliefs are carried on in the Christianity with the Armageddon day, or even the belief that God basically allows Satan to do what he wants, but he’s going to conquer over him. That was an Essene belief. They believed that Belial was the adversary against God, a fallen angel, leader of the fallen angels, and God would allow him the sin because he would destroy him in the end. So that was an Essene belief, but not all that belief. Some believed that basically fallen angels chose to rebel against God, so they had free will and that God would overcome them in the end. So that’s different. So we have to look at those beliefs because that makes a big difference in theology as well. And one reason I chose to keep daemon or daimon in the text is because this doesn’t mean Jesus is casting out evil demons, but rather, well, the ghost of the mystic belief of pagan gods were fallen angels. So he’s casting out pagan gods, or he’s just casting out unclean spirits, depending on what the definition of word is, because that daimon or unclean spirit, for instance, isn’t always referenced to a pagan god. It’s just someone who’s died vengeful or angry at God, and is now just a ghost causing haunting. So it depends on how it’s being used. So I kept those words in there. So if the word said unclean spirit, I kept that as unclean spirit. But if it was going into a daimon for a pagan god, basically I’ll keep it as that daimon, so they could choose how they’re going to read it. Because sometimes you’re dealing with two things at once. Sometimes you’re dealing with an unclean spirit, then a pagan god’s being mentioned too. So this archon ruler’s having little other minions subject under him. So we even have an archon ruler being mentioned. So an archon of the daemons, ruler of pagan gods. So other gods had dominions, basically. So they viewed these other gods having their own realms of power, which we also see in the Gnostic text. So I kept all that. I also kept the archon of the synagogue, which is a ruler of the synagogue. So it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s just political rulers that are mentioned. So an archon of the Gentiles, for instance, is just a ruler of Gentiles, just a politician. I have kept archons in the sense of Yahweh somewhat, I believe, as being the devil. Because in John 8:44, we have Jesus going up to the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians who made up the high priesthood. He says, You are of your father, the devil. But if only these Gnostic Jews believed in the devil and their God is Yahweh, who’s he calling devil? And then when the daemons are calling him Son of the most high God, they’re calling him huios, which means son. Huios tou theou tou hypsistou, which is Greek for Son of the most high God. But if you put this in the Hebrew, it’s Son of El Elyon. So this is what the pagan gods are calling him. So the lesser gods. And then he’s also saying that we’re all the children of El Elyon, which is also fascinating. And also the word for son they’re using just means child. It can be male or female. But again, they’re wanting a male audience. So they restricted it, which is a shame. Cyd: How about the word aeon? A E O N. What do you do with that word? You know, in my work with the Tripartite Tractate, it seems to me that most references of aeon in the New Testament translate it as time, a period of time, or the end of the ages, the ages. Whereas I tend to see it always as eternal beings from the ethereal plane. What do you think about that? Bishop Nathan Wilson: I love that. I think that too. I think it’s a mixture of all these things, which is also, I keep, it depends on the context of use. But a lot of times you do see the text that is referring to a higher being, which is beautiful to mention, especially when you’re looking at Gnostic works. But you do see this in the New Testament as well. So you see one text mentioning, for instance, who is this Sophia and this higher power? And that’s how the text can translate too, which is fascinating. So that means who’s this unknown higher power. And then it mentions about the Aeon. And so you see all this sort of stuff being mentioned. Yes, it means an eternal being or an angelic being, but it can also mean eternity or a period of time. So depending on the context of use. So words have power as well. So that’s interesting. So again, how it’s used can make a world of a difference. And it’s interesting when they’re using certain words because there are some times that they could have chosen to use a different word. So when they’ve used a certain word like that, that can change the entire context of meaning. Cyd: Right. Like saying there’s some reference to judgment at the end of the age. And I’m always thinking that it’s judgment from the Aeons when I see that. But I’m not translating from scratch, I’m taking biblical translation, so what do I know? Bishop Nathan Wilson: You’re spot on though. So you’re correct. So it can translate that as well. And we have to realize that we have different versions of Christianity. So that’s certainly appropriate for a first century understanding. Most people are looking at from fourth century. So you’re looking at it from a first century point of view. And so you’re ahead of others in that sort of case, which is beautiful to see. So that’s rare. And I chose to keep that for that reason. So people can have their own conclusions, not having it forced onto them. Cyd: You are very much into the history of things. You’re an historian. I am not at all interested in history per se. I’m always talking about what other people believed in other times. That is not pertinent to our gnosis here and now. So what do you view the purpose of this deep historical knowledge that you have concerning the Jews and the Essenes and whatnot? And is it necessary to go into all of that? Bishop Nathan Wilson: If you want to, I guess, teach from a historical perspective as well as a spiritual one, then yes. But if you want to go for spiritual, you can just go by the heart. There were plenty of spiritual teachers that were illiterate, that could not read, that could not write, and they had a beautiful message. So there’s something more powerful that we can receive within that you won’t obtain from books. But ultimately, you can also have wisdom gained from books. It can be a form of worship or a form of connecting with the divine as well. We have many forms of worship or many forms of experience what’s divine or having that intimate moment with what’s divine to reflect and to deepen our purpose. I wanted to know the historical man we call Jesus and ultimately put into practice what he put into practice. So I wanted to look at the history side of things and especially also, what’s another word I would like to use, decondition myself, decondition past beliefs that were harmful, that did not serve me and ultimately not serving others, and also find out that I was wrong about many things, which I wanted to know as well. So what brought me to this was to know the man we call Jesus, Yeshua, or Yehoshua, whichever term you like, whichever name you want to use. So I want to know not just that, but I want to know his practices, what he did with his life, how his first followers lived, how the first Christians lived, and what I could use for my own spiritual path and how I could put that into practice. So that’s why I want to look at the history side of things. I think if you want to put into practice the different techniques of all the many different Gnostics, then you’re going to have to look at some of the history side of things to find those practices. That doesn’t mean that every single practice is necessary for you. So what works for me might not work for others. What works for others might not work for me. So double-edged sword. Cyd: What sort of practices are you referring to? Are these rituals? What’s the practices? Bishop Nathan Wilson: I go into some of the ancient rituals as well. Some of them I might look at the prayers that they would use, the diet they would take, or means of worship. So how they would go about their forms of private practice. So that sort of stuff. And then I might apply it into my own life and see how I can go. There’s still more I’d like to go and check out more. So I’m still studying a couple of some of the ancient practices as well. So from different or religious perspectives as well. And then I can see how I can put it to my own form of use. So I looked at a lot of Jewish Christians, they would do the shema for instance, before their meditations. And I’ll do that as well. [“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one… You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength…”] They also did breath works back then, which would also induce a sense of intoxication if you want to use, or light headness. And in turn that can also open a new state of reality. So entering the spiritual realm can be a vehicle, if you will, to get there. So to open the mind. And that’s also a practice that’s been used in ancient past. And we can certainly use that today. We have modern practices, say like Wim Hof, that teach breath work in meditation. That’s also useful. So sometimes looking at the past, we do see stuff in today’s world that’s not really new. It’s just being basically reentering this world again, from past knowledge gained of old. And I find that in a lot of Gnostic stuff. When you look at history, you kind of see that Gnostics kind of did a lot of things first, that what we’re doing now that we think is modern, but it’s not. It’s ancient. Cyd: That’s why conventional Christians who read my books, they say, oh, you’re just all new age. And I’m like, no, it’s not new age at all. It’s ancient. Bishop Nathan Wilson: Which is a shame that Christians have been shut off into their own world, which is kind of funny. I actually tell most Christians that they are, in fact, new age, because these beliefs are ancient. And what they are going by is, depending on what version of Christianity, if you’re Protestant, that’s 16th century, I believe. Non-denominal, 18th century. Protestant, 16th century. Catholicism, late second century. Orthodoxy, as we know it now, would be about 14th century. But older Orthodoxy, which would be the split from the Catholic church, is fourth century. So it’s when you go to Gnostic Christians, first century, and we’re really the only groups that are surviving, the Jewish Christians got killed. They ultimately were wiped out or would convert to mainstream Judaism or would become Christian or Islam, they would follow as well. So some would be converted to Muslims, which is also interesting as well. We as Gnostics were also harmed by these other groups, by Catholics, Protestants, Muslims as well. At one point Zoroastrians, but that was only one particular era. And we’ve basically arisen from all that, from that underground, and we’ve still survived, which is fascinating. It’s beautiful that we have. And also the texts that have been rediscovered, this is not accidental. This is all happening for a reason. What’s divine is experiencing itself where it can experience itself and express itself again safely in today’s world. In ancient past, it was dangerous to have diversion after the fourth century, which is a shame because the Catholics would kill those who came before them. They didn’t like that. And they even knew that some of the Gnostics, they had older writings, but they still denied them, which is funny. So it’s why such the hate, which is such a shame. So it goes back to that control of power, my way or the highway, basically. And it was never meant to be like that. It was meant to be very universal. It was meant to be very diverse. The first Christians were Gnostics and Jewish Christians, a mixture between strict law observing Jews and a mixture of Gentiles. And then you had the Jewish mystics that became the Christian mystics, which is fascinating. That was the original groups. And the original groups would argue amongst each other. The strict law observing Jews wanted circumcision, where the mystics said, no, no circumcision of the hearts, let the Gentiles come. That’s fine. So even when we look at the word, say, ethnos, for instance, in the Gospels, when you see kingdom against kingdom, nation against nation, these are the same things. So what they’re actually talking about is Gentile against Gentile and kingdom against kingdom. So the Jewish people didn’t have a kingdom at this stage. It was a mixture of Judea, Galilee and Samaria. So we’re the Samaritans. So that’s also something to take into account, too. So they didn’t like that. They were looking for a messiah to reunify the Jewish people, restore the Jewish faith and make Israel a kingdom again. And so some of them didn’t like the fact that Jesus wasn’t after this, for instance. So they didn’t like some of these teachings. It was a bit different. But if you look at the mystics, they had a very different interpretations. They did believe in a renewal of the Jewish faith, but a renewal back to El Elyon and a rejection of Yahweh. So that’s very different. So when you look at repentance, for Israel to repent, meaning for all of Israel to return back to El Elyon. And if you look at for the Gentiles conversion, that would be referring to not converting to any religion, but converting to God. So God outside religion. So fascinating. So you see all this in the original text. Cyd: And why do you suppose, this might be an unanswerable question, but why do you suppose conventional modern Christians are so, you know, extremely antagonistic towards Gnostic Christians? Is it fear or what? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Well, they’ve been told you're the enemy, basically. And yes, some of it is fear. Fear as well of the unknown. And also because of the need of an opponent. So they believe that they are doing a good thing. And if they don’t do this, they can be punished. So it’s the case of where a victim becomes an abuser. So most Christians have never even heard about Gnostics. It’s only the real ones who are into spiritual warfare, basically, and really full on extremist dogmatic ones that are familiar with, and apologetics. But they are now feeling like they’re losing the battle because more people were interested in Gnosticism and especially interested in other Jewish groups and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the Nag Hammadi. So they’re realizing their other texts and there’s other options now. And that’s great. And regarding even my translations, one reason I chose to do it that I did, I found out that no modern English Bible translates from one source material. They’re all a mixture of different sources. So we have the Codex Sinaiticus mixed with the Latin Vulgate, mixing with Germanic copies, and then mixing ancient Koine Greek into modern Hebrew, putting it back into Greek. And that’s not good at all. So we’re just changing—we’re swapping chapters because we feel uncomfortable with them. So I was mortified when I was looking at that. And so I realized I couldn’t trust basically my Bible anymore. So I thought, well, I’m making this myself. And then I thought, well, I’m going to release it. Let’s go and share it too and do what they will with it. And it opened a lot of doorways to me, actually. So that’s one reason I wanted to give that out so people can have their own faith in their own interpretation and also believe in the message of Yeshua, bringing people back to the Most High God, to the Unknowable God, the Living Father, the Mother-Father. And we also see the Mother being mentioned in other texts too. It’s just mostly blocked out by mainstream Christianity, which is unfair, unfair to women and unfair to humanity with their approaches. It’s been very violent. So we need to remove that violence because that’s nothing to do with Yeshua’s teachings. He didn’t teach us to go around fighting each other. He said, Those who are for me are with me. They don’t understand his message. They very much follow the Catholic teachings of Paul that they’ve been given. And so they can look at the Gnostic teachings of Paul as well, which are also in there. Paul’s letters, we now know they’re mostly all forgeries. We don’t have any original copies either. They’re all later fourth century and we have some second century fragments. But the oldest reference to Paul is from the Ten Letters of Marcion. And he’s the man who compiled the first Christian Bible. And some people can argue, some people don’t believe he was a Gnostic. Others think he was a Gnostic. I think he was a type of Gnostic because he believed in a demiurge. So he believed that the God of the Jews was Yahweh and not the Supreme God of Jesus. That is a very Gnostic belief. But the thing is, the word Gnostic was given to us by the Catholic church, was a way of separating us and identifying us. But we wear it as a badge of honor because we understand they’re just calling us knowledgeable Christians, which is kind of funny. So language is powerful and the Catholic church certainly forgot it. So because of them, we now use daimon as demon. So they’ve basically demonized Jesus. They’ve demonized the Holy Spirit, which is their greatest sin. And they’ve demonized God and every other God. So they don’t know what damage they’ve done. And that’s not good. So I wanted to reverse that damage and bring people back to what I believe is the message of Yeshua, of Jesus, and to have their own spiritual relationship with God, an individual relationship, which is something that I want to see more of. That’s a very beautiful thing. You can’t define that intimate experience without living it. Cyd: Right, right. Well, that's all we have time for in this episode. We'll pick it up again next week for part three of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union Church.  I like the way he talks, huh? Until next week, onward and upward and God bless us all.

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Last week was part one of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union, and he explained to us a bit about who the Gnostic Union is and what they believe in. At the beginning of that episode, I read from the Gnostic Union website their history and mission statement. And my brother Billy called me up and said, “Oh, but there’s a point of their theology that’s all wrong. I know they’re ecumenical and all, but we mustn’t fall into the error of wrong teaching.” And, you know, I totally agree with that concept, not teaching anything that is incorrect or that doesn’t make sense, according to the Gnosticism that I share with you here. And it created a very large discussion between my brother and me. And I don’t even have enough time in this short introduction to go into the point that Bill brought up out of their statement of beliefs. So we’ll wait and we’ll do that when these interviews are all over and that way we can go into depth and give the topic the attention it deserves. You see, the Gnosticism that I share with you here mostly comes from the Tripartite Tractate of the Nag Hammadi. And the Tripartite Tractate is a very unusual book. It is not a book of mythology. It is not a book of ancient myths concerning angels and demigods and great battles in heaven and so forth. It’s not that kind of book. We think of it as physics. It’s literally a book that describes the cosmology and the cosmogony, that is, how consciousness came to be transmitted from the base state of consciousness that we call the Father or the Source, and all the way downstream into, ultimately, us. We’re sitting here talking and thinking about it. This is pure consciousness we’re talking about. It’s not particularities. You understand? Gnosis itself we think of as that river of consciousness. That’s what gnosis is. So, I often say, if my dog can’t understand the gnosis, it’s not really gnosis—it's a knowledge claim. If a blade of grass or a tree in the forest can’t bask in the gnosis, then it’s not really gnosis. It’s a human knowledge claim. This is the reason why here at Gnostic Insights and on the Gnostic Reformation, we do not dwell in the history of things. We dwell in the understanding or the gnosis itself. The cosmogony and cosmology of Gnosticism that I share with you here is a logical step-by-step rollout of the consciousness of the Father or the Source. It doesn’t really matter what you call it. It’s the base state. It’s the matrix of consciousness itself and how it flows down to us. There are necessary steps described in the Tripartite Tractate for how that consciousness is differentiated and particularized and then rolled down. And how it is that we material beings are different than the ethereal beings. How could that have possibly happened? It’s like that. It’s a logical progression that necessarily comes out of an a priori statement of consciousness as the ground state. That’s quite a bit different than mythologies of how these angels fit in with these gods and goddesses down here on earth and so forth. Because those particularities definitely come out of the mind of humans. They can be inspired. Okay, I’ll give you that. But they are knowledge claims. They’re not necessarily gnosis and because of that they can go wrong. They can be wrong. Whereas starting with this a priori notion of consciousness ending up in us and how does that occur? By what means does that possibly happen? And how is it that we earthlings plug into that illimitable consciousness? That’s a different thing. That’s a description of process. That’s an understanding or a gnosis of what it is that we are part of. 15 steps in Gnostic Cosmology So I’m not knocking the history or the particularities that Bishop Wilson shares with us. But the gnosis that leads you to enlightenment is simply this: We come from the Father [El Elyon] or from the Source or from the Mother-Father or from the Great Mother—whatever you want to call it. We come from that Source, that unlimited well of consciousness and life and power and might and love. And then we will return to that. That’s all you have to know. We come from Above and we return to Above. And with that knowledge, that’s your base state. That’s what the blades of grass and the dogs and the trees all understand. All the rest of the particularities of who and why and how, those are just details being filled in. Some of them out of gnosis, but most of them out of tradition or history. So we’ll be proceeding now into part two of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of the Gnostic Union. And later on, we’re going to talk some more about the difference between mythology and the process of gnosis. That is what this podcast specializes in. That’s what my brother Bill and I have parsed out and discovered out of direct mining of the Tripartite Tractate. Our gnosis comes from that and it proceeds in an orderly fashion that doesn’t require any extra research. It’s all about gnosis and what must be. But here, let’s go back to this interview with Brother Wilson. **************************************************************** Cyd: Well, tell me more about your Bible that you wrote. What do you call it? You call it… Bishop Nathan Wilson: I call it The Gnostic Christian Truth Bible. I actually asked one of the older bishops that trained me, Bishop Jason, and he started that. So, I like the name. So, I thought, okay, I want to put Gnostic Christian in there. So, I was going to call it first the Truth Bible. He requested that, but I thought, well, Gnostic Christian makes it less likely for the Catholics to come after me as well, and the Protestants. Many do not like my translations. They are quite upset that I’ve done this, but they don’t put too much light on me. So, it’s best not to give me too much attention, basically. So, the less attention I have, the less people know about this, but which is something unique about mine. I don’t just offer my translations. I offer the original Koine Greek with it, so they can look at the actual text. So, even if my translation, say, could be wrong, they could look straight at that text and go argue with the text that they see, which I also wanted to include for their own reason, and when I included the alternative English, it’s so I might read it one way, but someone else is going to read it another way, and that can teach me something new. I feel, oh, I didn’t understand it like that. So, that’s why I wanted to keep that in there too, and a couple of words I kept in there were Greek. So, I kept Logos. I kept Kosmos, Zoe, Sophia, Archon. Magus. I kept all these words. So, very, very Gnostic, and you won’t find these in the English translations. They have gone out of their ways to censor them. I also kept the word daemon or daimon, daemon, so I did not put that down as demon because that’s not what it means. So, I kept the original Greek context of use, and I also add a Greek, Koine Greek, index in my translation so people can actually look at little snippets of what these words mean. So, I have some things in here. So, this is just on one page on basically all Greek with English meaning. So, there’s Logos, which I explained means God’s word, God’s authority, God’s reasoning, song, and speech, and utterance. So, when you see Christians speak that Jesus is speaking the Word, or in the beginning there was Word, they are doing a disservice to what’s being implied. This is the word of God. Very different, and even the word God we use is very English. I did keep up, but for the English sake of things. So, English people wouldn’t freak out too much on me, and another thing is also a safer mouthful, because this Word means supreme deity, deity of deities, which is very interesting. Otherwise, we would go into a god, which is lesser gods as well. So, we have a pantheon. So, it was very different, like even monotheism would evolve into what we think it is today, but in the ancient past with ancient Jewish people, they did believe in other gods, it’s just they chose to worship one god. So, this would be not the same as monotheism now, where you completely reject them as non-existent. This wasn’t that case. So, they had a very different mind. So I kept Sophia being wisdom. I mentioned this is how this is feminine wisdom, God’s feminine wisdom, coming from the Hebrew word Chokmah. Sometimes those are called Chokmah. So, I kept that in there as Sophia. Zoe, I kept too, meaning basically when you see eternal Zoe, that’s eternal life. So, that’s implying the feminine wisdom again, but also the spiritual benefits one receives with a spiritual relationship with God, or what’s with mine. So, I kept that in there. So, it’s very feminine, and that’s being removed. They would not want you to know that life is Zoe, and there’s other words they could have used for life or soul, but they chose to use the word Zoe, and that’s important. So, I kept that in there. And I’ve also got Megas. I’ve already mentioned that, but Magus comes from—here’s two words that are entwined, but the thing was the church has used a later translation, which would be terrible, but that’s kind of wrong, and this is because the language would evolve over time. It came to words Megus and Magos, which basically would be Magi, and then great and powerful, larger than life. So, Jesus was also called Iesous Magos. So, Jesus the Great, Jesus the Wise, has been censored because of Magus, and they don’t want you to know about Simon Magus. They don’t want you to know anything about Gnosticism. So, this has been censored, and I’ve also put some passages where find this. I kept Daemon in here, or Diamon. Gehenna, I also translated in here. I kept Gehenna. I did not use hell because hell is German. It’s realm of light in German, so it’s a Germanic word. So, I kept the word Gehenna, which is ultimately what we would kind of call hell, but it’s not what people think it is. That’s an evolved tradition. So, Gehenna or even Abaddon, these are two different words, but the same thing. Gehenna was the place where the soul was destroyed or purified. So, the text can translate to eternal punishment, but that’s not strictly bound to it. That’s more would be a later theology bound to that translation where it means period of time. So, it doesn’t necessarily mean all these different things. It’s like the word soma where it’s all about Jesus’ body. It can be living body, dead body, or a carcass, or even the living body of the church, which is more symbolic, but fascinating. I also kept in here a couple words, such as I explained Hades, which is mentioned with Sheol and how that’s separate from Gehenna. I’ve kept Helios, Selene, Astron, or Asterios, as well as Aletheia. These words are very interesting because they are all gods. They’re all Greco-Roman gods. So, the scholars or, I really should say, a Christian apologist, that state there’s no pagan gods in the New Testament—they are entirely wrong. It’s just that they have looked at it in a modern Greek eye instead of looking at an ancient past—they would have seen the gods being mentioned. So that’s very interesting. So when Jesus says that the stars and the sun is falling, he’s not speaking about the sun and stars. He’s speaking about the Helios, the Roman sun god is falling, and the stars and goddesses falling, as well as Selene, the moon, so the moon goddess. That’s the falling of the pagan Roman gods that was subjecting the Jewish people. So very different theology. So theology matters. So we have to look at how people believed back these times. [Jesus speaks of the stars, moon, and sun in Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:25, Luke 21:25. Assigning them as gods and goddesses is Bishop Wilson's interpretation.] The Jewish people did not like the Romans. Not saying that all of them did not. We had some that were pro-Roman. One of the Romans that was involved in the Jewish revolt, fighting against the Jewish people, was Jewish, which is cool. And he was related to Philo of Alexandria. So very interesting. I think he might be his grandson. Cyd: Let me jump in for a second as we’re speaking about gods and the God Above All Gods versus lesser gods. Is it your thought that the God of the Jews of the Old Testament, Jehovah, is a lesser god as opposed to the God Above All Gods? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Yes. Cyd: Okay, so Jehovah is the tribal god of the Old Testament? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Yes, a bit of a mix. So there’s two gods. Well, there’s a couple, if you’ve got to go every single god being mentioned. But what they’re describing is, say, Deuteronomy 32:8, you have El Elyon dividing up the nations according to the Elohim being children of El, and Yahweh received his inheritance from the most high God. So Yahweh was more like a guardian deity, basically. He was a brother of Baal. But some Canaanites believed that Yahweh was Baal. So Yahweh kind of came later after Baal. But the first to worship Yahweh were the Sashu of Yahweh. So they were Canaanite raiders. Hebrew was also a Canaanite language.  [The earliest trace of Yahweh isn't Israelite—it's desert-born. Egyptian inscriptions speak of the “Shasu of YHW,” nomadic peoples on the edges of Canaan, sometimes regarded as raiders. It suggests the name of Yahweh may have emerged out of the wilderness before it was ever claimed by Israel. Even Hebrew itself comes out of the same Canaanite linguistic world.] So I see the views—the ones that were worshipping El would be the ones that would become the Essenes or Jewish mystics. So the Essenes worshipped El. They didn’t worship Yahweh. They viewed Yahweh as a lesser god, which is one reason they challenged the temple, because they viewed, you guys aren’t worshipping God, you’re worshipping the lesser deity, you’re worshipping an angel. And so they rejected the temple. And the priesthood was corrupt. So then you also had the Magharians or Magarites. They were first century BC era Jews. They were proto-Gnostic, so that’s a scholar term. So they were Jewish mystics. They believed that Yahweh was a demiurge and that he was a lieutenant. So not an evil demiurge, but he was ignorant of the most high Father El Elyon, but that’s not a name to them. That was just a title meaning most high God. So they didn’t believe in God with a name, the unknowable Father, they believed was beyond sex as well. So Mother-Father, basically. So beyond all things. Too perfect to interfere with matter. And they believed that the Torah had been corrupted. So that’s fascinating. So that’s a group that we want to talk about. So we had about 25 different versions of Judaism during that time with all different beliefs. So what type of Jew was Jesus? This makes a big, big difference. So not all Jews worshipped Yahweh. Some viewed him as a lesser God and some viewed him as the devil, which is whack. So the only Gnostics or proto-Gnostics would use that word devil at that time. So we have the wisdom of Solomon, which is the first text adored by Christians that they would say, look, this is our Messiah mentioning he’s a dying and rising Messiah calling himself the Son of God and he’s been crucified. So this means that just like our text, he would die a shameful death. But this text mentions that through death, the devil enters the world. So the Pharisees didn’t believe in the devil. The Sadducees didn’t either. But what’s interesting about the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Herodians, which kind of made up both these groups, they were a part of both, just the Herodians mostly supported King Herod. They believed that either King Herod was the Messiah or his family would be, or they belonged to the Sadducees and didn’t believe in a Messiah. So the Sadducees didn’t believe in angels. They didn’t believe in an afterlife. They believed once you were dead, the soul turned to dust. God was too perfect to interfere with humans. So that’s an interesting belief. But we had different subsects of Sadducees that had a different opinion to that. They believed that God did interfere with humans, but we had total free will. So they could interfere with some things, but there was no Messiah. There was no angels. So they believed that a human could be a messenger of God. That was about it. So like Moses. Then you had the Pharisees. They believed that Satan served Yahweh. His job was to test humanity or seduce humanity away from God. So that way mankind had free will. But some Pharisees didn’t believe that. They believed that Satan, Hasatan, was just symbolic for mankind’s inclination towards evil. So they didn’t believe in an evil being. So their belief was that God ordained good and evil, basically, would use evil for his own will. So that’s trippy, very trippy. So the Pharisees had a very different belief. They didn’t believe in the adversary against God. They didn’t believe in fallen angels. Later on, they would take on this belief, borrowing it from mystics and zealots. So funny enough, they would be influenced by Jesus’ teachings, such as saving a life on the Sabbath. The Pharisees would not do that. But to be fair, some Essenes wouldn’t do that either. Some Essenes were very warlike, wanting to join God’s angelic army fighting at the Armageddon of the last days of the world. But these mystics, they are the only groups that believed in fallen angels and believed in a place of punishment. The only groups. And that’s fascinating. So they believed in a physical adversary against God. And these beliefs are carried on in the Christianity with the Armageddon day, or even the belief that God basically allows Satan to do what he wants, but he’s going to conquer over him. That was an Essene belief. They believed that Belial was the adversary against God, a fallen angel, leader of the fallen angels, and God would allow him the sin because he would destroy him in the end. So that was an Essene belief, but not all that belief. Some believed that basically fallen angels chose to rebel against God, so they had free will and that God would overcome them in the end. So that’s different. So we have to look at those beliefs because that makes a big difference in theology as well. And one reason I chose to keep daemon or daimon in the text is because this doesn’t mean Jesus is casting out evil demons, but rather, well, the ghost of the mystic belief of pagan gods were fallen angels. So he’s casting out pagan gods, or he’s just casting out unclean spirits, depending on what the definition of word is, because that daimon or unclean spirit, for instance, isn’t always referenced to a pagan god. It’s just someone who’s died vengeful or angry at God, and is now just a ghost causing haunting. So it depends on how it’s being used. So I kept those words in there. So if the word said unclean spirit, I kept that as unclean spirit. But if it was going into a daimon for a pagan god, basically I’ll keep it as that daimon, so they could choose how they’re going to read it. Because sometimes you’re dealing with two things at once. Sometimes you’re dealing with an unclean spirit, then a pagan god’s being mentioned too. So this archon ruler’s having little other minions subject under him. So we even have an archon ruler being mentioned. So an archon of the daemons, ruler of pagan gods. So other gods had dominions, basically. So they viewed these other gods having their own realms of power, which we also see in the Gnostic text. So I kept all that. I also kept the archon of the synagogue, which is a ruler of the synagogue. So it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s just political rulers that are mentioned. So an archon of the Gentiles, for instance, is just a ruler of Gentiles, just a politician. I have kept archons in the sense of Yahweh somewhat, I believe, as being the devil. Because in John 8:44, we have Jesus going up to the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians who made up the high priesthood. He says, You are of your father, the devil. But if only these Gnostic Jews believed in the devil and their God is Yahweh, who’s he calling devil? And then when the daemons are calling him Son of the most high God, they’re calling him huios, which means son. Huios tou theou tou hypsistou, which is Greek for Son of the most high God. But if you put this in the Hebrew, it’s Son of El Elyon. So this is what the pagan gods are calling him. So the lesser gods. And then he’s also saying that we’re all the children of El Elyon, which is also fascinating. And also the word for son they’re using just means child. It can be male or female. But again, they’re wanting a male audience. So they restricted it, which is a shame. Cyd: How about the word aeon? A E O N. What do you do with that word? You know, in my work with the Tripartite Tractate, it seems to me that most references of aeon in the New Testament translate it as time, a period of time, or the end of the ages, the ages. Whereas I tend to see it always as eternal beings from the ethereal plane. What do you think about that? Bishop Nathan Wilson: I love that. I think that too. I think it’s a mixture of all these things, which is also, I keep, it depends on the context of use. But a lot of times you do see the text that is referring to a higher being, which is beautiful to mention, especially when you’re looking at Gnostic works. But you do see this in the New Testament as well. So you see one text mentioning, for instance, who is this Sophia and this higher power? And that’s how the text can translate too, which is fascinating. So that means who’s this unknown higher power. And then it mentions about the Aeon. And so you see all this sort of stuff being mentioned. Yes, it means an eternal being or an angelic being, but it can also mean eternity or a period of time. So depending on the context of use. So words have power as well. So that’s interesting. So again, how it’s used can make a world of a difference. And it’s interesting when they’re using certain words because there are some times that they could have chosen to use a different word. So when they’ve used a certain word like that, that can change the entire context of meaning. Cyd: Right. Like saying there’s some reference to judgment at the end of the age. And I’m always thinking that it’s judgment from the Aeons when I see that. But I’m not translating from scratch, I’m taking biblical translation, so what do I know? Bishop Nathan Wilson: You’re spot on though. So you’re correct. So it can translate that as well. And we have to realize that we have different versions of Christianity. So that’s certainly appropriate for a first century understanding. Most people are looking at from fourth century. So you’re looking at it from a first century point of view. And so you’re ahead of others in that sort of case, which is beautiful to see. So that’s rare. And I chose to keep that for that reason. So people can have their own conclusions, not having it forced onto them. Cyd: You are very much into the history of things. You’re an historian. I am not at all interested in history per se. I’m always talking about what other people believed in other times. That is not pertinent to our gnosis here and now. So what do you view the purpose of this deep historical knowledge that you have concerning the Jews and the Essenes and whatnot? And is it necessary to go into all of that? Bishop Nathan Wilson: If you want to, I guess, teach from a historical perspective as well as a spiritual one, then yes. But if you want to go for spiritual, you can just go by the heart. There were plenty of spiritual teachers that were illiterate, that could not read, that could not write, and they had a beautiful message. So there’s something more powerful that we can receive within that you won’t obtain from books. But ultimately, you can also have wisdom gained from books. It can be a form of worship or a form of connecting with the divine as well. We have many forms of worship or many forms of experience what’s divine or having that intimate moment with what’s divine to reflect and to deepen our purpose. I wanted to know the historical man we call Jesus and ultimately put into practice what he put into practice. So I wanted to look at the history side of things and especially also, what’s another word I would like to use, decondition myself, decondition past beliefs that were harmful, that did not serve me and ultimately not serving others, and also find out that I was wrong about many things, which I wanted to know as well. So what brought me to this was to know the man we call Jesus, Yeshua, or Yehoshua, whichever term you like, whichever name you want to use. So I want to know not just that, but I want to know his practices, what he did with his life, how his first followers lived, how the first Christians lived, and what I could use for my own spiritual path and how I could put that into practice. So that’s why I want to look at the history side of things. I think if you want to put into practice the different techniques of all the many different Gnostics, then you’re going to have to look at some of the history side of things to find those practices. That doesn’t mean that every single practice is necessary for you. So what works for me might not work for others. What works for others might not work for me. So double-edged sword. Cyd: What sort of practices are you referring to? Are these rituals? What’s the practices? Bishop Nathan Wilson: I go into some of the ancient rituals as well. Some of them I might look at the prayers that they would use, the diet they would take, or means of worship. So how they would go about their forms of private practice. So that sort of stuff. And then I might apply it into my own life and see how I can go. There’s still more I’d like to go and check out more. So I’m still studying a couple of some of the ancient practices as well. So from different or religious perspectives as well. And then I can see how I can put it to my own form of use. So I looked at a lot of Jewish Christians, they would do the shema for instance, before their meditations. And I’ll do that as well. [“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one… You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength…”] They also did breath works back then, which would also induce a sense of intoxication if you want to use, or light headness. And in turn that can also open a new state of reality. So entering the spiritual realm can be a vehicle, if you will, to get there. So to open the mind. And that’s also a practice that’s been used in ancient past. And we can certainly use that today. We have modern practices, say like Wim Hof, that teach breath work in meditation. That’s also useful. So sometimes looking at the past, we do see stuff in today’s world that’s not really new. It’s just being basically reentering this world again, from past knowledge gained of old. And I find that in a lot of Gnostic stuff. When you look at history, you kind of see that Gnostics kind of did a lot of things first, that what we’re doing now that we think is modern, but it’s not. It’s ancient. Cyd: That’s why conventional Christians who read my books, they say, oh, you’re just all new age. And I’m like, no, it’s not new age at all. It’s ancient. Bishop Nathan Wilson: Which is a shame that Christians have been shut off into their own world, which is kind of funny. I actually tell most Christians that they are, in fact, new age, because these beliefs are ancient. And what they are going by is, depending on what version of Christianity, if you’re Protestant, that’s 16th century, I believe. Non-denominal, 18th century. Protestant, 16th century. Catholicism, late second century. Orthodoxy, as we know it now, would be about 14th century. But older Orthodoxy, which would be the split from the Catholic church, is fourth century. So it’s when you go to Gnostic Christians, first century, and we’re really the only groups that are surviving, the Jewish Christians got killed. They ultimately were wiped out or would convert to mainstream Judaism or would become Christian or Islam, they would follow as well. So some would be converted to Muslims, which is also interesting as well. We as Gnostics were also harmed by these other groups, by Catholics, Protestants, Muslims as well. At one point Zoroastrians, but that was only one particular era. And we’ve basically arisen from all that, from that underground, and we’ve still survived, which is fascinating. It’s beautiful that we have. And also the texts that have been rediscovered, this is not accidental. This is all happening for a reason. What’s divine is experiencing itself where it can experience itself and express itself again safely in today’s world. In ancient past, it was dangerous to have diversion after the fourth century, which is a shame because the Catholics would kill those who came before them. They didn’t like that. And they even knew that some of the Gnostics, they had older writings, but they still denied them, which is funny. So it’s why such the hate, which is such a shame. So it goes back to that control of power, my way or the highway, basically. And it was never meant to be like that. It was meant to be very universal. It was meant to be very diverse. The first Christians were Gnostics and Jewish Christians, a mixture between strict law observing Jews and a mixture of Gentiles. And then you had the Jewish mystics that became the Christian mystics, which is fascinating. That was the original groups. And the original groups would argue amongst each other. The strict law observing Jews wanted circumcision, where the mystics said, no, no circumcision of the hearts, let the Gentiles come. That’s fine. So even when we look at the word, say, ethnos, for instance, in the Gospels, when you see kingdom against kingdom, nation against nation, these are the same things. So what they’re actually talking about is Gentile against Gentile and kingdom against kingdom. So the Jewish people didn’t have a kingdom at this stage. It was a mixture of Judea, Galilee and Samaria. So we’re the Samaritans. So that’s also something to take into account, too. So they didn’t like that. They were looking for a messiah to reunify the Jewish people, restore the Jewish faith and make Israel a kingdom again. And so some of them didn’t like the fact that Jesus wasn’t after this, for instance. So they didn’t like some of these teachings. It was a bit different. But if you look at the mystics, they had a very different interpretations. They did believe in a renewal of the Jewish faith, but a renewal back to El Elyon and a rejection of Yahweh. So that’s very different. So when you look at repentance, for Israel to repent, meaning for all of Israel to return back to El Elyon. And if you look at for the Gentiles conversion, that would be referring to not converting to any religion, but converting to God. So God outside religion. So fascinating. So you see all this in the original text. Cyd: And why do you suppose, this might be an unanswerable question, but why do you suppose conventional modern Christians are so, you know, extremely antagonistic towards Gnostic Christians? Is it fear or what? Bishop Nathan Wilson: Well, they’ve been told you're the enemy, basically. And yes, some of it is fear. Fear as well of the unknown. And also because of the need of an opponent. So they believe that they are doing a good thing. And if they don’t do this, they can be punished. So it’s the case of where a victim becomes an abuser. So most Christians have never even heard about Gnostics. It’s only the real ones who are into spiritual warfare, basically, and really full on extremist dogmatic ones that are familiar with, and apologetics. But they are now feeling like they’re losing the battle because more people were interested in Gnosticism and especially interested in other Jewish groups and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the Nag Hammadi. So they’re realizing their other texts and there’s other options now. And that’s great. And regarding even my translations, one reason I chose to do it that I did, I found out that no modern English Bible translates from one source material. They’re all a mixture of different sources. So we have the Codex Sinaiticus mixed with the Latin Vulgate, mixing with Germanic copies, and then mixing ancient Koine Greek into modern Hebrew, putting it back into Greek. And that’s not good at all. So we’re just changing—we’re swapping chapters because we feel uncomfortable with them. So I was mortified when I was looking at that. And so I realized I couldn’t trust basically my Bible anymore. So I thought, well, I’m making this myself. And then I thought, well, I’m going to release it. Let’s go and share it too and do what they will with it. And it opened a lot of doorways to me, actually. So that’s one reason I wanted to give that out so people can have their own faith in their own interpretation and also believe in the message of Yeshua, bringing people back to the Most High God, to the Unknowable God, the Living Father, the Mother-Father. And we also see the Mother being mentioned in other texts too. It’s just mostly blocked out by mainstream Christianity, which is unfair, unfair to women and unfair to humanity with their approaches. It’s been very violent. So we need to remove that violence because that’s nothing to do with Yeshua’s teachings. He didn’t teach us to go around fighting each other. He said, Those who are for me are with me. They don’t understand his message. They very much follow the Catholic teachings of Paul that they’ve been given. And so they can look at the Gnostic teachings of Paul as well, which are also in there. Paul’s letters, we now know they’re mostly all forgeries. We don’t have any original copies either. They’re all later fourth century and we have some second century fragments. But the oldest reference to Paul is from the Ten Letters of Marcion. And he’s the man who compiled the first Christian Bible. And some people can argue, some people don’t believe he was a Gnostic. Others think he was a Gnostic. I think he was a type of Gnostic because he believed in a demiurge. So he believed that the God of the Jews was Yahweh and not the Supreme God of Jesus. That is a very Gnostic belief. But the thing is, the word Gnostic was given to us by the Catholic church, was a way of separating us and identifying us. But we wear it as a badge of honor because we understand they’re just calling us knowledgeable Christians, which is kind of funny. So language is powerful and the Catholic church certainly forgot it. So because of them, we now use daimon as demon. So they’ve basically demonized Jesus. They’ve demonized the Holy Spirit, which is their greatest sin. And they’ve demonized God and every other God. So they don’t know what damage they’ve done. And that’s not good. So I wanted to reverse that damage and bring people back to what I believe is the message of Yeshua, of Jesus, and to have their own spiritual relationship with God, an individual relationship, which is something that I want to see more of. That’s a very beautiful thing. You can’t define that intimate experience without living it. Cyd: Right, right. Well, that's all we have time for in this episode. We'll pick it up again next week for part three of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union Church.  I like the way he talks, huh? Until next week, onward and upward and God bless us all.

What may happen to faithful servants? Mark 6:14–29 prepares us for the hearing of God's Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord's Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that faithful servants of Christ may, in this life, find themselves brutally and treacherously murdered. This devotional examines the tragic execution of John the Baptist to illustrate how faithful and holy believers may suffer despite their righteousness. Pastor analyzes King Herod's sinful self-indulgence and rash oath as catalysts for this injustice, emphasizing that such events do not contradict God's sovereign rule. Believers are encouraged to humble themselves before divine providence rather than placing their hope in earthly success or personal plans. The message urges the hearer to maintain confidence in Christ, and remain steadfast in holiness, regardless of external circumstances. Ultimately, hope is placed in God's secret will and the certainty of salvation rather than immediate earthly vindication.

Pastor focuses in on Gamaliel's Speech found in Acts 5:34-39.   We know about Gamliel from the Bible, the writings of Josephus and rabbinical writings: Grandson of the Jewish teacher Hillel Especially influential ca 25-50 A.D. President of the Sanhedrin A devout and respected Pharisee Teacher of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22:3)   In comparing Josephus' writings with the Bible we find an issue with Acts 5:36-37 "Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered."   The Controversy is the dating of the two men as this is what we know about them from Josephus:  Theudas - revolt at the time of the Roman procurator, Cuspius Faus (44-46 A.D.)  Judas the Galilean - rebellion in 6 A.D.    According to the Acts verses written by Luke, he quotes Gamaliel as saying that Judas the Galilean's rebellion came AFTER Theudas' revolt, but what we know about these two men  from Josephus, shows us that Judas the Galilean's rebellion came BEFORE Theudas' revolt.   The Alternatives we can consider: Josephus was correct, Luke was wrong Luke was correct, Josephus was wrong Both Luke and Josephus were correct.   Pastor leans toward "Both Luke and Josephus being correct."    In Josephus' writings we read of Judas the Galilean as having led a band of people in revolt in 6 A.D.    In Josephus' writings we also read that after the death of King Herod the Great (about 4 B.C.) many revolted. Josephus does not name them.but clearly these rebellions were BEFORE Judas' revolt. Consider this: Is it possible that one of those individuals was named Theudas? Then the writings of Josephus and the Bible align.   Additionally, Luke gives this insight, he tells us that Gamaliel said the following, "Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered."  Note that Gamaliel said ALL Judas' followers were scattered." But history shows us that Gamaliel saw Judas' rebellion as having come to nothing. However, about 25-30 years after Gamaliel spoke these words, those followers of Judas the Galilean not only were around, but had grown in number and ultimately triggered the revolt against Rome in 66 A.D.    What we see is an accurate account by Luke of what took place on the day the Apostles were flogged for speaking the name of Jesus and rejoiced for being worthy to suffer for His name.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams       Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Acts of the Apostles chapter 12 reveals God's sovereign power in the midst of persecution. King Herod intensifies his attack on the church, executing James and imprisoning Peter. While Peter is held under heavy guard, the church prays earnestly for him. God answers by sending an angel to miraculously free Peter from prison. Meanwhile, Herod's pride leads to his downfall when he accepts glory that belongs to God alone. The chapter closes with a powerful reminder that despite opposition, God's Word continues to grow and spread. Acts 12 teaches that prayer is powerful, God is able to deliver His people in impossible situations, and no earthly power can stop His purposes. Key Verse: “But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” — Acts 12:5 Hashtags: #Acts12 #PowerOfPrayer #GodDelivers #PeterFreed #FaithInAction #GodIsSovereign #ChurchInPrayer #TrustGod #WordOfGodGrows #GiveGodTheGloryBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.“Thank you for listening to SendMe Radio — where we share the Gospel, inspire faith, and keep you connected with powerful stories and updates from around the world. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe so you never miss a message.And remember — you can listen to SendMe Radio streaming 24/7 at www.sendmeradio.net or simply say: ‘Hey Alexa, play SendMe Radio.'

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, I discuss the stall on the proposal for Smithsonian Women's Museum because Democrats will not define women as biologically female and the strange legacy of Barney Frank. I answer questions about the historical parallels of the A.I. revolution, who has the authority to perform baptisms, if investing can turn into gambling, and why Jesus didn't stop King Herod from killing John the Baptist. Part I (00:14 – 08:01)A Women's Museum That Doesn't Know What a Woman Is? Proposal Stalls for Smithsonian Women's Museum on National Mall Because Democrats Will Not Define Women as Biologically FemaleHow a bipartisan women's history museum became a political football by The Washington Post (Jonathan Edwards)Let Democrats kill the women's history museum by Washington Times (Editorial Board)Part II (08:01 – 13:46)The Death of Barney Frank: The Strange Legacy of the First Self-Identified Gay Member of CongressPart III (13:46 – 18:37)Is the A.I. Revolution More Akin to the Revolution of the Printing Press Than to the Industrial Revolution? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (18:37 – 22:26)Who Has Authority to Perform Baptisms? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart V (22:26 – 24:50)When Does Investing Become Gambling? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart VI (24:50 – 27:03)Why Didn't Jesus Stop King Herod From Killing John the Baptist? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter From a 7-Year-Old Listener of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

His name became known- Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to preach repentance and gave them power to perform miracles. The name of Jesus became "well known" to the people because of their ministry, including King Herod. John the Baptist called out Herod because of his unlawful marriage. How do you respond to criticism?

Kids will learn about Peter and John healing a man who was paralyzed through the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They'll discover that God is still in charge of everything, that miracles show God's power, and that the church continues sharing the good news about Jesus with boldness. ⭐ What Kids Will Learn:

This sermon explores the chilling contrast between King Herod's crippling fear of public opinion and John the Baptist's uncompromising loyalty to the truth. By examining John's ultimate martyrdom, listeners are challenged to evaluate their own allegiances and live a life radically devoted to the Gospel, regardless of the earthly cost.

Welcome to the Christmas series! The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn't right. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app.  To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2026-05-17 Why John?by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference: Mark 6:14-2914 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.Mandeville Bible Church   "Where God's Word is Our Foundation"https://www.mandevillebiblechurch.org/Come and see that God's Word is alive and at work right here in Mandeville.. and throughout the world!All are welcome. 217 Carroll Street, Mandeville, LA 70448Office Phone: (985) 626-3114Sunday Service: 9:30AMAdult Sunday School: 10:45-11:30AMNursery and Children's church available.Sermon Notes from Pocket AI:Sermon Structure OutlineI. Introduction: The Difficulty of the Text The sermon addresses Mark 6:14–29, a passage the speaker admits was initially difficult to approach. The challenge lies not in its interpretation or subject matter, but in its purpose: why did Mark include this specific parenthetical flashback about the death of John the Baptist? The thesis is established that all Scripture is "God-breathed" and profitable, meaning this passage exists to increase the believer's usefulness and maturity.II. The Identity Crisis: Who is Jesus? The narrative begins with the fame of Jesus reaching Herod Antipas. The public offers three primary theories on Jesus' identity:The Resurrected John the Baptist: Herod's personal conviction, fueled by guilt and fear.Elijah: Based on the prophecy in Malachi 4 regarding a forerunner before the Day of the Lord.A Prophet of Old: A belief that the 400-year "silent period" had ended with a new prophetic voice.III. The Flashback: The Martyrdom of John the Baptist The speaker details the "daytime TV" complexity of Herod's household. Herod had married Herodias, his half-brother Philip's wife. John the Baptist publicly rebuked this as unlawful (Leviticus 18, 20).The Conflict: Herodias harbored a grudge and wanted John dead, while Herod protected him, finding his preaching "perplexing yet fascinating."The Execution: During a drunken birthday banquet, Herodias' daughter (Salome) pleased Herod with a dance. Bound by a rash, public oath to give her "up to half the kingdom," Herod was manipulated into beheading John to save face before his guests.IV. The Theological Purpose: Why Mark Included the Story The speaker identifies three reasons for this narrative's inclusion:Foreshadowing Christ: There are direct parallels between John and Jesus. Both were feared/admired by rulers (Herod/Pilate), both were killed to appease a crowd, and both had their bodies requested by disciples for burial.Identifying the Forerunner: Jesus later confirms that John was the "Elijah" who was to come and suffer.Preparing the Church for Persecution: The original readers (likely under Nero) needed to see that righteous living often invites worldly hatred.V. Conclusion: The Choice of Soil The sermon concludes by contrasting Herod's "bad soil"—treating the Word of God as mere entertainment—with the call to entrust oneself to the "Just Judge."Key Scripture References2 Timothy 3:15-17: The foundational claim that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching and training in righteousness.Mark 6:14-29: The primary text detailing Herod's reaction to Jesus and the flashback to John's beheading.Leviticus 18:16 & 20:21: The moral law John used to confront Herod regarding his marriage to his brother's wife.Malachi 4:5-6: The prophecy regarding the return of Elijah.1 Peter 2:23: The model of Christ, who did not revile when reviled but entrusted Himself to God.Audience Reflection SectionThe "Herod" Trap: Are you treating spiritual teaching as "interesting" or "fascinating" without allowing it to change your life? Herod liked listening to John but remained "bad soil."The Cost of Truth: John the Baptist was beheaded for pointing out a specific sin. Are we willing to stand for the truth of God's Word even when it is socially or politically "unlawful" or unpopular?Entrusting the Judge: When facing rejection or "persecution" in daily life, do we respond with a "nasty tongue," or do we follow the example of Christ by entrusting our reputation and safety to God?Actionable TakeawaysStudy the "Difficult" Passages: Do not skip over genealogies or uncomfortable narratives in the Bible. Approach them with the conviction that they are there to "equip you for every good work."Practice "Scripture Before Screens": Align with the speaker's protocol of primary preparation through prayer and the Word to avoid being "bad soil" influenced by the world's noise.Reject Appeasement: Identify areas where you might be tempted to "save face" or appease a crowd at the expense of your convictions, as Herod did during his banquet.Endure Rejection: Expect that a life of faith will meet friction. When reviled, consciously choose not to revile in return, but to "continue entrusting" yourself to God.

In the ancient streets of Jerusalem lived Francisco, a former soldier of King Herod's army whose life was destroyed by his addiction to gambling and card games. Dismissed from the army and abandoned by fortune, he and his companions began luring wealthy pilgrims into a hidden cave near the holy temple, challenging them to dangerous games of chance.No one could defeat Francisco. Wealth, jewels, and gold flowed into his hands as travelers lost everything before him. But one unforgettable night, a mysterious traveler arrived at the cave with twelve companions — Jesus Christ and His disciples.What began as another game soon became a life-changing encounter.Why did Francisco ask Christ for five extraordinary boons?Could a man consumed by greed and addiction find redemption?And what happened inside that dimly lit cave that transformed his destiny forever?This episode brings together suspense, faith, redemption, and spiritual awakening in a moving tale set against the sacred backdrop of Jerusalem.

On the next LEADING THE WAY, be introduced to an officer for King Herod who realized that the only hope for his son is - Jesus. His FAITH will bring you encouragement! It's a message Dr. Youssef is appropriately calling, BELIEVING FOR YOUR FAMILY . . . on this episode of . . . LEADING THE WAY! (John 4) Support the show: https://au.ltw.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pastor Troy walks through Acts 12 as a powerful story of God's sovereignty unfolding through persecution, rescue, and judgment. Acts 12 begins with deep loss as James is killed and Peter is imprisoned, reminding us that following God does not mean avoiding suffering. With no worldly power, the church responds through earnest prayer, placing its trust fully in God. God then miraculously rescues Peter, even as the believers struggle to believe their prayers are being answered. In contrast, King Herod's pride leads to his sudden and humbling death, showing that human authority cannot stand against God. Through it all, God's Word continues to grow and multiply, calling us to trust His goodness and sovereignty even when outcomes don't make sense.

Pastor Troy walks through Acts 12 as a powerful story of God's sovereignty unfolding through persecution, rescue, and judgment. Acts 12 begins with deep loss as James is killed and Peter is imprisoned, reminding us that following God does not mean avoiding suffering. With no worldly power, the church responds through earnest prayer, placing its trust fully in God. God then miraculously rescues Peter, even as the believers struggle to believe their prayers are being answered. In contrast, King Herod's pride leads to his sudden and humbling death, showing that human authority cannot stand against God. Through it all, God's Word continues to grow and multiply, calling us to trust His goodness and sovereignty even when outcomes don't make sense.

Jesus and his disciples have been traveling from town to town, and in today's reading, they return to Nazareth, which is where Jesus grew up and where his family resides. Those who knew his family knew that he grew up without formal teaching under the roof of a humble, blue-collar father. Jesus doesn't have the accolades of the scribes and Pharisees, and so they reject his teaching. Jesus then commissions the twelve apostles and they spread out into the nearby towns and villages teaching, healing, and casting out demons. Later, Mark gives us a detailed account of the fate of John the Baptist, who was beheaded by King Herod at a party. We'll also hear accounts of Jesus feeding the five thousand, walking on water, and healing the sick. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Wednesday Service | A teaching on Acts 12:12-25 with Pastor Josh BlackVictory Calvary Chapel is a church in Menifee, California. We gather for Jesus, to worship Him, to follow Him, and represent Him wherever we go. To learn more, visit us at www.victorycc.com.

The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn’t right.Today's Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 15:50, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Christmas series! The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn’t right. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app. To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This chapter in Acts highlights the evil ways of King Herod and the all-powerful hand of God over him. While many mysteries surface in this passage, the certainties of God's sovereignty help us live with hope that in the end he will make all things right. Grace Community Church exists to build spiritually healthy people for ministry in the world. One of the ways that we pursue this mission is by gathering each Sunday for corporate worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. The corporate nature of this gathering is both edifying to the believer and a witness of God's grace to the world. Sermon speaker is Scott Patty unless otherwise noted.

We were grateful to have guest speaker Nate Anderson present this important lesson on pride and humility — what pride is, how it quietly enters our lives, and how we can overcome it through a heart devoted to God.Throughout Scripture, we see powerful examples of how pride separates people from God and harms relationships with others. From the Tower of Babel to King Nebuchadnezzar and King Herod, the Bible consistently reminds us that pride leads to downfall, while humility leads to grace.In this message, Nate encourages us to carefully examine our hearts and consider how pride can subtly grow through self-reliance, recognition, and comparison with others. He also shares practical, biblical guidance for developing humility and maintaining a Christ-centered mindset.In this sermon, we explore:• What pride is and why it can be spiritually dangerous• How pride can quietly develop in everyday life• The effects pride has on our relationship with God and others• Biblical instruction for cultivating humility• The importance of constant watchfulness and prayerScripture reminds us in 1 Peter 5:5 that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate Jesus, who demonstrated perfect humility and a servant's heart.This lesson challenges us to remain vigilant, prayerful, and focused on honoring God rather than elevating self.

In Mark's Gospel, the crowds are initially highly receptive of Jesus and his ministry. But, starting in chapter 6, they begin to take offense. This sentiment begins in his hometown of Nazareth and spreads throughout Galilee as his disciples are sent to preach his gospel. A flashback scene featuring John the Baptizer and King Herod foreshadows how many in the world will respond negatively to Jesus and his disciples.

If you have been feeling unsettled and concerned about these chaotic times we are living in, you are not alone! Rather than focus on what the 'experts' say about these times, let's connect with Mother Mary's wisdom for guidance and comfort! In this episode, I share a channeled message from Mother Mary about how to navigate these times, and how She is asking us to respond. I will be offering a monthly message from Mother Mary right here on the podcast every month, and this is the very first one. I would love to hear your feedback about this idea! Ps- if you want to receive personal guidance and insight from Mother Mary, click here to schedule a session.   Key Learnings: 1) Mother Mary knows we are living in chaotic times, and that is why She is encouraging us, as ambassadors of hope, to take extra care of our own energy. We can only help others when we have taken care of ourselves first. 2) Reach out to your friends, family and neighbors during this time. This is where your impact is most deeply felt and deeply needed. Let go of over-worrying about the big picture issues that you are in no position to influence, and instead be a source of light, love and hope right where you are. 3) The archetype of King Herod is present on the planet in several countries. But that means that the energy of Christ is also present. Take heart and know that the system of hierarchy, of looking to institutions to guide us, is falling away. Just as King Herod's reign did not last, neither will these modern day Herods last. Connect with your St. Elizabeth, strengthen yourself and offer love and support to those who are open to receive it. "Reach out to your friends, family and neighbors during this chaotic time. That is where your impact is most deeply felt and needed." Mother Mary channeled message   To schedule a private session, click here Click here to join the Magnify Your Miracles membership Click here to schedule a Miracle Meeting with me If you love the image on the wall behind me of Mother Mary Blessing the World, you can order your own museum quality copy at www.deepaliu.com  

Matthew 2:1-12 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay homage.' When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.”Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.' When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, aheadof them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Even the greatest prophet had a moment of uncertainty. But rather than condemn John, Jesus gave a response that may surprise some of us. Notes: Luke 7 John, in a moment of doubt, sent a message to Jesus,“Are You the One, or should we look for another?” Doubt is a sign that someone is thinking. A French proverb says, “He who knows nothing doubts nothing.” “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” #1 Moses was ready to quit. Numbers 11:14–15"I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me now." #2 Elijah was ready to quit.(1 Kings 19:4) #3 Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith. #4 Paul the Apostle was deeply discouraged.(2 Corinthians 1:8) #5 David wrote half the Psalms while angry, confused, or feeling abandoned by God. #6 John the Baptist was discouraged and entertained doubts. Read Luke 7:18–28 John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. John was in prison because of his bold preaching to King Herod. In John’s mind, Jesus the Messiah would organize a revolt. John was expecting political deliverance.Jesus was bringing spiritual deliverance. Sometimes we misunderstand God and His word. Jesus understood John’s questions and his doubt. Jesus answered John’s doubt with evidence and clarification, not condemnation. Galatians 5:15But if you are always biting and devouring one another,watch out! Beware of destroying one another. It is easier to critique than create.It is easier to tear down instead of build up. Jesus loves you and understands your questions, too. Psalm 10:1Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Psalm 10:16 (a)The LORD is king forever and ever. Jesus defended John publicly,when John criticized Jesus privately.(Luke 7:24) You have immeasurable value because you are God’s creation.(1 Peter 2:9) Ephesians 2:10For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross so you could have a relationship with Him. Doubt is a matter of the mind. Unbelief is a matter of the will. John was doubting, but he still believed. Jesus refocused John’s priorities. John’s doubts were answered by Scripture.(Luke 7:22) Stay the course when you don’t see the plan.(Luke 7:23) Luke 7:28I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is! John was a part of the Old Testament economy.You are a New Testament believer. John was a friend of the Bridegroom.You are the bride of the Bridegroom. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the greatest prophet had a moment of uncertainty. But rather than condemn John, Jesus gave a response that may surprise some of us. Notes: Luke 7 John, in a moment of doubt, sent a message to Jesus,“Are You the One, or should we look for another?” Doubt is a sign that someone is thinking. A French proverb says, “He who knows nothing doubts nothing.” “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” #1 Moses was ready to quit. Numbers 11:14–15"I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me now." #2 Elijah was ready to quit.(1 Kings 19:4) #3 Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith. #4 Paul the Apostle was deeply discouraged.(2 Corinthians 1:8) #5 David wrote half the Psalms while angry, confused, or feeling abandoned by God. #6 John the Baptist was discouraged and entertained doubts. Read Luke 7:18–28 John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. John was in prison because of his bold preaching to King Herod. In John’s mind, Jesus the Messiah would organize a revolt. John was expecting political deliverance.Jesus was bringing spiritual deliverance. Sometimes we misunderstand God and His word. Jesus understood John’s questions and his doubt. Jesus answered John’s doubt with evidence and clarification, not condemnation. Galatians 5:15But if you are always biting and devouring one another,watch out! Beware of destroying one another. It is easier to critique than create.It is easier to tear down instead of build up. Jesus loves you and understands your questions, too. Psalm 10:1Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Psalm 10:16 (a)The LORD is king forever and ever. Jesus defended John publicly,when John criticized Jesus privately.(Luke 7:24) You have immeasurable value because you are God’s creation.(1 Peter 2:9) Ephesians 2:10For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross so you could have a relationship with Him. Doubt is a matter of the mind. Unbelief is a matter of the will. John was doubting, but he still believed. Jesus refocused John’s priorities. John’s doubts were answered by Scripture.(Luke 7:22) Stay the course when you don’t see the plan.(Luke 7:23) Luke 7:28I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is! John was a part of the Old Testament economy.You are a New Testament believer. John was a friend of the Bridegroom.You are the bride of the Bridegroom. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Christmas series! The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn’t right. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app. To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When persecution strikes, the faith of the early believers is tested—will they stand firm as James is executed, and Peter faces impossible odds in Herod's prison?In this powerful episode, we witness the brutal persecution of James by King Herod and the miraculous escape of Peter from prison through divine intervention. As the early church faces trials, they are reminded that even in the face of death, God's hand of deliverance is ever-present.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 5:10, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you been wanting a way to send healing, peace and support to Minneapolis and feel that you made a difference? That has been my prayer for the last few weeks…so I offered a live channeled peace and healing meditation with Mother Mary right after Alex Pretti was murdered. Everyone who participated said it was the MOST powerful event I have ever facilitated! Not only did Mother Mary come, She brought the company of heaven with Her – the angels, archangels, saints, spirit guides…even the ancestors showed up! But the most unexpected and moving thing that happened is the presence of Renee Good and Alex Pretti joined us, along with all the souls who have lost their lives at the hands of ICE… not in anger, but in determined love and support. At one point, we felt the energy of the Buddhist Peace monks in our circle too! I'm not sure how they found us, but that is when I knew we had accessed a high level of peace and healing! So in this special episode, I am sharing this extraordinary meditation with you so that you can experience the power, peace, healing and grace for yourself. I purposely didn't edit the audio because there are messages from Mother Mary in the beginning, but if you want to jump ahead to the meditation, it begins around the 20-minute mark.   Key Learnings: 1) Mother Mary said that what is happening in Minneapolis, which reminds so many of us of Germany in the 1930's, is so much older than that. She said the archetype of King Herod was present on the planet, especially in the USA right now. This is the archetype of the insecure leader who will do anything to retain power, such as the murder of the innocents. Any time you see children being harmed in an attempt to secure power, be sure that the Herod energy is present and active. 2) The good news is that is Herod is present, then Christ must also be present! And nothing makes the Herod energy more desperate than the rising of goodness, compassion and love. 3) During this meditation, we were joined by Mother Mary, the entire company of heaven, including the ancestors. And then something miraculous happened…the souls of Renee Good and Alex Pretti joined our circle, along with all the souls who have died at the hands of ICE. Even the energy of the Buddhist Monks who are walking for peace joined our circle too. This was one of the most powerful meditations I have ever facilitated.   "No matter how things appear, always know that a greater good is happening. Always." - Mother Mary    To join the Magnify Your Miracles Mentoring Membership, click here Ready to ALIGN your goal with your soul? Click here to schedule a Miracle Meeting with me If you love the image on the wall behind me of Mother Mary Blessing the World, you can order your own museum quality copy at www.deepaliu.com

When the ever-virgin Mary's forty days of purification were passed, according to the Law of Moses she took her son Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, to dedicate him to God as her first-born son. At the temple the Lord's parents offered the sacrifice of a pair of doves (Luke 2:22-23), from which we learn that they were poor, since those who were able were required to offer a lamb. At the Temple, the Lord was met by Zacharias, father of St John the Baptist, and by the aged, righteous Symeon, who had awaited the salvation of God for many years. (Sts Symeon and Anna are commemorated tomorrow.) We are told that some Pharisees, seeing the child Jesus recognized as the Messiah of Israel, were enraged, and went to tell King Herod. Realizing that this must be the child of whom he had been warned, Herod immediately sent soldiers to kill Him. But the righteous Joseph, warned in dream, fled with the child and his wife, the most holy Theotokos, into Egypt, and they were preserved.   The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord was observed in Jerusalem at least from the fourth century. Its observance was brought to Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian in 542. In the West it is called the Feast of the Purification of the Mother of God, or Candlemas Day.

Feast of the Epiphany 2026 Gospel Matthew 2:1-12 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,  behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,  "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled,  and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,  He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,  for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod called the magi secretly  and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said,  "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word,  that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,  until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star,  and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures  and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,  they departed for their country by another way.

Read OnlineWhen Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1–3Why did God use a star to reveal the birth of the King of Kings to foreigners from the East? To Mary, Joseph, and even the shepherds, God sent an angel to announce the Good News. But to the Magi, He chose to use a medium they understood—a star.The Magi, originally a priestly caste from Persia, were skilled in astrology, astronomy, dream interpretation, and other forms of wisdom and divination. The three Magi mentioned in Matthew's Gospel were clearly experts in astrology, carefully studying the night sky. On the night of Christ's birth, they made an extraordinary discovery: a new star had appeared in the sky. They knew it was a sign of great significance. According to their beliefs, the appearance of a new star heralded the birth of a new king.This star was not just a celestial phenomenon; it symbolized the light of Christ breaking into the world, guiding all nations—Jew and Gentile alike—toward the Savior. Just as God drew humble Jewish shepherds to the newborn King, He also drew representatives of the Gentiles to adore Him, for Jesus came to save all of humanity.The divine initiative to include the Gentiles was not a new concept but a fulfillment of a promise made to Abraham: “All the families of the earth will find blessing in you” (Genesis 12:3). The prophets and Psalms echo this theme, emphasizing that all nations will come to the Lord (see Isaiah 2:2-4; Psalm 67). In Jesus' public ministry, we see His outreach to the Gentiles, a mission that continued in the early Church, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. At the time of Jesus' birth, however, the Jewish emphasis was primarily on being the chosen people. The story of the Epiphany reveals God's universal call to holiness from the very beginning of Jesus' life, establishing that His mission was for all people, not just for Israel.Because of this universal call to holiness, we who believe in Christ and live our Catholic faith must avoid becoming isolated or insular, creating a small, self-contained world. Instead, we are called to live our faith in a way that is welcoming to all and engaged with the broader world, reflecting the universal mission of the Church. Being Catholic is not merely a cultural heritage; it is the spiritual means of eternal salvation that everyone needs. The word “epiphany” means “manifestation,” and Christ must be made manifest to all, becoming the King of every soul.As we celebrate the Epiphany, be open to the ways God might want to use you to share the light of faith with those who are not yet faithful Catholics. We must be like the star of Bethlehem, drawing others to Christ in ways they can understand and accept. This is best accomplished when we place ourselves at God's service, ready to be used as instruments of His grace. God alone knows how to draw all people to Himself, and when we offer ourselves to His service, He will inspire us and use us to be that shining light, guiding others out of darkness and into His marvelous light. My Lord and Light of the World, You desire to shine brightly for all to see, so that all may be drawn to You, the one and only Savior of all. Please use me as You will, to be like that star over Bethlehem. Give me wisdom, love, and courage to shine brightly, radiating Your light for all to see. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn’t right.Today's Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 15:50, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“What sweeter music can we bring / Than a carol for to sing / The birth of this our heavenly king.” The lines of this 17th century poem “What Sweeter Music” were reimagined by modern-day choral composer John Rutter to become an Advent season favorite. Its gentle melody describes a long, cold season of waiting that’s thawed by the springtime feeling of Jesus’ arrival. The singers bring Him a Christmas carol; the listeners are invited to bring their hearts. Rutter’s arrangement was commissioned to correspond with a church reading on the wise men who brought Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These mysterious magi traveled a great distance to meet baby Jesus with the express purpose of worshiping him (Matthew 2:1-2). God gave them wisdom to keep Jesus’ location a secret from wicked King Herod. When they finally found Him, they “were overjoyed” (v. 10). They bowed down in reverence. Then “they opened their treasures” to lay precious resources at His feet (v. 11). The Christmas season shouldn’t be focused on material goods—but it’s certainly about giving and receiving gifts. God gave His Son to heal a broken world. If we’ve never given Him our hearts, today’s a wonderful day to do so. If He already reigns there, let’s offer a carol of peace and joy as we think about His arrival all those years ago in Bethlehem—and wait for His return.

In the final episode of Dan's three-part retelling of the Nativity we enter the gospel of Matthew, as we explore the story according to him. Matthew is all about Jesus's royal line so expect kings, royalty and great gifts. Plus, the notorious King Herod beckons - one of the most formidable and dangerous tyrants in the whole region. Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week's bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond place Matthew's Gospel under the microscope. Compared to Luke's, Matthew wants all the royal pomp and ceremony given to the baby Jesus. Fewer mangers, more myrrh. Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory – A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Written and presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production coordinator: Eric Ryan Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Appointed by the Romans as king of Judaea, King Herod's reign was defined by great architectural projects and canny diplomacy. But he could also be cruel and paranoid, with scandal and family intrigue marring his rule. King Herod even appears as an unlikely and unlikeable character in the Christmas tale; the king who ordered the execution of children in an effort to kill Jesus. But did this really happen?Dan is joined by Seth Schwartz, professor of Classical Jewish Civilisation at Columbia University, to explore the life of this ancient king and the Hellenistic world in which he ruled.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.This episode was first released in December 2023.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He's the villain of the Nativity. An alleged killer of innocents, remembered as one of history's great monsters. But the truth about Herod the Great is far more dramatic, far more complex, and far more shocking.On today's special episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes asks: who was the real Herod behind the legend and the infamy? Joined by Professor Benedict Eckhardt, Dr Kimberly Tchaikovsky and Professor Helen Bond, he charts the gripping rise of one of antiquity's most formidable and misunderstood rulers. From perilous beginnings to becoming Rome's chosen King of Judea, Herod's story blends Greek-style tragedy with ruthless Roman politics and features encounters with towering figures like Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Join us to step into the turbulent world of Roman Judea and discover how Herod defied the odds to seize his throne.MOREThe Wise Men:Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Great Jewish Revolt:Listen on AppleListen on Spotify Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.