School's out for Summer!

Uni is finished for the semester and it is time for a break.

My wife, 2 children and I are going house-sitting for 6-8 weeks about 15 minutes drive out of Byron Bay. It is the first break we have had that is a total holiday (neither of us studying or working part time) since we were married back in the Easter of 2002.

I don't know what the internet access will be like so I may not be able to post for the couple of months.

Stay safe, enjoy your holiday season and lets be thankful for that wonderful gift given almost 2000 years ago. God became a man and was born in a stable, to reveal Himself to mankind. He then Died for the penalty of Sin.

CHRISTmas is truly a wonderful time of year.

Matthew 26 （Part 1）

In this chapter we have the culmination of Jesus' ministry and the final reaction towards it of the chief priests and elders.

In the home of Yhosef Bar Kayafa, also known as Caiaphas the Jewish high priest, the priests devised a plot to have Jesus arrested. While there scheme is being planned they decide not to arrest Jesus during the feast because of fear of the populice. This is in stark contrast to what Jesus said in verse 2. "As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." Jesus said His crucifixion would occur during the Passover, Caiapas and the other priests planned to wait until after the Passover for Jesus to be arrested. Who was in control of this situation?

Jesus was indeed arrested on the evening of the "first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread" (Passover), and was crucified the very next day. All in accordance to His plan and not that of the priests.

Verses 6-10 have Jesus was in another house, that of Simon the Leper. Here he has his feet and head anointed with perfume or scented oil from an alabaster jar by an unnammed woman. Alabaster was such a mark of expence and luxury that often the jars containing perfumes were sealed shut. To open them one would break the neck of the bottle, making it a once only perfume, the container was destroyed to get at the oils.

Now the disciples were angered by the "waste", but Jesus replies "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." His prophesey was true, her story is told, but also Jesus was making an imortant point. Often works of charity are done, rightly or wrongly, for recognition of some sort. Either from other people, for the thanks of those we are helping, or even for self gratification. This woman however pored her perfume, probably the most expensive item she owned, possibly even an inheritance or dowery, on the feet of Jesus simply for Jesus, an act of service and worship. Often the feet of a guest were washed but to be anointed by oil was reserved for special cerimonies and for dignitaries. He also not so subtly alludes to his comming crucifixion.

Verses 14-16 tell of Judas' decision to betray Jesus to Caiaphas and his fellow priests. That one of Jesus disciples would be the betrayer was fortold in Psalm 41:9:
"Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
he who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me."

That 30 pieces of silver would be the price of betrayal was prophesied in Zechariah, "I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter."

The Lord’s Supper or The Last Supper which is observed as Communion follows. This is the last meal of Jesus before His arrest and crucifixion and is also where He reveals to His disciples that it is one of them, specifically Judas, who will betray Jesus.

In response to the disciples questioning "Surely not I, Lord?" Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. (Echoing again Psalm 41:9) The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." By naming Judas as the betrayer in front of all the disciples Jesus in effect forces Judas to act that very night.

The actual supper, of broken bread and wine is commonly remembered and copied as communion in churches and Christian meetings world wide. However there are vastly differing views surrounding the sacrament of communion.

The basis for the ritual of communion is that Christians are instructed by Jesus in Luke 22:19 to “do this in remembrance of me.”

The Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation or the philosophical theory of Consubstantiation attempt to interpret Jesus' words as literal when He said of the bread and wine “Take and eat; this is my body... Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

This view is opposed by the understanding that the bread and wine are wonderful symbols, and only symbols, of the broken body and poured out blood of Jesus. This view is supported by the following verse where Jesus says “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine…” clearly speaking of the wine as literal wine, no longer figuratively as blood.

The symbol of the bread to represent the body of Jesus is a very beautiful one. Especially noting the time and occasion of this meal. Passover is also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread and so the bread being broken and eaten would have been unleavened or without yeast. This is significant as leaven or yeast is often used in scripture as a symbol of sin and false teaching such as in Matthew 16:5-10.

The Bread being used as a symbol of Jesus was unleavened, which also represents His sinlessness, an important reminder when we remember His pure sacrifice for our impure lives. His sinless life exchanged for the wages of our sins，which is death.

Jesus and His disciples then walk to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus' Arrest, Crucifixion, and Ressurection.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
- 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

The accounts of Jesus' death and resurrection are central to Christian faith, and as such they have been subjected to special challenge. Nevertheless, strong evidence supports the essential Gospel reports about Jesus' death and resurrection. Other teachings or events from Jesus' life may have featured as much in early Christian ethical preaching, but early Christians probably would have told and retold the passion story (the week between His Triumphal Entry and Crucifixion), since His sacrifice on the cross is the heart of the gospel. No record remains of any form of early Christianity that lacked the basic structure of the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. Paul's sequence is similar to Mark's, and if, as is probable, John represents an independent tradition, his passion narrative again confirms the outline Mark follows, suggesting a passion narrative that existed before Mark.

Other evidence suggests the substantial reliability of these accounts. First of all, the basic story seems to have been established among Jerusalem Christians within a decade after the resurrection. The basic components of the story and their outline are surely earlier than Mark; Paul and John independently attest the same material. Mark himself appears to presuppose that his audience is familiar with some details of the story, especially Barabbas and other insurrectionists, despite Pilate's many confrontations with such revolutionaries.

Further, the "element for embarrassment" makes it nearly impossible to believe that the early Christians could have invented the account. Christians would not invent one disciple's betrayal or other disciples' abandonment; the earliest Christians, who were Jewish, probably would not invent condemnation by the majority of their own people's leaders; Christians would never have invented shameful death by crucifixion, a death so horrible that the Roman govenment assured that no Roman citizen would be crucified; and they would never have invented the treason charge "King of the Jews," which would have made all Christians look seditious and invited Roman retribution.

Finally, the accounts of Jesus' arrest, trials and execution fit what we know of the period in question. The suffering of Jesus Christ is similar to Josephus's account of Jesus ben Ananias, who similarly entered the temple area during a festival. Like Jesus Christ of Nazereth, he predicted doom on Jerusalem and its sanctuary, even referring (again like Jesus) to the context of Jeremiah's prophecy of judgment against the temple (Jeremiah 7:34 compare Jereremiah 7:11 in Mark 20:17). The Jewish authorities arrested and beat Jesus ben Ananias and handed him over to the Roman governor, who interrogated him. He refused to answer the governor, was scourged and--in this case unlike Jesus (though compare Mark 15:1-15)--was released.

The primary difference, that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was executed whereas Jesus son of Ananias was not, also makes good sense: unlike Jesus ben Ananias, Jesus of Nazareth was not viewed as insane and already had a band of followers, plus a growing reputation that could support messianic claims. Jesus ben Ananias could simply be punished; Jesus of Nazareth had to be executed. The basic points of the passion story (including those most likely to be questioned) make perfect historical sense

Halloween vs the Reformation

I was pleasantly surprised when perusing Cameron Cloud's Blog Nephos today. I was introduced to Reformation Day.

Reformation Day commemorates a very important day which sparked very important events in Church History. Reformation Day commemorates the begining of The Reformation.

On October 31 (which is also Halloween), 1517 Martin Luther nailed a proposal on the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the Catholic doctrine and practice of indulgences. In Latin Catholic theology, an indulgence is the remission granted by the Church of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven by God. Luther's proposal is more popularly known as the 95 Theses.

This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. The act of nailing a proposal to a public place, such as Luther did, was also common academic practice of the day and served as an invitation to debate. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran, Reformed and Anabaptist traditions were born.

While there were many issues and debates surrounding the Reformation, this day in 1517 and the posting of the 95 Thesis on the Church doors, is concidered the event which began the Protestant Reformation.

Alongside Martin Luther are many other great theologians who were precursors to or actively involved in the Reformation. These men include:

John Wycliffe (1330-1384) He attacked what he saw as corruptions within the church, including the sale of indulgences, pilgrimages, the excessive veneration of saints, and the low moral and intellectual standards of ordained priests.

Wycliffe also repudiated the doctrine of transubstantiation, held that the Bible was the sole standard of Christian doctrine, and argued that the authority of the Pope was not grounded in Scripture. Some of Wycliffe's early followers translated the Bible into English, while later followers, known as Lollards, held that the Bible was the sole authority and that Christians were called upon to interpret the Bible for themselves. The Lollards also argued against clerical celibacy, transubstantiation, mandatory oral confession, pilgrimages, and indulgences.

John Huss (1369-1415) A Bohemian priest, excommunicated in 1410, and burned at the stake for heresy in 1415. His death lead to the Hussite Wars in Bohemia. Huss followed Wycliffe's teachings closely, translating Wycliffe's Trialogus into Czechoslovakian, and modeling the first ten chapters of his own De Ecclesia after Wycliffe's writings. He believed in predestination, regarded the Bible as the ultimate religious authority, and argued that Christ, rather than any ecclesiastical official, is the true head of the church.

Huldreich Zwingli (1484-1531) A Swiss theologian and leader of early Reformation movements in Switzerland. Vigorously denounces the sale of indulgences in 1518.

John Calvin (1509-64) A French theologian and reformer who fled religious persecution in France and settled in Geneva in 1536. He instituted a form of Church government in Geneva which has become known as Presbyterian. He insisted on reforms including: the congregational singing of the Psalms as part of church worship, the teaching of a catechism and confession of faith to children, and the enforcement of a strict moral discipline in the community by the pastors and members of the church. Geneva was, under Calvin, essentially a theocracy. Calvin is most notably remembered for his part in officially establishing the Doctorines of Grace, also known as Calvinism.

John Knox (1513-1572) An ardent disciple of Calvin, Knox established Calvinistic Protestantism as the national religion of Scotland. He left a powerful political legacy within the Calvinist or Reformed branch of Protestantism, a political legacy known as Presbyterianism.

Henry VIII (1491-1547) - Although I would not call Henry VIII a great theologian, he did have a major role in the Reformation. After his excommunication by the Pope for marying Anne Boleyn in 1533, and having the archbishop of Canterbury sanction the divorce from his first wife, Catherine. In 1534, Henry had Parliament pass an act appointing the king and his successors supreme head of the Church of England, thus establishing an independent national Anglican church.
_______________________________________________________

Click here to read the 95 Thesis.

Halloween, Samhain and Hallowmas

Every October in America, and around the world, children dress in ghoulish costumes and go "trick or treating" around their local neighbourhoods. Thankfully this is not an Australian national practice although it is growing in popularity here.

Aside from the obvious Occultic symbolism of the tradition, the threat of "trick or treat", implying "give me some lollies or I will 'trick' you", is not an attitude which should be promoted in children.

Dont get me wrong, I'm a parent, I see nothing wrong with children dressing in costumes and having a neighbourhood event. Giving a treat or lollies to the neighbourhood children is fine. Halloween however celebrates much more than costumes and lollies.

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing for apples" that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. (Similar to the pagan origins of Easter). The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.