All posts tagged: Jesus

The angel Gabriel announcing Mary's conception by Paolo de Matteis 1712. This was part of the Feast of Annunciation (Mary's conception) celebrated by some Catholics on March 25th.

Por qué el 25 de Diciembre fue elegido como el cumpleaños de Cristo

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English: Why December 25th was chosen as Christ’s birthday Hay mucho debate sobre por qué el 25 de diciembre fue elegido como el día en que nació Jesús. Hay poca evidencia bíblica que revele la fecha del nacimiento de Jesús. Lucas 2: 8 se refiere a los pastores en los campos que sugieren que el nacimiento de Jesús tuvo lugar en la primavera cuando los pastores estaban con sus rebaños durante el parto. Tal vez no por casualidad, Juan se refiere a Jesús como el Cordero de Dios (Juan 1:29). Clemente de Alejandría (150 DC – 215 DC), un maestro cristiano Egipcio, había citado el 20 de mayo y el 20 o el 21 de Abril como posibles fechas del nacimiento de Cristo encajando con la teoría de la primavera. Para el año 400 DC, el 25 de Diciembre junto con el 6 de Enero se consideraron las fechas para el nacimiento de Cristo, y el 25 de diciembre fue el principal candidato y el ganador final. La fecha de Diciembre se mencionó como el …

Does Anyone Care About Jesus Anymore?

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I am a Christian, but lately, I have noticed that no one wants to talk about that. I can talk with other Christians about our beliefs, but people who don’t believe don’t seem to care. When I just mention that I believe in Jesus, I get an awkward silence, and then the other person changes the subject, or leaves. So, does anyone out there care about Jesus anymore? Probably not many, but the question is wrong. Does anyone do anything for more than a week? You might know the name Alvin Toffler, the author who wrote a famous book “Future Shock.” The book was published about fifty years ago, which makes him a futurist from the past. He predicted that the pace of change would accelerate; change would come on us so fast we wouldn’t be able to cope with it. RELATED: Future Shock: Wikipedia  In the Bible, the mark of a successful prophet, or religious futurist, was if the predictions came true: “You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message …

Shekel overlaid on a model of the Temple: Source Wikipedia/Juan R. Cuadra

¿Por qué Jesús pagó el impuesto del templo?

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English: Why did Jesus pay the Temple tax? Hay una historia interesante en los Evangelios que implican a Pedro y los cobradores de impuestos del templo. Se arrinconado el apóstol y preguntandole si él y su amo – Jesús – habian pagado el impuesto del templo. Bajo presión Pedro, expresó “sí” sin pensarlo ( Mateo 17: 24-27 ). ―Tu Maestro, ¿paga impuestos? 25 ―¡Claro que los paga! —les respondió Pedro—, e inmediatamente entró a la casa a hablarle a Jesús sobre el asunto. (Mateo 17: 24b-25 NBV) Los sacerdotes habían instituido un impuesto anual para el temple de dos dracmas (medio siclo). Fue modelado después de impuestos similares pagados en el Antiguo Testamento. Moisés instituyó un impuesto de medio siclo del santuario para ayudar a financiar el tabernáculo ( Éxodo 30: 12-13 ). Sin embargo, este impuesto sólo se recogió cuando Israel llevó a cabo un censo nacional. También había un tercio de impuestos siclo instituido anualmente para el templo en los días de Esdras y Nehemías ( Nehemías 10:32 ; Esdras 6: 8 ). Pero …

Credit: NASA Johnson/Flickr/Creative Commons

Don’t Make Me Come Down There!

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I have a sign that reads: Don’t make me come down there! God How many of us remember one of our parents yelling that to us when we were kids? Never, ever, in the history of my life was that a good thing. Just once it would have been good to have my Mom say “Don’t make me come down there and give you treats!” That would have been cool. But maybe parents aren’t supposed to be cool. That sign always make me smile and my sister in law, Carol, taped a personal note to the back side of it tells me how special I am and that God would be pleased with me even if he had to come down here. Imagine God actually coming down here. Go ahead close your eyes. Unless you’re driving, then don’t close your eyes. So God comes down to your house or room. Would he really be pleased with you? Or would he be carrying a big stick bent on punishing you for your latest bit of stupidity? …

Jesus truck in Aurora, IL, USA Credit: Adam Burk/Flickr/Creative Commons

Who You Gonna Call?

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“If there’s something strange in your neighborhood,Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!If there’s something weird and it don’t look good,Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!” This advice comes from Ray Parker who wrote this very popular theme song for the movie Ghostbusters. I bet some of you are singing that song right now! While the idea of a bunch of guys driving a hearse and chasing ghosts made for a fun movie, is it true? Can mere humans defeat spirits? Now I am a sports fan. And there are some games that I would like to see but I must say this would be a blow out. Not worth paying money for that’s for sure. Just like paying hundreds of dollars to watch a fight that ends with the first punch. Better to save your money and not bother. Yeah I know I just made all the Hollywood movie types mad at me and they’ll probably get the Illuminati to delete me, but it’s true. We are just not a match for the unseen world. Let me …

“I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning." Jesus (Luke 10:18) Photo: Matt/Flickr/Creative Commons

La verdadera historia detrás de la primera Navidad

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English: The real story  behind the first Christmas Noche silenciosa Santa noche, todo está en calma todo es brillante… Cuando Franz Xaver Gruber y Joseph Mohr de Austria escribieron el famoso villancico Silent Night en 1818, pintaron una imagen tranquila e idílica de la Navidad. Junto con muchos villancicos de Navidad retrató el nacimiento de Jesús tal como lo vemos en Lucas 2: 1-20 y Mateo 1: 18-2: 23 – Pastores en el campo, Ángeles cantando, un bebé en pañales, un pesebre, ovejas y bueyes. La Mujer, el Dragón y el Niño 12 Una gran señal apareció en el cielo: una mujer vestida del sol, con[a] la luna debajo de sus pies, y una corona de doce estrellas sobre su cabeza. 2 Estaba encinta, y gritaba por los dolores del parto y el sufrimiento de dar a luz. 3 Entonces apareció otra señal en el cielo: Un gran dragón rojo que tenía siete cabezas y diez cuernos, y sobre sus cabezas había siete diademas (coronas). 4 Su cola arrastró la tercera parte de las estrellas del cielo y las …

¿Tenía Jesús barba?

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English: Did Jesus have a beard? ¡Nuestra respuesta inmediata a la pregunta que plantea el título es SÍ! Sin embargo, un plato de vidrio del siglo IV muestra una cosa muy singular: Muestra a Jesús sin barba. El descubrimiento se considera una de las primeras representaciones de Jesús. Fue encontrado por arqueólogos en Andalucía, España. Formaron parte del proyecto FORVM MMX excavando en el sitio de un edificio religioso en el antiguo pueblo de Cástulo, fechado alrededor del año 350 D.C. El plato de vidrio probablemente contenía pan para la Eucaristía. La imagen grabada en el vidrio también era diferente en otros aspectos. El artista retrata a Jesús con el pelo corto y rizado y con una toga. En la foto al lado de Jesús están los apóstoles Pedro y Pablo, que también están sin barba. Los tres tienen halos sobre su cabeza. No tenemos idea de si esta representación se basó en imágenes aún más antiguas de Jesús, pero obviamente la gente de esta era aceptó a un Jesús sin barba como realidad. Sudario …

Ruins of the ancient city of Capernaum, the home town of Jesus. Photo: Bon Adrien/Foter/CC-BY

¿Tenía Jesús un hogar en Capernaum?

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English: Did Jesus own a home in Capernaum? Muchos tienen la impresión de que Jesús fue un predicador itinerante, viajando de un lugar a otro en torno a Galilea predicando el Evangelio. Sin embargo, hay un indicio de que desde el principio Jesús tenía su propia casa. En Marcos 2, tenemos el relato de Jesús estando en una casa en Capernaúm. Había muchas personas que se habían reunido y un grupo de hombres se vieron obligados a cortar un agujero en el techo para bajar a su amigo paralítico para que Jesús lo curara. Pero note lo que dice Marcos en el versículo 1: Cuando Jesús entró de nuevo en Capernaúm varios días después, se oyó que estaba en casa. 2 Y se reunieron muchos, tanto que ya no había lugar ni aun en la puerta; y El les explicaba la palabra.. (NBLH) Se habla de esta casa de ser el hogar de Jesús. Por el tamaño de la multitud era obvio que Jesús fue un poco de celebridad en la ciudad. Este verso también sugiere que no era la primera vez …

Mustard Credit: yaxchibonam/Flickr/Creative Commons

Una extraña respuesta a la petición de los discípulos por más fe

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English version: A strange answer to the disciples’ plea for more faith Un día, los discípulos le preguntaron a Jesús “que aumentaran su fé” (Lucas 17: 5). Querían saber el secreto detrás del éxito de Cristo. Los discípulos habían seguido a Jesús durante varios meses y lo veian hacer un sinfín de milagros y liberaciones. En comparación, se miraron sus propios escasos sucesos y llegaron a la conclusión de que Jesús era un hombre con grandes cantidades de fé para llevar a cabo tales tremendos milagros. Para los discípulos que era una fórmula muy simple: “más fé = más señales”. Entonces, ¿cómo respondió Jesús a esta pregunta? El Señor dijo a los discípulos que si tuvieran fe del tamaño de un arbol de mora, podrían ordenar a que esta semilla de mostaza fuera echada en el mar y esta obedecería. No, este no es un error de tipografía. Es cierto que esto no es exactamente lo que dijo Jesús, pero esto es lo que los discípulos esperaban que el dijera. Ellos estaban esperando alguna enseñanza sobre las grandes …

Jesus walking on water by Amedee Varin (1818-1863): Wikipedia

Que realmente hundió al Apostol Pedro?

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English version:What really sunk Peter? En Mateo 14, leemos el relato del intento fallido del apóstol Pedro para caminar sobre el agua. Después de que Jesús sacó a Pedro  fuera del agua, el Señor dijo: “Hombre de poca fe, ¿ Porqué dudaste ? ” Muchos creen que Pedro falló simplemente porque necesitaba “más” fe. Pero era este el caso? ¿Pedro necesitaba más fe? o era su otra cosa más la que Pedro tenia que trabajar? ¿Qué significa ‘oligopistos’? La fe fue una de las mas importantes enseñanzas de Cristo. Era tan importante, que Jesús usó una palabra inusual – “oligopistos” , palabra traducida comúnmente como “poca fe”  para describir la fe de los discípulos (Mateo 06:30; 08:26; 14:31; 16: 8 y Lucas 12:28) Esta es una palabra inusual, debido a su rareza ninguno de los otros autores del Nuevo Testamento – que no se refiera  a la palabra de Jesús – utiliza ” oligopistos”  en sus escritos y, sorprendentemente, la palabra no se encuentra en ninguna literatura griega de este período. Oligopistos combina dos palabras griegas, oligonucleótidos y pistis. Pistis …

“Ojo por ojo” significa que amas a tu prójimo como a ti mismo

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English version: “Eye for an eye” means you love your neighbour as yourself 24 ojo por ojo, diente por diente, mano por mano, pie por pie, Moisés (Éxodo 21:24 NBLH) “Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”, Jesús (Mateo 22:39 NBLH) A primera vista, la Biblia parece un libro de extremos. En el Antiguo Testamento áspero y caído, usted tiene la ley que exige la compensación del “ojo para ojo” si una persona fue dañada. Si arrancó el ojo de una persona, entonces su ojo fue arrancado. Entonces en el Nuevo Testamento usted tiene a Jesús que enseñó “ama a tu vecino.” Cualquiera que lea estos pasajes sería muy confuso – “ojo por ojo” no parece muy cariñoso. Pero ¿alguna vez has notado que hay algo extrañamente ausente en el Antiguo Testamento? No hay una cuenta de una persona que tiene su mano cortada o sus ojos arrancados debido a un crimen que cometieron – a pesar de que la ley lo requirió. Jesús entra en la controversia Entonces para empeorar las cosas, Jesús pesa sobre …

The Magdala Stone: Credit: Hanay/Wikipedia/Creative Commons

Does the Magdala Stone provide a clue to why Jesus was crucified?

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The discovery of a small coin dated to 29 AD was tantalizing enough, but its discovery in an ancient synagogue found in Northern Israel along the Sea of Galilee has provided new understanding of ancient Judaism and even the Gospels. The site was uncovered during construction of a christian retreat center and spa for a Catholic order called the Legionnaries of Christ. The organization which trains men for the priesthood has a controversial reputation. Some accused the order of  being cult-like due to its regimented structure that during its early years forbid adherents from contacting their families. This policy has since been completely reversed. The coin confirms the synagogue’s existence during the time Jesus ministered in Galilee. He undoubtedly taught at this synagogue as the Lord regularly spoke at synagogues throughout Israel  (Luke 4:15). The town where the synagogue was discovered is the hometown of Mary Magdalene. She was a close follower, who Christ delivered of evil spirits. 2 as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, …

Shekel overlaid on a model of the Temple: Source Wikipedia/Juan R. Cuadra

Why did Jesus pay the Temple tax?

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Español: ¿Por qué Jesús pagó el impuesto del templo? There is an interesting story in the Gospels involving Peter and the Temple tax collectors.  They had cornered the apostle and asked him if he and His Master — Jesus — paid the temple tax. Under pressure and in typical Peter fashion, he blurted out “yes” without thinking (Matthew 17:24-27). “Does your teacher not pay the [b]two-drachma tax?”25 He [Peter] said, “Yes.” (Matthew 17:24b-25 NASV) The priests had instituted a yearly tax for the temple of two drachma (half shekel). It was patterned after similar taxes paid in the Old Testament. Moses instituted a half shekel sanctuary tax to help fund the tabernacle (Exodus 30:12-13). However this tax was only collected when Israel performed a national census. There was also a one-third shekel tax instituted annually for the temple in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:32; Ezra 6:8). But this was a voluntary contribution from the people while the Exodus tax had the authority of Moses behind it. So priests merged these two ideas together …

The Temple Mount Photo: Jordan Pickett/Flickr/Creative Commons

Shocking news: Jewish Sanhedrin appoints a High Priest

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Breaking Israel News reports that Israel’s “Nascent Sanhedrin” has just appointed a high priest. His name is Rabbi Baruch Kahane, a prominent Jewish scholar knowledgeable in Jewish sacrifices. The announcement was a bit surprising considering there is no Jewish Temple. But a spokesperson for the ‘Nascent Sanhedrin’ explained that they wanted to have a High Priest in place in case there is a sudden change in policy on the Temple Mount. The ‘Nascent Sanhedrin‘ also called the developing Sanhedrin was set up in Israel in 2004. It is considered a national court of Jewish Law. Over the last 500 years, there have been six failed attempts to establish a Sanhedrin. This is the most successful so far. The major obstacle to constructing a Temple is that the Temple Mount with its Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock is controlled by the Muslims. Because of this, the Israeli government limits Jewish access to the site and forbids prayer on the Temple Mount. When Jews visit they are not allowed to pray including bowing their heads …

Galilean Sunset. You can see the Sea of Galilee in the distance. Photo: Dan Zelazo/Flickr/Creative commons

Matthew 9:35 receives its verification

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A verse in the Gospel of Matthew has caused lots of problems. I don’t think Matthew gave it a second thought when he added it. He wrote: 35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. (Matthew 9:35 NASV) But those opposed to Christianity have used this verse and other similar ones to discredit and even question Jesus’ ministry. Why? Because Matthew said Jesus had preached in the synagogues in the villages of Galilee and since no synagogues had been found in rural Galilee, it is argued they did not exist and the verse was a complete fabrication. And since it also talked about Jesus healing every type of sickness and disease, this called into question Christ’s ministry. But on August 9, 2016, the Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archaeology discovered a small rural synagogue dated to the second temple period confirming they did exist. This is the temple, built by King Herod, that …

The Muslim Qur'an written several centuries after the Bible states that Jesus never died on the cross. Photo: Katrine Kaarsemaker/Flickr/Creative Commons

Is Jesus the slave of Allah?

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ISIS puts out quarterly Arabic magazine called Dabiq. Also available in English, in its  latest issue ISIS reveals the stark contrast that Muslims have in their concept of God with Christians. In its publication entitled “Break the Cross,” ISIS tells the world that Jesus is “the slave of Allah.” It was part of the overall theme of the magazine attacking Christianity and particularly our concept of Jesus. The Muslim Qur’an speaks a lot about Jesus and even Jesus’ mother Mary has more verses dedicated to her than the prophet Muhammad. According to the Qur’an, Jesus is considered a prophet of Allah (Surah 2:136) and one who performed miracles including raising the dead and healing the sick (Surah 3:49). Many Muslims look upon Jesus as the healing prophet. Muslims do not believe Jesus is God or even the Son of God (Surah 19:88-92) because in their thinking the latter meant God had sex with Mary. Of course, the Bible does not say that. The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus supernaturally and even Mary was shocked by her …

Jesus entering Jerusalem for the last time by Jean Leon Gerome (1897) Wikipedia

Is Jesus Real? Philo and the Christ Myth

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There is a popular argument going around these days “Jesus never existed and we can prove it.” At the time of Jesus, a Jewish writer named Philo lived in Alexandria, a large city on the coast of Egypt. Philo tried to integrate the Jewish religion with Greek philosophy, to make the Jews more Greek and Roman. Historically, he was not popular with his fellow Jews. We know about him now because Christians liked his writings. It is interesting that Philo never once mentioned Jesus in his writings. This man lived when the New Testament tells us Jesus preached and did miracles, and Philo is silent about Jesus. Today, some critics are saying Christians believe in a made up character, the “Christ Myth.” You can search for “Philo” and the other terms on the Internet, but I don’t want to give links because most of the discussions are aggressive and offensive. Today, Philo’s silence encourages some people to believe that Jesus never existed. So what should we do with Philo? The argument of silence is always …

Beautiful Thailand Photo: Robert Saltori/Flckr/Creative Commons

Is Satan real? Thai model manifests a spirit on live TV?

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An interesting YouTube video has gone viral showing a young Thai model, Thippawan ‘Pui’ Chaphupuang” being possessed by a spirit while being interviewed on a live TV show in Thailand. During the interview, the young woman tells the host that she is often visited by a Thai spirit called ‘pop.’ According to Thai beliefs, Pop is a powerful ghost or spirit said to possess women. It is thought to be cannibalistic and will eat the internal organs such as the heart and liver of the girl it possesses. In other words, it will eventually destroy the person, it possesses. It is believed to be the malevolent side of a group of Thai spirits called Phi Fa that causes natural disasters or disease. During the interview the girl tells the host that ‘pop’ is coming to possess her and she begins to manifest this spirit. The original poster removed the video, but others have since posted it. The young woman begins to writhe and screech and at times speaks in a lower tone. The host asks …

Jesus breaks the curse of Generational curses!

Generational Curses: Part 4 — Jesus breaks the curse

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In this series we have been studying a Biblical principle found in Scripture often called Generational Curses. First cited in Exodus 20:5 and referenced several times after (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9 and Jeremiah 36:31), it revolves around the idea that the sin/iniquity of the parents can be be passed down to the children for up to four generations. 5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me. (Exodus 20:5 NASV) In our previous article, I discussed how King David’s family was affected by such a curse or sin stronghold. So the obvious question is, what type of iniquity or sin can be passed down? In the Exodus passage, it states that iniquity of the parents can be passed down, not the sin. While sin refers to the act of sinning, iniquity speaks of a sin addiction. Since one of the earliest references to …

The aftermath of a 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit California on December 22, 2003. Photo: Brian Lopez/Flickr/Creative Commons

Geologists warn mega earthquake looming

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Over the past week the earth has been hit with several large earthquakes resulting in hundreds of people being killed. Two major earthquakes hit Japan. The first one occurred on Thursday, April 14. With a magnitude of 6.5, it resulted in nine deaths and 800 injuries. A similar-sized earthquake hit the Pacific island of Vanuatu that same day with no reported deaths. Then a second 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Japan two days later on Saturday, April 16 killing 34 and injuring 1,500. There is even concern that repeated earthquakes could eventually split Japan’s southern island in half. That same day an earthquake with a 7.6 magnitude rocked Ecuador, South America killing over 272 people (update: 570 dead as of April 21, 2016) and injuring 2,500. This group of earthquakes fell in the Ring of Fire, that circulates around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. About 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur in this region and as well 81% of the major earthquakes, those exceeding 7.0 magnitude. Anyone with an interest in end-times events are probably …

Understanding who we are in Christ will change us. Photo: James/Flickr/Creative Commons

Rooted in love

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Recently, I heard a beautiful message on having Christ’s love rooted in our lives because it has the power to radically change us. Our pastor talked about Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians: “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge , that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:17 -19 NASB) This prayer came out of the Apostle Paul’s deep desire that the Ephesians would know their identity in Christ.  Once they grasped who they really were through a revelation of God’s love their perception of themselves and the world would change: Paul was passionate about believers being rooted and grounded in the love of God.  He knew it would bring a stability and security that would produce wholeness and make them complete. Our pastor referred to a story …

God ordained one man, one wife. Photo: Jose Carlos Castro/Flickr/Creative Commons

Was it Christianity’s insistence on monogamy that led to successful societies?

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In a recent article in the National Post, Barbara Kay discussed a book, Marriage and Civilization, written by William Tucker. In it, Tucker argues that what made certain civilizations more successful than others was their insistence on monogamous marriage — one husband and one wife. He does not suggest that nations pushing monogamous marriage were perfect, but they tended to be more successful than those that practiced polygamy. He attributes Christianity for being the major reason for the acceptance of monogamy. Despite having a secular view, he described Christianity as “the most powerful force for implementing monogamy in Western Civilization.” Tucker states one of the hallmarks of a polygamous society is that it is often in conflict. He says “everywhere polygamy is practiced it creates conflict” which hindered the culture’s development. And there is a very good reason for this because “there is always a shortage of women” in a polygamous society. As a result, men would raid other groups in search of women for marriage. A second thing also happened. Due to the lack of …

Orthodox Jews wearing a kippah in Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Alex Proimos/Flickr/Creative Commons

Why do orthodox Jewish men wear a kippah or skullcap?

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With Jewish groups in Europe warning Jewish men against wearing a kippah or skullcap in public for fear of attack, I was a bit curious as to why they actually wore one. There are no passages in the Old Testament requiring men to wear a cap. After a bit of research, I discovered through Chabad.org that the tradition is based on the Talmud which is a collection of ancient Jewish writings interpreting the Old Testament Law — essentially an ancient Jewish commentary. The Talmud tells the story about an astrologer who told a Jewish woman that her son was destined to be a thief. To prevent this from happening, the woman demanded her son wear a cap as a reminder that God was watching his every move and to remind him of God’s presence. It even includes an incident that happened to the boy as he was sitting under a palm tree. His hat had fallen off and when a fruit fell to the ground he was strongly tempted to eat it, even though it …

Orthodox Jews walking down a street in Old Jerusalem. Photo: Rico Grimm/Flickr/Creative Commons 21millimeters.ricogrimm.de

Are Orthodox Rabbis changing long-held opinions on Jesus?

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Maybe the time predicted by the Apostle Paul is nearer than we think. Quoting from Isaiah 59:20, Paul stated one day that all Israel would be saved:  “and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’” (Romans 11:26 NASV) In the Old Testament verse that Paul cited, the Deliverer is none other than Jesus and His removal of the ungodliness from Jacob speaks of the nation accepting Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, a belief they have rejected for two centuries. But in what may be another step towards this acceptance, Israel Today is reporting that just before Christmas 25 prominent Jewish rabbis issued a statement calling for a remarkable change of attitude towards Jesus. Though they have not reached the point of accepting Christ as the Messiah, it is nevertheless significant. The group is made up of prominent rabbis of congregations, seminaries and Jewish institutions in Israel and around the world including the UK, Canada and the US. Since its …

“I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning." Jesus (Luke 10:18) Photo: Matt/Flickr/Creative Commons

The real story behind the first Christmas

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Español: La verdadera historia detrás de la primera Navidad Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright… When Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr of Austria penned the famous Christmas carol Silent Night in 1818, they painted a calm, idyllic image of Christmas. It along with many Christmas carols portrayed the birth of Jesus as we see it in Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-2:23 — Shepherds in the field, Angels singing, a baby in swaddling clothes,  a manger, bleating sheep and lowing oxen. Peaceful, serene… yet is this what really happened at the birth of Jesus? There is a third version of the Christmas story, found in the Book of Revelation, that isn’t often read this time of year: The Woman, Israel 12 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. The Red Dragon, Satan 3 Then another sign …

Meeting Jesus at Chicago O'Hare Airport Photo: Ronald Woan/Flickr

A Christmas Story

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We had just arrived in Chicago, on our way home. Carol’s wheelchair attendant was, as promised, waiting at the cabin door for her. He was a cheerful fellow, with a cheerful smile and a cheerful demeanor as he very cheerfully asked me to take the wheelchair. I understood – his tablet read my name, not Carol’s. “No,” I said. “It’s for my wife.” That’s when he saw her and could clearly see she had the greater need. “No problem,” he said. “Can you make it to the top of the ramp?” Being satisfied I was taken care of, he pushed Carol to the top while I hobbled with my cane behind, already exhausted. At the top, he said “Sir, you must let me take you as well. Your next flight is just too far away. I’ll get another chair.” Gratefully, I accepted. When he got back, it quickly became obvious he didn’t misspeak when he said he would take me and Carol as well. With one hand on Carol’s chair and the other on mine, …

Jesus cleansing the temple by Giovanni Paolo Panini (1691-1765)

The problem of the Jewish Messiah and the Temple

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As they did in Jesus day, many Orthodox Jews reject Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Even today they still await their Messiah’s coming. In the Old Testament, there were a number of prophecies that spoke of the Messiah and Jesus fulfilled them all including being born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and even riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). But there is one prophecy from the Book of Daniel that is very problematic for the Jews and it involved a prophecy about the Messiah and the Temple. In some ways it explains the love hate relationship Jesus had with the Temple. On one hand Jesus cleansed the Temple by taking a whip and driving out the money changers claiming it was supposed to be a House of prayer (Matthew 21:12-17). But Jesus also prophesied the Temple’s destruction telling His disciples that not even one stone would be left standing on another (Matthew 24:1-2). In the end, it would be Jesus’ public statements about the Temple that got Him into trouble with the ruling class. After Jesus …

The traditional site on the Jordan River where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Photo: Jan Smith/Flickr

The Key is the Word and the Word was the Key

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“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are my beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NKJV) Insomnia is never fun. Not long ago on a Wednesday night after struggling to fall asleep, I woke up again after two or three hours. As well as being frustrated with the pressure of having to work the next day on little sleep, the demonic darts started pushing all the wrong buttons (“You’re too old,” “God is finished with you,” “people have forgotten about you,” “you’re nothing,” etc.) I felt like I was being flushed down a large black toilet. A black demonic cloud was descending over my mind. Then I heard a still small voice: “the baptism of Jesus”. This phrase may not send the demonic hordes running in everyone’s life, but it did for …

Gospel of Jesus' wife fragment. Background photo: Jame Marvin Phelps/Foter/CC BY NC

‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ a fake: the murky world of antiquity forgeries

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The 2012 discovery of a business-card sized piece of papyrus by Harvard University professor Karen King has led to speculation Jesus was married. King received photo copies of the papyrus along with a second piece that included parts of the Gospel of John from a person who purchased the two papyri several years back. The buyer, who remains anonymous, later provided access to the original papyrus. What caught everyone’s attention was text on one fragment possibly referring to Jesus’s wife. Written in Egyptian Coptic, the text reads “Jesus said to them, My wife….” and then it stops as the papyrus is torn at this point. Since Mary is also mentioned on this same fragment, some concluded this was a reference to Mary Magdalene who they believe was the wife of Jesus. King dated the fragment to the fourth century and believed it was a copy of text written in the second century. She suggested it was evidence that some in the early church thought Jesus had a wife. King does point out that because of …

Was a girl healed from a critical injury after a friend laid hands on her and prayed?

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[by Dean Smith] In 2011, at the age of 14, Taylor Hale of Waukee, Iowa was with friends when she fell off the hood of a car hitting her head on the pavement. Unconscious, she was rushed to hospital by ambulance. According to an article in USA Today, the doctors medically induced a coma to help heal her brain trauma. Over the next six days medical staff worked on Taylor, but the news wasn’t good. Her head was sinking into her spinal canal, and according to doctors this was irreversible. But the sixth day, September 17, 2011, proved eventful. Early in the morning, Taylor suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. With no brain activity, the doctors recommended to Taylor’s parents, Stacy and Chuck Taylor, that their daughter be taken off life support. The family agreed and began planning for her funeral.

Jesus loved terrorists and still loves them today

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[by Dean Smith] An interesting story has emerged about one of the Muslim terrorists killed in the attack on a Mohammad drawing event held in Garland, Texas, Sunday, May 3,2015. The event sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative was offering a $10,000 reward for the best caricature of Muhammad. Elton Simpson, 30, along with his roommate Nadir Soofi, 34 ,were shot by a police officer when the heavily armed duo launched their attack on the event. If the officer had not stopped the two, many of the 200 people attending would have undoubtedly been either killed or injured.

Girl falls 30 feet inside a hollowed-out tree, has a vision of Jesus, but then an odd thing happens

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[by Dean Smith] According to a report in the Daily Mail, Annabel Wilson Beam, 12, of Texas was playing with her two sisters on a hollowed out Cottonwood tree in December 2011, when she fell 30′ down inside the tree. Trapped at the bottom, emergency crews were called in to pull her out. Falling in and out of consciousness, Annabel then 9 was rushed by helicopter to nearby Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth Texas. After her arrival, MRI scans showed wounds consistent with head trauma (she had apparently hit her head three times on the way down), but other than a few bumps and bruises they could find nothing wrong with her. Annabel was eventually released. One doctor quipped: “I guess someone up there was looking out for her.” That in itself was a miracle. However, after Annabel was sent home, things started getting a bit bizarre. Annabel told her parents, Kevin and Christy Beam, that while unconscious she went to heaven and sat on Jesus’ lap. Annabel described Jesus as having dark skin, …

Jesus, the Passover lamb

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[by Dean Smith] The Catholic tradition of Easter has diluted the connection between Jesus’ crucifixion and Jewish Passover and its annual sacrifice of a lamb. Even renaming it “Easter” disconnects it with the most important sacrifice on the Jewish calendar. During Passover, each family bought an unblemished lamb (called the Paschal lamb) to the temple as part of their sacrifice. It was sacrificed in the outer court, the blood collected by the priests, and parts of the animal sacrificed. Later that evening the family would eat what was left of the lamb in the Passover feast called Seder. The connection and Catholic diluting starts at Christ’s birth. We read in Luke 2:8-20, about shepherds out in the fields watching their sheep, when an angel appears announcing the birth of Israel’s savior. Why did an angel announce the birth of Christ to a group of shepherds and no one else?

Another end-times event? The Temple Institute has built the Jewish altar

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UPDATED MARCH 23, 2015: [by Dean Smith] Israel’s Temple Institute, based in Jerusalem, just announced it had finished constructing the Altar of the Lord (also called the altar of burnt offering) this past December. The altar would be used for animal sacrifices if a new Jewish Temple is built in Jerusalem. The Romans destroyed the last temple in 70 AD. There were two altars in the original temple — the altar of burnt offering — which was just built and the smaller altar of incense. The Institute built the new altar according to the strict measurements and conditions laid out in the Old Testament. The media originally reported it stood 5 meters high (16 feet), however according to information just released by the Temple Institute, the altar is actually five amot high (a Biblical measurement) which works out to 7.7 feet and 24.5 feet wide. It comes complete with a ramp that allows for easy access to the top of the altar where the sacrifices took place.