Tag Archives: Sabbath

Mysteries Of The Bible: What Does Pentecost/Shavuot Have To Do With Resurrection?

Posted on May 21, 2018 by

Over this Pentecost weekend, quite a few speakers that I listened to sought to connect Pentecost (which the Jews call Shavuot) with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And admittedly this is not a difficult connection to make.  Nevertheless, if we … Continue reading →

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Interview Questions For A Martyr

Posted on May 19, 2018 by

I just have a few questions for you, Ignatius, if you don’t mind.  Why is it that you thought it was necessary for you “become like wheat” and be chewed up by the lions in order to reach the kingdom … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Rethinking Polycarp As A Friend Of The Sabbath

Posted on April 24, 2018 by

Was Polycarp a friend to genuine Christianity?  If there is one Apostolic Father that is recognized by a large proportion of members of the Church of God, it is Polycarp [1], and he is recognized primarily for his opposition to … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged | 2 Comments

Anti-Semitism In Ignatius Of Antioch’s Epistles

Posted on April 21, 2018 by

Having examined several aspects of Ignatius of Anticoh’s writings, it is worthwhile at this point to spend a bit of time looking at how he showed hostility to Jews and to the Sabbath, which was connected in his mind with … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, History | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Scene From A Sabbath Drive Past Multnomah Falls

Posted on April 15, 2018 by

Water rapidly rushes over the gorge under the approving gaze of the assembled travelers while the land slumps past the stumps of trees recently cut down over the road closed west to Bridal Veil. Nearby ashen mute moss-covered tree trunks … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

An Introduction To Compendia: A Collection

Posted on April 12, 2018 by

[Note:  Some time ago I wrote five [1] texts that I thought to collect together as a unified work, and so I would like to share it with you all.  The whole work can be found here:  Compendia.] How does one … Continue reading →

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The Portrayal Of The Jews In The Martyrdom Of Polycarp

Posted on April 12, 2018 by

One of the consistent aspects of the Apostlic Fathers that bears considerable scrutiny is the nearly universally negative portrayal of Jews and Judaism in them [1].  At times this portrayal is somewhat crude and at times it is relatively seriously … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

The Problem Of Anti-Semitism In The Didache And The Epistle Of Barnabas

Posted on March 29, 2018 by

We have previously noted [1] the issue of hostility to the Jews in the Didache and its ominous implications for Christian-Jewish relations going back to the late first and early second centuries AD.  Having just looked at the way in … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Book Review: Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers

Posted on March 25, 2018 by

Early Christian Writings:  The Apostolic Fathers, translated by Maxwell Staniforth It must be admitted that this is not a complete volume of the writings that are considered part of the Apostolic Fathers [1].  Even so, so long as the reader … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Christianity, Church of God, History | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

The Puzzle Of The Lord’s Day In The Didache

Posted on March 20, 2018 by

Among the more notable texts in the Apostlic Fathers is the Didache, and this short text, an early manual on practice within Christian communities, presents the reader with a lot of puzzles.  Among those puzzles is section 14 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , | 7 Comments