1 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
Handling and preparing a dead person for burial is limited to certain close relations.
4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
However, a chief man was not to handle the dead.
5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
These were obviously religious proscriptions. People apparently did these things for religious motives. Scarification is part of the modern fetish of Primitivism.
6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
A priest could not marry a whore or a divorced woman.
8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.
9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
A priest’s daughter who was a whore had to be killed.
10 ¶ And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
The priest is not to make the signs of mourning and grief, of tearing clothes or tending to the dead bodies of a close relative.
13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
The priest is to marry a virgin, a woman who has never had sex with a man.
14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
The priest is limited here as to what the condition is of the woman he is to marry.
15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
The priest is set apart for God. He must not do certain things that others are allowed to do.
16 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
The priest was not to have a handicap. This is not politically correct but it is true in regard to God’s rules for the priesthood. This is one reason not to take the doctrine of the Christian as a type of priest too far.
18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
The handicapped man is to worship and partake of the bread of God, but he is not to enter into the vail. We will have no handicaps in our glorified bodies.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Latest Reading
Latest Reading
From Dawn to Decadence, 1500 to the present, 500 years of Western Cultural Life, by Jacques Barzun, Harper Collins, 2000. This is a great book that illuminates many trends in the rise and decay of Western Civilization and presents many possible conclusions to my mind, most of which probably weren't intended by the author. This is a must read for any history buff or honest critic of our culture.
From Dawn to Decadence, 1500 to the present, 500 years of Western Cultural Life, by Jacques Barzun, Harper Collins, 2000. This is a great book that illuminates many trends in the rise and decay of Western Civilization and presents many possible conclusions to my mind, most of which probably weren't intended by the author. This is a must read for any history buff or honest critic of our culture.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Latest Reading
Hamburger Hill, The Battle for Ap Bia Mountain, May 11-20, 1969, by Samuel Zaffiri, Presidio Press, 1988. This is one of the most awesome and exciting military books I have ever read and is very much a must read for students of the Second Indochina War. All I can say is "four stars!" and worth every second of your time. Please read this book.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Leviticus, chapter 20
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
A stranger, once again, is a foreigner. The murder of infants in a religious ceremony was common in the Ancient Near East and it has been said by historians that in Carthage, a former Phoenician colony, that 300 upper class babies were killed in one day in this way to Baal in hopes of ending a siege. The different names of various gods are all simply manifestations of Satan.
3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.
It’s very clear that the Hebrew religion was a communal one. They were responsible for chastising and even executing members of their community who, regardless of belief, transgressed God’s commandment. Those of us who consider America to be a Christian Nation or to have once been a Christian Nation often have the faulty thinking that the magistrate should enforce God’s laws.
However, under the Dispensation of Grace we have no such command. Christianity is a personal religion and no nation can be Christian, only individuals can. America’s first error was in its freedom of religion, allowing political religions such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Communism, and now Islam to influence its national character.
This is the philosophy that destroyed America’s promise; that government is God and that God is so weak He needs humans to enforce His statutes and that America is a kind of ancient Israel. Both Republicans and Democrats have this false messianic vision of our country.
6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
Idolatry is often likened to sexual immorality. Here, it is said that they would “go a whoring” after familiar spirits and wizards. God will kill that person who does this, among them.
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Set yourself apart for God, being holy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God and not anything else.
8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Here He orders them to keep His statutes and to do them but here He says He is doing the sanctifying.
Psalm 119:1 ¶ ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 4 ¶ Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 7 ¶ I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Those Christians who want to put us all back under the Mosaic Law don’t like to pay heed to the rules such as this. We would today regard it as a tad extreme to put a child to death for cursing his parents. There is no comparable verse under the doctrines of Grace that would permit us to consider this remedy.
10 ¶ And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
If adultery were punishable by death under our laws our population could be halved.
11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Was this Ham’s crime?
Genesis 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
It certainly was the crime of the churchgoer in First Corinthians.
1Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father‘s wife.
12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
The same applies to the man’s daughter in law.
13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Under the Mosaic Law, male homosexual behavior was proscribed and the offenders would be put to death.
14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
In the same respect, a man having sex with a woman and her mother was ordered to be put to death.
15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
Bestiality with regard to male sexual behavior is condemned here.
16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Bestiality with regard to female sexual behavior is condemned here.
17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
Incest is forbidden. Oddly, it doesn’t mention a man having sex with his daughter but only sister, half-sister, or step-sister seems to be included in this proscription.
18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
Here is an interesting rule for the Hebrews. It was forbidden to have sex with a woman during her period. This is curious due to certain fetishes and practices today. In addition, there are a great many emotional concerns around this time of the month for a female. Truthfully, since during her period it was not likely she could get pregnant this may have been an admonition to discourage the practice of having sex during this time to prevent pregnancy.
19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
It was forbidden to have sex with an aunt by blood.
20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
It was forbidden to have sex with an aunt by marriage, also.
21 And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
They were forbidden to have sex with a sister-in-law.
22 ¶ Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
There is a threat here that the sexual immorality that they might commit will result in their being vomited out of the land like the Canaanites before them.
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
These forbidden sexual acts were, apparently, commonplace among the Canaanites, the sons of Ham, who lived here.
24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
Here is given the purpose of the sexual admonitions, to separate these people from others.
25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
The dietary regulations also made them different, which eventually became the grounds for much baseless pride.
26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Again, he stresses the differentness of the Hebrew from the ethnic groups around them.
27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
The spirit medium and the wizard was not to be tolerated by them.
2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
A stranger, once again, is a foreigner. The murder of infants in a religious ceremony was common in the Ancient Near East and it has been said by historians that in Carthage, a former Phoenician colony, that 300 upper class babies were killed in one day in this way to Baal in hopes of ending a siege. The different names of various gods are all simply manifestations of Satan.
3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.
It’s very clear that the Hebrew religion was a communal one. They were responsible for chastising and even executing members of their community who, regardless of belief, transgressed God’s commandment. Those of us who consider America to be a Christian Nation or to have once been a Christian Nation often have the faulty thinking that the magistrate should enforce God’s laws.
However, under the Dispensation of Grace we have no such command. Christianity is a personal religion and no nation can be Christian, only individuals can. America’s first error was in its freedom of religion, allowing political religions such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Communism, and now Islam to influence its national character.
This is the philosophy that destroyed America’s promise; that government is God and that God is so weak He needs humans to enforce His statutes and that America is a kind of ancient Israel. Both Republicans and Democrats have this false messianic vision of our country.
6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
Idolatry is often likened to sexual immorality. Here, it is said that they would “go a whoring” after familiar spirits and wizards. God will kill that person who does this, among them.
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Set yourself apart for God, being holy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God and not anything else.
8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Here He orders them to keep His statutes and to do them but here He says He is doing the sanctifying.
Psalm 119:1 ¶ ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 4 ¶ Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 7 ¶ I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Those Christians who want to put us all back under the Mosaic Law don’t like to pay heed to the rules such as this. We would today regard it as a tad extreme to put a child to death for cursing his parents. There is no comparable verse under the doctrines of Grace that would permit us to consider this remedy.
10 ¶ And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
If adultery were punishable by death under our laws our population could be halved.
11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Was this Ham’s crime?
Genesis 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
It certainly was the crime of the churchgoer in First Corinthians.
1Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father‘s wife.
12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
The same applies to the man’s daughter in law.
13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Under the Mosaic Law, male homosexual behavior was proscribed and the offenders would be put to death.
14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
In the same respect, a man having sex with a woman and her mother was ordered to be put to death.
15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
Bestiality with regard to male sexual behavior is condemned here.
16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Bestiality with regard to female sexual behavior is condemned here.
17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
Incest is forbidden. Oddly, it doesn’t mention a man having sex with his daughter but only sister, half-sister, or step-sister seems to be included in this proscription.
18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
Here is an interesting rule for the Hebrews. It was forbidden to have sex with a woman during her period. This is curious due to certain fetishes and practices today. In addition, there are a great many emotional concerns around this time of the month for a female. Truthfully, since during her period it was not likely she could get pregnant this may have been an admonition to discourage the practice of having sex during this time to prevent pregnancy.
19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
It was forbidden to have sex with an aunt by blood.
20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
It was forbidden to have sex with an aunt by marriage, also.
21 And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
They were forbidden to have sex with a sister-in-law.
22 ¶ Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
There is a threat here that the sexual immorality that they might commit will result in their being vomited out of the land like the Canaanites before them.
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
These forbidden sexual acts were, apparently, commonplace among the Canaanites, the sons of Ham, who lived here.
24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
Here is given the purpose of the sexual admonitions, to separate these people from others.
25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
The dietary regulations also made them different, which eventually became the grounds for much baseless pride.
26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Again, he stresses the differentness of the Hebrew from the ethnic groups around them.
27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
The spirit medium and the wizard was not to be tolerated by them.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Mark, chapter 16
1 ¶ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
The Sabbath is past. Once Jesus Christ dies there is no Sabbath to keep any longer. Jesus is our Sabbath, our rest. There is no holy day for a Christian any more.
Col ossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Jesus had to have come out before daybreak.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
The central focus of Christianity is an empty tomb.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
Peter is singled out to be used as a leader of the early church but right now, also, he is in a backslidden condition. He is separated from the disciples until Christ appears. We are saved saints but we are not truly Christians unless we are walking a disciplined life, walking with Christ and being like Him. Most of us who are saved are just that, but not Christians.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Although, of the 620 Uncial or most ancient block letter manuscripts that contain Mark 618 contain the following verses they are called into doubt in some Bibles. The two that don’t have these verses are the darlings of the Roman Catholic Church and modern day Protestant expositors, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. They are corruptions from the 4th century, most likely prepared by Constantine’s’ bootlicker, Eusebius, for his own purposes of creating a Roman based and controlled church. Jerome’s revision of the Old Latin Bible called the Latin Vulgate and all modern versions gave these two abominations preeminence.
There have been many books written that prove the validity of the last twelve verses of Mark, most predominantly “The Last Twelve Verses of Mark” by Dean John Burgon. If your Bible version calls these verses into any question, throw that “Bible” out. It is trash. Justin Martyr, Tatian, Irenaeus, Ambrose, and Chrysostrom all quote these verses. Even Jerome’s Vulgate contains these verses even though he gives the two aforementioned codices preeminence elsewhere.
9 ¶ Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
A woman who had seven devils removed from her is the first person that Jesus shows Himself to. Think about that or a century or so.
Luke 7:36 ¶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
To whom much is forgiven much love should be expected toward the Lord.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Luke 24:13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Three witnesses and no one believes them. I’m not bringing all of these in from other gospels because we will get to them eventually.
14 ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Here is the Great Commission, given to the Jewish apostles specifically.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Salvation is predicated upon belief, not upon baptism.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
1Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
1Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
These five signs are given to the early Jewish church.
1 Corinthians 8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
These signs vanished with the death of the last apostle. That which is perfect, the Bible, is here. We are to read and hear it, to believe it and obey it. Those people who play with these gifts given to the apostles invite demonic oppression and possession in themselves and in their churches.
The fruit of the Spirit are not these signs for the Christian today. They are;
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
2Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Are you manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit or are you communing with Satan?
19 ¶ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
The signs given to the apostles are no longer extant, although in the Tribulation the Jews may receive those again. For Christians today to claim these signs and not be able to produce them as defined by the Bible makes Christians a laughingstock.
God honors faith. He expects faith. Believe the Book. If you need a sign you are wicked. You have no faith. Unbelief damns you. As time goes by we will see these signs evident in the early, predominantly Jewish church. Let’s keep moving on.
The Sabbath is past. Once Jesus Christ dies there is no Sabbath to keep any longer. Jesus is our Sabbath, our rest. There is no holy day for a Christian any more.
Col ossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Jesus had to have come out before daybreak.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
The central focus of Christianity is an empty tomb.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
Peter is singled out to be used as a leader of the early church but right now, also, he is in a backslidden condition. He is separated from the disciples until Christ appears. We are saved saints but we are not truly Christians unless we are walking a disciplined life, walking with Christ and being like Him. Most of us who are saved are just that, but not Christians.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Although, of the 620 Uncial or most ancient block letter manuscripts that contain Mark 618 contain the following verses they are called into doubt in some Bibles. The two that don’t have these verses are the darlings of the Roman Catholic Church and modern day Protestant expositors, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. They are corruptions from the 4th century, most likely prepared by Constantine’s’ bootlicker, Eusebius, for his own purposes of creating a Roman based and controlled church. Jerome’s revision of the Old Latin Bible called the Latin Vulgate and all modern versions gave these two abominations preeminence.
There have been many books written that prove the validity of the last twelve verses of Mark, most predominantly “The Last Twelve Verses of Mark” by Dean John Burgon. If your Bible version calls these verses into any question, throw that “Bible” out. It is trash. Justin Martyr, Tatian, Irenaeus, Ambrose, and Chrysostrom all quote these verses. Even Jerome’s Vulgate contains these verses even though he gives the two aforementioned codices preeminence elsewhere.
9 ¶ Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
A woman who had seven devils removed from her is the first person that Jesus shows Himself to. Think about that or a century or so.
Luke 7:36 ¶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
To whom much is forgiven much love should be expected toward the Lord.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Luke 24:13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Three witnesses and no one believes them. I’m not bringing all of these in from other gospels because we will get to them eventually.
14 ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Here is the Great Commission, given to the Jewish apostles specifically.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Salvation is predicated upon belief, not upon baptism.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
1Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
1Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
These five signs are given to the early Jewish church.
1 Corinthians 8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
These signs vanished with the death of the last apostle. That which is perfect, the Bible, is here. We are to read and hear it, to believe it and obey it. Those people who play with these gifts given to the apostles invite demonic oppression and possession in themselves and in their churches.
The fruit of the Spirit are not these signs for the Christian today. They are;
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
2Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Are you manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit or are you communing with Satan?
19 ¶ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
The signs given to the apostles are no longer extant, although in the Tribulation the Jews may receive those again. For Christians today to claim these signs and not be able to produce them as defined by the Bible makes Christians a laughingstock.
God honors faith. He expects faith. Believe the Book. If you need a sign you are wicked. You have no faith. Unbelief damns you. As time goes by we will see these signs evident in the early, predominantly Jewish church. Let’s keep moving on.
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