Martin Luther Reformer Facts


Martin Luther Facts

Martin Luther the 16th century German priest that is well known for the 95 theses reform. Here are some facts about the Reformer you might not know.

 

1. Martin Luther was a 16th century German professor of religion, and a Catholic priest. Best known for beginning the Protestant Reformation in Europe.

 

2. Luther was born in 1483 in Eisleben in the Holy Roman Empire, which today is Germany. He studied Latin, grammar and logic and described these years as like being in Hell.

 

3. Luther decided to become a monk, joining a friary in Germany in 1505. He made this decision as his life was spared when he was riding a horse during a violent thunderstorm.

 

4. Martin Luther began to reject the principles of the established Roman Catholic Church. In 1517, he nailed a paper containing 95 statements to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.

 

5. His Reformation Movement was helped by the newly invented printing press, copies of these statements spread all over Germany. Today, the statements can be seen engraved in a bronze door which replaced the original wooden one.

 

 

6. The Pope at the time Pope Leo X objected to this and insisted that Luther leave the Church. Luther decided to organize a new Church, the Lutheran Church, despite becoming a wanted man.

 

7. Martin Luther came up with a new form of worship, wrote a German mass and translated the Bible into German. He also wrote many hymns – often based on events in his own life.

 

8. In 1524, the peasants revolted, thinking Luther with his radical ideas, was on their side. The peasants demanded more freedom from landowners and over 100,000 of them were killed.

 

9. In 1525, he married a former nun whom he had smuggled out of a convent in an empty fish barrel. Luther’s marriage made it more acceptable for religious people to get married and have children.

 

10. Martin Luther died in 1546 and was buried in Castle Church in Wittenberg. He had several ailments including kidney stones, arthritis, vertigo and a cataract in one of his eyes.

 

11. Martin Luther King, the American pastor and one of the leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, was named after Martin Luther. In 1934, Martin Luther King’s father, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions


Christmas And The Bible


 

As much as we hear about Christmas, The Bible does not give the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it say that we should celebrate it. There is no proof that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders likely chose this date to coincide with pagan festivals held on or around the winter solstice. The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT (New Testament) origin.

 

It’s not hard to recognize what Christmas is all about these days. Long gone are those days when we remembered what this season was about. Now we just worry about where we can get the best deals, who gives the best gift or receives the best gift. Somewhere down the road we forgot what was important and that is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, it is true that Bethlehem is very cold and rainy during December, for that reason the Shepard’s would not keep their flocks outside at night at that time of the year (Luke 2:8). (Luke 2:1-5) also tells us that that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because, His parents came to town to register in the roman census. Caesar Augustus made a decree that all the world should be registered.

 

The Romans were highly efficient administrators and it wouldn’t have made sense to conduct a census in the dead of winter, where temperatures often dropped below freezing and travel would have been difficult due to poor road conditions. We all know these things but, celebrating His birth is no different from celebrating our birthdays. On our birthday we give thanks for another year of life and good health that our father has given us.

 

December 25 is our day to thank our Father for the best gift anybody could ever give us and that is the gift of Eternal Life, believing in His Son that died for us on the cross for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to suffer what he suffered.

 

The most common theory about the origins of Christmas is that it was borrowed from a pagan celebration that the Romans had in the winter called Saturnalia, a festival in late December. In 274 C.E. the Roman emperor Aurelian established a feast of the birth of Sol Invictus (The Unconquered Sun) on Dec. 25. Christmas is said to be a spin off from these pagan solar festivals.

 

According to this theory, early Christians deliberately chose these dates to encourage the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman world. This theory however doesn’t have any written proof in Christian writings about a connection between the solstice and the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is attributed with the Roman Emperor Constantine, who in theory converted but, that is something that has no proven evidence.

 

At the end of the day it is how you celebrate Christmas that’s important. If we celebrate it by worrying about what to get our family and friends and go into debt doing it, then we are forgetting about Glorifying our Father and thanking Him for the greatest gift we can get and that is Jesus Christ. But, then again we should Glorify and praise Him every day not for what He can do for us but, for what He has already done in our lives. His Word says in (John 15:5) that apart from Him we can do nothing.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestion

Saturnalia And Christmas


 

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.

 

The poet Catullus called it “the best of days”. It was the Roman equivalent to the earlier Greek holiday of Kronia, which was celebrated during the Attic month of Hekatombaion in late midsummer.

 

In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labor in a state of innocence. The revelries of Saturnalia were supposed to reflect the conditions of the lost mythical age, not all of them desirable.

 

The Greek equivalent was the Kronia, which was celebrated on the twelfth day of the month of Hekatombaion, which occurred from around mid-July to mid-August on the Attic calendar.

 

The ancient Roman historian Justinus credits Saturn with being a historical king of the pre-Roman inhabitants of Italy:

 

The first inhabitants of Italy were the Aborigines, whose king, Saturnus, is said to have been a man of such extraordinary justice, that no one was a slave in his reign, or had any private property, but all things were common to all, and undivided, as one estate for the use of every one; in memory of which way of life, it has been ordered that at the Saturnalia slaves should everywhere sit down with their masters at the entertainments, the rank of all being made equal.

 


Although probably the best-known Roman holiday, Saturnalia as a whole is not described from beginning to end in any single ancient source. Modern understanding of the festival is pieced together from several accounts dealing with various aspects. The Saturnalia was the dramatic setting of the multivolume work of that name by Macrobius, a Latin writer from late antiquity who is the major source for information about the holiday.

 

In one of the interpretations in Macrobius’s work, Saturnalia is a festival of light leading to the winter solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth. The renewal of light and the coming of the new year was celebrated in the later Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the “Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun”, on 23 December.

 

The popularity of Saturnalia continued into the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, and as the Roman Empire came under Christian rule, many of its customs were recast into or at least influenced the seasonal celebrations surrounding Christmas and the New Year.

Public Religious Observance



Ruins of the Temple of Saturn 

 

The statue of Saturn at his main temple normally had its feet bound in wool, which was removed for the holiday as an act of liberation.The official rituals were carried out according to “Greek rite” (ritus graecus). The sacrifice was officiated by a priest, whose head was uncovered; in Roman rite, priests sacrificed capite velato, with head covered by a special fold of the toga.

 

This procedure is usually explained by Saturn’s assimilation with his Greek counterpart Cronus, since the Romans often adopted and reinterpreted Greek myths, iconography, and even religious practices for their own deities, but the uncovering of the priest’s head may also be one of the Saturnalian reversals, the opposite of what was normal.

 

Following the sacrifice the Roman Senate arranged a lectisternium, a ritual of Greek origin that typically involved placing a deity’s image on a sumptuous couch, as if he were present and actively participating in the festivities. A public banquet followed. The day was supposed to be a holiday from all forms of work. Schools were closed, and exercise regimens were suspended. Courts were not in session, so no justice was administered, and no declaration of war could be made. 

 

After the public rituals, observances continued at home. On 18 and 19 December, which were also holidays from public business, families conducted domestic rituals. They bathed early, and those with means sacrificed a suckling pig, a traditional offering to an earth deity.

Io Saturnalia

 

The phrase io Saturnalia was the characteristic shout or salutation of the festival, originally commencing after the public banquet on the single day of 17 December. 

 

The interjection io (Greek ἰώǐō) is pronounced either with two syllables (a short i and a long o) or as a single syllable (with the i becoming the Latin consonantal j and pronounced ). It was a strongly emotive ritual exclamation or invocation, used for instance in announcing triumph or celebrating Bacchus, but also to punctuate a joke.

Private Festivities

 

The head of the slave household, whose responsibility it was to offer sacrifice to the Penates, to manage the provisions and to direct the activities of the domestic servants, came to tell his master that the household had feasted according to the annual ritual custom.

 

For at this festival, in houses that keep to proper religious usage, they first of all honor the slaves with a dinner prepared as if for the master; and only afterwards is the table set again for the head of the household. So, then, the chief slave came in to announce the time of dinner and to summon the masters to the table.

 

Saturnalia is the best-known of several festivals in the Greco-Roman world characterized by role reversals and behavioral license. Slaves were treated to a banquet of the kind usually enjoyed by their masters.

 

Ancient sources differ on the circumstances: some suggest that master and slave dined together, while others indicate that the slaves feasted first, or that the masters actually served the food. The practice might have varied over time, and in any case slaves would still have prepared the meal.

 

Saturnalian license also permitted slaves to disrespect their masters without the threat of a punishment. It was a time for free speech.  In two satires set during the Saturnalia, Horace has a slave offer sharp criticism to his master. Everyone knew, however, that the leveling of the social hierarchy was temporary and had limits; no social norms were ultimately threatened, because the holiday would end.

 

The toga, the characteristic garment of the male Roman citizen, was set aside in favor of the Greek synthesis, colourful “dinner clothes” otherwise considered in poor taste for daytime wear. Romans of citizen status normally went about bare-headed, but for the Saturnalia donned the pilleus, the conical felt cap that was the usual mark of a freedman.

 

Slaves, who ordinarily were not entitled to wear the pileus, wore it as well, so that everyone was “pileated” without distinction.

 

The participation of freeborn Roman women is implied by sources that name gifts for women, but their presence at banquets may have depended on the custom of their time; from the late Republic onward, women mingled socially with men more freely than they had in earlier times. Female entertainers were certainly present at some otherwise all-male gatherings.

 

 


Dice players in a wall painting from Pompeii.

 

Gambling and dice-playing, normally prohibited or at least frowned upon, were permitted for all, even slaves. Coins and nuts were the stakes. On the Calendar of Philocalus, the Saturnalia is represented by a man wearing a fur-trimmed coat next to a table with dice, and a caption reading: “Now you have license, slave, to game with your master.” Rampant overeating and drunkenness became the rule, and a sober person the exception.

 

Gift-Giving

 

The Sigillaria on 19 December was a day of gift-giving. Because gifts of value would mark social status contrary to the spirit of the season, these were often the pottery or wax figurines called sigillaria made specially for the day, candles, or “gag gifts”. Children received toys as gifts. In his many poems about the Saturnalia, Martial names both expensive and quite cheap gifts, including writing tablets, dice, knucklebones, moneyboxes, combs, toothpicks, a hat, a hunting knife, an axe, various lamps, balls, perfumes, pipes, a pig, a sausage, a parrot, tables, cups, spoons, items of clothing, statues, masks, books, and pets. 

 

Gifts might be as costly as a slave or exotic animal, but Martial suggests that token gifts of low intrinsic value inversely measure the high quality of a friendship. Patrons or “bosses” might pass along a gratuity to their poorer clients or dependents to help them buy gifts. Some emperors were noted for their devoted observance of the Sigillaria. In a practice that might be compared to modern greeting cards, verses sometimes accompanied the gifts.

 

Martial has a collection of poems written as if to be attached to gifts. Gift-giving was not confined to the day of the Sigillaria. In some households, guests and family members received gifts after the feast in which slaves had shared.

On The Calendar


Drawing from the Calendar of Philocalus depicting the month of December, with Saturnalian dice on the table and a mask (oscilla) hanging above.

 

 

As an observance of state religion, Saturnalia was supposed to have been held sixteen days before the Kalends of January, on the oldest Roman religious calendar, which the Romans believed to have been established by the legendary founder Romulus and his successor Numa Pompilius. It was a legal holiday when no public business could be conducted. The day marked the dedication anniversary (dies natalis) of the Temple to Saturn in the Roman Forum in 497 BC. 

 

When Julius Caesar had the calendar reformed because it had fallen out of synchronization with the solar year, two days were added to the month, and Saturnalia fell on 17 December. It was felt, however, that the original day had thus been moved by two days, and so Saturnalia was celebrated under Augustus as a three-day official holiday encompassing both dates. 

 

By the late Republic, the private festivities of Saturnalia had expanded to seven days, but during the Imperial period contracted variously to three to five days. Caligula extended official observances to five. The date 17 December was the first day of the astrological sign Capricorn, the house of Saturn, the planet named for the god. 

 

Its proximity to the winter solstice (21 to 23 December) on the Julian calendar was endowed with various meanings by both ancient and modern scholars: for instance, the widespread use of wax candles could refer to “the returning power of the sun’s light after the solstice”.

Historical Context

 

Saturnalia underwent a major reform in 217 BC, after the Battle of Lake Trasimene, when the Romans suffered one of their most crushing defeats by Carthage during the Second Punic War. Until that time, they had celebrated the holiday according to Roman custom.

 

It was after a consultation of the Sibylline books that they adopted “Greek rite”, introducing sacrifices carried out in the Greek manner, the public banquet, and the continual shouts of io Saturnalia that became characteristic of the celebration. Cato the Elder (234–149 BC) remembered a time before the so-called “Greek” elements had been added to the Roman Saturnalia.

 

It was not unusual for the Romans to offer cult (cultus) to the deities of other nations in the hope of redirecting their favor, and the Second Punic War in particular created pressures on Roman society that led to a number of religious innovations and reforms. Robert Palmer has argued that the introduction of new rites at this time was in part an effort to appease Ba’al Hammon, the Carthaginian god who was regarded as the counterpart of the Roman Saturn and Greek Cronus. The table service that masters offered their slaves thus would have extended to Carthaginian or African war captives.

 

The association between Christmas and Saturnalia is further supported by the existence of another Roman holiday, Sol Invictus, gradually absorbed by Christmas. Sol Invictus (“Invincible Sun”) celebrated, on December 25, the renewing of the Sun King and was linked to the winter solstice. Constantine, was raised in this cult of the Unconquered Sun God, and he had a hand in turning Roman culture toward Christ and away from paganism. The first reliable historical evidence of Christmas being observed on December 25 dates from his reign.

 


Conclusion

 

So as, Christians, we readily and comfortably acknowledge that the date, traditions, and long-term history of Christmas are not connected to the pagan holidays of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus. Yet, like a family celebrating Bible Costume Party on October 31, it’s the people celebrating who decide what the celebration means.

 

Christians of centuries past chose December 25 as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the true “Unconquered King.” The use of this date continues today. Christmas and Saturnalia may be historical neighbors with indirect connections but, at the end of the day it is only speculation that one is the same as the other.

 

Christmas was started for the purpose of celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth and even though it has changed through the years we as Christians need to keep it about Jesus. Our focus has to be our Savior and King. Let us not forget about what’s important and that is being with family and Glorifying His name forever.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

How Did Elijah Die

The Prophet Elijah


 

The prophet Elijah was the only prophet in scripture to be taken into Heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11). He was the second person in the Bible to have this Honor, the first being Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24). The other prophets may not have seen God take Elijah, or they may have had a difficult time believing what they had seen.

 

In either case they decided to search for him (2 Kings 2:16-18). After they found no physical trace of him with the search they did, this only confirmed to them of what happened and strengthen their Faith. The only other person to be taken to heaven in bodily form was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after his resurrection from the death. Elijah is seen again in the New Testament at the Transfiguration on the Mountain, where he is seen together with Jesus and Moses. This was witnessed by the disciples John, James and Peter (Matthew 17:1-3).

 

 

God Bless,

 

MyBibleQuestions

Apostle James Biography


The Apostle James and his brother John, came from a fishing village along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. A reference in Mark to “hired servants” suggests that their family was relatively prosperous. After joining Jesus’ ministry, James likely would have traveled throughout Palestine.

 

The scripture offers no information on how old James might have been when he became one of Jesus’ disciples. In this biography we will read about his life, ministry and death for the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

Who Was James

 

The Apostle James was the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1). The father of James and John, Zebedee was a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee. It is believed that he lived in or near Bethsaida (John 1:44) or perhaps in Caparnaum.

 

Since he could employ some boatmen or hired men regularly as his usual attendants (Mark 1:20), it is believed that his fishing business was quite successful. So he may have been a man of means.

 

His family may have held some prominence in their society due to the fact that John “was known to the high priest” and was able to gain admittance for Peter to the high priest’s courtyard on the night of Jesus’ arrest (John 18:15-16).

 

Another reason James’ family is believed to have been well off is that mother, Salome, was one of the pious women who followed Christ and “ministered unto him of their substance” (Matthew 27:55, Mark 15:40; 16:1; Luke 8:2 sq.; 23:55-24:1). Salome is also believed to have been the daughter of a priest. All this about the women is mentioned for the sake of what is afterwards to be related of their purchasing spices to anoint their Lord’s body.

Early Life

 

The Apostle James is referred to as “the Greater” to distinguish him from the Apostle James “the Less” (who was Jesus’ brother) and James the son of Alphaeus. Nothing is known of James’ early life but he is commonly known as the elder brother of John, the beloved disciple and author of the fourth gospel of the New Testament.

 

James’ name always occurs (except in Luke 8:51; 9:28; Acts 1:13) before his brother John’s which seems to imply that James was the elder of the two.

 

Like the other apostles called to follow Jesus, James was a very ordinary man. A fisherman working alongside his brother for their father on Lake Galilee, Luke 5:10 states that Simon Peter and his brother Andrew also worked as fishermen in partnership with James’ family.


 

His Calling

 

 Jesus called James to the discipleship in parallel or identical narrations by (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:19) and Luke 5:1-11. Jesus called the two sons of Zebedee, as well as Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew, while all were engaged in their ordinary occupation of fishing on the Sea of Galilee.

 

In fact, James and John were mending nets. At the Lord’s beckoning, they simply got up and left their father and his hired attendants, following Jesus for the rest of their lives. Interestingly, James is never mentioned in the Gospel of John.

 

When Christ comes, it is good to be found doing things that are to his liking. Am I in Christ? is a very needful question to ask ourselves; and, next to that, Am I in my calling?

 

They had followed Christ before, as common disciples, (John 1:37) now they must leave their calling. Those who would follow Christ aright, must, at his command, leave all things to follow him, must be ready to part with them.

 

This instance of the power of the Lord Jesus encourages us to depend upon his grace. He speaks, and it is done.

The Sons Of Thunder

 

Along with Simon Peter, James and John were the only apostles to receive a nickname from their teacher, Jesus. The passionate personalities of James and John earned them the nickname “Boanerges” or “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17).

 

The Lord gave them that name because while dedicated in their commitment, they were also impetuous and hot-tempered. When they came upon “a certain man casting out devils” in the name of the Christ, they forbade him to continue.

 

John, answered Jesus’ questions about the incident, said: “We [James is probably meant] forbade him, because he followeth not with us” (Luke 9:49). When the Samaritans refused to receive Christ, James and John said: “Lord, should we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?” (Luke 9:54; 9:49).

 

On the last journey to Jerusalem, their mother Salome came to the Lord and said to Him: “Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left, in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21). The two brothers, still ignorant of the spiritual nature of the Messianic Kingdom, joined with their mother in this eager ambition (Mark 10:37).

 

On their assertion that they are willing to drink the chalice that He drinks of, and to be baptized with the baptism of His sufferings, Jesus assured them that they will share His sufferings (Mark 5:38-39).

 

 

 

 

The Apostle James, John and Peter were present at the healing of Peter’s mother – in law (Mark 1:29). James along with his brother John and Peter were present at important events in the ministry of Jesus. These three Apostles alone were admitted to be present at the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51).

 

They are described in private conversation with Jesus on the mount of Olives (Mark 13:3) at the Transfiguration, a key event in Jesus’ life (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36) and the same three disciples are called apart from the others in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33).

 

 

 

His Ministry And Death

 

His Ministry, while it is not stated in the Bible, tradition states that James the Greater preached the Gospel in Spain. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans expressed the intention to visit Spain (Romans 15:24) just after he had mentioned (15:20) that he did not “build upon another man’s foundation.”

 

It is thought that the Apostle James the Greater, having preached Christianity in Spain, returned to Judea and was put to death by order of Herod. James’ was the first of the Apostles to be martyred in A.D. 44 by Herod Agrippa I, son of Aristobulus and grandson of Herod the Great To please and gain favor with the Jews.

 

Herod showed great regard for the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs. In pursuance of this policy, the newly founded Christian Church was victimized on the occasion of the Passover of A.D. 44.

 

The Church’s rapid growth incensed the Jews and the vigorous temper of James and his leading part in the Jewish Christian communities probably led Agrippa to choose him as the first victim. According to (Acts 12:1-2), “He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.“ His is the only one of the twelve apostles whose death is recorded in the New Testament.

 

Conclusion

 

James was one of the apostles that was very close to Jesus. He was part of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples but, he misunderstood Jesus’ purpose. He and his brother John even tried to secure their role in Jesus’ Kingdom by asking Jesus to promise them a special position.

 

Like the other disciples, James had a limited view of what Jesus was doing on earth, picturing only an earthly kingdom that would overthrow Rome and restore Israel’s former Glory.

 

It took the death and resurrection to correct his view. Above all James wanted to be with Jesus and that is why he was willing to die for Jesus’ name. We can learn a lot from his life about what to do and not do in our christian life.

 

He wasn’t a perfect man but, that’s not what God asks of us. We have to be more like Jesus and give our lives to him. Our expectations of life will be limited if this life is all we can see. Jesus promised eternal life to those willing to trust him.

 

If we believe this promise, He will give us the courage to stand for Him even during dangerous time and even death.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

Our Lord’s Prayer

“Lord’s Prayer”

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we also forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil.”


In the Gospel of Luke 11:1-4 “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

 

 

 

This is the example that Jesus gave his disciples about praying. Prayer is the acknowledgment that our need is not partial; it is total. When we ask the Lord to teach us how to pray, He may put us in a situation where we are so overwhelmed that we recognize that we need Him and so we must pray. It was after watching Jesus pray that the disciples were prompted to request instruction in prayer. So, if our Lord Jesus prayed often, what does that say about our desperate need for prayer. We must not forget that prayer is our direct line to communicate to God. Our prayers are Incense to our God as described in (Revelation 5: 8) and (Revelation 8: 4-5). God always hears our prayers and he stores them. We must pray my brothers and sisters, we must have constant communication with our Father in Heaven through Prayer.

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinner’s Prayer

       “Accepting Jesus As Our Lord And Savior”

 

 

“Lord God, our Father in heaven, hear my prayer.

I am a sinner and I need you in my life.

Jesus, come into my heart and into my life,

that, through your blood and sacrifice, my sins are forgiven.

I believe Christ died on the cross for my sins,

was dead and buried, and was resurrected on the 3rd day.

Jesus, I pray that you stand beside me on the day of judgment,

wash away my sins through Your blood and sacrifice,

and be my Lord and my Savior from this day forth. I accept You into my life and heart.

In Jesus‘ name I pray. Amen.”


The Apostle Paul say in (Ephesians 2:8-9). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”


 God tells us in this scripture that we cannot enter heaven by living a good life, being a good person, and doing good deeds.  God has set the rules and we, as individuals, either choose to believe or not.  With the gift of Free Will given to each of us by God, it is our choice to make.

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions 

 

 

Apostle Peter Biography


Apostle Peter

 

The Apostle Peter was a Galilean fisherman who lived on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with his wife, his brother Andrew and his mother-in-law. People at the time worked as a family unit, so the men and women of Peter’s family worked together to catch and preserve/dry fish for export to the surrounding towns. This particular family was probably in partnership with Zebedee and his sons, James and John (Matthew 4:21).

 

Like his father and brother Andrew, Simon The Apostle Peter was a fisherman by trade, working on the Lake of Galilee. His family seems to have been caught up in the revival movement led by John the Baptist. Peter met Jesus at Bethany through his brother Andrew, and was immediately impressed. Jesus called him ‘Peter’, the rock – an odd choice of name since Peter seems to have been passionate and impulsive rather than rock-like. Note: Jesus actually called Peter ‘Cephras’, which is the Aramaic equivalent of ‘Petros’, a rock. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20).

 

Peter along with James and John were the three that were in Jesus’s inner circle as we like to call it. Because, we have learned by studying the scriptures is that just because it doesn’t mention any of the other disciples doesn’t mean that they were not present. That’s something that doesn’t change the miraculous things Jesus did in the Bible. That is something God doesn’t mention. John wrote in his gospel that Jesus did many other things but, weren’t all written (John 21:25).

 

 

Jesus Heals The Mother-in-Law of Peter

Not surprising was that The Apostle Peter was bowled over by Jesus. Peter and Andrew already knew Jesus before they we called to follow Him (John 1:35-42). When he had only known Jesus a short time, Peter witnessed first-hand an unforgettable healing.

 

His wife’s mother was ill with a fever, apparently bad enough to cause concern. Jesus went to her, took her by the hand and lifted her up. The fever vanished immediately. Not only was she cured – she was strong enough to get up and cook for the visitors to her house, and serve up the sabbath meal after the synagogue service. Peter witnessed this and a lot more miracles during his time with Jesus.

 

Jesus Walks On Water

 

Peter walked with Jesus all through the three years of Jesus’ traveling ministry – rock-like in his steadfast loyalty. He witnessed all the major events of this extraordinary time. One night Jesus was on the shore while the disciples, including Peter, were out on the Lake of Galilee. The weather was stormy, the water rough. Suddenly the men in the boat saw a figure walking towards them over the water. It was Jesus.

 

They shouted in fear, thinking it was some evil spirit. It was not. Jesus called to them not to be afraid. Peter, relieved and always impetuous, called out to Jesus that if Jesus wanted, Peter would walk towards him on the water. Jesus called for him to come, and Peter stepped out onto the water.

 


As long as he kept his focus on Jesus he was safe, but when he noticed how stormy the water was, he began to sink into the water. This happens to us sometimes when we have problems or get sick. We lose our focus on Jesus our healer, our provider. No matter what tribulations may come at us we need to remember what Jesus said in (John 16:33). Peter called to Jesus for help. Jesus held out his hand and pulled him up to safety. (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21).

 

How many of us would have the courage to step out of the boat we are (our comfort zone) to follow Jesus. God the Father wants everybody to have that courage but, we just have prayed so, that He can bring it out of us. Our number one way to speak to our Father in Heaven is by Prayer.

 

Peter At The Transfiguration of Jesus

 

This was a momentous event in Jesus’ life. Peter had just proclaimed his belief that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus, Peter, James and John became separated from the others and went up onto the flat summit of a mountain. Something happened there that the disciples tried haltingly to explain to the others later on: Jesus had been transformed, and at the same time the figures of Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) appeared talking with him.

 

They experienced something like a voice that came from nowhere and everywhere, telling them that Jesus was the Son of God, chosen by God and now revealed to them. Peter later wrote, For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

 

For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the excellent glory: ‘This Is My Beloved Son In Whom I Am Well Pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the Holy mountain (2 Peter 1:16-18). Peter, always enthusiastic, wanted to put up tents or bowers, but Jesus gently restrained him.

 

Peter and the other disciples did not understand what all this meant until after the Resurrection.

 

 

Last Supper

 

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread Jesus sent Peter and John (Luke 22:8) to go and prepare the Passover meal. Jesus instructed the two disciples to enter Jerusalem and meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.

 

The house he enters say to the owner ‘The Teacher Asks: where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ The person would take them upstairs to a large room where it was already prepared. This is where Peter and John were to prepare the meal.

 

At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of each of his disciples. Peter objected to having his feet washed by someone he venerated, but Jesus insisted. Jesus taught them a good lesson about being humble. Jesus was the modern servant and he showed His servant attitude to His disciples.

 

We must all have the servant attitude because, if our Lord came down from his Throne to serve us then why do we have such a hard time doing it ourselves (Matthew 20:28). Jesus also predicted that his disciples would scatter and flee when danger threatened. But Peter contradicted him, assuring Jesus and the other disciples that even if everyone deserted, he would remain faithful to the end. (Matthew 26:30-35, Mark 14:26-31, Luke 22:31-34, John 13:1-38).

 

 

 Jesus Washing Disciples Feet

Peter Realizing His Denial Of Jesus

 

Peter At Gethsemane

 

 

The Apostle Peter was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his death. When the soldiers tried to arrest Jesus, Peter unsheathed his sword and swung it at the head of one of them, a slave of the High Priest called Malchus. He missed, but cut off the ear of the unfortunate man. (John 18:10-11, Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53).

After, Arrest

 

 

After Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was taken to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest. This was an official residence with an open central courtyard. The Apostle Peter was there, waiting outside while Jesus was being questioned.

 


Up until this point, The Apostle Peter was being true to his word: he was staying by Jesus when the others fled. But someone, a woman servant, recognized him as a follower of Jesus, and challenged him. Peter took fright and said three times that he did not know Jesus.

 

At once, he was bitterly sorry for his own weakness. (Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:56-62, John 18:25-27).

 

 

 

Peter At The Resurrection

 

When Mary Magdalene burst into the room where the disciples huddled and announced that Jesus had risen from the dead, Peter and the much younger John did not hesitate. They took off running as fast as they could towards the tomb. John outpaced Peter and arrived first.

 

But as soon as Peter arrived, he went straight into the tomb, alone. There was no-one there – just a cloth lying where the body of Jesus had been.

 

Peter and John running to the tomb of Christ, by Eugene Burnand

Peter and John Running To The Tomb Of Christ

Peter Is Imprisoned, And Escapes

 

After Pentecost, Peter began a whole new phase of his life. Inspired, he began telling anyone who would listen about Jesus of Nazareth. He was, in effect, the father of early Christianity. It was not an easy path. The early Christians were hunted and imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who slaughtered the Innocents at the time of the birth of Jesus).

 


Peter too was imprisoned, but the Christian communities prayed and God set him free: an angel of the Lord appeared, the chains fell off his wrists, and Peter followed the angel out of the prison cell. (Acts 12:1-11).

 

Peter along with the other apostles including Paul were out spreading the gospel as Jesus instructed. They were out teaching in the synagogues and they were the instruments that God used to start the church.

 

 

The Death of St Peter

 

There is no sure description of St Peter’s death in the New Testament, but traditionally he is supposed to have died in Rome during the persecution begun by the Emperor Nero. It was said he was crucified, like Jesus, but upside down. With that, he was saying that he was not worthy of dying the say way as our Savior. It shows in scripture that (John 21:18-19) Jesus tells Peter the death that he would suffer to Glorify God.

 

Despite the gruesome details Peter heard about his death, he found comfort in knowing it would Glorify God. Peter’s love for Christ and his desire to obey and glorify Him were evident throughout the rest of his life and ministry. Peter died a martyr’s death but, clinging to the hope of heaven testifies to the courage, faith, patience, and perseverance of this great man of God who rejoiced to be counted worthy to die for the name of Jesus Christ.

 

How about us, are we ready to die for the name of Jesus? When all the killings and all the beheading s happening in other countries come to our country, will we be ready for that type of situation? Will our family be ready to die for Christ? We must get our minds and heart ready for those times because, they are coming. Let us not lose the focus which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

 


 

Final Thoughts

 

The events of Peter’s life show a man of simplicity and faith. He suffered from a common human ailment: he wanted to do and be good, but was not always able to live up to his goals. Jesus loved and forgave him, because whenever Peter fell, he got up and tried again. We can learn a lot from Peter.

 

From his courage, faith, and perseverance and know that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect but, he does want perseverance. He wants a willing heart that will praise and worship Him. So let us brother and sisters in Christ not lose our focus which is Jesus Christ and by Faith we will finish this race.

 

When we get to the finish line we will have a grand prize of all grand prizes and that is to be with our Creator our Father God, Amen.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions 

 

Apostle John Biography


Apostle John

Being loved is the most powerful motivation in the world! Our ability to love is often shaped by our experience of love. We usually love others as we have been loved. But, nobody on earth can show you the love that our God, our created has shown us.

 

He gave his only Son so, that mankind can be saved through Him and His love (John 3:16). Gods love for us is everlasting and we get to see The Father if we believe in His Son. The Apostle John was perhaps the most loved by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (John 21:20). In this biography we will take a look into one of the most influential man in the Bible.

 

John’s Life


The Apostle John was born in Bethesda of Galilee, the son of Zebedee, John shared his apostolic mission with his brother the Apostle James, who died for Christ in Jerusalem. John was a fisherman Jesus applied to them the name of Boanerges (Sons Of Thunder) because they were both rebuked for asking Christ to send down “fire from Heaven to punish the citizens of Samara that refused to admit him because he was going to Jerusalem” (Luke 9.53-56). He was in close personal contact with Jesus to the end.

 

A dedicated apostle, John was chosen by Jesus Christ to accompany Him on the ascent of Mt. Tabor, the scene of the historic Transfiguration, and where Jesus was proclaimed by God to be “his beloved son (Mark 9:2-3). John was also present when Jesus restored life back to Jarius’s daughter (Mark 5:37).

 

The “Divine Dozen” who served Jesus Christ as his apostles comprised a band of spiritual giants whose comparison to one another invites scarcely more than an embarrassment. But the sentimental favorite seems to be St. John the Evangelist and Theologian, the apostle who looked into the dying eyes of our crucified Lord on that dark day at Calvary and received the Messiah’s last request. An agonized John heard the final words from the Cross, entrusting to him the care of the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, who was uppermost in the thoughts of her Son in his last moments of earthly life (John 19.26).

 

John alone among the Apostles remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross on Calvary; following the instruction of Jesus from the Cross, John took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his care as the last legacy of Jesus (John 19: 25-27).

 

After Jesus’ Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, John, together with Peter, took a prominent part in the founding and guidance of the church. He was with Peter at the healing of the lame man at Solomon’s Porch in the Temple (Acts 3:1) and he was also thrown into prison with Peter (Acts 4:3). He went with Peter to visit the newly converted believers in Samaria (Acts 8:14).

 

 

With his promise to Jesus for his Mother’s care fulfilled, St. John now turned his full attention to carrying the message of Jesus Christ to the spiritually darkened areas of the then known world, preaching throughout Asia Minor with a passion that won converts who formed a solid base for the New Faith. Unlike the other eleven apostles, all of whom were martyred in the name of Jesus Christ, John lived to an advanced age, escaping the fate of his brother evangelists.

 

This remarkable durability provided for one of the longest services on record in the cause of Christ, a service which carried over into the second century which establishes him as a record holder in conversions to Christianity. Some estimates have it that he was personally responsible for winning over some 400,000 pagans to Christianity, a staggering figure considering that his audiences could never have been at best a few hundred and most of the time a lot less.

 

Not even his uncle, St. Prophoros, who wrote about his nephew’s travels, could have envisioned such a protracted mission for the Messiah.

 

 

The Apostle John is the only one of the apostles generally thought to have died a natural death from old age. He was the leader of the church in the Ephesus area and is said to have taken care of Mary the mother of Jesus in his home.

 

During Domitian’s persecution in the middle 90’s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament–the Revelation. An early Latin tradition has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome. This tradition is not able to be verified by the bible.

 

We may not know exactly when and where Apostle John died but, what is more important is his life and the works he did and left. The Book of Revelations explains the second cumming of Christ and what would take place when he returns. We have to be ready my brothers and sisters because, His return is closer than we think.

 

God Bless,

 

MyBibleQuestions 

 

List All Bible Versions

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Different Bible Versions

 

Christians and new converts seem confused by the availability of so many different translations of the Bible. Christians of the past did not face so many choices. They had to learn the language of the King James, and if they could do it, why can’t others? God has indeed marvelously blessed the King James translation over the centuries. But language changes—it does not remain static—and new translations are needed.

We must comprehend that it’s more important to understand a verse than to know how it is worded in a certain version. Preachers, aware of the variety of translations used by their audiences, can use them together in sermons to expound Scripture. A Bible study group may wish everyone to have a common translation, but why not rotate which translation you use? You can get more out of the Bible when you read different translations of the same passage. (You can also get the same benefit by studying Scripture in a foreign language.)

We as Christians must never forget that the principal purpose of words is communication. Jesus Christ who is the incarnate Word of God looked and acted like a man of his time. In the same way, the written Word of God was inspired in the everyday languages of the people who first received it. In fact, with the discoveries of ancient documents, we now realize that New Testament Greek differs from the classical Greek because it was the common, somewhat simplified, dialect spread by the conquering Alexander the Great.

We today welcome the appearance and increased use of translations that more clearly communicate the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek to readers today. There is even evidence to show understanding of God’s Word is significantly enhanced by modern versions. But, we must be careful because some translations are not as accurate.

Researchers compared the readability of the Good News Bible, the Revised Standard Version, and the King James Version. The Good News Bible came out notably better than either of the more traditional versions. Indeed, researchers found the RSV and KJV in key respects to resemble the instructions for Federal Income Tax forms (Hard To Understand).

We understand the written Word of God best when we read and hear it in our own language—in the vernacular of the day. The gap between what we read in the Bible and what we face in our culture is wide enough without confronting the reader with an unfamiliar vocabulary and archaic grammar.

We have many options available today. With so may good translations available, all the options will keep any one of them from becoming dominant. That should ensure that Bible translating will continue. We want to clearly communicate to contemporary people what God revealed to the ancient readers of Hebrew and Greek millennia ago. We need to hear, to understand, and to obey his Word every bit as much now as people did then. Times may have change but God’s Word will never pass.

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions