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Lent Day 30: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX

...kinds of suffering. Cyril recounts how that when they went into the baptistery, they were instructed to “stretch forth [their] hand, and as in the presence of Satan [and] renounced him”, and then proceeds to break down each of the different statements which the baptised have to declare. This practice is contrasted with Moses who was sent by God to Egypt, with Christ who was sent by the Father to the world, and how the Hebrews put lambs blood on their doorposts to be delivered from the destroyer, and now Christ as the perfect lamb, sacrificed to rescue those oppressed under sin. “Now turn from the old to the new, from the figure to the reality” The...

What did Jesus actually sacrifice?

...pain and suffering that Jesus had to endure before his death was a big deal, and it showed, as we can see from the Gospels when Jesus says to his disciples that he is “deeply grieved, even to death” (Matt 26:38). Luke 22:42-44‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. We can see from the quote above that Jesus really wasn’t looking forward to this, despite knowing its purpose. He even needed an angel to come to physicall...

How Polycarp (And Others) Show The Early Use Of The New Testament

...ost nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, having always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true. — Against Heresies (Book III, 3.4) For I have a more vivid recollection of what occurred at that time than of recent events (inasmuch as the experiences of childhood, keeping pace with the growth of the soul, become incorporated with it); so that I can even describe the place where the blessed Polycarp used to sit and discourse — his going out, too, and his coming in — his general mode of life and personal appearance, together with the discourses which he deli...

Lent: Day 3 - Mathetes to Diognetus, pt. 2

...gh itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!...

The Coming of Jesus: Revelation Fulfilled?

...at he was suffering persecution at the time of writing: Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.   Both of these Roman Emperors persecuted the Christians, though none quite so severely as Nero did. There’s varying accounts of when Revelation was penned by John. I won’t spend too much time on this as many, many others have wrote books on the topic of dating, so I’ll just give a brief overview of both sides of the argument.   One of the earliest accounts mentioning a possible ea...

Before The Pumpkins: Faith In The Flames

...the quiet suffering of remaining faithful when it would be easier to yield. Polycarp’s story shows us what it means to be steadfast. He did not become brave in a single moment of crisis; his courage was the fruit of a lifetime walking with Christ. Faithfulness is not forged in the fire, it is revealed there like precious metal in a blacksmiths furnace. Next Time… Next in this series, we’ll journey to the third century, to Carthage, where a young mother named Perpetua faced death in the arena with unshakable courage and a vision of heaven that strengthened all who watched her die. Subscribe to updates so you don’t miss a thing! Further Reading...