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Was there death before the Fall?

...t for the Jews, of course. What we can see in the Resurrection is that God wants us to be with him in a physical sense, not in some disembodied state. This is why we were created; and why the Jewish concept of blessing and reward from God is a long physical life (eg. Exodus 20:12); and also why the New Testament is concerned with the restoration of all creation through the resurrection (cf. Col 1:15-22; Rom 8:19-23) - and not an escape from it! 1 Tim 6:16 tells us that it is God "alone who has immortality", so clearly we mere mortals can't also be immortal, can we? Throughout the New Testament letters and the in the Gospels, it is made clear that eternal...

Lent Day 33: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXII

...with the Jews over his statement that they would need to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood” (Jn 6:53) if they wanted to have eternal life in them, and how they missed the point of Jesus's words and were offended, not “having heard His saying in a spiritual sense”. This bread was prefigured in the Old Testament also, called the “show bread”, or “the bread of The Presence” (Exodus 35:13; 39:35), which has now come to an end in Christ who is the Bread of Heaven, broken for us so that we may have true life (Jn 6:33,50-51). Spiritual Presence, not physical Quoting from David in Psalm 23:5, when he says that 'the Lord prepares...

Lent Day 36: Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9

...hough the Jews had manna and quail sent by God, and it was physical and seen, the Church now has sacraments which “are both more ancient than those of the synagogue, and more excellent than the manna” because “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9), for the invisible things of God cannot be comprehended by the human mind. As “water flowed from the rock” for the people of old (Num 20:11), Ambrose says, now “for you Blood flowed from Christ” – that water only satisfied them for a short time, the now the Blood of Christ satisfies us for all eternity; just as the Bod...

Creedal Christians: Introduction

...reeks and Jews of his day. Contrast Paul's wording to the Galatians... "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Apostle Paul, Gal 3:28) With that of the Greek and Jewish sayings: “There are three blessings for which I am grateful to fortune: First, that I was born a human being and not one of the brutes; Next, that I was born a man and not a woman; Thirdly, a Greek and not a barbarian” (A quote attributed to Socrates or Thales; Diogenes Laertius, Thales 1.33). “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me...

Spiritual Disciplines of the Early Church: Ancient Practices for the 21st Century

...s Christ (Jews similarly prayed facing Jerusalem). This is also why many old church buildings are cross-shaped and have the alter end pointing Eastward. For it is required that you pray toward the east, as knowing that which is written: ‘Give ye glory to God, who rideth upon the heaven of heavens toward the east’ (Ps 67.34 LXX [Ps. 68:33 – 34]). Didascalia, Ch. XII (c.250) The various spiritual benefits to fasting are marked throughout the Church Fathers' works on the subject, but I find this quote from Augustine sums it up succinctly: “Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite...

Exodus: Gods and Kings Review - Action epic loosely based on the Bible

...stians or Jews. Nor did I hear or read anything about the film makers consulting Biblical or traditional sources for this, (as did happen with Noah) other than for the obvious storyline – although Bale did read the Torah and some other sources to get into his role as Moses. I do remember reading an interview with Christian Bale (Moses) in which he basically said he didn't believe anything miraculous about the Exodus, so don't go into this film expecting to see a Moses you recognise or can relate back to the Old Testament story you probably know. Moses' character turns out to be quite the opposite of what you may expect and isn't really anything close to a...