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Did Jesus lead the first youth group?

...to temple worship. Jesus then asks where do kings take their tolls, from their own children or from others? Peter answers the obvious question, “from others”. Jesus responds with, “Then the children are free”, which has implications for his own Sonship which is something that passed me by when reading this story in past times. God is the King, the temple is his, and therefore the tax is being imposed by God on the people (via his Law). But Jesus is the Son of God, and therefore should be free from paying the temple tax, since “the children are free” from this obligation. But to not cause an offence and as a way to prove himself Lord of all creation,...

From Paradise to Presents: The Christian Story Behind the Christmas Tree

...als to be worshipped as gods. The phrase “worked with an axe by the hands of an artisan” and the description of these objects being “like scarecrows” underscore that these trees were not left in their natural state but were fashioned into idols. Canaanite figurine of a seated god from Late Bronze Age Megiddo (photo credit: COURTESY OF THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO) The text also emphasises the futility of these idols: they cannot speak, walk, or act. This critique aligns with other biblical denunciations of idolatry, such as Isaiah 44:9–20, which similarly mocks the idea of worshipping a lifeless object crafted by human hand...

Does Easter Have Pagan Origins?

...Much like any major Christian holiday, there are the usual arguments and accusations about how it’s all just pagan festivities with a “Christian mask”. Easter is no different, and usually gets hit the hardest over its so-called “pagan roots”, or in the month or so preceding it, Lent being some “invention of the Catholic Church”. Table of Contents The Lenten Fast The Easter controversy and why we celebrate it when we do Is the Name “Easter” really the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre? Chocolate eggs and bunnies? Concluding Thoughts Further Reading and Sources I like to try and observe Lent, as it is one of the most ancient custom...