The Gospel of Matthew was written anonymously, but was universally attributed to Jesus apostle Matthew, until the 1800’s. Today, most scholars, and skeptics and critics no longer believe this. Instead, they claim the Gospel of Matthew is based largely on the Gospel of Mark, which they assert was written first, and also on the totally speculative “Q” source. They claim, therefore, that Matthew is unlikely to have been written by one of Jesus closest followers, namely the former tax collector, and apostle of Jesus, Matthew Levi, but instead was written in the 80’s or 90’s CE by one or more second generation disciples. What does the evidence actually show as to when the Gospel of Matthew was written?read more
Antiochus IV Epiphanes–Accurately Foretold by Daniel
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid (Syrian) kingdom from 175 to 164 BCE, and was foretold by Daniel, prophet of Yahweh. Epiphanes means “manifest,” and the name indicates that he claimed to be the earthly manifestation of Zeus. Antiochus attempted to unify his empire by imposing Hellenistic culture upon all its inhabitants. This policy brought him into sharp conflict with the Jews of the region later known as Palestine. Most Biblical scholars believe Antiochus to have been the “small” horn in Daniel 8:9 and the “contemptible person” of 11:21. His relations with the Jews are recorded in 1 and 2 Maccabees (Apocryphal books) and are prophetically depicted in Daniel 8:9-14,23,25 and 11:21-34. “Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew. very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel” (Daniel 8:9 NLT). He was infamous for establishing pagan worship in the Jerusalem temple.Roman bronze of a man leading a boar to be sacrificed (Jews did not sacrifice swine of any kind)
In about 174 BCE, Jason, the leader of a pro-Greek faction in the Jerusalem priesthood, bribed Antiochus to install him as high priest, after which Jason set about turning Jerusalem into a Greek city (2 Maccabees 4:7-22). In 171 BCE, however, another man, Menelaus, in turn bought the priesthood from Antiochus. Jason, believing that Antiochus had died, seized Jerusalem by force. But Antiochus returned in 169 and carried out a massacre of the city. “Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, showing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them” (Daniel 8:10 NLT). He then moved upon Egypt but was humiliated by the Roman legate C. Popilius Laenas and forced to make an undignified withdrawal to the north. Thereafter, this tyrant vigorously sought to Hellenize Jerusalem.
In 167 BCE, Antiochus dispatched his tax collector Apollonius against Jerusalem with 22,000 men. They attacked on the Sabbath, killing most of the male population and enslaving the women and children. Jerusalem’s walls were demolished and a Seleucid military garrison stationed immediately south of the temple. All Jewish rites were outlawed, resulting in the cessation of the daily sacrifice. An altar to Zeus was erected over the Jewish altar of burnt offerings, and worship of Zeus was instituted in the temple.
“It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple.The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did” (Daniel 8:11,12 NLT). read more
Christians – Don’t Try to Separate Jews and Gentiles Again!
“One flock, one shepherd” (Join 10:16), “one new people from the two groups” (Ephesians 2:15 NLT)
Should Christians try to separate Jews and Gentile in the church, or in their understanding of how God and Jesus deal with people today, and in the future?
“Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and =&0=&
Some Christians still try to separate Jews and Gentiles. Is this what God wants? Let’s see what the scriptures have to say on the subject.
“In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile”—Galatians 3:26-28 NIV. The distinction between Jew and Gentile is thus removed by Jesus Christ. Among Christians, there should be no distinction. According to the scriptures. God does not want Christians to try to separate Jews and Gentiles.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4 HCSB) Christ is the end of the Law Covenant, which separated Jews and Gentiles.
“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it.” (Luke 16:16 HCSB) The Old Covenant was until John the Baptist. Every kind of person, not just Jews, can enter the kingdom of God now since the New Covenant was inaugurated.
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16 HCSB) No longer would there be distinction between Jew and Gentile. No longer would God separate Jews and Gentile, as they would become “one flock.”
“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.'” (Acts 10:34-35 HCSB) Peter was helped to realize that in Christ, there is no longer any distinction between Jew and Gentile.
“But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: ‘The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’ By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:6-13 NIV) The New Covenant mediated by Jesus “replaced” the “old covenant” (2 Corinthians 3:11,14 NLT). That means there would be no need to separate Jews and Gentiles.
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” (Hebrews 10:1 NIV) The Old Covenant was a shadow of the good things to come through Christ and the New Covenant. Christians need to interpret the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, and not the other way around. The New Testament interprets, fulfills, and completes the Old Testament.
“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ‘” (Matthew 19:28 ESV) The twelve tribes of Israel represent all mankind.
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.” When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will.’ He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:1-10 ESV, emphasis added) It is impossible for the blood of animals to completely remove sins, which is the main deficiency of the “old =&1=&
