Making sense of one of the most horrific scenes of the Old Testament: Jephthah’s sacrificial murder of his own daughter.
Tag: Judaism
Through Jewish Eyes: A New Way to Understand the Advent and Christmas Scriptures
You’ve heard the Biblical accounts of the Virgin Birth, but I’m willing to bet that (like most people) you misunderstand them. For example, were Mary and Joseph married at the time of the Annunciation? Why does Matthew refer to Joseph as Mary’s “husband,” and yet common translations of Luke have Mary saying to the angel, “I have no husband” (Matt. 1:19; Luke 1:34)? What does it mean that Joseph “took his wife,” or that Joseph “knew her not until she had borne a son” (Matt. 1:24-25)? And finally, why did Joseph consider divorcing Mary, and why does the angel respond by telling him not to be afraid?
Do Muslims, Jews, and Christians Worship the Same God?
Do Muslims, Jews, and Christians worship the same God? Vatican II seems to say “yes,” but how can that be, since Muslims and Jews deny the Trinity?
Jewish Purgatory
Are Catholics right to pray for the dead, and to believe that such prayers can help to release souls from Purgatory? Many Christians are unaware that these doctrines are Jewish in origin, and that the Jewish practice of praying for the dead continues on to this day. Even fewer are aware that this practice of prayer is tied to a tradition of temporary purgatorial fires after death.
Did Jesus Oppose Animal Sacrifice?
A Protestant website suggests that Jesus hated the Jewish sacrificial system. This claim is obviously false, given that (1) God established the Jewish sacrificial system; (2) Jesus personally participated in it; and (3) the sacrificial system reached its apex on Calvary, when Jesus became our Sacrificial offering.
Casting Out Demons in the Name of Solomon: Jewish Exorcisms at the Time of Christ
Giotto, Exorcism of the Demons at Arezzo (detail) (1300) Exorcisms have been a part of Catholicism from the very beginning. When Jesus sends out the Twelve Apostles, “they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13). But… Continue reading Casting Out Demons in the Name of Solomon: Jewish Exorcisms at the Time of Christ
The Dark Side of Martin Luther
Yesterday was Martin Luther’s 531st birthday, and today is the Feast Day of St. Martin. It seems like a fitting time to give an honest assessment of some of the darker parts of Luther’s legacy, and consider their implications. There’s a popular Luther narrative that plays out a little like Star Wars. A humble son… Continue reading The Dark Side of Martin Luther
Pope Francis and the White Crucifixion
When asked about his favorite painters, Pope Francis responded: “Among the great painters, I admire Caravaggio; his paintings speak to me. But also Chagall, with his ‘White Crucifixion.’” It’s a fascinating choice. Marc Chagall was, as Wikipedia notes, “the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century.” He was also captured by the figure of Jesus Christ: he has numerous… Continue reading Pope Francis and the White Crucifixion
What Bible Did the Sadducees Use?
In Matthew 22:23-33,we hear: That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first… Continue reading What Bible Did the Sadducees Use?
Answering Nine Protestant Arguments About the Bible
After yesterday’s post, Brent Stubbs pointed out that a thoughtful Protestant named Shawn Madden raised a number of arguments against the Catholic Bible, and in favor of the Protestant Bible, in the comments at Called to Communion. His full argument is here, but he essentially makes nine points: Many versions of the TNK used by Greek-speaking Jews… Continue reading Answering Nine Protestant Arguments About the Bible