A Psalm for Sunday Nights

On Sunday morning, I post “A Psalm for Sunday Nights.” Thomas Pestel wrote “A Psalm for Sunday Nights,” and it was published in 1659 in Sermons and Devotions Old and New. Pestel was educated at Queens’ College in Cambridge, graduating in 1609. The author was a chaplain to King Charles I. The title page of his book called him “the meanest amongst his late Majesties Chaplains in ordinary.” Written in Common Meter, in my opinion it would work nicely with Only Trust Him by John Hart Stockton. In this case, just sing the stanzas with the first half of the tune and leave off the chorus.

1. Come ravished souls with high delight;

In sweet immortal verse,

To crown the day, and welcome night;

Jehovah’s praise rehearse.

2. O sing the Glories of our Lord,

His Grace and Truth resound.

And his stupendous acts Record,

Whose mercies have no bound.

3. He made the all informing light

And hosts of angels fair:

’Tis he with shadows cloths the night,

He clouds or clears the air.

4. Those restless skies with stars encased

He on firm hinges set:

The wave embraced earth he placed

His hanging cabinet.

5. Wherein for us all things comply

Which he hath so decreed.

That each in order faithfully

Shall evermore proceed.

6. We in his Summer sunshine stand,

And by his favour grow,

We gather what his bounteous hand

Is pleased to bestow.

7. When he contracts his brow we mourn,

And all our strength is vain,

To former dust in death we turn,

Till he inspire again.

8. Then to this mighty Lord give praise

And all our voices prove.

The Glory of his name to raise,

The God of Peace and Love.

In other words, a to z

• abbreviation, noun. A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole.
• anemious, adjective. Exposed to wind; windswept.
• bigly, adverb. With great force; firmly, violently; (also) stoutly, strongly.
• bis, adverb. (As a direction in music) again, twice. A way to designate the repeat of a phrase or stanza.
• Briticism, noun. A word or phrase characteristic of the English of Great Britain but not used in the English of the United States or other countries.
• codswallop, noun (British Slang). Nonsense; rubbish.
• gravitas, noun. Seriousness or sobriety, as of conduct or speech.
• hypertonic, adjective (Physiology). Of or relating to hypertonia, that is, increased rigidity, tension, and spasticity of the muscles.
• immaculate, adjective. Free from spot or stain, spotlessly clean; free from fault, flaw, or errors; free from moral blemish or impurity; pure; undefiled.
• initialism, noun. A set of initials representing a name, organization, etc., with each letter pronounced separately; or, a word formed from the initial letters of a group of words and pronounced as a separate word.
• magnalia, noun (with plural agreement). Great or wonderful things; marvels (esp. of nature).
• mel, noun. Honey.
• pacify, verb (transitive). To appease (as wrath or other violent passion or appetite), to calm, still, or quiet; to restore peace to; to tranquilize.
• quarantine, noun (mass noun). A state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.
• sportingly, adverb. In a manner calculated to amuse or entertain; in or with jesting words or speech; wittily, satirically; facetiously, mischievously. (Now rare).
• WotY, noun. An initialism for Word(s) of the Year, referring to various assessments as to the most important word(s) in the public sphere during a specific year.
• zero-sum, adjective. In general, designating any situation in which an advantage to one participant necessarily leads to a disadvantage to one or more of the others.

The brother, whose praise is in the gospel

Another interesting early tradition about Luke is that he (Luke) is “the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches” of 2 Corinthians 8:18. Many take this to suggest Paul is referring to Luke’s already-written gospel. The gospel was evidently written while Paul was still alive, since Luke wrote his gospel before he wrote the book of Acts (Acts 1:1), so prior to AD 62 (in my opinion).

John Chrysostom (circa AD 347-407) says this in Homily 10 on the Second Timothy:

“Only Luke is with me.” For he adhered to him inseparably. It was he who wrote the Gospel, and the General Acts; he was devoted to labors, and to learning, and a man of fortitude; of him Paul writes, “whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches.” 2 Corinthians 8:18

Jerome of Stridon in De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men) Chapter 7 (circa AD 345-420) says Luke:

wrote a Gospel, concerning which the same Paul says, “We send with him a brother whose praise in the gospel is among all the churches”

And in Letter 53, To Paulinus

...once we realize that their author is Luke the physician whose praise is in the gospel...

The longer recension of the Epistle of Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians (Chapter 15) (died circa AD 108-140) credits Luke as being this brother whose praise in in the Gospel.

For he who shall both “do and teach, the same shall be great in the kingdom.” Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, first did and then taught, as Luke testifies, “whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches.”

Eusebius of Caesarea (circa AD 262–3390) in Church History, Book III.4.8 makes a reference that seems to say Luke’s Gospel was already written when Paul was writing (though he doesn’t mention the 2 Corinthians passage).

And they say that Paul meant to refer to Luke’s Gospel wherever, as if speaking of some gospel of his own, he used the words, according to my Gospel.

Some conservative scholars believe that AD 55-57 is a “reasonable estimate” for dating 2 Corinthians. If so, it would not be far of the possible dating of AD 58-59 that some give the gospel of Luke. Nevertheless, the interpretation of Luke being “the brother whose praise is in the gospel” is tenuous enough that one would not want to be too dogmatic about it.

Their proper tongue

Acts 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

Proponents of “Luke the Gentile” put forward this text to prove that Luke was a Gentile. In other words, Luke writes about Jews and speaks of “their proper tongue” – therefore he must not be a Jew, but rather a Gentile.

First, is Luke explaining or Peter speaking? If Peter is speaking, the question is settled. We know this does not prove Peter was not a Jew. However, if this is a parenthetical explanation by Luke, the question remains open.

Second, by tongue (διαλεκτω) here does Luke mean the bigger language of all the Jews (Hebrews) or a dialect of the inhabitants of Jerusalem? For example, Luke uses “the Hebrew tongue” to describe Paul speaking in Acts 21:40.

Third, by “their tongue” does he mean that of the dwellers at Jerusalem, thereby only distinguishing himself as not from Jerusalem (as opposed to him meaning he was not a Jew)? The language spoken by the Jews in Jerusalem was Aramaic. It is plain that the Galilean dialect used by Peter and the other apostles was different from the Jerusalem dialect (Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:70, Luke 22:59, Acts 2:7).

Even if Luke means the Hebrew language, it is simple to understand “their” distinguishing between Jews and the recipient of the letter (Theophilus) rather than Jews and the author of the letter (Luke). This verse does not lend strong support to the idea of Luke being a Gentile rather than a Jew.

Andrea Bocelli’s Beautiful Testimony, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Andrea Bocelli’s Beautiful Testimony of Life -- “Despite being unable to see, Andrea was born with other gifts. One, in particular, stands out. His voice has been called “the most beautiful in the world.”
• Disgraced Jerry Falwell Jr. drops defamation lawsuit against Liberty University -- “I’ve decided to take a time out from my litigation against Liberty University, but I will continue to keep all options on the table for an appropriate resolution to the matter.”
• Early Welsh Baptist Doctrines, Set forth in a Manuscript, ascribed to Vavasor Powell -- “As for Baptisme with water we doe beleiue it is an ordinance which ought to be practised by all those that doe beleiue and descerne for what end it was ordained.”
• Goya Foods CEO says Rep. Ocasio-Cortez was named ‘employee of the month’ after boycott -- “When she boycotted us, our sales actually increased 1,000%, so we gave her an honorary — we never were able to hand it to her — she got employee of the month for bringing attention to Goya and our adobo”
• History of the Restoration Movement -- “TheRestorationMovement.com is a large growing work about the Restoration Movement of Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone.”
• Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday? Jesus Is Myth Become Fact “...the pagan myths that atheists often exaggerate to attack Christianity, Dr. Sunshine thinks, offer tantalizing echoes of Christ in other religions.”
• Old Wisbech Records -- “There is a volume containing registrations of births, burials, marriages and receptions into the church on baptism, from 1700 till 1837, concerning the Baptized Believers who owned Universal Redemption at Wisbech.”
• Six Rare F. F. Bruce articles found -- “The 1947 issues of The Sunday School Magazine contain early articles by F.F. Bruce, then still a Master of Arts, and lecturing at Leeds University.”
• Theology on the Web: Making Biblical Scholarship Accessible -- “Biblical Studies startpage for all the subsites: archeology, Bible, theology, missions, and more.”
• Tulsi Gabbard Proposes Bill to Ban Biological Males from Competing in Women’s Sports -- “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) introduced a bill with Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on Thursday which would restrict federal funds from going to schools that allow boys and men to compete against girls and women in sports.”
• When Was Jesus Born? Why December 25? -- “There may well have been syncretistic borrowing involved in the creation of a December 25 holiday, but the direction of that borrowing is largely in the opposite direction from what is normally supposed.”
• 14 Fort Hood soldiers, leaders relieved or suspended due to major flaws on base -- “Fort Hood leadership knew or should have known of the high risk of harm to female soldiers, according to the report.”

A Cappella Singing

A cappella versus Instrumental Accompaniment

One approach promoting the singing in church accompanied by musical instruments is an argument from the Greek verb psallo (and the related noun psalmos).

“Furthermore, in Eph 5:19, the phrase ‘making melody’ is the Greek word, psallo which means, ‘1) to pluck off, pull out, 2) to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang, 2a) to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate, 2b) to play on a stringed instrument, to play, the harp, etc. 2c) to sing to the music of the harp 2d) in the NT to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song.’ We can see that the making melody to the Lord involves the use of musical instruments.”[i]

Psallo is used 5 times in 4 verses in the New Testament, translated “sing” in Romans 15:9 and 1 Corinthians 14:15, “sing psalms” in James 5:13, and “making melody” in Ephesians 5:19.[ii]  Pointing to the etymology of the word (to pluck a string), advocates say the command to psallo means to sing with the accompaniment of musical instruments. This etymological fallacy attaches a word’s etymology to its usage and meaning. For example, the etymology of the word “goodbye” tells us it means “God be with you.” Nevertheless, most people who utter the word “goodbye” simply mean to express courtesy upon a departure, without connection to whatever they believe about God. So with psallo. A look at a couple of New Testament scriptures will expose the fallacy to what should be a sudden and final death. No need to mine the depths of the Greek language; a little logic will go a long way. 

If a musical instrument inheres in psallo – if it always means to sing with musical accompaniment – then the command to psallo demands a mandatory obedience of singing with musical accompaniment. A cappella singing would be ruled out when the command is “to psallo.” So the merry one of James 5:13 must hold her peace if she does not have or does not know how to play an instrument. The spirit-filled believer of 1 Corinthians 14:26 who “hath a psalm” must remain silent if he left his accompaniment at home! Who can believe it?

In addition to the psallo argument, the next often cited argument probably derives from the normative principle:

“The fact that the New Testament nowhere condemns musical instruments indicates that the Old Testament practice was continued in the New Testament church.”[iii]

This is an application of the normative principle – “whatever is not forbidden is acceptable.”[iv] Further, it is a misreading and misapplication of the Scriptures. We cannot exclude things because Scripture does not specifically address (forbid) them! This approach opens the door to the inventions and imaginations of men regardless of whether Scripture supports them.

This argument should remind us, though, that musical instruments are not inherently sinful, and that God has accepted worship by and with them in the past. Therefore, it is not a matter of moral right or wrong, but rather a matter of what is commanded. However much we might enjoy musical instruments, however much God may be worshipped with them in the past or in the future, there is no command, precept or example – neither necessary inference – for it in the New Testament. If one will argue from the Bible that musical instruments should be used in church worship, sometimes other than these two arguments should be posited.

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[i] From Can we use musical instruments in the church? by Matt Slick.
[ii] Sing in Ephesians 5:19 is ado.
[iii] From Are we supposed to use musical instruments in church? at GotQuestions.Org
[iv] For normative principle, see Principles of Worship. The regulative principle more closely follows the intent of Scripture. Interestingly, exclusive psalmodists who forbid musical instruments place themselves in the peculiar position to sing the commands to use of musical instruments in public worship, but cannot use them because the New Testament church is not commanded to use musical instruments.

Charley Pride dies, and other music and worship links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Country superstar Charley Pride dies aged 86 -- “...he became a country superstar, winning three Grammys over a long career and, in 2000, becoming the first black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.”
• CT Pres Blog -- “The antidote to entertainment-driven worship (what some even call, ‘worshiptainment,’) is not to point the fingers at all the people we think are doing it wrong, but to make sure that we are doing it right.”
• Dolly Parton says hellfire and brimstone preaching impacted her music: ‘I grew up knowing Jesus loved me’ -- “Country singer Dolly Parton started her musical career in her grandfather’s church, where he served as a minister.”
• Hymn and Tune arranged by Karen E. Smith -- “I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew, He moved my soul to it.”
• From My Correspondence: Is Western Music White Supremacist? A Christian Response -- “In order to answer subtle challenges like the one in the YouTube video this whole exchange has been about, we have to have some kind of theological understanding of culture.”
• Hymns sifted in Satan’s sieve of suffering -- “We are self-centered enough to think that our personal plight is exceptional, when in reality it is not.”
• “I don’t feel like singing” -- “Congregation: you are the most important instrument in the room. Act like it.”
• Modern Hymn Writers Revive Lost Art with Surprising Success -- “Most songwriters in Nashville want to get their songs on the radio. Keith and Kristyn Getty hope their songs end up in dusty old hymnbooks.”
• Nancarrow’s Player Piano Music Was Ahead of Its Time -- “Nancarrow spent much of his musical career with a passion for composing highly complex piano music. In fact, it was said to be so complex, that humans could not perform it.”
• The Government Says We Can’t Sing! What Should We Do? (A Forum) -- “A pastor friend recently emailed me the following question: Do you know of anyone who has navigated state mandates against congregational singing indoors?”

The character of a nation

“The character of a nation is not to be found primarily in great political movements, and certainly not in an obsession with ‘progress.’  It is found in its land and weather, the kind of people who work there, the music they sing, the places where they worship, the games they play, the food they raise; what they honor and love, and what they will shed their blood to save.” 

Anthony Esolen, Out of the Ashes, chapter 3, page 64

There’s a song in the air

Josiah Gilbert Holland wrote the hymn beginning with the first line “There’s a song in the air.” “There’s a song in the air” excellently expresses a childlike simplicity and joy regarding the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. It seems best considered as meter 6.6.6.6.12.12. It was set to music in Christmas Song by Karl P. Harrington in 1904.

Holland was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts July 24, 1819. He served on the staff of the Springfield Republican newspaper, under Editor Samuel Bowles. He wrote numerous essays under the pseudonym Timothy Titcomb. In 1870, he became editor of Scribner’s Magazine. He wrote several poems, as well as a biography of Abraham Lincoln. “For summer’s bloom, and autumn’s blight” is among his well-known works (from Bitter-Sweet). Holland married Elizabeth L Chapin. He perhaps was a Unitarian. Henry Foote Wilder lists him in American Unitarian Hymn Writers and Hymns.[i] Josiah Holland died October 12, 1881 in New York City, New York. He is buried in the Springfield Cemetery in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.

1. There’s a song in the air!
There’s a star in the sky!

There’s a mother’s deep prayer

And a baby’s low cry!

And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

2. There’s a tumult of joy 

O’er the wonderful birth, 

For the virgin’s sweet boy 

Is the Lord of the earth. 

Ay! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, 

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

3. In the light of that star 

Lie the ages impearled; 

And that song from afar 

Has swept over the world. 

Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing 

In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

4. We rejoice in the light, 

And we echo the song 

That comes down through the night

 From the heavenly throng. 

Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring, 

And we greet in his cradle our Savior and King!

Quodid.com credits the following to Josiah Gilbert Holland:

“Joys divided are increased.”

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[i] Whether because he was a Unitarian or because “For summer’s bloom, and autumn’s blight” is included in the Unitarian Hymn and Tune Book for Church and Home (Boston, MA: 1868) is not clear to me.

In other words, in pairs

• celebrous, adjective. Famous, well-known, renowned. Also: well-attended, crowded.
• prominent, adjective. Standing out so as to be seen easily; conspicuous; particularly noticeable; leading, important, or well-known.
• dressing, noun. A seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically baked in a pan and served with a turkey, pepper, etc. Cf. stuffing.
• stuffing, noun. A seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically placed inside the cavity of a turkey, pepper, etc. and cooked. Cf. dressing.
• eminently, adverb. To a high degree; very.
• imminently, adverb. Ready to take place; in a way that is likely to happen very soon.
• epidemic, noun and adjective. A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time (n.); of the nature of an epidemic (adj.).
• pandemic, noun and adjective. An outbreak of a pandemic disease (n.); (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world (adj.).
• plandemic, noun. A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease that is planned, especially that the Covid-19 virus is a planned bioweapon, is a planned effort to inspire worldwide vaccinations, or some other related conspiracy. From “plan” + “pandemic” or “plan” + “epidemic.” (A popular conspiracy term in 2020, it’s use can be found at least to 2006 in a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.)
• extraneous, adjective. Not constituting an essential or vital element or part; unrelated to the topic or matter at hand; coming from the outside.
• irrelevant, adjective. Not connected with or relevant to something.
• keening, noun and adjective. The action of wailing in grief for a dead person (n.); (of a sound) prolonged and high-pitched, typically in a way that expresses grief or sorrow (adj.).
• threnody, noun. A poem, speech, or song of lamentation, especially for the dead; dirge; funeral song.
• pair, noun. A set of two things used together or regarded as a unit; Two people related in some way or considered together.
• twin, noun. One of two children or animals born at the same birth; a person or thing that is exactly like another; something containing or consisting of two matching or corresponding parts.
• pedophobia, noun. Fear of children; hatred of children.
• podophobia, noun. An irrational fear of feet, especially the fear of looking at or touching feet, or the fear of having one’s own feet touched or looked at.
• Pentecost, noun. The Old Testament feast of weeks; Jewish festival of Shavuoth; the Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter.
• Whitsunday (or Whit Sunday), noun. The seventh Sunday after Easter, a Christian festival commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. From “white Sunday,” a reference to the practice in some churches of the newly baptized wearing white robes at Pentecost.
• slummock, verb (intransitive, Scottish). To kiss amorously, in a particularly wet and slobbery way. Obsolete.
• smooch, verb (used without object). To kiss; to engage in amorous caressing; pet.

Sad Statement by Darwin

The following quotation is from taken The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, edited by his son Francis Darwin:

“Believing as I do that man in the distant future will be a far more perfect creature than he is now, it is an intolerable thought that he and all other sentient beings are doomed to complete annihilation after such long-continued progress. To those who fully admit the immortality of the human soul, the destruction of our world will not appear so dreadful.”

I do not have much to say about this. I read this and thought, how sad! As a humanist and naturalist, Darwin believed the sun would eventually grow too cold to sustain life on the earth, and that mankind would be annihilated. He was proud of man’s progress and found the loss of it intolerable. He seems that he wished he could believe at least in the immortality of the soul.

The Son of God and Saviour of mankind said:

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25).

Preaching the Bible and/or Articles of Faith

Charles Carrin’s Open Heart Letter tells his story of leaving the Primitive Baptists for other pastures. It is a very captivating story, whether or not you agree. The following admission really caught my attention.

For 30 years of ministry there were certain New Testament scriptures which I was unable to preach. Why? I felt honor-bound to interpret every Bible verse through our Articles of Faith. If scriptures did not agree with the Articles I thought I was confused about the Scripture. The Articles were right (I reasoned). If I had preached any Scripture contrary to the Articles I would have been excommunicated. I am convinced many other godly pastors are submitting to the same tragic error, and getting the same zero-results in their ministry.

In addition, Carrin wrote, “The enormity of Scripture can never be reduced to a few humanly-composed statements of faith.” Articles of faith are utilitarian for Baptists, but have at least at times been controversial as well – that is, whether you should even have them. In theory, all Baptists believe the Bible is the “only rule of faith and practice.” Most, however, do not think that it is wrong to express one’s views in some type of confession of faith. The early Separate Baptists in the United States for years stood solidly against creeds or articles of faith. George Bagwell expressed their view this way: If human creeds contain less than the Bible on the subject of religion, then they are incomplete. If they contain more than the Bible, they are not worthy of credit—are superfluous. If they contain the same as the Bible, then they are not creeds, but Bible itself. The Separate Baptist aversion to written creeds seems to have been thoughtful and sincere. However, many of them eventually saw the benefit of stating to others some of the things they believed about the Bible.

Properly understood, a statement of faith is neither authoritative nor immutable. It is prepared by individuals or churches to let others know some things they believe about the Bible. Associations adopt a statement of faith usually with the additional reason of providing a sort of minimum standard the churches need to hold in order to be able to cooperate with one another on an associational basis.

The problem with a creed or confession of faith is not that people or churches might try to express what they believe to others, but that their words can become deified documents, existing for their own purposes. The brasen serpent of Moses served a purpose (Numbers 21:8-9). Long after it outlived its purpose, the brasen serpent became a snare to the people (2 Kings 18:4). Hezekiah king of Judah recognized this and called it Nehushtan – a piece of brass – then broke it in pieces.

Let articles of faith succinctly and simply express to others what we believe. If the document becomes a snare, break it in pieces. If we can only preach a creed, break it in pieces. If we are interpreting the Bible by our creed rather than fashioning our creed to the teachings of the Bible, break it in pieces. Let the statement serve a purpose. Let it not become a stumblingblock or an idol.

Burgs in a New Land, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Burgs in a New Land -- “175 years ago, a wave of German immigrants transformed the Texas Hill Country.”
• Covid-19 Likely in U.S. in Mid-December 2019, CDC Scientists Report -- “The findings significantly strengthen evidence suggesting the virus was spreading around the world well before public health authorities and researchers became aware...”
• ERLC declares in federal court that ‘hierarchy’ governs SBC churches -- “ERLC joined in the Amicus Curiae with the Thomas More Society...The ERLC Amicus Curiae states specifically, ‘The primary, leading convention, or group, is the Southern Baptist Convention, which is the Southern Baptist governing body over all the various groups of churches...’”
• Full Time Ministers --“Most pastors will be bi-vocational and thus in a position of giving monetarily to the church, rather than receiving from it.”
• Ghost Town Hangout -- “Terlingua’s Starlight Theatre draws a crowd.”
• How transactional faith led evangelicals to embrace transactional politics -- “Small wonder, then, that some evangelicals just adapted this transactional model of faith to politics: We’ll give you votes if you’ll do what we want. That’s a shrewd enough business proposition.”
• LA Mayor bans walking outside -- “Remember the hit song from the ‘80s by the band Missing Persons that went, ‘Nobody walks in L.A.’? Who would’ve guessed that in 2020, that would be mandatory?”
• Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist, Thomas County, Org. 1845 -- “...the architecture and design of these Wiregrass Primitive churches are representative of this all pervasive, conservative approach to life and religion.”
• Siloam Baptist, Greene County, Org. 1828 -- “Siloam Baptist Church was originally organized as Smyrna Baptist and was constituted in December of 1828.”
• Sweet Memories -- “Visits to panaderías for pan dulce create cherished family bonds in Mexican American culture.”
• The Current Fad of Male Bashing -- “We will not have happy work places, contented homes, and fruitful congregations until men and women learn to respect one another.”
• Three Species of “Extinct” Frogs Rediscovered -- “The three animals that have been rediscovered so far include a Mexican salamander not seen since it was discovered in 1941, the Mount Nimba Reed Frog missing since 1967, and the Omaniundu Reed Frog lost since 1979.”

What about Theudas?

Acts 5:36: For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

Modernists attempt to use Gamaliel’s mention of Theudas in Acts 5:36 in order to question the historical reliability of Luke-Acts.[i] For example:

“A well known historical error has Gamaliel speak of the rebel Theudas, whom the first century Jewish historian assigns to the time of the procurator Cuspius Fadus (44-46 CE) several years after the death of Gamaliel.”[ii]

This is in fact “well known,” but it is not an historical error.[iii] The “first century Jewish historian” is Josephus, who mentions a Theudas who lived after the time of Gamaliel.[iv] The speech made by Gamaliel, recorded in Acts 5, occurred in the reign of Tiberius Caesar (AD 14 to AD 37), about ten years before the rebellion of Josephus’s Theudas. The Theudas mentioned by Josephus lived under Claudius Caesar (AD 41 to AD 54). The discrepancy is created by the assumption that both Luke (and Gamaliel spoke) and Josephus write about the same Theudas, and further, if they do, that Josephus and not Luke must be correct![v]

Contrasting the two Theudases

• the Theudas of Gamaliel was boasting himself to be somebody
• the Theudas of Josephus was a magician a (false) prophet
• the Theudas of Gamaliel led about four hundred men
• the Theudas of Josephus led a great multitude of the people
• the Theudas of Gamaliel was slain and all his followers were scattered
• the Theudas of Josephus was captured in battle and later beheaded; had many followers slain in battle, and many taken alive as prisoners
• the revolt of Theudas of Gamaliel took place before the birth of Jesus [vi]
• the revolt of Theudas of Josephus took place around AD 45

Writing circa AD 62, Luke could not have been dependent on and misreading Josephus – as some suppose – because Luke’s writing is earlier than Josephus. In order to fulfill their designs, modernists must revise the dating of Luke backward – which they often do even to as late as AD 130. In this scenario, they must also deny that Luke is the author of the book of Acts. This they do on their own recognizance, assuming as fact that a later writer of Acts read and used The Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, which he completed circa AD 94. There is no reason to suppose there could not be two men who led rebellions within some fifty years. Theudas is a form of the Aramaic Thaddæus or the Greek Theodorus, and was a common enough name. From Matthew 10:3 and Luke 6:16 it appears the names Judas and Thaddaeus (or Theudas) might be interchangeable (if not two different names for the same person). Even Josephus said, “at this time there were ten thousand other disorders in Judea,” most of which he did not undertake to record.[vii] A simple fact apparently not considered by the convolutors is that a later writer using Josephus as a source would not have put those words in Gamaliel’s mouth! Josephus said his Theudas lived “while Fadus was procurator of Judea.” This would have been an easily detectable error for a later writer using Josephus as a reference. On the other hand, Luke had no reason to worry over such a misunderstanding, since the second rebel Theudas had not yet led a rebellion at the time Gamaliel spoke.

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[i] Liberals use the identity of Theudas to attack the historicity of Acts. Nevertheless, it appears that Eusebius may be the first to conflate as one the two men with the same name. Ecclesiastical History, p.46.
[ii] “Does Acts Portray Paul Fairly,” by Dick Harfield, p. 2. https://www.academia.edu/s/3953e9edc1 Accessed 27 October 2020 8:45 am.
[iii] Around AD 248 in writings answering the pagan philosopher Celsus, Origen mentions Theudas living before the birth of Christ. “But since it is in the spirit of truth that we examine each passage, we shall mention that there was a certain Theudas among the Jews before the birth of Christ, who gave himself out as some great one, after whose death his deluded followers were completely dispersed.” Contra Celsus (or Against Celsus) Book I, Chapter 57. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/origen161.html Accessed 27 October 2020 10:12 am.
[iv] “Now it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befell the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government.” “Antiquities of the Jews,” xx. v .i., translated by William Whiston, p. 418. See also: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0146%3Abook%3D20%3Asection%3D97 Accessed 27 October 2020 9:30 am.
[v] It is patently obvious that the design of this objection is to discredit the Bible, since the attackers always attack Luke’s credibility rather than Josephus’s.
[vi] Before the uprising of Judas the Galilean in the days of the taxing (Acts 9:37; cf. Luke 2:2).
[vii] Antiquities, 17.10.4. https://ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-17.htm Accessed 28 October 2:30 pm.

Christ’s scholars, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify when possible.)

“Christ’s scholars never learn above their Bible.” -- Matthew Henry

“The enormity of Scripture can never be reduced to a few humanly-composed statements of faith.” -- Charles Carrin

“John’s baptism is a baptism of hope, while Christ’s baptism is a baptism of hope fulfilled.” -- Lynwood Jacobs

“John’s baptism is a baptism of hope, and the baptism of Jesus is a baptism of hope fulfilled.” 

“All Christian life is measured by Scripture; every word thereof.” -- John Wycliffe

“Hop-Scotch theology is as phony as a three-dollar bill.” -- Charles Carrin

“We do not examine the Bible in the light of experience; but we do examine experience in the light of the Scriptures.” -- Ronald E. Baxter

“If what we learn from the Scriptures cuts across our experience, then we ought to call a moratorium on our practice.” -- Ronald E. Baxter

Indolent and wrapped up with worldliness

When the members of the church become so indolent and wrapped up with worldliness that they no longer study the holy scriptures, when they become so indifferent to the needs of their brethren that they no longer seek to excel to the edifying of the church, when freedom means so little that they will gladly surrender it to pamper pride, they begin automatically to try and purchase that for which they are not willing to exert personal effort. And when men demand professional ministers there will arise professional ministers to supply the demand.

W. Carl Ketcherside, in The Royal Priesthood, 1956

The Baptist’s cry

“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry” is a 6-stanza Long Meter hymn by Charles Coffin. Coffin was born in 1676 at Buzaney, Ardennes, in eastern France. In 1718, he became rector of the University of Paris, which position he held until his death in 1749. He published a collection of Latin hymns in 1727, most of which appeared in the Paris Breviary in 1736. Several of them have been translated into English, including this one below.

John Chandler (1806-1876) translated this hymn into English. It appears in The Hymns of the Primitive Church: now first Collected, Translated and Arranged (by John Chandler, London: John W. Parker, 1837, p. 40). It was labeled to be sung at Matins in Advent season. The note – (Jordanis oras prævia. No. 37) – refers to the beginning text in Latin (and then possibly the page number). Iordanis oras prævia, Vox ecce Baptistæ quatit: Præconis ad grandes sonos, Ignavus abscedat sopor. The hymn is often paired with Winchester New, arranged by Havergal and Monk.
 
1. On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh.
Come then and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings from the King of kings!
 
2. E’en now the air, the sea, the land
Feel that their Maker is at hand;
The very elements rejoice
And welcome him with cheerful voice.
 
3. Then cleansed be every Christian breast:
And furnished for so great a Guest,
Yea! let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.
 
4. For thou art our salvation, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward.
Without thy grace our souls must fade
And wither like a flower decayed.
 
5. Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,
And make us rise, to fall no more.
Once more upon thy people shine,
And fill the world with love divine.
 
6. To him, who left the throne of heaven,
To save mankind, all praise be given:
Like praise be to the Father done,
And Holy Spirit, Three-in-One.
 
Texts in modern hymnals usually have several variations from the version above, as it appears in The Hymns of the Primitive Church. Though used at Advent (which seems to focus primarily on the birth of Jesus) by many, the ministry of John the Baptist actually announced his coming as into public ministry as Messiah. He did not announce the birth of Jesus.

7 African Church Fathers, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.
7 African Church Fathers You Should Know -- “In fact there are several African church fathers that many people aren’t aware of or don’t acknowledge as African.”
Angels Marrying Humans and Jesus Preaching in Hell? The Happenings of Genesis 6 and 1 Peter 3 -- “I can’t wrap my brain around a position grammatically or contextually that says angels procreated with human beings to produce giants, and then Jesus later went to preach to these fallen angels while they were chained in demon prison.”
Baby Molly Sets World Record: Born 27 Years After She Was Frozen as an Embryo -- “I think this is proof positive that no embryo should ever be discarded, certainly not because it is ‘old!'”
Biden in September: No Victory Until the Election Is Independently Certified -- “Biden ended up delivering his victory speech on Saturday night, four days after the election. Meanwhile, the 2020 presidential election has yet to be certified...”
Correspondence of Augustine and Jerome concerning the Latin Translation of the Bible -- “Augustine calls upon Jerome to justify this departure from the customary text, tells of a disturbance which has arisen on this account, and urges him to reconsider. Jerome replies with characteristic vigor.”
Democrats’ Sore Loser Hypocrisy Is Damaging Democracy -- “The problem with the liberal critique of Trump and the Republicans lies in the fact that it was the Democrats who refused to accept the presidential election results in 2016. These are the same people who spent the last four years spreading conspiracy theories about the 2016 election...”
Figgy Barbecue Pulled Pork -- “Bring something new to the table with this easy ‘cue.”
Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum -- “In addition to consolidation, the Bill seeks to modernise and extend existing hate crime legislation...”
How Anti-Missionary Laws Are Influencing the Evangelical Church in Russia -- “In practice the so-called anti-terrorist laws turned out to be anti-missionary and even anti-church laws. Instead of a war on terror, the state unfurled a very real war against religious freedom.”
Photographer Captures Alabama-Coushatta Heritage -- “At age 14, Hector Maldonado attended his first Native American powwow in Chicago.”
Scottish Bill Would Criminalize ‘Hate Speech’ in Private Homes -- “The legislation criminalizes hate speech relating to age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, and variations in sex characteristics, including potentially hate speech spoken in private residences.”
The Faith of Ethiopia—and Its Prime Minister: An Ancient Story Revealed -- “...according to church historian Nicephorus, Matthias, the one chosen to replace Judas, also preached the gospel in Ethiopia.”
The True Blue -- “W. C. Austin edited the magazine, a man who spent most his ministry in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The contents reflect the typical salty humor and serious spiritual concern...”
White Plains Baptist, Greene County, Org. 1806 -- “White Plains Baptist Church was organized in 1806, and pre-dates the town of White Plains, which was incorporated in 1834.”
Winged Skull Gravestone Symbols -- “Burial sites during the 18th century were usually in churchyards. So church-goers would see these macabre symbols coming and going from services. The symbols served as a means to keep one thinking with an eternal perspective.”

Was Luke a Gentile?

Was Luke a Gentile?

The idea that Luke was a Gentile is based on historical tradition and certain interpretations of Scripture. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote his Historia Ecclesiastica (or, Church History) circa AD 323. In it (III.4.7), he states that Luke “was of Antiochian parentage and a physician by profession” and in Quaestiones Evangelicae (or, Gospel Problems and Solutions) says he came from “a family from the renowned Antioch.”¹ Jerome of Stridon agrees, writing in De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men) circa AD 392, “Luke a physician of Antioch, as his writings indicate, was not unskilled in the Greek language.”² 

Further, some point to Bible passages and biblically-related arguments, such as:

• Luke is not mentioned prior to the Lord Jesus’s death and resurrection.
• Luke refers a number of times to the city of Antioch, his hometown (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1-3; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:22-23; 15:35; 18:22).
• Luke was the “beloved physician” mentioned by Paul in Colossians 4:14.
• Colossians 4:10-11 fellow workers who are “of the circumcision” (i.e., Jewish).
• Luke is mentioned later in Colossians 4:14, not in that “of the circumcision” group.
• The name “Luke” is a Greek form of a Latin name.
• Acts 1:19 mentions a field with a Semitic name and then speaks of “their” language.
• Luke has great knowledge of the LXX or Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament.

On one hand, this question seems of little value. However, much ink has been spilled on the subject, with one interest to many being that if Luke was a Gentile, then the Lord entrusted more pages of New Testament to be written by a Gentile than to any other single person.

The above eight suggestions, as well as the historical tradition, may be explained in ways that do not require Luke being a Gentile.

• Paul was born in a Gentile city and is not mentioned prior to Jesus’s death and resurrection, yet we know he was a Jew, not a Gentile.
• Luke refers to many places. As an historical narrative, his writing refers to the places where the events occurred.
• Jews have physicians or doctors; this is not specific to Gentiles.
• Nor is Luke referred to as “one of you,” as Epaphras in Colossians 4:12
• Other Jews in the church are referenced by Greek names in the New Testament, such as Peter (Simon) and Paul (Saul). Jesus is a Greek name rather than an Hebrew one.
• Acts 1:19 is as easily explained as needed for Gentile readers as for a Gentile author.
• Evidence suggests Paul had great knowledge of the LXX or Septuagint; he was a Jew.

Luke was with Paul when he came to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-17). The Jews wrongly accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the Temple. They did not chose Luke as the offending party, but rather Trophimus (Acts 21:27-29). Either Luke was not a Gentile, or not recognizable as one – suggesting he was a Jew or Jewish proselyte prior to his conversion.

Footnotes

1. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm Accessed 16 October 2020 12:25 pm. https://bibletranslation.ws/down/Eusebius_Gospel_problems_and_solutions_2010.pdf Accessed 16 October 2020 12:20 pm.
2.          https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2708.htm Accessed 16 October 2020 12:15 pm.             

Be found faithful

Just read a few days ago: How transactional faith led evangelicals to embrace transactional politics – “Small wonder, then, that some evangelicals just adapted this transactional model of faith to politics: We’ll give you votes if you’ll do what we want. That’s a shrewd enough business proposition.” Wingfield also references Michael Gerson in This is a massive failure of character among Republicans — with evangelicals out in front.

It is well for conservatives, evangelicals, fundamentalists, and biblicists of every stripe to read such articles with humility and an eye to someone seeing either specks or beams in our eyes that we have missed. (And I believe there are some.) Are we following our Lord better and closer than we are following our politics? God, help us to do so.

Nevertheless, I find it ludicrous when liberals write pretending that they think morals matter to them but not to conservatives. Really? Perhaps we Americans have descended into a morass where morals do not really matter that much to either major party – as long as their candidates will hand them the outcome they desire! Should anyone be as stupid as suggesting a vote for a moral third party candidate (or maybe not voting at all), each side of the two-party system rushes in to tell us we are wasting out votes and to vote for their side. Then they ease back into supporting their own immorality while lecturing the other side on morality.

May we who are Christians never muddy our faith and practice to suit political practicalities and priorities. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Freezing human embryos

A baby born from a 27-year-old frozen embryo has been big news recently. Molly Everette Gibson, born this past October from an embryo that was frozen in October of 1992, is just over 6 weeks old, yet only 18 months younger than her 29-year-old mother! The primary newsworthy item to the secular press is that Molly sets a record and makes history as the longest-frozen embryo to come to birth.

Dr. Jeffrey Keenan, President and Medical Director of the National Embryo Donation Center said, “I think this is proof positive that no embryo should ever be discarded, certainly not because it is ‘old!’ ... it’s a testament to how good God is, and to His infinite goodness and love.”

For some reason, this news item grabbed my attention in a way that such has not previously. I suppose I have never given this subject much deep thought. Assisted reproduction technologies have been around for decades, with great “success.” However, this success has created a surplus of frozen human embryos – around 1,000,000 in the United States alone, according to the National Embryo Donation Center.

If life begins at conception (as many of us believe), is it really moral and ethical to freeze live human beings?

14 Black Inventors, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 14 Black Inventors You Probably Didn’t Know About -- “Inventor and engineer Lewis Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on September 4, 1848. He collaborated with science greats Hiram Maxim and Thomas Edison.”
• A Baptist Contribution to Political Theology -- “...three common points of political theology among early Baptists [are] the affirmation of government as divinely instituted and empowered, the need for government to provide religious liberty for all, and the obligation of Christians to dissent from governmental participation and subjection if and when a particular government acts immorally.”
• An evaluation of Ruckman’s denials of a pre-Christian Septuagint -- “Our main goal is to analyze the arguments Peter Ruckman uses in declaring there never was a Septuagint before the time of Christ, in order to demonstrate whether they are worthy of serious consideration.”
• Believer’s Baptism and Infant Salvation -- “The rejection of infant baptism left the Free Will Baptists with one question that demand solution. What happens to a child that dies in infancy...”
• Biblical Fact-Check: 613 Commandments? -- “No one exactly knows who began this myth: it’s not in the Bible nor is it in the Talmud. Yet you’ll find it trotted out in sermons fairly regularly.”
• Candace Owens Challenges Fact-Checker, And Wins -- “I wanted to show that these fact-checkers just lie, and they usually go unchecked because most people don’t have the money, don’t have the time, and don’t have the platform to go after them — and I have all three.”
• COVID-19: Americans are in “delusional psychosis” and policing each other, psychiatrist warns -- “We don’t need a police force. We don’t need a secret Stasi to go after the neighbor that isn’t wearing his mask on a park bench. We have families who are willing to do that.”
• Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at the End of the Decade of the New Atheists -- “...atheism is way too austere for me...It commits me to too many counter intuitive things—everything comes from nothing, life comes from non-life, consciousness comes from matter, morality comes from a reorganization of molecules.”
• “Holy” Is Not Related to “Wholly” -- “Calvary Chapel doctrine is easy believism. It is second blessing or Keswick sanctification. It is revivalistic. It is mystical. It is overtly positive to a fault, going out of the way so that people won’t feel guilty.”
• Is speaking or praying in tongues Biblical? -- “The question of speaking in tongues is a hotly-debated issue within the church, one that often elicits strong emotions from both sides of the debate.”
• Justice Gorsuch Savaged Cuomo in SCOTUS Ruling Protecting Churches -- “It is time — past time — to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues and mosques.”
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America, et al. v. Cuomo -- “Justice opinions in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York v. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York.”
• Studying Hardshell History -- “Now they began to use the ‘time salvation’ apologetic in which they made conversion to be necessary for being saved in time from false doctrine and the practice of sin, but not necessary for being eternally saved.”
• Supreme Court Sides with Religious Groups Against Andrew Cuomo, 5-4 -- “The Court was responding to a request for an emergency injunction by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the Agudath Israel of America, an Orthodox Jewish group, against restrictions limiting services to ten people in some areas and 25 people in others.”
• The Day Free Will Baptists Lost 600 Churches -- “I never found the word merger used in any literature or discussions. The Free Will Baptists and Calvinist Baptists always used the words union or reunion.”
• The (five) Great Commission(s) -- “This is very different from present habitual pursuit of really good attractional church services on Sunday mornings, and well-organized programs, classes, and seminars during the week...”
• Ways Grove Baptist, Jefferson County, org. 1865 -- “We believe this is the original sanctuary of Ways Grove Baptist, one of the very oldest African American Churches in Georgia.”
• Vermont governor announces school leaders will ask students about being in ‘multi-family gatherings’ over Thanksgiving -- “Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said the state’s Agency of Education is directing schools to ask students if they were part of ‘multi-family gatherings’ during the Thanksgiving holiday.”