Re: U3A Course R09 What the Bible is About Term 1 2021 #2021
Thanks Ray Looking forward to class Happy new yr ? Frank Bev
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On 30 Dec 2020, at 2:45 pm, Ray <ray@...> wrote:
?G'day all, I trust that this email will find everyone recovered from a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year's Eve, from which you will also soon recover. The main reason for this email is to advise that my former email address which I have had for some two decades has been hacked or otherwise corrupted and is now almost unusable.? My new email address may be somewhat familiar: ray@...Our schedule for Term 1, 2021 has me quite energized.? We'll start off with a study of the almost completely unknown but fascinating Old Testament book of Lamentations, which has been bitter-sweet as I have been observing the swift collapse of my birth country from a democratic Republic to what may well become an elitist-run totalitarian state in thrall to Communist China by early 2021.? Many of Jeremiah's laments over the fallen Jerusalem and Judah of 586 BC strike shockingly responsive chords.? But we won't dwell on current politics, because God's Word has much more to say through this book.? If you haven't studied the book of Lamentations, and few have, prepare yourself to pick up some exciting insights.? One such is that Lamentations is a striking example of sophisticated Hebrew poetry. Following on from Lamentations, we'll examine Paul's First Epistle to Timothy and then close the term with his Second Epistle to Timothy.? Paul wrote First Timothy soon after he was released from his first imprisonment at his house in Rome near the end of the book of Acts.? First Timothy puts forward Paul's blueprint for an effective first-century ekklesia, which we call today a "church" or "congregation." In it, Paul answers many questions of vital importance, such as the roles of men and women within the Body of Believers. Some passages have caused many heated discussions and substantial confusion when people focus on a phrase or verse or two and ignore other parts of the passage. Paul also had strong views on leadership within the? ekklesia. We'll examine what Paul really had to say, stripped of any modern sense of political correctness.? The?purpose of our study is merely to examine what the Bible actually has to say, not to challenge or reinforce any particular religious doctrine or dogma. When Paul wrote his Second Epistle, his situation had changed drastically.? He was now formally incarcerated in chains in Rome and facing imminent execution by beheading.? Many of his associates had vanished and few remained at his side.? But in this dark time, as he was penning his final words, Paul's main concern was for Timothy and the success of his gospel ministry.? This is a very human letter by an author very aware of life, death, and life after death.? Classes start at 10:45 on 28th January 2021 via Zoom.? Log-in details will be provided a week or so before the first session.? In the meantime, please send any of your comments or queries via this Discussion Group or direct to me at my new email address.? Thanks. You can unenroll from this Discussion Group by following a link on this email or by emailing me directly with your request. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09
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U3A Course R09 What the Bible is About Term 1 2021 #2021
G'day all, I trust that this email will find everyone recovered from a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year's Eve, from which you will also soon recover. The main reason for this email is to advise that my former email address which I have had for some two decades has been hacked or otherwise corrupted and is now almost unusable.? My new email address may be somewhat familiar: ray@...Our schedule for Term 1, 2021 has me quite energized.? We'll start off with a study of the almost completely unknown but fascinating Old Testament book of Lamentations, which has been bitter-sweet as I have been observing the swift collapse of my birth country from a democratic Republic to what may well become an elitist-run totalitarian state in thrall to Communist China by early 2021.? Many of Jeremiah's laments over the fallen Jerusalem and Judah of 586 BC strike shockingly responsive chords.? But we won't dwell on current politics, because God's Word has much more to say through this book.? If you haven't studied the book of Lamentations, and few have, prepare yourself to pick up some exciting insights.? One such is that Lamentations is a striking example of sophisticated Hebrew poetry. Following on from Lamentations, we'll examine Paul's First Epistle to Timothy and then close the term with his Second Epistle to Timothy.? Paul wrote First Timothy soon after he was released from his first imprisonment at his house in Rome near the end of the book of Acts.? First Timothy puts forward Paul's blueprint for an effective first-century ekklesia, which we call today a "church" or "congregation." In it, Paul answers many questions of vital importance, such as the roles of men and women within the Body of Believers. Some passages have caused many heated discussions and substantial confusion when people focus on a phrase or verse or two and ignore other parts of the passage. Paul also had strong views on leadership within the? ekklesia. We'll examine what Paul really had to say, stripped of any modern sense of political correctness.? The?purpose of our study is merely to examine what the Bible actually has to say, not to challenge or reinforce any particular religious doctrine or dogma. When Paul wrote his Second Epistle, his situation had changed drastically.? He was now formally incarcerated in chains in Rome and facing imminent execution by beheading.? Many of his associates had vanished and few remained at his side.? But in this dark time, as he was penning his final words, Paul's main concern was for Timothy and the success of his gospel ministry.? This is a very human letter by an author very aware of life, death, and life after death.? Classes start at 10:45 on 28th January 2021 via Zoom.? Log-in details will be provided a week or so before the first session.? In the meantime, please send any of your comments or queries via this Discussion Group or direct to me at my new email address.? Thanks. You can unenroll from this Discussion Group by following a link on this email or by emailing me directly with your request. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09
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Re: U3A R09 Thoughts on the resurrected Christ in the 40 days before the Ascension
#revelation
#term4
Hi Merlene,
I'm not sure that you asked a question, but your comments were so interesting that I thought that I would respond anyway.? The
Bible is silent on many aspects of the 40 days prior to Ascension, and yet it
also provides many details about that period.?
For example, He was in His post-resurrection body, the
same body believers will one day get (Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:48-49; 1 Jn 3:2). ?As such, He appeared in bodily form as a man
but his body was not constrained by time or space (our four-dimensional constraints)
but was able to appear (Lk 24:36) and disappear (Lk 24:31), even passing through closed doors (Jn 20:19,26). Yet He ate and
drank (Lk 24:42-43; Jn 21:12-15).? His glorified body had the scars in His hands
and side that He died with (Jn 20:20,27; Lk 24:39-40).
Jesus was extremely active
during the forty days. He used the forty days to give the disciples final teaching and
instruction now that they were aware of His purpose and mission. Jesus also
used the time to correct some misunderstandings (Acts 1:6, 7-8; Mark 16:15-16).
It would have been like post-doctoral studies.
The
forty days also bore witness to Christ¡¯s bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-14).?
At least ten separate
appearances (Acts 1:3-4; Mark 16:9-18) are recorded in Scripture where He walked and
talked and went about His ministry being seen in His restored body by thousands.? He continued to preach and heal. John 32:25 states: "Jesus
also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole
world could not contain the books that would be written."
As to where Jesus resided
or other activities outside his noted appearances, the Bible is silent and so
shall I be.?
By the way, the number 40
is very significant. It?appears 159 times in 146 verses in the Bible.?To Rabbis, the number 40 represents cleansing, transition, or change; the concept of renewal or a new beginning.? Forty has the power to lift a spiritual
state.? For example:
¡¤?????? Jesus¡¯ ministry commenced with 40
days in the Wilderness and ended with the 40 days before Ascension.?? Both periods represented significant transitions in Jesus' ministry.
¡¤?????? The world was
submerged during 40 days and 40 nights of rain in Noah¡¯s Flood.
¡¤?????? After arrival as
Egyptian slaves, Moses went up Mount Sinai for 40 days and brought down the
tablets that transformed them into God¡¯s nation.
¡¤?????? They spent 40 years
in the Wilderness transitioning from Egypt to the Nation of Israel.
¡¤?????? Jonah gave
Ninevah 40 days to repent.? They did.
By coincidence, Strong¡¯s Concordance term G40 is
?¦Ã¦É¦Ï? ( hagios),
which means ¡°the most holy thing¡±.? The
word is also used to mean ¡°a saint.¡±? An you know what the Rabbis say about "coincidence"!? Blessings,
Ray
On Thursday, 17 December 2020, 04:38:30 pm AEST, Merlene <merlene@...> wrote:
Thanks to Ray and Ian for sharing your very interesting dialogue.
?
Ray, of particular interest were the dates of Jesus death, resurrection and
Pentecost.? Thank you for doing all that comprehensive research. It adds
credence to the FACT of Jesus¡¯ resurrection when it is known that he was still
on earth for 40 days before His ascension.? Almost a month.? It
would be interesting to know how he physically spent those days ¨C did he sleep,
eat, etc. while still in an ¡°earthly¡± body.? I would assume his body was in
another dimension, one in which is not constrained by human boundaries or
limitations of life;
notwithstanding that others touched him, he ate in their
presence.? His body obviously had a solid form capable of speaking and
hearing as well.? Interesting, eh what!? Something to ponder about
when the Faithful rise from mortal death.? What kind of body will we be
given?
?
Blessings,
Merlene
From: Ian
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: [b4uc] U3A R09 Questions on Letters to the Angel of
seven churches #Revelation
?
Thanks
Ray for all the work you have put in to provide such detailed answers to my
questions. Revelation regarding the seven churches is much clearer to me now.
I find Revelation extremely challenging to understand and I hope Billy
Graham is correct in his assumption that all be well in the end.
?
Regards,
?
Ian
|
Re: U3A R09 Questions on Letters to the Angel of seven churches
#revelation
Thanks to Ray and Ian for sharing your very interesting dialogue.
?
Ray, of particular interest were the dates of Jesus death, resurrection and
Pentecost.? Thank you for doing all that comprehensive research. It adds
credence to the FACT of Jesus¡¯ resurrection when it is known that he was still
on earth for 40 days before His ascension.? Almost a month.? It
would be interesting to know how he physically spent those days ¨C did he sleep,
eat, etc. while still in an ¡°earthly¡± body.? I would assume his body was in
another dimension, one in which is not constrained by human boundaries or
limitations of life;
notwithstanding that others touched him, he ate in their
presence.? His body obviously had a solid form capable of speaking and
hearing as well.? Interesting, eh what!? Something to ponder about
when the Faithful rise from mortal death.? What kind of body will we be
given?
?
Blessings,
Merlene
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From: Ian
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: [b4uc] U3A R09 Questions on Letters to the Angel of
seven churches #Revelation
?
Thanks
Ray for all the work you have put in to provide such detailed answers to my
questions. Revelation regarding the seven churches is much clearer to me now.
I find Revelation extremely challenging to understand and I hope Billy
Graham is correct in his assumption that all be well in the end.
?
Regards,
?
Ian
On 11 Dec 2020, at 7:28 pm, Ray via
<ray.sarlin@...> wrote:
?
Hi Ian,
?
Thanks for your interesting questions. None of
your questions cover "obvious points" and each is worthy of a fuller answer
than I can give, but I'll try.
?
1.?
How many years after the resurrection of Jesus did John have his indescribable
vision of Jesus on Patmos?
John recorded his vision about AD 95,
during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian. Domitian had
decreed that he be worshipped as ¡°Lord and God,¡± and refusal to obey his
edict led to severe persecution. Tradition says that Domitian sent John to
exile at a Roman penal colony on the Isle of Patmos. When 44-year-old
Domitian was assassinated in AD 96 by his chamberlain Parthenius and other
court officials, John was released from exile and returned to Ephesus.?
I've visited Patmos and the Agean Sea is
the dominant sight from anywhere on the largish u-shaped island, so it's not
surprising that the word "sea" occurs twenty-six times in
Revelation.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday 6
April 32 AD, 173,880 days after Artaxerxes Longimanus gave his commandment
to restore and re-build Jerusalem (14 March 445 BC).? Jesus died on the
Cross at 3 pm on 9 April (Passover Preparation Day, Passover was the next
day on 10 April), rose three days and three nights later on 12 April (after
6 p.m. on the Feast of Firstfruits, the day after the Sabbath), and the tomb
was found empty at dawn on Sunday 13 April.? He ministered on earth for
40 days before ascending to heaven.? The believers received the gifts
of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which falls on the 50th day after Passover,
which occurred on 30 May that year.
Sorry for the digressions, but it would
appear that (~95-32)?~63
years had transpired between the Resurrection and the penning of the
book of Revelation.
2.? How many years after the
resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the
seven churches?
?
While all
seven cities were in existence with their noted strengths and weaknesses
when John received the letter in about AD 95, I would suggest that they
didn't happen overnight and probably had been happening some years before
and continued some years afterwards.? The direct answer to your
question, however, would be ~95-32
= ~63
years.
3.? Did an Angel provide the letters
to John or to the churches?
?
"The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants" (Rev.
1:1a) -? God the Father revealed the future to Jesus Christ, so that
Jesus would convey it to all believers.
"And
He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John." (Rev.
1:1b)
According to Revelation
1:1¨C2, the Father gave the revelation to the Son, and the Son shared it
with the apostle, using ¡°His angel¡± as an intermediary messenger or
envoy.? But don't confuse this as an absent Jesus Christ having an
angelic courier bring John a completed scroll (or email).? John
experienced the Revelation of Christ through all
of his senses and later wrote it down (or dictated it).? The angel
certainly conveyed a part (Rev. 1:1, 17:1;
19:9¨C10) but so too did Christ Himself (Rev. 1:10-20 and Chapters 2 and
3).? Sometimes an elder did (Rev. 7:13).
Sometimes a ¡°voice from heaven¡± told John
what to say and do (Rev. 10:4). Most often, John "in the Spirit" simply
witnessed it himself. So the book came from Jesus to John by all of these
various inspired means of communication.?
The
key point is that John "in the Spirit" truly experienced all the
things that he would later write down as the book of Revelation.?
The word "signified" (Rev. 1:1) confirms this; it means ¡°to
show by a sign.¡± The same word is translated in Revelation as sign (Rev.
15:1), wonder (Rev. 12:1, 3), and miracle (Rev. 19:20).? So John is
noting that the message was miraculously transmitted to him by
Jesus.? John's gospel uses the same word (¦Ò¦Ç¦Ì¦Á?¦Í¦Ø,?²õ¨¥³¾²¹¨ª²Ô¨)
to describe the other miracles of Jesus Christ.
The
last part of the answer to your third question is that John was directed to
share Christ's revelation with all believers ("who bore witness
to the word of God", Rev 1:2).? This fulfils God's initial intent in
Rev. 1:1 for the message to be shared with all believers
("(Jesus) to show His servants.")
?
Please keep
in mind that the book has two levels of communication from Jesus
Christ.
?
a.? The
entire book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" to be conveyed to all
believers.
b.?
Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven discrete letters dictated "in
the Spirit" to John by Jesus Christ to the seven regional
ekklesia (groups or assemblies of believers), which were circular
letters of great relevance to each addressee but also meant to be shared
with all believers.
?
Thanks again for asking.? Each time I
research a text in Scripture, things seem to open themselves up and become
clearer.? For example, I had intellectually accepted the immersive
experience by which John had received this Revelation from Christ, but I
hadn't really made the connection that John himself may have considered the
whole experience miraculous (which it was).? He was recording a major
miracle that he had personally witnessed.
?
Blessings,
?
Ray
?
On Friday, 11
December 2020, 04:34:29 pm AEST, ianmurray wrote:
?
?
Hi Ray,
?
I have been reading through your sessions
on Revelation and I am missing what must be an obvious point.
?
I understand the failings and bad
behaviour of the people of the seven churches? in Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamos? etc? and how those failings can be related to any part of
history and especially to the present day.
?
Question:
How many years after the resurrection of
Jesus? did? John have his indescribable? vision? of Jesus
on Patmos?
?
Question:
How many years after the resurrection of
Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven
churches?
?
Question:
Letters to the Angel of the seven
churches. Did an Angel? provide the letters to John or to the
churches?
?
Regards,
?
Ian
Murray
?
|
Re: U3A 2020 R09 What the Bible is About
Hi Ray and All,
?
Thank you Ray for the latest postings on your Website.? More spiritual
food to digest.
?
On another topic, but still within the ambit of this course, there is a
Spotlight series on Kanopy that is well worth watching.? I discovered
Kanopy through another U3A course.? Although I don¡¯t spend time watching
videos, etc. this one caught my eye:? JESUS:? His Life.?
¡°Explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens:? the people in
his life who were closest to Him.¡± There are about three commentators from
different religions and from what I¡¯ve heard so far, none are
biased.? The series seem to be Bible based, albeit seen through the
¡°fictitious¡± eyes of people close to him.
?
It is a series ¨C 6 in all, I think.? I¡¯ve watched the first four ¨C
Joseph¡¯s perspective, then John the Baptist, Mary (mother of Jesus) and
Caiaphas.? To me, all were quite thought-provoking.? I don¡¯t think
many of us have thought about Jesus from his human point of view as opposed to
the Son of God aspect.? The Bible is pitched towards an account of events,
rather than the effects of the event on an individual during Jesus¡¯ time.?
Very interesting and insightful.? It gave me a new appreciation of the
God/human perspective.
?
For those of you are may not be familiar with Kanopy ¨C it is a FREE
resource, available through the Brisbane City Council Library, or your local
Library.? You need to be a member of the Library, log-in, and create an
separate account in Kanopy.? It took me a couple of tries before
succeeding.? Maybe start with Google search:? kanopy.com? and
follow the prompts.? That works!
?
If you can find the time to watch an episode or two, I¡¯d be interested in
your comments.
?
Blessings,
Merlene
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From: Ray via groups.io
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 10:03 PM
Subject: [b4uc] U3A 2020 R09 What the Bible is About website is
updated #Term4 #Hebrews
?
?
All slides used this year in R09: What the
Bible is About are now posted on our unofficial class website at
.
?
?
Thanks again for your participation.
?
Ray Sarlin
U3A Tutor R09
|
Re: U3A R09 Questions on Letters to the Angel of seven churches
#revelation
Thanks Ray for all the work you have put in to provide such detailed answers to my questions. Revelation regarding the seven churches is much clearer to me now. I find Revelation extremely challenging to understand and I hope Billy Graham is correct in his assumption that all be well in the end.
Regards,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your interesting questions.?None of your questions cover "obvious points" and each is worthy of a fuller answer than I can give, but I'll try.
1.? How many years after the resurrection of Jesus did John have his indescribable vision of Jesus on Patmos?
John recorded his vision about AD 95, during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus
Flavius Domitian. Domitian had decreed that he be worshipped as ¡°Lord and
God,¡± and refusal to obey his edict led to severe
persecution. Tradition says that Domitian sent John to exile at a Roman penal colony on the Isle of
Patmos. When 44-year-old Domitian was assassinated in AD 96 by his chamberlain Parthenius and other court officials, John was released from exile and returned to Ephesus.??
I've visited Patmos and the Agean Sea is the dominant sight from anywhere on the largish u-shaped island, so it's not surprising that the word "sea" occurs twenty-six times in Revelation. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday 6 April 32 AD, 173,880 days after Artaxerxes Longimanus gave his commandment to restore and re-build Jerusalem (14 March 445 BC).? Jesus died on the Cross at 3 pm on 9 April (Passover Preparation Day, Passover was the next day on 10 April), rose three days and three nights later on 12 April (after 6 p.m. on the Feast of Firstfruits, the day after the Sabbath), and the tomb was found empty at dawn on Sunday 13 April.? He ministered on earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven.? The believers received the gifts of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which falls on the 50th day after Passover, which occurred on 30 May that year. Sorry for the digressions, but it would appear that (~95-32)?~63 years had transpired between the Resurrection and the penning of the book of Revelation.
2.? How many years after the resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven churches?
While all seven cities were in existence with their noted strengths and weaknesses when John received the letter in about AD 95, I would suggest that they didn't happen overnight and probably had been happening some years before and continued some years afterwards.? The direct answer to your question, however, would be ~95-32 = ~63 years.
3.? Did an Angel provide the letters to John or to the churches?
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants" (Rev. 1:1a) -? God the Father revealed the future to Jesus Christ, so that Jesus would convey it to all believers.
"And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John." (Rev. 1:1b)
According
to Revelation 1:1¨C2, the Father gave the revelation to the Son, and the Son
shared it with the apostle, using ¡°His angel¡± as an intermediary messenger or envoy.? But don't confuse this as an absent Jesus Christ having an angelic courier bring John a completed scroll (or email).? John experienced?the Revelation of Christ through all of his senses and later wrote it down (or dictated it).? The angel certainly conveyed a part (Rev. 1:1,?17:1; 19:9¨C10) but so too did Christ Himself (Rev. 1:10-20 and Chapters 2 and 3).? Sometimes an elder did (Rev. 7:13).?Sometimes a ¡°voice
from heaven¡± told John what to say and do (Rev. 10:4). Most often, John "in the Spirit" simply witnessed it himself. So the book came from Jesus to John by all of these various inspired means of communication.??
The key point is that John "in the Spirit" truly experienced all the things that he would later write down as the book of Revelation.??The word "signified" (Rev. 1:1) confirms this; it means
¡°to show by a sign.¡± The same word is translated in Revelation as sign (Rev. 15:1),
wonder (Rev. 12:1, 3), and miracle (Rev. 19:20).? So John is noting that the message was miraculously transmitted to him by Jesus.? John's gospel uses the same word (¦Ò¦Ç¦Ì¦Á?¦Í¦Ø,?²õ¨¥³¾²¹¨ª²Ô¨) to describe the other miracles of Jesus Christ.
The last part of the answer to your third question is that John was directed to share Christ's revelation with all believers ("who bore witness to the word of God", Rev 1:2).? This fulfils God's initial intent in Rev. 1:1 for the message to be shared with all believers ("(Jesus)?to show His servants.")
Please keep in mind that the book has two levels of communication from Jesus Christ.
a.? The entire book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" to be conveyed to all believers. b.? Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven discrete letters dictated?"in the Spirit"?to John by Jesus Christ to the seven regional ekklesia (groups or assemblies of believers), which were circular letters of great relevance to each addressee but also meant to be shared with all believers.
Thanks again for asking.? Each time I research a text in Scripture, things seem to open themselves up and become clearer.? For example, I had intellectually accepted the immersive experience by which John had received this Revelation from Christ, but I hadn't really made the connection that John himself may have considered the whole experience miraculous (which it was).? He was recording a major miracle that he had personally witnessed.
Blessings,
Ray
On Friday, 11 December 2020, 04:34:29 pm AEST, ianmurray wrote:
Hi Ray,
?I have been reading through your sessions on Revelation and I am missing what must be an obvious point.
I understand the failings and bad behaviour of the people of the seven churches ?in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos ?etc ?and how those failings can be related to any part of history and especially to the present day.
Question: How many years after the resurrection of Jesus ?did ?John have his indescribable ?vision ?of Jesus on Patmos?
Question: How many years after the resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven churches?
Question: Letters to the Angel of the seven churches. Did an Angel ?provide the letters to John or to the churches?
?Regards,
?Ian Murray
|
U3A R09 Questions on Letters to the Angel of seven churches
#revelation
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your interesting questions.?None of your questions cover "obvious points" and each is worthy of a fuller answer than I can give, but I'll try.
1.? How many years after the resurrection of Jesus did John have his indescribable vision of Jesus on Patmos?
John recorded his vision about AD 95, during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus
Flavius Domitian. Domitian had decreed that he be worshipped as ¡°Lord and
God,¡± and refusal to obey his edict led to severe
persecution. Tradition says that Domitian sent John to exile at a Roman penal colony on the Isle of
Patmos. When 44-year-old Domitian was assassinated in AD 96 by his chamberlain Parthenius and other court officials, John was released from exile and returned to Ephesus.??
I've visited Patmos and the Agean Sea is the dominant sight from anywhere on the largish u-shaped island, so it's not surprising that the word "sea" occurs twenty-six times in Revelation. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday 6 April 32 AD, 173,880 days after Artaxerxes Longimanus gave his commandment to restore and re-build Jerusalem (14 March 445 BC).? Jesus died on the Cross at 3 pm on 9 April (Passover Preparation Day, Passover was the next day on 10 April), rose three days and three nights later on 12 April (after 6 p.m. on the Feast of Firstfruits, the day after the Sabbath), and the tomb was found empty at dawn on Sunday 13 April.? He ministered on earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven.? The believers received the gifts of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which falls on the 50th day after Passover, which occurred on 30 May that year. Sorry for the digressions, but it would appear that (~95-32)?~63 years had transpired between the Resurrection and the penning of the book of Revelation.
2.? How many years after the resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven churches?
While all seven cities were in existence with their noted strengths and weaknesses when John received the letter in about AD 95, I would suggest that they didn't happen overnight and probably had been happening some years before and continued some years afterwards.? The direct answer to your question, however, would be ~95-32 = ~63 years.
3.? Did an Angel provide the letters to John or to the churches?
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants" (Rev. 1:1a) -? God the Father revealed the future to Jesus Christ, so that Jesus would convey it to all believers.
"And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John." (Rev. 1:1b)
According
to Revelation 1:1¨C2, the Father gave the revelation to the Son, and the Son
shared it with the apostle, using ¡°His angel¡± as an intermediary messenger or envoy.? But don't confuse this as an absent Jesus Christ having an angelic courier bring John a completed scroll (or email).? John experienced?the Revelation of Christ through all of his senses and later wrote it down (or dictated it).? The angel certainly conveyed a part (Rev. 1:1,?17:1; 19:9¨C10) but so too did Christ Himself (Rev. 1:10-20 and Chapters 2 and 3).? Sometimes an elder did (Rev. 7:13).?Sometimes a ¡°voice
from heaven¡± told John what to say and do (Rev. 10:4). Most often, John "in the Spirit" simply witnessed it himself. So the book came from Jesus to John by all of these various inspired means of communication.??
The key point is that John "in the Spirit" truly experienced all the things that he would later write down as the book of Revelation.??The word "signified" (Rev. 1:1) confirms this; it means
¡°to show by a sign.¡± The same word is translated in Revelation as sign (Rev. 15:1),
wonder (Rev. 12:1, 3), and miracle (Rev. 19:20).? So John is noting that the message was miraculously transmitted to him by Jesus.? John's gospel uses the same word (¦Ò¦Ç¦Ì¦Á?¦Í¦Ø,?²õ¨¥³¾²¹¨ª²Ô¨) to describe the other miracles of Jesus Christ.
The last part of the answer to your third question is that John was directed to share Christ's revelation with all believers ("who bore witness to the word of God", Rev 1:2).? This fulfils God's initial intent in Rev. 1:1 for the message to be shared with all believers ("(Jesus)?to show His servants.")
Please keep in mind that the book has two levels of communication from Jesus Christ.
a.? The entire book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" to be conveyed to all believers. b.? Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven discrete letters dictated?"in the Spirit"?to John by Jesus Christ to the seven regional ekklesia (groups or assemblies of believers), which were circular letters of great relevance to each addressee but also meant to be shared with all believers.
Thanks again for asking.? Each time I research a text in Scripture, things seem to open themselves up and become clearer.? For example, I had intellectually accepted the immersive experience by which John had received this Revelation from Christ, but I hadn't really made the connection that John himself may have considered the whole experience miraculous (which it was).? He was recording a major miracle that he had personally witnessed.
Blessings,
Ray
On Friday, 11 December 2020, 04:34:29 pm AEST, ianmurray wrote:
Hi Ray,
?I have been reading through your sessions on Revelation and I am missing what must be an obvious point.
I understand the failings and bad behaviour of the people of the seven churches ?in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos ?etc ?and how those failings can be related to any part of history and especially to the present day.
Question: How many years after the resurrection of Jesus ?did ?John have his indescribable ?vision ?of Jesus on Patmos?
Question: How many years after the resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven churches?
Question: Letters to the Angel of the seven churches. Did an Angel ?provide the letters to John or to the churches?
?Regards,
?Ian Murray
|
U3A 2020 R09 What the Bible is About website is updated
#term4
#hebrews
All slides used this year in R09:?What the Bible is About are now posted on our unofficial class website at??.
Thanks again for your participation.
Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09
|
Re: U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
Ray,? I won't be available on 17 December for a final session.? Thanks for the offer.
On Thursday, 10 December 2020, 11:16:06 am AEDT, Merlene <merlene@...> wrote:
Hi Ray,
?
As for the past 3 sessions, I have to leave today no later than 12:30pm due
to commitments.? Pity, because often gems are presented in the last minutes
of a session.
?
Re offered make-up session on 17 December, I could attend. It would be nice
to complete Hebrews prior to the end of 2020.
?
Kind regards to all,
Merlene
Sent: Monday, December 7, 2020 8:02 PM
Subject: [b4uc] U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am
Thursday. #Term4 #Hebrews
?
The final session
for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably
won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class
wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me
know.
Log in details
are as per usual:?
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09
?
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420
Passcode: 744932
?
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course
on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you
wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in
details are:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09
Meeting ID: 867 4447
7413
|
G'day, all.
Well, that wraps up another year of R09:?What the Bible is About. I'm already looking forward to the next term, and I hope to see you then.
I've attached a brief article entitles "A look inside the Tabernacle" that describes the Tabernacle.? It may help you appreciate the significance of every little detail in that structure, which was a foreshadowing of the Messiah, God Almighty, and even, some say, the human body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
I'll finish posting the website at??over the next day or so and advise when that's complete.
In the meantime, please feel free to send any comments, complaints, questions, recommendations, etc., via email.? I'm already feeling all at sea from not having next week to prepare. 
Thank you each most sincerely for your participation in the course. It has made an enormous difference to me and, as one might say in Greek, continues to be much appreciated.
Blessings,
Ray
Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09
P.S. I'm grateful that Zoom waited until the last week to start acting up. 
|
Re: U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
Hi Ray,
?
As for the past 3 sessions, I have to leave today no later than 12:30pm due
to commitments.? Pity, because often gems are presented in the last minutes
of a session.
?
Re offered make-up session on 17 December, I could attend. It would be nice
to complete Hebrews prior to the end of 2020.
?
Kind regards to all,
Merlene
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: Ray via groups.io
Sent: Monday, December 7, 2020 8:02 PM
Subject: [b4uc] U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am
Thursday. #Term4 #Hebrews
?
The final session
for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably
won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class
wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me
know.
Log in details
are as per usual:?
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09
?
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420
Passcode: 744932
?
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course
on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you
wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in
details are:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09
Meeting ID: 867 4447
7413
|
Re: U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
Hello Ray,
?Thanks you for the offer to run a session on 17 December. Unfortunately Margaret and I are already committed next Thursday but if you do run the session we will ?be able to study it on the web site .?
?Regards,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
The final session for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me know.
Log in details are as per usual:?
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420 Passcode: 744932
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in details are: Meeting ID: 867 4447 7413
|
Re: U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
Hi Ray, I would like the extra Dec17th class to finish the book of Hebrews. Much appreciated,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 7 Dec 2020, at 23:10, Linda via groups.io <linfordlinda@...> wrote:
? Hallo Dear Ray,?? As I have an appointment tomorrow,?? May I please ask your permission to connect via Zoom and? just leave my? voice recorder going,? ?as? I? would really appreciate? ?listening to the? session later Thanking you very much for all.? Stay well.? Blessings Linda On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 20:02, Ray via groups.io <ray.sarlin@...> wrote:
The final session for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me know.
Log in details are as per usual:?https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420 Passcode: 744932
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in details are: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09 Meeting ID: 867 4447 7413
|
Re: U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
Hallo Dear Ray,?? As I have an appointment tomorrow,?? May I please ask your permission to connect via Zoom and? just leave my? voice recorder going,? ?as? I? would really appreciate? ?listening to the? session later Thanking you very much for all.? Stay well.? Blessings
On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 20:02, Ray via groups.io <ray.sarlin@...> wrote:
The final session for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me know.
Log in details are as per usual:?https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420 Passcode: 744932
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in details are: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09 Meeting ID: 867 4447 7413
|
U3A Class R09 Session 9 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
The final session for 2020 will be this coming Thursday 10 December at 11:00 am.? We probably won't complete Hebrews, but we'll be about one session shy.? If the class wants a make-up session to complete Hebrews on 17 December, please let me know.
Log in details are as per usual:?https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09
Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420 Passcode: 744932
This is also the final meeting for the H10 course on Ruth and Esther which you are cordially invited to attend if you wish.? It starts at 10:30 am tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December.? Log in details are: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09 Meeting ID: 867 4447 7413
|
Re: U3A R09 Question on God's Rest
#hebrews
I see support here for an actual ongoing regular Sabbath keeping experience for believers in Jesus Christ.? As well as the more wonderful idea, that the Sabbath,?since the Cross,(and our Great High Priest entering Heaven itself, with his own blood) represents an entering in to the Rest of Salvation.? Therefore no need for personal labour to earn salvation through righteous activity. Only Rest in Jesus Christs, ¡°Finished¡± work at Calvary.? One day our faith will be sight. So that Paul can say: ¡° we do not ignore the Law¡±(of ten commandments) but ¡°establish it¡°(Romans 3:21-31) on the greater foundation of the ¡°law if faith¡±. Justification.? Series stuff. The making of Martyrs.
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Show quoted text
On 5 Dec 2020, at 12:36 pm, Ray via groups.io <ray.sarlin@...> wrote:
?
After the class on Thursday, 26 November 2020, Amanda Flynn wrote: "Hi there Ray .... I did want to ask a question regarding God resting on the 7th day. What was your explanation? It made sense but I couldn't recall it. Have a good week see you Thursday."
Sorry for my delayed response, but here it is. The context was God¡¯s
Rest, as in Hebrews 3:10-11: ¡°Therefore I was angry with that
generation,?and said, ¡®They always go astray in?their?heart, and they have not
known My ways. So I swore in My wrath, ¡®They
shall not enter My rest.¡¯¡±? This example
was given in conjunction with the epistle's second major warning on the danger of
disobedience.
The Israelites had
been saved from slavery in Egypt, and remained saved throughout their lives
throughout the 40 years in the Wilderness, but because of their disobedience at
Kadesh-Barnea they DID NOT get to enter into the Promised Land, Canaan, which
Hebrews metaphorically called ¡°God¡¯s Rest¡± or ¡°Canaan Rest¡±.
Two Hebrew words are
used for ¡°rest¡±: ?????? sabath (rest) and ???????? Manuka (place of rest). The Greek
used is ¦Ê¦Á¦Ó?¦Ð¦Á¦Ô¦Ò¦É? katapausis, which literally
means "calming of the winds or cessation of activity". Neither
sabath nor katapausis mean resting in terms of relaxing or
rejuvenating, but rather "desisting from exertion.¡± After all, God didn¡¯t
rest on the 7th day because He was tired because, as Isaiah 40:28 states,
¡°God does not get tired!¡±? God rested to
provide an example for us!
I also mentioned how
the concept of God¡¯s Rest has three tenses: the plain text of Hebrews 3:11
refers to the Promised Land, the fixed and tranquil abode in Canaan (and also
called ¡°Canaan Rest¡±).? At the time that the letter to the Hebrews was written, both God¡¯s Sabbath Rest (i.e., the 7th day of
Creation) and the Canaan Rest (the Israelites entering Canaan under Joshua) were past historical events (past tense).
But God¡¯s
Rest also refers metaphorically to the heavenly blessedness wherein God dwells
(heaven), where persevering
believers in Christ are promised to become partakers after the toils and
trials of life on earth cease (future tense). The latter is also called ¡°glorification.¡±
But the author will also see these rests as
illustrations of the ongoing spiritual experiences of believers as well: The
Sabbath rest is a picture of our rest in Christ through salvation
(justification ¨C past tense) and the Canaan rest pictures our present rest as
we claim our inheritance in Christ by living in submission to Him
(sanctification ¨C present tense).
The
message is that God¡¯s rest is all around us, for us, and in us.
Blessings,
Ray
|
After the class on Thursday, 26 November 2020, Amanda Flynn wrote: "Hi there Ray .... I did want to ask a question regarding God resting on the 7th day. What was your explanation? It made sense but I couldn't recall it. Have a good week see you Thursday."
Sorry for my delayed response, but here it is. The context was God¡¯s
Rest, as in Hebrews 3:10-11: ¡°Therefore I was angry with that
generation,?and said, ¡®They always go astray in?their?heart, and they have not
known My ways. So I swore in My wrath, ¡®They
shall not enter My rest.¡¯¡±? This example
was given in conjunction with the epistle's second major warning on the danger of
disobedience.
The Israelites had
been saved from slavery in Egypt, and remained saved throughout their lives
throughout the 40 years in the Wilderness, but because of their disobedience at
Kadesh-Barnea they DID NOT get to enter into the Promised Land, Canaan, which
Hebrews metaphorically called ¡°God¡¯s Rest¡± or ¡°Canaan Rest¡±.
Two Hebrew words are
used for ¡°rest¡±: ?????? sabath (rest) and ???????? Manuka (place of rest). The Greek
used is ¦Ê¦Á¦Ó?¦Ð¦Á¦Ô¦Ò¦É? katapausis, which literally
means "calming of the winds or cessation of activity". Neither
sabath nor katapausis mean resting in terms of relaxing or
rejuvenating, but rather "desisting from exertion.¡± After all, God didn¡¯t
rest on the 7th day because He was tired because, as Isaiah 40:28 states,
¡°God does not get tired!¡±? God rested to
provide an example for us!
I also mentioned how
the concept of God¡¯s Rest has three tenses: the plain text of Hebrews 3:11
refers to the Promised Land, the fixed and tranquil abode in Canaan (and also
called ¡°Canaan Rest¡±).? At the time that the letter to the Hebrews was written, both God¡¯s Sabbath Rest (i.e., the 7th day of
Creation) and the Canaan Rest (the Israelites entering Canaan under Joshua) were past historical events (past tense).
But God¡¯s
Rest also refers metaphorically to the heavenly blessedness wherein God dwells
(heaven), where persevering
believers in Christ are promised to become partakers after the toils and
trials of life on earth cease (future tense). The latter is also called ¡°glorification.¡±
But the author will also see these rests as
illustrations of the ongoing spiritual experiences of believers as well: The
Sabbath rest is a picture of our rest in Christ through salvation
(justification ¨C past tense) and the Canaan rest pictures our present rest as
we claim our inheritance in Christ by living in submission to Him
(sanctification ¨C present tense).
The
message is that God¡¯s rest is all around us, for us, and in us.
Blessings,
Ray
|
U3A Class comments on body, soul and spirit
#hebrews
Hi
Merlene,
Sorry
for the delay in responding to your question on Hebrews 4:12 about body, soul,
and spirit.? There will be another look
in next week¡¯s class, but I¡¯ll try to address the basics here.
?¡°For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.¡±?Hebrews 4:12.?
The
distinction between body and soul is first spelled out in the Garden of Eden in
Genesis Chapter 2.? There¡¯s some sophisticated
Hebrew wordplay here meant for us to stop and ponder body and soul, but we tend
to miss it in English.
In
Genesis 2:5-7, there is no human (¡®²¹»å²¹³¾) in the Garden of Eden to till
the humus (¡®²¹»å²¹³¾ah), so God creates one from the ground itself to become
a living soul.? From the same
ground (humus), God grows fruit trees as well as the tree of life and
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.? God then charges the creature to till and
watch over the garden.? Alas, Eve and the
serpent come along and the land (¡®²¹»å²¹³¾ah) becomes cursed, and under the
curse the now mortal ¡®´¡»å²¹³¾ is sentenced to hard labour tilling the ¡®²¹»å²¹³¾ah
until ¡®´¡»å²¹³¾ dies and returns to the ¡®²¹»å²¹³¾ah from which ¡®´¡»å²¹³¾
(humanity) was taken.?
So
the ground that gives us life and swallows us in death.
Note the Hebrew
wordplay in Genesis 2:7: ¡°And the Lord?(???????, YHVH, Jehovah) God (????????, elohiym, true God) formed man (?????, ¡®²¹»å²¹³¾,
human, man, mankind) of?the dust (?????, ¡®²¹±è³ó²¹°ù, dry
earth) of the ground (???????, ¡®²¹»å²¹³¾ah, ground, humus, land, earth) and
breathed (?????, naphach, to breathe or blow) into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living being (??????, nephesh, soul, creature, emotion, being).¡±
So what we see here
are the body (made from dust, atoms, etc.) with its physical functions and
senses and the soul, which is the breath of life that animates our mind, feelings
and emotions and gives us a sense of self. Modern neuroscience also believes
that the mind is more than the brain. ?So
through the soul, we interact with people and the things around us that we can
perceive; our soul is anchored internally and is an integral part of being a
living human being.
If you compare a dead
body with a live body, the difference is the soul.? The soul is everything that makes you alive
rather than dead.? The body is
perishable, the soul is an immortal state of existence.? Interestingly, the soul is neither good nor
evil; since people can be either, there must be something more than just body
or soul.
Now spirit enters the
picture. ?Per St. Thomas Aquinas, the
spirit consists of those aspects of the soul that are not material, including
the intellect, the will, and the ability to reason. ?That¡¯s fine from a philosophical standpoint, although
it may seem difficult to distinguish some aspects of soul and spirit;
fortunately, Hebrews 4:12 informs us that the distinctions between soul and
spirit are child¡¯s play for God¡¯s two-edged sword.? So what does His Word have to say on this?
Quite a lot, actually,
but the New Testament concept seems to be outward-looking, ¡°Dear friends, do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because
many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).¡±?
Through the spirit we
can be in contact with the divine.? And
the New Testament gift of the Holy Spirit makes one¡¯s spirit alive to connect
with eternal heavenly things and allows one to enter into rest in God.? So the NT concept of spirit is not only outward looking but upward-looking. The result is a life of
faith lived with a biblical worldview that focuses on life and hope rather
than a secular earthly worldview that is consumed by struggle and fear of death.
The author of Hebrews is
not finished talking about body, soul, and spirit, so we¡¯ll see more on this
later.
Blessings,
Ray??
On Thursday, 26 November 2020, 04:46:26 pm AEST, Merlene <merlene@...> wrote:
Hi Ray,
?
Sorry I had to leave just after 12:30 ¨C I had to go to the Gold Coast this
afternoon.? Another great session.? Thank you.
?
I¡¯d invite your comment on ¨C Chapter 4 Verse 12: ¡°word of God is quick and
powerful, and sharper than .... two-edged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart¡±.
?
A very thought provoking verse indeed.? Apart from that, what¡¯s your
viewpoint on the difference between ¡°soul¡± and ¡°spirit¡±. Aren¡¯t they the
same?? Certainly different from ¡°mind¡± (thoughts and intents of the
heart).
?
The more one ponders on this verse, the more powerful it becomes.?
Care for some explanation please?
?
Blessings,
Merlene?
From: Ray via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2020 9:40 AM
Subject: [b4uc] U3A Classes this week: R09 Session 7 commences at
11:00 am Thursday. #Term4 #Hebrews
?
This is a friendly reminder of the two non-religious Bible courses
this week.? You are enrolled in R09 which will start the book of Hebrews
this week on Thursday 26/11 at 11 am.? The sign-in details are:
?
|
U3A Classes this week: R09 Session 8 commences at 11:00 am Thursday.
#term4
#hebrews
This is a friendly reminder of the two non-religious Bible courses this week.? You are enrolled in R09 which will get into the key section of the book of Hebrews this week on Thursday 3/12 at 11 am.? Abraham was the patriarch of patriarchs, yet this little-known priest and king is said to be superior to Abraham; who is this Melchizadek character?? The sign-in details are:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89208017420?pwd=OU45MkprVU00Uk5NOSt6K1JsSmNFdz09 Meeting ID: 892 0801 7420
For those who also attend the H10 Ruth and Esther, today we're finishing the book of Esther and looking behind the text to discover many, many of the things hidden in the book of something hidden.? To join today, 1 December at 10:30 am, the sign-in details are:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86744477413?pwd=RWg5ZGlFbkpBa2VwOTdpM3BpcFlLdz09 Meeting ID: 867 4447 7413
|
Hi Ray,
?
Sorry I had to leave just after 12:30 ¨C I had to go to the Gold Coast this
afternoon.? Another great session.? Thank you.
?
I¡¯d invite your comment on ¨C Chapter 4 Verse 12: ¡°word of God is quick and
powerful, and sharper than .... two-edged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart¡±.
?
A very thought provoking verse indeed.? Apart from that, what¡¯s your
viewpoint on the difference between ¡°soul¡± and ¡°spirit¡±. Aren¡¯t they the
same?? Certainly different from ¡°mind¡± (thoughts and intents of the
heart).
?
The more one ponders on this verse, the more powerful it becomes.?
Care for some explanation please?
?
Blessings,
Merlene?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: Ray via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2020 9:40 AM
Subject: [b4uc] U3A Classes this week: R09 Session 7 commences at
11:00 am Thursday. #Term4 #Hebrews
?
?
This is a friendly reminder of the two non-religious Bible courses
this week.? You are enrolled in R09 which will start the book of Hebrews
this week on Thursday 26/11 at 11 am.? The sign-in details are:
?
|
Ray
Merlene