Temple – Restless Pilgrim

Pray He finds figs

September 20, 2015 pilgrim Leave a comment

If you’ve ever had the chance to speak about the Christian faith with a Muslim, chances are that you will have heard the following objection raised to the divinity of Jesus (whom they call “Isa”):

“Does God know everything? Of course He does! If so, why did Isa (Jesus) not know when you can get figs? In Mark’s Gospel he goes to a fig tree looking for fruit, but he didn’t even know they weren’t in season! Isa therefore cannot be God”

If you’re a Christian who knows his faith, it’s tempting to laugh at such an objection and ignore it. However, today I would like to respond to this argument. I would like to do this for two reasons. Firstly, Scripture commands us to “be ready to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15). Secondly, I think that the Biblical text being referred to here is really interesting and one upon which we would do well to meditate.

Does the wailing wall prove Jesus wrong?

May 17, 2014 pilgrim 24 comments

Today I’d like to address an objection to Christianity which you hear every now and again:

“Jesus prophesied that the Jerusalem Temple would be completely destroyed. However, the “Wailing Wall” is still standing, proving him wrong. Jesus is therefore a failed prophet and therefore can’t be God”

Jews praying in front of The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

In The Beginning: Not just a house, but a temple…

March 24, 2014 pilgrim Leave a comment

The other day I did a post in which I looked at the sequence of events in the creation narrative of Genesis. In verse two of Chapter 1, we are told that “the earth was without form and void” and I explained how God spends the rest of the chapter fixing these two problems.

He solves the problem of formlessness in the first three days by creating the domains of time, space and habitat. He then solves the problem of emptiness by then populating each of these realms with rulers: first sun, moon and stars, next fish and birds, and then finally land animals and humanity.

I compared Genesis chapter one to the building of a house, God first builds the structure of the house and then fills its rooms. However, at the end of the post I explained that God wasn’t just building a house, but a temple…

Why do I say that God was building a temple? Well, we know that other cultures at the time of Genesis’ authorship also considered the cosmos to be something of a temple in which the gods were to be worshiped, but we also find a similar strain of thought concerning the first book of the Pentateuch…

Catholicism

Coming Soon: Was Jesus wrong?

June 19, 2013 pilgrim 5 comments

In Revelation, Jesus says that He is “…coming soon” (Revelation 22:20). However, it is now 2,000 years later and we haven’t yet had the Second Coming. Dr Barber, in the second chapter of his book, addresses the obvious question: “Was Jesus wrong?”.

How soon is soon?

Some exegetes solve this problem of Jesus’ absence by pointing to St. Peter’s second epistle:

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day – 2 Peter 3:8

These exegetes make the argument that Jesus is indeed coming “soon”, but our version of “soon” is not the same as His.

time

Catholicism

Jerusalem Temple

September 16, 2012 pilgrim 2 comments

When writing about the Bible, the subject of the Jerusalem Temple often comes up. The other day I was clearing out my (rather large) “To Sort” folder on my computer and came across this image which I had downloaded from somewhere. I thought I’d put it up here so I can link to it in other posts.

If I ever work out where the source of the download I’ll add a credit…

Catholicism

Sunday Lectionary: Cleaning Out The House

March 7, 2012 pilgrim 7 comments

3rd Sunday Of Lent, 11th March 2012

The First Reading and the Gospel this week recall events of epic proportion.

The First Reading takes place three months after the Israelite exodus from Egypt. The Children of Israel have journeyed through the desert and found themselves at the foot of Mount Sinai. The stage is set for arguably one of the most important events of the Old Testament: the giving the Ten Commandments through ~~Charlton Heston~~ Moses.

The Gospel Reading contains no less drama! We read the account from John’s Gospel of the “cleansing of the Temple”. The Lord drives out the money lenders and animal sellers and, when challenged by the authorities, He speaks outlandishly about the destruction of the Temple and its rebuilding in three days…

Moses guarded the nation of Israel and, through God’s grace and guidance, acted as Israel’s leader, law-giver, mediator and intercessor. In Christ all these roles find their fulfillment and perfection.

The Temple has been cleansed. A new dawn is at hand…

Sunday Lectionary