politics December 27, 2016

How Will Peace on Earth Come?

The Bible’s answer Peace on earth will come, not by human efforts, but by means of God’s Kingdom, a heavenly government ruled by Christ…

bible December 26, 2016

Why did the magi seek a king?

In Matthew 2:1-3 (NET), the author states:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Why would the Magi have automatically associated a star with kingship? Was the a historical/religious basis for doing so?

history December 26, 2016

The Day of St. Stephen

Saint Stephen was one of the first ordained deacons of the Church. He was also the first Christian martyr. The Greek word from which…

bible December 25, 2016

Why would Mary and Joseph offer “turtle doves” in Luke 2:24?

When Jesus was “presented” in Jerusalem by Mary and Joseph, the sacrifice made was “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons”:

Luke 2: 22 When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

But in Matthew when the Magi found Jesus:

Matthew 2: 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Why such an offering when they were given such gifts?