Season 4 Podcast 169 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 21:12-17, Pt 2 A, “Cleansing of the Temple.”

Twice the Lord cleansed the temple. In John 2 the apostle John describes the first cleansing.

13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

In Matthew 21 Matthew describes the 2nd cleansing.

12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Temples have always been at the heart of Jewish culture and an important part of Christianity. The prophets would go upon the mountain. It was upon Mount Sinai that Moses saw God. It was also upon the mount that Moses received the Ten Commandments. It was upon a mount that Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac. It is the same mount upon which Jerusalem, including Solomon’s Temple, was built. 

But temple worship dates back thousands of years. If you look up the word Ziggurat in Wikipedia, you find the following:

“The word ziggurat comes from ziqqurratum (height, pinnacle), in ancient Assyrian. From zaqārum, to be high up….The Sumerians believed that the gods lived in the temple at the top of the ziggurats, so only priests and other highly respected individuals could enter.” 

Before the Temple of Solomon was built, the Israelites put the Ark of the Covenant in a tent and carried it across the dessert. The tent symbolized the temple. The temple was considered the house of the Lord. In 2 Samuel 7 we read.

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,

5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Notice the Lord said he had, “walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.” A temple is the Lord’s house. We can understand why Jesus cleansed the temple because its practices had become corrupted. He said they should not make his Father’s house an house of merchandise. Then he defines one of the purposes of the temple, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Notice that the Savior used the definite article ‘the’ rather than the indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an.’ He called it ‘the house of prayer.’  That elevates temples above churches or cathedrals or chapels or other houses of worship. It has a unique place in religious worship. 

King Solomon elaborately describes some of the purposes of the temple when he dedicated the temple he had built. It is found in 1 Kings 8. I shall only present excerpts. We Learn that the temple is dedicated to the Lord and set apart as a House of the Lord.

Season 4 Podcast 168, In Defense of Christianity, Episode 11 “Argument for the Existence of God,” H, Model Dependent Realism.”

The safety and integrity of science is only as reliable as our willingness to stick strictly to the rules of logic. 

Every human endeavor, every discipline, and every theorist wants to claim science as the foundation of their model.  That includes evolutionists, psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, political theorists, educational theorists, environmentalists, geneticists, politicians, and new age propagandists.  All those who wish to create a new world order try to use science as their authority. They justify everything from preaching climate change to promoting sex change through the liberal use of modern scientific theories.  Modern science has lent its name to every new age nuance including behavior modification, genetic alteration, using body parts of late term aborted fetuses, atheism, humanism, social and political movements, birth control, population control, religious persecution, and nihilism.  Modern science is too easily pulled into social issues, and its dominance in education on all levels is pushing out freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of opinion, and freedom of speech.

Today science is actually moving away from the scientific method by becoming model dependent.  Even the respected physicist Stephen Hawking claims: 

“It follows that a well-constructed model creates a reality of its own.”   

Because that danger exists, developing models and selecting facts to fit them is contrary to the scientific method.  A model influences perception, and perception is the illusion of reality.  Just as the brain, not the eye, perceives three dimensions, it is the brain not the facts of science that perceives our world.  Science then becomes an upside-down world.  If you feed models to the brain rather than facts, then the brain will trust those models.  The real purpose of science should be to protect the brain from intrusion and preconceived notions.  It should feed facts to the brain and let the brain create the models.  It should not feed models to the brain and then require the brain to arrange the facts to fit the model, but that is what is happening to science today.  That is how propaganda works.  Science is supposed to protect us from propaganda so that we can form our own theories from facts.  It is not supposed to feed us propaganda so that like sheep we follow preformed models.  Today we live in a prefabricated world and truth is dying. Science today serves political, social, and ideological movements; therefore, like Chicken Little, we are all running around exclaiming, “The sky is falling!” or should I say “The sky is heating up!’?  What is the difference?

We are told what we are going to see before we are allowed to look.  Today we are being told what to think and how to feel or we will be rejected, repudiated without trial, and cast out.  Does anyone dare call anything a sin anymore?  Before the word ‘model’ was used, the word ‘paradigm’ was used.  Changing the model was called a ‘paradigm shift.’  That is an oxymoron.  It should be a clue that something has gone wrong with science. Science should care more about truth than about theories.  Truth never shifts.  Only opinions shift.  

The theory of evolution which began as a theory has become the paradigm around which all scientific thinking is based. It has spilled over into our social, political, and cultural environment.  We are moving away from the philosophy that we were all created equal by God and endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. That shift has sent us into an entirely new direction that is anathema to freedom.  

Season 4 Podcast 167 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 9 Pt V Episode 27 “Conscience.” 

In last week’s episode Una and the Redcross Knight meet Sir Trevisan, with a rope around his neck, fleeing from Despair. Sir Trevisan had just witnessed his companion Sir Terwin, who, after being persuaded by Despair to take his own life, killed himself using the rusty knife provided by Despair. Sir Trevisan himself was also persuaded that life was not worth living and in fear fled from Despair. When Sir Trevisan tells the Red Cross Knight and Una of his sad tale, The Red Cross Knight is enraged and immediately vows to meet Despair and challenge him. It was a dreadful mistake because the oily tongued Despair convinces the Redcross Knight that considering his fall from knighthood his own life was not worth living.

Spencer, a very astute observer of human nature, presents the crafty arguments used by Despair. The Redcross Knight is astonished at the surprising wit of Despair. The Redcross Knight argues that our death is appointed by God.  We may neither shorten nor lengthen life. We must be ever vigilant and not leave our life until God bid. Despair responds that life is limited by Almighty doom who knows best the terms established. As sentinels of our own life we have license to die when we know our appointed time is finished. 

The knight much wondred at his suddeine wit, 

And said, The terme of life is limited,

Ne may a man prolong, nor shorten it;

The souldier may not move from watchfull sted,

Nor leave his stand, untill his Captaine bed.

Who life did limit by almightie doome

(Quoth he) knowes best the termes established;

And he, that points the Centonell his roome,

Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome.

Despair continues his argument. Aren’t we all written in the eternal book of fate and our death has a certain date. Who then can fight the will to die or shun death ordained by destiny. Who can fight against God’s will. When our time to die is come, none should ask where or why. In other words, we shouldn’t fight against the desire to take our own life. 

Is not his deed, what ever thing is donne

In heaven and earth? did not he all create

To die againe? all ends that was begonne.

Their times in his eternall booke of fate

Are written sure, and have their certaine date.

Who then can strive with strong necessitie,

That holds the world in his still chaunging state,

Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie?

When houre of death is come, let none aske whence, nor why.

You can see how subtle Despair has turned the will to live upside down, arguing that we should give in to the will to die for it may be God’s will or our appointed time. Despair continues his argument. The longer we live the more we sin. The greater our sin the greater will be our punishment. Despair argues that the shorter our life the less we will sin and thus the less we will be punished on judgment day. Before meeting Despair, the Redcross Knight felt that it was his duty to right all wrong, to kill the enemy. Despair tells the Redcross Knight that all those great battles he boasts to win through strife, bloodshed, and revenge, he should now repent for life must pay for life and blood must pay for blood regardless of the noble cause. Despair asks the Redcross Knight hasn’t he committed enough evil already. Hasn’t he spilled enough blood. Once he has strayed from the straight and narrow path, the further he goes, the further he strays from God, suggesting of course that instant death is the best way to avoid greater sin.

Season 4 Podcast 166 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 21:1-11, Pt 1, “Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.”

1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

This is in fulfillment of prophecy as found in Zechariah 9:9-10.

9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

In his first triumphal entry into Jerusalem Christ comes on a lowly donkey symbolizing humility, gentleness, and peace, not as a God of War. Because many were looking for a conqueror to deliver them from the slavery of the oppressive Romans, they rejected Jesus. They wanted a war God. They didn’t want a lowly carpenter’s son born in a stable. 

The symbolism of Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey has even greater significance for it parallels the anointing of King Solomon by his father David. It is very significant that King David in announcing to Israel that Solomon, not his elder brother Adonijah who tried to usurp the throne by pronouncing himself king, uses a donkey in the same symbolic way. In First Kings 1 it is recorded.

5 ¶ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

When under the direction of Nathan the Prophet, Bathsheba draws attention to King David that he has promised the throne to her son Solomon, David announces to Israel that Solomon, not Adonijah, is to be king of Israel. No other prophet spoke of the Savior more than David in his Psalms. Clearly alluding to the prophecy in Zechariah and alluding to the Savior’s own triumphal entry into Jerusalem, David has his son Solomon ride into Jerusalem on an ass where he will be anointed King.

33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

Season 4 Podcast 165, Argument for the Existence of God, Episode 10, is entitled “The Expanding Universe.”

We must account for all observations of science, and as tools become more sophisticated, science becomes even more accurate in its findings.  One of the greatest advances in astronomy is the Hubble telescope, named after Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) who noticed the redshift which indicated that the universe was expanding at a rapid rate as a result of the Big Bang.  It was inferred that the universe—all matter, law, life, energy—was compressed in a singularity smaller than an atom.  The energy from that singularity was so powerful that when released all matter has been expanding ever since.  

Whether the big bang occurred or not is for science to teach us; however, our small universe is a drop of water in the vast oceans of space. Our universe is to the cosmos what a grain of sand is to all the sands on earth. Life and law and the cosmos did not originate with the big bang; and our cosmos, estimated at 14 billion years, is an infant. There are other universes older than ours, and our own spirits are older, infinitely older, than all universes and came from a timeless state.  Science is in its infancy and will never catch up to all the creations of God.

The principle of causality, as stated by Stephen Hawking, asserts that, 

“There must be a complete set of laws that, given the state of the universe at a specific time, would specify how the universe would develop from that time forward.”  

If that is true then the big bang could only happen by a complete set of laws that specify how the universe would develop from that time foreword. Law precedes creation and accident had nothing to do with it. When science catches up to its own philosophy it will turn away entirely from the accidental universe and admit to intelligent design.

Where did that complete set of laws come from? A singularity is a specific state of the universe, and the big bang is from that time forward; therefore, according to Mr. Hawking, a complete set of laws must have preceded the Big Bang.  It is therefore impossible for the singularity to create the very laws that created the singularity. What, then, accounts, for the preexisting complete set of laws that created the singularity?  Chaos cannot create law, but law can organize chaos; therefore, science must account for the origin of law.  

In explaining the origins of life and the cosmos scientists are always confronted with cosmic improbability. Our scientists tell us that if the expansion following the big bang had been even slightly slower (one quintillionth), the universe would have collapsed into a black hole and everything destroyed.  If the expansion had been even slightly faster (also one quintillionth), the universe would have expanded continually, never creating galaxies.  But, like the earth, called the Goldilocks zone, the expansion was just right for galaxies to form. [At what point do scientists become suspicious of everything being just right?]  The universe seems to be a Goldilocks zone as well.  For that matter as science expands its knowledge of the universe, it will find that everything is just right.  What is even more exciting, if science is right, is that each galaxy, of unimaginable size, is a giant star maker so that creation continues forever.  

 However, as Christians, just as we hold our evolutionists to boundaries, we must also hold our astronomers to boundaries.

Three things must be accounted for:

(1)  Facts as we know them.  We must continually separate fact, inference, and judgment.    

(2)  The principle of causality and the law of creation. 

(3)  The appearance of Intelligent design.  

Season 4 Podcast 164 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 9 Pt IV Episode 26 “The Redcross Knight Challenges Despair.” 

In last week’s episode, the Redcross Knight and Una met a terrified knight fleeing from Despair who had just convinced his companion to commit suicide. Despair could only tempt those who had tremendous cause of grief. His companion, Sir Terwin, had been brutally rejected by the woman he loved. Despair fed his sorrow and then handed him a rusty knife urging him to kill himself. Already in the depths of despair Sir Terwin heeded the counsel of Despair and took his own life. Thinking life was hopeless because of the death of his companion, Sir Trevisan also fell under the spell of despair and put a rope around his own neck. However, frightened of dying he fled on his horse, the rope still around his neck. He tells Una and the Redcross Knight his sad tale. 

The Redcross Knight asks Sir Trevisan how it is possible that anyone from mere idle words could be persuaded to take his own life. Sir Trevisan answered that he knew from personal experience, because of his latest trial with Despair. He himself thought it impossible even for all the world’s wealth that he could be persuaded to take his own life; however, the subtle tongue of Despair dropped honey that would melt your heart. Despair searched every vein and by secret stealth he drains you of your power and leaves only weakness. The Redcross Knight swears to meet Despair face to face and destroy him for his evil. Sir Trevisan pleads with the Redcross Knight, “O never Sir desire to try guileful Despair.

How may a man (said he) with idle speach

Be wonne, to spoyle the Castle of his health? 

I wote (quoth he) whom triall late did teach,

That like would not for all this worldes wealth:

His subtill tongue, like dropping honny, mealt'h

Into the hart, and searcheth every vaine;

That ere one be aware, by secret stealth

His powre is reft, and weaknesse doth remaine.

O never Sir desire to try his guilefull traine.

The Redcross Knight tells Sir Trevisan that he shall never rest until he has heard that treacherous art and tried it for himself. He asks him to guide him to Despair’s cabin. Sir Trevisan said he would ride with him to show him where Despair lives but would not for any amount of gold or love of money abide there with him. He said he would rather die than see Despair’s deadly face.

Personification is a common literary tool. Spencer, of course, personifies Despair, making him appear as a real person. The message of Spencer is clear. We should not tempt despair by feeding it; otherwise, the power of despair will grow stronger and stronger until despair overwhelms us. Despair is a delicate subject. All of us perhaps have had cause of despair; therefore, it isn’t personal sorrow itself that is the enemy. The enemy is in feeding despair until it becomes a monster that persuades us to give up all hope even to the point of taking our own life.  

We see a pattern here with the Redcross Knight. If you remember his first battle with a dragon where unprepared as he was he insisted upon looking into the dragon’s lair. He and Una because of the storm had strayed from the straight and narrow path. However, they could have avoided the dragon because the dragon did not want to come out of his cave. The dragon hated the light. Nonetheless, the Redcross Knight was determined to enter the dragon’s lair and taunt the dragon. To protect her young the dragon had no choice but to attack. The Redcross Knight was not prepared for the fierceness of the dragon. Just as he was about to succumb, Una shouted out which gave him courage else he would have lost his life at the very beginning of their quest.

Season 4 Podcast 163 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 20:20-34, Pt 3, “Let Him Be Your Servant.”

Before their divine commission, the twelve disciples had a very important lesson to learn as recorded in Matthew 20.

“Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.”

It is clear from the above that the disciples and the other followers of Christ understand at this late date that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world. Many looked upon Christ to deliver them from the bondage of the Romans. They were more concerned with the Kingdom of God on Earth than they were with the Kingdom of God in Heaven. The mother of James and John clearly understood the concept of heaven where Christ would reign forever. The Savior does not condemn the mother for her desires, nor does he condemn James and John who have been very faithful; however, he teaches a greater lesson to all the disciples.

22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

History shows that James and John would remain true to the Savior, and both would endure tremendous persecution. However, no one was able to “drink of the cup that the Savior was required to drink or to be baptized with the baptism that Christ had to be baptized with.” Though the disciples could endure the cross if necessary, they could not endure Gethsemane where Christ took upon himself the sins of the world causing blood to come from every pour as recorded in Luke 22.

“44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

In fact, it is John while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos who wrote the following as recorded in 

5 LINDA

“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

It appears that Christ is addressing his remarks to James and John; however, it is overheard by all the twelve apostles. Alluding to their martyrdom, he teaches the following doctrine.

“23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.”

The other apostles are angry with James and John.  

“24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.”

Even from their high positions they missed one of the most important teachings of Christ. We must keep in mind the Savior will be with them only a short time for they are on their last journey up to Jerusalem.

Season 4 Podcast 162, A New Voice of Freedom, Argument for the Existence of God, Episode 9, “That Which Self Exists.”

Life, intelligence, or consciousness self-exist or there is no explanation for the existence of God. We were all self-existing intelligences with the potential of becoming Gods. That is the only reason God created us in his image and in his likeness and gave us a divine nature and made us coinheritors with Christ. What other explanation could there be?

Something cannot come from nothing must be an absolute unchangeable truth. Some things cannot have a first cause. As intelligence can increase I suppose it could decrease but it can never self-destruct. God made it possible for intelligence to increase as stated in Proverbs 4.

“But the ‘path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

In other words, until like God we reach perfection. That cannot happen without God. He is the only one with the ability to help us to become like him. That is the only reason he gave us laws. Those laws are eternal because God is eternal. Obedience to his laws is the only thing he requires of us. The verse following the above in Proverbs 4 is also revealing.

“The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”

We are moving either forward to greater light and truth or backward to greater darkness and deceit. In other words, we can increase in intelligence or decrease in intelligence. We can increase in light and truth or decrease in light and truth. It is our choice. The purpose of law is to help us increase in intelligence. Obedience to law leads to greater truth. Disobedience to law leads to greater deceit. To increase in light and truth we must stay on the path of light and truth, and what is that path? It is often referred to as the straight and narrow way. It means to keep all the commandments of God as contained in the Holy Scriptures. There is no other path to eternal knowledge. God as an intelligence had the potential to become God. We as children of God are endowed with that same divine nature. It is a birthright that must be earned through obedience to law. For that reason alone, God organized the laws of eternal progression. 

The way is God’s. The choice is ours thus preserving agency. God has shown us the way, whether we take that path or not. God is the greatest intelligence of all. He put us, his spirit children, on that path of righteousness and eternal progression if we choose to follow it. Coming to earth to gain a physical body was a major step in that progression.  Earth is a proving ground, a probationary state. Think of everything in an eternal prospective. Earth is a stopping off place on that progression. Everything on earth that is made of mortal or reducible matter will self-destruct, even the earth itself. Again, I turn to Peter as found in 2 Peter 3:

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

Season 4 Podcast 161 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 9 Pt III Episode 25, “Despair.” 

In last week’s episode after exchanging gifts, King Arthur separates from the Redcross Knight and Una to seek greater adventures. Una and the Redcross Knight continue their quest to free Una’s parents from the dragon; however, the Redcross Knight is still too weak to confront the dragon, and Una knows they have a long way to go before the Redcross Knight will be fully healed. 

The Redcross Knight and Una have not travelled far before they see an armed Knight galloping fast toward them. The knight was clearly fleeing from some fearful fiend. The approaching knight was looking over his shoulder urging his horse ever faster.

So as they traveled, lo they gan espy

An armed knight towards them gallop fast,

That seemed from some feared foe to fly,

Or other grisly thing, that him aghast.

Still as he fled, his eye was backward cast,

As if his fear still followed him behind;

Als flew his steed, as he his bands had brast,

And with his winged heels did tread the wind,

As he had been a fole of Pegasus his kind.

As the terrified knight drew closer they could see that he was wearing no helmet. As we have seen in earlier imagery, Spencer uses the required armor of a knight to measure his spiritual strength. Only those knights who wore the full armor of God were prepared for battle for as Paul said,

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

The Knight who is riding toward them in such fury however, obviously fleeing from some terrible terror has no helmet. Of the armor, Paul said,

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

But the armor of the frightened Knight is in complete disarray. In fact, he has a hempen rope around his neck and is so dominated by his fear that he thinks neither of the rope nor of his armor.

Nigh as he drew, they might perceive his head

To be unarmed, and curld uncombed heares

Upstaring stiffe, dismayd with uncouth dread;

Nor drop of blood in all his face appeares

Nor life in limbe: and to increase his feares

In fowle reproach of knighthoods faire degree,

About his neck an hempen rope he weares,

That with his glistring armes does ill agree;

But he of rope or armes has now no memoree.

The Redcross Knight cut off the fleeing knight and stands in his way. He wants to know why the frightened knight is so dismayed. He found him so senseless that he appeared afraid of his own shadow and could hardly stand still. The Redcross knight asks him what he is afraid of? What is he running from?

The Redcrosse knight toward him crossed fast,

To weet, what mister wight was so dismayed:

There him he finds all senseless and aghast,

That of him self he seemed to be afraid;

Whom hardly he from flying forward stayd,

Till he these words to him deliver might;

Sir knight, aread who hath ye thus arayd,

And eke from whom make ye this hasty flight:

For never knight I saw in such misseeming plight.

Season 4 Podcast 160 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 20:17-19, Pt 2, “The Importance of the Twelve Apostles.”

Jesus foretells his crucifixion to his twelve disciples.

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

The terseness of the Holy Bible can be astonishing at times. Christ just made one of the greatest announcements in the world, yet there is no record of a discussion. In fact, the narrative moves abruptly to a squabble among the disciples about who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

This moment is the last time they will go up to Jerusalem, the last time they will go through the countryside teaching the people, the last miracles he will perform healing the sick, except of course of Christ replacing the servant’s ear that Peter cut off. We cannot tell from the narrative whether or not the twelve disciples grasped the enormity of the situation. We can assume, of course, that Judas Iscariot is among the twelve at that propitious moment. Does he know then that he will betray his master? Are they still in disbelief? Certainly, this has been taught to them from the beginning for all along Christ has been preparing them for this moment. Some of them have even been told that they will also be required to give their lives for the cause of Christ, and most of them do. 

But still this bleak announcement contains hope for he said,

“And the third day he shall rise again.”

One thing is certain. It is Christ who will triumph, not his enemies and not Satan his arch enemy. An abiding theme of the Bible is that out of evil comes good. Another theme is that the wisdom of God is greater than the cunning of Satan. And finally, that Christ and all those who follow him will triumph. That is the reason Christ came into this world. How often it leads back to John 3: 16-17.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Perhaps we don’t consider this, but Christ could have gone the other way. He didn’t have to go up to Jerusalem. He didn’t have to die for our sins. It was his choice. How many of us, when warned of danger, run the other way? And keep in mind during his ministry more than once Christ escaped death by eluding those who sought to kill him. The difference of course is that it is now his appointed time to die that had been prophesied for centuries.

The final words recorded in Matthew are these, given to them by Christ after his resurrection.

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”