Archive for the ‘Christmas’ Category
Muslim helps Jews attacked on New York subway
This article has really driven me to distraction.
Not because it puts a Muslim man in a positive light. He was doing the right thing, he jumped in to help the victim(s) of an attack.
It is because the attackers are presented as Christians. For the sake of this blog, let us define “Christian” as “A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.” (From Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of American English as found in the e-Sword Bible Study Software.)
Can we first assume that Christianity has its roots in Judaism? After all, Jesus Mother was Jewish, as was Her Husband. He was born in Israel in a predominantly Jewish town. Luke 2:25-40 records that Joseph and Mary took Him to the Temple “to do for him after the custom of the law.” (many commentators think this was for circumcision. Actually, that was usually done in or near the home of the parents. This trip to the Temple was required by the Law for dedication of the Firstborn. See Luke 2:23, Exodus 13:2-15, 22:29, 34:19, Numbers 3:13, 8:16-17, 18:15.)
Aside from a trip to Egypt during His infancy, there is no record of Him leaving Israel (Judea) during His life on Earth. Luke 4:16 notes that it was His custom to attend Services in the Synagogue on Sabbath.
Although it seems safe to say that Jesus never shouted out “Merry Christmas!,” the Gospels record Him observing, or at least at the observance, of several Jewish holidays, including Passover (“The Last Supper” is documented in all four Gospels), Sukkot (John 7:37-52), and Hanukkah.
He was killed on Passover, rose on the Day of First Fruits, ascended to Heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection. the Holy Spirit descended upon the Christian Congregation on Shavuot (AKA Pentecost.)
Christians are neither commanded to observe these days, nor to abstain from these and other “Jewish Holidays.” Most modern Christians do not observe them.
I cannot in the least bit understand why someone presenting him-/herself as Christian would attack someone saying “Happy Hanukkah!” This is in no way an affront to Jesus Christ, Christianity, nor any kind of insult to Christians.
Hanukkah celebrations the dedication of the temple after its cleansing, having previously been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes. If memory serves, Antiochus Epimenes (his name, A. Epiphanes means “manifest god,” the Jews came to call him A. Epimenes, meaning “totally loony-tunes, nutty as a fruitcake, bonkers, Like WOW – this dude’s a whack job if I ever saw one!”) placed a statue of Zeus in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. He then sacrificed a pig to Zeus in that place.
A band of rebels, led by Mattathias and his five sons, in particular Judas Maccabees.
took a stand against Antiochus. Miraculously, they won, driving the Syrians from Jerusalem and capturing the Temple. They tore down the Statue of Zeus along with the defiled altar, and rebuilt the altar in the Temple. Having found a large Menorah, they searched for oil to burn in it, but found only one day’s worth. Deciding to use it rather than wait for supplies, they found that one day’s supply of oil lasted eight days.
There is much more to the Hanukkah story than this, and it is as readily available as it is fascinating. It is told in the Apocryphal Books of 1 & 2 Maccabees, found in most Catholic Bibles, and widely on the Internet. (Heard about the Internet? It’s GREAT! You should try it.)
All of this leading to this:
- Jesus was a Jew
- Christianity is Jewish
- Christians should not now, nor ever should have, attacked God’s Chosen People.
Huzzah for Hassan Askari.
