Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 34

Pilate asks Joseph of Arimathea why he was giving his special tomb to a criminal…

Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pontius Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.

Pilate asks, “You are one of the richest men in Jerusalem – why would you give your special tomb to the criminal named Jesus?”

Joseph of Arimathea replied, “I’m only loaning it to him for the weekend.”

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Entering the Empty Tomb; A Contrast – Now and Back Then

It looks different today, but the place is the same. It is darker now, covered with a dome that blocks the sun. There is no grass, no hillside, no trees waving their leaves nearby.

Instead there are the hushed voices of hundreds of people, the Muslim call to prayer echoing in the distance and the smell of incense in the air. It takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and the uneven stone floor.

Hundreds enter with you but most stop inside the massive doors not quite sure what to do now. There are no signs or directions, only the imposing sense of having arrived and awe-inspiring columns and pillars, passageways and stairs. Now what?

 Two thousand years ago the appearance was very different. No people swarmed the site and all that could be heard was the groaning of men hanging by torturous nails from rough-hewn crosses of wood. The few people who had to pass this way hurried along without much of a glance. The scene was too horrible and too common.

For all its morbidity the location was in a garden of sorts. But the executions that took place in this garden outside the city walls prevented it from being used by families as a place to picnic. The tombs nearby were not the kind of surroundings for children at play. But it was a garden with a gardener and it had a specific use.

Today there were three men hanging in this uninviting garden. Only a few curious on-lookers and friends lingered nearby. The criminals had paid the price for their crimes and not many gave them a second look. Rumor had it though, that the one in the middle was a bit unusual. Pilate had come from Caesarea and had convened a special trial to prevent a riot from taking place in the city. Word had it the the man in the middle was killed even though he had done no wrong. He was killed for expediency to keep the peace.

It was not long before a small contingency of men arrived with the necessary supplies needed to prepare his body for burial. They seemed uninterested in the two thieves on the left and right but went straight for the man in the middle. He was a mess. The soldiers must have really had their sport with him back at the Antonia Fortress. His naked body hid none of their sadistic pleasures.

He was taken from the cross. His mother was there, one of the few left to view the sickening spectacle. A rich man had taken interest in this corpse and placed it in a tomb he’d recently cut into the side of the rocks for himself. Tombs had chambers and the dead were laid on flat niches carved into the stone. Only the wealthy could afford such a burial.

As the sun made it’s final dip below the hills to the west, the men exited the tomb with blood still on their hands and they rolled a massive stone in front of the tomb to keep others from entering and to keep the stench inside as the flesh began to decompose. The deed was done, the aftermath cleaned up and the body buried. It was over.

The organ begins its thunderous pulse through the ancient building as words in Latin are sung, not with the polished precision of an accomplished choir but with the often discordant notes sung by regular folks. Millions of people from ever language, tongue, tribe and nation of the earth have gravitated to this one-time garden. Many have spent their life savings to come here.

Others, especially in centuries gone by, have spent months on tossing ships and trudging through hot deserts deprived of all creaturely comforts just for this moment — the moment of stepping through these massive doors to the sound of Latin, the chanting of the monks and the pulsing of the organ.

Many have backed their way out to take a second look. How could this and the garden be the same place. There is no physical comparison. Yet they are the same place. The hill on which the crosses stood in the morbid garden is still here. Devotion and love have changed its appearance over the centuries. There are now oil lamps, altars, candles, statues and ancient icons and mosaics depicting the scene and interpreting its meaning for untold millions.

Jesus hung on a cross on this rocky crag of a hill two thousand years ago. I tell my pilgrims, “Get in line, step up to that altar, bow down and move under the altar. Put you hand down into the hole and you will feel the stone where the foot of the cross was standing. Remember, if you put your hand there 2,000 years ago, it would come up sticky with his blood.”

A statue of Mary to the right side, reminds us she was one of the few stragglers that lingered after the crucifixion. He statue is encased in glass and the artist was truly an artist. Her face is haunting. Her eyes have a great peace mixed inextricably with a stare of horror. It is obvious she trusted the plan of God but was still wracked with pain at the death of her Son. You cannot pull your eyes away from the sword jutting out of her chest. Thirty three years earlier the prophet Simeon had told this young mother that a sword would pierce her soul as well.

And not a stone’s throw away the place of the cross is still, even after two millennia, the tomb where the body was laid. It doesn’t look like a tomb carved into a rocky hillside. It is an obtrusive metal framework holding up stones blacked by centuries of soot from candles and olive oil lamps. Again, it is love and devotion that changed its appearance. It is love because from this tomb everything changed. No science fiction writer or Greek philosopher could have conceived of such an story. Sometimes truth is stranger that fiction.

After the men left the garden long ago everyone thought it was over — it was done. He was dead and buried and it was time to go on in life without their friend. But it was not over. It had only just begun. In the darkness of the morning two days later something happened that changed the world and all of eternity forever. With the massive stone still in place and guarded by Roman soldiers, the dead body sat up, romoved the heavy stone and stepped out alive.

To read the whole article, click here.

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How Long on the Cross? Do the Gospels Contradict Each Other?

Do the Gospels Conflict?
How Long was Jesus on the Cross?

(See also How Long Was Jesus in the Tomb?)

The question intrigued me sufficiently enough that I spent the best part of a day working on it. On the surface there seems to be a contradiction in the Gospels, mentioning different times for the crucifixion.

Maybe the Apostles forgot to check their watches!

Mark says Jesus was crucified at the 3rd hour and John tells us the crucifixion took place after the 6th hour. So, what are we to make of this seeming contradiction? And how long was he actually hanging on the cross?

For the whole story, click here.

By the way, isn’t this a COOL picture? I took it several years ago at the Cross in the Woods Shrine in Indian River Michigan. It is the largest crucifix in the world and right across the street from my wife’s mom’s summer home.

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Jesus Said His Mother Had Other Sons! Really?

Since this was part of the readings at Mass on Wednesday of Holy Week, I thought I would repost this blog.

I was confronted with an interesting argument against Mary’s perpetual virginity. The man argued that the Bible itself proves that Mary had other children. He claimed that Jesus expressly states in no uncertain terms that his mother had other sons. He said it must have been overlooked by the Catholic Church.

To read my whole response, click here.  Surprise spoiler alert, at the end of the article, you will discover that Mary DOES have other children!

 

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People and Things at the Foot of the Cross

Realizing Jesus saw many people and things from the heights of the Cross including conversations he had, I put together this list for your edification.

Please do not distribute or sell since I use this for Radio Show Talking Points. Just for your personal edification — and thanks! I posted in honor of Teresa Tomeo who requested I provide this lists for her listeners on Ave Maria Radio and EWTN.

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People at the Foot of the Cross

Eighteen people, groups and entities at the foot of the Cross. A topic for profound, prayerful meditation on Good Friday

1.  Mother Mary and St. John (Mary becomes mother of all disciples)

John 19:25–27  “But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother … When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved [John] standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

2.  Holy Women (Mary’s, Joanna, Salome)

Matthew 27:55–56  “There were also many women there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him; among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.”John 19:25  “So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.Luke 23:49  “And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.

3.  Taunting Jews

Luke 23:35  “And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”Matthew 27:46–49  “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabach-thani?” that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “This man is calling Elijah.” … But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

4.  Believing Jews and Acquaintances

Luke 23:48  “And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.”Luke 23:49  “And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.”

5.  Simon the Cyrene

Through contact with Jesus and his Cross he became a believer along with his famous sons: Rufous and AlexanderMatthew 27:32  “As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross.”Mark 15:21  “And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.”Romans 16:13  “Greet Rufus, eminent in the Lord, also his mother and mine.”

For the rest of the list along with the pictures, click HERE

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Questions I Answered on Catholic Q & A for Non-Catholics on Monday

https://catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ca240325a-1.mp3

Questions Covered:

04:08 – What do Roman Catholic believe going to heaven is dependent upon?16:14 – What archeological Study Bible should I use if I am trying to become Catholic?19:07 – how does one become a Catholic but avoid a triumphant attitude?29:44 – Non Catholic, parents were Catholic, in her 3rd marriage, wants to become Catholic but doesn’t have anyone to sponsor her in RCIA… how does she navigate this?42:08 – Why is God not held accountable to the same moral standards in relationships as we are?49:39 – Can you explain more about purgatory and how someone can pray for someone else in purgatory?

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Leading a Lenten Pilgrimage through the Stations of the Cross

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The Birds, the Temple and the Pilgrims

My article on “The Birds, the Temple and the Pilgrims” was published by Crisis Magazine on Saturday. I think you will enjoy it!

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The Bible mentions swallows and sparrows that have an envious place for nesting. They have built their nests at the altars of the Lord—in God’s very presence in the Temple.

“The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God” (Psalm 84:3).

Psalm 84 was written, in part, for the pilgrims crisscrossing Israel and Judah to arrive with rejoicing at the jubilant festivals in Jerusalem. All of their trials and difficulties of the journey will be compensated for as the arrive in the Holy City. As they trudge along, they envy the birds that continually dwell undisturbed at the altars of God.

The heading for Psalm 84 says, “A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.” They were descendants of Aaron the High Priest, through his son Kohath. They were the “guardians of the entrance” of the tabernacle and later the Temple (1 Chronicles 9:19). Other passages include them as a guild of temple singers.

So, we are not surprised that twelve of the psalms are attributed to the Sons of Korah as composers and singers for the national worship of God.

In one passage we read that “All Judah…fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice” (2 Chronicles 20:18-19).

The average Israelite would not know about these birds nesting near the altars of God, but the Korahites, guarding the gates and entrances of the Temple and preparing and providing the music for Temple worship, would have had these birds swooping over their heads in the sacred sanctums of the House of God.

As singers, they probably noticed the calls and songs of the birds. When the birds do what God created them to do, they praise and bring glory to their creator. They joined in the praise of Almighty God as they flew through the clouds of incense…

For the whole article and its relationship to the pilgrimage journeying to the Temple, click HERE.

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Grandparents – read to the grandkids, even recorded if necessary

Many families are less than ideal these days, often with only one parent or both parents employed with less time to spend with the their children. Many kids are left to watch TV or use their gadgets with little or no supervision.

My father was unique in that instead of putting a television in the center of the living room, the center of our living room was the couch where he read books to us every night after dinner. (I am seated on the right.)

He also used an old reel-to-reel tape recorder to record stories for us to listen to the next day when he was at work. We would rush through breakfast and choirs to listen to dad read stories on the old tape recorder, often telling jokes inserted in the story.

My own four children LOVED stories. We have hundreds of special family memories of me and Janet reading great books and novels, which not only entertained, but helped build character and personality and a profound sense of morality and virtue.

Now I am reading aloud with my iPhone recorder running. I upload the audio files and the grandkids can now listen to “Papa” read to them. We are building a small “audio library” so they can hear me read books long after I am gone.

What are grandparents doing with their leisure time today? It is incumbent on us to help the next generations grow up with truth, character and virtue.

READ TO THEM!

12 second video — Some grandkids listening to me read and laughing while eating breakfast. We are reading one of our all time favorite “read aloud” books — The Summer of the Monkeys.

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Did Modern Translations Leave Verses Out of the Bible?

Bible Verses Missing in Modern Translations?
By Steve Ray       (PDF version here)

There are a lot of people today that are what we call “King James only“ Christians. They believe that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is the only inspired version and that modern translations are modernist. One argument for this is that there are some verses contained in the KJV which are not in recent modern versions.

The argument of KJV-only adherents only betrays their ignorance of the process of inspiration, transmission and translation. We sometimes joked that, “If the KJV was good enough for St. Paul, it is good enough for me.”

Examples of missing verses and passages are Matthew 17:21,  Mark 16:9–20, John 5:4, Acts 8:37, and 1 John 5:7.

We don’t have any of the original writings of the documents in the New Testament, only copies and copies of copies. There are thousands of fragments and manuscripts from the early centuries. The earliest is called the John Ryland fragment which contains a small portion of John 17 and 18. It is dated at AD 125 and was found in the sands of Egypt and written of papyrus.

The more ancient the manuscripts the more likely they are to be accurate to what the apostles actually wrote. And the more ancient manuscripts found to compare and analyze, the more accurate the translation will be.

The KJV was translated in 1611 by Protestant King James of England and was translated when we were still devoid of the best and most ancient manuscripts that testify to the original writings of the apostles. Over the last 400 years since the translation of the KJV there have been many newly discovered ancient and more reliable manuscripts.

Modern scholarship uses the most authoritative and trustworthy manuscripts to update the text of Scripture to make it much more accurate to what the apostles actually wrote. These manuscripts were not available during the translations of the KJV.

So, it was discovered there were some verses added by copyists over the centuries so King James had these later interpolations included in his translation.

But modern translations do not include them as part of the text, because they were not part of the original texts. But, even though modern translators know that those verses are not in the original Greek text, they still often add them in brackets with comments like: “Early mss [manuscripts] do not contain this v [verse].” This note is from the New American Standard Bible which is the translation I was raised with in my middle years along with the KJV.

Commenting on the later interpolation, the NIV footnote adds, “Some less important manuscripts [add]…”  The Catholic New American Bible, used for Mass in the US, footnotes, “Toward the end of the second century in the West and among the fourth-century Greek Fathers, an additional verse was known… This verse is missing from all early Greek manuscripts and the earliest versions, including the original Vulgate. Its vocabulary is markedly non-Johannine.”

Anybody who claims that those verses are definitely part of the original writings — and that Bibles that don’t include them are modernist and in error — only show their ignorance and the whole process of inspiration, transmission, translation and hermeneutics. For more on this check this Protestant but very good source: Why Are Newer Translations of the Bible Missing Verses?

You may also appreciate my article What Translation of the Bible Should you Use?

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