Aaron Simms's Blog, page 19

Happy Thanksgiving!

The book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament takes place right before the people of Israel are to enter into the land of Canaan. Deuteronomy 8:1-10, in particular, is a reminder of what the Lord had done and is doing for Israel:They had previously been held captive in Egypt, without a land of their own, living as strangers in a strange land; but, the Lord redeemed them from their slavery and brought them up out of Egypt in order to bring them into a good land.

The Lordpromised Israelthat they...

Firstborn of All Creation – Colossians (Part 2)

In his Epistle to the Colossians, Paul calls Christ the firstborn of all creation. This does not mean that the Son is the first of God’s creations. That becomes apparent in the context of the rest of the epistlewhere Paul says that by the Son all things were created through him and for him. So, to be the firstborn is to be preeminent above all things. He’s the firstborn Son, the only-begotten Son of God; He is God himself, creating and ruling over all things.

It’s like how the firstborn sons...

The Image of God – Colossians (Part 1)

St. Paulwrotea letterto the congregation inColossaeto counter false teachers who had tried to ply the people away from Christ to instead worship other things or beings. In this letter (the Epistle to the Colossians), Paul emphasizes the pre-eminence of Christ in all things.

Paulbegins by greeting the church in the name of Jesus Christ. He then speaks of the inheritance and deliverance that they have all received through Jesus Christ. Then, Paul explains who Jesus is and what he has done. Paul...

Destruction, the last days, and the Last Day – Luke 21:5-28

Jesus’s words as recorded inLuke 21:5-28contain some pretty heavy stuff.

Jesus is dealing with three different events in these verses: he speaks of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, the last days, and then finally the end when he returns.

We could easily get confused if we misunderstand what he’s saying and interpret these events as all occurring at the same time. He’s dealing with three events, but weaves his statements together to give a picture of what will happen from the time...

On the Transience of Earthly Power

I took this post’s pictureearlier this year while in Rome. It’s a statue of the Roman emperor Nerva. You can see the copper in the statue has been tarnished with time; in addition, Nerva’s head serves as a convenient perch for the local pigeons.

Nerva ruled the Roman empire from 96 to 98 AD. He ascended the throne after the assassination of Domitian, who had proved unpopular due to his autocratic rule (he also instituted intense persecutions of Christians). Nerva, however, had a difficult tim...

Thoughts on Luke 20:27-40 and the Resurrection

Sometimes you have to take a step back from a Biblical passage and ask yourself what the main point really is. The reading from chapter 20 of Luke’s Gospel is like that, I think.

The Sadducees come to Jesus. Theywere a group of secular Jews who did not believe in the resurrection. Oftentimes, we think of the Pharisees as the “bad guys” in the New Testament. But, actually the Pharisees were the group of Jews who were very pious and sought to obey God’s Law. Now, they were misguided in this pie...

Tertullian and “the Spectacles”

Last week I posted a small article about the Colosseum in Rome and promised a follow-up where I talked about Tertullian and his views. Tertullian was an austere Christian writer from Carthage who lived from about 155 to 240 AD. He wrote an “Apology” around 197 AD, during the reign of the emperor Septimius Severus where he defended the Christian faith. Shortly thereafter, he wrote a book addressed to Christians called “De Spectaculis” (“On the Spectacles”) where he discussed the subject of Rom...

All Saints’ Day

Today, November 1st, is All Saints’ Day where weremember all those who have gone before us in the faith. We follow in the footsteps of the Church since Christ’s ascension and therefore arehere today with our ancestors in the faith behind us and with our descendants yet before us in the future. The Church is not only the collection of God’s people across geography, but also across time. We are part of a much larger communion of saints who were, are, and yet to be.

For this reason, I want to fo...

The Eternal Gospel

When I was a kid, I used to bury treasure in our yard and then dig it up later. Once, I buried some collectible coins in the garden area of our yard. I put them in a little plastic bag, covered them over with dirt, and then left them there. Later, when I went to dig them up I couldn’t find them again. I was worried, because I thought I had lost them. But, eventually with enough digging in the right areas I was able to find them, and I was extremely happy.

It’s a similar thing with the Gospel....

The Roman Colosseum

The Colosseum in Rome is impressive. Built from 72 AD to 80 AD by the emperors Vespasian and Titus, and expanded upon by the succeeding emperor Domitian, much of it still stands today. These three emperors gave their family name (Flavius) to this structure, which was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre.

If the names of these emperors sound familiar, it’s because Vespasian was the Roman general sent to put down the Jewish revolt in 66 AD. In 69 AD (the “Year of the Four Emperors”), at...