Learning from Patristics can be interesting

Learning from Early Church Fathers
According to Hippolytus, disciple of Irenaeus (hence third generation from the Apostle John) -- a true Protestant Bishop of Rome, though dismissed as the first anti-pope, in "the Refutation of all Heresies", writes that:

The Essenes:

1. Despise wealth. (9.14)
2. Sell all possessions and live in groups in every city of Israel. (9.14-15)
3. Unlike Jesus' disciples, consider the use of anointing oil as a defilement. (9.14)

4. Always dress in white. (9.14)
5. Carry only weapons when traveling in Israel. (9.15) Contrast Jesus' disciples are to simply carry staves, and only a small ratio are allowed weapons.
6. Are not to own two sets of clothes or shoes. (9.15)

7. Unlike Jesus' disciples, are not to enter the activity of buying or selling. (9.15)

8. Must start their day singing a hymn to G-D before they can converse with another person. (9.16).
9. Are allowed to work only the first 5 hours of the day, and then devote the rest to religious activity and other pursuits. (9.16).


10. Must obey the rulings of their President as if his rulings were new addendums of Mosaic Law. (9.17). These addendums, if neccessary, may be ratified by councils of no less than 100 members present...and rulings ratified by the Councils of 100 are irreversible. (9.20)

11. Are forbidden from cussing. (9.17)
12. Are encouraged to make study of plants and stones. (9.17).

13. Are ever to carry about a hatchet for instant latrine making. They will dig a 1 foot long hole, unfurl their robe like a dress, and squat upon it, not allowing even the sun to shine upon until the hole and its contents are once again covered. However, they are forbidden from doing acts of nature on Shabbat, because this ritual involves work. (9.18, 9.20)

14. Are to be obedient to all rulers after being obedient to G-D, because even wicked rulers are G-D ordained. (9.18, 9.20)
15. Are forbidden to pass beneath any graven image, such as those that would be placed above a city gate among Gentiles. (9.21)

16. If in the presence of an uncircumcised one who discusses G-D and His laws, will either force circumcise such a one by brute force, or slay such a one and feel justified in so doing. ((9.20).

17. Count the Sicarii terrorists who kill, rape, murder at Jerusalem Temple Festivals; and who, with causeless hatred, fought Rome...as one of 4 denominations/factions descended from their brand of Judaism. (9.21)


Again, Hippolytus enlightens us with more Trivia.

1. King Hezekiah's assigned men were the compilers of the book of Proverbs (cf. Proverbs 25:1); but were also the destroyers of Solomon's writings as well. Solomon had composed some 3,000 parables and 5,000 songs...many hundreds of these were about plants and various species of animal life in water, on land, and of the air. The wisdom especially contained remedies for healing diseases. Under the pretext that the people looked to the wisdom of Solomon, rather than to G-D to heal their diseases, Hezekiah destroyed the vast majority of Solomon's library of insight he had left behind. (Hippolytus, fragment on the Song of Songs).

We can therefore see that the fascination Israel had with "magics" from Solomon until the Babylonian destruction of Jerusaelm, was tied into this "forbidden" knowledge, as it were. Later retention might simply have been kept by those who practiced sorceries, until their books and knowledge was burned and purged out along with the dark "arts" they practiced as well.

2. Solomon's Temple, unlike the Temples that followed, was not with its door pointing directly to the East. (Hippolytus, Fragment on Jeremiah and Ezekiel)

Like the recent conclusions of Leen Rittmeyer and Joseph Patrich, the facing of the access to the Temple would have been offset.

http://www.ldolphin.org/Patriche-Temple.html

It seems that Patrich and Rittmeyer have shown the likelihood of the line of sight of the beautiful gate to the Holy Place being from slightly East-Southeast to West- Northwest. I am of a mind that Solomon's temple was probably more offset than these scholars have proposed. Such would be along a line of sight that leads more directly to the true crucifixion site of the Kidron and Hinom Valley juncture (Rev. 11:8), and a line of sight that is inclusive of the (later) true Pentecost upper Room of the Southeast Temple Court subjoining both the southern wall's Royal portico, and the Eastern wall's Portico of Solomon. But due to Herod's reconstruction of the Temple Mount, we may never know for sure. However, I believe this new angling by Patrich and Rittmeyer is probably at least accurate, or near to it, of the Herodian Temple.

Therefore, many of us can learn from these Early Church Fathers valuable data lost upon our current generation, and the illiteracy of modern secular scholarship in matters pertaining to Judeo-Christianity.


According to Tertullian,

1. The coming of Messiah, as indicated within a restricted timeline of fulfillment by the prophet Daniel, must occur prior to the ceasing of when unction can be made to anoint such a one as King. It is not the anointing that must occur, but Messiah's arrival before the unction ceases. Hence, no Temple and priesthood of the Temple, the unction ceases in existence...and no one else may come after to fulfill the prophecy. Hence, we are given witness that Jesus fulfills the requirement of coming as messiah before the cessation of both the Temple (with its priesthood) and the Holy Unction. (An answer to the Jews, .13)

2. Houses of ill repute (brothels) were identified by the use of laurels wrapped upon a post outside their door.

And various dressings upon doors were to the honor of various door-deities of the Romans, depending on where and how you dressed your gate or door. You had a hinge-goddess (Cardea), a door-deity (Forculus), a thresh-hold deity (Limentinus), and a Gate-deity (Janus), that helped identify your household as being apart from Judeo-Christianity.
Hence, a Christian was not allowed to have greenery upon their door, gate, or posts; but to be themselves as the light of the world, and a tree ever-green. (On Idolatry, .15)

In other words, the ancients had various "outward signs" that they looked for to testify of themselves and their beliefs. We, in our own way, also should refrain from even the appearance of idolatry ourselves; perhaps in ways we so exhibit now, but that we are or are not readily cognizant of.

An example may be in wearing the image or advertisement of a movie or rock star on a t-shirt,etc., that would constitute a "graven image of" or something that can be construed as idolatry.

Tertullian teaches us,

1) That for most of the first 170 years of Christianity, christians were forbidden from being allowed to defend themselves in Roman courts of law. (Apology,.2)

2) That any deity of Rome had to be first voted as a deity, and recognized by the Roman Imperial Senate. (Apology, .5)

3) That three of the primary occupations of Christians were that of: sailors, soldiers, and farmers. (Apology, .42)

4) In the Gladiator mid-day games ,after a battle exhibition, an actor dressed as Hermes/Mercury would first go about the stadium with a hot iron poker, and stick the bodies to see if any were feigning death or unconsciousness (and this would be part of the entertainment). He would be accompanied by an actor (probably executioner also) who was dressed like Pluto, holding a sledge like hammer in hand, to drag the gladiator bodies (or even body parts) away. (Ad nationes, 1.10)

5) Also at these (mid-day) Gladiator games, there would be the sellers of blood, who with a collection cup or pan, would collect fresh blood from the fresh punctured thigh wounds they would make of "criminals" as they lay dying, and sell it into the crowd as a cure for diseases like epilepsy. While wild animals/beasts that devoured men in the arena, were slain and sold outside the arena for food. (Apology, .9) Usually, it is several animals at a time that were released, and hence slain for exotic meat sales. (Ad nationes, 2.14)

6) Many Gladiator games began with a parade, in which many costumes and statues, thrones, etc., were displayed...like an ancient Macy's / Rose Bowl / Mardi Gras parade all wraped up in one. They also incorporated pagan religious rituals as part of the entertainment. (De Spectaculis, .7)

7) Gladiators are urged into combat by nearby overseers with rods and cat and nine-tails, so that if they do not perform or kill their opponent, they are attacked from behind by others. (De Spectaculis, .21)

Should the gladiators turn to attack these, there were archers all around the arena at appointed stations, set at the walls to shoot those in the arena (be they man or beast) down.

It is therefore no wonder, that Christians who were condemned to death in these kinds of arenas, simply chose to die quickly; rather than to kill or resist unneccessarily for the perverse amusement of others and risk their own eternal souls --being about to die in their last minutes anyway.

Poetry: To post in poetry (by Brianroy)

To what do we owe
an idea of posting in po - etry?

Is it to stub our toe,
and claim it simply as an entrance to a valley in northern Italy?

Some times we write,
sometimes we speak;

and the words don't come forth so clearly.

Some say "fly a kite",
some tell us we tweak;

but the answer lies more far than nearly.

And when we sit and think a while,
and laugh aloud and begin to smile;

the world thinks we are crazy.

But let them talk to themselves,
and jest as if the pixies and elves;

and the lines of what is moral becomes hazy.

So now we turn to G-D's great book,
and read it almost every day,
even if it's just a look.

We open our hearts and minds to Him who does save,
and listen to what He has to say,
trusting Him in how to live and now behave.

The application isn't always so perfect;
for we tire and struggle.

And yet someday, at the Throne of Him we will see...
that redemption
in the fabric of all things
pointing always to Him through Calvary.

Praise G-D: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Glory to G-D in the highest, the highest most!

Poetry: The Tribulation Peace Treaty that has no peace (by Brianroy)

3 lights in the Eastern Sky,
3 flashes, like the sun.

3 explosions rippling forth,
3 tragedies becoming one.

The Midas has pushed its talons forth,
though called many names before;
under a Crescent moon proclaiming peace,
but in its heart declares war.

The U.N. banner flies deceiving the West most nations,
for "Peace" they say, have we.
And no one dares bring up the contract of 1938,
signed between Chamberlain and Germany.

And so the arms race is pursued,
the liberals sabotage an act of war, which can bring peace now;
and the conservatives cower in fear,
at the Jezebels and their sacred cows.

Gog and Magog, and Gomer, and all her bands;
they look upon Babylon America with venom drools,
with her Hollywood tales of blood, and violent words they think as "cool";
behold, they say: let us destroy Babylon America, with her evil merchandise, her bloody skirt and her bloody hands.

They no longer look to the L-RD of Heaven and earth for protection;
behold the hedge of His protection is down,
let us remove them from the earth and all memory as if it never was.

They whisper, they conspire, against Israel and then Babylon America to do wrong;
they lift up a common hatred,
they assail against the one true G-D through these two nations,
as if in the harmony of those who lift up a song.

And so, one day soon, there will be 3 lights in the Eastern Sky,
3 flashes, like the sun.

3 explosions rippling forth,
3 tragedies becoming one.

Jordan shall cease to be,
Damascus shall become a flattened ruin.

A man of war in garments and words of peace shall come forth,
and him, the abomination of desolation, shall the nations deify as a god among men;
strengthened bythe Beast, the abomination of destruction from Moscow,
and confirmed by the miracle deceiving false prophet soon after, then.

If you see these men come to power;
the first Rapture you will have missed.
Count 1290 days from the Treaty signing if you can survive,
and if your heart cannot not believe into Yeshua as your L-RD and savior,
you will probably in Day 1291 be,
left behind to be destroyed by violence or fire.

Repent, while the L-RD is near.
Again, I say, repent.

Poetry: Vision and dreams that were once for just me (by Brianroy)

I dream a dream,
and it is in a Church that I sit.
With believers of Yeshua of every time and team,
Jew, Protestant, non-denominational, Coptic, Eastern, and Catholic.

We are all here and all aware,
but know not any other, nor ask...we don't dare.

The air is filled with a silence that hangs,
as the congregation regulates their breathing.

Eyes closed, heads bowed, thoughts now focus.

In the distance and ever closer, the sound of running waters;
like a trickling stream to some, like a gushing river to others.

Eyes begin to open, and look up and forward, and around at each other.

Hearts begin pacing faster, as the sermon begins,
"Children of the Living G-D...Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters."

And yet a few stare in shock, as if hearing a hocus;
when the speaker utters words the waters run louder with his teething;
and with a "Thus saith the L-RD",
suddenly an ear-ringing thunder bangs!

And all that is left, is the sound of a heart-beat beating;
as all others fade quickly from view.

A Sheet falls down as from Heaven,
and a vision of hands to just below the elbows -- appear:
turning open and continuously flipping
the pages of the Holy Bible facing down;
as a pulsating trickle of blood beats highs and lows like a heart monitor.

A vision of David, in a castle room of stone;
and the hands now assist Him, and assist Him alone.
The pulsating of blood, now beats high and low;
and upward to Heaven, that sheet now must go;
for the last vision, must remain sealed.

Heads shake in fear and awe; but the voice is silent now;
the lips still move upon the speaker, but you cannot hear what or how.

A reed pen drops from the podium onto the rug,
and it sounds as the breaking of glass.

To which sound I now awake from sleep...
in anxiety only my head to shrug,
and say aloud, "Alas! Alas!"

Poetry: A moment in time: prettier than a picture (by Brianroy)

There are waters flowing, as the clouds roll by --
on a sunny afternoon:

over a babbling brook, while green fields are gently swaying,
as the wind makes them to swoon.

The trees at the field's edge gently clap their hands,
while the birds in them sing sweet songs.

How gentle the earth...the sky..the view...
who can tell us there is wrong?

A deer walks gingerly across the grass,
and a family of rabbits hop along, following behind.

And under an acorn tree, squirrels eagerly gather their nuts;
and acrobaticly enjoy their happy little find.

How sweet the air, how lovely so;
how blessed is the appeal!

How freely is this for thee, how lovely so;
at no cost is G-D's gift, the beholding of Creation's zeal.