Testing, Not Temptation—Jesus & Satan in the Wilderness

February 21, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Satan was testing Jesus, not tempting him as popularly imagined—and Jesus successfully passed his trials. Scripture scholars recognize that “Mark” was the first narrative gospel. Consider the primitive version of the story about the Devil testing Jesus found in “Mark.” Since it was the earliest narrative-Gospel, it becomes easy to see how “Matthew” and “Luke” both embellished the Markan original by incorporating three specific temptations. This video presentation explains— Testing Old Man Jesus Mark 1:12 The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,... Read more

Fasting—Why Did New Testament People Do It?

February 17, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

While Western Bible readers can easily discover that biblical people fasted, learning why they did so and what it meant remains obfuscated. What is the meaning of fasting in New Testament writings? Why did New Testament people fast? As Context Group scholar Bruce Malina has demonstrated, answers to these questions often come by way of highly subjective reasons that cannot be tested. Or, reasons offered are anachronistic, full of 21st-century ideas remote from the experiences of our biblical ancestors. From... Read more

Grapple with Jesus and Scripture, Before Lent Begins

February 15, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

One way to prepare for Lent and Easter this year is to grapple with spurious familiarity concerning Jesus and the Gospels. Before Lent begins, allow me to prayerfully and honestly grapple with you over sacred mysteries. Catholics are Christians. As such, we believe, of course, in the divinity of Christ. With Nicaea (325 CE) Chalcedon (451), we believe Jesus to be truly God and truly man (human? or “man,” because only “man” means a complete human?). When we Catholics profess... Read more

Wholeness and Healing Lepers

February 14, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Here comes Sunday’s Gospel about Jesus brokering wholeness for a leper—except he wasn’t really a leper at all. Mark 1:40-45 A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Stop. Ask yourself: what biomedical condition does this sick man have? Do we have any X-rays? No. What about blood tests? Nothing. What were his lab results? We don’t have any. Therefore, we don’t understand the underlying biomedical condition of this sick... Read more

Biblical Christianity—Is It Possible?

February 13, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Is biblical Christianity possible, or even desirable, in a 21st-century American cultural context? I hear many popular Catholic speakers talking a lot about biblical Christianity. Catholicism is the biblical Christianity, they claim. Dr. Scott Hahn is a significant proponent of this. He even has an audiotape serious entitled, “Calling Catholics to be ‘Bible Christians’ and Vice Versa.” Hahn and his friends believe that his neo-orthodox style of Catholicism is the biblical Christianity. But is biblical Christianity even possible? And if so, would... Read more

Folk Healer Jesus

February 7, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Don’t let spurious familiarity distort this Sunday’s Gospel, where folk healer Jesus helps Peter’s mother-in-law. Spurious familiarity distorts our Bible reading. It also distorts what we hear being read from this Sunday’s Gospel, Mark1:29-39. This is a healing story. Some wrongly think that healing means curing. It doesn’t. Folk healer Jesus healed. But did Jesus cure people? Check out this brief video to learn the critical difference between healing and curing. Folk Healer Jesus in Sunday’s Gospel Let’s go through Sunday’s Gospel nice and slow.... Read more

Paul Never Experienced Guilt

February 3, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Paul never experienced guilt or other psychological states familiar to Americans. Recently, I wrote about Paul’s so-called “conversion.” Remember when Paul persecuted the followers of Jesus (Galatians 1:12-14; 22-23; cf. with the spin of “Luke,” Acts 7:58—8:3)? Recall how the anonymous author of “Acts” reported that Paul held the robes of those who stoned Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). Do you think, after he encountered the Risen Jesus, Paul felt guilty about that? If so, you are wrong. Paul never experienced guilt. And do... Read more

Timothy and Titus Are Forgeries, and That’s Okay!

January 29, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

The Pastoral Epistles were not really written by Paul to Timothy or Titus, but that doesn’t make them invalid or uninspired. Thinking about Paul and Timothy and Titus reminds me that we Catholics are slowpokes concerning the Bible. Can you blame us for that? Fifty-plus years after Vatican II and all we hear seems to be “Scott-Hahnverts” blabbing ignorance about Scripture. So maybe you can blame us. But then again, look how our Catholic grandparents avoided Scripture before the Second Vatican... Read more

Paul Never Converted

January 25, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

That Paul never converted (he never switched religions) makes for a fascinating discussion on the Feast of his Conversion. Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle, and challenging person to be around. The only problem is a little fact that Paul never converted. Paul was born Israelite and encountered Jesus, messiah, as an Israelite. Then, he labored as an Israelite slave for Jesus. Also, Paul expected Israelite theocracy all his days. And finally, Paul died an Israelite.... Read more

WandaVision: Perhaps the Deepest Marvel Yet

January 22, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Marvel’s WandaVision, more than just terrific superhero fun, has something deeply spiritual to give viewers. Last week, WandaVision kicked off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. More than that, it began the next multiphase saga of cinematic entries from the House of Ideas. At two episodes of nine so far streaming on Disney+, it isn’t exactly what fans expected. The slow-paced Wandavision departs forcibly from the action-packed extravaganzas Avengers: Endgame and Spider-man: Far From Home. Regardless, many Marvelites are rightly thrilled by this new Pleasantville-like entry, the... Read more