My father, Ray White, is a self-taught scriptorian. He has written extensive studies on the Old and New Testament. I will be posting them here on occasion. If you'd like to read them all, they are available at www.valueplaza.com
JESUS WHO IS CALLED CHRIST (Matthew 1:16)
Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
The Roman historian Eusebius wrote in his work The History of the Church: “Both Jesus and Christ were names honoured even by God’s beloved prophets of old…for in describing God’s high priest…(Moses) called him Christ…Moses (also foresaw) the title Jesus (which he bestowed) on the man…who would after his own death succeed to the supreme authority."
This is an incredible thing-if Eusebius is right. Is he? Let’s make his case for him.
Did Moses call the high priest Christ? Yes, he did. Leviticus 4:5 "The priest that is anointed." Christ means “anointed.”
Did Moses call his successor Jesus? Yes, he did. Numbers 13:16 "And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua." Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Joshua who became Israel’s second head of state, succeeding Moses.
So, Moses transferred authority to two men: priestly authority to Aaron and civil authority to Joshua, both prophets acting under God’s authority and direction. So there was a division of power, a separation of church and state. Priests were not kings and kings were not priests, not in the nation of Israel. They were separate authorities.
Then who was Messiah? The Hebrew word for anointed is translated to Messiah in only one place. Daniel 9:25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."
:26 "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself…"
The title “Messiah the Prince” means “the priest with royalty.”
Now we arrive at the question: But if in Israel kings were not priests and priests were not kings, when was there ever a priest who was also a king? And the answer is: Melchizedek.
Genesis 14:18 "Melchizedek king of Salem…priest of the most high God.”
There was no separation of church and state in Salem. The priest was the king. What does this have to do with Messiah? Everything. Because King David wrote in Psalms 110:4 "The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
When Messiah comes, he will not be a priest of Aaron, a priest without civil authority. But a priest like Melchizedek with all civil authority: a priest who is also a king.
Centuries after David, a baby was born in Bethlehem, whom God named Jesus Christ ― Joshua the anointed, a priest who rules, a priest who brings men to God and a king who rules men for God. His is a royal priesthood.
This royal priesthood, he gave to us.
Revelation 4:10 "And hath made us unto our God kings and priests."
1 Peter 2:9 "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation."
The words “a holy nation” are striking. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a holy nation under a godly government, to live free of crime and in peace? That will happen, but only when Jesus Christ returns and begins his eternal rule.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Metal Books found in Jordan
Could Joseph Smith actually have been telling the truth?
A recent internet article shows photographs of 2,000 year old metal books discovered five years ago in a cave in eastern Jordan. Some experts claim this might be the biggest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
These books (about the size of a credit card) are made of thin lead sheets and are bound by metal rings. Interestingly, some of the codices are sealed. Experts believe the books may contain information about early Christianity, perhaps even some secret doctrines passed from Jesus to his disciples. Of course, these are just speculations. The truth of their contents can only be known once they have been successfully translated, which will likely take years.
What is of interest to me is simply the fact that they exist. That the Hebrew people at one time DID make books of this sort further validates Joseph Smith's story of finding ancient texts written on gold plates. Below is the story with photos. Read it and tell me what you think.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history
Here is a link to an earlier article: http://www.templestudy.com/2011/03/22/a ... ddle-east/
A recent internet article shows photographs of 2,000 year old metal books discovered five years ago in a cave in eastern Jordan. Some experts claim this might be the biggest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
These books (about the size of a credit card) are made of thin lead sheets and are bound by metal rings. Interestingly, some of the codices are sealed. Experts believe the books may contain information about early Christianity, perhaps even some secret doctrines passed from Jesus to his disciples. Of course, these are just speculations. The truth of their contents can only be known once they have been successfully translated, which will likely take years.
What is of interest to me is simply the fact that they exist. That the Hebrew people at one time DID make books of this sort further validates Joseph Smith's story of finding ancient texts written on gold plates. Below is the story with photos. Read it and tell me what you think.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history
Here is a link to an earlier article: http://www.templestudy.com/2011/03/22/a ... ddle-east/
Monday, March 21, 2011
Revelation of the Magi, Part I
I just finished reading a remarkable book called Revelation of the Magi. Translated into English for the first time by Brent Landau, this document remained hidden in the Vatican archives for hundreds of years - a long forgotten narrative of the Magi's journey to Bethlehem.
One reason this apocryphal document had been forgotten was that it was written in Syriac, an ancient language used in Syria. Few modern scholars have bothered to learn this language, preferring instead to study Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic. Mr. Landau studied Syriac at Harvard University. He noticed references to a Magi narration in a number of other ancient texts and decided to go in search of the missing document. Apparently, Revelation of the Magi was, at one time, widely read and accepted as scripture by many early Christians. References to it appear in texts dating as late at the middle ages. Through an impressive trail of detective work, Mr. Landau has traced the Revelation's beginnings as far back as the 2nd century A.D., making it one of the oldest Christian writings in existence.
As far as the story itself goes, it is unlike most of our modern Wise Men stories, which are based on only a very brief narrative from the Gospel of Matthew. The Magi from Revelation are from a distant eastern land and are a group of twelve who have protected the prophesies and gifts handed down from father to son since the time of Seth (son of Noah.) The prophesies speak of the appearance of a star which would herald the arrival of God on earth. When the star appears, it is, in actuality, God himself who comes to lead them to where he will be born in human form. What follows is a beautiful story of the Magi's two year trek to Jerusalem, their meeting with Herod, their return journey, and their later conversion to Christianity by the apostle Thomas.
Whether or not the story is true is impossible to know via traditional scholarly methods, nor is it really the point. What is particularly fascinating is that some Christians during the first millennium of the Church's existence did believe it.
There are several things within the text that are of particular interest in that they seem to support LDS doctrine and scripture. I will mention the first two in this blog, and address the others next time. In the meantime, here is a link to an article published about it in January: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13909007&autostart=y
THE PRE-EXISTENCE & FOREORDINATION
On page 70 is the following statement made by the Christ child to the Magi: "And again, you have been deemed worthy to be witnesses for me in the East with my disciples, who were chosen by me before the world came to be." This strongly suggests a belief in a pre-mortal existence and in pre-earthly foreordination. Two Biblical verses that speak of pre-mortal existence include a verse from the Old Testament: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest fort out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) And one from the New Testament: "[God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2 Timothy 1:9)
UNIVERSALITY OF CHRIST
As Latter-day Saints, we claim that Christ visited the Americas following his resurrection, suggesting the possibility that Christ can and perhaps has visited other lands as well. At the very least, we believe that prophets other than those among the Children of Israel prophesied of Christ's coming. Mr. Landau mentions two historical examples in the Revelation's conclusion where this seems to have been the case: Antonio de la Calancha's observation of the similarities between 17th century Incan religion and Christianity, and the Aztec's believing Cortez to be their long-awaited God, Quetzalcoatl. In Revelation, Christ tells the Magi "And I am everywhere, because I am a ray of light whose light has shone in this world from the majesty of my Father, who has sent me to fulfill everything that was spoken about me in the entire world and in every land..." (p. 55) The Magi also state that "he has worshippers in every country." (p. 64) Remember that this document may have been written less than two hundred years after Christ's death and resurrection, a period of time when Christianity was still considered a sect of Judaism, and had only moderate success among the pagans. It was still a hundred years away from Constantine and Christianity being named the state religion of Rome. Yet here in Revelation, belief in the coming of God's son to earth is proclaimed to be universal, in all lands the world over.
One reason this apocryphal document had been forgotten was that it was written in Syriac, an ancient language used in Syria. Few modern scholars have bothered to learn this language, preferring instead to study Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic. Mr. Landau studied Syriac at Harvard University. He noticed references to a Magi narration in a number of other ancient texts and decided to go in search of the missing document. Apparently, Revelation of the Magi was, at one time, widely read and accepted as scripture by many early Christians. References to it appear in texts dating as late at the middle ages. Through an impressive trail of detective work, Mr. Landau has traced the Revelation's beginnings as far back as the 2nd century A.D., making it one of the oldest Christian writings in existence.
As far as the story itself goes, it is unlike most of our modern Wise Men stories, which are based on only a very brief narrative from the Gospel of Matthew. The Magi from Revelation are from a distant eastern land and are a group of twelve who have protected the prophesies and gifts handed down from father to son since the time of Seth (son of Noah.) The prophesies speak of the appearance of a star which would herald the arrival of God on earth. When the star appears, it is, in actuality, God himself who comes to lead them to where he will be born in human form. What follows is a beautiful story of the Magi's two year trek to Jerusalem, their meeting with Herod, their return journey, and their later conversion to Christianity by the apostle Thomas.
Whether or not the story is true is impossible to know via traditional scholarly methods, nor is it really the point. What is particularly fascinating is that some Christians during the first millennium of the Church's existence did believe it.
There are several things within the text that are of particular interest in that they seem to support LDS doctrine and scripture. I will mention the first two in this blog, and address the others next time. In the meantime, here is a link to an article published about it in January: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13909007&autostart=y
THE PRE-EXISTENCE & FOREORDINATION
On page 70 is the following statement made by the Christ child to the Magi: "And again, you have been deemed worthy to be witnesses for me in the East with my disciples, who were chosen by me before the world came to be." This strongly suggests a belief in a pre-mortal existence and in pre-earthly foreordination. Two Biblical verses that speak of pre-mortal existence include a verse from the Old Testament: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest fort out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) And one from the New Testament: "[God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2 Timothy 1:9)
UNIVERSALITY OF CHRIST
As Latter-day Saints, we claim that Christ visited the Americas following his resurrection, suggesting the possibility that Christ can and perhaps has visited other lands as well. At the very least, we believe that prophets other than those among the Children of Israel prophesied of Christ's coming. Mr. Landau mentions two historical examples in the Revelation's conclusion where this seems to have been the case: Antonio de la Calancha's observation of the similarities between 17th century Incan religion and Christianity, and the Aztec's believing Cortez to be their long-awaited God, Quetzalcoatl. In Revelation, Christ tells the Magi "And I am everywhere, because I am a ray of light whose light has shone in this world from the majesty of my Father, who has sent me to fulfill everything that was spoken about me in the entire world and in every land..." (p. 55) The Magi also state that "he has worshippers in every country." (p. 64) Remember that this document may have been written less than two hundred years after Christ's death and resurrection, a period of time when Christianity was still considered a sect of Judaism, and had only moderate success among the pagans. It was still a hundred years away from Constantine and Christianity being named the state religion of Rome. Yet here in Revelation, belief in the coming of God's son to earth is proclaimed to be universal, in all lands the world over.
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