1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,200 it's a question that Christian churches 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,633 and denominations of all stripes 3 00:00:04,633 --> 00:00:06,766 would rather you didn't think about 4 00:00:06,766 --> 00:00:11,166 much less ask out loud it's a question that theologians 5 00:00:11,166 --> 00:00:12,566 and biblical scholars 6 00:00:12,566 --> 00:00:15,300 have struggled to answer for millennia 7 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:17,466 and none with any success 8 00:00:17,700 --> 00:00:20,666 how is it that a man who thousands of books 9 00:00:20,666 --> 00:00:21,966 billions of words 10 00:00:21,966 --> 00:00:24,566 and millions of letters have been written about 11 00:00:24,566 --> 00:00:25,533 could himself 12 00:00:25,666 --> 00:00:29,266 have not written down a single word or letter 13 00:00:29,266 --> 00:00:31,400 and why is there only a single 14 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,166 church in the world that has the answer 15 00:00:34,166 --> 00:00:37,433 now granted it's no ordinary church 16 00:00:37,433 --> 00:00:39,566 it's best known for its namesake 17 00:00:39,566 --> 00:00:42,066 compiling the first Christian Bible in 1 18 00:00:42,066 --> 00:00:43,500 44 a d 19 00:00:43,666 --> 00:00:45,400 it's known for having the oldest 20 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:46,800 inscription in the world 21 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,800 bearing the name of Jesus Christ 22 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,133 carved into its stone archway in 318 23 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,666 it's known for growing larger than even the Roman 24 00:00:55,666 --> 00:00:57,400 Catholic Church at one point 25 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,066 and it's known for curating the original epistles 26 00:01:01,066 --> 00:01:03,666 and gospel of Paul the Apostle 27 00:01:03,666 --> 00:01:04,700 and after today 28 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:07,300 it will also be known as the only church 29 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:08,833 in the world that can tell us 30 00:01:08,833 --> 00:01:10,266 why Jesus 31 00:01:10,266 --> 00:01:13,500 never wrote down a single word or letter 32 00:01:13,633 --> 00:01:15,466 more about that church later 33 00:01:15,466 --> 00:01:17,866 as regular listeners of the show know 34 00:01:17,866 --> 00:01:21,366 I'm not one for drama or histrionics 35 00:01:21,366 --> 00:01:24,433 but the theological implications of the story 36 00:01:24,433 --> 00:01:27,433 and the actual answer to the question are 37 00:01:27,433 --> 00:01:29,700 simply put tectonic 38 00:01:32,466 --> 00:01:34,900 welcome to the official podcast of the Marcionite 39 00:01:34,900 --> 00:01:37,700 Church where we explore pre-nicene Christian theology 40 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:40,300 the first Bible of 144 and help 41 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:41,033 you understand 42 00:01:41,033 --> 00:01:43,100 the deadly difference between an alien deity 43 00:01:43,100 --> 00:01:44,200 named Yahweh and god 44 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,266 our father as revealed only by Jesus 45 00:01:46,566 --> 00:01:48,766 learn more at marcionitechurch.org 46 00:01:48,833 --> 00:01:51,566 now your host Presbyter Darren Kelama 47 00:01:52,166 --> 00:01:52,666 anyway 48 00:01:52,666 --> 00:01:56,366 the crux of the story centers around an actual fact 49 00:01:56,633 --> 00:01:59,900 that fact being that Jesus didn't write anything down 50 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:02,833 now there's a small verse that talks about him 51 00:02:02,833 --> 00:02:05,200 leaning down and writing something in the dirt 52 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,966 casually as Jews were arguing around him 53 00:02:08,966 --> 00:02:10,866 about an adulterous woman 54 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:12,666 and I'll even go a step further 55 00:02:12,666 --> 00:02:13,866 and say that it's likely 56 00:02:13,866 --> 00:02:17,400 based on a confusion in translation 57 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:18,000 that 58 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,366 he wasn't even really writing anything in the dirt 59 00:02:20,366 --> 00:02:22,400 in a disinterested manner 60 00:02:22,433 --> 00:02:25,400 he was probably just doodling or drawing 61 00:02:25,466 --> 00:02:26,200 and by the way 62 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,166 the instrument used for writing at that time 63 00:02:29,166 --> 00:02:32,200 was called a reed pen basically 64 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,300 a reed cut and shaped in the form of a pen 65 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:37,766 with the cut end dipped in ink 66 00:02:37,900 --> 00:02:40,700 and the paper was pressed papyrus 67 00:02:41,133 --> 00:02:42,900 an example of what I'm talking about 68 00:02:42,900 --> 00:02:46,233 can be found on the FBN show logo 69 00:02:46,233 --> 00:02:49,266 and I'll uh have an image of that for the 70 00:02:49,433 --> 00:02:52,400 a video a portion of the episode 71 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,300 anyway that's a reed pen 72 00:02:54,366 --> 00:02:56,366 so not only do I agree 73 00:02:56,366 --> 00:02:59,466 I'm willing to stipulate that there is no instance 74 00:02:59,466 --> 00:03:02,733 anywhere in the modern Bible of Jesus writing anything 75 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,300 don't ask me how but somehow 76 00:03:05,300 --> 00:03:08,600 these intellectual heavyweights decided that 77 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,100 that means Jesus didn't exist 78 00:03:11,466 --> 00:03:13,566 because he didn't write anything down 79 00:03:13,566 --> 00:03:16,333 that's the premise for their conclusion 80 00:03:16,466 --> 00:03:17,966 make of it what you will 81 00:03:17,966 --> 00:03:20,200 but let's back the truck up a little bit 82 00:03:20,233 --> 00:03:22,200 Jesus not writing anything down 83 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,900 is actually pretty interesting 84 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:25,800 and almost never discussed 85 00:03:26,133 --> 00:03:27,433 we know he could read 86 00:03:27,433 --> 00:03:30,000 we know he was teaching in the synagogues 87 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,466 and we know he could speak 88 00:03:31,466 --> 00:03:33,866 and being the son of god come on 89 00:03:33,866 --> 00:03:36,866 we know he could write but for some reason 90 00:03:36,866 --> 00:03:41,800 he chose not to it was a deliberate choice not to 91 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:42,433 in fact 92 00:03:42,433 --> 00:03:45,433 he never told anyone else to write down what he said 93 00:03:45,433 --> 00:03:48,466 he never turned to one of his apostles and said hey 94 00:03:48,466 --> 00:03:49,766 write this down 95 00:03:50,033 --> 00:03:52,866 not even when they asked him how to pray to God 96 00:03:52,866 --> 00:03:54,866 and he taught them the Lord's Prayer 97 00:03:54,866 --> 00:03:57,033 he didn't he didn't write it down 98 00:03:57,033 --> 00:03:59,900 he didn't even tell them to write it down 99 00:04:00,100 --> 00:04:03,266 in fact he was kind of secretive about things 100 00:04:03,266 --> 00:04:05,933 for example when he was casting out demons 101 00:04:06,100 --> 00:04:08,666 they would proclaim you're the son of god 102 00:04:08,666 --> 00:04:11,500 and he would rebuke and silence them 103 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:13,533 he didn't want anyone hearing that 104 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:16,000 and sometimes after performing a miracle 105 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,066 he would say go and tell no one 106 00:04:18,166 --> 00:04:21,466 so here's the son of god on earth for years 107 00:04:21,466 --> 00:04:23,300 known and viewed by thousands 108 00:04:23,300 --> 00:04:25,966 performing miracles raising the dead 109 00:04:25,966 --> 00:04:27,500 giving and teaching people a new 110 00:04:27,500 --> 00:04:30,166 world changing message of redemption 111 00:04:30,366 --> 00:04:34,300 salvation and freedom and nobody writes any of it down 112 00:04:34,566 --> 00:04:37,366 Jesus doesn't write down a single word 113 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:40,866 nor is he even said to have written down a single word 114 00:04:40,866 --> 00:04:43,500 by anybody but it gets worse 115 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:45,066 you're supposed to believe that 116 00:04:45,066 --> 00:04:47,500 the son of god would leave it up to four people 117 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:49,666 to chronicle from fuzzy memory 118 00:04:49,666 --> 00:04:52,900 what he said and did years after the fact 119 00:04:53,266 --> 00:04:56,700 and that they somehow remembered every word in nuance 120 00:04:56,700 --> 00:04:57,566 so much so 121 00:04:57,566 --> 00:05:01,433 that what they wrote down is called the word of god 122 00:05:01,433 --> 00:05:03,333 now I have bad news 123 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:05,666 two of those people Mark and Luke 124 00:05:05,666 --> 00:05:07,166 weren't even apostles 125 00:05:07,433 --> 00:05:10,033 Luke even says he was getting his information 126 00:05:10,033 --> 00:05:12,466 second and third hand in fact 127 00:05:12,466 --> 00:05:14,900 Mark and Luke never even met Jesus 128 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,366 did you know that ask any priest or pastor 129 00:05:18,366 --> 00:05:20,100 and they'll tell you the same thing 130 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:23,600 now try remembering something from a few days ago 131 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,266 or a week or a month ago now 132 00:05:26,266 --> 00:05:28,266 recall and write down verbatim 133 00:05:28,266 --> 00:05:31,366 an entire conversation you had with a stranger 134 00:05:31,366 --> 00:05:33,300 30 years ago now 135 00:05:33,300 --> 00:05:36,066 ask that stranger to recall a conversation 136 00:05:36,066 --> 00:05:39,300 he had with someone else 30 years ago 137 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:41,033 that's how convoluted it gets 138 00:05:41,033 --> 00:05:41,800 when you create 139 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,466 stories from second and third hand information 140 00:05:44,466 --> 00:05:46,433 as Luke admits to doing 141 00:05:46,433 --> 00:05:49,166 in the first paragraph of his gospel 142 00:05:49,266 --> 00:05:51,066 nowhere in any Bible 143 00:05:51,066 --> 00:05:54,800 does Jesus tell his apostles to write anything down 144 00:05:55,066 --> 00:05:58,066 nowhere in any Bible do the apostles say 145 00:05:58,066 --> 00:06:02,366 and simple logic tells us that they would say this Lord 146 00:06:02,433 --> 00:06:03,833 shouldn't we write this down 147 00:06:03,833 --> 00:06:07,000 keep a record of your great miracles and teachings 148 00:06:07,366 --> 00:06:09,600 and now they've been with Jesus for years 149 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:11,566 in close proximity eating 150 00:06:11,566 --> 00:06:13,066 traveling sleeping 151 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,333 you don't think one of them 152 00:06:15,366 --> 00:06:18,166 just asked about writing something down 153 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,733 you really don't think the subject came up 154 00:06:20,766 --> 00:06:23,166 these Jews are waving around Torah's 155 00:06:23,166 --> 00:06:25,266 the written word on scrolls 156 00:06:25,666 --> 00:06:27,600 waving them around every five minutes 157 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,766 as they debated Jesus you don't think it would cross 158 00:06:30,766 --> 00:06:32,566 the mind of one of the apostles 159 00:06:32,566 --> 00:06:35,800 even once to start writing things down 160 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:40,000 or ask Jesus why he isn't writing anything down now 161 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,400 actually I'm sure they did 162 00:06:42,433 --> 00:06:45,633 I'm sure it happened probably more than once 163 00:06:45,633 --> 00:06:48,300 and just as Jesus rebuked devils 164 00:06:48,300 --> 00:06:50,233 for saying that he was the son of God 165 00:06:50,233 --> 00:06:54,900 and silenced them he probably also rebuked the apostles 166 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:58,000 and ordered no writing no speaking of 167 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,966 and no writing of his power and miracles 168 00:07:01,100 --> 00:07:01,833 and by the way 169 00:07:01,833 --> 00:07:05,700 I have every confidence that Jesus knew his message 170 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:08,300 his written word would be altered 171 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:12,266 edited and perverted by the Jews and the Judaizers 172 00:07:12,433 --> 00:07:15,200 he had no illusions about these Jews 173 00:07:15,566 --> 00:07:18,466 these people were even trying to cut deals with Jesus 174 00:07:18,466 --> 00:07:20,400 as he was dying on the cross 175 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,433 and trying to stain his memory 176 00:07:22,433 --> 00:07:24,533 before the body was even cold 177 00:07:24,833 --> 00:07:26,700 and you wonder why he told them 178 00:07:26,700 --> 00:07:29,133 where I am going you cannot follow 179 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,466 why he told them your father is the devil 180 00:07:32,566 --> 00:07:34,033 why he told them 181 00:07:34,033 --> 00:07:37,566 you do not know God and God does not know you 182 00:07:37,566 --> 00:07:39,966 is this why he didn't write anything 183 00:07:40,466 --> 00:07:41,333 you see 184 00:07:41,433 --> 00:07:44,633 the written word can be made to do lots of tricks 185 00:07:44,633 --> 00:07:46,966 in the hands of a skilled dissembler 186 00:07:46,966 --> 00:07:49,266 or forger or liar 187 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,233 imagine what the children of the supreme liar 188 00:07:52,233 --> 00:07:54,966 Satan is described in John 8:44 189 00:07:54,966 --> 00:07:56,200 could do with a document 190 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:57,966 alleged to have been written and signed 191 00:07:57,966 --> 00:07:59,566 by Jesus Christ himself 192 00:07:59,966 --> 00:08:02,566 now imagine if Jesus had written several things 193 00:08:02,566 --> 00:08:04,566 about a variety of subjects 194 00:08:04,700 --> 00:08:08,333 now we have different codexes or scrolls out there 195 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,600 one faction of faith claiming they have the first one 196 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,066 or the real one 197 00:08:13,066 --> 00:08:15,066 imagine the killing that would have happened 198 00:08:15,066 --> 00:08:16,966 over documents like that 199 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:19,566 imagine all the forgeries and editing 200 00:08:19,766 --> 00:08:21,033 kings and emperors 201 00:08:21,033 --> 00:08:23,666 making changes to the words of Jesus 202 00:08:23,666 --> 00:08:27,000 to justify this or that policy or law 203 00:08:27,333 --> 00:08:28,500 and if you questioned it 204 00:08:28,500 --> 00:08:30,833 they would wave the document at you and say 205 00:08:30,833 --> 00:08:33,833 how dare you question the very words of Jesus 206 00:08:33,833 --> 00:08:37,100 written right here take him away and burn him 207 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:39,066 in fact entire industries 208 00:08:39,066 --> 00:08:40,266 staffed by scholars 209 00:08:40,266 --> 00:08:43,400 would spring up to creatively interpret what Jesus 210 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:45,233 really meant when he wrote this 211 00:08:45,233 --> 00:08:46,133 or that 212 00:08:46,266 --> 00:08:49,666 it would have been a theological and ecclesiastical 213 00:08:49,666 --> 00:08:52,000 chaos how do I know 214 00:08:52,066 --> 00:08:55,366 because that's exactly what happened to the gospels 215 00:08:55,433 --> 00:08:56,400 let that sink in 216 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,866 and consider that within years of Jesus's resurrection 217 00:08:59,866 --> 00:09:02,833 fake gospels were flying across the known world 218 00:09:02,833 --> 00:09:05,700 with competing factions of Judaizers 219 00:09:05,700 --> 00:09:08,866 all claiming to have the real story of Jesus 220 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:12,433 fake gospels were the new cottage industry 221 00:09:12,433 --> 00:09:14,466 and the one thing that they all had in common 222 00:09:14,466 --> 00:09:16,200 is that none of them were true 223 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,833 it got so bad that even after the Apostle Paul 224 00:09:19,833 --> 00:09:21,433 who had risked his life 225 00:09:21,433 --> 00:09:23,800 establishing the first Christian churches 226 00:09:24,033 --> 00:09:25,966 he had to send them all letters 227 00:09:25,966 --> 00:09:28,566 warning them about these fake gospels 228 00:09:28,566 --> 00:09:31,033 and the Judaizers promoting them 229 00:09:31,033 --> 00:09:33,566 now let's go ahead and open both the modern 230 00:09:33,566 --> 00:09:36,166 Nicean Bible and the first Bible 231 00:09:36,166 --> 00:09:38,433 and read what Paul said to them 232 00:09:38,433 --> 00:09:39,733 both are the same 233 00:09:40,633 --> 00:09:41,300 quote unquote 234 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:44,800 I marvel that ye so quickly changed from him 235 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:46,200 that called you in the Grace 236 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,600 unto a different gospel which is not another 237 00:09:49,733 --> 00:09:51,500 but there be some that trouble you 238 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:54,633 and would pervert the gospel of Christ 239 00:09:54,633 --> 00:09:57,666 that's from Galatians 1 4 through five 240 00:09:57,666 --> 00:10:00,566 but maybe you were confused about what he said 241 00:10:00,566 --> 00:10:02,566 maybe you didn't understand him 242 00:10:02,566 --> 00:10:03,633 well you know what 243 00:10:03,633 --> 00:10:06,133 Paul's gonna step in and help you focus 244 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:08,966 here's what he says as we have said before 245 00:10:08,966 --> 00:10:10,633 so now I say again 246 00:10:10,633 --> 00:10:13,700 if anyone preaches any other gospel to you 247 00:10:13,700 --> 00:10:15,433 than what you have received 248 00:10:15,433 --> 00:10:17,700 let him be accursed and of course 249 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:19,433 we find that in Galatians 1 250 00:10:19,433 --> 00:10:22,233 9 so we can all see it was a huge problem 251 00:10:22,233 --> 00:10:24,566 even the apostles had to get involved 252 00:10:24,700 --> 00:10:25,166 and now 253 00:10:25,166 --> 00:10:27,800 we arrive at the most important part of the episode 254 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:29,300 where we find out 255 00:10:29,300 --> 00:10:31,966 not only why Jesus never wrote anything down 256 00:10:31,966 --> 00:10:34,466 but also and just as importantly 257 00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:37,266 which gospel Paul was talking about 258 00:10:37,266 --> 00:10:40,500 and it is the answer to both questions 259 00:10:40,633 --> 00:10:41,733 now remember 260 00:10:41,766 --> 00:10:45,200 everyone agrees that Jesus didn't write anything down 261 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:48,100 and he never told anyone to write anything down 262 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:49,966 even after his resurrection 263 00:10:49,966 --> 00:10:52,400 when he returned to visit the apostles 264 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:53,766 no writing so 265 00:10:53,766 --> 00:10:56,200 how did he expect his message to live on 266 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,100 after a generation or two 267 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:01,000 I mean oral tradition doesn't last 268 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,366 and the message gets changed from person to person 269 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,800 what happens when four people see the exact same thing 270 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:09,466 and are told to describe it 271 00:11:09,466 --> 00:11:11,666 now tell them to not only describe it 272 00:11:11,666 --> 00:11:12,800 but write down 273 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,400 exactly what was said during the encounter 274 00:11:15,900 --> 00:11:17,900 now tell them to write all this down 275 00:11:17,900 --> 00:11:20,700 years after it happened see what I mean 276 00:11:20,766 --> 00:11:22,366 by the time it's over you'll be lucky 277 00:11:22,366 --> 00:11:24,466 if these four even agree on what country 278 00:11:24,466 --> 00:11:26,700 the event took place in and Jesus 279 00:11:26,700 --> 00:11:28,833 of course knew this would happen 280 00:11:28,833 --> 00:11:31,900 he knew this wouldn't be a reliable way for his message 281 00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:34,133 and teachings to be passed on 282 00:11:34,166 --> 00:11:35,900 and here's where the brilliance 283 00:11:35,900 --> 00:11:37,366 the otherworldly 284 00:11:37,366 --> 00:11:40,500 sheer brilliance of what he did is revealed 285 00:11:40,666 --> 00:11:42,933 instead of writing down the story himself 286 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,800 or telling his apostles to write it down 287 00:11:45,833 --> 00:11:49,166 he was going to make his enemies write it down 288 00:11:49,166 --> 00:11:51,400 these Jews these prideful 289 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,066 arrogant Pharisees that argued with 290 00:11:54,066 --> 00:11:55,166 slapped him around 291 00:11:55,166 --> 00:11:58,366 insulted Jesus before having him crucified 292 00:11:58,366 --> 00:12:01,700 these same ones that he called the children of Satan 293 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:04,100 were going to bow down before him 294 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:07,200 they we're going to reject their father Satan 295 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,233 and he was going to make them 296 00:12:09,233 --> 00:12:11,333 tell the story of his miracles 297 00:12:11,466 --> 00:12:15,100 and out of all of them he chose just one to do it 298 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:18,166 now it couldn't be just any random Jew 299 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,200 he needed a real blue flame Jew 300 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,200 a Pharisee 301 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,466 with impeccable lineage and perfect credentials 302 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:27,300 a real up and comer 303 00:12:27,366 --> 00:12:31,200 probably in line for the top Pharisee spot in Jerusalem 304 00:12:31,266 --> 00:12:34,566 one that the other Jews in the inner circle look up to 305 00:12:34,566 --> 00:12:37,033 as the lieutenant the capo 306 00:12:37,033 --> 00:12:38,333 the enforcer 307 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,700 he had to be worldly and expert on their laws 308 00:12:42,700 --> 00:12:45,500 down to the tiniest detail and rule 309 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,366 a master debater and multilingual 310 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,700 and have a reputation for fierce persecution 311 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:54,533 and punishing Christians 312 00:12:54,633 --> 00:12:58,766 a real Jesus hater and a great writer 313 00:12:58,766 --> 00:12:59,366 because 314 00:12:59,366 --> 00:13:02,833 lots and lots of things had been waiting to be written 315 00:13:02,833 --> 00:13:07,133 down and then he just waited until the time was right 316 00:13:07,233 --> 00:13:08,233 god waited 317 00:13:08,233 --> 00:13:11,200 until his selection had been thoroughly trained 318 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:12,600 under the chief rabbi 319 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,733 the head Pharisee Gamaliel in Jerusalem 320 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,200 waited until he had overseen 321 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,466 the murder of the first Christian martyr 322 00:13:20,466 --> 00:13:21,600 Saint Stephen 323 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,633 waited until he was on his way 324 00:13:24,633 --> 00:13:27,566 leading an army of Pharisees and Jews 325 00:13:27,566 --> 00:13:30,500 to persecute more Christians in Damascus 326 00:13:30,566 --> 00:13:32,366 and then god made his move 327 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,366 searing into this man's memory 328 00:13:34,366 --> 00:13:36,433 into every fiber of his being 329 00:13:36,433 --> 00:13:39,400 all of the words Jesus wanted written down 330 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,666 every jot and tittle the full revelation 331 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:45,266 not only did he instantly see that his faith 332 00:13:45,266 --> 00:13:46,700 his entire life 333 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:49,833 steeped in Judaism and the ways of the Pharisee 334 00:13:49,833 --> 00:13:51,766 had been a waste and a fraud 335 00:13:52,100 --> 00:13:54,166 he instantly became a Christian 336 00:13:54,366 --> 00:13:57,400 he wrote down those words given to him by Jesus 337 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,666 and he spent the rest of his life traveling the world 338 00:14:00,666 --> 00:14:03,333 and establishing new Christian churches 339 00:14:03,566 --> 00:14:06,066 changing the lives of millions of people 340 00:14:06,066 --> 00:14:07,200 with that gospel 341 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,600 and the name of that gospel is the gospel of the Lord 342 00:14:10,633 --> 00:14:14,666 and the name of that man is Paul the Apostle 343 00:14:15,366 --> 00:14:16,400 I'm Darren Kelama 344 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,266 reminding you that if your Bible was created after 144 345 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:22,800 you're reading just another book 346 00:14:25,966 --> 00:14:28,666 thanks for listening to the Marcionite Church podcast 347 00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:30,066 the church seeks donations 348 00:14:30,066 --> 00:14:31,666 only in the form of your prayers 349 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:32,833 and if you like the episode 350 00:14:32,833 --> 00:14:34,166 please share it with others 351 00:14:34,566 --> 00:14:36,766 to learn more about the first and only Bible 352 00:14:36,766 --> 00:14:38,466 used by the pre-nicene Christians 353 00:14:38,466 --> 00:14:40,566 visit theveryfirstbible.org