APOSTLES OF

JESUS CHRIST

PART 2

BIBLE STUDY WRITTEN BY

PASTOR JANICE L WILLIAMS

scriptures printed in red are words spoken by Jesus

BIBLE STUDY FOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY, 17th-24th, 2010

1.  MONASTERY - MONK'S RESIDENCE:  A BUILDING OR BUILDINGS WITH GROUNDS IN WHICH A GROUP OF PEOPLE OBSERVING RELIGIOUS VOWS, ESPECIALLY MONKS LIVE TOGETHER.
2. TROPAEUS AFRICANUS/SEXTUS JULIUS AFRICANUS - WAS A CHRISTIAN TRAVELLER AND HISTORIAN OF THE LATE 2nd & EARLY 3rd CENTURY A.D..  HE KNEW GREEK, LATIN & HEBREW.  AFRICANUS WROTE A HISTORY OF THE WORLD (CHRONOGRAPHIAI, IN FIVE BOOKS) FROM CREATION TO THE WORLD A.D. 221, COVERING FROM HIS COMPUTATION, 5723 YEARS.  HE CALCULATED THE PERIOD BETWEEN CREATION AND JESUS AS 5500 YEARS, PLACING THE INCARNATION ON THE FIRST DAY OF 5501 (OUR MODERN MARCH 25, 1 B.C.)   THIS METHOD OF RECKONING LED TO SEVERAL CREATION ERAS BEING USED IN THE GREEK EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, WHICH ALL PLACED CREATION WITHIN ONE DECADE OF 5500 B.C..  EUSEBIUS, AS WELL AS ALL LATER WRITERS OF CHURCH HISTORY, AND THE WHOLE GREEK SCHOOL OF CHRONICLERS, WERE GREATLY INFLUENCED BY JULIUS AFRICANUS.  HE CALLED HIMSELF A NATIVE OF JERUSALEM, WHICH SOME SCHOLARS CONSIDER TO BE HIS BIRTHPLACE - AND THAT AFRICANUS LIVED AT THE NEIGHBORING EMMAUS [AN ANCIENT TOWN LOCATED ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF PRESENT DAY JERUSALEM.  ACCORDING TO LUKE 24:13 thru 27 KJV, THE RESURRECTED JESUS APPEARED TO TWO FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WHO WERE WALKING FROM JERUSALEM TO EMMAUS. 
3. APOCRYPHA - 1.  BIBLICAL WRITINGS OF DISPUTED AUTHENTICITY: BOOKS OF THE BIBLE THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE VULGATE AND SEPTUAGINT VERSIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE, BUT NOT IN THE PROSTESTANT BIBLE OR THE HEBREW CANON   2. EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS: A GROUP OF CHRISTIAN WRITINGS DATING FROM THE EARLY CENTURIES A.D. THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BIBLE. 
   
4. ABDIAS, FIRST BISHOP OF BABYLON -(OBADIAH) WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE SEVENTY APOSTLES MENTIONED IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10:1 thru 20 KJV.  AS THE FIRST BISHOP OF BABYLON, ABDIAS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSECRATED BY THE APOSTLES, SAINT SIMON ZELOTES, AND SAINT JUDE. 
5. BABYLON - [OR BABEL] WAS FOUNDED BY NIMROD AND LATER RULED OVER BY 1 HAMMURABI].  IT WAS THE CAPITAL OF ANCIENT BABYLONIA, SITED IN THE EUPHRATES RIVER IN MODERN IRAQ.  IT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS OPULENCE, AND THE HANGING GARDENS THERE WERE ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. 
6. NIMROD - A SON OF CUSH, GRANDSON OF HAM, AND GREAT-GRANDSON OF NOAH, WHO WAS ALSO THE KING OF SHINAR.  ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE BOOK OF GENESIS, HE WAS A MAN OF POWER IN THE EARTH AND A MIGHTY HUNTER.   HE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOWER OF BABEL THAT GOD DESTROYED.  SEVERAL MESOPOTAMIAN RUINS WERE GIVEN NIMROD'S NAME BY 8th CENTURY ARABS.      
7. BABYLONIA - EMPIRE IN MESOPOTAMIA THAT FLOURISHED FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE SECOND MILLENNIUM B.C. UNTIL ITS CONQUEST BY PERSIA IN 539 B.C..

 APOSTLE JAMES

• JAMES WAS THE SON OF ALPHAESUS [MATTHEW 10:3 KJV, MARK 3:18 KJV, LUKE 6:15 KJV, & ACTS 1:13 KJV
• ALTHOUGH THE APOSTLE MATTHEW WAS THE SON OF ALPHAESUS, AS WELL AS THE APOSTLE JAMES WAS, THERE ARE NO BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME ALPHAEUS, OR THAT JAMES AND MATTHEW WERE BROTHERS. 
• JAMES THE APOSTLE WAS ALSO REFERRED TO AS "JAMES THE LESS" [MARK 15:40 KJV], DISTINGUISHING HIM FROM THE OTHER APOSTLE NAMED JAMES, WHO WAS REFERRED TO AS JAMES THE GREATER & A SON OF ZEBEDEE. 
• JAMES IS MENTIONED THREE TIMES IN THE BIBLE, IN CONNECTION WITH HIS MOTHER, WHOSE NAME IS MARY.  MARY WAS ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO WENT TO THE TOMB OF JESUS AND FOUND THAT IT HAD BEEN OPENED AND THAT JESUS WASN'T THERE.  [MARK 15:40 KJV, MARK 16:1 thru 8 KJV, & MATTHEW 27:56 KJV]
• TRADITION HOLDS THAT JAMES WAS MARTYRED FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, BY BEING BEAT TO DEATH, IN LOWER EGYPT, WITH A FULLER'S CLUB [FULLER - BLACKSMITH'S HAMMER: A HAMMER USED BY A BLACKSMITH FOR FORGING GROOVES AND SPREADING HOT IRON - OR FULLER - SOMEBODY WHO MAKES CLOTH BULKIER BY DAMPENING IT AND BEATING IT].

 

• APOSTLE THADDAEUS IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS ST. JUDE.

 

  
QARA KELISA (THE BLACK CHURCH) NEAR CHALDORAN, WEST AZERBAIDJAN, IRAN.  PICTURE TAKEN IN JUNE 2005 BY FABIEN DANY  

 

  

 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT JUDAS ISCARIOT IS NEVER MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE WITHOUT SOME REFERENCE TO HIS GREAT BETRAYAL OF JESUS.  

• JOHN 6:70, 71 KJV * 70/ JESUS ANSWERED THEM:  HAVE NOT I CHOSEN YOU TWELVE, AND ONE OF YOU IS A DEVIL?  71/ HE SPAKE OF JUDAS ISCARIOT THE SON OF SIMON: FOR HE IT WAS THAT SHOULD BETRAY HIM, BEING ONE OF THE TWELVE.
• MATTHEW 26:20 thru 25 KJV * 20/ NOW WHEN THE EVEN WAS COME, HE [JESUS] SAT DOWN WITH THE TWELVE.  21/ AND AS THEY DID EAT, HE SAID, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT ONE OF YOU SHALL BETRAY ME.  22/ AND THEY WERE EXCEEDING SORROWFUL, AND BEGAN EVERY ONE OF THEM TO SAY UNTO HIM, LORD, IS IT I?  23/ AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID, HE THAT DIPPETH HIS HAND WITH ME IN THE DISH, THE SAME SHALL BETRAY ME.  24/ THE SON OF MAN GOETH AS IT IS WRITTEN OF HIM:  BUT WOE UNTO THAT MAN BY WHOM THE SON OF MAN IS BETRAYED!  IT HAD BEEN GOOD FOR THAT MAN IF HE HAD NOT BEEN BORN.  25/ THEN JUDAS, WHICH BETRAYED HIM, ANSWERED AND SAID, MASTER, IS IT I?  HE [JESUS] SAID UNTO HIM, THOU HAST SAID. 
• JOHN 13:1, 2 KJV * 1/ NOW BEFORE THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER, WHEN JESUS KNEW THAT HIS HOUR WAS COME THAT HE SHOULD DEPART OUT OF THIS WORLD UNTO THE FATHER, HAVING LOVED HIS OWN WHICH WERE IN THE WORLD, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.  2/ AND SUPPER BEING ENDED THE DEVIL HAVING NOW PUT INTO THE HEART OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, SIMON'S SON, TO BETRAY HIM [JESUS].
• LUKE 22:3 thru 6 KJV * 3/ THEN ENTERED SATAN INTO JUDAS SURNAMED ISCARIOT, BEING OF THE NUMBER OF THE TWELVE.  4/ AND HE WENT HIS WAY, AND COMMUNED WITH THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND CAPTAINS, HOW HE MIGHT BETRAY HIM [JESUS] UNTO THEM.  5/ AND THEY WERE GLAD, AND COVENANTED TO GIVE HIM MONEY.  6/ AND HE PROMISED, AND SOUGHT OPPORTUNITY TO BETRAY HIM [JESUS] UNTO THEM IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MULTITUDE.
• MATTHEW 26:46 thru 50 KJV * 46/ RISE, LET US BE GOING: BEHOLD, HE IS AT HAND THAT DOTH BETRAY ME.  47/ AND WHILE HE YET SPAKE, LO, JUDAS, ONE OF THE TWELVE, CAME, AND WITH HIM A GREAT MULTITUDE WITH SWORDS AND STAVES, FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE.  48/ NOW HE THAT BETRAYED HIM GAVE A SIGN, SAYING, WHOMSOEVER I SHALL KISS, THAT SAME IS HE: HOLD HIM FAST.  49/ AND FORTHWITH HE CAME TO JESUS, AND SAID, HAIL, MASTER; AND KISSED HIM.  50/ AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, FRIEND WHEREFORE ART THOU COME?  THEN CAME THEY, AND LAID HANDS ON JESUS AND TOOK HIM.  
• LUKE 22:48 thru 51 KJV * 48/ BUT JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, JUDAS, BETRAYEST THOU THE SON OF MAN WITH A KISS?  49/ WHEN THEY WHICH WERE ABOUT HIM SAW WHAT WOULD FOLLOW, THEY SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, SHALL WE SMITE WITH THE SWORD?  50/ AND ONE OF THEM [PETER, PLEASE SEE JOHN 18:10, 11 KJV*] SMOTE THE SERVANT OF THE HIGH PRIEST, AND CUT OFF HIS EAR.  51/ AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, SUFFER [ALLOW] YE THUS FAR.  AND HE TOUCHED HIS EAR, AND HEALED HIM. 
• JOHN 18:4 THRU 8 KJV * 4/ JESUS THEREFORE, KNOWING ALL THINGS THAT SHOULD COME UPON HIM, WENT FORTH, AND SAID UNTO THEM, WHOM SEEK YE?  5/ THEY ANSWERED HIM, JESUS OF NAZARETH.  JESUS SAITH UNTO UNTO THEM, I AM HE.  AND JUDAS ALSO, WHICH BETRAYED HIM, STOOD WITH THEM.  6/ AS SOON THEN AS HE HAD SAID UNTO THEM, I AM HE, THEY WENT BACKWARD, AND FELL TO THE GROUND.  7/ THEN ASKED HE THEM AGAIN, WHOM SEEK YE?  AND HE SAID, JESUS OF NAZARETH.  8/ JESUS ANSWERED, I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT I AM HE:  IF THEREFORE YE SEEK ME, LET THESE GO THERE WAY. 
• MATTHEW 26:14, 15 KJV * 14/ THEN ONE OF THE TWELVE, CALLED JUDAS ISCARIOT, WENT UNTO THE CHIEF PRIESTS.  15/ AND SAID UNTO THEM, WHAT WILL YE GIVE ME, AND I WILL DELIVER HIM UNTO YOU?  AND THEY COVENANTED WITH HIM FOR THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER.
•  MATTHEW 27:1 thru 8 KJV * 1/ WHEN  THE MORNING WAS COME, ALL THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE TOOK COUNSEL AGAINST JESUS TO PUT HIM TO DEATH:  2/ AND WHEN THEY HAD BOUND HIM, THEY LED HIM AWAY, AND DELIVERED HIM TO PONTIUS PILATE THE GOVERNER.  3/ THEN JUDAS, WHICH HAD BETRAYED HIM, WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS CONDEMNED, REPENTED HIMSELF, AND BROUGHT AGAIN THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS, 4/ SAYING, I HAVE SINNED IN THAT I HAVE BETRAYED THE INNOCENT BLOOD.  AND THEY SAID, WHAT IS THAT TO US?  SEE THOU TO THAT.  5/ AND HE CAST DOWN THE PIECES OF SILVER IN THE TEMPLE, AND DEPARTED, AND WENT AND HANGED HIMSELF.  6/ AND THE CHIEF PRIESTS TOOK THE SILVER PIECES, AND SAID, IT IS NOT LAWFUL FOR TO PUT THEM INTO THE TREASURY, BECAUSE IT IS THE PRICE OF BLOOD.  7/ AND THEY TOOK COUNSEL, AND BOUGHT WITH THEM THE POTTER'S FIELD, TO BURY STRANGERS IN.  8/ WHEREFORE THAT FIELD WAS CALLED, THE FIELD OF BLOOD, UNTO THIS DAY. 
• ACTS 1:16 thru 20 KJV * 16/ MEN AND BRETHERN, THIS SCRIPTURE MUST NEEDS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED, WHICH THE HOLY GHOST BY THE MOUTH OF DAVID SPAKE BEFORE CONCERNING JUDAS, WHICH WAS GUIDE TO  THEM THAT TOOK JESUS.  17/ FOR HE WAS NUMBERED WITH US, AND HAD OBTAINED PART OF THIS MINISTRY.  18/ NOW THIS MAN PURCHASED A FIELD WITH THE REWARD OF INIQUITY; AND FALLING HEADLONG, HE BURST ASUNDER IN THE MIDST, AND ALL HIS BOWELS GUSHED OUT.  19/ AND IT WAS KNOWN UNTO ALL THE DWELLERS AT JERUSALEM; INSOMUCH AS THAT FIELD IS CALLED IN THEIR PROPER TONGUE, ACELDAMA, THAT IS TO SAY, THE FIELD OF BLOOD.  20/ FOR IT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS, LET HIS HABITATION BE DESOLATE, AND LET NO MAN DWELL THEREIN: AND HIS BISHOPRIC LET ANOTHER TAKE.       

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