By John Walvoord

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

     Daniel 6:1–28. The familiar account of Daniel being thrown into the lions’ den ( Dan. 6 ) is not prophecy in itself but provides an important background for the Lord’s dealings with Daniel. In subsequent chapters, Daniel received four prophetic visions that add a great deal of detail and confirmation to the previous prophetic revelation.

     Daniel 6 was important in testifying to the continued fidelity of Daniel, even though he was tested to the extreme in this chapter. Daniel’s enemies, in plotting his downfall, had secured from Darius a decree that anyone praying for thirty days to God or man, except to Darius himself, would be thrown into the den of lions. Daniel’s enemies were sure Daniel would continue praying. Darius was easily trapped in this predicament as the Medes and Persians believed a decree once signed could not be reversed.

     Daniel, however, continued his prayer life, which he had practiced three times a day for many years. He had his windows opened toward Jerusalem and no attempt was made to hide his continued devotion to his God. Though very much against his desire, Darius, when confronted with Daniel’s disobedience, had Daniel thrown into the lions’ den. But Darius himself, showing his extreme love for Daniel, was hoping that Daniel’s God would deliver him.

     On the following morning when Daniel was rescued, Darius had no compunction against ordering the conspirators, their wives, and their children all to be cast into the den of lions, where they had intended Daniel to be killed.  Daniel 6 closes with another decree, possibly written by Daniel himself, in which the king ordered that everyone must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

     In the decree Darius showed remarkable understanding that God is eternal and that His kingdom and dominion will never end (v.  26 ). He attributed to God the ability to perform “signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (v.  27 ). The decree closed with the statement, “He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions” (v.  27 ).

     The whole chapter is remarkable for a number of reasons. Daniel was then about eighty years of age and had been in obscurity for some years since Nebuchadnezzar’s death twenty-three years earlier. Daniel had emerged from retirement at the feast of Belshazzar. Now the Persians recognized his genius in administration, and he prospered for the remaining years of his life. In the midst of a difficult situation politically and living in a land that worshipped another god, Daniel continued to remain untouched by the immorality and idolatry of those around him and had a testimony among all men of his faithfulness to his God. Prophetically the events of the chapter speak of the rescue of the godly remnant of Israel at the second coming.

Daniel’s Vision of Future World History

     Daniel 7:1–7. The vision of this chapter occurred, according to Daniel, “in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon” (v.  1 ), probably the year 553 BC, or fourteen years before the Medes and the Persians conquered Jerusalem. This vision already was past when Belshazzar held his feast in  Daniel 5.

     Daniel recorded seeing this vision of “the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea” ( 7:2 ). The four beasts, described later, came up out of the sea (vv.  2–3 ).

     The first beast was compared to a lion having the wings of an eagle (v.  4 ). As Daniel watched, the wings were torn off and the eagle was lifted several feet off the ground, and “the heart of a man was given to it” (v.  4 ).

     Daniel then had a vision of a second beast described as “like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’” (v.  5 ).

     A third beast was revealed. It resembled a leopard with four wings, such as a bird would have, and four heads. This beast also “was given authority to rule” (v.  6 ).

     The fourth beast revealed to Daniel was by far the most important and the most frightening. Daniel described it as being very powerful. “It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns” (v.  7 ).

     Daniel 7:8–10. As Daniel continued to watch, he saw an eleventh horn “a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully” (v.  8 ).

     The vision then shifted from the four beasts emerging from the great sea to a scene in heaven. Daniel saw one described as “the Ancient of Days” (v.  9 ). The clothing and hair of the One he saw was white and His throne “was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze” (v.  9 ). Further, as he looked at the scene, “a river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened” (v.  10 ).

     Daniel 7:11–14. Daniel continued to watch the vision of heaven until he saw “the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire” (v.  11 ). This referred to the fourth beast, or the last of the four. He witnessed also, however, that the first three beasts “had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time” (v.  12 ).

     The climax of the vision was when he saw “one like a Son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (vv.  13–14 ).

     If  Daniel 7 had closed with verse  14, based on other Scripture, one could almost understand a portion of the vision. Like the image in chapter  2, the four beasts represented four kingdoms.

     The first kingdom with characteristics of a lion and an eagle represented Babylon. This kingdom had the regal splendor of the empire of Babylon as represented by the lion, the king of beasts, and the eagle, king of birds. The heart of a man given to it referred to Nebuchadnezzar’s experiences in Daniel  4 when he was humbled before God.

     The second kingdom represented the Medo-Persian Empire, which conquered Babylon in 539 BC ( Dan. 5 ). Like a bear it had great power but not the regal characteristics of Babylon. The greater power of Persia as compared to the Medes was revealed in the bear raising up on one side. The three ribs in its mouth probably referred to the three provinces of Babylonia, Persia, and Media.

     The third kingdom represented Greece, identified in  8:21, and the rapid conquests of Alexander the Great, who conquered all of western Asia, were the fulfillment of the leopard. The leopard is a beast capable of great speed like Alexander’s conquests. The four winds also represented speed of conquest. When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his four generals, represented by the four heads and four wings. They were Lysimachus, who ruled Thrace and Bithynia; Cassander, who ruled Macedonia and Greece; Seleucus, who ruled Syria, Babylonia, and land to the east; and Ptolemy, who ruled Egypt, Palestine, and Arabia Petrea. The kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece were named in  8:20–21.

     The fourth kingdom was not named but was historically fulfilled by the Roman Empire. As described in  7:7, it crushed and devoured the countries it conquered. The ten horns represented a future Roman Empire that will reappear in the end time.

     The little horn represented a ruler who would come up last in the fourth kingdom who would be a world conqueror. Just as the image was destroyed in  Daniel 2, so the fourth beast was destroyed by fire ( 7:11 ). The first three beasts were distinguished from the fourth in that instead of being cut off, they were allowed to continue for a time, that is, each was absorbed into the kingdom that followed, in contrast to the fourth kingdom, which will be suddenly destroyed (v.  12 ).

     The coming of the Son of man (v.  13 ) could be understood to refer to the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah in His second coming, as Christ Himself used the expression “a Son of man” in many references to Himself in the New Testament (e.g.,  Matt. 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32, 40 ).

     This passage refers to Jesus Christ in His incarnation approaching “the Ancient of Days” ( Dan. 7:13 ), an obvious reference to God the Father. The reference to giving Him complete authority over all peoples will be fulfilled in His millennial kingdom, which, as far as dominion is concerned, will continue forever (v.  14 ).

     Daniel 7:15–22. Daniel did not immediately understand the image, and he approached one standing by, probably an angel, and asked the meaning of the vision (vv.  15–16 ). Daniel was told, “The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever — yes, forever and ever” (vv.  17–18 ).

     Daniel was particularly concerned about the meaning of the fourth beast, which was given special emphasis in the vision. Daniel wrote, “Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws — the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell — the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully” (vv.  19–20 ).

     Before Daniel had an opportunity to hear the answer, he wrote, “As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints and the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom” (vv.  21–22 ).

     Daniel 7:23–28. Daniel was given this explanation: “The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time” (vv.  23–25 ).

     In this interpretation Daniel was told that the final kingdom described by the fourth beast will “devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it” (v.  23 ). This was an advance over anything that had been revealed before. In the vision in chapter  2 the stone destroyed the image, but it did not go into detail concerning the end - time form of the empire as this one did.

     Daniel was told that the ten horns represented ten kings ( 7:24 ). The little horn, representing “another king” (v.  24 ), will differ from the ten horns and will, in fact, conquer three of the horns (v.  24 ). He will not only be a world ruler who eventually will conquer the whole earth (v.  23 ), but he will also speak against God and will oppress His saints (v.  25 ). He will attempt to change long-accepted laws and times (v.  25 ), and for a time he will be able to persecute saints.

     The time factor was represented as “time, times and half a time” (v.  25 ). Though this time factor is not transparent, by comparing this with other Scriptures it is evident that he was talking about a period of three and a half years: a time representing one year, the plural “times” representing two years, and then adding “half a time” (v.  25 ) representing half a year. This will be seen to correspond to the last half of the seven-year period described in  Daniel 9:27, the forty-two months described in  Revelation 13:5, and the 1,260 days spoken of in  Revelation 11:3. The fact that the word time represented a year was also illustrated in  Daniel 4:16, 23, 25, 32. The similar expression “a time, times and half a time” is indicated in  Revelation 12:14, also representing three and a half years. In all these cases the probability is that it refers to the last three and a half years preceding the second coming of Christ to the earth.

     The description of the final ruler as one that ruthlessly “crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left” ( Dan. 7:19 ) was characteristic of the Roman Empire historically, and was here applied to its final form when it comes to the status of a world dictatorship in the last three and a half years before the second coming.

     The minute description given here of the end time, the fourth beast, and the ten horns followed by the eleventh horn that gained control of three has not been fulfilled in history. Some expositors have attempted to find ten kings of the beast and the eleventh king who would arise to somehow fulfill this prophecy, but there is nothing corresponding to this in the history of the Roman Empire. The ten horns do not reign one after the other, but they reign simultaneously. Further, they are not the world empire, but they are the forerunner to the little horn, which after subduing three of the ten horns, will go on to become a world ruler (v.  23; Rev. 13:7 ).

     It is obvious to many expositors that the first three kingdoms have come and gone in history, represented by Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The fourth empire, though not named here, has been identified as the Roman Empire as it was historically. The last stage of the Roman Empire, described here as the ten-horn stage of becoming a world empire, has never been fulfilled. In fact, the whole present age intervenes between the Roman Empire and this future world empire, a factor characteristic of the Old Testament in revealing the future. The present age is passed over in its foreview.

     This between period of present age has many parallels in Scripture. In the Old Testament, frequently the first and second coming of Christ are referred to in the same verse without respect to the more than two thousand years that have already elapsed between them. The Old Testament foreview simply did not anticipate the present age of the church composed of Jews and Gentiles on an equal standing, baptized into the body of Christ and becoming one.

     As far as the Old Testament prophecies are concerned, the end time would immediately follow the first coming of Christ. The Old Testament prophets did not know or anticipate that there would be this long period of time between the two advents. In view of the fact that prophecy is fulfilled literally in other respects, it is understandable how many scholars hold that this future aspect is still ahead and, in fact, may be fulfilled in the relatively near human history. Those who would place the rapture before the end-time tribulation believe that the rapture will occur before these endtime prophecies are fulfilled, including the ten-nation group and the world empire led by the eleventh horn, or ruler.

     Daniel concluded his prophetic picture of this dramatic series of events by saying, “But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey Him” ( Dan. 7:26–27 ). As Daniel concluded this episode, he declared, “I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself” (v.  28 ).

     It is clear that Daniel did not understand the prophecy he recorded. Those living today, because of the fulfillment of so much of this prophecy, can understand this prophecy better than Daniel did. Some interpreters of this prophecy have attempted to find fulfillment in the past. The amillennial interpretation, which holds there is no millennial kingdom after the second coming, often claims fulfillment of this chapter completely in history. A complete fulfillment, however, would require first, a ruler who would rule the entire earth, and second, a ten-nation confederacy in which the ruler conquered three of the ten kings. No ruler in the past has singled out a period of three and a half years to be the persecutor of Israel and to bring in the special period that in the Old Testament was placed before the second coming. If such a ruler could be identified, he and his rule would have to be destroyed forever by God Himself and would need to be supplanted by a kingdom of God.

     Attempts to interpret the little horn as the Roman papacy is also faulty as no king or pope can be identified in history fulfilling these prophecies. Papal power is still active in the world and not limited to three and a half years, and the papacy has not been destroyed by the second coming. In other words, if this prophecy is to be understood in its literal fulfillment, it must be interpreted parallel to  chapter 2, where the prophecy of the destruction of the feet of the image and the whole image itself has not been fulfilled. In this prophecy the final ruler has not emerged, and the various circumstances surrounding his rule have not been fulfilled in history. In view of the fact that prophecies up to the time of the end have been fulfilled so literally, a literal climax is also the only satisfactory approach, and this holds that there is yet a future time when the end-time prophecies will be fulfilled.

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Every Prophecy of the Bible: Clear Explanations for Uncertain Times

Abide in Me, and I in You— John 15.4

By Andrew Murray (05-09-1828-01-18-1917)

     When a new graft is placed in a vine and it abides there, there is a twofold process that takes place. The first is in the wood. The graft shoots its little roots and fibers down into the stem, and the stem grows up into the graft, and what has been called the structural union is effected. The graft abides and becomes one with the vine, and even though the vine were to die, would still be one wood with it. Then there is the second process, in which the sap of the vine enters the new structure, and uses it as a passage through which sap can flow up to show itself in young shoots and leaves and fruit. Here is the vital union. Into the graft which abides in the stock, the stock enters with sap to abide in it.

     When our Lord says: “Abide in me, and I in you,” He points to something analogous to this. “Abide in me”: that refers more to that which we have to do. We have to trust and obey, to detach ourselves from all else, to reach out after Him and cling to Him, to sink ourselves into Him. As we do this, through the grace He gives, a character is formed, and a heart prepared for the fuller experience: “I in you,” God strengthens us with might by the Spirit in the inner man, and Christ dwells in the heart by faith.

     Many believers pray and long very earnestly for the filling of the Spirit and the indwelling of Christ, and wonder that they do not make more progress. The reason is often this, the “I in you” cannot come because the “abide in me” is not maintained. “There is one body and one spirit”; before the Spirit can fill, there must be a body prepared. The graft must have grown into the stem, and be abiding in it before the sap can flow through to bring forth fruit. It is as in lowly obedience we follow Christ, even in external things, denying ourselves, forsaking the world, and even in the body  seeking to be conformable to Him,  as we thus seek to abide in Him, that we shall be able to receive and enjoy the “I in you.” The work enjoined on us: “Abide in me,” will prepare us for the work undertaken by Him: “I in you.”

     In— the two parts of the injunction have their unity in that central deep-meaning word “ in.”  There is no deeper word in Scripture. God is in all. God dwells in Christ. Christ lives in God. We are in Christ. Christ is in us: our life taken up into His; His life received into ours; in a divine reality that words cannot express, we are in Him and He in us. And the words, “Abide in me and I in you,” just tell us to believe it, this divine mystery, and to count upon our God the Husbandman, and Christ the Vine, to make it divinely true. No thinking or teaching or praying can grasp it; it is a divine mystery of love. As little as we can effect the union can we understand it. Let us just look upon this infinite, divine, omnipotent Vine loving us, holding us, working in us. Let us in the faith of His working abide and rest in Him, ever turning heart and hope to Him alone. And let us count upon Him to fulfill in us the mystery: “Ye in me, and I in you.”

     Blessed Lord, Thou dost bid me abide in Thee. How can I, Lord, except Thou show Thyself to me, waiting to receive and welcome and keep me? I pray Thee show me how Thou as Vine undertaketh to do all. To be occupied with Thee is to abide in Thee. Here I am, Lord, a branch, cleansed and abiding—resting in Thee, and awaiting the inflow of Thy life and grace.

Divorce

By R.C. Sproul 12/01/2011

     In 1948, the famous Harvard social historian Pitirim Sorokin wrote an essay in which he sounded an alarm about the rapid disintegration of the stability of the American culture. In this essay, Sorokin pointed out that in 1910 the divorce rate in America was ten percent. Yet from 1910 to 1948, the rate of divorce in America escalated from ten to twenty-five percent. Sorokin indicated that if a quarter of the homes in any given nation are broken by divorce, the stability of the nation cannot endure. Its culture is torn to shreds. Arguing that the family unit is the most basic and foundational unit of every society, he said that when that unit breaks, the society itself suffers a shattered continuity.

     One wonders what Sorokin would think if he observed the situation that exists in America today. Since 1948, the divorce rate has gone from twenty-five percent up to and beyond fifty percent: that is, at least half of those marriages that are contracted in America end in divorce. This also means that at least half of the families that are united by marriage suffer a fracture; in a word, they are broken.

     The fallout from this startling statistic includes the growing disenchantment with the institution of marriage itself in unprecedented numbers. From the beginning of time and the institution of marriage by God in the garden of Eden, matrimony has been pursued by nearly everyone. However, many people are now eschewing marriage and are choosing cohabitation without the covenant bond of marriage. This situation is not only dangerous but, from a biblical perspective, involves gross and heinous sin. Cohabitation without marriage is seen by God as sexual immorality.

     Obviously, the majority in America is not concerned about departure from a biblical ethic. But what is even more disconcerting is that many young people who are members in good standing of evangelical Christian churches opt for cohabitations without fear of rebuke or discipline from church authorities. This says as much about the church as it does the people who are living in wanton sin. In addition to those cohabitating outside of marriage, we also see a multitude of young women who choose to be single parents without entering into marriage or even without cohabitating with the fathers of their children. The single mother is becoming almost an institution in American culture. This spells a serious situation of brokenness that affects the very fabric of American society.

     The issue of divorce can be measured objectively by simply examining the statistics of marriages and dissolutions of marriages that are accomplished legally. But in addition to this objective statistic, we find other forms of brokenness within the context of marriage. It is not only divorce that breaks a home; when parents are addicted to illicit drugs or abuse other substances, the family structure is equally broken. The threat to the family unit is ultimately a manifestation of the fallenness of our human nature. Sin violates family unity. Sin is the force by which families are broken. And sinners have no power within themselves to repair that which is broken. The broken home seems to suffer a fate similar to Humpty Dumpty. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men were not able to repair the fracture that this poor mythical egg experienced.

     The number of people seeking to survive within the context of brokenness has now reached multiple millions. The comforting factor is that if we are involved in such brokenness, our experience is not unique, anomalous, or something that takes place in solitary confinement. Rather, those of us who are involved in broken homes are surrounded by multitudes experiencing the same pain due to the dissolution of family stability. This is an area, of course, that not only asks for but screams for the church’s ministry.

     The New Testament puts a priority on the church’s concern for widows and orphans. Widows and orphans are human beings who have suffered broken families not through divorce but through death. Obviously, the church’s concern must extend beyond those whose brokenness has been caused by death. Anyone who is involved in a broken family relationship needs the ministry and care of the church. One good thing that has come out of this destruction of the American family is the church’s awakening to the need to minister to single mothers and fathers, to recovering substance abusers, and to all who are trying to repair their lives after going through difficult divorces. Divorce can no longer be seen simply as an extreme case of marital failure. Since it has reached not only epidemic but pandemic proportions, it cries out for the application of the means of grace to those who suffer as a result of it.

     A church that closes its doors and its hearts to those who are in broken situations cannot be considered a church at all. The church exists, principally, to minister to those who are broken. It was said of our Lord Himself that He would not break the bruised reed (Isa. 42:3). Victims of broken homes are bruised people; the bruises will not go away without help. This is a wound that time does not have the capacity to heal. It requires the healing of God Himself, which He often ministers through His church. This is our concern as Christians, and one we dare not neglect. How we handle these situations will have an eternal impact, not only for the individuals involved, but for cultures and nations whose structure is marred by brokenness.œ

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Robert Charles Sproul, 2/13/1939 – 12/14/2017 was an American theologian, author, and ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. Dr. R.C. Sproul was founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian education and discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was also copastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., chancellor of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. Dr. Sproul has contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, has spoken at conferences, churches, and schools around the world, and has written more than one hundred books. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible.

Broken Churches

By R.C. Sproul Jr. 12/01/2011

     Broken homes are created by broken people. That is, before we can offer the balm of Gilead to those living in broken homes, we need to be perfectly clear how they got that way. For all the pressures assaulting the family, for all the allure of the world, and for all the temptations of the Devil, it is the flesh, our own sin natures, that destroy our homes. We are so self-deluded, however, that we have lost sight of how selfdestructive we are. We think we are but victims, when the hard truth is that we are villains.

     Wisdom tells us, for instance, that a wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman, with her own hands, tears it down (Prov. 14). Wives, who are called to be keepers at home (Titus 2), too often become destroyers of homes. In like manner, Proverbs also highlights at least one way that men destroy their own lives. Folly, like a carnal woman, beckons us, offering all her pleasures. But, the Bible tells us, her household is the way of Sheol, going down to the chambers of death (Prov. 7:27). Our homes are in shambles because our lives are in shambles.

     We don’t, of course, do this on purpose. No one gleefully plans to destroy his own home. No man, when he begins to allow his eye to wander, determines that he wants to destroy not only his own life but the lives of his wife and children as well. No one self-consciously drops a bomb on his own house when he starts looking at the pictures on the Internet. What we do instead is determine that God is a liar.

     He tells us, after all, not only what we are supposed to do and supposed not to do; He also tells us the fruits of our actions. He tells us that as we love our wives and children, we will rejoice with them at the table, our children arrayed like olive plants (Ps. 128). He also tells us that the unfaithful man hates himself, that our sins will find us out, and that when we sow the wind, we will assuredly reap the whirlwind. God tells us, shows us the very pathway toward blessing and joy, and we proudly blaze our own trails. Then, we wonder how we came to be broken and bloodied after falling off a cliff.

     Our homes, however, can only begin to heal of their brokenness as we come to accept and understand our own brokenness. When we face up to the reality of our sin, when we confess the kind of people we are, God in His goodness draws near. He does, after all, give grace to the humble. That grace will not likely come in the form of the eradication of all our temptations. It may come, however, in helping us to see them for what they are — invitations to death.

     They might also take a whole different form. When we recognize our own brokenness, we in turn know that we can’t trust ourselves. When left to ourselves we will choose for ourselves, and, in so doing, choose foolishly. This is why God has ordained the church to call us to faithfulness. Through the right preaching of the Word, we are reminded of His wisdom. Through the right exercise of the sacraments, we not only remember our brokenness but His faithfulness. We not only look back to our Husband dying for us at Calvary, His body broken and His blood spilled, but we look forward to the marriage feast of the Lamb. We enter into eternity and taste that He is good.

     Church discipline, however, is another grace from God’s hand that helps us not to break our own homes. The elders of the church are called to speak into our broken homes, to call unfaithful husbands to repentance, to admonish straying wives to return home. They are to remind the whole congregation that those who practice these things will by no means inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5). They are to exercise the power of the keys.

     Sadly, too often churches fail families here. They cover wounds lightly and leave the broken broken because they will not discipline where they must. They fear men, whether in the form of a loss of reputation or of civil repercussions. Too often, those called to shepherd the flock prove to be mere hirelings who look away when wolves break up and destroy homes. Being “nice” is so much easier than being first responders when homes become broken. It’s safer to run away from the problem than to run to it.

     Our calling, however, is to set aside our worries and to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. He is the true Shepherd. He guards the door to the kingdom. And we are called to fulfill His orders, no matter the cost. Little girls are looking to us, men, to rescue them from unfaithful daddies. Little boys are learning that men run when times get tough, first by watching their unfaithful daddies, then by watching their unfaithful elders. Husbands are left with no one and no way to correct wayward wives. And wives have no men to look after them. All because the church is broken. Repent, and seek His kingdom, His righteousness.

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Being Black and Reformed: An Interview with Anthony Carter

By Anthony Carter 12/01/2011

     Tabletalk: Why did you write the book On Being Black and Reformed?

     Anthony Carter: When I first came into the knowledge of Reformed theology, I was excited and invigorated to share this truth with others. However, I quickly discovered that not everyone found Reformed theology as compelling as I did (go figure). This was particularly true within African American circles. Because of the caricatures of Reformed theology that have become popular in some Christian circles, and because of the unfortunate history of some within Reformed confessing Christianity, many African Americans find Reformed theology in general, and Reformed-minded Christians in particular, not very sympathetic to their history and culture. I wrote On Being Black and Reformed because I wanted to nix those thoughts and demonstrate that not only is Reformed theology biblically and historically consistent, but it is not antithetical to the African American Christian experience. In fact, Reformed theology makes the most sense of the world in general and the history of African Americans in particular.

     TT: How did you first discover Reformed theology?

     AC: When I was saved and sensed a call to ministry, I set my mind to study the Bible all I could and to learn the teachings contained in there. I had a lot of theological questions and would seek to find answers in a variety of quarters. However, what I discovered was that the vast majority of my answers were coming from guys who held to the Reformed theological tradition. I was not aware of what Reformed theology was at the time, but I knew that the answers I discovered were bathed in the Scriptures.

     It was not until I discovered the teachings and writings of J.I. Packer and R.C. Sproul that I began to put the categories together and realized just how mentally compelling, heart-humbling, gospel-centering, and joy-producing Reformed theology could be.

     TT: A number of American Reformed theologians were slave owners. How can a Christian who is black embrace the theology of men who owned slaves or who defended the slave trade?

     AC: Indeed, this is one of the hurdles many (not all) African American Christians find hard to get over as they come to understand and embrace Reformed theology. I have often contended that the reticence that some African Americans have toward an embrace of Reformed theology is not as much the theology as it is the ones who have held to it. There are, however, a couple things to be said about this. First, the sordid, sinful, and tangled history of slavery in America was not just the property of Reformed Christians. Christians from practically every religious confession in America have a poor history of racism and even slave holding. To disregard any tradition that held slaves would be to disregard practically every theological tradition in America. Admittedly, the problem has often been that while other traditions have been quicker to acknowledge their sins in this regard, many in the Reformed tradition have been slow to and have even retreated into their own theological and cultural enclaves rather than deal publicly and forthrightly with the transgressions of the past. Consequently, Reformed Christians have been viewed as less vigorous in denouncing the sins of slavery and thus implying their approval of it. This perception is unfortunate, yet real.

     Nevertheless, the question remains. To answer it, allow me to make it personal. How can I, a black man, embrace the theology of men who owned slaves? I can joyfully embrace it because I realize that I am embracing the theology of the Bible and not necessarily the frail, fallible men who teach it. I can embrace the theology because it allows me to point out the sins of such teachers and yet the grace that is greater than that sin.

     How could the early Christians embrace the theology of the Apostle Paul when, as Saul of Tarsus, he pursued, persecuted, and even consented to many of their deaths? They could do it because they understood the gospel to be greater than not just their sins but also the sins of those who transgressed against them. I can embrace it because if we listen and learn only from those in history who have no theological blind spots, then to whom shall we listen and from whom shall we learn? Biblical theology must be larger, more grand than the imperfections of its teachers. I believe Reformed theology is.

     TT: What is your opinion regarding the largely non-integrated state of local churches?

     AC: For years, the evangelical church has decried the ethnic and cultural divide that is found in local churches. While we are comfortable with and even insistent upon integration in larger society, for some reason integration within the walls of our local churches is not something we have been able to achieve. God has given us a vision for it in the Scriptures and even in our hearts, but, apparently, He has not allowed that vision to come to full fruition in the vast majority of our congregations. The fact that the church is not the most integrated institution in society is troublesome when you consider that we have the one message and power to bring about true reconciliation, namely, the gospel and the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, I do understand the difficulty.

     Most of us like comfort. We like to be around people with whom we are comfortable and have much in common. This is particularly true when it comes to those places that mean the most to us — home and church. Thus, not only are our churches not integrated, but even more rarely are our families integrated.

     Still, this lack of integration is not something with which we should be comfortable. The vision of the Scriptures is clear. The vision in most of our minds is clear (I don’t know too many people who don’t want to see their churches more integrated). The question to consider is whether our churches are places where people sense Christ is celebrated — not culture, class, or ethnicity, but Christ. It is difficult to not celebrate culture, class, and ethnicity. Yet, this is what we are called to do. This is what we are called to strive after. The fact that our churches are not integrated is not as troublesome for me as is the fact that culture and ethnicity often trump the gospel, even in what we might believe to be the best of churches.

     TT: What have you learned as a pastor that seminary did not prepare you for?

     AC: When I went to seminary, I had a love for theology and the Scriptures. Being in seminary and working at Ligonier only enhanced both of those passions. However, what seminary did not prepare me for was the necessity of love and passion for people. Love is indispensible. Serving as an associate pastor under a godly and giving man, and now serving as lead pastor of a church plant, God has taught me that as important as my love for His Word is, I must also have a love for His people. This comes not from sitting in classrooms or poring over historical texts in the library but rather from sitting in living rooms, waiting rooms, and courtrooms. It comes from doing weddings and funerals. It comes from doing life together and realizing that the gospel is not just a message to be prepared every week; it is also a life to be lived and loved together every day.

     TT: If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those in Scripture), who would it be and why?

     AC: Having attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, and having worked at Ligonier for five years, I had the unbelievable blessing of being exposed to and taught by some great theologians. And so, if I not only exclude those from Scripture, but also, with respect, men like R.C., from whom I have learned as much if not more than anyone, I would say that I would be most excited to study under Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635–1711). Admittedly, most would not be familiar with Wilhelmus à Brakel and his theological magnum opus The Christian's Reasonable Service, 4 Vols., but I have never been so moved by theological reflection as I am with à Brakel. à Brakel seemingly had the unique ability to take heady theological reflection and not just make it pastoral, but even emotion-stirring. Coming from the rich Dutch Reformed tradition, his biblical theological reflections are keen, but he never just settles for keenness. His goal seems to be experiential — a rich, Reformed, experiential Christianity. That’s what I pray to have.

     Having spent countless hours poring over à Brakel, I feel in some sense that I have studied under him. However, what a joy it would have been to be an eyewitness to the effect his theological insights had on his heart and the hearts of those to whom he was called to minister.

œ      Anthony Carter is the pastor of East Point Church in East Point, Georgia. After completing studies at Atlanta Christian College, he attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, where he received his Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. While in Orlando, Pastor Carter also worked for Ligonier Ministries for several years. He is the author of On Being Black and Reformed: A New Look at the African-American Christian Experience and the editor of Experiencing the Truth: Bringing the Reformation to the African-American Church and Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity.

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• 1     Black and Reformed: Seeing God's Sovereignty in the African-American Christian Experience
• 2     Experiencing the Truth: Bringing the Reformation to the African-American Church
• 3     Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity
• 4     On Being Black and Reformed: A New Perspective on the African-American Christian Experience
• 5     Blood Work
• 6     What is the Gospel?: Life's Most Important Question
• 7     The Holiness of God: An Attribute First Among Equals
• 8     Fighting Sexual Temptation: An Attack of the Heart
• 9     Wolves Among the Sheep: Be Aware of False Prophets

Rest for Restless Hearts

By Scott Anderson 12/01/2011

     Stroll into a bookstore these days and you will likely find a large area labeled “Self-Help,” “Motivation,” or “Personal Transformation.” Go ahead, browse the volumes found here. Some are curiously interesting, and some will just make you laugh. Several books will seek to convince you that your main problem in life is that you aren’t tapped into the secret power that dwells inside of you. Something — a child, a serpent, a Buddha, and, yes, even a dolphin — simply needs to be “awakened,” and then you will become happy, healthy, and wise.

     Some of these titles are clearly aimed at a Christian, churchgoing market. Some are even written by professing believers. There is a disturbing similarity in emphasis between these books and those offered by various “enlightenment” groups. It makes you wonder whether the contemporary church has become so desperate for spiritual identity that she has turned to New Age ideology and pop psychology for help. Various teachers and authors seek to convince us that our cosmic purpose is found within ourselves. Each promises that we can locate the telos — the ultimate aim — of our spiritual satisfaction within our own hearts. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth or more dangerous to our souls.

     The existence of these books points toward a distressing aspect of church life: for many believers, an ongoing sense of fulfillment in Christ can feel like an elusive hope. We often hear of Christians who struggle with a sense of purposelessness, living their lives day in and day out, feeling defeated and discouraged. (I write as one who has experienced times like this.) Sadly, we all probably know someone who has abandoned the fight of faith altogether.

     For many, the promises of the Good Shepherd ring hollow and often don’t seem to correspond with reality. Jesus said: “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Really? Abundantly? For some, the “abundant life” promised by Christ has been reduced to a daily grind of “faithfulness.” The Christian walk has become a listless routine wherein spiritual disciplines are a duty and godliness is rote. Joy, fervency, and love for God have been burned away like a morning mist by the incessant sun of Christian routine. Within many hearts, there exists a sense of emptiness. How are we to understand this ache within and at the same time recognize that there is no final satisfaction to be found by looking within?

     It begins by gaining a proper understanding of the purpose of our inner man. Scripture most frequently refers to our inner man as “the heart.” Bible scholars describe it as the totality of our being, the essence of who we really are. It includes the mind, will, and emotions. And within the hearts of everyone is created an intense desire for spiritual purpose — a longing, a yearning for meaning, a “space,” if you will, designed by God that can be filled only by God (Eccl. 3:11).

     And this is the crucial part: life cannot and will not make sense or provide ongoing meaning and focus until your inner being (your “heart”) locks onto the telos of its God-given desire, namely, God Himself.

     The only answer to the vacuum in our hearts is a relationship with God: knowing the Father through the work of His Son as applied by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the nurturing of this relationship — resting in and rehearsing the gospel — is the great purpose of our inner man. It is the very reason our hearts were created: to know, love, and delight in the God who created us for His glory (Ps. 16:11; Isa. 43:7; Jer. 9:23–24). As Augustine prayed, “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.”

     Perhaps the clearest expression of the purpose of our inner man is found in the Great Commandment: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6 :4–5). God’s desire for His people is that we should love Him with the totality of our being. Christ echoed this sentiment when He stated that loving God with our whole heart was the first and greatest commandment (Matt. 22:38). Even the Apostle Paul’s prayer for believers reveals that the purpose of our inner being is profoundly related to knowing the love of Christ (Eph. 3:16–19). Loving God — and being loved by Him — is simply why we were created, and we will find ultimate satisfaction in nothing else.

     So, as we seek to be the church in this world, let us not seek to pursue abiding satisfaction and spiritual purpose by gazing inward or by probing the cauldron of mixed motives and fickle emotions that lie within the recesses of our hearts. Instead, let us simply remember what our hearts were created and redeemed for: to look outward in faith and to rest in the finished work of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal. 2:20).œ

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Scripture on Blessings

By Mike Mobley 11/22/16

     It’s pretty incredible when you just stop and think for a moment about what God has done for us. Just take a moment out of your day, right now, and consider this…God actually sent His one and only Son down here to earth…who lived a perfect life…died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins…and rose from the grave defeating death and sin in victory.

     Regardless of what is going on in our lives…are we blessed? You tell me.

     I don’t ever want to come across insensitive to what you might be experiencing in your own life right now, but oftentimes I think we all lose our perspective on what is most important. Even in the hardest of times, we can trust Jesus to carry us through it. He went through the toughest of trials and can sympathize with our every weakness (Hebrews 4:15).

     And because of what Jesus has done, we are blessed. Not only are we forgiven for all eternity (which is quite the blessing), we are also made righteous through Him so that when God looks at us…He doesn’t even see our sin but sees us through Jesus Christ.

     You are blessed. I am blessed. We are all blessed for following Jesus and having a relationship with the very God who created us. That is simply amazing!

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Read The Psalms In "1" Year

Psalm 87

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”

The Continual Burnt Offering (John 12:3)

By H.A. Ironside - 1941

August 12

Lord, as we bless Thee for Thy love
So world-embracing!—So divine!
May our hearts burn within us, till
The fire within shall burn and shine,
Consuming all the dross of self,
All thought of ease; all lesser love;
Until on earth we do Thy will
E’en as the seraphs do above.
--- Margaret E. Barber

CHAP. LI.—LET THE PARTAKERS IN STRIFE ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SINS.

     Let us therefore implore forgiveness for all those transgressions which through any [suggestion] of the adversary we have committed. And those who have been the leaders of sedition and disagreement ought to have respect (Or, “look to.”) to the common hope. For such as live in fear and love would rather that they themselves than their neighbours should be involved in suffering. And they prefer to bear blame themselves, rather than that the concord which has been well and piously (Or, “righteously.”) handed down to us should suffer. For it is better that a man should acknowledge his transgressions than that he should harden his heart, as the hearts of those were hardened who stirred up sedition against Moses the servant of God, and whose condemnation was made manifest [unto all]. For they went down alive into Hades, and death swallowed them up. (Num. 16) Pharaoh with his army and all the princes of Egypt, and the chariots with their riders, were sunk in the depths of the Red Sea, and perished, (Ex. 14) for no other reason than that their foolish hearts were hardened, after so many signs and wonders had been wrought in the land of Egypt by Moses the servant of God.

CHAP. LII.—SUCH A CONFESSION IS PLEASING TO GOD.

     The Lord, brethren, stands in need of nothing; and He desires nothing of any one, except that confession be made to Him. For, says the elect David, “I will confess unto the Lord; and that will please Him more than a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad.” (Ps. 119:31-32) And again he saith, “Offer (Or, “sacrifice.”) unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High. And call upon Me in the day of thy trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” (Ps. 50:14-15) For “the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.” (Ps. 51:17)

CHAP. LIII.—THE LOVE OF MOSES TOWARDS HIS PEOPLE.

     Ye understand, beloved, ye understand well the Sacred Scriptures, and ye have looked very earnestly into the oracles of God. Call then these things to your remembrance. When Moses went up into the mount, and abode there, with fasting and humiliation, forty days and forty nights, the Lord said unto him, “Moses, Moses, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people whom thou didst bring out of the land of Egypt have committed iniquity. They have speedily departed from the way in which I commanded them to walk, and have made to themselves molten images.” (Ex. 32:7, etc.; Deut. 9:12, etc.) And the Lord said unto him, “I have spoken to thee once and again, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: let Me destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make thee a great and wonderful nation, and one much more numerous than this.” (Ex. 32:9, etc.) But Moses said, “Far be it from Thee, Lord: pardon the sin of this people; else blot me also out of the book of the living.” (Ex. 32:32) O marvellous (Or, “mighty.”) love! O insuperable perfection! The servant speaks freely to his Lord, and asks forgiveness for the people, or begs that he himself might perish (Literally, “be wiped out.”) along with them.

CHAP. LIV.—HE WHO IS FULL OF LOVE WILL INCUR EVERY LOSS, THAT PEACE MAY BE RESTORED TO THE CHURCH.

     Who then among you is noble-minded? who compassionate? who full of love? Let him declare, “If on my account sedition and disagreement and schisms have arisen, I will depart, I will go away whithersoever ye desire, and I will do whatever the majority (Literally, “the multitude.” [Clement here puts words into the mouth of the Corinthian presbyters. It has been strangely quoted to strengthen a conjecture that he had humbly preferred Linus and Cletus when first called to preside.]) commands; only let the flock of Christ live on terms of peace with the presbyters set over it.” He that acts thus shall procure to himself great glory in the Lord; and every place will welcome (Or, “receive.”) him. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.” (Ps. 24:1; 1 Cor. 10:26, 28) These things they who live a godly life, that is never to be repented of, both have done and always will do.

CHAP. LV.—EXAMPLES OF SUCH LOVE.

     To bring forward some examples from among the heathen: Many kings and princes, in times of pestilence, when they had been instructed by an oracle, have given themselves up to death, in order that by their own blood they might deliver their fellow-citizens [from destruction]. Many have gone forth from their own cities, that so sedition might be brought to an end within them. We know many among ourselves who have given themselves up to bonds, in order that they might ransom others. Many, too, have surrendered themselves to slavery, that with the price (Literally, “and having received their prices, fed others.”[Comp. Rom. 16:3-4, and Phil. 2:30.]) which they received for themselves, they might provide food for others. Many women also, being strengthened by the grace of God, have performed numerous manly exploits. The blessed Judith, when her city was besieged, asked of the elders permission to go forth into the camp of the strangers; and, exposing herself to danger, she went out for the love which she bare to her country and people then besieged; and the Lord delivered Holofernes into the hands of a woman. (Judith 8:30) Esther also, being perfect in faith, exposed herself to no less danger, in order to deliver the twelve tribes of Israel from impending destruction. For with fasting and humiliation she entreated the everlasting God, who seeth all things; and He, perceiving the humility of her spirit, delivered the people for whose sake she had encountered peril. (Esther 7, 8)

CHAP. LVI.—LET US ADMONISH AND CORRECT ONE ANOTHER.

     Let us then also pray for those who have fallen into any sin, that meekness and humility may be given to them, so that they may submit, not unto us, but to the will of God. For in this way they shall secure a fruitful and perfect remembrance from us, with sympathy for them, both in our prayers to God, and our mention of them to the saints. (Literally, “there shall be to them a fruitful and perfect remembrance, with compassions both towards God and the saints.”) Let us receive correction, beloved, on account of which no one should feel displeased. Those exhortations by which we admonish one another are both good [in themselves] and highly profitable, for they tend to unite (Or, “they unite.”) us to the will of God. For thus saith the holy Word: “The Lord hath severely chastened me, yet hath not given me over to death.” (Ps. 118:18) “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6) “The righteous,” saith it, “shall chasten me in mercy, and reprove me; but let not the oil of sinners make fat my head.” (Ps. 141:5) And again he saith, “Blessed is the man whom the Lord reproveth, and reject not thou the warning of the Almighty. For He causes sorrow, and again restores [to gladness]; He woundeth, and His hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in the seventh no evil shall touch thee. In famine He shall rescue thee from death, and in war He shall free thee from the power (Literally, “hand.”) of the sword. From the scourge of the tongue will He hide thee, and thou shalt not fear when evil cometh. Thou shalt laugh at the unrighteous and the wicked, and shalt not be afraid of the beasts of the field. For the wild beasts shall be at peace with thee: then shalt thou know that thy house shall be in peace, and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not fail. (Literally, “err” or “sin.”) Thou shall know also that thy seed shall be great, and thy children like the grass of the field. And thou shall come to the grave like ripened corn which is reaped in its season, or like a heap of the threshing-floor which is gathered together at the proper time.” (Job 5:17–26) Ye see, beloved, that protection is afforded to those that are chastened of the Lord; for since God is good, He corrects us, that we may be admonished by His holy chastisement.

CHAP. LVII.—LET THE AUTHORS OF SEDITION SUBMIT THEMSELVES.

     Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of this sedition, submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent, bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to be subject, laying aside the proud and arrogant self-confidence of your tongue. For it is better for you that ye should occupy (Literally, “to be found small and esteemed.”) a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people. (Literally, “His hope.” [It has been conjectured that ἔλπιδος should be ἔπαύλιδος, and the reading, “out of the fold of his people.” See Chevallier.]) For thus speaketh all-virtuous Wisdom: (Prov. 1:23–31 [Often cited by this name in primitive writers.]) “Behold, I will bring forth to you the words of My Spirit, and I will teach you My speech. Since I called, and ye did not hear; I held forth My words, and ye regarded not, but set at naught My counsels, and yielded not at My reproofs; therefore I too will laugh at your destruction; yea, I will rejoice when ruin cometh upon you, and when sudden confusion overtakes you, when overturning presents itself like a tempest, or when tribulation and oppression fall upon you. For it shall come to pass, that when ye call upon Me, I will not hear you; the wicked shall seek Me, and they shall not find Me. For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; nor would they listen to My counsels, but despised My reproofs. Wherefore they shall eat the fruits of their own way, and they shall be filled with their own ungodliness.” …(Junius (Pat. Young), who examined the MS before it was bound into its present form, stated that a whole leaf was here lost. The next letters that occur are ιπον, which have been supposed to indicate εἶπον or ἔλιπον. Doubtless some passages quoted by the ancients from the Epistle of Clement, and not now found in it, occurred in the portion which has thus been lost.)

CHAP. LVIII.—BLESSINGS SOUGHT FOR ALL THAT CALL UPON GOD.

     May God, who seeth all things, and who is the Ruler of all spirits and the Lord of all flesh — who chose our Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him to be a peculiar (Comp. Tit. 2:14) people — grant to every soul that calleth upon His glorious and holy Name, faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity, and sobriety, to the well-pleasing of His Name, through our High Priest and Protector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him glory, and majesty, and power, and honour, both now and for evermore. Amen.

CHAP. LIX.—THE CORINTHIANS ARE EXHORTED SPEEDILY TO SEND BACK WORD THAT PEACE HAS BEEN RESTORED. THE BENEDICTION.

     Send back speedily to us in peace and with joy these our messengers to you: Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito, with Fortunatus: that they may the sooner announce to us the peace and harmony we so earnestly desire and long for [among you], and that we may the more quickly rejoice over the good order re-established among you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and with all everywhere that are the called of God through Him, by whom be to Him glory, honour, power, majesty, and eternal dominion, (Literally, “an eternal throne.”) from everlasting to everlasting. (Literally, “From the ages to the ages of ages.”) Amen.

Clement of Rome, “The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians,” in The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, vol. 1, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885)