Theopolis Podcast: Fourth Sunday of Advent

In this episode of the Theopolis Podcast, Peter Leithart and I discuss the readings for the fourth Sunday of Advent: Micah 5:2-5, Hebrews 10:5-10, and Luke 1:39-56.

You can follow the Theopolis podcast on SoundcloudiTunes, and on most podcast apps. You can read show notes over on the Theopolis podcast website. You can also see past episodes I have contributed to by clicking the ‘Theopolis Podcast’ link in the bar above.

Why Did Satan Enter into Judas to Betray Jesus if He Knew the Cross Would Defeat Him?

How should we understand Satan entering into Judas and his ensuing plan to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3-6)? The wilderness temptations, the rebuke of Peter (Matt. 16:21-23), Christ’s agony in the garden, and even the calls to him to come down off the cross seem to suggest that Jesus was being tempted to abandon the path of suffering and death. Did Satan know that Jesus came to destroy his works by his death? If so, why would he incite Judas to betray him to certain death?

Continue reading “Why Did Satan Enter into Judas to Betray Jesus if He Knew the Cross Would Defeat Him?”

Is The Widow With The Two Mites A Positive Example Of Sacrificial Giving?

The story of the widow and her two mites (Luke 21:1-4) is often used to commend sacrificial giving. However, the immediate context contains Jesus condemning the Scribes for “devouring widows’ houses” and promising to destroy the temple. Is the story primarily about sacrificial giving? Or, is this story about a corrupt religious system that was devouring widows rather than caring and providing for them? The Macedonians in 2 Corinthians 8 gave out of their poverty, but it was in response to the gospel and doesn’t seem to have been their pennies.

Continue reading “Is The Widow With The Two Mites A Positive Example Of Sacrificial Giving?”