Theolographs

Hello all! The book of Daniel mentions four kings. Three of them—Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Cyrus—are mentioned in other ancient texts. But one of them, Darius the Mede, best known for throwing Daniel into the lion's den, is not known to history. Daniel says that Darius succeeded Belshazzar, but the historical consensus is that it was Cyrus who succeeded Belshazzar. So who then is Darius the Mede? Here are four views.

Cyrus the Great: The historical consensus is that Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BCE. Since Daniel 5:31 says Darius the Mede took the throne after Belshazzar, he must be no other than Cyrus the Great. Daniel 6:28, which normally reads, "So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian," can also be translated, "So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

Gobryas the Governor: Darius the Mede could not be Cyrus, as Cyrus is always described in biblical and extrabiblical texts as Persian, not Mede. However, several ancient sources assert that after Cyrus conquered Babylon, he installed a man named Gobryas, described as one well advanced in years, as the governor of Babylon. This description is compatible with Daniel 5:31, which says that Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62.

Astyages: Darius the Mede must have been a ruler of the Median Empire, a once-powerful kingdom in modern-day Iran. Most historians believe that the Persians had been under Median control, but Cyrus the Great led a rebellion and conquered Media in 550 BCE. Astyages was the last Median king, and he could be Darius the Mede. Daniel 14:1, considered canon by the Eastern Orthodox Church, says that Cyrus succeeded Astyages.

Cyaxarex II: The Greek historian Xenophon tells a history of Persia and Media that doesn't align with other historians, but it does align well with the biblical narrative. He writes that the last Median king, Cyaxarex II, had a peaceful relationship with Persia, and he even gave his daughter to Cyrus in marriage. After he died, Persia and Media became one. With this alternate history, Cyaxarex II fits the profile of Darius the Mede.

Hello all! Today we will be looking at a much-debated Bible passage. In Matthew 16, Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is. Peter says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” In response, Jesus blesses Peter, and then he says in Matthew 16:18, "And I tell you that you are Peter (petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Who or what is the rock (petra) that Jesus is building his church upon? Here are three views.

Peter: The natural reading of Matthew 16:18, as well as the consensus interpretation in the early church, is that "this rock" refers to Peter. Peter's name (petros) means rock, and Jesus states that he is building his church on a rock (petra). Jesus is clearly linking these two similar words together. This prophecy of Peter's role is fulfilled in the book of Acts, where he is the first to preach the gospel to both Jews (Acts 2) and Gentiles (Acts 10).

Peter's Confession: The church cannot be built on fallen people, so Peter cannot be the petra. Furthermore, in classical Greek, petros refers to a stone, and usually a small one. while petra almost always refers to large foundational rocks. Therefore, petros and petra must be related but not the same. The phrase "this rock" must refer to something else preceding verse 18. The best fit is Peter's confession in verse 16 that Jesus's identity as the Messiah.

Jesus: The New Testament repeatedly states that the church is built on Jesus alone. "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). Additionally, 1 Corinthians 10:4 refers to a spiritual petra, and it clearly identifies that rock as Christ. Peter himself would later allude to Jesus as the chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6). Therefore, Jesus must be referring to himself as the petra.

What do you believe, and why?

Hello all! Sorry that today's post is a bit late. The Apostles' Creed, widely used by many denominations around the world, says of Jesus, "He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell." What does it mean that Jesus descended to hell? Where exactly did he go during the three days between his death and his resurrection, and why did he go there?

Some traditions have refused to cite the Apostles' Creed because they argue that there isn't enough biblical support to say that Jesus went to hell. There are multiple perspectives on where Jesus went after his death, but here are three common views.

Heaven: When Jesus was on the cross, he said to one of the criminals next to him, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Lk 24:43). The term "paradise" appears two other times in the New Testament (2 Cor 12:4; Rev 2:7), and in both occasions it seems to refer to heaven. Therefore, after Jesus died, his spirit must have ascended to heaven immediately before the Father, and when he rose from the grave, his body and spirit reunited again on earth.

Hades: Before Jesus' resurrection, the dead did not go to heaven or hell, but to a resting place called Sheol or Hades. This location, as illustrated in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, was divided into two components: one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous. After Jesus died, he descended to Hades, unlocked its gates, preached the gospel, and led its righteous inhabitants to heaven (cf. Matt 12:40; Eph 4:8-9; 1 Pet 4:6).

Tartarus: During the time of Noah, God punished angels who had rebelled against him by imprisoning them in Tartarus, a place of torment at the lowest levels of hell. This narrative is recorded in the extrabiblical Book of Enoch, and it is referenced to a few times in the New Testament. When Jesus died, he went to Tartarus to address these former angels, not to free them but to proclaim his victory over them (cf. 1 Pet 3:18-20; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6).

Where do you think Jesus went between his death and his resurrection, and why?