Thurzo Gizella Bible Study

Word for today: Those who know your name will trust in you, for your LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalms 9:10 NIV

A Christian’s goal should be to create the Kingdom of God here on earth, as it is in Heaven. Not only, to get to Heaven.

Watch this to start your day.

Reflection for Today.

To finish the Bible in one year, Read 2 Maccabees 3,4, & Matthew 25: 1-13

Old Testament Reading for today – Listen or read it for yourself:

Also read the verses, if you like.

2 Maccabees 3

1 WHEN the holy city was inhabited with all peace, and the laws were kept very well, because of the godliness of Onias the high priest, and his hatred of wickedness,

2 it came to pass that even the kings themselves did honour the place, and glorify the temple with the noblest presents;

3 insomuch that even Seleucus the king of Asia of his own revenues bare all the costs belonging to the services of the sacrifices.

4 But one Simon of the tribe of Benjamin, having been made guardian of the temple, fell out with the high priest about the ruling of the market in the city.

5 And when he could not overcome Onias, he got him to Apollonius the son of Thrasaeus, who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia:

6 and he brought him word how that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of untold sums of money, so that the multitude of the funds was innumerable, and that they didn’t pertain to the account of the sacrifices, but that it was possible that these should fall under the king’s power.

7 And when Apollonius met the king, he informed him of the money whereof he had been told; and the king appointed Heliodorus, who was his chancellor, and sent him with a commandment to accomplish the removal of the aforesaid money.

8 So forthwith Heliodorus took his journey, under a colour of visiting the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in fact to execute the king’s purpose.

9 And when he was come to Jerusalem, and had been courteously received by the high priest of the city, he laid before them an account of the information which had been given him, and declared wherefore he was come; and he enquired if in truth these things were so.

10 And the high priest explained to him that there were in the treasury deposits of widows and orphans,

11 and moreover some money belonging to Hyrcanus the son of Tobias, a man in very high place, and that the case was not as that impious Simon falsely alleged; and that in all there were four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold;

12 and that it was altogether impossible that wrong should be done to them that had put trust in the holiness of the place, and in the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honoured over all the world.

13 But Heliodorus, because of the king’s commandments given him, said that in any case this money must be confiscated for the king’s treasury.

14 So having appointed a day, he entered in to direct the enquiry concerning these matters; and there was no small distress throughout the whole city.

15 And the priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priestly garments, and looking towards heaven, called upon him that gave the law concerning deposits, that he should preserve these treasures safe for those that had deposited them.

16 And whoever saw the mien of the high priest was wounded in mind; for his countenance and the change of his colour betrayed the distress of his soul.

17 For a terror and a shuddering of the body had come over the man, whereby the pain that was in his heart was plainly shown to those who looked upon him.

18 And those who were in the houses rushed flocking out to make a universal supplication, because the place was like to come into contempt.

19 And the women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets, and the virgins that were kept in ward ran together, some to the gates, others to the walls, and some looked out through the windows.

20 And all, stretching forth their hands towards heaven, made their solemn supplication.

21 Then it would have pitied a man to see the multitude prostrating themselves all mixed together, and the expectation of the high priest in his sore distress.

22 While therefore they called upon the Almighty Lord to keep the things entrusted to them safe and sure for those that had entrusted them,

23 Heliodorus went on to execute that which had been decreed.

24 But when he was already present there with his guards near the treasury, the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused a great apparition, so that all that had presumed to come in with him, stricken with dismay at the power of God, fainted and were sore afraid.

25 For there was seen by them a horse with a terrible rider upon him, and adorned with beautiful trappings, and he rushed fiercely and struck at Heliodorus with his forefeet, and it seemed that he that sat upon the horse had complete armour of gold.

26 Two other also appeared to him, young men notable in their strength, and beautiful in their glory, and splendid in their apparel, who stood by him on either side, and scourged him unceasingly, inflicting on him many sore stripes.

27 And when he had fallen suddenly to the ground, and great darkness had come over him, his guards caught him up and put him into a litter,

28 and carried him, him that had just now entered with a great train and all his guard into the aforesaid treasury, himself now brought to utter helplessness, manifestly made to recognise the sovereignty of God.

29 And so, while he, through the working of God, speechless and bereft of all hope and deliverance, lay prostrate,

30 they blessed the Lord, that made marvellous his own place; and the temple, which a little before was full of terror and alarm, was filled with joy and gladness after the Almighty Lord appeared.

31 But quickly certain of Heliodorus’s familiar friends implored Onias to call upon the Most High, and grant life to him who lay quite at the last gasp.

32 And the high priest, secretly fearing lest the king might come to think that some treachery towards Heliodorus had been perpetrated by the Jews, brought a sacrifice for the deliverance of the man.

33 But as the high priest was making the atoning sacrifice, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus, arrayed in the same garments; and they stood and said, Give Onias the high priest great thanks, for for his sake the Lord has granted you life;

34 and do you, since you have been scourged from heaven, publish to all men the sovereign majesty of God. And when they had spoken these words, they vanished out of sight.

35 So Heliodorus, having offered a sacrifice to the Lord and vowed great vows to him that had saved his life, and having graciously received Onias, returned with his army to the king.

36 And he testified to all men the works of the great God which he had seen with his eyes.

37 And when the king asked Heliodorus, what manner of man was fit to be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, he said,

38 If you have any enemy or conspirator against the state, send him there, and you shall receive him back well scourged, if he even escape with his life; because of a truth there is about the place a power of God.

39 For he that has his dwelling in heaven himself has his eyes upon that place, and helps it; and those who come to hurt it he strikes and destroys.

40 And such was the history of Heliodorus and the keeping of the treasury.

2 Maccabees 4

1 But the aforesaid Simon, he who had given information of the money, and had betrayed his country, slandered Onias, saying that it was he who had incited Heliodorus, and made himself the author of these evils.

2 And him that was the benefactor of the city, and the guardian of his fellow countrymen, and a zealot for the laws, he dared to call a conspirator against the state.

3 But when the growing enmity between them waxed so great, that even murders were perpetrated through one of Simon’s trusted followers,

4 Onias, seeing the danger of the contention, and that Apollonius the son of Menestheus, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was increasing Simon’s malice,

5 betook himself to the king, not to be an accuser of his fellow-citizens, but looking to the good of all the people, both public and private;

6 for he saw that without the king’s providence it was impossible for the state to obtain peace any more, and that Simon would not cease from his madness.

7 But when Seleucus was deceased, and Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, succeeded to the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias supplanted his brother in the high priesthood,

8 having promised to the king at an audience three hundred and threescore talents of silver, and out of another fund eighty talents;

9 and beside this, he undertook to assign a hundred and fifty more, if it might be allowed him through the king’s authority to set him up a Greek place of exercise and form a body of youths to be trained therein, and to register the inhabitants of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch.

10 And when the king had given assent, and he had gotten possession of the office, he forthwith brought over them of his own race to the Greek fashion.

11 And setting aside the royal ordinances of special favour to the Jews, granted by the means of John the father of Eupolemus, who went on the ambassage to the Romans for friendship and alliance, and seeking to overthrow the lawful modes of life, he brought in new customs forbidden by the law:

12 for he eagerly established a Greek place of exercise under the citadel itself; and caused the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek cap.

13 And thus there was an extreme of Greek fashions, and an advance of an alien religion, by reason of the exceeding profaneness of Jason, that ungodly man and no high priest;

14 so that the priests had no more any zeal for the services of the altar: but despising the sanctuary, and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to enjoy that which was unlawfully provided in the palaestra, after the summons of the discus;

15 making of no account the honours of their fathers, and thinking the glories of the Greeks best of all.

16 By reason whereof sore calamity beset them; and the men whose ways of living they earnestly followed, and to whom they desired to be made like in all things, these they had to be their enemies and to punish them.

17 For it is not a light thing to do impiously against the laws of God: but these things the time following shall declare.

18 Now when certain games that came every fifth year were kept at Tyre, and the king was present,

19 the vile Jason sent sacred envoys, as being Antiochians of Jerusalem, bearing three hundred drachmas of silver to the sacrifice of Hercules, which even the bearers thereof thought not right to use for any sacrifice, because it was not fit, but to expend on another charge.

20 And though in the purpose of the sender this money was for the sacrifice of Hercules, yet on account of present circumstances it went to the equipment of the galleys.

21 Now when Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent into Egypt for the enthronement of Ptolemy Philometor as king, Antiochus, learning that Ptolemy had shown himself ill affected towards the state, took thought for the security of his realm; wherefore, going by sea to Joppa, he travelled on to Jerusalem.

22 And being magnificently received by Jason and the city, he was brought in with torches and shouting. This done, he afterward led his army down into Phoenicia.

23 Now after a space of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the aforesaid Simon’s brother, to bear the money to the king, and to make reports concerning some necessary matters.

24 But he being commended to the king, and having glorified himself by the display of his authority, got the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.

25 And having received the royal mandates he came to Jerusalem, bringing nothing worthy the high priesthood, but having the passion of a cruel tyrant, and the rage of a savage beast.

26 And whereas Jason, who had supplanted his own brother, was supplanted by another and driven as a fugitive into the country of the Ammonites,

27 Menelaus had possession of the office: but of the money that had been promised to the king nothing was duly paid, and that though Sostratus the governor of the citadel demanded it

28 (for to him appertained the gathering of the revenues); for which cause they were both called by the king to his presence.

29 And Menelaus left his own brother Lysimachus for his deputy in the high priesthood; and Sostratus left Crates, who was over the Cyprians.

30 Now while such was the state of things, it came to pass that they of Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine.

31 The king therefore came to Cilicia in all haste to settle matters, leaving for his deputy Andronicus, a man of high rank.

32 And Menelaus, supposing that he had gotten a favourable opportunity, presented to Andronicus certain vessels of gold belonging to the temple, which he had stolen: other vessels also he had already sold into Tyre and the cities round about.

33 And when Onias had sure knowledge of this, he sharply reproved him, having withdrawn himself into a sanctuary at Daphne, that lies by Antioch.

34 Wherefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus apart, prayed him to kill Onias. And coming to Onias, and being persuaded to use treachery, and being received as a friend, Andronicus gave him his right hand with oaths of fidelity, and, though he was suspected by him, so persuaded him to come forth of the sanctuary; and forthwith he despatched him without regard of justice.

35 For the which cause not only Jews, but many also of the other nations, had indignation and displeasure at the unjust murder of the man.

36 And when the king was come back again from the places in Cilicia, the Jews that were in the city pleaded before him against Andronicus (the Greeks also joining with them in hatred of the wickedness), urging that Onias had been wrongfully slain.

37 Antiochus therefore was heartily sorry, and was moved to pity, and wept, because of the sober and well ordered life of him that was dead;

38 and being inflamed with passion, forthwith he stripped off Andronicus’s purple robe, and tore off his under garments, and when he had led him round through the whole city to that very place where he had committed impiety against Onias, there he put the murderer out of the way, the Lord rendering to him the punishment he had deserved.

39 Now when many sacrileges had been committed in the city by Lysimachus with the consent of Menelaus, and when the bruit thereof was spread abroad outside, the people gathered themselves together against Lysimachus, after many vessels of gold had been already dispersed.

40 And when the multitudes were rising against him, and were filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men, and with unrighteous violence began the conflict, one Hauran, a man far gone in years and no less also in madness, leading the attack.

41 But when they perceived the assault of Lysimachus, some caught up stones, others logs of wood, and some took handfuls of the ashes that lay near, and they flung them all pell-mell upon Lysimachus and those who were with him;

42 by reason of which they wounded many of them, and some they struck to the ground, and all of them they forced to flee, but the author of the sacrilege himself they killed beside the treasury.

43 But touching these matters there was an accusation laid against Menelaus.

44 And when the king was come to Tyre, the three men that were sent by the senate pleaded the cause before him.

45 But Menelaus, seeing himself now defeated, promised much money to Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, that he might win over the king.

46 Whereupon Ptolemy taking the king aside into a cloister, as it were to take the air, brought him to be of another mind:

47 and him that was the cause of all the evil, Menelaus, he discharged from the accusations; but these hapless men, who, if they had pleaded even before Scythians, would have been discharged uncondemned, them he sentenced to death.

48 Soon then did those who were spokesmen for the city and the families of Israel and the holy vessels suffer that unrighteous penalty.

49 For which cause even certain Tyrians, moved with hatred of the wickedness, provided magnificently for their burial.

50 But Menelaus through the covetous dealings of those who were in power remained still in his office, growing in wickedness, as a great conspirator against his fellow-citizens.

New Testament Reading for today

Matthew 25 : 1-13

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil: for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say to you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of man cometh.

Sermons or explanations by different people of the above chapters.

The Message Bible – Eugene H. Peterson – In Contemporary Language Read today’s verses in this bible on line, if you like.

The Catholic Daily Mass Readings and reflections for today.

Catholic Daily Reflections

Reflection Prayer,

My forgiving Lord, help me to imitate Your great mercy and forgiveness. Help me to forgive those who have hurt me and help me to rise above any injustice I encounter. Jesus, I trust in You.

Previous Daily Bible Study Blogs

Book of 1 Maccabees , Outline Summary, Outline Book of Matthew (we are studying these books presently)

Audio Drama: Old Testament New Testament Each book is read in its entirety. You can listen to the bible, one book at a time in contemporary English.

Dr. Myles Munroe

I am including a video by Dr. Myles Munroe, I’ve listened to him back in the nineties, and rediscovered him recently. Now his perspective seems to be a good way to also look at scripture. In Pursuit of Purpose – Book Highlights