Remember the Four Loves and their Unexpected Risks

 C.S. Lewis, in his book "The Four Loves," describes four different Greek words for love that are present in the New Testament, each with their own distinct characteristics. The four Greek words are:

1. Eros: This is a passionate love, often associated with romantic love. It is rooted in Greek mythology, where Eros is the god of love and desire. It is characterized by a strong emotional attachment and a longing for physical intimacy. Examples of this kind of love are romantic relationships, infatuation, or sexual attraction.
2. Storge: This is a love of familiarity, often associated with familial love. This kind of love is characterized by the feeling of comfort and safety that comes from being around someone who is familiar and known. Examples of this kind of love are parents and children, siblings, or close friends.
3. Philia: This is a love of friendship. It is characterized by mutual respect, loyalty, and a willingness to put the well-being of the other person above one's own. Examples of this kind of love are friendships, camaraderie, or comradeship.
4. Agape: This is a love that is characterized by selflessness, devotion, and an unconditional love. Agape is often associated with divine love and is often used to describe God's love for humanity. Examples of this kind of love are selfless love, altruism, or devotion.

It is important to mention that these four kinds of love aren't mutually exclusive and can overlap with one another. For example, romantic relationships can have elements of both Eros and Philia.

Risks

It is also worth noting that each of these forms of love have their own risks. For example, Eros can lead to unhealthy attachment or an obsessive need to possess the other person, Storge can lead to complacency and stagnation, Philia can lead to betrayal or unbalanced relationship, and Agape can lead to neglecting self-care or codependency.

Analogies to Explain the Trinity

The Trinity is one of the central doctrines of Christianity, and it describes the belief that God is one in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It can be a difficult concept to understand and explain, so many analogies have been used over the years to help explain it. 

Here are five common analogies and the problems with each:

1. An egg analogy - The egg analogy compares the Trinity to an egg, with the shell representing the Father, the yolk representing the Son, and the white representing the Holy Spirit. This analogy has the problem of implying that the three persons of the Trinity are separate and distinct, when in fact they are considered to be one in essence and being.
2. A water analogy - The water analogy compares the Trinity to water, which can exist in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. The solid state represents the Father, the liquid state represents the Son, and the gas state represents the Holy Spirit. The problem with this analogy is that it is implying that the three persons are different forms or modes of the same substance, rather than distinct persons in unity.
3. A clover analogy - The clover analogy compares the Trinity to a clover, with each leaf representing one of the three persons. The problem with this analogy is that it's implying that the three persons of the Trinity are distinct entities that come together to make one whole, whereas the doctrine of the Trinity holds that the three persons are distinct but not separate.
4. A shamrock analogy - Similar to clover, the shamrock analogy compares the Trinity to a shamrock, with each leaf representing one of the three persons. The problem with this analogy is that it is implying that the three persons are distinct entities that come together to make one whole.
5. A mind, body, and spirit analogy - This analogy compares the Trinity to a person, with the mind representing the Father, the body representing the Son, and the spirit representing the Holy Spirit. The problem with this analogy is that it implies that the persons of the Trinity are three different aspects of one being, rather than distinct persons who share the same essence and being.

In general, it's important to understand that the Trinity is a mystery of faith and can't be fully comprehended by human reason. Analogies can be helpful in providing a way to begin to understand the concept, but they also have their limits in fully explaining it. However, there are several verses in the Bible that speak to the three persons of the Godhead and their unity. Here are a few examples:

1. Matthew 28:19: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This verse is often referred to as the Great Commission, and it speaks to the unity of the three persons of the Trinity in one name.
2. John 14:26: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." This verse speaks to the distinction between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and their unity in purpose.
3. John 15:26: "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me." This verse speaks to the unity and distinction of the three persons of the Trinity and their role in revealing truth about Jesus.
4. 2 Corinthians 13:14: "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." This verse speaks to the unity and co-equal roles of the three persons of the Trinity in granting grace, love, and fellowship.
5. 1 Peter 1:2: "To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." This verse speaks to the unity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in salvation and the granting of grace and peace.

These are just a few examples of Bible verses that speak to the doctrine of the Trinity. Other verses that also touch on the doctrine of the Trinity include Isaiah 48:16, Isaiah 63:9-10, and Revelation 1:4-5. Additionally, throughout the New Testament, several verses speak to the person and work of the Father, the person and work of the Son, and the person and work of the Holy Spirit, which together provide the basis for the doctrine of the Trinity.

It is important to understand that the doctrine of the Trinity is rooted in the entire Bible, not just in a few specific verses. The doctrine of the Trinity can be inferred through a comprehensive reading and understanding of the Bible as a whole, which teaches that God is one in being, yet distinct in persons, and it's a belief that has been traditionally held by Christianity since the early days of the church, and based on the biblical testimony of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being distinct persons but also one in essence and being.

Looking into the Year Jesus was Born using Herod's timeline.

Dionysius Exiguus, a 6th century monk, is credited with calculating the birth year of Jesus and introducing the use of the Anno Domini (AD) era. He believed that Jesus was born in the year 753 AUC (Ab Urbe Condita, or "From the Founding of the City," meaning Rome) which he converted to the date of 1 AD. However, Dionysius made an error in his calculation by not taking into account that there was no year "0" between the years 1 BC and 1 AD.

Recent discoveries and historical research suggest that Jesus was likely born several years earlier than 1 AD. One key piece of evidence is the reference in the Gospel of Luke to a census that was conducted "while Quirinius was governor of Syria" (Luke 2:2). This census is believed by many scholars to have been conducted in 6 AD and it would mean that Jesus was born before that date. It's also worth noting that although the Bible doesn't provide a reason for the travel, the traditional understanding of the biblical account is that the journey to Bethlehem, and Jesus's birth there, fulfill the Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:2 which speaks of a ruler coming from Bethlehem.

Additionally, the death of King Herod the Great, who is said to have ordered the Massacre of the Innocents, is said to have occurred in 4 BC.

Furthermore, many scholars today, based on the historical and scriptural evidence, believe that Jesus was likely born between 6-4 BC. The exact date, however, is difficult to pin down and it's likely that the gospel authors were more focused on the theological and spiritual significance of Jesus' birth rather than providing an exact date.

Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed King of Judaea, is said to have died in 4 BC. The exact date of his death is uncertain, but it is thought to have occurred around the end of March or beginning of April of that year.

The cause of Herod's death is also not well-documented in contemporary historical records. However, the ancient historian Flavius Josephus, in his "Antiquities of the Jews," describes Herod's death as a slow and painful one. According to Josephus, Herod suffered from a severe case of chronic kidney and bladder disease, and other symptoms such as a fever, severe itching, and a severe abdominal pain. Josephus also states that Herod's physicians were unable to cure him, and that his suffering continued for five days.

Herod's death was also a political event, as it triggered a succession crisis, with his sons fighting for the throne. The events following his death would be connected with the reign of his sons and family, with them also fighting for the power, and also lead to the Roman involvement in the region.

It's important to note that some of the details of Herod's death and illness, as reported by Josephus, have been considered by some scholars as being likely embellished or exaggerated, and the exact circumstances of his death remain uncertain.

As for the date of Jesus' death, it is traditionally held to be around AD 30. It is commonly accepted that Jesus died under the governorship of Pontius Pilate, which is historically dated to the years 26-36 AD. The gospels accounts also give hints that Jesus died during the Jewish Passover and in some years that would fall on AD 30. However, without solid historical documentation it is difficult to specify the exact year.

Overall, while the traditional date of Jesus' birth is celebrated on December 25, it is now widely accepted by scholars that Jesus was likely born several years earlier than the commonly accepted date of 1 AD. Despite the historical and scriptural evidence pointing to a date in the range of 6-4 BC and historians providing the date of death around AD 30, the exact date of Jesus' birth and death remains uncertain due to lack of concrete historical documentation and the focus of the gospel authors on the spiritual and theological significance rather than exact historical dating.