Gospel Mysteries Glossary
Angels. These immortal beings serve God in Heaven and act as his messengers in his communications with people on the earth. Angels were created before people and have free will. Some of them, led by Satan, rebelled against God and were expelled from Heaven. Of those that stayed loyal, the best-known are the archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. It was Gabriel who came to earth to tell the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.
Antichrist. A man of ultimate evil, he will appear during the End Times, and with the help of the Devil will take temporary control of the earth. During his rule he will reward wicked people and persecute righteous people. But eventually he will be defeated and condemned to eternal torment in hell.
Apocryphal. This word is used to describe writings of questionable authenticity. It is often applied to ancient books with unknown or uncertain origins, or written under false names, especially early Christian gospels that were excluded from the bible for these reasons. Several previously-lost apocryphal gospels have been re-discovered during the last two centuries.
Crucifixion. The Romans often employed crucifixions to execute rebels. Attachment to a cross usually led to a slow agonizing death, and the public nature of such an execution served as a warning to other potential rebels. When Jesus was crucified, he was taken to a site called Golgotha on the edge of Jerusalem. The exact medical cause of his death is uncertain. Wounds similar to his, which sometimes appear on mystics and very devout people, are called stigmata. Go to How Jesus Died and Jesus on the Cross for more information.
Demons. These evil spirits are servants of Satan. They can bring bad luck and cause disease, madness, or other afflictions. In the gospels they are often depicted as being in control of a person's body, a condition known as demonic possession. Jesus had the power to remedy this condition by ordering the demon to leave the victim's body.
Devil's Mark. During the witch hunts, the body of a suspected witch would often be searched for a suspicious-looking mole, scar, or skin blemish known as a Devil's Mark. Some people believed that such a mark could be created when the Devil licked a woman's skin. In many cases the examiners would stick needles into suspected marks to test their sensitivity, but the final identification was often an arbitrary judgement. The Devil's Mark is also called a Devil's Seal or Witch's Mark.
Disciple. In the gospels a disciple is a follower of a particular religious leader such as Jesus or John the Baptist. The name is derived from a Greek word which means "learner". Jesus selected twelve men to serve as his original disciples, but he acquired many others during his ministry.
End Times. According to some ancient prophesies, the world will eventually enter a period of terror and tribulation known as the End Times. Many devastating events will occur during this period, as the forces of good and evil engage in a final great struggle for control of the world. The struggle will end after the second coming of Jesus, who will defeat all the evil forces and establish the eternal Kingdom of God.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul wrote that some Christians receive special gifts from the Holy Spirit, such as the ability to prophesy or to speak in tongues.
Gospel. The first gospels were small books intended to announce the good news that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, and that his death and resurrection initiated a new era in which everyone has the opportunity to be saved. Modern scholars have expanded the meaning, so that now the word can refer to any early writing that contains information about the life or teachings of Jesus. Although many gospels were written, only four were included in the Bible.
Heaven. Heaven is the celestial home of God, the angels, and the human souls chosen by God to spend eternity with him. It is both a place and a state of existence.
Hell. This is the place of eternal torment for the souls of the unsaved. These souls can be tortured in various ways, but ultimately all of them will be cast into a Lake of Fire along with the Devil, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and all the demons.
Harrowing of Hell. One of the lines in the Apostle's Creed says that Jesus "descended into hell." This refers to a visit that he made to hell after he died on the cross, a visit which completed his sacrifice, and which also gave him the opportunity to free the souls of the ancient dead saints from their imprisonment in the underworld. According to some sources, Jesus had an encounter with the Devil during this visit and gave the evil fiend a severe wound.
Heresy. A heresy is a belief that is contrary to the true gospel. The first heresies began to appear in the early period of Christianity, and although tolerated initially, all of them were eventually condemned by church authorities. Over the centuries many people who held heretical beliefs have been tortured and burned to death.
Incorruptible Bodies. Some Christians believe that the bodies of saints and other very holy people don't undergo the normal processes of decay and decomposition after death. This is not considered to be the same as artificial preservation or mummification, but instead is regarded as a miraculous supernatural preservation with absolutely no decomposition taking place. Some people also believe that these perfectly-preserved bodies will be resurrected back to life again during the End Times.
Josephus. Flavius Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian whose books provide valuable background information about the social and political history of Palestine during the period of the life of Christ and the development of early Christianity. This Writings of Josephus resource contains complete texts of all of his surviving writings.
Messiah. Originally this name, which means "anointed one", designated a king or high priest of ancient Israel. After the ancient kingdom was destroyed, various prophets predicted that a new Messiah would eventually appear and establish a glorious new kingdom of true righteousness. During the first century most Jews were expecting him to be a political and military leader. But after Jesus died for our sins and then was resurrected, many people came to realize that he was the Messiah. The English word "Christ" is derived from the Greek word for Messiah, Christos.
Nazarenes. Many of the people who believed that Jesus was the Messiah remained in Jerusalem after he departed. Called Nazarenes, they included most of his original followers together with James the Just and other members of his family. Because they expected the second coming to take place very quickly, they waited in Jerusalem instead of going back to their homes in Galilee and resuming their previous way of life.
Parable. A short simple story that teaches a moral lesson is called a parable. The word is derived from the Greek word parabole, which means "a comparison". Parables were an important part of the teachings of Jesus, and were especially effective because they usually involved comparisons to common events or actions of everyday life. See Teachings of Jesus.
Relics. A relic is a surviving body part or personal item of great religious significance. In Christianity, relics of Jesus or famous saints are especially revered and are often kept in special shrines or reliquaries. Well-known relics include the Holy Grail, the Crown of Thorns, the True Cross, the bones of Saint Peter, and the skull of Mary Magdalene. Some people believe that many purported relics are fakes.
Secret Gospels. Some early gospels were believed to contain private teachings of Jesus or special revelations from Jesus or God. Because these books were often passed around secretly, modern scholars call them secret gospels.
Signs of the Times. Some people believe that certain "signs" will precede the arrival of the End Times, and serve as a warning of the events to come. Such signs include earthquakes, pestilences, famines, wars, the breakdown of society, rampant immoral behavior, the appearance of evil political leaders, and sightings of the Wandering Jew.
Simon of Cyrene. After Jesus was condemned by Pilate, the Roman soldiers ordered a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross to the place of the crucifixion at Golgotha. The most detailed account of this is found at Mark 15:20-21.
Speaking in Tongues. According to the Bible, the ability to speak in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul discusses this in detail in his first letter to the Corinthians, where he points out that different people receive different gifts. In the letter he also asks the tongue-speakers at Corinth to be careful about disrupting church services.
Transubstantiation. The miraculous conversion of bread and wine into the flesh and blood of Jesus is called transubstantiation. This conversion is believed to take place when the bread and wine are consecrated during Holy Communion. To most people, the bread and wine still look the same after the consecration. Many modern Christians doubt that the conversion actually occurs.
Virgin Birth. Most Christians believe that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus. Occurrences of natural virgin births have been scientifically documented in some animals, but not in humans. So as the biblical accounts indicate, Mary's pregnancy was probably due to divine action.
Wandering Jew. After Jesus picked up his cross and began carrying it, a Jewish bystander hit him on the back and told him to go faster. For this action, the Jew was condemned to wander the earth alone until the Second Coming of Jesus. Over the centuries many sightings of this Wandering Jew have been reported. Some people believe that a sudden increase in these sightings would be a sign of the nearness of the End Times.
Zealots. This was an extremely nationapstic faction of first-century Jews who were dedicated to driving the Romans out of the country. They carried out assassinations and periodically staged uprisings against the government. They temporarily gained control of Jerusalem during the great rebelpon of 66-73 AD.
Gospel Mysteries -- List of Articles
Why Jesus Was Crucified. Jesus was crucified only a few days after he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. What was the main reason he was put on the cross?
Jesus and his Family. According to the bible, Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters. But some people bepeve that these were actually step-brothers and step-sisters.
Endings of Mark. Was the original ending of this gospel accidentally lost? Was a new ending added later?
Demonic Possessions. Are demonic possessions a real phenomenon?
Witnesses to the Resurrection. Who were the first people to see Christ after he left the tomb?
The Lost Gospels. Several previously-lost gospels have been re-discovered during the last two centuries. What can they tell us about the pfe and teachings of Jesus?
Theories about the Resurrection of Jesus. Are there other possible explanations for the bepef in the resurrection?
Golgotha. Where did the crucifixion take place?
The Nazarenes. What happened to the original bepevers after Jesus departed?
Matthew 27:52. According to this passage, many dead saints were resurrected and left their tombs after the crucifixion. Who were these resurrected saints?
Atonement Theories. Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer and die?
Last Words on the Cross. What did Jesus say just before he died?
The Virgin Birth. Is there a natural explanation?
Mary Magdalene. Was she the most loyal disciple of Jesus?
Stigmata. What causes these mysterious wounds?
Barabbas. Why was he released instead of Jesus?
The Second Coming. Did Jesus promise to come again?
The Devil. Does he really exist?
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