Comparing the Septuagint and the Masoretic Using Mark 12-16 (Full Script)

Too lazy to ready? Watch the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W56Vcux8tiI

Septuagint or Masoretic – Mark 12-16
Post-Apostolic Church

INTRO
Let’s continue comparing the Hebrew Masoretic with the Greek Septuagint by going through the New Testament and seeing which manuscript family the writers used when quoting from the Old Testament.  In this video, we will be looking at Mark chapters 12 to 16.  The running count of verses will continue from the last video.

MARK 12:10-11
Mark 12:10-11 is about the parable of the vineyard owner who destroyed the farmers who did not respect his slaves or his son.  It reads,
 

Have you not read even this scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner; this was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  (Mark 12:10-11 (ASV)) 

This is quotation from Psalm 118:22-23.  The Masoretic reads,
 

The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.  This is Jehovah's doing.  It is marvelous in our eyes.  (Ps 118:22-23 (ASV))

In the Septuagint, Psalm 117:22-23 reads,
 

The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.  This has been done of the Lord.  And it is wonderful in our eyes.  (Ps 117:22-23 (Brenton))

This quotation was visited in a previous video and is found in Matthew 21:42.  Just like in Matthew, all readings agree.  Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 60.  Both: 33.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 12:26
Mark 12:26 is about Jesus’ answer to the Sadducces on whether there will be a resurrection.  It reads,
 

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  (Mark 12:26 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Exodus 3:6.  This quotation was also visited in a previous video and found in Matthew 22:32.  Just like in Matthew, all readings agree.  Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 61.  Both: 34.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 12:29-30
Mark 12:29-31 is Jesus’ answer to the scribe who asks Him which is the greatest commandment.  It reads,
 

The first is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”  (Mark 12:29 (ASV))

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  (Mark 12:30 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 6:4-5.  The Masoretic reads,
 

Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.  (Deut 6:4 (ASV))

And you shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  (Deut 6:5 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.  (Deut 6:4 (Brenton))

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your mind, and with all your soul, and all your strength.  (Deut 6:5 (Brenton))

This quotation is quoted just as it is in Matthew 22:37.  If you would like to revisit the details of the minor differences, there is a direct link in the description.  Just like in Matthew, Jesus is following both the Masoretic and the Septuagint.
[Verses: 62.  Both: 35.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 12:31
Mark 12:31 is Jesus’ answer with the second greatest commandment.  It reads,
 

The second is this, “ You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  There is non other commandment greater than these.  (Mark 12:31 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Leviticus 19:18.  The Masoretic reads,
 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  I am Jehovah.  (Lev 19:18 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.  (Lev 19:18 (Brenton))

Again, this is the same as was discussed with Matthew 22:39.  Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 63.  Both: 36.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 12:36
Mark 12:36 is about when the people asked how the Christ can be David’s son.  It reads,
 

David himself said in the Holy Spirit, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”  (Mark 12:26 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Psalm 110:1.  This quotation was also addressed in a previous video and is found in Matthew 22:44.  The result is the same here as well.  Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 64.  Both: 37.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 13:14
Mark 13:14 is when Jesus mentions the abomination of desolation.  It reads,
 

When you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not (let him that reads understand), then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains.  (Mark 13:14 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Daniel 11:31 and 12:11.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 24:15.  Just like in Matthew, Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 65.  Both: 38.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 13:26
Mark 13:26 is when Jesus is speaking about His Second Coming.  It reads,
 

Then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.  (Mark 13:26 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Daniel 7:13.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 24:30.  Just like in Matthew, Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 66.  Both: 39.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]

MARK 14:27
Mark 14:27 is about Jesus telling His disciples that they will run away when He is arrested.  It reads,
 

All you shall be offended: for it is written, “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad.”  (Mark 14:27 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Zechariah 13:7.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 26:31.  Just like in Matthew, Jesus is following the Masoretic.
[Verses: 67.  Both: 39.  LXX: 15.  MT: 11.]

MARK 14:62
Mark 14:62 is about when Jesus is being questioned by the high priest.  It reads,
 

I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.  (Mark 14:62 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Daniel 7:13.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 26:64.  Just like in Matthew, Jesus is following both.
[Verses: 68.  Both: 40.  LXX: 15.  MT: 11.]

MARK 15:24
Mark 15:24 is about the soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ clothes while He is hung on the cross.  It reads,
 

And they crucify him, and part his garments among them, casting lots upon them, what each should take.  (Mark 15:24 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Psalm 22:18.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 27:35.  There is one difference between Mark’s and Matthew’s quotation.  In Mark’s quotation, he includes “among them” and “upon them.”  Matthew does not have those phrases.  Those phrases exist in both the Masoretic and the Septuagint.  So the only difference here is that Mark’s quotation is more identical to the Old Testament than Matthew’s quotation.  And just like in Matthew, Mark is following both.
[Verses: 69.  Both: 41.  LXX: 15.  MT: 11.]

MARK 15:34
Mark 15:34 is about when Jesus was on the cross and shouted in a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic.  It reads,
 

At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  (Mark 15:34 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Psalm 22:1.  This was previously addressed in another video and is found in Matthew 27:46.  Like in Matthew, Jesus is following the Masoretic.
[Verses: 70.  Both: 41.  LXX: 15.  MT: 12.]

That is enough for now.  I understand that nearly all the verses discussed in this video have already been discussed in Matthew.  But as we go through the New Testament, we want to analyze all the verses, even the ones in the parallel gospels.  Thus far, we have finished looking at Mark and have analyzed 20 verses.  Here is a chart showing the verse breakdown in Mark.  And here is a chart showing the verse breakdown for Matthew and Mark.

In February, we will move on to the gospel of Luke as we continue looking at New Testament quotations from the Old Testament.

Blessings and so forth.

Update - Feb 2022

 Greetings and so forth!  February is one of those months when it is time for another Septuagint video.  I will be releasing a new video in that series on the 8th.  Thank you for staying tuned.  God bless you!

Update - Dec 2021

Today's post will be more of a personal blog than usual.

I had a really good Fall.  A lot of really great things are happening in my life.  And it wasn't just because it was the Thanksgiving season.  There are SO MANY things I am thankful to God for!  I think back to my last bi-annual update video.  I talked about how I have been going through those significant and difficult life changes.  The more time between me and those difficult times, the more God is growing me and the more He is blessing me.

For a long time, I have had the desire to share more videos on this channel.  While the desire is there, life is still getting in the way.  I'm not complaining, because it is all good things now.  But as my life continues, I see more and more opportunity to work on this channel.

Yes, I have been working on the next series of videos... on what the Pre-Nicene Christians believed about God the Son.  As I research it, the topics I want to cover are spread over so many of their writings.  As I dive into them, I find that it is better to gather all the quotations at one time, then divide them up into videos.  This means that there is much more research before I can share the next video in the series on the Divinity.  But this also means that once I share the first video, the other videos will be nearly complete.  Once I continue this series, the videos will come quickly.

Of course, I will continue to post videos on the Septuagint twice a year.  I have finished the next 3 videos in the Septuagint series.  The next video will be posted in February.

This month, thanks to the holiday season, I will have 9 days full days when I can work on more videos.  When I'm ready to share my January update on this blog, I hope to have some great things to share about how future videos are going.

Update - Nov 2021

I am pleased to report that things have been going very, very well lately.  Work has slowed down.  Family commitments have slowed down.  Thanks to those changes, in October, I was able to spend many hours researching for the next video.

As I do this research, I am noticing that I cannot only pull early Christian quotations for the next video, which will be what the early Christians believed about the Deity of Jesus.  As I gather quotations, I am gathering more quotations than just that video.  There are so many quotations and they need to be sorted out by topic.  Some quotations would be better talking about how the Son of God was begotten, some about how the Logos took on flesh (the incarnation), some about Jesus' Second Coming, some about the Angel of the Lord, etc.

What makes this task extra daunting is that this topic, the Son of God, was one of the most talked about topics the early Christians ever addressed.  :)

With all this research, it is preparing good material for the next series of videos on the Son, which may be 6 or more videos.  Honestly, it feels great being able to get back into the early Christian writings and prepare new content for the channel.

Blessings and so forth!

Comparing the Septuagint and the Masoretic Using Mark 1-11 (Full Script)

Too lazy to read? Watch the video!
https://youtu.be/5GCQ8rH2eXc

Septuagint or Masoretic – Mark 1-11
Post-Apostolic Church

INTRO

Let’s continue comparing the Hebrew Masoretic with the Greek Septuagint by going through the New Testament and seeing which manuscript family the writers used when quoting from the Old Testament.  In this video, we will be looking at Mark chapters 1 to 11.  The running count of verses will continue from the last video.

MARK 1:2-3

Mark 1:2-3 is about the prophecy about John the Baptist.  It reads,
 

Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way.  The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make you ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  (Mark 1:2-3 (ASV))

Verse 2 is a quotation from Malachi 3:1, and verse 3 is a quotation from Isaiah 40:3.  Both of these quotations are also found in Matthew.  Verse 2 is quoted in Matthew 11:10, and verse 3 is quoted in Matthew 3:3.  There are two verses being quoted here, and Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s.  So the conclusion is the same for both quotations.  They more closely follow the Septuagint.

[Verses: 52.  Both: 27.  LXX: 13.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 4:12

Mark 4:12 is about why Jesus taught in parables.  It reads,

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.  (Mark 4:12 (ASV))

This was also quoted in Matthew 13:14-15, but the reading in Mark is different.  This is a quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10.  The Masoretic reads,
 

Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not...; lest they… turn again, and be healed.  (Is 6:9-10 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

You shall hear indeed, but you shall not understand; and you shall see indeed, but you shall not perceive….  Lest they… be converted, and I should heal them.  (Is 6:9-10 (Brenton))

This is not a direct quotation.  We see that Mark switches the phrases about seeing and hearing.  Mark also does not say “heal,” as both the Masoretic and the Septuagint say.  Instead, Mark says “forgive.”  In this quotation, twice does Mark not directly quote from the Old Testament.  Yet, the Masoretic and Septuagint read the same.  In this case, Mark follows neither.

[Verses: 53.  Both: 27.  LXX: 13.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 7:6-7

Mark 7:6-7 is about Jesus sharing Isaiah’s prophecy about hypocrites.  It reads,
 

Well did Isaiah prophecy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.”  (Mark 7:6-7 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Isaiah 29:13.  This quotation is also found in Matthew 15:8-9.  Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s.  [3.3] As before, it is clearly seen that Mark is following the Septuagint.

[Verses: 54.  Both: 27.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 7:10

Mark 7:10 is when Jesus accuses the Pharisees and scribes for violating the Fifth Commandment.  It reads,
 

For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death.”  (Mark 7:10 (ASV))

Jesus is quoting two passages.  The first is from Exodus 20:12 (as well as the parallel passage in Deuteronomy 5:16).  The second is from Exodus 21:17.  This quotation is also found in Matthew 15:4.  Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s.  Mark is following both.

[Verses: 55.  Both: 28.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 9:44, 46, 48

Mark 9:48 is when Jesus is describing Hell.  In the Byzantine family of manuscripts (also called the Majority Text), Jesus says this verse three times: in verses 44 and 46 and 48.  It reads,
 

Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.  (Mark 9:48 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Isaiah 66:24.  The Masoretic reads,
 

They shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched.  And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.  (Is 66:24 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

They shall go forth, and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched.  And they shall be a spectacle to all flesh.  (Is 66:24 (Brenton))

All readings perfectly agree exact that Mark drops the pronoun “their” which would appear right before “fire.”  Mark is following both.

[Verses: 56.  Both: 29.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 10:6-8

Mark 10:6-8 is when Jesus was teaching on marriage and divorce.  It reads,
 

Male and female made he them.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.  (Mark 10:6-8 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Genesis 1:27 (and Gen 5:2) and 2:24.  The Masoretic reads,
 

Male and female created he them.  (Gen 1:27 (ASV))

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  (Gen 2:24 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

Male and female he made them.  (Gen 1:27 (Brenton))

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  (Gen 2:24 (Brenton))

All readings agree.  Mark is following both. 

As a side note, Mark quotes from the Septuagint EXACTLY except that Jesus adds one word: toward.  Literally, Jesus said, “and shall cleave toward his wife.”  The word for “toward” does not appear in the Septuagint.  In English, “toward” and “to” mean the same thing in this case.  But the translation of Mark would be slightly more accurate to if it said “toward” or “unto.”

[Verses: 57.  Both: 30.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 10:19

Mark 10:19 is when Jesus speaks to the Rich Young Ruler about the commandments.  It reads,
 

You know the commandments: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.  (Mark 10:19 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Exodus 20:12-16.  [7.2] The Masoretic reads,
 

Honor your father and your mother....   You shall not kill.  You shall not commit adultery.  You shall not steal.  You shall not bear false witness.  (Ex 20:12-16 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

Honor your father and your mother....  You shall not commit adultery.  You shall not steal.  You shall not kill.  You shall not bear false witness.  (Ex 20:12-16 (ASV))

Between all three readings, the order of the commandments is different.  For example, Jesus places honoring father and mother at the end.  And the Masoretic and the Septuagint places do not kill in different places.  Since all three have a different order, this shows that the order does not matter.

What are some other differences?  Jesus leaves out the pronoun before mother, which appear in both the Masoretic and the Septuagint.

But the big difference is an additional commandment that Jesus adds to his list for the Rich Young Ruler, “Do not defraud.”  Though this is very similar to “do not steal,” this is not one of the Ten Commandments.  Because Jesus did not quote this from the Ten Commandments, it should not be considered as we compare the Greek and the Hebrew.  Either Jesus is referring to another commandment in the Law or Jesus is adding it to the list of commandments that this Rich Young Ruler needs to hear.  The Greek word is used twice in the Old Testament (Ex 21:10, Mal 3:5) and six times in the New Testament (Mark 10:19, 1Cor 6:7, 6:8, 7:5, 1Tim 6:5, Jam 5:4).  The word means to deprive; that is, to promise something and then withhold it.  In context, the Bible refers to employers not paying due wages to their employees or spouses withholding sex from their spouse.

These differences we see are very minor when it comes to comparing the Greek and the Hebrew.  All readings agree.  Mark is following both.

[Verses: 58.  Both: 31.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 11:9

Mark 11:9 is when the people are celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  It reads,
 

Hosanna!  Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!  (Mark 11:9 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Psalm 118:25-26.  The Masoretic reads,
 

Save now, we beseech you, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech you, send now prosperity.  Blessed be he that comes in the name of Jehovah.  (Ps 118:25-26 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

O Lord, save now: O Lord, send now prosperity.  Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.  (Ps 118:25-26 (Brenton))

The only major difference between the Masoretic and Septuagint is how the Masoretic has the tetragrammaton and the Septuagint has “the Lord.”  This was addressed in a previous video when this quotation was given in Matthew.  Click here if you would like to revisit that discussion.

All readings agree.  Mark is following both.

[Verses: 59.  Both: 32.  LXX: 14.  MT: 10.]
 

MARK 11:17

Mark 11:17 is when Jesus was cleansing the temple.  It reads,
 

He taught, and said unto them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’  But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ “  (Mark 11:17 (ASV))

This is a quotation from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.  The Masoretic reads,
 

For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.  (Is 56:7 (ASV))

Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?  (Jer 7:11 (ASV))

The Septuagint reads,
 

For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.  (Is 56:7 (Brenton))

Is my house, whereon my name is called, a den of robbers in your eyes?  (Jer 7:11 (Brenton))

This quotation was also found in Matthew 21:13.  There, all readings agreed.  Here, there is one difference.  Jesus added the other part of Isaiah 56:7 and said, “for all the nations.”  Jesus uses the Greek word “ethnos,” which is translated nations or Gentiles.  The same Greek word is found in the Septuagint.  In the Masoretic, the Hebrew word is not the word for nations (goy) but the word for people (am).  By saying ethnos (nations, Gentiles), Jesus was saying that the temple is not only for Jews but also for non-Jews.  This has a greater significance than just saying “peoples” which is more general.  Jesus is following the Septuagint.

[Verses: 60.  Both: 32.  LXX: 15.  MT: 10.]
 

CREDITS

That is enough for now.  But we will continue looking at New Testament quotations from the Old Testament next year. 

Blessings and so forth.

Update - August 2021

 It is that time of year again.  On August 8, I plan to release the next video in the Septuagint series.  The Gospel of Mark quotes the Old Testament only a few times.  The quotations will be split into two videos.  So the next video will cover Mark chapters 1-11.

Lord willing the video on what the early Christians believed about the deity of Jesus will be released August 20 or 27.

God bless you!

Post-Apostolic Church's Biannual Update 2021

Too lazy to read?  Watch the video!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffAp1Fj1HVw

Biannual Update 2021
Post-Apostolic Church

INTRO
On this day, eight years ago, this channel began.  As is my tradition, it is time for a biannual update.  I would like to talk about where this channel has been, address the advertisements that have appeared, share some statistics, and also get personal.  In advance, thank you for listening to this update.

PROGRESSION
Greetings and so forth, everyone!  Yes, I do still exist.  If you have been a subscriber for a while, you have probably noticed the lack of activity on this channel.  Over the last couple years, the channel has been very, very quiet, except for a few videos on the Septuagint and the video on the Name of God the Father, which was posted two weeks ago.  Recently, I have been working to change this season of silence.

The good news is that the mini-series of videos on God the Father has been completed.  There were 14 videos.  The series on the Divinity will continue.  Next, the plan is to share seven or more videos on God the Son, Jesus Christ.  And after those, there will be three or more videos on God the Spirit.

If you are curious as to how this channel is progressing or about what is in the works, you can find updates on the blog.  Also on the blog, I post the full scripts of the videos.  As a reminder, whenever there is a quotation from a Pre-Nicene Christian, a direct link is included to their quotation.  That way, if anyone is interested, they may read the early Christian quotation in context.  There is also a link in the description.  Special thanks to the website Christian Classics Ethereal Library, which provides the Ante-Nicene Fathers for free.

YOUTUBE ADVERTISEMENTS
For the last half-year or so, you have noticed the addition of advertisements on this channel.  From what I could tell, this began when the channel reached 20,000 subscribers.

Since the beginning of this channel, I have purposely declined to become a Youtube Partner.  Being a Youtube Partner means you gain some extra benefits as a Youtuber and you gain a fraction of income from the ads that are played on the videos.  I have been diligent in trying to prevent ads from showing up on this channel.  Because of the following verses, I committed myself to keep this channel ad-free.
 

You have received free of charge; give free of charge.  (Matt 10:8b, HCSB)

 And,
 

Buy—and do not sell—truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.  (Prov 23:23, HCSB) 

When the ads first started showing up, I was very disappointed.  I have looked for ways to remove them, but I have not been able to do it.  I would like to be clear: even though there are ads on this channel, I have never received any money from Youtube and do not plan to receive money from ads.  This is my commitment for this channel. 

Because Youtube will be running ads on this channel and because Youtube is a free service (for both you and me), I hope you will consider the ads as if they were “Youtube taxes.”  Yes, ads are annoying, but we can think of them as a way of paying taxes to Youtube in order to enjoy these services.  As for me, I have decided that whenever I see an ad on this channel, I will thank Youtube for the opportunity to share videos for free.  I encourage you to think the same way.  So, the next time you watch or skip an ad, choose to be grateful.  Remember the words of Paul,
 

Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. (Rom 13:7, HCSB). 

GETTING PERSONAL
It has been a quite a few years since I have shared anything personal in these update videos.  This year, it is time to get personal again. 

The main reason this channel has been quiet for a couple of years is because of a significant and very unpleasant life change.  I went through a divorce.  I greatly desired to spend more time and effort on this channel but was not able to do it.  I continued to read (and sometimes respond to) the comments, there was not a lot of progress in making new videos.  With an event such as divorce, I spent much of my time and effort leaning on God and focusing on His will for my life.  I dove into finding recovery from this experience. 

And my story is a story of victory.  When hardship came, I decided to lean into God, completely relying on Him.  When life turned against me, I turned to God.  And that made all the difference in my life.  Through this experience, my faith has grown, my relationship with God is deeper, and I have learned much.  In fact, I have taken my story and given back to others who have gone through similar hardships.  I have seen the power behind Paul’s words, when he said,
 

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  (2Cor 1:3-4, HCSB) 

I both received and gave comfort through others, which was the working of God.  No matter what hardship you have experienced or are experiencing, I have seen how one thing is true: you are not alone! 

It was important that I take a hiatus—more or less.  But as I said, my story is a story of victory.  God has allowed me to return to a place where I can continue making content.  I am so excited to begin the next mini-series of videos on God the Son.  Specifically, we will begin with what early Christians believed about the deity of Jesus.  That will be the next video! 

SUBSCRIBER BOOM
A year and a half ago, one of the most amazing things happened.  Up until that time, the rate at which people were subscribing was steady.  It was about 300 or 400 people each month.  But in November of 2019, 6,000 people subscribed in a single month!  It was shocking.  In the comments, I was hoping to see some clue as to why so many folks showed up at that time.  Did a popular website or Youtube channel promote this one?  Did Youtube change the way they count subscribers?  Was it something else?  It is still a mystery as to why this happened.  Regardless, I’m glad folks are finding this channel so that they can learn about early Christianity.  I want to thank YOU so very much for subscribing!! 

STATISTICS
Finally, let’s end this video with some statistics.  In the previous update videos, I read the statistics out load.  But from now on, they will only appear on the screen. 

Subscribers
Here are the statistics for subscribers.
First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +542 subscribers.  542 total subscribers.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +1,708 subscribers.  2,250 total subscribers.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +5,406 subscribers.  7,656 total subscribers.
Last two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +14,625 subscribers.  22,281 total subscribers. 

Currently, there are 106 listeners who have subscribed by email. 

Videos
Here are the statistics for videos posted.
First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +35 videos.  35 total videos.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +19 videos.  54 total videos.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +12 videos.  66 total videos.
Last two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +4 videos.  70 total videos. 

Views
Here are the statistics for videos viewed.
First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +26,966 views.  26,966 total views.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +126,552 views.  153,518 total views.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +339,721 views.  493,239 total views.
Last two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +666,863 views.  1,160,102 total views. 

CONCLUSION
I feel very blessed to be able to share the faith and history of early Christianity with you.  I pray that the Lord grants renewed activity over the next two years!  Please stay tuned for more, and please share this channel with your friends and your ministers.  Again, I ask that you to pray for this ministry. 

Blessings and so forth.