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FASTING DAY 10: How Lent Became Mandatory (The History of the 40 Days) Description: In 180 AD, Christians fasted anywhere from one day to 40 hours before Easter. By 400 AD, the 40-day season of Lent was mandatory, and St. Augustine declared that "we sin if we do not fast." In Day 10 of our history series, we trace the evolution of Lent from a diverse, voluntary practice to a strict legal requirement. We look at the letter from St. Irenaeus regarding the early variety in fasting, the Council of Nicaea's mention of 40 days, and the Council of Laodicea's command for "dry eating." We also examine the severe "Black Fast" of the Middle Ages, where people ate only one vegetarian meal a day after sunset. We explore how the church moved from "fasting from the heart" to "fasting by the law". This episode helps modern Christians understand the difference between healthy spiritual discipline and legalism. It challenges us to choose fasting because we want God, not because we are afraid of […]

Deep Dive: 215 AD – The Fire That Didn't Burn (Revisiting Ep 12) Description: Was the great theologian Origen actually a criminal under Roman law? In this COACH Deep Dive, we explore the "shadow history" of 215 AD, including the secret laws and massive writing teams that shaped his life. This COACH Deep Dive explores the hidden history of Origen of Alexandria during the violent year of 215 AD. While the original episode told the inspiring story of his escape from a Roman massacre, this AI-generated discussion reveals the dangerous legal and political secrets that didn't make it into the main script. We look beyond the riot to understand the specific laws and "shadow history" that threatened one of the early church's greatest minds. We uncover the "industrial" scale of Origen's writing ministry, which was funded by his wealthy patron Ambrose and powered by an army of shorthand writers called "tachygraphoi." We also investigate the strange reason Emperor Caracalla specifically […]

FASTING DAY 9: Station Days – Standing Guard Against the Devil Description: Early Christians didn't just call it "fasting"—they called it stationes, a Roman military term that means "standing guard." In Day 9 of our history series, we explore how the early church viewed fasting as active spiritual combat rather than just passive hunger. We look at why they treated their weekly fasts like soldiers standing watch at a guard post. We explain the history of "Station Days," where believers fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays until the "ninth hour" (3:00 PM). We look at why they chose that specific time—to mark the moment Jesus died on the cross—and how church leaders like St. Ambrose and Tertullian described these days as "encampments against the attacks of the devil." We see how fasting was used to protect the church against spiritual enemies. For modern Christians, this concept challenges us to stop just skipping meals and start "standing watch." Are you vigilant against temptation, […]

40 AD - Emperor Caligula Orders His Statue Installed in the Jerusalem Temple - Trusting Jesus When His Protection Doesn't Look Like Protection Description: Around the year 40 AD, Emperor Caligula issued a command that threatened to ignite a catastrophic conflict decades before the actual Jewish revolt: a colossal gilded statue of himself, dressed as Jupiter, was to be erected inside the Temple sanctuary in Jerusalem. The Roman governor of Syria, Petronius, was tasked with enforcing the order by military force if necessary. When vast crowds of Jewish protesters gathered unarmed near Petronius's camp on the Galilean coast, they did something Rome had rarely seen—they knelt and begged, offering their own necks to the sword rather than allow their Temple to be desecrated. Petronius stalled, ordering the artisans to slow their work and writing to Caligula about the scale of resistance. Enraged, Caligula condemned Petronius to suicide, but while the execution order crossed the […]

FASTING DAY 8: The Didache – Christianity's Oldest Fasting Manual Description: Around 50–120 AD, the early church produced its first instruction manual: The Didache (pronounced "DID-uh-kay"). In Day 8 of our history series, we open this ancient document to find a surprising command: "Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites." We trace the historical shift from the Jewish fasting days (Monday and Thursday) to the unique Christian fasting days (Wednesday and Friday). We explain the theology behind this change. Early believers chose Wednesday to remember Judas's betrayal and Friday to remember the Crucifixion, turning their weekly fasts into a remembrance of the Gospel. We also introduce the concept of "Station Days"—a military term meaning "standing guard"—where Christians fasted until 3:00 PM to stand watch against spiritual attacks. For modern Christians, this history connects your current fast to a tradition over 1,900 years old. It challenges us to see fasting not just as […]

Deep Dive: 112 AD – Pliny's Dilemma (Revisiting Ep 11) Description: This COACH Deep Dive explores the fascinating research behind Episode 11, where Roman Governor Pliny the Younger faced a strange new problem: Christians. While the original episode told the story of his famous letter to Emperor Trajan, this AI-generated discussion digs into the details that didn't make the final cut. We analyze why Pliny was actually sent to Bithynia—not to hunt heretics, but to fix a broken local economy—and how the Christians accidentally got in the way of his audit. We discuss the findings regarding the torture of two female slaves known as "deaconesses" and what their titles reveal about women in early church leadership. The conversation also unpacks the economic side of persecution, specifically how the "meat market crash" in sacrificial animals might have been the real reason local sellers turned the Christians in. We also explore the Roman legal concept of "Contumacia" (obstinacy) and why […]

ASTING DAY 7: Jesus’s 40 Days – Temptation in the Wilderness Description: After His baptism, Jesus didn't start His ministry immediately. He started with 40 days of fasting. And it ended with a conversation about bread. Before Jesus performed a single miracle, He fasted for 40 days. In Day 7, we explore why the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and what actually happened there. We analyze why Scripture says He was "hungry" implying a water-only fast, and how He faced the three specific temptations from Satan: appetite, spectacular proof, and power. We see how Jesus countered every attack by quoting Deuteronomy, succeeding exactly where the nation of Israel had failed in their own wilderness wanderings. For modern Christians, Jesus’s example teaches a critical lesson: fasting does not make you immune to temptation; it prepares you to face it. Hashtags: #BiblicalFasting #ChristianFasting #ChurchHistory #COACH #Jesus #SpiritualWarfare #Matthew4 #40Days

0094 - 1501 AD - Pope Alexander VI Grants Spain Control of Tithes in the Indies - When Funding Shapes the Church's Voice Description: In 1501, Pope Alexander VI issued a papal concession granting King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella the right to collect all tithes from the Indies, redirecting the financial lifeblood of the colonial church to the Spanish crown. This concession built on earlier bulls from 1493 that had granted Spain territorial rights and charged the monarchs with evangelizing the New World. The arrangement allowed Spain to recover the costs of its missionary enterprise by collecting tithes from colonists, estates, and emerging plantations. By making the Spanish monarchs the financial stewards of the American church, Alexander also made them its practical governors, creating the Patronato Real—a legal framework that gave the crown control over church appointments, parish boundaries, and ecclesiastical structure. For three centuries, the church in Latin America existed in […]

Title FASTING DAY 6: When Jesus Confronted Religious Fasting Description Jesus didn't reject fasting; He rejected fake fasting. In Day 6, we examine Jesus's three major teachings on the subject. We look at Matthew 6, where He instructs disciples to "wash their faces" and fast in secret to avoid the "hypocrite's reward" of human applause. We analyze the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18), where a man who fasted 104 times a year was rejected by God because of his pride. Finally, we explore the "Bridegroom Theology" of Matthew 9, where Jesus explains that Christian fasting is not a legalistic requirement, but a longing for His return. Keywords Matthew 6, Jesus on fasting, Pharisee and Tax Collector, hypocrites, wash your face, spiritual pride, Bridegroom fast, Christian fasting vs Jewish fasting. Hashtags #Jesus #SermonOnTheMount #Fasting #Hypocrisy #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #Matthew6 #RedemptionChurch ________________________________________

eep Dive: Pilate's Fall Description: Welcome to the COACH Deep Dive, where we analyze the historical research behind Episode 10, "Pilate's Fall." In this session, we go beyond the narrative of the original episode to discuss the massive geopolitical shifts of 36 AD. Host Bob Baulch has provided extensive notes on the "Imperial Fracture," a period of instability that allowed the high priests to seize more power. We discuss how the Roman legate Vitellius used the high priest’s sacred vestments as a diplomatic bargaining chip to keep the peace after Pilate’s disastrous exit. This discussion also tackles the deep theological context of the Samaritan uprising that ended Pilate's career. We explain why Rome viewed the search for "sacred vessels" on Mount Gerizim as a political rebellion rather than just a religious pilgrimage. Furthermore, we explore the "legal vacuum" left behind when Pilate was replaced by a lower-ranking official, creating the specific conditions that made the […]

FASTING DAY 05 - "The Pharisees: How Fasting Became a Competition" Title FASTING DAY 5: The Pharisees – How Fasting Became a Competition Description By the time of Jesus, the religious landscape had shifted dramatically. The Pharisees, a group originally dedicated to holiness, had turned fasting into a competitive sport. While God only commanded one fast day a year, the Pharisees were fasting 104 extra days annually—every Monday and Thursday without fail. In Day 5, we investigate the history of the Pharisees and why they chose those specific days (hint: they were Jerusalem's market days, ensuring the maximum number of people would see them). We look at how a voluntary discipline slowly morphed into a social expectation, and eventually into a badge of spiritual superiority. Using the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18, we see how fasting became a tool for pride rather than humility. The Pharisee stood in the temple reciting his fasting resume to God ("I fast […]

FASTING DAY 04 - The Impossible Fasts - Moses and Elijah Title FASTING DAY 4: The Impossible Fasts – Moses & Elijah's 40 Days Description Moses and Elijah are the two greatest figures of the Old Testament, and they share a mind-blowing connection: they both fasted for 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. In Day 4, we dive into the medical reality of these events. While a human can survive weeks without food, the body shuts down after only a few days without water. This means the fasts recorded in Exodus 34 and 1 Kings 19 were not just acts of discipline—they were supernatural miracles where God sustained His servants in the wilderness. We explore the biblical significance of the number 40 (testing, preparation, and transformation) and trace the path from Moses on Mount Sinai to Elijah on Mount Horeb, culminating in the Transfiguration where both men appear with Jesus—who also fasted 40 days. However, this episode comes with a critical safety warning: these "absolute […]

1415 AD - Jan Hus Burned at Constance After Broken Safe Conduct - Trusting Jesus Without Guarantees Description: In 1415, Jan Hus, a Czech priest and Scripture teacher, traveled to the Council of Constance under imperial safe conduct to defend his teachings on the authority of Scripture and church reform. Despite the promise of protection, he was arrested, imprisoned, tried for heresy, and condemned when he refused to recant views he believed were grounded in God's Word. On July 6, 1415, Hus was burned at the stake outside Constance. Witnesses reported that he sang hymns, prayed for his enemies, and commended his soul to Christ as the flames rose. His ashes were thrown into the Rhine to prevent relic collection, but his death sparked the Hussite movement in Bohemia and laid groundwork for the Reformation a century later. This episode challenges believers to examine the tension between loving the church and telling the truth, between seeking safety and remaining faithful when the cost […]

Title: Deep Dive: 70 AD – Matthew's Gospel – A Scribe's Answer To Crisis (Revisiting Ep 9) Description: In 70 AD, the Roman army destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, leaving Jewish Christians to wonder if God had abandoned them. In this COACH Deep Dive, we explore how the Gospel of Matthew served as a survival guide for a community in crisis. We look at the historical evidence that Matthew wrote from the city of Antioch to help believers hold onto their faith when their world fell apart. We dig into the fascinating research behind the original episode, including the "Fiscus Iudaicus," a punitive Roman tax that forced Christians to pay for a pagan temple of Jupiter. We also discuss the "Abomination of Desolation" and the specific historical evidence for the earthquake mentioned at Jesus’ crucifixion, including records from the church father Tertullian. The discussion explains how Matthew used his skills as a scribe to organize Jesus’ teachings into five parts, mirroring the books […]

170 AD – The Earliest Chronological Gospel Success - Tatian Compiles the Diatessaron - Going Deeper Than What Feels Easy Description: Around 170 AD, Tatian the Syrian returned home after studying under Justin Martyr in Rome. Faced with the challenge of four different gospel accounts that could confuse new believers in the Syriac-speaking world, Tatian undertook a massive editorial project. He wove Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into a single continuous narrative called the Diatessaron, meaning "that which is through four." For centuries, this harmony became the primary way many Syriac-speaking Christians encountered the gospel story. Teachers used it for instruction, new converts learned from it, and it shaped the spiritual formation of large parts of the Eastern church. Yet the Diatessaron also represented a choice—a unified, streamlined gospel instead of four distinct voices. While it proved the gospels told one consistent story and made Scripture more accessible, it could not […]