Five Solae

The five solae (from Latin, sola, means "alone"; occasionally Anglicized to five solas) of the Protestant Reformation are a foundational set of Biblical principles held by theologians and clergy to be central to the doctrine of salvation as taught by the Lutheran and Reformed branches of Protestantism.  Each sola represents a key belief in the Lutheran and Reformed traditions in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura asserts that the Bible can and is to be interpreted through itself, with one area of Scripture being useful for interpreting others. That scripture can interpret itself is a means by which to show the unity of Scripture as a whole. As all doctrines are formed via scriptural understandings, all doctrines must be found to align with Scripture and as such are then subject to scripture before the believer can begin to apply them.

Sola fide

Sola fide, or "faith alone", asserts that good works are not a means or requisite for salvation. Sola fide is the teaching that justification is received by faith alone, without any need for good works on the part of the individual.

Sola gratia

Sola gratia, or "only grace", specifically excludes the merit done by a person as part of achieving salvation. Sola gratia is the teaching that salvation comes by divine grace or "unmerited favor" only, not as something merited by the sinner. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God for Jesus's sake.

Solus Christus

Solus Christus, or "only Christ", excludes the priestly class as necessary for sacraments. Solus Christus is the teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other

Soli Deo gloria

Soli Deo gloria is the teaching that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action – not only the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement, created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit.

Christian vs Jewish Festivals

Holy Week 圣周	Pesach 逾越节 ( Passover )  & Feast of Matzot 无酵节    ( Feast of Unleavened Bread )  LEV 23:5–8
Palm Sunday Jesus’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem  JHN 12:12-18
Holy Monday Anointing of Jesus at Bethany  JHN 12:1-11
Fig Tuesday Jesus predicted his own death MAR 8:31
Spy Wednesday Judas betrayed Jesus to High Priest LUK 22:1-6
Maundy Thursday Commemorate the Maundy and Last Supper JHN 13
Good Friday Commemorate the Crucifixion of Christ MAR 15:24-41	Erev Pesach Fast of Firstborn EXO 12:14
Black Saturday Jesus buried  MAR 15:42-47	Pesach I Commemorate Jews liberation from Egypt  DEU 16:12, EXO 13:3
Easter Sunday Commemorate the Resurrection of Christ LUK 24	Pesach II
	Pesach III
	Pesach IV
	Pesach V
	Pesach VI
	Pesach VII Commemorate the Passage through the Red Sea EXO 14

Pentecost 五旬節	Shavout 七七节
Ascension Day耶穌升天日 Easter +40 days MAK 16:19, LUK 24:51, ACT 1:2 Commemorates the Ascension of Jesus
Pentecost  ACTS 2 Ascension Day +10 days Passover +50 days Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit	Shavout ( Feast of Weeks) DEU 16:9-12 6th Sivan Festival of Reaping (Wheat) EXO 34:22 Commemorates Giving of Torah
Whit Monday

操练敬虔

 操练身体，益处还少；唯独操练敬虔，凡事有益，享有今生和来世的应许。

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

提摩太前书 4 :8

1 Timothy 4:8

凡是吃奶的，还是个婴孩，对公义的道理没有经历； 

只有长大成人的，才能吃干粮，他们的官能因为操练纯熟，就能分辨是非了。

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

希伯来书 5:13-14

Hebrew 5:13-14

一切管教，在当时似乎不觉得快乐，反觉得痛苦；

后来却为那些经过这种操练的人，结出平安的果子来，就是义。

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

希伯来书 12:11

Hebrew 12:11

给儿子的话 #4 祷告

当你遇见不如意时,

不要祷告求事事顺利,

而是要更加兢随主道.

当生活富足宽裕时,

不要陷入世界的享受里,

而是要时刻谦卑服事.

当我年老多病时,

不要祷告求医治,

而是坚固我们的信心.

魔鬼:“你若是神的儿子，
就吩咐这些石头变成食物吧！

耶稣:“ 人活着，
不是单靠食物，
更要靠神口里所出的一切话。”

魔鬼:“你若是神的儿子，
就跳下去吧！”

耶稣:“不可试探主你的神。”

魔鬼:“你只要跪下来拜我，
我就把这一切都给你。”

耶稣:“当拜主你的神，
单要事奉他。”

马太福音 4:1-11

给儿子的话 #2 奉献

关于奉献

若不是基督徒，不必奉献；

若不明白了解，不用奉献；

若不甘心乐意，不要奉献。

神所喜爱的奉献 «歌林多後書9:7»

寡妇的奉献 «馬可福音 12:41»

亚伯拉罕献以撒 «創世記 22:1-14»
活祭 «羅馬書 12:1»

Renaissance Art - The Last Supper ( Il Cenacolo ) 1495-1498

The Last Supper

Artist : Leonardo da Vinci,  1452-1519

Date : 1495-1498

Medium : fresco-secco

Dimensions : 460x880cm

Current Location : Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy

The work is presumed to have been started around 1495–96 and was commissioned as part of a plan of renovations to a Dominican monastery in Santa Maria delle Grazie, by Leonardo's patron Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. 

The painting represents the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles, as it is told in the Gospel of John.  Leonardo has depicted the consternation that occurred among the Twelve Disciples when Jesus announced that one of them would betray him.

All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock. The apostles are identified from a manuscript (The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci p. 232) with their names found in the 19th century.

From left to right, according to the apostles' heads:

Bartholomew¹, James², son of Alphaeus, and Andrew³ form a group of three; all are surprised.

Judas Iscariot⁴, Peter⁵, and John⁶ form another group of three.

Apostle Thomas⁷, James⁸ the Greater, and Philip⁹ are the next group of three.

Matthew¹⁰, Jude Thaddeus¹¹, and Simon¹² the Zealot are the final group of three.

Judas Iscariot⁴ is wearing green and blue and is in shadow, looking rather withdrawn and taken aback by the sudden revelation of his plan. He is clutching a small bag, perhaps signifying the silver given to him as payment to betray Jesus, or perhaps a reference to his role within the 12 disciples as treasurer.  He is also tipping over the salt cellar. This may be related to the near-Eastern expression to "betray the salt" meaning to betray one's Master. He is the only person to have his elbow on the table and his head is also horizontally the lowest of anyone in the painting.

Peter⁵ looks angry and is holding a knife pointed away from Christ, perhaps foreshadowing his violent reaction in Gethsemane during Jesus' arrest.

The youngest apostle, John⁶ , appears to swoon.

Thomas⁷ is clearly upset; the raised index finger foreshadows his incredulity of the Resurrection.

James⁸ the Greater looks stunned, with his arms in the air. Meanwhile, Philip⁹ appears to be requesting some explanation.

Both Jude Thaddeus¹¹ and Matthew¹⁰ are turned toward Simon¹² , perhaps to find out if he has any answer to their initial questions.

Renaissance Art - The Last Supper ( Tapestry ) 1500s

Probably the world’s most recognizable painting, the Last Supper has been copied, referenced, or reproduced as painting, mosaic, embroidery, tapestry etc.

The tapestry found in the Vatican Museum was made in a Flemish workshop ( a region occupied today by parts of Netherlands, Belgium and France ) in the early  1500s.  It was presented by King of France, François I to Pope Clement VII in 1532.

It is now displayed at Room VIII of the building of Pinacoteca, Vatican Museum.