B I B L E S T U D Y
TITLE: WHY "SAINT AMBROSE" "BISHOP OF MILAN" WAS NEITHER
OVERVIEW:
When you read contemporary
sources on “Saint Ambrose””Bishop of Milan”, you will read a string of
extremely complimentary things, such as; He was so “wise”. He was so “educated”. He was
so “Christian”. He was so “enlightened”. He was so "diplomatic". He was so “kind”. He was so “well
loved”. He was so perfect in every way… you would never guess he was one of the
most morbid and “creepiest” figures, in all of “Church history”. But he was. In fact, he was what the New Testament would have referred to as a "Demoniac".
Not only was “Saint Ambrose” NOT a “saint”, neither was he a “Bishop”, according to the New Testament. But first let’s tackle the false “Nicolaitan” claim, he was even a “saint”.
The word “Saint” in the singular, is only used 1 time in the entire New Testament.
Philippians 4:21
Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
And it’s meaning is still a reference to the “corporate body of believers”. The term “saint” was used generically of all “believers” or “followers of Christ”. There was no “special class” of persons, elevated above everyone else called “saints”. The “plural” use of the term occurs 61 times throughout the New Testament, thus is a frequent common reference, and likewise referred to everyone who followed Christ, the same.
Mat_27:52; Act_9:13; Act_9:32; Act_9:41; Act_26:10; Rom_1:7; Rom_8:27; Rom_12:13; Rom_15:25; Rom_15:26; Rom_15:31; Rom_16:2; Rom_16:15; 1Co_1:2; 1Co_6:1; 1Co_6:2; 1Co_14:33; 1Co_16:1; 1Co_16:15; 2Co_1:1; 2Co_8:4; 2Co_9:1; 2Co_9:12; 2Co_13:13; Eph_1:1; Eph_1:15; Eph_1:18; Eph_2:19; Eph_3:8; Eph_3:18; Eph_4:12; Eph_5:3; Eph_6:18; Php_1:1; Php_4:22; Col_1:2; Col_1:4; Col_1:12; Col_1:26; 1Th_3:13; 2Th_1:10; 1Ti_5:10; Phm_1:5; Phm_1:7; Heb_6:10; Heb_13:24; Jud_1:3; Jud_1:14; Rev_5:8; Rev_8:3; Rev_8:4; Rev_11:18; Rev_13:7; Rev_13:10; Rev_14:12; Rev_15:3; Rev_16:6; Rev_17:6; Rev_18:24; Rev_19:8; Rev_20:9.
The English word “saint” is translated from the Greek word “ ἅγιος “ pronounced “hagios” (hag'-ee-os)
From ἅγος hagos (an awful thing) compare G53, [H2282];
sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.
Total KJV occurrences: 229
As you see in the
Strong’s definition of the term, the three meanings listed are (1) physically
pure, (2) morally blameless, and (3) “ceremonially consecrated”. The New Testament usage was applied freely to those who were "followers of Christ" (in the real Matthew 7:21-23 sense of the phrase).
At no point in Ambrose’s life, was Ambrose either a "real follower of Christ", or any 3 of the things listed in the Greek definition of the word. He never "followed Christ". He was never “physically pure”. He was never “morally blameless” and he was never “ceremonially consecrated”. So it would be quite impossible (actually even contrary in nature and “spirit”) to conclude he was a “saint”.
WHY "AMBROSE OF MILAN" WAS "NO SAINT"
As shown previously, the term “saint” was generically used to refer to anyone who genuinely followed Christ in the New Testament. However, it was not applied to just anyone who “claimed” to follow Christ. The distinction between those who “followed Christ” in reality, and those who “claimed” to follow Christ, but were “deceivers”, such as the “Nicolaitans” was maintained as a real, important, valid and “Apostolic” distinction.
“Ambrose of Milan” would not have “qualified” as a “follower of Christ” (by New Testament definitions). He would have however, qualified, under the description of a “Nicolaitan”. Because “Nicolaitans” were “syncretists”.(And they weren’t particularly “picky” about what they called “Christian”) Just about “anything” would do. That was the “category” under which, “Ambrose of Milan” was a “Christian”. It was the use of the word, that incorporated “anything else as well”, along with it, no matter how demonic, or pagan, that “something else” happened to be.
"Ambrose" is famous for instituting "necrophilia" as a "practice" in "Nicolaitanism". (Which calls itself "Christianity")
QUOTE: I found the fitting signs, and on bringing in some on whom hands were to be laid, the power of the holy martyrs became so manifest, that even while I was still silent, one was seized and thrown prostrate at the holy burial-place. END QUOTE
- Letter 22, paragraph 2
As one would dig their way though
the bones, and rotting flesh of corpses, if one suddenly experienced a
"seizure" (and be "thrown down"), this would be
"the sign" ...the bones were those of a "holy martyr"!!!
Because they "manifested the power" of a "holy martyr" by causing a "seisure"!!! (This is how "Rome" came to "believe" it had "the bones of the Apostle Peter")
He then explains, how he would (after stealing them from the graveyard) drag the dead bodies back to, (a "necrophilac temple" he named after himself), in order to properly fondle the flesh and bones in a "spiritual way" in order to get the "full benefit" of "the relic".
QUOTE: as evening was now coming on transferred them to the basilica of Fausta, where watch was kept during the night, and some received the laying on of hands. On the following day *we translated the relics to the basilica called Ambrosian*. END QUOTE
SPREADING "CORPSES LIKE A FARMER DOES SEEDS"
QUOTE: bishops ...brought them into the towns and under the altars of the churches. This was...a common belief that the bodies of the martyrs were especially sacred and worthy of veneration. Many also believed they could work miracles.<> Among the period’s most influential advocates for this renewed cult of the martyrs were Bishops Damasus of Rome and Ambrose of Milan. Damasus popularized visits to the great catacombs such as Callistus, Domitilla, Sebastian, Commodilla, etc., opened up chapels, built shrines, and encouraged others to be buried nearby. Ambrose located the bodies of several martyrs and placed them in churches around Milan. He even found relics in places such as Bologna and delivered relics to other communities like Florence, encouraging local philanthropists to dedicate churches to them. He scattered bones like a farmer does seeds, believing that they would stimulate a new growth in the Faith. END QUOTE
- Ambrose of Milan, A Primer, Rev. Robert L. "Bud" Grant, Ph.D.
You can see from the above quote, Ambrose was the "missionary of the dead", spreading the body parts of "corpses" (which he was also "grave-robbing") all over Italy. Words like "martyr" will be freely and indiscriminately used by "promoters" of "Ambrose of Milan" to describe the "dead body parts" of his obsessive "corpse" desecration. But there was nothing in the ancient world, in Ambrose day, that made it possible to "identify" whose "remains" belonged to "who" (especially given the distance in time of "centuries"). His own "explanation" of the "procedure" for identifying the corpse of a "martyr" was to see if he, or one of his "minions" were thrown into a "spontaneous seizure". (That was it, nothing more) That made the "remains", they were currently "fondling" at the moment, one of "the martyrs", because one of his disciples fell over and started barking like a dog, or foaming at the mouth, or jerking in uncontrollable spams like a "demoniac". (Then the "bones" magically belonged to "Saint Peter"or "Saint Paul" or "John the Baptist", etc., or whatever "holy" name was "next" on the list)
Not
only was this behavior extremely deceitful, it was very "bizarre". But
to make this bizarre "grave-robbing" Necrophilia, the very basis of the
claim to have "found Saint Peter's bones" (is also absolute insanity).
Yet that is precisely what Papal Rome was doing, in the "Edict of
Thessalonica" under Pope Damasus. (And of course, "ironically" it
charged that anyone who did not "accept their claim" be declared legally
"insane" by the Roman empire) And they were.
WHAT THE "PROPHETS & APOSTLES" SAY ABOUT THIS "ABOMINATION"
FONDLING THE DEAD IS AN "UNCLEAN THING"
Lev_11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Lev_11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
Lev_22:4 ...And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead...
Num_9:10 ...if any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body...
Num_19:11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
Num_19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
Num_19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
Deu_14:8 ...it is unclean unto you: ...touch their dead carcase.
Hag_2:13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
FONDLING THE DEAD IS AN "ABOMINAITON"
Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you ..or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD...
NECROMANCER - dârash
BDB Definition:
1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place)
1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek
DEFINTION
nec·ro·man·cy - ˈnekrəˌmansē, noun, (1) the supposed practice of communicating with the dead...witchcraft, sorcery, or black magic in general. - GOOGLE
nec·ro·man·cy - the practice of talking to the spirits of dead people - Merriam-Websters Online
nec·ro·man·cy - noun, 1. the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead - Dictionary.com
FONDLING THE DEAD CONJURES "UNCLEAN SPIRITS" (I.e., Demons)
Mar 5:2,3 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs;
Mar 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Mar 5:8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
Mar 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
Mar 5:12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
Mar 5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
Luk 8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
Luk 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
Luk 8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
Luk 8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
Luk 8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
Luk 8:32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
Luk 8:33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Rev 9:11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss (PLACE OF THE DEAD). His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
NOTE: Revelation 9:11 is a reference to the "deity" and "practices" of the Antichrist. The "deity" named as "Apollyon" is a variant spelling of Greek "Apollon", known in Latin as "Apollo" (the sun-god)
THE "PRACTICE OF NECROPHILIA" IN "THE CHRISTMAS-CHURCH"
It's actually "instructed" in the ROMAN MISSAL to put dead bodies and body parts in every one of their Churches' "altars"! (to give them "power")
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, CHAPTER V,
ARRANGEMENT AND FURNISHING OF CHURCHES FOR THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
266. It is fitting to maintain the practice of enclosing in the altar or of placing under the altar relics (rotted Corpses & Body parts) of saints, even of nonmartyrs.
- http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/girmch5.html
THE "NECROPHILIAC" AMBROSE WAS NOT A BISHOP
1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
WHO WAS THE "CELIBATE NECROPHILIAC AMBROSE"?
1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry,