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Fermenting Belgian-Style Beers
Famed beer writer Michael Jackson tells a particularly colorful story about how German, English and Belgian brewers differ, painting an image of a Belgian brewer as circus performer. "You imagine a lion tamer in a cage," he said one time, stepping back and lifting an imaginary whip. "They love the danger of working with wild yeast."
He was talking not only about the sort of wild yeasts we associate with sour beers, but also Belgian Saccharomyces cerevisiae in general.
The Trappist breweries Westmalle, Westvlet-eren and Achel all ferment with yeast top cropped at Westmalle. Westvleteren and Achel use it just as fresh as Westmalle, picking up recently harvested yeast the day they brew.
At Achel, yeast is pitched at 63–64 °F (17–18 °C) and climbs to 72–73 °F (22–23 °C) during fermentation in cylindro-conical tanks. At Westmalle, yeast is pitched at 64 °F (18 °C) and rises only to 68 °F (20 °C) during fermentation in closed squares. At Westvleteren, yeast is pitched at 68 °F (20 °C) and reaches 82–84 °F (28–29 °C) in open fermenters. Same yeast, three very different schedules.
At Brasserie Caracole, brewers of Saxo, Troublette and Nostradamus, yeast is pitched at 77 °F (25 °C). The brewers allow it to ferment as it will, depending on the season. In the summer it may reach 86 °F (30 °C) and in the winter it will fall to 68 °F (20 °C).
At American microbreweries, the usual pitching rate is 1 million cells of yeast per milliliter of wort per degrees Plato (cells/mL/°P). (One degree Plato is roughly equivalent to 4 gravity "points" on the specific gravity scale.)
Common advice for homebrewers calls for boosting the pitching rate by 50% for higher gravity beers. In contrast, Westmalle pitches 5–6 million cells per milliliter for its 19.6 °P (1.081) Westmalle Tripel — just over 0.25 million cells/mL/°P.
When working with these and other Belgian yeast strains, good fermentation practices can't be ignored. However, these strains are different from British and American ale yeasts — and from one another.
Ron Jeffries — founder and brewer at Jolly Pumpkin Ales in Michigan — speaks like a brewer who has entered into a partnership with his yeast, rather than expecting it to obey his orders.
"I usually let (fermentation) start in the upper 60s (Fahrenheit, around 20 °C)," he says, "and finish in the mid-80s (~29 °C). I try not to mess with it. For me, all the best beers I've made with Belgian yeast have been the ones I've done the least with. The yeast is almost always one step ahead of me. I've learned, don't slow them once they start. If you try (to dial down the temperature), what you think is under control isn't. Once the temperature jumps up, step back."
Belgian Yeast Strains
Belgian yeast strains are different. They tolerate higher alcohol levels than many other beer strains, attenuate well and generate a range of phenolics and esters. Chris White of White Labs sees cells that have a smaller surface area than other ale yeast when he looks at them under a microscope. Dave Logsdon of Wyeast Laboratories finds, "Belgian yeasts have a lot in common with wine yeasts. They produce phenolic compounds that are similar to wine yeasts."
We understand that Belgian yeasts, aided by a proper mashing schedule, will attenuate well and produce high levels of alcohol. On the down side, we know that many show a low degree of flocculation. As such, filtration or an extended amount of conditioning time may be required to get them to clear.
The complex aromas — with scents reminiscent of fruit and spices — are what set Belgain ales apart. These characteristics stem from the esters, higher alcohols and phenols generated during fermentation. Take a good whiff of a Belgian ale and you may smell pears, apples, tangerines, oranges or strawberries. In beers that contain darker malts or sugars, you may also detect raisins, plums, figs or prunes. Peppery, perfumy and roselike characteristics may also be found in many Belgian beers.
Belgian yeasts exhibit some similarities to other wheat yeasts, although the phenolic character exhibited in Belgian beers is not the same as that found in Bavarian wheat beers. In 2003, Wyeast and Microanalytics Corporation tested a variety of wheat and Belgian yeast strains using a gas chromatograph, a piece of analytical equipment that separates mixed gases into their component parts and gives their relative concentrations. Dave Logsdon and Larry Nielsen (Microanalytics) presented their findings at the 2003 Craft Brewers Conference.
Levels of 4-vinyl guaiacol (4VG), the molecule responsible for the signature flavor of a Bavarian wheat beer, were higher in Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Ale), 3787 (Trappist High Gravity) and 3522 (Belgian Ardennes) than they were in Bavarian wheats. The panel identified them as spicy and singled out the clove in 1214 and 3522. On the other hand, Wyeast 1762 (Belgian Abbey II) showed only trace amounts and the panel cited no clove or spice characteristics.
Styrene — which has a resiny flavor, perceived as phenolic by some — was found in Wyeast 1214, 3787 and 3522 at roughly the same levels as in a wheat beer. As with the 4VG, Wyeast 1762 showed only trace amounts. However, 1762 registered levels of phenyl ethyl alcohol and phenyl ethyl acetate, which result in rose and honey notes, closer to the other Belgian strains. Phenyl ethyl alcohol is necessary for the recognized flavor of beer, and may stand out more in beers fermented with 1762 because of lower levels of clove and spices.
It's important to note that the percent of wheat in the grist (40%), and how it was mashed, surely affected how the beers were perceived.
Esters and Higher Alcohols
Esters are the most important aroma compounds in beer. In general, they impart a fruity character to beer. Most esters are desirable, but ethyl acetate — which is perceived as solventy, like nail polish remover — is not. Likewise isoamyl acetate, which smells like bananas, may or may not be desirable.
Higher alcohols, sometimes called fusel alcohols, are produced during primary fermentation alongside ethanol, although at much lower concentrations. Some can be converted to softer esters during conditioning. Those that don't can contribute harsh, solvent-like flavors over a certain threshold. However — in the right beer and at the right level — higher alcohols may also increase the complexity of a beer, and those that soften in secondary add spicy, perfumy and roselike aromas.
Most of the beer produced worldwide is lager beer. Consequently, most of the studies on esters in beer have been in lagers. However, some of that research may be applicable to ales.
Gregory Casey, director of brewing services at Coors Brewing Company says, "My belief is that, directionally, many of the findings (regarding esters) with lager beer would be applicable to ale. In the case of esters and higher alcohols, the pathways leading to their formation are 'core' pathways for Saccharomyces yeasts in general."
Casey gave a talk on fermentation at the 2005 Rocky Mountain Microbrewing Symposium. There, he related that yeast growth and higher alcohol production are directly correlated — i.e. more growth equals more fusels.
As with higher alcohol production, most sources claim that ester production is increased by yeast growth. However, Casey presented evidence that — at least in some circumstances — ester production may be inversely related to yeast growth. He did show, however, that this association could be altered by the fermenter design or amount of trub carried over into the wort. Casey also cited a study that found that temperature had a much greater effect on ester production than pitching rate did; increased pitching rates lowered ethyl acetate levels and increased temperature increased ethyl acetate levels.
Fermentation Temperatures
On their posters and at their websites, yeast producers offer suggested fermentation temperatures for all of their strains. The temperatures listed for many Belgian strains might be considered "fool proof," but are lower than the temperatures reached at some Belgian breweries. Yeast suppliers don't want to see homebrewers, enchanted by reports of high temperatures at which some Belgians ferment, losing control of their fermentation. Logsdon explains, "For homebrewers, the problem is lack of control. If they start at 75 °F (24 °C) and let it go, then they are going to get lots of higher alcohol and solventy character."
Once the fermentation temperature has risen beyond a certain point, it may not be possible to correct the problem and still yield good beer. Brother Joris of Westvleteren will still try to slow the rise in fermentation temperature if he suspects it exceeds 84 °F (29 °C), even if it means rising in the middle of the night. He knows that if he tries to reduce the temperature beyond that point, his yeast may crash. Others report White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) and Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity), both Westmalle offspring, acting the same way for them.
"When you cool them, they stop," White said. "They go into survival mode. You can try rousing them, raising the temperature, but they won't start again. You just have to add a new yeast. You don't want to let it spike, and that can be hard to control in a homebrew situation."
Obtaining the flavor profiles listed in the literature of yeast producers requires considering many variables associated with fermentation. It helps to recognize at what stage of fermentation different flavors are produced. "You get more phenolics at lower temperatures," White said. "The absence of esters makes them stand out more. If you continue to suppress the esters, then you will continue to perceive the phenolics. You are looking for a balance."
American craft breweries such as Russian River Brewing and Allagash Brewing found similar balance through trial and error. Both breweries now let their temperature rise during the fermentation process. This allows them to retain the esters and attenuation they wanted without getting solventy notes.
In Belgium, Duvel Moortgat pitches yeast at 61–64 °F (16–18 °C) and will let it rise to as high as 84 °F (29 °C) during five days. "One of the things that starting cooler does, is it leaves some of the fatty acids for ester production otherwise utilized early by yeast growth," Logsdon said.
So what's the take-home message for a homebrewer interested in Belgian-style beers? Although Belgian brewers ferment their beers at higher temperatures, you still have to be able to control the fermentation. As a starting point, you need to know the temperature of your fermenting wort. At Westvleteren, the monks don't measure the ambient temperature of their fermentation room — they measure wort temperature directly from the middle of their open tanks. If more homebrewers had probes inside their fermentation vessels, they might be surprised. "At a minimum, you'd expect a temperature rise in moderate fermentation to be 7 °F (~4 °C), and it might get a lot hotter," Logsdon said. A strip thermometer on the side of a glass carboy will be more accurate than measuring the ambient temperature, but glass is a good insulator.
To increase the amount of air the wort is exposed to, try using multiple fermenters. This will reduce the height-to-width ratio of your wort and possibly put a damper on surges in fermentation temperature. "I'd go shallow, and I wouldn't even put an airlock on," White said. As an added benefit, it is easier to top crop yeast from a plastic bucket than a glass carboy. Top-cropped yeast can be used for another fermentation or as bottling yeast.Higher temperatures are part of the reason that many Belgian beers are so well attenuated, usually more than yeast company profiles promise. For instance, Duvel is 93% attenuated, Westmalle Dubbel 87% and Chimay Blue 89%.
When Wyeast and White Labs provide guidelines for apparent attenuation they base them on all-malt beers, usually not fermented at the top of the suggested temperature range. Beers with sugar providing more than 10% of their fermentables will attenuate further, and further still at higher temperatures. "It's really important that brewers let them reach terminal gravity," Logsdon said. "I have heard too many brewers who say 'I'm going to stop it here,' because they've calculated what the attenuation should be. The worst thing you can do is get incomplete fermentation."
Pitching Rates
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, American microbreweries usually pitch around 1 million cells of yeast per milliliter of wort per degree Plato. For example, Brewery Ommegang pitches 18.5 million cells per milliliter for its 1.076 (18.5 °P) Ommegang Ale — right at the "standard" rate.
In contrast, Duvel Moortgat in Belgium, which owns Ommegang, pitches just 7.5 million cells per milliliter in fermenting Duvel, a beer with an original gravity of 16.9 °P (1.069) — or 0.44 million cells/mL/°P. Ommegang Brewmaster Randy Thiel and Moortgat Brewing Technical Director Hedwig Neven have discussed lowering the rate at Ommegang, but experiments yielded a beer that didn't attenuate completely.
For the past year, Moortgat has brewed Ommegang Ale while Ommegang expanded capacity. Both versions were brewed to the same specifications using the same recipe and basically the same ingredients. The only difference is that Moortgat pitched 8 million cells per milliliter. In blind triangle tastings, only half of consumers could pick out the odd beer, just what you'd expect by chance.
Of course, these beers contain a good percentage of sugar. Simple sugars are easier for yeast to process, and the breweries are confident about the viability of their yeast. Many are using freshly top-cropped yeast — not impossible for homebrewers, but not common either.
White understands. "On the professional level, the norm is pitching 2 L (of yeast) per barrel (34 gallons/129 L)," he said. "Belgians are below that. I've talked some (American) brewers into cutting back on their pitching level, and they are surprised their fermentations are stronger. By pitching a little less, if your yeast is healthy, flavor is going to be spit out during growth." He added a warning: "Of course, if you don't pitch enough, you get solventy. The Belgians know where that balance is."
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that if you pitch a certain amount of yeast into a wort with a given original gravity and ferment it at a specified temperature that you will produce a perfect beer.
As Peter Bouckaert of New Belgium Brewing says, "Brewing is a compromise. You have to take into account so many factors. You can't look at the temperature as a sole factor. It's an interaction. You need to see any beer you create as a holistic thing."
Key Variables (Revisited)
When planning your own Belgian-style beer fermentation at home, here are some of the key variables to consider:
Belgian yeasts typically produce more esters than British ale yeasts, and also some molecules associated with wheat yeasts. Logsdon adds, "Fusel alcohol raises perception of isoamyl acetate (banana). It isn't detected as strongly when fusels are lower." Higher original gravities, higher attenuation and inadequate aeration leads to more esters. (See the sidebar on page 45 for more.)
Increased fermentation temperature increases ethyl acetate levels, floral and fruity esters, and may be necessary for some of these yeasts to finish attenuating. Lower temperatures promote perception of phenols.
Higher pitching rates lower ethyl acetate levels. Very high or very low pitching rates increase ester levels.
Taming the beast begins with finding a balance. Defining balance can be another matter.
Consider Logsdon back on the subject of pitching rates. "Boosting the (pitching) rate reduces esters and creates more acetaldehyde (which have a green apple character). Reducing aeration increases esters," he said.
He paused, then laughed. "Everybody has a different opinion of optimal profile."
Yeast Origins
White Labs and Wyeast don't officially list the source of their Belgian yeast for good reason.
Wyeast acquired its 1214 more than 20 years ago from Chimay, and has monitored the yeast to make sure it hasn't changed since. Chimay, on the other hand, "cleaned up" its yeast in the 1990s, so it's not the same as it once was.
Then there's the "abbey" yeast that New Belgium Brewing uses for its Abbey Ale. Founder Jeff Lebesch cultured that from bottles of Chimay in the 1980s. "What I learned later is that Chimay could get kind of wild," Lebesch said, "so who knows how reflective what I got out of that bottle was of Chimay. I was doing all my culturing from bottles then, keeping them on plates in the house. Somewhere in the early 1990s, I did a major cleanup of our yeast. It really changed the character of the beer."
The bottom line is that a source is just that, a source. And here they are:
Wyeast: 1214 (Chimay), 1762 (Rochefort), 3522 (Achouffe), 3787 (Westmalle), 3864 (Unibroue), 1388 (Duvel), 3538 (Corsendonk-Bocq).
White Labs: WLP500 (Chimay), WLP510 (Orval), WLP530 (Westmalle), WLP540 (Rochefort), WLP550 (Achouffe), WLP570 (Duvel).
The Shape of Your Fermenter
Studies — mostly done with lager beers — show that the levels of ester production decrease when CO2 levels increase around the yeast in a fermenter.
Coors Brewing Company Director of Brewing Services Gregory Casey says, "A classic example of a design impact became apparent with the introduction of cylindro-conicals in replacement of traditional box fermenters. Due to the greater height-to-width ratio of the former, many of the early lagers coming out of cylindro-conicals were much less estery than the box-fermented counterpart (all other things being equal). This 'washed-out' ester character was linked to CO2 inhibition, a finding which has since been applied in designing cylindro-conicals to more reasonable ratios (lower height to width)."
Abbaye d'Orval converted to cylindro-conical tanks in 2004 and found that it could produce a beer it considered basically unchanged in flavor, but there were some measurable differences in the levels of esters that occurred above threshold levels.
Of course, the depth of a homebrew bucket or carboy is less than even the smallest of shallow commercial fermenters. And, the pressures that inhibit ester production are not even approached. As such, experimenting with fermenter shape may not yield the same results as at a commercial scale with regards to esters.
Those Elusive Esters
Yeast growth stimulates the production of esters. Yeast growth inhibits the production of esters. If you read various brewing texts and listen to different experts — or read this issue of BYO — you can find both opinions expressed. How can this be?
Almost everyone agrees on a few facts about ester production during beer fermentation. Esters are formed by a reaction between an alcohol and a molecule called acyl CoA. (Ethanol and acyl CoA form the common ester ethyl acetate.) Different yeast strains produce different levels of esters. In addition, higher temperatures, higher original gravities, higher levels of attenuation and an inadequate amount of wort lipids (from trub) all lead to increased ester production. Likewise, on a commercial scale it's well-established that deeper fermenters — much deeper than a bucket or carboy — decrease ester production.
Inadequate aeration is known to increase ester production and adequate aeration lowers it. Sources differ on the effect of increasing levels of aeration to very high levels. Likewise, smaller pitching rates (requiring correspondingly more yeast growth) have long been cited as a factor that stimulates ester production.
Recently, however, some beer scientists have claimed that yeast growth inhibits ester production (because it depletes the pool of acyl CoA).
So what's a homebrewer concerned about esters to do? Biological systems are complex and figuring out the role of yeast growth and ester production may depend on other, as yet unrecognized, variables. Likewise, there may not be a linear relationship between the variables in question — it's at least theoretically possible that adequate yeast growth limits ester production, while too much or too little stimulates it.
From a practical viewpoint, if you are interested in controlling the ester level in your beer, you should be able to do so by selecting a suitable yeast strain and running a good fermentation at an appropriate temperature. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that underpitching, poor aeration or high fermentation temperatures are the main culprits when excessive esters are present in homebrew.
— Chris Colby
Written by Stan Hieronymus
Issue: July-August 2006
Spontaneous Fermentations: Tips from the Pros
Wild beers can be fermented a couple of ways —from pitching cultured yeast/bacteria or leaving the wort exposed and allowing it to ferment spontaneously, as Belgian lambic brewers do. While riskier, spontaneous
Between Pitch and Pint: Advanced fermenter/dispenser automation
Automation is a fun side hobby for many brewers, but it is not just for the brewhouse. Get some high-level ideas and info on the components available for automating your cellar.


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Category Archives: Evidence
What happens when we die? Down through the millennia, the pious and the pagan have believed that death is but a doorway to a new journey.
The Injustices of Life.
It would be difficult to believe that life is good if we knew there was nothing beyond the grave to compensate for problems of inequality and unfairness. While some people seem destined for happiness, others are born into terrible relationships and circumstances. If we could be sure there was nothing to offset unequal distribution of suffering, many would have reason to curse the day of their birth for the way life has treated them (Job 3:1-3). We could agree with King Solomon who at a low point in his life said, "
I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors—and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 4:1-3, NIV).
Beauty and Balance.
There is much about life that doesn't seem to correspond with personal problems of unfairness and hardship. But for all that is hurtful and unequal, there is beauty and balance. For moments of horror and violence, there are times of harmony and peace. As age-worn bodies succumb to pain and weakness, children and young animals play with carefree joy. Human art, in all of its glory, corresponds to birds in playful flight and morning song. Each sunset and dawn provides an answer to nature's need for rest and renewal. Dark nights and cold winters come with the awareness that "this too shall pass." If there is nothing beyond the grave, the pattern of nature is stunningly incomplete.
Near-Death Experiences.
The clinical evidence for life after death is subjective and arguable. It's often hard to assess the significance of "out of body experiences," encounters with bright lights, long tunnels or angelic guides. It's difficult to know how to respond to those who speak of temporary near-death visions into heaven or hell. What we do know is that there are enough of these kinds of experiences to create a sizable library on the subject. Taken as a whole, this body of evidence shows that as people approach death, many sense they are coming not to the end of existence but to the beginning of another journey.
A Place in the Heart.
The human heart hungers for more than this life offers. Each of us experiences what King Solomon called "eternity in [our] hearts" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). While it is difficult to know what Solomon meant, it is apparent that he was referring to an inescapable longing for something this world cannot satisfy. It was an emptiness of soul that Solomon could not escape. For a while, he tried to fill this inner void with work, alcohol and laughter. He tried to satisfy his longings with philosophy, music and sexual relationships. But his disillusionment grew. Only when he returned to his confidence in a final judgment and afterlife could he find something large enough to satisfy his longing for significance (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
Universal Beliefs.
While some believe it's impossible to know whether there is life after death, belief in immortality is a timeless phenomenon. From the pyramids of the Egyptians to the reincarnation of New Age thinking, people of all times and places in history have believed that the human soul survives death. If there is no consciousness or laughter or regret beyond the grave, then life has fooled almost everyone from the Pharaohs of Egypt to Jesus of Nazareth.
An Eternal God.
The Bible names God as the source of immortality. It describes His nature as eternal. The same Scriptures tell us that God created us in His likeness, and that His plan is to welcome His children eventually into His eternal home. The Scriptures also teach that God introduced death into human experience when our first ancestors trespassed into the darkness of forbidden territory (Genesis 3:1-19). The implication is that if God allowed the human race to live forever in a rebellious condition, we would have unending opportunity to develop into proud, self-centered creatures. Instead, God began to unfold a plan that would ultimately result in the eternal homecoming of all who chose to be at peace with Him (Psalm 90:1; John 14:1-3).
Old Testament Predictions.
Some have argued that immortality is a New Testament idea. But the Old Testament prophet Daniel spoke of a day when those who sleep in the dust of the earth will be resurrected, some to life and some to everlasting shame (Daniel 12:1-3). An author of the Psalms also spoke of the afterlife. In Psalm 73 a man named Asaph described how he almost lost his faith in God when he considered how evil people prospered and the godly suffered. But then he said he went into the sanctuary of God. From the perspective of worship, he suddenly saw evil men standing on the slippery ground of their mortality. With new insight he confessed, "You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:24-26).
Quotes of Christ.
Few would accuse Jesus of being an evil man or a false teacher. Even atheists and people belonging to non-Christian religions usually refer to Jesus with deference and respect. But Jesus wasn't vague or indefinite about the reality of a continuing personal existence after death. He said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). Jesus promised Paradise to the repentant thief who was dying at His side, but He also used the Valley of Hinnom-a foul garbage dump outside of Jerusalem—as a symbol of what awaits those who insist on risking the judgment of God. According to Jesus, facing the reality of life after death is the most significant issue of life. He said, for example, that if an eye keeps you from God, you have reason to get rid of that eye. "It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell" (Mark 9:47).
The Resurrection of Christ.
There is no greater evidence for the existence of life after death than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament predicted a Messiah who would overcome sin and death for His people (Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:26). The testimony of Jesus' followers is that He did just that. He voluntarily died at the hands of executioners, was buried in a borrowed tomb and then three days later left that tomb empty. Witnesses said that they had seen not only an empty tomb but a resurrected Christ who appeared to hundreds of people over a period of 40 days before ascending to heaven (Acts 1:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Practical Effects.
Belief in life after death is a source of personal security, optimism and spiritual betterment (1 John 3:2). Nothing offers more courage than the confidence that there is a better life for those who use the present to prepare for eternity. Belief in the unlimited opportunities of eternity has enabled many to make the ultimate sacrifice of their own life in behalf of those they love. It was His belief in life after death that enabled Jesus to say, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). It is the same truth that prompted Christian martyr Jim Elliot, who was killed in 1956 by the Auca Indians, to say, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose."
You're not alone if you find yourself honestly unconvinced about life after death. But keep in mind that Jesus promised to give divine help to those who want to know the truth so as to surrender to it. He said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own" (John 7:17).
If you see the evidence for life after death, remember that the Bible says Christ died to pay the price for our sins, and that all who believe in Him will receive the gifts of forgiveness and everlasting life. The salvation Christ offers is not a reward for effort but a gift to all who in light of the evidence put their trust in Him.
Posted by Gary E. Davenport on September 26, 2019 in Doctrine, Evidence
Chronological tables of the events of Jesus
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE PARABLES OF CHRIST.
PARABLES. WHERE SPOKEN. WHERE RECORDED.
The two debtors [Capernaum] Lu 7:40-43.
The strong man armed Galilee Mt 12:29; Mr 3:27; Lu 11:21, 22.
The unclean spirit Galilee Mt 12:43-45; Lu 11:24-26.
The sower Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:3-9, 18-23; Mr 4:3-9, 14-20; Lu 8:5-8, 11-15.
The tares and wheat Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:24-30, 36-43.
The mustard seed Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:31, 32; Mr 4:30-32; Lu 13:18, 19.
The seed growing secretly Seashore of Galilee Mr 4:26-29.
The leaven Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:33; Lu 13:20, 21.
The hid treasure Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:44.
The pearl of great price Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:45, 46.
The draw net Seashore of Galilee Mt 13:47-50.
The unmerciful servant Capernaum Mt 18:21-35.
The good Samaritan Near Jerusalem Lu 10:29-37.
The friend at midnight Near Jerusalem Lu 11:5-8.
The rich fool Galilee Lu 12:16-21.
The barren fig tree Galilee Lu 13:6-9.
The great supper Perea Lu 14:15-24.
The lost sheep Perea Mt 18:12-14; Lu 15:3-7.
The lost piece of money Perea Lu 15:8-10.
The prodigal son Perea Lu 15:11-32.
The good shepherd Jerusalem Joh 10:1-18.
The unjust steward Perea Lu 16:1-8.
The rich man and Lazarus Perea Lu 16:19-31.
The profitable servants Perea Lu 17:7-10.
The importunate widow Perea Lu 18:1-8.
The Pharisees and publicans Perea Lu 18:9-14.
The laborers in the vineyard Perea Mt 20:1-16.
The pounds Jericho Lu 19:11-27.
The two sons Jerusalem Mt 21:28-32.
The wicked husbandmen Jerusalem Mt 21:33-44; Mr 12:1-12; Lu 20:9-18.
The marriage of the king's son Jerusalem Mt 22:1-14.
The ten virgins Mount of Olives Mt 25:1-13.
The talents Mount of Olives Mt 25:14-30.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.
On the order of some of our Lord's Miracles and Parables,
the data being scanty, considerable difference obtains.
MIRACLES. WHERE WROUGHT. WHERE RECORDED.
Water made wine Cana Joh 2:1-11.
Traders cast out of the temple Jerusalem Joh 2:13-17.
Nobleman's son healed Cana Joh 4:46-54.
First miraculous draught of fishes Sea of Galilee Lu 5:1-11.
Leper healed Capernaum Mt 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Lu 5:12-15.
Centurion's servant healed Capernaum Mt 8:5-13; Lu 7:1-10.
Widow's son raised to life Nain Lu 7:11-17.
Demoniac healed Capernaum Mr 1:21-28; Lu 4:31-37.
Peter's mother-in-law healed Capernaum Mt 8:14, 15; Mr 1:29-31; Lu 4:38, 39.
Paralytic healed Capernaum Mt 9:2-8; Mr 2:1-12; Lu 5:17-26.
Impotent man healed Jerusalem Joh 5:1-16.
Man with withered hand healed Galilee Mt 12:10-14; Mr 3:1-6; Lu 6:6-11.
Blind and dumb demoniac healed Galilee Mt 12:22-24; Lu 11:14.
Tempest stilled Sea of Galilee Mt 8:23-27; Mr 4:35-41; Lu 8:22-25.
Demoniacs dispossessed Gadara Mt 8:28-34; Mr 5:1-20.
Jairus' daughter raised to life Capernaum Mt 9:18-26; Mr 5:22-24; Lu 8:41-56.
Issue of blood healed Near Capernaum Mt 9:18-26; Mr 5:22-24; Lu 8:41-56.
Two blind men restored to sight Capernaum Mt 9:27-31.
Dumb demoniac healed Capernaum Mt 9:32-34.
Five thousand miraculously fed Decapolis Mt 14:13-21; Mr 6:31-44; Lu 9:10-17; Joh 6:5-14.
Jesus walks on the sea Sea of Galilee Mt 14:22-33; Mr 6:45-52; Joh 6:15-21.
Syrophœnician's daughter healed Coasts of Tyre and Sidon Mt 15:21-28; Mr 7:24-30.
Deaf and dumb man healed Decapolis Mr 7:31-37.
Four thousand fed Decapolis Mt 15:32-39; Mr 8:1-9.
Blind man restored to sight Bethsaida Mr 8:22-26.
Demoniac and lunatic boy healed Near Cæsarea Philippi Mt 17:14-21; Mr 9:14-29; Lu 9:37-43.
Miraculous provision of tribute Capernaum Mt 17:24-27.
The eyes of one born blind opened Jerusalem Joh 9:1-41.
Woman, of eighteen years' infirmity, cured [Perea.] Lu 13:10-17.
Dropsical man healed [Perea.] Lu 14:1-6.
Ten lepers cleansed Borders of Samaria Lu 17:11-19.
Lazarus raised to life Bethany Joh 11:1-46.
Two blind beggars restored to sight Jericho Mt 20:29-34; Mr 10:46-52; Lu 18:35-43.
Barren fig tree blighted Bethany Mt 21:12, 13, 18, 19; Mr 11:12-24.
Buyers and sellers again cast out Jerusalem Lu 19:45, 46.
Malchus' ear healed Gethsemane Mt 26:51-54; Mr 14:47-49; Lu 22:50, 51; Joh 18:10,11.
Second draught of fishes Sea of Galilee Joh 21:1-14.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL.
Certainty in these dates is not to be had, the notes of time in the Acts being few and vague. It is only by connecting those events of secular history which it records, and the dates of which are otherwise tolerably known to us–such as the famine under Claudius Cæsar (Ac 11:28), the expulsion of the Jews from Rome by the same emperor (Ac 18:2), and the entrance of Porcius Festus upon his procuratorship (Ac 24:27), with the intervals specified between some occurrences in the apostle's life and others (such as Ac 20:31; 24:27; 28:30; and Ga 1:1-2:21) –that we can thread our way through the difficulties that surround the chronology of the apostle's life, and approximate to certainty.
Immense research has been brought to bear upon the subject, but, as might be expected, the learned are greatly divided. Every year has been fixed upon as the probable date of the apostle's conversion from A.D. 31 [BENGEL] to A.D. 42 [EUSEBIUS]. But the weight of authority is in favor of dates ranging between 35 and 40, a difference of not more than five years; and the largest number of authorities is in favor of the year 37 or 38. Taking the former of these, to which opinion largely inclines, the following Table will be useful to the student of apostolic history:
A.D. 37 PAUL'S CONVERSION Ac 9:1.
A.D. 40 First Visit to Jerusalem Ac 9:26; Ga 1:18.
A.D. 42-44 First Residence at Antioch Ac 11:25-30.
A.D. 44 Second Visit to Jerusalem Ac 11:30; 12:25.
A.D. 45-47 FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY Ac 13:2; 14:26.
A.D. 47-51 Second Residence at Antioch Ac 14:28.
Third Visit to Jerusalem Ac 15:2-30; Ga 2:1-10.
(on which see Notes)
A.D. 51,53, or 54 SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY Ac 15:36, 40; 18:22.
A.D. 53 or 54 Fourth Visit to Jerusalem Ac 18:21, 22.
Third Residence at Antioch Ac 18:22, 23.
A.D. 54-58 THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY Ac 18:23; 21:15.
A.D. 58 Fifth Visit to Jerusalem
Arrest and Imprisonment at Cæsarea Ac 21:15; 23:35.
A.D. 60 (Autumn)–
A.D. 61 (Spring) Voyage to and Arrival in Rome Ac 27:1; 28:16.
A.D. 63 Release from Imprisonment
At Crete, Colosse, Macedonia, Corinth, Nicopolis, Dalmatia, Troas Ac 28:30.
1 & 2 Tim. and Tit.
A.D. 63-65, or 66, or possibly as late as A.D. 66-68 Martyrdom at Rome
Posted by TJ's Man on January 8, 2018 in Evidence, Sermon
Understanding World Views
(This comes from many sources over several months; hope it is of use)
We often study the subject of discipleship…and one of the characteristics of a disciple is that he makes more disciples. And making disciples involves witnessing.
It used to be that most people believed there was a God, that the Bible was God's word. They believed in heaven and hell and unfortunately, most believed that good people went to heaven and bad people went to hell. If you showed them something in the Bible, they tended to believe it was true because the Bible was "the good book" and thought to be true. The usual hurdles to someone believing the gospel were apathy or ignorance.
Tim Keller said: "…the main issue with evangelism in the past was that people knew something about Christianity but it wasn't personal. They believed in sin, but they had to be shown that "they" were sinners. So, we came up with programs to encourage people to "do what you know." They had a Christian intellect, a Christian conscience, but not a Christian heart.1
That has all changed. Now, most don't believe in God. They don't believe the Bible is the Word of God. There is little agreement on issues of morality and sin. Now, if you try to present the gospel to someone, you're more likely to have them say, "That's just your opinion." Or "That may be true for you but not for me."
If you don't know how to answer statements like these, engaging your neighbor, co-workers, and strangers in a conversation about God, Jesus, life after death, etc. can be frustrating – to say the least – and maybe so scary that you just don't do it.
What has happened to our culture? The predominant world view is changing. We're going to study the major world views and how they answer the big questions of life. We are going to examine the different answers and evaluate if they make sense. Hopefully, at the end, you will be better prepared when someone says, "Well, that may be true for you, but not for me."
We have the strategic advantage because we have the truth. We are going to win the war in the end. But we need some tactical plans for winning battles along the way. We are not going to be learning techniques for arguing. We are going to try to understand the root differences between the world views. Then the inconsistencies will be apparent and easily brought up in conversations with those who hold them.
Some of you may be thinking that we just need to present the gospel and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. While it is true that salvation is a work of the Spirit in the heart of an individual and no amount of logic can convince a person to believe in Jesus, the Bible does actually speak to this issue. 1 Pet 3:15 says we need to be ready to give a defense for what we believe. Paul argued logically with the philosophers in Acts. If we can show someone that they are being illogical or living inconsistent with their belief system, then sometimes that is the first step in them searching for the truth.
If you are not a Christian, then hopefully this study will help you evaluate your own world view and compare it to what the Bible says. One of the most prevalent attitudes today is that there is a division between Faith and Reason. One's religion is a private matter and based on blind faith. Public issues on the other hand are based on science and reason. What this series will show is that Faith versus Reason is a false dichotomy.
The question should be, "How reasonable is your faith?" Because you will see that all world view systems are based on certain assumptions that we take on faith. The pantheist assumes that the world is immaterial. He can't prove that nothing exists. In fact, all his senses cry out that he is wrong. The naturalist assumes that God doesn't exist and then comes up with explanations for things that don't include God.
If you are already a Christian, then hopefully this study will help you develop a consistent Christian world view. And hopefully, you will understand why you believe what you believe and be able to defend your beliefs when subjects like morality and ethics come up.
One of the criticisms I've heard about studying other world views is that it makes it seem like Christianity is just "one of the options." And some have said that their faith was shaken because of studies like the one we are beginning.
We need to remember Peter's response to Jesus in John 6. After Jesus told everyone that He was the bread of life and that they needed to drink His blood and eat His flesh, many of his disciples left. Jesus turned to the 12 and asked, "You don't want to go away too, do you?" Peter's response was "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God!"
He told them what they needed to hear with the perfect tone of voice, love and kindness in his heart, and love for their soul…He also knew some would respond this way.
It seems to me that this applies to our topic. Whenever we encounter something in the Bible that is hard to understand, or our faith is at a low point…that is not a reason to abandon our faith. When we know what the other options are – pantheism, naturalism, etc…we know that the Christian world view doesn't just have a different set of answers to life's important questions – it has the "only" answers that make sense. So, this series shouldn't jeopardize your faith. It should strengthen it when you realize that the other world views aren't valid options. Their answers are nonsense.
What is a World View?
Your world view is your concept of reality. It is your assumptions or presuppositions about what makes the world go around. Everyone has a world view even if they cannot explain what it is. But a world view is not just some academic, abstract, philosophical construct. It describes our search for answers to life's most important questions.
Your world view affects the way you look at everything…life, death, politics, religion, parenting, education, etc. Some have likened a world view to a set of glasses through which you see life. Your world view glasses affect how you view certain events and how you respond to them. If your glasses have the correct prescription, then you will see the world accurately. If they are the wrong prescription, your view of the world will be distorted.
Ronald Nash says, "A world view is a set if beliefs about the most important issues in life."2 So that leads us to ask what are the most important issues or questions in life? It seems that there are several standard world view questions that are asked:
Why is there something rather than nothing? or What is the Origin of the Universe? Does anything really exist? Is it all a figment of our imagination? If it does exist, did it always exist? Is everything that exists just result of time + chance? Or is there a supernatural being out there who created the universe?
Is there a God? Is there a supernatural being that is above time and space? Is that supernatural being just a force, like in Star Wars, or Mother Nature? Or is there a personal God? If so, what is he like?
What is the Nature of Man? Is man just an animal that has evolved differently? Or is he something special? Another part of the question is this: Is man basically good but society makes him do bad things? Or is man's badness built in?
What is the Basis of Ethics and Morality? We can't really talk about man being good or bad without having some sort of personal opinion about what is good and what is bad. Where do we get our ideas of good and evil? From ourselves? From nature (survival of the fittest)? From society? From God?
Why is there evil and suffering? The occurrence of evil in the world causes some to conclude that there is no God. The argument is that, if there is a God, then he must not be good or he must not be all-powerful, or he would not let all these bad things happen.
What happens after we die? Do we just cease to exist? Do we get reincarnated and come back to earth as a cow or another person? Do we get absorbed into the cosmic consciousness? Or do we face God and judgment? This is a hard one to "prove" to someone since we are talking about the future. So
What is the meaning of history? Is history a meaningless series of events that just happen? Or is there some purpose to history? Why are we here?
How do you know that you know? We have a truth problem in our society. Anyone who claims to know the truth is criticized as trying to impose "his view" on others. Our society preaches that there is no "truth." Is there such a thing as truth? How do you know what is true? Do you know stuff because of reason, experience, supernatural revelation, etc.?
The Major World Views
Theism – Theism is the belief that there is a personal God outside of time and space who created the universe out of nothing and is involved in events (supernaturally). He reveals himself to man through nature and through the Bible (Christians) or the Torah (Jews) or the Koran (Muslims). He sets the rules for mankind. And there will be eternal consequences for breaking the rules. Deism is similar to theism. God created everything, but is no longer involved in creation. There is nothing supernatural going on. Praying is a waste of time. Famous people who believed this were Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine. It's not real popular these days because folks who would normally be deists have substituted evolution as an explanation of the origin of the universe.
Pantheism – Everything is god. Everything material is an illusion. Humans are gods. Knowledge is getting in touch with the cosmic consciousness. One of the favorite terms you'll hear from pantheists is "enlightenment." History is cyclical and men are reincarnated until they realize their own divinity. This world view is the basis for Hinduism, Buddhism, Christian Science, and New Age teaching.
Naturalism – There is no God. The world and mankind just evolved. Men are just the product of their environment. Morality is decided by man. There is no purpose to history; it just happens. When you die, you cease to exist.
Pluralism – Naturalism has undergone a major change in the past 50 years. Enough of a change that it deserves its own category—Pluralism. Pluralism is very similar to Naturalism, but it's sort of a cafeteria style world view. People mix and match various aspects of the other world views. It is extremely inconsistent, but that doesn't seem to matter in a postmodern world. The shift from Naturalism to Pluralism corresponds to the shift from Modernism to Postmodernism.
I've used the terms modernism and postmodernism a couple times already and some of you may be wondering what in the world I'm talking about. So, let's define them.
Modernism: Prior to the Renaissance everyone believed in God and the supernatural. But around 1500 several things happened. Gutenberg developed the printing press which made books available to the masses and learning grew exponentially. Martin Luther began the Reformation, the Renaissance began with the whole new emphasis on art, science, humanism, etc. Reality was what you could see and measure. The myth of progress captivated the world. Man came to believe that science would solve all the problems of mankind. Science would discover the cure for all diseases, control the weather, end poverty, bring about world peace, etc. There were World Fairs touting the marvels of the modern age. This period, called "Modernism," lasted from the 1500's to 1960's. Incidentally, lots of folks believed in post-millennialism as a direct result of this. They thought we were in the millennium and Christ was coming back at the end of it. But that's another lesson.
Postmodernism: But after the Second World War, people were disillusioned. (Including the post-millennialists) The war to end all wars (WWI) didn't. WWII and the holocaust happened. It was obvious we weren't going to bring about world peace. Science wasn't curing very many diseases. In fact, cancer was becoming more and more prevalent. People recognized that science wasn't solving man's problems. Science hadn't brought about a utopia of progress uniting the human race like it promised. In fact, modernism was rather weak on relationships. People were just cogs in the machine. So, society began rejecting modernism (science) and moving toward something we call "postmodernism." The name "post"-modernism means "after"-modernism. People are now looking for something else to explain reality. Since naturalism has rejected the existence of God, we have moved from science (with its truth/facts) to existentialism which is basically experience, spirituality, and pragmatism (whatever works).
This shift from modernism to postmodernism is a process, and our generation is right in the middle of it and as such, we are all a little of both.
I think one of the best ways to illustrate this is by comparing older commercials with new ones. Old commercials had guys in white lab coats touting the virtues of various products. Why were they in white lab coats? Because it made them look like scientists and led you to believe that what they were claiming was a scientific fact. Postmodern commercials, on the other hand, consist of beautiful and or rugged looking individuals having a good time in exotic locations. Compare the old Coke/Pepsi "taste test" commercials with the more recent ones. The "taste test" was supposedly a scientific measurement. More people preferred Pepsi. Now you are inundated with multiple images of folks having a great time drinking Coke. Or you're encouraged to just "Be a Pepper," etc.
Let's get back to our discussion of the major world views.The following Chart gives a basic overview of how each world view answers the world view questions.3
Tim Keller, The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in a Postmodern World. Audio message from desiringgod.org.
2 Ronald Nash, World-Views in Conflict. p. 16.
3 A modified version of a chart from Mindgames seminar by Probe Ministries.
Theism Pantheism Naturalism (Modernism) Pluralism (Postmodernism)
God Personal Impersonal Non-existent Non-existent
World Creation Spiritual Evolution Evolution
Man Like God Is God Like Animals Like Animals
Immortality Resurrection Reincarnation Annihilation Annihilation
Destiny Glorification Absorption Extinction Extinction
Authority Divine Revelation Spiritual Enlightenment Human Reason Culture
Truth Absolute Personal Objective/Science Relative/Cultural
Evil Rebellion/Sin Illusion Ignorance Culturally Defined
History Linear Cyclical Chaotic Re-Defined
Posted by Gary E. Davenport on May 26, 2016 in Evidence, God

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text:
Kentucky health officials won't ban tattoos over scars
VA Hospital Renamed After Medal of Honor Recipient Woody Williams
by: Adrienne Robbins
Posted: Sep 10, 2018 / 01:54 AM EDT / Updated: Sep 10, 2018 / 03:57 AM EDT
On Sunday the VA Hospital in Huntington got a new name, a fitting tribute to West Virginia's very own Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel "Woody" Williams.
"It's a long time coming, most befitting and it's a wait worth waiting for," said Senator Joe Manchin, who attended the ceremony. Other speakers included Senator Capito and Evan Jenkins.
Williams is a retired U.S. Marine and Veterans Affairs service officer, who has spent much of his life advocating for veterans and their families.
Through House Resolution 3363, that was signed by President Donald Trump, the Medical Center was officially renamed for The Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A proposal to ban tattooing on scarred skin will fade away after Kentucky health officials backed off the proposed regulation.
State officials said Tuesday that updated regulations for tattoo studios will move forward without the proposed ban on tattoos over scars. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services says it received more than 600 public comments on the matter.
Kentucky / 11 mins ago
College Sports / 1 hour ago


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