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Are you familiar with Judas Kyriakos? He reportedly was the grandson named of Jude and the great grandnephew of Jesus. What does Kyriakos mean? According to Eusebius, he was the 15th bishop of Jerusalem and "received the knowledge of Christ in purity, so ... approved by those who were able to judge of such matters, and ... deemed worthy of the episcopate." Judah Kyriakos fled from Jerusalem when Emperor Hadrian outlawed certain original Christian practices such as keeping the Sabbath and biblical holy days. Markus of Jerusalem, an antichrist, remained and persuaded most who professed Christ at that time to compromise and remain in Jerusalem, which had been renamed Aelia Capitolina. Emperor Hadrian praised Markus and although he is in the apostolic succession list of the Eastern/Greek Orthodox, the Continuing Church of God considers him an apostate that did not have apostolic succession. Did Daniel prophesy that knowledge would be increased in the last days? Did Herbert W. Armstrong declare that knowledge of things like the original Christian faith would be increased in the last generation before Jesus returned? Has the Continuing Church of God been restoring aspects of church history that were basically unknown in the 20th century? Might Judas Kyriakos have fled to Pella and then Edessa? Why is that logical? Does the CCOG have a speculative succession list of leaders in Edessa? Did people like Judah Kyriakos avoid biblical unclean meat, hold a binitarian view of the Godhead, support a more literal (as opposed to allegorical) view of scriptures? Were any of the desposyni (literally 'of the sovereign,' meaning relatives of Jesus in theological terms) still around in the 4th century? Were there two groups that split from each other around 135 A.D.? Are there really only two groups of professing Christians today? Do true Christians have God's Holy Spirit and contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints? Was Judah Kyriakos among those who did that? Does the Continuing Church of God still do so today? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this sermon.
A written article of related interest is available titled 'Judas Kyriakos vs. Marcus of Jerusalem: Which was an apostolic successor and which was an apostate?' URL: Judah Kyriakos or Markus of Jerusalem?
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