Copyright: ® 1995-1996 by Rusty Russell


Startup
               ". . . for this reason have I come . . ."

"There lived a wise man if, we can call him a man - named Jesus. A wonder worker and a teacher of those who search after truth, he attracted crowds of both Jews and 'Gentiles. He was the 'Christ. Nevertheless, Pilate, at the urging of our leaders, sentenced him to death on the 'cross. His disciples remained faithful, however, and after three days he appeared to them alive. This and many other marvelous things had been foretold about him by the prophets. The Christian sect, named after him, still flourishes to this day."

                                                                                Flavius Josephus (1st Century AD.)

No man in history ever claimed what Jesus did.

Mohammed acknowledged himself to be a sinner.

Buddah rejected any form of personal veneration.

No man in history ever dared to identify Himself with God in the way that Jesus did.

and Jesus said, "Who do you say I am?"

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Table of Contents
       The Life of Jesus in Harmony

"Table of Contents"

   'Introduction'

   'A Harmony of the Life of Jesus'

   '1st Century Israel - Background'

   'Biblical Lists'

   'Holy Days and Jewish Calendar'

   'Time Charts'  More Biblical   More Historical

   'Maps'

   'Pictures'


Background of the Gospels
  The Table of Contents

'Background of the First Century Israel'

The Roman Eagle

   The Intertestamental Period and Judaism

   Rome

   Religious Background

   Geographical Background

   Brief Historical Background

   Hebrew and Aramaic

Fortress of Antonia

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


An Outline of The Life of Jesus
An Outline of The Life of Jesus in Harmony

"I marvel that whereas the ambitious dreams of myself, 'Caesar, and Alexander should have vanished into thin air, a Judean peasant - 'Jesus should be able to stretch his hands across the centuries and control the destinies of men and nations."

                                                                                         Napoleon I Bonaparte  (1809)

The Birth of John' the Baptist'

Jerusalem'

Gabriel Announces John's Birth (Lk 1:5-25)

The History of the Birth of Jesus'

The Genealogy of Jesus (Mat 1:1-17; Lk 3:23-38).

Nazareth'

Gabriel Announces to Mary (Lk 1:26-38).

Mary's Visits Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56).

An Angel Comes to Joseph (Mat 1:18-25).

Bethlehem'

The Decree of Augustus Caesar and the Birth of Christ (Lk 2:1-7).

The First Visitors - Shepherds (Lk 2:8-20).

The Second Visitors - Magi (Mat 2:1-12).

Jerusalem'

Jesus is Circumcised and Presented in the Temple (Lk 2:21-38).

 Egypt'

Out of Egypt (Mat 2:13-23).

Nazareth'

Jesus' Early Years

Jerusalem'

The Boy Jesus at the Temple (Lk 2:41-52).

The Beginning of His Ministry

The Jordan'

Jesus is baptized in the Jordan (Mat 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23).

The Wilderness'

The Temptation in the Wilderness (Mat 4:1-11; Mk 1:12, 13; Lk 4:1-13).

The Eternal Word (Jn 1:1-18).

The Testimony of John (Jn 1:19-34).

The First Disciples (Jn 1:35-51).

 Cana'

Turning Water to Wine (Jn 2:1-12).

Jesus Visits Jerusalem'

The First Passover'

Jerusalem'

A House of Merchandise (Jn 2:13-25).

Unless One is Born Again (Jn 3:1-21).

Jesus Baptizes (Jn 3:22, with 4:2).

Galilee'

He Departed Again to Galilee (Mat 4:12; Mk 1:14; Lk 4:14; Jn 4:1-3).

Samaria'

The Woman at the Well (Jn 4:4-42).

Jesus' Ministry in Galilee

Galilee'

He Taught in Their Synagogues (Mt4:17; Mk1:14,15; Lk4:14,15; Jn4:43-45).

Nazareth'

A Certain Nobleman (Jn 4:46-54)

Physician, Heal Yourself! (Mat 4:13-16; Lk 4:16-31).

Sea of Galilee'

Peter, Andrew, James, and John (Mat 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11).

Galilee'

And Jesus Went About All Galilee . . Teaching (Mat 4:23-25; Mk 1:35-39, Lk 4:42-44).

A Man With an Unclean Spirit (Mk 1:21-28; Lk 4:31-37).

 Capernaum'

Simon's Wife's Mother Lay Sick (Mat 8:14-17; Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41).

Then a Leper Came to Him (Mat 8:2-4; Mk 1:40-45; Lk 5:12- 16).

They Brought to Him a Paralytic (Mat 9:2-8; Mk 2:1-12; Lk 5:17-26).

Capernaum'

Matthew the Tax Collector (Mat 9:9; Mk 2:13, 14; Lk 5:27, 28).

The Second Passover

Jerusalem'

Healing at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day (Jn 5:1-47).

Healing in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day (Mat 12:9-14; Mk 3:1-6, Lk 6:6-11).

And in His Name Gentiles Will Trust (Mat 12:15-21; Mk 3:7-12)

Then He Appointed Twelve (Mat 10:2-4; Mk 3:13-19; Lk 6: 12-19).

The Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5-7; Lk 6:20-49).

A Certain Centurian's Servant (Mat 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10).

Nain'

Raises the Dead Son at Nain (Lk 7:11-17).

Are You the Coming One? (Mat 11:2-19; Lk 7:18-35).

My Yoke is Easy and My Burden is Light (Mat 11:20-30).

Capernaum'

The Woman With the Alabaster Flask (Lk 7:36-50).

Mary Called Magdalene (Lk 8:1-3).

The Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Mat 12:22-37; Mk 3: 19-30; Lk 11:14-20).

Teacher, We Want to See a Sign From You (Mat 12:38-45; Lk 11:16-36).

Woe to You, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites (Lk 11:37-54).

He Began to Say to His Disciples (Lk 12:1-59).

Parable of the Fig Tree (Lk 13:6-9).

Parable of the Sower (Mat 13:1-23; Mk 4:1-25; Lk 8:4-18).

Many Such Parables (Mat 13:24-53; Mk 4:26-34).

Sea of Galilee'

Jesus Rebukes the Storm (Mat 8:18-27; Mk 4:35-41; Lk 8:22-25).

The Herd of Many Swine (Mat 8:28-33; Mk 5:1-21; Lk 8:26-40).

Nazareth'

He Came Again to His Own City (Mat 9:1; Mk 5:21 Lk 8:40).

The Parable of the Wineskins (Mat 9:10-17; Mk 2:15-22; Lk 5:29-39).

Jairus' Daughter and the Woman With the Flow of Blood (Mat 9:18-26; Mk 5:22-43; Lk 8:41-56).

The Blind and the Mute (Mat 9:27-34).

A Prophet is Not Without Honor Except . . (Mat 13:53-58; Mk 6:1-6).

He Was Moved With Compassion For Them (Mat 9:35-38)

Sent His Disciples Out With Power and Authority (Mat 10; Mk 6:6-13, Lk 9:1-6).

Machaerus'

John the Baptist is Beheaded (Mat 14:1, 2, 6-12, Mk 6:14-16, 21-29; Lk 9:7-9).

Near Bethsaida'

The Disciples Return, Feeding Five Thousand (Mat 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17, Jn 6:1-14).

Sea of Galilee'

They Saw Him Walking on the Sea (Mat 14:22-36; Mk 6:45-56; Jn 6:15-21).

The Third Passover

Jerusalem'

 I Am the Bread of Life (Jn 6:22-65).

Do you also want to go away? (Jn 6:66-71).

Unwashed Hands (Mat 15:1-20; Mk 7:1-23).

A Woman of Canaan (Mat 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30).

Then Great Multitudes Came to Him (Mat 15:29-31, Mk 7:31-37).

Feeding Four Thousand (Mat 15:32-39; Mk 8:1-9).

Seeking From Him a Sign From Heaven (Mat 16:1-4; Mk 8:10-12).

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mat 16:4-12; Mk 8:13-21).

Bethsaida'

Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mk 8:22-26).

Caesarea Philippi

He Must Go to Jerusalem and Be Killed (Mat 16:21-28; Mk 8:31-38; 9:1; Lk 9:21-27).

And He Was Transfigured (Mat 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36).

And Jesus Rebuked the Demon (Mat 17:14-21; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 9:37-43).

Speaks Again of His Death (Mat 17:22, 23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:43-45).

Capernaum'

Miracle of the Coin in the Fish's Mouth (Mat 17:24-27).

Which One is the Greatest? (Mat 18:1-35; Mk 9:33-50; Lk 9:46-50).

He Who is Not Against Us is On Our Side (Mk 9:38, 39; Lk 9:49, 50).

The Feast of Tabernacles'

Jerusalem'

Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem (Lk 9:51-62; Jn 7:2-11).

The Lord Appointed Seventy Others (Lk 10:1-16).

The Ten Lepers (Lk 17:11-19).

Teaches in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:14-53; 8:1-59).

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37).

The Report of the Seventy (Lk 10:17-24).

Bethany'

The House of Mary and Martha (Lk 10:38-42).

Jesus Teaches His Disciples to Pray (Lk 11:1-13).

The Feast of Dedication'

Jerusalem'

I Was Blind, Now I See (Jn 9:1-41).

My Sheep Hear My Voice (Jn 9:39-41; 10:1-21).

They Picked Up Stones To Stone Him (Jn 10:22-39).

Bethabara'

Beyond the Jordan (Jn 10:40-42; 11:3-16).

Bethany'

Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead (Jn 11:1-46).

Ephraim'

The Declaration of Caiaphas (Jn 11:47-54).

Judea'

The Woman Who Was Bent Over (Mat 19:1, 2; Mk 10:1; Lk 13:10-35).

Take the Lowest Seat (Lk 14:1-24).

Count the Cost (Lk 14:25-35).

More Parables, Prodigal Son (Lk 15:1-32; 16:1-13).

Exposes the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Lk 16:14-18).

The Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31).

Increase Our Faith (Lk 17:1-10).

Teaches the Pharisees About the Coming of the Kingdom (Lk 17:20-37).

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:1-14).

Marriage and Divorce (Mat 19:3-12; Mk 10:2-12).

Let the Little Children Come to Me (Mat 19:13-15; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17).

Rich Young Ruler (Mat 19:16-22; Mk 10:17-22; Lk 18:18-24).

The Parable of the Vineyard (Mat 20:1-16).

Again Foretelling His Death (Mat 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34).

Can I Sit at Your Right Hand? (Mat 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45).

Jericho'

Blind Bartimaeus (Mat 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-50; Lk 18:35-43).

Zacchaeus who was a Chief Tax Collector (Lk 19:1-10).

The Parable of the Minas (Lk 19:11-28).

Bethany'

Mary Anoints the Feet of Jesus (Jn 12:1-9).

Jerusalem'

Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Mat 21:1-11; Mk 11:1-11; Lk 19:29-44; Jn 12:12-19).

Jesus Enters the temple (Mat 21:12, Mk 11:11; Lk 19:45).

Drives the Vendors Out of the Temple (Mat 21:12, 13; Lk 19:45, 46).

The Blind and Lame Came to Him (Mat 21:14).

He Was Teaching Daily in the Temple (Lk 19:47, 48).

The Withered Fig Tree (Mat 21:17-22; Mk 11:12-14, 20-22).

The Parable of the Two Sons (Mat 21:28-31);

The Parable of the Vinedressers (Mat 21:33-46; Mk 12:1-12; Lk 20:9-19);

The Parable of the Great Supper (Mat 22:1-14; Lk 14:16-24).

Tested By the Pharisees (Mat 22:15-22; Mk 12:13-17; Lk 20:20-26).

Tested By the Sadducees (Mat 22:23-33; Mk 12:18-27; Lk 20:27-40);

Tested By a Lawyer (Mat 22:34-40; Mk 12:28-34).

Beware of the Scribes and the Pharisees (Mat 23; Mk 12:38-40; Lk 20:45-47).

A Certain Poor Widow (Mk 12:41-44; Lk 21:1-4).

The Prophecy of Isaiah About their Blindness (Jn 12:37-50).

Foretells the Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem (Mat 24; Mk 13; Lk 21:5-36).

He Saw the City and Wept Over It, (Mat 23:37; Lk 19:41-44).

The Parables of the Ten Virgins and The Talents (Mat 25:1-30).

The Sheep and the Goats (Mat 25:31-46).

Anointed with the Flask of Spikenard (Mat 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-8).

The Last Passover

Jerusalem'

The Last Passover  (Mat 26:17-30; Mk 14:12-25; Lk 22:7-20).

Began to Wash the Disciples' Feet (Jn 13:1-17).

The Hand of My Betrayer is With Me (Mat 26:23; Mk 14:18-21; Lk 22:21; Jn 13:18).

What You Do . . Do Quickly (Mat 26:21-25; Mk 14:18-21; Lk 22:21-23; Jn 13:21-30).

Teaches About the Holy Spirit (Jn 14; 15; 16).

Jesus' Intercession (Jn 17).

The Prayer in Gethsemane (Mat 26:30, 36-46; Mk 14:26, 32-42; Lk 22:39-46; Jn 18:1).

Betrayed and Taken (Mat 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-54, 66-72; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:2-12).

The Trial (Mat 26:57, 58, 69-75; Mk 14:53, 54, 66-72; Lk 22:54-62; Jn 18:13-18, 25-27).

Delivered to Pilate (Mat 27:1, 2, 11-14; Mk 15:1-5; Lk 23:1-5; Jn 18:28-38).

He Sent Him to Herod (Lk 23:6-12).

Tried Before Pilate (Mat 27:15-26; Mk 15:6-15; Lk 23:13-25; Jn 18:39, 40; 19:1-16).

Mocked by the Soldiers (Mat 27:27-31; Mk 15:16-20).

Led Him Away to be Crucified (Mat 27:31-34; Mk 15:20-23; Lk 23:26-32; Jn 19:16, 17).

Crucified (Mat 27:35-56; Mk 15:24-41; Lk 23:33-49; Jn 19:18-30).

Joseph of Arimathea (Mat 27:57-66; Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:31-42).

He is Risen (Mat 28:2-15, Mk 16:1-11 Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-18).

Has Appeared to Simon (Lk 24:34; 1Cor 15:5).

Road to Emmaus'

Appears to Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus (Mk 16:12, 13: Lk 24:13-35).

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Introduction
   The Table of Contents

'Introduction'

   Read First

   How to Use This Program

   More BKA Programs

   How to Register

   Bibliography and Credits

  Copyright Information

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 1:1-17; Lk 3:23-38
Mat 1:1-17

he genealogy of Jesus

Matt 1:1-17

1	The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

2	Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

3	Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.

4	Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.

5	Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,

6	and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

7	Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.

8	Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah.

9	Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.

10	Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.

11	Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

12	And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.

13	Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.

14	Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.

15	Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.

16	And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

17	So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

(NKJ)

Luke 3:23-38

23	Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

24	the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,

25	the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

26	the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

27	the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

28	the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

29	the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

30	the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

31	the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

32	the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

33	the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

34	the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

35	the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

36	the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

37	the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

38	the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

(NKJ)

   Back

Notes

- One objective in giving a genealogy was to show His descent from king David

- Messiah had to be a legitimate descendant from king David

- Matthew, writing for the Jews, was naturally interested in pointing out the fact that Jesus was of royal line (legal descent was of the father to a Jew), and so traces the family tree down through David to Joseph (Jesus' legal, not real father) from Abraham the father of the Hebrew race and the one in covenant with Yahweh.

- Luke begins with the 2nd Adam, the eternally begotten Son of God, and ascends to the 1st Adam, the son of God by creation.

- Luke showed Jesus' wider human relation with the whole human race, tracing His genealogy back to Adam, back to the beginning. He ties Him up with the whole human race without regard to racial, national, sexual, or social division.

- Luke traces the genealogy through Mary, which qualifies Jesus as a legal representative of the human race. Man lost the dominion in the garden and therefore man had to gain it back.

- Matthew's genealogy stands at the beginning of his Gospel, to establish the fact of Jesus' royal Hebrew origin before any other facts about His life are introduced.

- Luke's comes in as an interlude after the account of the birth and infancy of Jesus and John's ministry, to introduce the saving ministry of the Lord.

- Matthew gives the official family record of the successive births as they came; Luke starts out fixing attention on Jesus, the person of supreme importance in the narrative and Saviour of the whole race, with which He is identified by the genealogy thus extracted, in the reverse order from the public records.

- Matthew omits several names in the line, but he was only seeking to show the direct descent.

- In Matthew's genealogy the names are divided for convenience into three groups of fourteen each, corresponding to the three periods of the national history: from Abraham to David the theocracy, but not real son from David to the Babylonian exile the monarchy, and from the exile to the time of Christ the hierarchy. Such a division was wholly in accord with the Jewish custom.

- David's numerical equivalent in Hebrew for the consanants DVD = 14 found in his name.

- Matthew gives the names of four women in the list (Rahab, Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba), contrary to Jewish custom. (identifying with sinful humanity). All 4 women were involved in some sort of public scandal.

- Some of the men of the line were also notorious sinners.

- He lived without sin in spite of His hereditary handicaps. His greatness depended not upon his anscestry.

- Matthew punctures the pride of his Jewish brethren, by inserting the names which they in their hypocritical self-righteousness would have repudiated, some suggestive of disgrace, others of apostasy and covenant breaking.

- The Virgin-birth of Jesus is safe-guarded in the genealogies. The word begat is used in the successive stages of the descent down to Joseph (Matt. 1:16), but there the statement is altered. "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called the Christ." This is in harmony with Luke's statement (3:23): "Jesus being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph." Jesus was thought by the people to be the son of Joseph by physical descent. But He was genetically the son of God, begotten of the Holy Ghost.

- Mark did not attach great importance to the family tree. He was concerned mainly with the practical outcome of the life of Jesus. The Roman readers would not think this important. The great works of Jesus would show Him to be the Son of God, and that was the main issue.

- John dealt with the philosophic world and must define the place of Jesus in the cosmic scheme. So he goes back into the eternities and relates Him to God, the created physical universe, and all the world of intelligence’s.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 1:26-38

ngel Gabriel appears to Mary

Luke 1:26-38

26	Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27	to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28	And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

29	But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

30	Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31	"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

32	"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33	"And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

34	Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

35	And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

36	"Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

37	"For with God nothing will be impossible."

38	Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

(NKJ)

Notes

- Most important record as it reveals the nature of the incarnation.

- Presented by Luke with all the delicacy and reserve with which he must have received the account from Mary herself.

- Six months had elapsed after the vision of Zacharias in the Temple.

- The setting of this scene was the beautiful little town of Nazareth, nestled in the hills of Galilee, overlooking the fertile cultivated, and densely populated plain of Esdraelon to the South, arena of many of the acts of Israel's historic drama.

- The angelic visit this time was not in the sanctuary of a great Temple but in the quiet seclusion of an humble home; not to a priest appareled in his sacerdotal vesture, but to a charming, beautiful girl, just eighteen years of age, daughter of poor parents, according to a Jewish tradition.

- Both were of royal lineage.

- The salutation of Gabriel, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with thee!" has been made the basis of pagan misinterpretation constituting Mary a fountain of grace to be dispensed to others by her. "Hail, Mary! Thou art full of grace." She was highly favoured above all women in being permitted to be the mother of the Lord and Saviour. But the Gospel narratives attribute to her none of the special titles ascribed to her by later so-called Christianity. The worship of Mary is not warranted by the simple salutation of the angel here recorded. The "Aye Maria," which is the daily prayer of millions has no basis in the gospels. Much as we may admire and honor the Virgin-Mother, we may not pray to her or worship her in any way. Mariolatry is but one form of idolatry. The mother merits all honor but her Son our worship.

- Mary did not doubt as Zacharias, but was only perplexed as to how this could be. She expressed her astonishment and humbly asked for an explanation.

- There is no ground for the doctrine of perpetual virginity in this verb know (v 34). Mary simply meant that she was not married yet to Joseph her betrothed.

- Elizabeth had conceived 6 months earlier

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 1:39-56

ext Mary Visits Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-56

39	Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

40	and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41	And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42	Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43	"But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44	"For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45	"Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

46	And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord,

47	And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48	For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49	For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

50	And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

51	He has shown strength with His arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52	He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.

53	He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

54	He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,

55	As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."

56	And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

(NKJ)

Notes

- Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judea near Hebron.

- Elizabeth was Mary's cousin.

- This was 97 miles to the south (about a five day journey in those days).

- "the mother of my Lord" refers to the mother of the Lord Messiah and there is no basis for the term "Mother of God" given to her centuries later.

- She was older than Mary and the daughter of a priest

- This song of Elizabeth is real poetry and the first of the New Testament songs.

- Modeled after that of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1-10) who also rejoiced in the promise of a son.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 1:18-25

n angel appears to Joseph

Matt 1:18-25

18	Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

19	Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

20	But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21	"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

22	So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

23	"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

24	Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,

25	and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

(NKJ)

Notes

- According to tradition Joseph was much older than Mary.

- The Hebrew word "get" was a bill of divorcement. It gave the right to divorce privately without a public trial.

-

  © 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 2:1-7

irth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-7

1	And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2	This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

3	So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4	Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

5	to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

6	So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

7	And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

(NKJ)

Notes

- Caesar made the decree but an invisible hand was leading them.

- The Roman Empire demanded of all its subject peoples both taxes and military service when necessary. The taxes were of two kinds:

1. An impost, levied upon goods or property, the collection of which was farmed out to publicans, or collectors, whom the taxpayers of the Land looked upon with the utmost contempt. These men collected taxes on many things, not only on land but also on fruit trees, vegetables, grapes in the vineyards, grain, flocks and herds and even fish from the sea. Working for the hated Romans, they were extortioners, hard men who grew rich through manipulation. They were regarded as sinners.

2. There was also a head or poll tax assessed against each male. This tax, plus the need for draft records, required frequent taking of the census.

This Census or Numbering of the People was ordered by Augustus Caesar in the latter days of the reign of Herod the Great. It meant that many families had to journey to their hometowns to be registered. It was a 3 day journey for Joseph and Mary.

- The exact date of Jesus' birth is speculation. Although the best evidence is approximately 5 BC.

- The death of Herod occured in 4 BC and Jesus was born while he was living.

- John began his ministry in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius at 30 years of age. His birth would have been in the early spring of 749 A.U.C. or 5 BC. Jesus would therefore have been born in the fall of the same year.

- The approx. date may also be calculated from the construction of Herod's temple (jn 2:20) which was 46 years in the making. According to history he began to build in the 18th year of his reign. This would calculate to 26 AD as the beginning of Christ's ministry and 5 BC as the date of His birth.

- God designed the concealing of the exact date.

- The month and day are also uncertain although it probably occured during warmer months (April-October) the usual season for shepherds tending flocks in the open pasture.

- December 25th was the date of the Roman pagan feast Saturnalia. Centuries later Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus on this day.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 2:8-20

irst Visitors - Shepherds

Luke 2:8-20

8	Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9	And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

10	Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

11	"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12	"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

13	And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14	"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

15	So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

16	And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

17	Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

18	And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19	But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20	Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

(NKJ)

Notes

- Jesus birth was unrevealed to kings and religious leaders but revealed to the humble Judean shepherds.

- These were the fields where Jacob had kept his flocks, also where Boaz and Ruth had been wedded, and where David had spent his youth.

- The eastern plains of Bethlehem contained the watchtower of Migdal Eder where the Messiah was supposed to be revealed. According to the Mishna, flocks that were pastured there were destined for the temple sacrifices and the shepherds that tended them were the only ones not unclean.

- "with haste" in verse 16 is the same Greek word found in 2 Tim 2:15 for "study."

-  Shepherds were banned from the temple and synagogue.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 2:1-12

he Second Visitors - Magi

Matt 2:1-12

1	Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

2	saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

3	When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4	And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5	So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6	'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

7	Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

8	And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

9	When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

10	When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11	And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12	Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

(NKJ)

Notes

- Apparently Joseph and Mary brought Jesus back to Bethlehem after the circumcision in the temple and there the wise men came to visit.

- The term "Magi" comes from the ancient Persian "magav" and was used as the name for priests and wise men among the Babylonians, Medes, and Persians. It later came to mean (among the Greeks) any sorceror from the east.

- To say there were three because of the number of gifts that were given is merely speculation with no historical basis just as it would be to assume that they were kings.

- They were members of the learned class of the "magians" who were skilled in their knowledge of science, philosophy, history, medicine, and religious mysteries among the peoples beyond the Euphrates. They were highly influential in the successive eastern kingdoms to the point of being the kings chief advisors.

- They wore a white robe, with a headress cosisting of a tall felt cap, with lappets at the side which concealed the jaws. According to Herodotus they interpreted dreams and omens and claimed the gift of prophecy.

- The Magi were astrologers and believed strongly in signs from the heavens. Although it is apparent that from the language of the text the star was more of a manifestation of the glory of God that re-manifested above the house in Bethlehem.

- According to the text they never followed the star to Bethlehem for it says that they only saw His star in the east.

The way they said, "king of the Jews" could better be translated, "king of Judea" and would probably signify from the usage of the text that they were gentiles.

- Tacitus, Suetonius, and Josephus tell us that in the regions from where the magi came there were expectations of a great king who was about to arise in Judea.

- God manifested His glory to them and they came just as with the shepherds. Who would have come to such a marvelous event had it not been told them?

- Whether it be scientific or religious mystical curiosity and speculation, God led it on to the perfect truth. It is always God's way to lead those who are wholeheartedly searching for truth to Himself and in a language they can understand.

- For comments on Herod (see Herod the Great)

- There is no certainty as to the identity of the magi (this must be God's will) as well as to the certainty of the meaning of their gifts gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

- One speculation is gold (the Kings diety), frankincense (the Kings fragrant life), and myrrh (the Kings mission to die)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 2:21-38

ittle Jesus is Circumcised at the Temple

Luke 2:21-38

21	And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22	Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

23	(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"),

24	and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

25	And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26	And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27	So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28	he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29	"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word;

30	For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31	Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32	A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel."

33	And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

34	Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against

35	(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

36	Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

37	and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38	And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

(NKJ)

Notes

- On the 8th day Jesus was circumcised and being "made under the law" He entered into the Abrahamic covenant and through the blood of the cut foreskin, His name was inscribed in the roll of the nation.

- References made to Lev 12:1-3:

Lev 12:1-3

1	Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2	"Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.

3	'And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

(NKJ)

- Jesus was born under the Jewish law

Gal 4:4

4	But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

(NKJ)

- The parents usually selected the names of their children.

- The purification of the parents and redemption of the first-born son took place according to the law 41 days after the birth:

Lev 12:4-8

4	'She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

5	'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.

6	'When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

7	'Then he shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

8	'And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons-- one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

- The gift of two turtledoves indicated their financial circumstances.

-The "redemption of the first-born son" or Pidyon Ha Ben in Hebrew. The first-born son of every Israelite was to be set apart for the service of the priesthood:

Exod 13:1-2

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine." (NKJ)

After the establishing of the priestly tribe of Levi (Num 8), the first-born son in all other tribes was redeemed from this duty by the payment of 5 shekels.

- The money given for the two turtledoves or pigeons was placed in the 3rd of the 13 trumpet shaped collection boxes in the court of the women.

- The temple vendors supplied the various sacrifices.

- Certain ministers placed these women who presented themselves, after purification, in the special place beside the Nicanor Gate, where they would be closest to the Court of Israel and the Holy Place and could accompany the acts of sacrifice and see the cloud of incense (symbol of their prayers) rise as a cloud of incense before God from the altar.

- Mary had to be Levitically clean before she could be participate in the ceremony of Pidyon Ha Ben. The ceremony consisted of:

1. The presenting of the child to the priest (recognizing God's ownership)

2. The payment of the 5 shekels

3. The priest immediately pronounced 2 blessings (one of thanksgiving for the law of redemption and another for the gift of the first-born son)

- *************************

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 2:13-23

lee to Egypt

Matt 2:13-23

13	Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."

14	When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,

15	and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

16	Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

17	Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

18	"A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

19	But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20	saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."

21	Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22	But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.

23	And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

(NKJ)

Notes

- The flight into Egypt is found in Matthew, not in Luke.

- Herod was 70 years old and had been reigning for 37 years.

- The border of Egypt was 75 miles away.

- According to tradition they went to the village of Motorea near Leviantapolis (100 miles within) where there existed a great Jewish temple' which had been built in 150 BC. There were more than a million Jews in Egypt at this time. They supposedly stayed for a year in the Jewish colony.

- The prophecy in Hos. 11:1 "Out of Egypt I have called my Son" primarily referred to the children of Israel in their deliverance from Egypt, but the secondary and greater fulfillment was in the deliverance of the Child Jesus.

- Tradition, as well as the apocryphal gospels written many years later speak about these events in Egypt that are purely absurd such as flowers springing up before them as they walked and palm trees bowing down.

- In Herod's slaughter of the infants, tradition says that 14,000 were slain. Alhtough this is very unlikely in the light of history which would allow less than 50. If there was a huge slaughter, Josephus would have undoubtedly written about it.

- It is intersting to think about how Satan used Herod as an instrument to try to destroy God's plan through jesus

- The quotation from the Septuagint (Jer 31:15) that Matthew records as the prophecy, has again a preliminary fulfillment in history and then a fuller fulfillment in the slaughter of the infants. In history the families in Judah were deported to Babylon at Ramah. Rachel, who was buried nearby, was represented as weeping for her children as they are being deported from Ramah (in the land of Benjamin, Rachel's youngest son).

- This time Rachel would be comforted because God's providential hand would guide the family of Jesus out and away from Bethlehem to safety bringing hope again to Israel.

- Nazarene probably comes from the Hebrew "netzer" meaning "branch." He was despised and rejected of men as recorded in Ps 22 and Is 53 which alludes to this Nazarene.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 2:41-51

oy Jesus at the Temple

Luke 2:41-51

41	His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

42	And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.

43	When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;

44	but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

45	So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

46	Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

47	And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

48	So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

49	And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

50	But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

51	Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

(NKJ)

Notes

JESUS' EARLY YEARS

- Almost all the years of the life of Jesus were passed in obscurity.

- After the first year of His birth the Bible passes over twenty-six years, except one brief incident with Jesus at the age of twelve visiting the city of Jerusalem with His parents on the occasion of the Passover.

Luke 2:41-51

- Luke 2:52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Comment)

- It would be awesome to know more about the childhood years of Jesus (friends, thoughts, etc.)

- The Apocryphal Gospels profess to tell much about His school days, His teachers, playmates, and many incidents almost blasphemously absurd. They relate how in a fit of temper He would strike down His companions with death, curse His accusers with blindness, and mock His teachers (Pseudo-Matthew 30).

GALILEE

- There is much that we may know indirectly of His childhood days, by a close examination of the environmental conditions under which He grew.

- He was raised in Nazareth, a town in Galilee.

- Galilee was the most beautiful and fertile section of Palestine.

- Lots of agriculture (Corn, grapes, olives, and fruits) also flowers

-  Animals (domestic and wild), great variety of birds,

- numerous springs and brooks and green pastures

- A population estimated as high as three million (numerous villages and towns) industries flourished

- According to sources the people were generous, impulsive, simple in manners, full of intense nationalism, free, and independent of the traditionalism of Judea. There were lots of gentiles there.

- Rabbis of Jerusalem held the Galilean in contempt (manner of speech, colloquialisms, lack of a certain type of culture characteristic of the Jerusalemite). Probably envy since Galilee was so beautiful.

- They were accused of neglecting the traditions and preferred the Haggadah to the Halakkah.

- The Judeans were accustomed to say that no prophet ever arose from Galilee. But such was not the case, since Jonah and probably Nahum were born there and the ministry of both Elijah and Elisha was cast in that section though Elijah was born in Tisbeli of Gilead and Elisha in Abel-Meholah.

NAZARETH

- The little town of Nazareth was one of the loveliest spots in Galilee. Situated on the southeast slope of a hollow peer shaped basin, which descends gradually from the elevated plateau 1500 feet above sea level and opens out through a steep winding way -the stem of the pear-into the plain of Esdraelon, a thousand feet lower.

- On the hill five hundred feet above the town, a most wonderful panorama opens to view of the beauties and historic scenes of the land.

- To the north one sees the plateaus of Zebulun and Naphtali

- The mountains of Lebanon with snow-covered Hermon towering above them all

- To the west the coast of Tyre and the blue waters of the Mediterranean

- Mt. Carmel, historic scene of the struggle of Elijah with the prophets of Baal

- To the south the plain of Esdraelon (scene of many of the most memorable battles of Israel), and the hills of Gilboa where Saul and Jonathan lost their lives

- Mt. Ebal and the land of Shechem in the background

- To the east, across the sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley, Gilead and Jaulan with Tabor.

- What thoughts Jesus must have had sitting upon these hilltops

- At the foot of the hill passed the Roman road, "the Way of the Sea," connecting the ancient city of Damascus with the Mediterranean sea-ports.

- Southward ran a road to Egypt and

- A mile and a half away was the caravan route to Jerusalem

- The town itself was built of the white limestone from the quarries of the calcerous mountains which encircle the basin.

- Most of the houses were of one characteristic type even with the rich and poor.

- A plentiful spring furnished the water supply for the whole population and was a favorite place

- Nazareth did not have the best of reputations even in Galilee. Nathaniel of Cana was but speaking a common opinion when he said: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

- Remember how violent they were when He preached there in the beginning of His ministry?

- It was an evil reputation to be called a Nazarene (Matthew said this was in accord with the prophecy of Isaiah 53) and pictures the Messiah as a "root springing up out of the dry ground."

- The best known of the names for the Messiah among the Jews was Tsamech or Branch, based on Isaiah's prophecy (Isa 11:1). The word Netzer is the exact equivalent. The title Nazarene not only stood for the reproach which Jesus bore, but was a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. He was a Branch (Netzer) sprung out of David's roots.

- All Classes of people for Jesus to observe (home, weddings, funerals, the carpenter shop, synagogue,

- His childhood days brought innumerable illustrations for His later teachings such as the leaven hid in three measures of meal, women grinding at the mill, sowing and reaping, the sparrow and the lily, the children in the market place playing at wedding and funeral, etc.

- Educators say that the child learns more in the first three or four years than in all the rest of life.

- Nazareth was secluded by its natural location but it was not cut off from the outside world.

- Sepphoris, the capital of Herod Antipas and strongest military center in Galilee, was only five miles to the northwest across the rolling hills.

- Tiberias, Capernaum, Bethsaida and other towns were a few miles away on the margin of the Sea of Galilee; and even Jerusalem itself was not a great distance from His Nazareth home.

JOSEPH

- The Carpenter (architect-builder and woodworkman. He planned and constructed houses and manufactured domestic furniture and agricultural instruments).

- He seems not to have lived long:

Mark 3:32   "And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."

MARY

- Mary, His mother, is known to us as the most highly favored of all women.

- Loving character, pure, humble, student of the Scriptures

BROTHERS AND SISTERS

- In the family of Joseph, there were four half brothers younger than Jesus and at least two half sisters.

- The names of the brothers are given:

Mark 6:3   "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him."

- Two of them most likely wrote the epistles of James and Jude.

- They did not become disciples of Jesus during His ministry but only after His resurrection.

- They did not seem to be in favor of His work.

- While He was ministering in Galilee and was working with such intensity that He scarcely took time to eat, they persuaded His mother to come with them and take Him home, saying that He had gone crazy.

- On another occasion later on, they cast in His face the sneering accusation of being a "Secret Messiah," because He would not manifest Himself in Jerusalem.

HIS HOME

- There was no luxury in the home of Jesus. (two turtle-doves)

- The house was square, built of stone or brick, with a single door, few if any windows, and a dirt or tile floor on which mats were spread for sleeping.

- The flat roof, reached by a stairway on the outside, was a place for gathering the family and visitors, especially in the evening hours of the hot summer nights.

HIS EDUCATION

- The Jewish child's education began in his home.

- In every Jewish household the child was taught a sort of elementary catechism, the Shema (Deut. 6:4, 9; Num. 11:13-21; 15:37-41), by his mother as soon as he could speak.

- The responsibility of instruction was not just of the mother; but the father was bound to teach his son the Torah.

- Joseph probably possessed rolls of the law and the prophets.

- Passages from the Old Testament, especially the whole book of Psalms, short prayers, and select sayings of the sages were memorized.

- The formal education in the synagogue school was begun at the age of six under the Chazzan, who kept the building and guarded the rolls of the law, the prophets, and other sacred writings.

- Cross-legged, the children sat on the floor around their teacher. These schools existed in all the synagogues scattered through the land; and attendance was obligatory.

- The office of teacher was esteemed in Israel and the work was generally done with patience, earnestness, and discipline.

- From 6-10 years of age the child studied the Old Testament as his chief text-book; from 10-15 the Mishnah or traditional law; and after 15 in the Gemaras and theology.

- In the study of the Bible the child began with the book of Leviticus; then came the rest of the Pentateuch; and after that the Prophets and Hagiographa.

- The inference from the evangelical narratives of Matthew (5:18 ) and Luke (16:17) is, that Jesus read the Scriptures in the original Hebrew

- The familiarity of the Lord with the text both of the Hebrew and the Greek, would lead us to believe that the Nazareth home possessed a copy of the Sacred Scrolls in both Hebrew and in Greek. Or He would have access to the rolls in the Synagogue.

- Jesus spoke the Aramaic in His home, and the Greek which was commonly spoken especially in the larger cities of Galilee and Judea.

- Most likely Jesus mastered all three languages Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

- Frequent quotations show His use of the Hebrew Scriptures, references to the Septuagint show His familiarity with the Greek, and expressions such as that on the cross: "Eloi, Eloi lame Sabacthani," reveal His use of the Aramaic.

- He probably did most of His teaching in Aramaic

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

- The rule of minute religious instruction in a Jewish home was well organized

- The Mezuzah attached to the doorpost, with the name of the Most High on the outside of the little folded parchment, which was reverently touched by everyone who entered or went out followed by kissing the fingers which had touched the name, was considered a divine guard over the home.

- Many daily prayers,

- Hanukkah (the festive illumination of the house during a week in mid winter, in commemoration of the Dedication of the Temple by Judas the Maccabee).

- The feast of Purim (celebration of the deliverance through Esther)

- Feast of the Passover (visit of the Death Angel and Israel's going out from Egypt)

- The Fast of the Day of Atonement

- The Feast of Tabernacles

- These made a big impression on children

HONEST CRAFT

- In addition to the formal instruction of the synagogue school, every Jewish father was required to teach his son some honest craft.

- Saul of Tarsus learned tent-making.

- We know that Jesus learned the trade of His foster-father and was after the death of Joseph called in Nazareth the carpenter.

- He never studied in the Jewish Academies. Only once do we find Him in the House of the Midrash in Jerusalem, the Theological Academy of the Doctors of the Law. That was when He was in attendance on the feast of the Passover at the age of twelve.

JESUS VISITS JERUSALEM

- Once only was the veil lifted for a moment in Luke's account when Jesus, at the age of twelve, went on a visit with His parents to Jerusalem at the time of the Passover.

- It was exactly at this age that the Jewish boy became "the son of the law," and entered on the privileges and responsibilities of an Israelite.

- It included attendance annually on the three most important Feasts (Ex. 34:22, 23).

- It was the custom of Joseph and Mary, devout Jews as they were, to attend the Feast of the Passover, the most important of all the religious festivals of the Jews, every year (Deut. 16:1-8).

- It was not obligatory on the women to be present; but Mary was devoted.

- We do not know if Jesus had ever before been with them on this annual pilgrimage.

- Even if He had, this visit was most important coming into full religious privilege as a son of the law.

- There were three possible routes to Jerusalem:

1.  by the plains of Esdraelon and Sharon and the pass of Bethhoron

2.  through Samaria, which the Jews usually avoided

3.  along the plain of Jezreel (along the western side of the Jordan Valley)

- This last was the usual route and the one Jesus and His parents and fellow pilgrims would likely travel.

- It was a four day journey

- Many places of historical importance, victories, defeats, great heroes

- From Jericho, they must climb four thousand feet from the lower tropical level of the Jordan Valley up through the narrow robber-infested passes to Bethany and the Mt. of Olives, where they would get the first glorious view of the Holy City across the Kidron Valley

- On their arrival they would find the city filled with the teeming multitude of those who had come up as they for the Passover.

- More than a million Jews from the outside annually poured into this city from all parts of the land

- Archelaus had been banished to Gaul and substituted with a Roman Procurator.

- Quirinius had just been appointed governor of Syria and had ordered another census like the one he made in 5 B. C.

- The Jews regarded the census as a badge of servitude.

- In order to curb the nationalistic spirit, Herod the Great years before had almost exterminated the Sanhedrists and placed the Sadducees and non-Palestinian High-Priests in power.

- Under these renegade Jews the party of Herodians sprang up.

- Coponius the first of the Procurators was now in power

- Annas, a crafty politician, had just been made High Priest.

THE TEMPLE

- The Temple was easily the first and central attraction.

- It covered an area of twenty acres and could accommodate within its area 210,000 persons.

- It stood out with its snowy white marble and glittering gold

- Entering the Temple area from the east or north, these pilgrims would pass first into the Court of the Gentiles, with its medley of races, its moneychangers, and those who sold the animals for the sacrifices.

- Then they would pass into the Court of Woman on a higher level,

- And finally Joseph and Jesus would enter the Court of Israel where the sacrifices were offered.

- Friday evening, the family, either separately or with friends, would celebrate the Passover meal, with prayers, formulas, and dramatic representation of the events of the memorable hour of departure from Egypt.

- "When they had fulfilled the days," does not necessarily mean that Joseph remained with his family through the remaining days of the week of the Passover in Jerusalem. The facts seem to indicate that they remained only the two days required by the law.

- Many of the pilgrims would want to return to their distant homes as soon as the two days were fulfilled.

- The caravan was a company of many friends, the women in front and the men in another group behind

- No doubt that Jesus was capable of caring for Himself being a son of the law.

- When the caravan halted for the night after the first day's journey, Joseph and Mary made the discovery that Jesus was not to be found.

- Hurrying back to Jerusalem, they found Him on the morning of the third day sitting at the feet of the Doctors of the Law on the Temple Terrace.

- There the Midrash or Academy of Jerusalem established popular sessions on feast days and sabbaths, allowing all classes of Jews to sit as learners and propound questions.

- Jesus had never had an opportunity to attend the theological academy and now had the privilege of hearing the explanations of the learned Doctors.

- He must have sat and listened for hours about various subjects.

- Jewish tradition gives other instances of students who became masters of the law at the age of 12.

Luke 2:46-47  Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

- Did He catch the deeper meaning of the Passover Lamb? Theologians have speculated as to when Jesus first became conscious

- "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" gentle and delicate rebuke. (Comment)

- "While He was tempted in all points like other men it was always without sin."

Phil 2:5-11

5	Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

6	who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

7	but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

8	And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

9	Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

10	that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11	and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gal 4:4

4	But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

1 Tim 2:5

5	For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Heb 2:9

9	But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Heb 2:14-18

14	Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

17	Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

18	For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23
Mat 3:13-17

esus is baptized in the Jordan

Matt 3:13-17

13	Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

14	And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"

15	But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.

16	When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

17	And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(NKJ)

Mark 1:9-11

9	It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10	And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.

11	Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(NKJ)

Luke 3:21-23

21	When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

22	And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

23	Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

(NKJ)

Notes

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:1-11; Mk 1:12, 13; Lk 4:1-13
Mat 4:1-11

he Temptation in the Wilderness

Matt 4:1-11

1	Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2	And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

3	Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

4	But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

5	Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,

6	and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "

7	Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

8	Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9	And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."

10	Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

11	Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 1:12-13

12	And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

13	And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 4:1-13

1	Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2	being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

3	And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

4	But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"

5	Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6	And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

7	"Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

8	And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

9	Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.

10	"For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You,'

11	"and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "

12	And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

13	Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

(NKJ)

       © 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 1:1-18

he Eternal Word

John 1:1-18

1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2	He was in the beginning with God.

3	All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

4	In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5	And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6	There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7	This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

8	He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9	That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10	He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

11	He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

12	But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

13	who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14	And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15	John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"

16	And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

17	For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18	No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

(NKJ)

Notes

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 1:19-34

he Testimony of John

John 1:19-34

19	Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

20	He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."

21	And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."

22	Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

23	He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord," 'as the prophet Isaiah said."

24	Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.

25	And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26	John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.

27	"It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."

28	These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29	The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

30	"This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'

31	"I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

32	And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.

33	"I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

34	"And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

(NKJ)

Notes

- Registered Version Only

                     © 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 1:35-51

he First Disciples

John 1:35-51

35	Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.

36	And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

37	The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38	Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"

39	He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

40	One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41	He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).

42	And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

43	The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."

44	Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45	Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46	And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

47	Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"

48	Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

49	Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

50	Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."

51	And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 2:1-12

urning Water to Wine

John 2:1-12

1	On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2	Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

3	And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."

4	Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."

5	His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

6	Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

7	Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.

8	And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.

9	When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

10	And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"

11	This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

12	After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 2:13-25

 House of Merchandise

John 2:13-25

13	Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14	And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.

15	When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.

16	And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"

17	Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."

18	So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"

19	Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

20	Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"

21	But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22	Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

23	Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.

24	But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

25	and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 3:1-21

nless one is Born Again

John 3:1-21

1	There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2	This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

3	Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4	Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5	Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6	"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7	"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

8	"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9	Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10	Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

11	"Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

12	"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13	"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

14	"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15	"that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16	"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17	"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18	"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19	"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20	"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21	"But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 3:22, with 4:2

aptizes

John 3:22

22	After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.

(NKJ)

John 4:2

2	(though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:12; Mk 1:14; Lk 4:14; Jn 4:1-3

e Departed Again to Galilee

Matt 4:12

12	Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

(NKJ)

Mark 1:14

14	Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

(NKJ)

Luke 4:14

14	Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

(NKJ)

John 4:1-3

1	Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John

2	(though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),

3	He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 4:4-42

oman at the Well

John 4:4-42

4	But He needed to go through Samaria.

5	So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6	Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7	A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."

8	For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9	Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

10	Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

11	The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?

12	"Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?"

13	Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,

14	"but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

15	The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

16	Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."

17	The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'

18	"for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."

19	The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20	"Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."

21	Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22	"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

23	"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

24	"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

25	The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."

26	Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

27	And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

28	The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,

29	"Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

30	Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

31	In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

32	But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."

33	Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"

34	Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

35	"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

36	"And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

37	"For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'

38	"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

39	And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."

40	So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

41	And many more believed because of His own word.

42	Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:17; Mk 1:14, 15; Lk 4:14, 15; Jn 4:43-45

e Taught in Their Synagogues

Matt 4:17

17	From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

(NKJ)

Mark 1:14-15

14	Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15	and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

(NKJ)

Luke 4:14-15

14	Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

15	And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

(NKJ)

John 4:43-45

43	Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.

44	For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

45	So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 4:46-54

 Certain Nobleman

John 4:46-54

46	So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47	When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48	Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."

49	The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!"

50	Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

51	And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!"

52	Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

53	So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.

54	This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:13-16; Lk 4:16-31

hysician, Heal Yourself!

Matt 4:13-16

13	And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14	that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

15	"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

16	The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

(NKJ)

Luke 4:16-31

16	So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17	And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18	"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19	To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

20	Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21	And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

22	So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"

23	He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.'"

24	Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

25	"But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

26	"but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

27	"And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."

28	So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29	and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.

30	Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

31	Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11

eter, Andrew, James, and John

Matt 4:18-22

18	And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19	Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

20	They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21	Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And He called them,

22	and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 1:16-20

16	And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

17	Then Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

18	And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

19	When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.

20	And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 5:1-11

1	So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,

2	and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

3	Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4	When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

5	But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

6	And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

7	So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

8	When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

9	For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;

10	and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

11	So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 4:23-25; Mk 1:35-39, Lk 4:42-44

nd Jesus Went About All Galilee . . Teaching

Matt 4:23-25

23	And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

24	Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

25	Great multitudes followed Him-- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

(NKJ)

Mark 1:35-39

35	Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

36	And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.

37	When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

38	But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

39	And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

(NKJ)

Luke 4:42-44

42	Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;

43	but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."

44	And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mk 1:21-28; Lk 4:31-37

 Man With an Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

21	Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.

22	And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

23	Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,

24	saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are-- the Holy One of God!"

25	But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

26	And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27	Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."

28	And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

(NKJ)

Luke 4:31-37

31	Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.

32	And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.

33	Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,

34	saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are-- the Holy One of God!"

35	But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.

36	Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

37	And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 8:14-17; Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41

imon's wife's mother lay sick

Matt 8:14-17

14	Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever.

15	So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

16	When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

17	that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."

(NKJ)

Mark 1:29-34

29	Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30	But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.

31	So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

32	Now at evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

33	And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

34	Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 4:38-41

38	Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her.

39	So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

40	When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.

41	And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 8:2-4; Mk 1:40-45; Lk 5:12- 16

hen a Leper Came to Him

Matt 8:2-4

2	And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."

3	Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4	And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

(NKJ)

Mark 1:40-45

40	Then a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41	And Jesus, moved with compassion, put out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."

42	As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

43	And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,

44	and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

45	But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every quarter.

(NKJ)

Luke 5:12-16

12	And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."

13	Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him.

14	And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."

15	However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

16	So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:2-8; Mk 2:1-12; Lk 5:17-26

hey Brought to Him a Paralytic

Matt 9:2-8

2	Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."

3	And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!"

4	But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5	"For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?

6	"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."

7	And he arose and departed to his house.

8	Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

(NKJ)

Mark 2:1-12

1	And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

2	Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

3	Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.

4	And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5	When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

6	And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

7	"Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8	But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

9	"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'?

10	"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the paralytic,

11	"I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go your way to your house."

12	Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

(NKJ)

Luke 5:17-26

17	Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

18	Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.

19	And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

20	When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

21	And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

22	But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

23	"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

24	"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."

25	Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

26	And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:9; Mk 2:13, 14; Lk 5:27, 28

atthew the Tax Collector

Matt 9:9

9	As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 2:13-14

13	Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.

14	As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 5:27-28

27	After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."

28	So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 5:1-47

ealing at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day

John 5:1-47

1	After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2	Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

3	In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

4	For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

5	Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

6	When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"

7	The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

8	Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."

9	And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

10	The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."

11	He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"

12	Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"

13	But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

14	Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

15	The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16	For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

17	But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

18	Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

19	Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

20	"For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21	"For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

22	"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

23	"that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24	"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

25	"Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

26	"For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27	"and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

28	"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29	"and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

30	"I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

31	"If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

32	"There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.

33	"You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

34	"Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

35	"He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

36	"But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish-- the very works that I do-- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37	"And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

38	"But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39	"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

40	"But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41	"I do not receive honor from men.

42	"But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

43	"I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

44	"How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

45	"Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you-- Moses, in whom you trust.

46	"For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.

47	"But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 12:9-14; Mk 3:1-6, Lk 6:6-11

Healing in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day

Matt 12:9-14

9	Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue.

10	And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"-- that they might accuse Him.

11	Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?

12	"Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

13	Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.

14	Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 3:1-6

1	And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.

2	So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.

3	And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."

4	Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent.

5	And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

6	Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 6:6-11

6	Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.

7	So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.

8	But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood.

9	Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"

10	And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

11	But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 12:15-21; Mk 3:7-12

nd in His Name Gentiles Will Trust

Matt 12:15-21

15	But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

16	Yet He warned them not to make Him known,

17	that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18	"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

19	He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20	A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory;

21	And in His name Gentiles will trust."

(NKJ)

Mark 3:7-12

7	But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea

8	and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.

9	So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.

10	For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.

11	And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."

12	But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 10:2-4; Mk 3:13-19; Lk 6:12-19

hen He Appointed Twelve

Matt 10:2-4

2	Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3	Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4	Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 3:13-19

13	And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.

14	Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,

15	and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

16	Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter;

17	James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder";

18	Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite;

19	and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

(NKJ)

Luke 6:12-19

12	Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

13	And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

14	Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;

15	Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;

16	Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

17	And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,

18	as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.

19	And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 5-7

ermon on the Mount

Matt 5:1-48

1	And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.

2	Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3	"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4	Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5	Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6	Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7	Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8	Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9	Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10	Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11	"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

12	"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13	"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14	"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15	"Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16	"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

17	"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

18	"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

19	"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20	"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

21	"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.

22	"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

23	"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24	"leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25	"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you are thrown into prison.

26	"Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

27	"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

28	"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29	"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

30	"And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

31	"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'

32	"But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

33	"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'

34	"But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;

35	"nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36	"Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

37	"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

38	"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

39	"But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

40	"If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

41	"And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

42	"Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

43	"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

44	"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

45	"that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46	"For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47	"And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

48	"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

(NKJ)

Matt 6:1-34

1	"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2	"Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

3	"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4	"that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

5	"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6	"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

7	"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their manywords.

8	"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

9	"In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

10	Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11	Give us this day our daily bread.

12	And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13	And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14	"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15	"But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16	"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

17	"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

18	"so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

19	"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

20	"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21	"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22	"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

23	"But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24	"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25	"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26	"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27	"Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28	"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

29	"and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30	"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31	"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32	"For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33	"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

34	"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

(NKJ)

Matt 7:1-29

1	"Judge not, that you be not judged.

2	"For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

3	"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

4	"Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

5	"Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye.

6	"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

7	"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8	"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

9	"Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

10	"Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11	"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12	"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13	"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

14	"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15	"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

16	"You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17	"Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18	"A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19	"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20	"Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21	"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22	"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

23	"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

24	"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25	"and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26	"Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27	"and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

28	And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,

29	for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 6:20-49

ermon on the Mount

Luke 6:20-49

20	Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21	Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22	Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.

23	Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

24	"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

25	Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26	Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

27	"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28	"bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

29	"To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.

30	"Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

31	"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32	"But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33	"And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34	"And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

35	"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

36	"Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

37	"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38	"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

39	And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

40	"A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

41	"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?

42	"Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

43	"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

44	"For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

45	"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46	"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?

47	"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:

48	"He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.

49	"But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10

 Certain Centurian's Servant

Matt 8:5-13

5	Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

6	saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."

7	And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8	The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

9	"For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10	When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

11	"And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12	"But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13	Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

(NKJ)

Luke 7:1-10

1	Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.

2	And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.

3	So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.

4	And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving,

5	"for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."

6	Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.

7	"Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

8	"For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9	When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

10	And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 7:11-17

aises the Dead Son at Nain

Luke 7:11-17

11	Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.

12	And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

13	When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."

14	Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."

15	So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

16	Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."

17	And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 11:2-19; Lk 7:18-35

re You the Coming One?

Matt 11:2-19

2	And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

3	and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

4	Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

5	"The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6	"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

7	As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

8	"But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

9	"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

10	"For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'

11	"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12	"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

13	"For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14	"And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.

15	"He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

16	"But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,

17	"and saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.'

18	"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

19	"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

(NKJ)

Luke 7:18-35

18	Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.

19	And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

20	When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'"

21	And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

22	Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

23	"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

24	When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

25	"But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.

26	"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

27	"This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'

28	"For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

29	And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

30	But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

31	And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?

32	"They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.'

33	"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'

34	"The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

35	"But wisdom is justified by all her children."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 11:20-30

y Yoke is Easy and My Burden is Light

Matt 11:20-30

20	Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

21	"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22	"But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

23	"And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24	"But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

25	At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

26	"Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

27	"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

28	"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29	"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30	"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 7:36-50

oman With the Alabaster Flask

Luke 7:36-50

36	Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.

37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

38	and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

39	Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."

40	And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he said, "Teacher, say it."

41	"There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

42	"And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"

43	Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."

44	Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

45	"You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.

46	"You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

47	"Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

48	And He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49	And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50	Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 8:1-3

ary Called Magdalene

Luke 8:1-3

1	Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him,

2	and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities-- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,

3	and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 12:22-37; Mk 3: 19-30; Lk 11:14-20

e Casts Out Demons By Beelzebub

Matt 12:22-37

22	Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23	And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

24	Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

25	But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26	"If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27	"And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28	"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29	"Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

30	"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

31	"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

32	"Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

33	"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

34	"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35	"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

36	"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37	"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

(NKJ)

Mark 3:19-30

19	and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

20	Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21	But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."

22	And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."

23	So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: "How can Satan cast out Satan?

24	"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25	"And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26	"And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.

27	"No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

28	"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;

29	"but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"--

30	because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

(NKJ)

Luke 11:14-20

14	And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

15	But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

16	Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

17	But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18	"If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19	"And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20	"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 12:38-45; Lk 11:16-36

eacher, We Want to See a Sign From You

Matt 12:38-45

38	Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."

39	But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40	"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41	"The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

42	"The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

43	"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

44	"Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45	"Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

(NKJ)

Luke 11:16-36

16	Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

17	But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18	"If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19	"And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20	"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21	"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

22	"But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

23	"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

24	"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'

25	"And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.

26	"Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

27	And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"

28	But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

29	And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

30	"For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

31	"The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

32	"The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

33	"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.

34	"The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

35	"Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.

36	"If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 11:37-54

oe to You, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites

Luke 11:37-54

37	And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.

38	And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

39	But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.

40	"Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

41	"But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

42	"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

43	"Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them."

45	Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also."

46	And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

47	"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48	"In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.

49	"Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,'

50	"that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,

51	"from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52	"Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

53	And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,

54	lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 12:1-59

e Began to Say to His Disciples

Luke 12:1-59

1	In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2	"For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

3	"Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4	"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5	"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6	"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.

7	"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

8	"Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.

9	"But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10	"And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

11	"Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

12	"For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

13	Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

14	But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"

15	And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

16	Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

17	"And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'

18	"So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

19	'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'

20	"But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'

21	"So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

22	Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

23	"Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

24	"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

25	"And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

26	"If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

27	"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28	"If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29	"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

30	"For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

31	"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32	"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33	"Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

34	"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35	"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

36	"and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

37	"Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

38	"And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39	"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40	"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

41	Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"

42	And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

43	"Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

44	"Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

45	"But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

46	"the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47	"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48	"But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

49	"I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

50	"But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!

51	"Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

52	"For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53	"Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

54	Then He also said to the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is.

55	"And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is.

56	"Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

57	"Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?

58	"When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

59	"I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 13:6-9

arable of the Fig Tree

Luke 13:6-9

6	He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

7	"Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'

8	"But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

9	'And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 13:1-23; Mk 4:1-25; Lk 8:4-18

arable of the Sower

Matt 13:1-23

1	On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

2	And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3	Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.

4	"And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

5	"Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

6	"But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

7	"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

8	"But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

9	"He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

10	And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

11	He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12	"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13	"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14	"And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive;

15	For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'

16	"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17	"for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18	"Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

19	"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

20	"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

21	"yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

22	"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

23	"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

(NKJ)

Mark 4:1-25

1	And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.

2	Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

3	"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

4	"And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.

5	"Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.

6	"But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.

7	"And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

8	"But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

9	And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

10	But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

11	And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,

12	"so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.' "

13	And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

14	"The sower sows the word.

15	"And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16	"These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17	"and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.

18	"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,

19	"and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

20	"But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

21	And He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?

22	"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.

23	"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

24	Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

25	"For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

(NKJ)

Luke 8:4-18

4	And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:

5	"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.

6	"Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.

7	"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.

8	"But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

9	Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"

10	And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

11	"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12	"Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13	"But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

14	"And the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

15	"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

16	"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.

17	"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.

18	"Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 13:24-53; Mk 4:26-34

any Such Parables

Matt 13:24-53

24	Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

25	"but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

26	"But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

27	"So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'

28	"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'

29	"But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

30	'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

31	Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,

32	"which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

33	Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

34	All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

35	that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."

36	Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

37	He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38	"The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.

39	"The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

40	"Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

41	"The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,

42	"and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43	"Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

44	"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45	"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,

46	"who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47	"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,

48	"which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

49	"So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,

50	"and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

51	Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."

52	Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

53	Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.

(NKJ)

Mark 4:26-34

26	And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,

27	"and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.

28	"For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.

29	"But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

30	Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?

31	"It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;

32	"but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

33	And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.

34	But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 8:18-27; Mk 4:35-41; Lk 8:22-25

esus Rebukes the Storm

Matt 8:18-27

18	And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.

19	Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."

20	And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

21	Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

22	But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

23	Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.

24	And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.

25	Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

26	But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

27	So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

(NKJ)

Mark 4:35-41

35	On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."

36	Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

37	And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

38	But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

39	Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

40	But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

41	And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

(NKJ)

Luke 8:22-25

22	Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out.

23	But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.

24	And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.

25	But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 8:28-33; Mk 5:1-21; Lk 8:26-40

erd of Many Swine

Matt 8:28-33

28	When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.

29	And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

30	Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.

31	So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine."

32	And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

33	Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

(NKJ)

Mark 5:1-21

1	Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.

2	And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3	who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,

4	because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

5	And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6	When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

7	And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."

8	For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"

9	Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."

10	Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

11	Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.

12	So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."

13	And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

14	So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.

15	Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

16	And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.

17	Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

18	And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.

19	However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

20	And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

21	Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.

(NKJ)

Luke 8:26-40

26	Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

27	And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.

28	When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!"

29	For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

30	Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.

31	And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

32	Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. And they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them.

33	Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

34	When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

35	Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

36	They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.

37	Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

38	Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,

39	"Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

40	So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:1; Mk 5:21 Lk 8:40

e Came Again to His Own City

Matt 9:1

1	So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city.

(NKJ)

Mark 5:21

21	Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.

(NKJ)

Luke 8:40

40	So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:10-17; Mk 2:15-22; Lk 5:29-39

arable of the Wineskins

Matt 9:10-17

10	Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

11	And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12	When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13	"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

14	Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"

15	And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16	"No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

17	"Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

(NKJ)

Mark 2:15-22

15	Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

16	And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

17	When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

18	The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

19	And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

20	"But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

21	"No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.

22	"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

(NKJ)

Luke 5:29-39

29	Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

30	And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

31	Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

32	"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

33	Then they said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?"

34	And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35	"But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days."

36	Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.

37	"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.

38	"But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

39	"And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:18-26; Mk 5:22-43; Lk 8:41-56

airus' Daughter and the Woman With the Flow of Blood

Matt 9:18-26

18	While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."

19	So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20	And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.

21	For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."

22	But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

23	When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,

24	He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.

25	But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26	And the report of this went out into all that land.

(NKJ)

Mark 5:22-43

22	And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet

23	and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."

24	So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

25	Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve' years,

26	and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

27	When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment;

28	for she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

29	Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

30	And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

31	But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"

32	And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.

33	But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

34	And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

35	While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"

36	As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."

37	And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

38	Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.

39	When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping."

40	And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.

41	Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."

42	Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve' years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.

43	But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

(NKJ)

Luke 8:41-56

41	And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house,

42	for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.

43	Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,

44	came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

45	And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"

46	But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."

47	Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

48	And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

49	While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher."

50	But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."

51	When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.

52	Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."

53	And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

54	But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."

55	Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

56	And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:27-34

he Blind and the Mute

Matt 9:27-34

27	When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!"

28	And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."

29	Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."

30	And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it."

31	But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

32	As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.

33	And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!"

34	But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 13:53-58; Mk 6:1-6

 Prophet is Not Without Honor Except . .

Matt 13:53-58

53	Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.

54	And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

55	"Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

56	"And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?"

57	So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."

58	Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

(NKJ)

Mark 6:1-6

1	Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.

2	And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!

3	"Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him.

4	But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."

5	Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6	And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 9:35-38

e Was Moved With Compassion For Them

Matt 9:35-38

35	Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36	But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

37	Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

38	"Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 10; Mk 6:6-13, Lk 9:1-6

ent His Disciples Out With Power and Authority

Matt 10:1-42

1	And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

2	Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3	Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4	Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

5	These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6	"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7	"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

8	"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9	"Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10	"nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11	"Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.

12	"And when you go into a household, greet it.

13	"If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14	"And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15	"Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

16	"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

17	"But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

18	"You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

19	"But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

20	"for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21	"Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

22	"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

23	"When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24	"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25	"It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

26	"Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

27	"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

28	"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29	"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.

30	"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31	"Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32	"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

33	"But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

34	"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

35	"For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law';

36	"and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'

37	"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38	"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

39	"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

40	"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

41	"He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

42	"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

(NKJ)

Mark 6:6-13

6	And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

7	And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

8	He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff-- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--

9	but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

10	Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.

11	"And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"

12	So they went out and preached that people should repent.

13	And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

(NKJ)

Luke 9:1-6

1	Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

2	He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

3	And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.

4	"Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

5	"And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."

6	So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 14:1, 2, 6-12, Mk 6:14-16, 21-29; Lk 9:7-9

ohn the Baptist is Beheaded

Matt 14:1-2

1	At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

2	and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers

(NKJ)

Matt 14:6-12

6	But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.

7	Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8	So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."

9	And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.

10	So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.

11	And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12	Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

(NKJ)

Mark 6:14-16

14	Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."

15	Others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."

16	But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"

(NKJ)

Mark 6:21-29

21	Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.

22	And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."

23	He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."

24	So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"

25	Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

26	And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.

27	Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,

28	brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

29	When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

(NKJ)

Luke 9:7-9

7	Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,

8	and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.

9	And Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17, Jn 6:1-14

isciples Return, Feeding Five Thousand

Matt 14:13-21

13	When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

14	And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

15	When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."

16	But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

17	And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

18	He said, "Bring them here to Me."

19	Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

20	So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.

21	Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

(NKJ)

Mark 6:30-44

30	Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.

31	And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32	So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

33	But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.

34	And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

35	When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.

36	"Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."

37	But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"

38	But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

39	Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.

40	So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.

41	And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.

42	So they all ate and were filled.

43	And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.

44	Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

(NKJ)

Luke 9:10-17

10	And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

11	But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

12	When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."

13	But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."

14	For there were about five thousand men. And He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."

15	And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16	Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

17	So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

(NKJ)

John 6:1-14

1	After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

2	Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

3	And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4	Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.

5	Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"

6	But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7	Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."

8	One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

9	"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"

10	Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11	And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

12	So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."

13	Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

14	Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 14:22-36; Mk 6:45-56; Jn 6:15-21

aw Him Walking on the Sea

Matt 14:22-36

22	Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

23	And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

24	But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25	Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

26	And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

27	But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

29	So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

30	But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"

31	And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

32	And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33	Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

34	When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

35	And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,

36	and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

(NKJ)

Mark 6:45-56

45	Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.

46	And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.

47	Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.

48	Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

49	And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out;

50	for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

51	Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

52	For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

53	When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

54	And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,

55	ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.

56	Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

(NKJ)

John 6:15-21

15	Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

16	Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

17	got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

18	Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.

19	So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.

20	But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."

21	Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 6:22-65

I Am the Bread of Life

John 6:22-65

22	On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone--

23	however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks--

24	when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25	And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"

26	Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

27	"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

28	Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"

29	Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

30	Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?

31	"Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

32	Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33	"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34	Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35	And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

36	"But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.

37	"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

38	"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

39	"This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

40	"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

41	The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven."

42	And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

43	Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves.

44	"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

45	"It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

46	"Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

47	"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

48	"I am the bread of life.

49	"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50	"This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

51	"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

52	The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?"

53	Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

54	"Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

55	"For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.

56	"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

57	"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

58	"This is the bread which came down from heaven-- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

59	These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

60	Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"

61	When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you?

62	"What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?

63	"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

64	"But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

65	And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 6:66-71

o you also want to go away?

John 6:66-71

66	From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

67	Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"

68	But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

69	"Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

70	Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

71	He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 15:1-20; Mk 7:1-23

nwashed Hands

Matt 15:1-20

1	Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,

2	"Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

3	He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

4	"For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'

5	"But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"--

6	'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

7	"Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8	'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

9	And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "

10	When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:

11	"Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

12	Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"

13	But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

14	"Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

15	Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

16	So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?

17	"Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

18	"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.

19	"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

20	"These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

(NKJ)

Mark 7:1-23

1	Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.

2	Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.

3	For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

4	When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

5	Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"

6	He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

7	And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

8	"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

9	And He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

10	"For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'

11	"But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban --' (that is, a gift to God),

12	"then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,

13	"making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

14	When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:

15	"There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

16	"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"

17	When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

18	So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

19	"because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"

20	And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

21	"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22	"thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

23	"All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30

 Woman of Canaan

Matt 15:21-28

21	Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22	And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David My daughter is severely demon-possessed."

23	But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."

24	But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25	Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"

26	But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."

27	And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

28	Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

(NKJ)

Mark 7:24-30

24	From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden.

25	For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.

26	The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

27	But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."

28	And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."

29	Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."

30	And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 15:29-31; Mk 7:31-37
Mat 15:29-31, Mk 7:31-37

reat Multitudes Came to Him

Matt 15:29-31

29	Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.

30	Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.

31	So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

(NKJ)

Mark 7:31-37

31	Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.

32	Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.

33	And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.

34	Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."

35	Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

36	Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

37	And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 15:32-39; Mk 8:1-9

eeding Four Thousand

Matt 15:32-39

32	Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."

33	Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"

34	Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."

35	So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36	And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.

37	So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.

38	Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39	And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

(NKJ)

Mark 8:1-9

1	In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them,

2	"I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.

3	"And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar."

4	Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?"

5	He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven."

6	So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

7	They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.

8	So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.

9	Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away,

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 16:1-4; Mk 8:10-12

eeking From Him a Sign From Heaven

Matt 16:1-4

1	Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.

2	He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red';

3	"and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

4	"A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.

(NKJ)

Mark 8:10-12

10	immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

11	Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.

12	But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 16:4-12; Mk 8:13-21

eaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Matt 16:4-12

4	"A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.

5	Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6	Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."

7	And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."

8	But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?

9	"Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?

10	"Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?

11	"How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?-- but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

12	Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(NKJ)

Mark 8:13-21

13	And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.

14	Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.

15	Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

16	And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."

17	But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?

18	"Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?

19	"When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve."

20	"And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven."

21	So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mk 8:22-26

eals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

Mark 8:22-26

22	Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.

23	So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24	And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."

25	Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

26	Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 16:21-28; Mk 8:31-38; 9:1; Lk 9:21-27

e Must Go to Jerusalem and Be Killed

Matt 16:21-28

21	From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

22	Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"

23	But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

24	Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

25	"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26	"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

27	"For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

28	"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

(NKJ)

Mark 8:31-9:1

31	And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32	He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33	But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

34	When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

35	"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

36	"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

37	"Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

38	"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

CHAPTER 9

1	And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

(NKJ)

Mark 9:21-27

21	So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

22	"And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

23	Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

24	Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

25	When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"

26	Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."

27	But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36

nd He Was Transfigured

Matt 17:1-13

1	Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;

2	and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

3	And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

4	Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

5	While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"

6	And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

7	But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."

8	When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9	Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."

10	And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

11	Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.

12	"But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."

13	Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

(NKJ)

Mark 9:2-13

2	Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

3	His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

4	And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

5	Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles : one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--

6	because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

7	And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!"

8	Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

9	Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10	So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

11	And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

12	Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

13	"But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

(NKJ)

Luke 9:28-36

28	Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

29	And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.

30	And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,

31	who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

32	But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.

33	Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-- not knowing what he said.

34	While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.

35	And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!"

36	When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 17:14-21; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 9:37-43

nd Jesus Rebuked the Demon

Matt 17:14-21

14	And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,

15	"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

16	"So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."

17	Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me."

18	And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

19	Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast him out?"

20	So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

21	"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

(NKJ)

Mark 9:14-29

14	And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.

15	Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.

16	And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"

17	Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.

18	"And wherever he seizes him, he throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast him out, but they could not."

19	He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

20	Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

21	So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

22	"And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

23	Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

24	Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

25	When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"

26	Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."

27	But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

28	And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast him out?"

29	So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothingbut prayer and fasting."

(NKJ)

Luke 9:37-43

37	Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.

38	Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.

39	"And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.

40	"So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."

41	Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

42	And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

43	And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 17:22, 23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:43-45

peaks Again of His Death

Matt 17:22-23

22	Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,

23	"and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up." And they were exceedingly sorrowful.

(NKJ)

Mark 9:30-32

30	Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.

31	For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."

32	But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 9:43-45

43	And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,

44	"Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."

45	But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 17:24-27

iracle of the Coin in the Fish's Mouth

Matt 17:24-27

24	When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"

25	He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"

26	Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.

27	"Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 18:1-35; Mk 9:33-50; Lk 9:46-50

hich One is the Greatest?

Matt 18:1-35

1	At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2	Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

3	and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

4	"Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5	"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

6	"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7	"Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

8	"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

9	"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

10	"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

11	"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

12	"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

13	"And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14	"Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15	"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

16	"But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'

17	"And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

18	"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19	"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

20	"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

21	Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

22	Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23	"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24	"And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25	"But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.

26	"The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

27	"Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28	"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'

29	"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

30	"And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

31	"So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, andcame and told their master all that had been done.

32	"Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

33	'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

34	"And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35	"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

(NKJ)

Mark 9:33-50

33	Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"

34	But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.

35	And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

36	Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them,

37	"Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

38	Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."

39	But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.

40	"For he who is not against us is on our side.

41	"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

42	"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

43	"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched--

44	"where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'

45	"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched--

46	"where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'

47	"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire--

48	"where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'

49	"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.

50	"Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

(NKJ)

Luke 9:46-50

46	Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.

47	And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,

48	and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."

49	Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

50	But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mk 9:38, 39; Lk 9:49, 50

e Who is Not Against Us is On Our Side

Mark 9:38-39

38	Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."

39	But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.

(NKJ)

Luke 9:49-50

49	Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

50	But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 9:51-62; Jn 7:2-11

et His Face to Go to Jerusalem

Luke 9:51-62

51	Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

52	and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.

53	But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

54	And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"

55	But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

56	"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.

57	Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."

58	And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

59	Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

60	Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."

61	And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."

62	But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

(NKJ)

John 7:2-11

2	Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

3	His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.

4	"For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."

5	For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

6	Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

7	"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

8	"You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."

9	When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

10	But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11	Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 10:1-16

he Lord Appointed Seventy Others

Luke 10:1-16

1	After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

2	Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

3	"Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

4	"Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.

5	"But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'

6	"And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.

7	"And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

8	"Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.

9	"And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

10	"But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11	'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'

12	"But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

13	"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14	"But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

15	"And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be thrust down to Hades.

16	"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 17:11-19

he Ten Lepers

Luke 17:11-19

11	Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12	Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

13	And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

14	So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

15	And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16	and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17	So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

18	"Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"

19	And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 7:14-53; 8:1-59

eaches in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles

John 7:14-8:59

14	Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.

15	And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"

16	Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

17	"If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.

18	"He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

19	"Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"

20	The people answered and said, "You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?"

21	Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.

22	"Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.

23	"If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?

24	"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

25	Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?

26	"But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?

27	"However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."

28	Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.

29	"But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."

30	Then they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

31	And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"

32	The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.

33	Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.

34	"You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."

35	Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

36	"What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

37	On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

38	"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

39	But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

40	Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."

41	Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?

42	"Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"

43	So there was a division among the people because of Him.

44	Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45	Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"

46	The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"

47	Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?

48	"Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?

49	"But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."

50	Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,

51	"Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"

52	They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."

53	And everyone went to his own house.

CHAPTER 8

1	But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2	Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

3	Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

4	they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5	"Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"

6	This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7	So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

8	And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9	Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10	When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"

11	She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

12	Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

13	The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."

14	Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.

15	"You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

16	"And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.

17	"It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

18	"I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."

19	Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."

20	These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

21	Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."

22	So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"

23	And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24	"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

25	Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

26	"I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."

27	They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28	Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

29	"And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."

30	As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

31	Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

32	"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

33	They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?"

34	Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

35	"And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

36	"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

37	"I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

38	"I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father."

39	They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40	"But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

41	"You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-- God."

42	Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

43	"Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

44	"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

45	"But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

46	"Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?

47	"He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

48	Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

49	Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

50	"And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.

51	"Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."

52	Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'

53	"Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?"

54	Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.

55	"Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.

56	"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."

57	Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"

58	Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

59	Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 10:25-37

arable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

25	And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

26	He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?"

27	So he answered and said," 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"

28	And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."

29	But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30	Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31	"Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32	"Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33	"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34	"So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35	"On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'

36	"So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"

37	And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 10:17-24

he Report of the Seventy

Luke 10:17-24

17	Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

18	And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

19	"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20	"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

21	In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

22	"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

23	Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;

24	"for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 10:38-42

ouse of Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42

38	Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39	And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

40	But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

41	And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42	"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 11:1-13

esus Teaches His Disciples to Pray

Luke 11:1-13

1	Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

2	So He said to them, "When you pray, say: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

3	Give us day by day our daily bread.

4	And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

5	And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;

6	'for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

7	"and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?

8	"I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

9	"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10	"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11	"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12	"Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13	"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 9:1-41

 Was Blind, Now I See

John 9:1-41

1	Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

2	And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3	Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

4	"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

5	"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6	When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

7	And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8	Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"

9	Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he."

10	Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"

11	He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight."

12	Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know."

13	They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.

14	Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

15	Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

16	Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.

17	They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

18	But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.

19	And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"

20	His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

21	"but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself."

22	His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

23	Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

24	So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."

25	He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

26	Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?"

27	He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?"

28	Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.

29	"We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."

30	The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!

31	"Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

32	"Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.

33	"If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."

34	They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.

35	Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"

36	He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"

37	And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."

38	Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.

39	And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."

40	Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"

41	Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 9:39-41; 10:1-21

y Sheep Hear My Voice

John 9:39-41

39	And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."

40	Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"

41	Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

(NKJ)

John 10:1-21

1	"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2	"But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3	"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4	"And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5	"Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

6	Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

7	Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8	"All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9	"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10	"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11	"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

12	"But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

13	"The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

14	"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

15	"As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

16	"And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17	"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

18	"No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

19	Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.

20	And many of them said, "He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?"

21	Others said, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 10:22-39

hey Picked Up Stones To Stone Him

John 10:22-39

22	Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

23	And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.

24	Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

25	Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.

26	"But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

27	"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28	"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

29	"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

30	"I and My Father are one."

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

32	Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"

33	The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."

34	Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '?

35	"If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),

36	"do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

37	"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

38	"but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."

39	Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 10:40-42; 11:3-16

eyond the Jordan

John 10:40-42

40	And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.

41	Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true."

42	And many believed in Him there.

(NKJ)

John 11:3-16

3	Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

4	When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

5	Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6	So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

7	Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

8	The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"

9	Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

10	"But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

11	These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."

12	Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."

13	However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14	Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

15	"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

16	Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 11:1-46

esus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

John 11:1-46

1	Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2	It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

3	Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

4	When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

5	Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6	So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

7	Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

8	The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"

9	Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

10	"But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

11	These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."

12	Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."

13	However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14	Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

15	"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

16	Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

17	So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

18	Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.

19	And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20	Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

21	Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

22	"But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

23	Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

24	Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

25	Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

26	"And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

27	She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

28	And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you."

29	As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.

30	Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.

31	Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

32	Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

33	Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

34	And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

35	Jesus wept.

36	Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

37	And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

38	Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

39	Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

40	Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

41	Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

42	"And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

43	Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

44	And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

45	Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

46	But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 11:47-54

eclaration of Caiaphas

John 11:47-54

47	Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.

48	"If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."

49	And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,

50	"nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."

51	Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

52	and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

53	Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

54	Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 19:1, 2; Mk 10:1; Lk 13:10-35

he Woman Who Was Bent Over

Matt 19:1-2

1	Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.

2	And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

(NKJ)

Mark 10:1

1	Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.

(NKJ)

Luke 13:10-35

10	Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

11	And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.

12	But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."

13	And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14	But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."

15	The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?

16	"So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound-- think of it-- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"

17	And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

18	Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

19	"It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."

20	And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?

21	"It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

22	And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

23	Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them,

24	"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

25	"When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,'

26	"then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'

27	"But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'

28	"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

29	"They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.

30	"And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."

31	On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."

32	And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'

33	"Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

34	"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

35	"See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 14:1-24

ake the Lowest Seat

Luke 14:1-24

1	Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.

2	And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.

3	And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

4	But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.

5	Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"

6	And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

7	So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:

8	"When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;

9	"and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.

10	"But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.

11	"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

12	Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.

13	"But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.

14	"And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

15	Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

16	Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

17	"and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'

18	"But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'

19	"And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.'

20	"Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

21	"So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'

22	"And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'

23	"Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

24	'For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 14:25-35

ount the Cost

Luke 14:25-35

25	Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,

26	"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

27	"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

28	"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--

29	"lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30	"saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'

31	"Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32	"Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.

33	"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

34	"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?

35	"It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 15:1-32; 16:1-13

ore Parables, Prodigal Son

Luke 15:1-16:2

1	Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

2	And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

3	So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4	"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

5	"And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6	"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'

7	"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

8	"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

9	"And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!'

10	"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

11	Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.

12	"And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.

13	"And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

14	"But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15	"Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16	"And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17	"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18	'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19	and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'

20	"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21	"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22	"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23	'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

24	'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

25	"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26	"So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

27	"And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

28	"But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

29	"So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30	'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'

31	"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always withme, and all that I have is yours.

32	'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

(NKJ)

Luke 16:1-13

1	He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.

2	"So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'

3	"Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.

4	'I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'

5	"So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6	"And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

7	"Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'

8	"So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9	"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

10	"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

11	"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12	"And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

13	"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 16:14-18

xposes the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees

Luke 16:14-18

14	Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.

15	And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16	"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

17	"And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

18	"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 16:19-31

ich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

19	"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.

20	"But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,

21	"desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22	"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

23	"And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24	"Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'

25	"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

26	'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

27	"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,

28	'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

29	"Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

30	"And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

31	"But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 17:1-10

ncrease Our Faith

Luke 17:1-10

1	Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

2	"It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

3	"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

4	"And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

5	And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

6	So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

7	"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?

8	"But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?

9	"Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.

10	"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 17:20-37

eaches the Pharisees About the Coming of the Kingdom

Luke 17:20-37

20	Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation;

21	"nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

22	Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

23	"And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them.

24	"For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.

25	"But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26	"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

27	"They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28	"Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29	"but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

30	"Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

31	"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.

32	"Remember Lot's wife.

33	"Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

34	"I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.

35	"Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

36	"Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left."

37	And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 18:1-14

he Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:1-14

1	Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

2	saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

3	"Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'

4	"And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

5	'yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"

6	Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.

7	"And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

8	"I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

9	Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10	"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11	"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

12	'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'

13	"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'

14	"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 19:3-12; Mk 10:2-12

arriage and Divorce

Matt 19:3-12

3	The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"

4	And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'

5	"and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?

6	"So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

7	They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"

8	He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

9	"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

10	His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."

11	But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:

12	"For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

(NKJ)

Mark 10:2-12

2	The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.

3	And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"

4	They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."

5	And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

6	"But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'

7	'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,

8	'and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9	"Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

10	In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.

11	So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

12	"And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 19:13-15; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17

et the Little Children Come to Me

Matt 19:13-15

13	Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

14	But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

15	And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

(NKJ)

Mark 10:13-16

13	Then they brought young children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

14	But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

15	"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

16	And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

(NKJ)

Luke 18:15-17

15	Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16	But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

17	"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 19:16-22; Mk 10:17-22; Lk 18:18-24

ich Young Ruler

Matt 19:16-22

16	Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

17	So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

18	He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said," 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'

19	'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20	The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

21	Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

22	But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

(NKJ)

Mark 10:17-22

17	Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

18	So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

19	"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

20	And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth."

21	Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

22	But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

(NKJ)

Luke 18:18-24

18	Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

19	So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

20	"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

21	And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth."

22	So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

23	But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

24	And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 20:1-16

arable of the Vineyard

Matt 20:1-16

1	"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

2	"Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3	"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4	"and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.

5	"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

6	"And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'

7	"They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'

8	"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'

9	"And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

10	"But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

11	"And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,

12	"saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'

13	"But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14	'Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

15	'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'

16	"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34

gain Foretelling His Death

Matt 20:17-19

17	Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,

18	"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,

19	"and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

(NKJ)

Mark 10:32-34

32	Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:

33	"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;

34	"and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

(NKJ)

Luke 18:31-34

31	Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

32	"For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

33	"They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

34	But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45

an I Sit at Your Right Hand?

Matt 20:20-28

20	Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

21	And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."

22	But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."

23	So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

24	And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.

25	But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.

26	"Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

27	"And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--

28	"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

(NKJ)

Mark 10:35-45

35	Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."

36	And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

37	They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."

38	But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

39	They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

40	"but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."

41	And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

42	But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

43	"Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

44	"And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

45	"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-50; Lk 18:35-43

lind Bartimaeus

Matt 20:29-34

29	Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.

30	And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"

31	Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"

32	So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

33	They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."

34	So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

(NKJ)

Mark 10:46-50

46	Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.

47	And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

48	Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49	So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."

50	And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

(NKJ)

Luke 18:35-43

35	Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.

36	And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.

37	So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

38	And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

39	Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

40	So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him,

41	saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."

42	Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

43	And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 19:1-10

acchaeus who was a Chief Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

1	Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2	Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector , and he was rich.

3	And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

4	So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

5	And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."

6	So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

7	But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

8	Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."

9	And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;

10	"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 19:11-28

he Parable of the Minas

Luke 19:11-28

11	Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.

12	Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

13	"So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'

14	"But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'

15	"And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

16	"Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'

17	"And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'

18	"And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.'

19	"Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'

20	"Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.

21	'For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'

22	"And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.

23	'Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'

24	"And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'

25	("But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')

26	'For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

27	'But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"

28	When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 12:1-9

ary Anoints the Feet of Jesus

John 12:1-9

1	Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.

2	There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

3	Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4	Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,

5	"Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"

6	This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

7	But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.

8	"For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

9	Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:1-11; Mk 11:1-11; Lk 19:29-44; Jn 12:12-19

riumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Matt 21:1-11

1	Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

2	saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.

3	"And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."

4	All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

5	"Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

6	So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.

7	They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.

8	And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9	Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!"

10	And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"

11	So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

(NKJ)

Mark 11:1-11

1	Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples;

2	and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.

3	"And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here."

4	So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it.

5	But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?"

6	And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.

7	Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it.

8	And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9	Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'

10	Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

11	And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

(NKJ)

Luke 19:29-44

29	And it came to pass, when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples,

30	saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose him and bring him here.

31	"And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.'"

32	So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.

33	But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?"

34	And they said, "The Lord has need of him."

35	Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him.

36	And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.

37	Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,

38	saying: " 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

39	And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."

40	But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

41	Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,

42	saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

43	"For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,

44	"and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

(NKJ)

John 12:12-19

12	The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13	took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' The King of Israel!"

14	Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

15	"Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."

16	His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

17	Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

18	For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

19	The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:12, Mk 11:11; Lk 19:45

esus Enters the Temple

Matt 21:12

12	Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

(NKJ)

Mark 11:11

11	And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

(NKJ)

Luke 19:45

45	Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it,

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:12, 13; Lk 19:45, 46

rives the Vendors Out of the Temple

Matt 21:12-13

12	Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

13	And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

(NKJ)

Luke 19:45-46

45	Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it,

46	saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:14

lind and Lame Came to Him

Matt 21:14

14	Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 19:47, 48

e Was Teaching Daily in the Temple

Luke 19:47-48

47	And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him,

48	and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:17-22; Mk 11:12-14, 20-22

he Withered Fig Tree

Matt 21:17-22

17	Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

18	Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.

19	And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." And immediately the fig tree withered away.

20	And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"

21	So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.

22	"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

(NKJ)

Mark 11:12-14

12	Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.

13	And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. And when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14	In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it.

(NKJ)

Mark 11:20-22

20	Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21	And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."

22	So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:28-31

arable of the Two Sons

Matt 21:28-31

28	"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'

29	"He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.

30	"Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.

31	"Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 21:33-46; Mk 12:1-12; Lk 20:9-19

arable of the Vinedressers

Matt 21:33-46

33	"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

34	"Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

35	"And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

36	"Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

37	"Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

38	"But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'

39	"So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40	"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"

41	They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."

42	Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

43	"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

44	"And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

45	Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.

46	But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

(NKJ)

Mark 12:1-12

1	Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

2	"Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.

3	"And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

4	"Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

5	"And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.

6	"Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

7	"But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

8	"So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9	"Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.

10	"Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

11	This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12	And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

(NKJ)

Luke 20:9-19

9	Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

10	"Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

11	"Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

12	"And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

13	"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.'

14	"But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

15	"So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16	"He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"

17	Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?

18	"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

19	And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people-- for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 22:1-14; Lk 14:16-24

he Parable of the Great Supper

Matt 22:1-14

1	And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

2	"The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,

3	"and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

4	"Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."'

5	"But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

6	"And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

7	"But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8	"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

9	'Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'

10	"So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11	"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

12	"So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.

13	"Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

14	"For many are called, but few are chosen."

(NKJ)

Luke 14:16-24

16	Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

17	"and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'

18	"But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'

19	"And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.'

20	"Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

21	"So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'

22	"And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'

23	"Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

24	'For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 22:15-22; Mk 12:13-17; Lk 20:20-26

ested By the Pharisees

Matt 22:15-22

15	Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.

16	And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.

17	"Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

18	But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

19	"Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius.

20	And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"

21	They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

22	When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

(NKJ)

Mark 12:13-17

13	Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.

14	When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

15	"Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."

16	So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" And they said to Him, "Caesar's."

17	And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.

(NKJ)

Luke 20:20-26

20	So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

21	Then they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:

22	"Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

23	But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test Me?

24	"Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They answered and said, "Caesar's."

25	And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

26	But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 22:23-33; Mk 12:18-27; Lk 20:27-40

ested By the Sadducees

Matt 22:23-33

23	The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

24	saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

25	"Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.

26	"Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.

27	"Last of all the woman died also.

28	"Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her."

29	Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

30	"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

31	"But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,

32	'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

33	And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

(NKJ)

Mark 12:18-27

18	Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:

19	"Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

20	"Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.

21	"And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.

22	"So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.

23	"Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife."

24	Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?

25	"For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26	"But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

27	"He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

(NKJ)

Luke 20:27-40

27	Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

28	saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

29	"Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.

30	"And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.

31	"Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.

32	"Last of all the woman died also.

33	"Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife."

34	And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

35	"But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;

36	"nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

37	"Now even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

38	"For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."

39	Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."

40	But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 22:34-40; Mk 12:28-34

ested By a Lawyer

Matt 22:34-40

34	But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

35	Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,

36	"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"

37	Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

38	"This is the first and great commandment.

39	"And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

40	"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

(NKJ)

Mark 12:28-34

28	Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"

29	Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30	'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

31	"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32	So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.

33	"And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34	Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 23; Mk 12:38-40; Lk 20:45-47

eware of the Scribes and the Pharisees

Matt 23:1-39

1	Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,

2	saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

3	"Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

4	"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5	"But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

6	"They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

7	"greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'

8	"But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.

9	"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10	"And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

11	"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12	"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

13	"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

15	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16	"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'

17	"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18	"And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'

19	"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20	"Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

21	"He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

22	"And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

23	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

24	"Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

26	"Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

28	"Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29	"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

30	"and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

31	"Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32	"Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.

33	"Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

34	"Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,

35	"that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36	"Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37	"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

38	"See! Your house is left to you desolate;

39	"for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

(NKJ)

Mark 12:38-40

38	Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,

39	"the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

40	"who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

(NKJ)

Luke 20:45-47

45	Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,

46	"Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

47	"who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mk 12:41-44; Lk 21:1-4

ertain Poor Widow

Mark 12:41-44

41	Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.

42	Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.

43	So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;

44	"for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

(NKJ)

Luke 21:1-4

1	And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,

2	and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.

3	So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;

4	"for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 12:37-50

rophecy of Isaiah About their Blindness

John 12:37-50

37	But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

38	that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

39	Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40	"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."

41	These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42	Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

43	for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44	Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

45	"And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46	"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

47	"And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

48	"He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him-- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

49	"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

50	"And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 24; Mk 13; Lk 21:5-36

oretells the Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem

Matt 24:1-51

1	Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.

2	And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

3	Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

4	And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.

5	"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

6	"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7	"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

8	"All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9	"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

10	"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

11	"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

12	"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

13	"But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

14	"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15	"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand),

16	"then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17	"Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.

18	"And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

19	"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

20	"And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

21	"For then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22	"And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

23	"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.

24	"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

25	"See, I have told you beforehand.

26	"Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.

27	"For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

28	"For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

29	"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

30	"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31	"And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

32	"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

33	"So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-- at the doors!

34	"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

35	"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

36	"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

37	"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

38	"For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

39	"and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

40	"Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

41	"Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

42	"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

43	"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

44	"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45	"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

46	"Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

47	"Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

48	"But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,'

49	"and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

50	"the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,

51	"and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(NKJ)

Mark 13:1-37

1	Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"

2	And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

3	Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

4	"Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"

5	And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you.

6	"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many.

7	"But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.

8	"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

9	"But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

10	"And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

11	"But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12	"Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

13	"And you will be hated by all men for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

14	"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

15	"Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.

16	"And let him who is in the field not go back to get his garment.

17	"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

18	"And pray that your flight may not be in winter.

19	"For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

20	"And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21	"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it.

22	"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

23	"But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

24	"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

25	"the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in heaven will be shaken.

26	"Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27	"And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

28	"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

29	"So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near-- at the doors!

30	"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

31	"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

32	"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33	"Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

34	"It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35	"Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming-- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning--

36	"lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37	"And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

(NKJ)

Luke 21:5-36

5	Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,

6	"These things which you see-- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."

7	So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"

8	And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.

9	"But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."

10	Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

11	"And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

12	"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.

13	"But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.

14	"Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;

15	"for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

16	"You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.

17	"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.

18	"But not a hair of your head shall be lost.

19	"Byyour patience possess your souls.

20	"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

21	"Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.

22	"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23	"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

24	"And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25	"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

26	"men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

27	"Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28	"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

29	Then He spoke to them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.

30	"When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

31	"So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

32	"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.

33	"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

34	"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

35	"For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36	"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 23:37; Lk 19:41-44

e Saw the City and Wept Over It

Matt 23:37-39

37	"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

38	"See! Your house is left to you desolate;

39	"for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

(NKJ)

Luke 19:41-44

41	Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,

42	saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

43	"For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,

44	"and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 25:1-30

he Parables of the Ten Virgins and the Talents

Matt 25:1-30

1	"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2	"Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3	"Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

4	"but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5	"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6	"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

7	"Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

8	"And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

9	"But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

10	"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11	"Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'

12	"But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

13	"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

14	"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

15	"And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

16	"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17	"And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.

18	"But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.

19	"After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20	"So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'

21	"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

22	"He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'

23	"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

24	"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25	'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'

26	"But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27	'So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28	'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29	'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30	'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 25:31-46

heep and the Goats

Matt 25:31-46

31	"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

32	"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

33	"And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

34	"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35	'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36	'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

37	"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

38	'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

39	'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

40	"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

41	"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

42	'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;

43	'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'

44	"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'

45	"Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

46	"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-8

nointed with the Flask of Spikenard

Matt 26:6-13

6	And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,

7	a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

8	But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?

9	"For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor."

10	But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.

11	"For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.

12	"For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.

13	"Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

(NKJ)

Mark 14:3-9

3	And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

4	But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?

5	"For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.

6	But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.

7	"For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.

8	"She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.

9	"Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

(NKJ)

John 12:1-8

1	Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.

2	There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

3	Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4	Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,

5	"Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"

6	This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

7	But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.

8	"For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:17-30; Mk 14:12-25; Lk 22:7-20

he Last Passover

Matt 26:17-30

17	Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

18	And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

19	So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20	When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.

21	Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."

22	And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"

23	He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

24	"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."

25	Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."

26	And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

27	Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.

28	"For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29	"But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

30	And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:12-25

12	Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"

13	And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

14	"Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'

15	"Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."

16	So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

17	In the evening He came with the twelve.

18	Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."

19	And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"

20	He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.

21	"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

22	And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

23	Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24	And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

25	"Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

(NKJ)

Luke 22:7-20

7	Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.

8	And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."

9	So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"

10	And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.

11	"Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'

12	"Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."

13	So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

14	When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

15	Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

16	"for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

17	Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;

18	"for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

19	And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

20	Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 13:1-17

egan to Wash the Disciples' Feet

John 13:1-17

1	Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2	And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,

3	Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,

4	rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.

5	After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

6	Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?"

7	Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."

8	Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."

9	Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

10	Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

11	For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

12	So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?

13	"You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.

14	"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15	"For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

16	"Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17	"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:23; Mk 14:18-21; Lk 22:21; Jn 13:18

he Hand of My Betrayer is With Me

Matt 26:23

23	He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:18-21

18	Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."

19	And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"

20	He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.

21	"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

(NKJ)

Luke 22:21

21	"But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.

(NKJ)

John 13:18

18	"I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:21-25; Mk 14:18-21; Lk 22:21-23; Jn 13:21-30

hat You Do . . Do Quickly

Matt 26:21-25

21	Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."

22	And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"

23	He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

24	"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."

25	Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."

(NKJ)

Mark 14:18-21

18	Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."

19	And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"

20	He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.

21	"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

(NKJ)

Luke 22:21-23

21	"But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.

22	"And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"

23	Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

(NKJ)

John 13:21-30

21	When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."

22	Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.

23	Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24	Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

25	Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"

26	Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27	Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

28	But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.

29	For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

30	Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 14; 15; 16

Teaches About the Holy Spirit

John 14:1-31

1	"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2	"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3	"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

4	"And where I go you know, and the way you know."

5	Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"

6	Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

7	"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

8	Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."

9	Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

10	"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

11	"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

12	"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

13	"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14	"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

15	"If you love Me, keep My commandments.

16	"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--

17	"the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

18	"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

19	"A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

20	"At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

21	"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

22	Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

23	Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

24	"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

25	"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

26	"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

27	"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28	"You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

29	"And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

30	"I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

31	"But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

(NKJ)

John 15:1-27

1	"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2	"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3	"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4	"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5	"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

6	"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

7	"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8	"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

9	"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

10	"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

11	"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

12	"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

13	"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

14	"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

15	"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

16	"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

17	"These things I command you, that you love one another.

18	"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

19	"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20	"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

21	"But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

22	"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

23	"He who hates Me hates My Father also.

24	"If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.

25	"But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'

26	"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

27	"And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

(NKJ)

John 16:1-33

1	"These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

2	"They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

3	"And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

4	"But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

5	"But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'

6	"But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

7	"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

8	"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9	"of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

10	"of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

11	"of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12	"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13	"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

14	"He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

15	"All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

16	"A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father."

17	Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?"

18	They said therefore, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is saying."

19	Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, "Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'?

20	"Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

21	"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

22	"Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

23	"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

24	"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25	"These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

26	"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

27	"for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

28	"I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father."

29	His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!

30	"Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."

31	Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?

32	"Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

33	"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jn 17

esus' Intercession

John 17:1-26

1	Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

2	"as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

3	"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

4	"I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

5	"And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

6	"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

7	"Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.

8	"For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

9	"I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

10	"And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

11	"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

12	"While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13	"But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

14	"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

15	"I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

16	"They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

17	"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

18	"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

19	"And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

20	"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

21	"that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

22	"And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

23	"I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

24	"Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

25	"O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.

26	"And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:30, 36-46; Mk 14:26, 32-42; Lk 22:39-46; Jn 18:1

rayer in Gethsemane

Matt 26:30

30	And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

(NKJ)

Matt 26:36-46

36	Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."

37	And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

38	Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

39	He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

40	Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?

41	"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

42	Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."

43	And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

44	So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

45	Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46	"Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."

(NKJ)

Mark 14:26

26	And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:32-42

32	Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."

33	And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.

34	Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."

35	He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.

36	And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

37	Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?

38	"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak."

39	Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.

40	And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.

41	Then He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42	"Rise up, let us go. See, My betrayer is at hand."

(NKJ)

Luke 22:39-46

39	Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.

40	When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

41	And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

42	saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

43	Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44	And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45	When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.

46	Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."

(NKJ)

John 18:1

1	When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron , where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-54, 66-72; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:2-12

etrayed and Taken

Matt 26:47-56

47	And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48	Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."

49	Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

50	But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.

51	And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52	But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

53	"Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

54	"How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"

55	In that hour Jesus saidto the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.

56	"But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:43-54

43	And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44	Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; take Him and lead Him away safely."

45	And as soon as He had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

46	Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.

47	And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48	Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?

49	"I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."

50	Then they all forsook Him and fled.

51	Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,

52	and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

53	And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.

54	But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:66-72

66	Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.

67	And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."

68	But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

69	And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."

70	But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."

71	Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"

72	And a second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.

(NKJ)

Luke 22:47-53

47	And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

48	But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49	When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"

50	And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

51	But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.

52	Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?

53	"When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

(NKJ)

John 18:2-12

2	And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.

3	Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4	Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?"

5	They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.

6	Then-- when He said to them, "I am He,"-- they drew back and fell to the ground.

7	Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

8	Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,"

9	that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."

10	Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

11	Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

12	Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 26:57, 58, 69-75; Mk 14:53, 54, 66-72; Lk 22:54-62; Jn 18:13-18, 25-27
Mat 26:57-75; Mk 14:53, 66-72; Lk 22:54-62; Jn 18:13-18, 25-27

he Trial

Matt 26:57-58

57	And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58	But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

(NKJ)

Matt 26:69-75

69	Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."

70	But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."

71	And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."

72	But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"

73	And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."

74	Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.

75	And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:53-54

53	And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.

54	But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

(NKJ)

Mark 14:66-72

66	Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.

67	And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."

68	But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

69	And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."

70	But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peteragain, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."

71	Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"

72	And a second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.

(NKJ)

Luke 22:54-62

54	Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed at a distance.

55	Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.

56	And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."

57	But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."

58	And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"

59	Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."

60	But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61	And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."

62	So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

(NKJ)

John 18:13-18

13	And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.

14	Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15	And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

16	But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.

17	Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."

18	And the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

(NKJ)

John 18:25-27

25	Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"

26	One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"

27	Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:1, 2, 11-14; Mk 15:1-5; Lk 23:1-5; Jn 18:28-38

elivered to Pilate

Matt 27:1-2

1	When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.

2	And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

(NKJ)

Matt 27:11-14

11	Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."

12	And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

13	Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"

14	And He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

(NKJ)

Mark 15:1-5

1	Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.

2	Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."

3	And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.

4	Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!"

5	But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

(NKJ)

Luke 23:1-5

1	Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.

2	And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."

3	Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say."

4	So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."

5	But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."

(NKJ)

John 18:28-38

28	Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.

29	Pilate then went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"

30	They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."

31	Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law." Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"

32	that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.

33	Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

34	Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this about Me?"

35	Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?"

36	Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."

37	Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

38	Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 23:6-12

e Sent Him to Herod

Luke 23:6-12

6	When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.

7	And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8	Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

9	Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

10	And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

11	Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

12	That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:15-26; Mk 15:6-15; Lk 23:13-25; Jn 18:39, 40; 19:1-16

ried before Pilate

Matt 27:15-26

15	Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.

16	And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

17	Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

18	For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19	While he was sitting on the judgment seat , his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."

20	But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

21	The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"

22	Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"

23	Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"

24	When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."

25	And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."

26	Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

(NKJ)

Mark 15:6-15

6	Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.

7	And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion .

8	Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.

9	But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

10	For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

11	But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

12	Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"

13	So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"

14	Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"

15	So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

(NKJ)

Luke 23:13-25

13	Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

14	said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;

15	"no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.

16	"I will therefore chastise Him and release Him"

17	(for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18	And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas"--

19	who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20	Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.

21	But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

22	Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

23	But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.

24	So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.

25	And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

(NKJ)

John 18:39-40

39	"But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

40	Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

(NKJ)

John 19:1-16

1	So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.

2	And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

3	Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.

4	Pilate then went out again, and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him."

5	Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"

6	Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."

7	The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God."

8	Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,

9	and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

10	Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?"

11	Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

12	From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."

13	When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

14	Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour . And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"

15	But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar !"

16	Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:27-31; Mk 15:16-20

ocked by the Soldiers

Matt 27:27-31

27	Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.

28	And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

29	When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

30	Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

31	And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified .

(NKJ)

Mark 15:16-20

16	Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.

17	And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,

18	and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

19	Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.

20	And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:31-34; Mk 15:20-23; Lk 23:26-32; Jn 19:16, 17

ed Him Away to be Crucified

Matt 27:31-34

31	And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

32	Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

33	And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,

34	they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

(NKJ)

Mark 15:20-23

20	And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

21	Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus , as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

22	And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.

23	Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.

(NKJ)

Luke 23:26-32

26	Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27	And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

28	But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29	"For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'

30	"Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'

31	"For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

32	There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

(NKJ)

John 19:16-17

16	Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.

17	And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew , Golgotha,

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:35-56; Mk 15:24-41; Lk 23:33-49; Jn 19:18-30

rucified

Matt 27:35-56

35	Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots , that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."

36	Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

37	And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38	Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

39	And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads

40	and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

41	Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,

42	"He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

43	"He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

44	Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

45	Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

46	And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, " Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

47	Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"

48	Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49	The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."

50	And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51	Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

52	and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

53	and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54	So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

55	And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,

56	among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

(NKJ)

Mark 15:24-41

24	And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.

25	Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.

26	And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27	With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.

28	So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."

29	And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,

30	"save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"

31	Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.

32	"Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

33	Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34	And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

35	Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"

36	Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."

37	And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.

38	Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

39	So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

40	There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,

41	who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee; and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

(NKJ)

Luke 23:33-49

33	And when they had come to the place called Calvary , there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

34	Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

35	And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."

36	The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine,

37	and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."

38	And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek , Latin , and Hebrew : THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39	Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

40	But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

41	"And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."

42	Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

43	And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise ."

44	Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45	Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

46	And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'" Having said this, He breathed His last.

47	So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

48	And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.

49	But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

(NKJ)

John 19:18-30

18	where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

19	Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20	Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

21	Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"

22	Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23	Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

24	They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things.

25	Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26	When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"

27	Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

28	After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"

29	Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop , and put it to His mouth.

30	So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 27:57-66; Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:31-42

oseph of Arimathea

Matt 27:57-66

57	Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea , named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

58	This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.

59	When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60	and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

61	And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

62	On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation , the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,

63	saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'

64	"Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."

65	Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."

66	So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

(NKJ)

Mark 15:42-47

42	Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

43	Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

44	Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.

45	And when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

46	Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

47	And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

(NKJ)

Luke 23:50-56

50	Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

51	He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.

52	This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53	Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.

54	That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55	And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.

56	Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

(NKJ)

John 19:31-42

31	Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32	Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

33	But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

34	But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

35	And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

36	For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."

37	And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."

38	After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.

39	And Nicodemus , who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

40	Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

41	Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

42	So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mat 28:2-15, Mk 16:1-11 Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-18

e is Risen

Matt 28:1-15

1	Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

2	And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

3	His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

4	And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5	But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

6	"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7	"And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

8	So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

9	And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

10	Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

11	Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

12	When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

13	saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'

14	"And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."

15	So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

(NKJ)

Mark 16:1-11

1	Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.

2	Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3	And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"

4	But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away-- for it was very large.

5	And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6	But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

7	"But go, tell His disciples-- and Peter-- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."

8	So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

9	Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.

10	She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.

11	And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

(NKJ)

Luke 24:1-12

1	Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2	But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

3	Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4	And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

5	Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6	"He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

7	"saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"

8	And they remembered His words.

9	Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

10	It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

11	And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

12	But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

(NKJ)

John 20:1-18

1	On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2	Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."

3	Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

4	So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5	And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

6	Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

7	and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

8	Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

9	For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10	Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11	But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12	And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13	Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

14	Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15	Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."

16	Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, " Rabboni !" (which is to say, Teacher).

17	Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"

18	Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 24:34; 1Cor 15:5

ppeared to Simon

Luke 24:34

34	saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

(NKJ)

1 Cor 15:4-5

4	and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

5	and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Mk 16:12, 13: Lk 24:13-35

oad to Emmaus

Mark 16:12-13

12	After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.

13	And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

(NKJ)

Luke 24:13-35

13	Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14	And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15	So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

16	But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17	And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

18	Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"

19	And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20	"and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21	"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

22	"Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

23	"When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

24	"And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."

25	Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26	"Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"

27	And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28	Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

29	But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.

30	Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31	Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32	And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

33	So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34	saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

35	And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

(NKJ)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Messianic Prophecy
   The Table of Contents

 'Messianic Prophecy'

   'Messianic Prophecies'

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Messianic Prophecies

Here is a list of some of the prophesies about Jesus. First the topic, then the Old Testament prediction, and the New Testament fulfillment:

Messianic Prophecies

1. The seed of the woman

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."

Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

2. The seed of Abraham

Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.

3. The Tribe of Judah

Gen 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Matt 1:2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

4. The seed of Jacob

Num 24:17-19 "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel... Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city."

Lk 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

5. The seed of David

Ps 132:11 The LORD has sworn in truth to David; he will not turn from it: "I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.

Jer 23:5-6  "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Rom 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

6. A prophet like Moses

Deut 18:15-19 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear... `I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. `And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.

Jn 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

7. The Son of God

Ps 2:7 "I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, `You are My Son, today I have begotten You.

Prov 30:4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you know?

Matt 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

8. Resurrected from the dead

Ps 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 13:35-37 "Therefore He also says in another Psalm: `You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.' "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; "but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.

9. Betrayed by a friend

Ps 41:9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

Matt 26:48-49 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

10. Ascend into Heaven

Ps 68:18 You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive; you have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.

Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

11. A priest like Melchizedek

Ps 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Heb 5:5-6  So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You." As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek"

12. Seated at the right hand of God

Ps 110:1 The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."

Matt 26:64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

13. The rejected stone to become the chief cornerstone

Ps 118:22-23 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Is 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.

Matt 21:42-43 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: `The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

14. Born of a Virgin

Is 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Lk 1:34-35 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

15. Minister in Galilee

Is 9:1-2  Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

Matt 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

16. Will be meek and humble

Is 42:2-3  He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; he will bring forth justice for truth.

Is 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

Matt 26:62-63 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Jesus kept silent....

17. Bring salvation to the Gentiles

Is 11:10 "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious."

Is 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Is 49:6 Indeed He says, `It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

Matt 15:21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

18. Will be beaten

Is 50:6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

Matt 26:67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,

19. Will establish a New Covenant

Jer 31:31-33 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Matt 26:28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

20. Will have two missions

Is 61:1-2  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;

21. Will perform miracles

Is 35:5-6  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of thedumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Jn 11:47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.

22. Called Jehovah God

Jer 23:5-6  "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Is 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jn 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that  I Am, you will die in your sins."

Jn 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

23. Born in Bethlehem

Mic 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."

Lk 2:4-6 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

24. Will enter the Temple with authority

Mal 3:1 "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

Matt 21:12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

25. Will enter Jerusalem on a donkey

Zech 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Matt 21:2-3  2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 "And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, `The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."

26. Will be pierced

Ps 22:16 For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;

Zech 12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Is 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Jn 19:34 one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

27. Forsaken by His disciples

Zech 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion," says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Matt 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: `I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

28. Victory over death

Is 25:8 He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people he will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken.

Heb 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

Jn 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

29. The exact time of His death predicted

Dan 9:26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off....

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Parables of Jesus

1. A lamp under a bushel, Matt. 5:14-15; Mark 4:21-22; Luke 8:16; 11:33

2. Houses built upon rock and sand, Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49

3. A new cloth on an old garment, Matt. 9:16, Mark 2:21, Luke 5:36

4. New wine in old wineskins, Matt. 9:17; Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37-38

5. The sower and the soils, Matt. 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:5-8

6. The tares, Matt. 13:24-30

7. The mustard seed, Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19

8. Leaven, Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:20-21

9. Hidden treasure, Matt. 13:44

10. Pearl of great price, Matt. 13:45-46

11. The drag-net, Matt. 13:47-48

12. The lost sheep, Matt. 18:12-13; Luke 15:4-6

13. The unforgiving servant, Matt. 18:23-34

14. Workers in the vineyard, Matt. 20:1-16

15. The two sons, Matt. 21:28-31

16. The wicked tenants, Matt. 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16

17. The wedding feast, Matt. 22:2-14

18. The fig tree, Matt. 24:32-33; Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:29-32

19. The ten virgins, Matt. 25:1-13

20. The talents, Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27

21. Sheep and goats, Matt. 25:31-46

22. Seedtime to harvest, Mark 4:26-29

23. The creditor and the debtors, Luke 7:41-43

24. The good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-37

25. A friend in need, Luke 11:5-8

26. The rich fool, Luke 12:16-21

27. The alert servants, Luke 12:35-40

28. The faithful steward, Luke 12:42-48

29. A fig tree without figs, Luke 13:6-9

30. Places of honor at the wedding feast, Luke 14:7-14

31. The great banquet, Luke 14:16-24

32. Counting the cost, Luke 14:28-33

33. The lost coin, Luke 15:8-10

34. The prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32

35. The dishonest steward, Luke 16:1-8

36. The rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31

37. The master and his servant, Luke 17:7-10

38. The persistent widow, Luke 18:2-5

39. The Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18:10-14

                     © 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Parables
   The Table of Contents

  The Parables of Jesus

   The Parables  of Jesus

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Miracles of Jesus

1. Healing a leper, Matt. 8:2-3; Mark 1:40-42; Luke 5:12-13

2. Healing the centurion's servant, Matt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10

3. Healing Peter's mother-in-law, Matt. 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39

4. Calming the storm, Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 4:37-41; Luke 8:22-25

5. Healing the one/two Gadarenes, Matt. 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-13; Luke 8:27-33

6. Healing a paralyzed man, Matt. 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-25

7. Raising Jairus' daughter from the dead, Matt. 9:18-25; Mark 5:22-42; Luke 8:41-56

8. Healing a woman with a hemorrhage, Matt. 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-29; Luke 8:43-48

9. Healing two blind men, Matt. 9:27-31

10. Healing a dumb man, Matt. 9:32-33

11. Healing a man with a withered hand, Matt. 12:10-13; Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-10

12. Healing a blind and dumb man, Matt. 12:22; Luke 11:14

13. Feeding the 5,000, Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17; john 6:5-13

14. Walking on the water, Matt. 14:25; Mark 6:48-51; John 6:19-21

15. Healing the Canaanite woman's daughter, Matt. 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30

16. Feeding the 4,000, Matt. 15:32-38; Mark 8:1-9

17. Healing a boy with epilepsy, Matt. 17:14-18; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:38-43

18. Finding of the coin in the fish's mouth, Matt. 17:24-27

19. Healing of Bartimaeus and, Matt. 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43

20. The withered fig tree, Matt. 21:18-22; Mark 11:20-26

21. Healing a possessed man, Mark 1:23-26

22. Raising the widow of Nain's son from the dead, Luke 7:11-15

23. Healing a deaf and dumb man, Mark 7:31-37

24. Healing the blind man at Bethsaida, Mark 8:22-26

25. The catch of fish, Luke 5:1-11

26. Healing the woman bent double, Luke 13:11-13

27. Healing a man with dropsy, Luke 14:1-4

28. Healing the ten lepers, Luke 17:11-19

29. Healing Malchus' ear, Luke 22:50-51

30. Turning water to wine, John 2:1-11

31. Healing the official's son at Capernaum, John 4:46-54

32. Healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, John 5:1-9

33. The boat immediately reaching shore, John 6:21

34. Healing the man born blind, John 9

35. Raising Lazarus from the dead, John 11:1-44

36. A catch of fish, John 21:1-11

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Miracles
   The Table of Contents

  The Miracles of Jesus

Icthus

   The Miracles of Jesus

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Roman Provinces in Israel

 'Roman Provinces in Israel'

  1. Judea'

  2. Samaria'

  3. Galilee'

  4. Iturea'

  5. Abiline'

  6. E. Syria'   W. Syria'

  7. Trachonitis'

  8. Batanea'

  9. Decapolis'

10. Perea'

11. Idumea'

12. Nabatea'

                     © 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jewish Calendar

1. Nisan      (7)	Mar/Apr	Begin Barley Harvest
2. Iyar         (8)	Apr/May	Barley Harvest
3. Sivan      (9)	May/Jun	Wheat Harvest
4. Tammuz (10)	Jun/Jul
5. Av           (11)	Jul/Aug	Grape, Fig, Olive
6. Elul         (12)	Aug/Sep	Vintage Begins
7. Tishri      (1)	Sep/Oct	Early Rains, Preparation
8. Heshvan (2)	Oct/Nov	Wheat, Barley Sowing
9. Kislev     (3)	Nov/Dec
10. Teveth   (4)	Dec/Jan	Winter Rains
11. Shevat   (5)	Jan/Feb	New Year for Trees
12. Adar      (6)	Feb/Mar	Almonds Budding

Note: (#'s in Parenthesis = The Civil Calendar)

Sacred Days

Nisan 14 - Feast of Passover (Pesach)

Nisan 15 - Feast of Unleavened Bread

Nisan 21 - Close of Passover

Sivan 6 - Feast of Pentecost (Shvuot) (seven weeks from Passover) Anniversary of the giving of the Law at Sinai

Tishri 1&2 - Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) Beginning of the civil year

Tishri 10 - Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

Tishri 15-21 - Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth) (Booths)

Kislev 25 - Festival of Lights or Dedication (Hanukkah)

Adar 14 -  Feast of Lots (Purim)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Holy Days and Jewish Calendar
  The Table of Contents

'Holy Days and Jewish Calendar'

   Jewish Calendar

   Holy Days

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Religious Background
  The Table of Contents

         Background of the Gospels

'Religious Background'

   'Religious Sects'

   'The Synagogue'

   'The Temple'

   'Jerusalem'

   'The Sanhedrin'

   'The Mishnah and Talmud'

   'Herod and the Herodians'

   'The Role of Women'

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Religious Sects
  The Table of Contents

         Background of the Gospels

                Religious Background

'Religious Sects of Judaism'

   'The Pharisees'

   'The Sadducees'

   'The Scribes'

   'Chief Priests, Priests, and Levites'

   'The Essenes'

   'The Zealots'

   'The Sanhedrin'

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Rome
  The Table of Contents

         Background of the Gospels

'Rome'

   The Roman World

   Roman Provinces in Israel

   List of Caesars

   List of Procurators in Judea

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Geographical Background
  The Table of Contents

         Background of the Gospels

'Geographical Background'

  1st Century Jerusalem

  THE GREAT SEA

  THE COASTAL PLAIN

  THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINOUS PLATEAU

  THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN

  THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN

  THE GREAT DESERT

  HIGHWAYS OF  PALESTINE

  THE ROCKY HILLS OF PALESTINE

  SPRINGS OF WATER BENEATH JERUSALEM

  IMPREGNABLE STRENGTH OF JERUSALEM

There were 50,000 miles of roads with milestones such as these.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Read First
   The Table of Contents

           Introduction

'Read First'

 This program is specifically designed for Windows 95 although it will work in Windows 3.1 (If you have the special patch from microsoft) but the graphics may not be as clear. The ideal settings for proper viewing are as follows:

1. High (16 bit) Color

2. 800 x 600 Pixels

3. Small Fonts

You can adjust these settings by exiting all programs and then RIGHT CLICKING anywhere on your screen, then click PROPERTIES, then click SETTINGS...then choose high color (16 bit), 800 x 600 Pixels and small fonts.

Please contact me at my Home Page address if you have questions or want to download the Windows 3.1 version:

     http://www.centcon.com/~russell

Or Email me at either address:

     russell@centcon.com

     r3355@aol.com

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


How to Use This Program
   The Table of Contents

           Introduction

'How to Use This Program'

How to Use This Program

If you know the basics about Windows then your all set. I've tried to make this Bible information program as simple as possible. Here are a few tips:

- All Scriptures are in blue

- Words of Christ' are in red

- Pop-up definitions are in green with a dotted line.

- Jump texts are in green with a solid line.

- Camera's have hot-spots if you click on them.

- Pictures have pop-up menus if you click on them.

- Don't forget to use the button bar on the top (especially the CONTENTS button if you want to go back to the beginning). Also experiment with copy and paste, annotations, print, search, and bookmark. These are handy tools and simple to use. This is the Win 3.1 Version but it also works with Windows 95 and you'll notice several improvements such as with your search and copy capabilities. The map button is available for easy referencing in the Table of Contents. I like to use the history button and keep that feature available often.

- The Win 95 programs work with Win 3.1 also (if you have the patch from Microsoft that allows you to run Winelp for Win95 with Win3.1).

Who's this program for?

"Study to show thyself approved . . ."

This program is designed for the more serious student of the Word. The information available is very easily accessible. It will be upgraded in the future and the the latest versions with more info will be available on the Bible Knowledge Accelerator Home Page and will require a password (which you will have if you are a registered BKA5 user).

What's covered in this program?

A harmony of the life of Jesus using all four of the gospel' accounts, a brief historical sketch of the background of the 1st Century world during the life of Jesus, and various topical outlines, as well as a brief history of Rome, and a geographical shetch of 1st Cent. Palestine. You can review various subjects about Christ's life and ministry with the parallel passages in view. There are numerous popup definitions with each topic and graphical illustrations throughout.

Let me know what you think?

I've tried to make these programs simple, somewhat informative, and honest. But what really matters is what they do for you. Please let me know what you think. The easiest way is to use email:

     r3355@aol.com

     russell@centcon.com

http://www.centcon.com/~russell

     Rusty Russell

     5340 Las Virgenes Rd. #22

     Calabasas, CA 91302

* Please confirm my mailing address through email or my homepage if you intend to write.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


How to Register
     The Table of Contents

             Introduction

'How to Register'

How to Register

The price for the registered version is $10.00. The money will go toward furthering this ministry. The goal of this ministry is to offer information tools for Bible students and teachers at a minimal expense.

The Registered Version Includes:

- Complete definitions for all pop-up words.

- All topics complete with valuable information.

- More Graphics throughout.

- Fancy lettering on every page of the Bible text.

- Helpful Maps.

- More Lists and Charts.

- Your Password for future Updates

- Complete Notes and Commentary will be available later in a separate program.

How to Receive the Registered Version:

- Send $10.00 check or money order to this address and you will receive the password for the registered version that can be downloaded from the BKA Home Page.

or

- You can also send a blank HD disk with your check and it will be mailed back to your address the same day and the password will be given also for downloading.

Rusty Russell

5340 Las Virgenes Rd. #22

Calabasas, CA 91302

EMail Address:

r3355@aol.com

russell@centcon.com

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


More BKA Programs

The purpose of these information programs are to bring Biblical and historical information to Bible students in a quick and easy to learn style using the Windows Help Format (.hlp). Each program is filled with valuable information, pop-up definitions, charts, maps, and graphical illustrations, and can easily be stored and read off one 3½ in. HD disk. The graphics are mostly 16-color but can be viewed with 256-color optimization if you are using Windows 95 (see readme section). 16-color graphics are used to conserve space and with the new graphic technology available they can be very colorful and helpful as illustrations.

Most of the programs listed below are being upgraded but you can access the available ones by checking with the Bible Knowledge Accelerator homepage periodically or through email. Certain Bible Knowledge Accelerator information programs will be uploaded around the internet periodically. Please consider a $5.00 donation for each freeware program but if for some reason you can't pay that please feel free to use them and pass them along. There is a $10.00 price for the registered versions of the shareware programs (See "How to Register").

The present list (2/96) of programs that will be available are as follows:

BKA1 The Incredible Bible (Freeware)

As with anything in God's creation the deeper you search, the more beauty and perfection you find. Such is the Bible. This book focuses on a closer understanding of the wonder Book, its uniqueness in  comparison to other sacred religious texts, canonicity, various names and divisions, ancient writing instruments, materials, and manuscripts, inspiration, and a brief history of pre-reformation translators, English translations, and some notes on modern Bible translations.

BKA2 The Story of the Bible Pt. 1 - The Old Testament (Freeware)

This is a very simple overview of the history of the Old Testament. It follows the major people and events of the Old Testament in chronological order.

BKA3 The Story of the Bible Pt. 2 - The Life of Jesus Christ (Freeware)

This is a very simple overview of the history of the life of Christ. It follows His ministry and the events surrounding His life in chronological order.

BKA4 The Story of the Bible Pt. 3 - The New Testament (Freeware)

This is a very simple overview of the history of the New Testament beginning with the resurrection of Christ through to the ministry of Paul in Rome. It follows the major people and events of the New Testament in chronological order.

BKA5 The Life of Jesus Christ (Shareware) $10.00

This information program takes us through the life of Christ in harmony with all four of the gospel accounts. The emphasis is on, "Y'Shua ha Mishiach" - Jesus, the Messiah. Understanding His teachings from a Hebraic backdrop, and examining His life and character in a way that gives insight into the incomprehensible love of a Man among men, One who befriended the most wretched, and felt with the deepest of emotions the beauties and agonies of the human experience.

BKA6 The Historical Jesus

What does history say about Jesus Christ? How does history authenticate the gospel accounts of His life and ministry? This information program emphasizes extra-Biblical history and gains insight from ancient chroniclers such as Josephus, Pliny, Tacitus and others.

BKA7 The Greeks

A history of the Greek world from a Christian perspective. Grecian history, language, influence, culture, great men, literature, religion, etc. A look at a culture that changed the whole world.

BKA8 The Romans

A history of the Roman world from a Christian perspective. Roman history, architecture, language, power & military, culture, great men, literature, religion, etc. An empire that changed the whole world. Also Rome's influence on Christianity throughout the church age through Roman Catholicism.

BKA9 Jerusalem at the Time of Christ

A look at Jerusalem, the city of the great king, in the first century A.D., with all its incredible architecture. Herod's Temple, his Palace, the Fortress of Antonia, the Hasmonean Palace, the Hippodrome, various roads, valleys, pools, hills, and mountains. Including the Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, and Calvary (Golgotha).

BKA10 Religion at the Time of Christ

Focusing on the backround and peculiar lifestyles and beliefs of the various religious sects in the land of Israel whom Jesus encountered and understood when He was here. Pharisee's, Sadducee's, Scribes, Essenes, Zealot's, Priest's, Levites, the Sanhedrin, the High Priest, etc.

BKA11 Sociology at the Time of Christ

Community living in Israel 1st century A.D. Clothing, work, social life, economics, travel, sabbath, synagogue, children, marriage, homes, calendar and time, temple, festivals, etc.

BKA12 The Crucifixion

The origins and details of crucifixion and Roman justice, as well as what really happened when the Lord was on the cross. Interesting studies on the history of crucifixion.

BKA13 The Destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D

What really happened in 70 A.D? Who was Titus? How many came against Jerusalem? What took place at Masada? The slaughters of the Jews and destruction of the great Temple.

BKA14 The Tabernacle

An in-depth look at the ancient Tabernacle of Israel, its furnishings, details, and spiritual significance. The Ark of the Covenant, golden 7-branched Menorah, bronze Altar, the Veil, and Holy of Holies, etc. This is a rich and edifying study for the serious Bible student.

BKA15 The 7 Jewish Feasts and their Significance

The ancient yearly feasts and festivals of the Jews and their modern observances. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. Details of each including Yom Kippur and the scapegoat. Each of the feasts have a unique fulfillment in God's calendar of events.

BKA16 The Five Levitical Offerings

An object lesson which God ordained that would make your skin crawl. Why an innocent offering? What is sin? A detailed look at the five offerings that the common people of Israel brought to the priests. How were they uniquely fulfilled in Jesus, the final sacrifice? The Burnt Offering, the Meal Offering, the Sin Offering, the Trespass Offering, and the Peace Offering. How did they differ?

BKA17 The Special Garments of the High Priest

A unique perspective on the priestly garments. This clothing was designed by God and they were only permitted to be worn by the priests who served. What was the purpose of the jewels on the breastplate of the high priest? the mitre? or the curious girdle? These subjects are pregnant with messianic significance. If you haven't researched this subject, it will amaze you.

BKA18 Solomon's Temple

The construction, history, and significance of the Temple of Solomon, how it differed from the Tabernacle, and who officiated in its compounds. It also features Solomon's Empire, his remarkable prosperity, king Solomon's mines, his horses and stables, his army, the gold of Ophir, domestic economy, foreign policy, the queen of Sheba, and his 700 wives.

BKA19 Prophets and Prophesy

This exhaustive information program examines the peculiar lives, ministries, and messages of the prophets (mouthpieces) of God. Men who spoke out in the midst of apostasy in Israel, and also in foreign nations like Babylon and Assyria. They spoke of the judgments to come, as well as the glories of the coming of the Messiah, and His glorious kingdom. Men like Isaiah , Jeremiah , Daniel , Ezekiel , also Elijah and Elisha who were identified with some of the greatest of the Bible's miracles.

BKA20 Messianic Prophesy

The focus is on the Christology of the entire Old Testament. It traces verbal prophecies and non-verbal types and figures book by book with their preliminary and secondary fulfillments. This rich study is extremely insightful and faith-building to any person desiring to learn more about Jesus Christ and the great treasures found in the Holy Scriptures.

BKA21 Old Testament History

Follows the entire Old Testament in chronological order with emphasis on history. There is much discussion on archaeology and ancient cultures. It clearly gives the student of the Bible a fresh insight into the Biblical story.

BKA22 New Testament History

Follows the entire New Testament in chronological order with emphasis on history. There is also much discussion on archaeology and ancient mediterranean cultures. The seven wonders of the ancient world, Greece, Rome, Jerusalem, Paul's journeys, and much more.

BKA23 Between the Testaments

There were approximately 400 years from the close of the Old Testament to the Beginning of the New Testament. Though the Bible was silent history reveals so very much that happened. This book examines that time period with Persia, Greece, Rome, the Ptolemies & Seleucids and their violently bitter hatred toward the Jews which led to the Maccabean revolt , one of the most heroic feats in history, the origin of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. It covers men like Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes, the Maccabeans, and the rise of the Roman Empire with Caius Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Cleopatra and others.

BKA24 Bible Survey

A general overview of every book in the Bible. It outlines each book and focuses on its themes, high points, theology, supposed contradictions, and messianic significance.

BKA25 Basics of Christianity

This is a new believers handbook of the basics of Christianity. It gives a theological and yet practical understanding of subjects such as : Salvation, Repentance, Faith, Prayer, Praise and Worship, Baptism, Communion, Church, Spiritual Growth, Temptation and Sin. What is Born Again? Etc. The emphasis throughout is on the love of God and our love for one another.

BKA26 The Attributes of God

Who is God? What is God? This book discusses subjects such as  God's eternal nature, His Immensity, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Immutability, Love, Grace, Mercy, Justice,Wrath, Holiness, Sovereignty, etc.. Filled throughout with powerful, thought provoking Scriptures.

BKA27 The Trinity

What is the Trinity? Isn't He one God? This book searches the historical doctrine of the Trinity. Was Tertullian (2nd Cent. A. D.) the first to teach the Trinity? What about Augustine? And the Council of Nicaea? What kind of heresies crept into the church throughout the ages? Is there a proper definition of the Trinity?

BKA28 The Hebrew Names of God

The Old Testament Names of God revealed much more than just a name. They were revelations of who He is. This fascinating study examines 21 of these wonderful names and titles and the history behind them. El Elyon, El Shaddai, El Olam, Adonai, etc. What about Jehovah? Or is it Yahweh? And what's the Tetragrammaton? Why are there extensions to the name Jehovah like Nissi, Tsidk'nu, Jireh, M'kaddesh, and Shammah, etc? Is Elohim a name of God?

BKA29 The Names of Jesus

Wonderful overview of the glorious names and titles of Jesus revealed throughout the Bible. The Bright and Morning Star, The Lamb of God, The Rose of Sharon, The Good Shepherd, The Door, The Branch, Immanuel, Son of God, Son of Man, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The Rock of offence, etc. Over 40 names are studied.

BKA30 Great Men of the Bible

A general sketch of 15 men of faith who, despite weaknesses and failures, were courageous in their pursuit of God and His will. They are the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. This information program is devotional and meant to encourage the man of God. Lots of illustrations and practical material.

BKA31 The Rapture

An in-depth look at the various views concerning the "catching away" of the church. When was it first taught? Is it vital that I have the right point of view? Can Jesus come at any moment?

BKA32 The Great Tribulation

A look at the various judgments to come upon the earth spoken about by Jesus and the prophets. The Day of the Lord, The Battle of Armageddon, The Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgments are interpreted in light of the rest of the Bible. Also the two witnesses and the 144,000, and the 70th week of Daniel.

BKA33 The Antichrist and 666

What is the Abomination of Desolation? Who is the Antichrist? What is the mark of the beast? These questions and others are discussed in this book. Lengthy descriptions are given concerning the Antichrist who is to come spoken about in the Old and New Testaments. With all the events surrounding us in these "last days," we need to gain a clear perspective on what the Bible says specifically on each of these subjects.

BKA34 The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Examines the events concerning the Return of Jesus Christ to the earth and the setting up of the kingdom (Millennium). The kingdom of the Messiah is promised throughout the Scriptures. It will be a time of peace, love, and prosperity, and Jesus Christ will literally be here ruling in Jerusalem. Explicit Scriptural details concerning the Millennium.

BKA35 Heaven

What does the Bible say about heaven? Is it going to be here on earth? This information program discusses the reality of heaven according to the Scriptures, and gives a detailed exposition of the New Jerusalem.

BKA36 Hell

The Bible mentions alot about hell. This information program focuses on subjects like: The Great White Throne Judgement, Hell, Hades, Sheol, Gehenna, Satan, etc.

BKA37 The Hebrew Language

A brief history of the Hebrew language and a simple learning tool that quickly teaches you how to read and write Biblical Hebrew.

BKA38 The Greek Language

A brief history of the Greek language and a simple learning tool that quickly teaches you how to read and write Biblical Greek

BKAHLP How to Make Your Own Windows Help Program

If you have a desire to write your own information program like this one in the Windows Help Format, it's very simple if you know what you need. This brochure will help you learn exactly what you need to know quickly and easily. Where to find the best commercial programs and shareware, what you should and shouldn't do, where to get info about creating with VB4 and Win 95. You'll be amazed at just how easy it is.

BKAWEB How to Make Your Own Home Page

How to create Home Pages. Working with Graphics. What are the best commercial and shareware programs? Where is the best place to go to find a Web Site? How to get discovered fast on the World Wide Web.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Send $5.00 for each additional freeware program (Check BKA Homepage for availability). The file can be uploaded to your EMail address after the check has been received, or you can send a blank HD disk to the the listed address and the requested program will be mailed back to you.

EMail Address:

russell@centcon.com

R3355@aol.com

Personal Address:

Rusty Russell

5340 Las Virgenes Rd. #22

Calabasas, CA 91302

Please drop me an email and let me know what you think.

". . . God be gracious to you . . ."    (Gen 43:29)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Lk 1:5-25

he Angel Gabriel Announces John's Birth

Luke 1:5-25

5	There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6	And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7	But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

8	So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9	according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord.

10	And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

11	Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12	And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13	But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14	"And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15	"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

16	"And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

17	"He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

18	And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

19	And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.

20	"But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

21	And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.

22	But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

23	And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

24	Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,

25	"Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

(NKJ)

Notes

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Bibliography and Credits
      The Table of Contents

              Introduction

'Bibliography and Credits'

Bibliography

Aharoni, Yohanan & Avi-Yonah, Michael. The MacMillan Bible Atlas. MacMillan, 1968.

Bruce, F.F. New Testament History. Doubleday-Galilee, 1971.

Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of 'Jesus the Messiah'. Eerdmans, 1971.

Edersheim, Alfred. Sketches of Jewish Social Life In the Days of Christ'. Eerdmans, 1970.

Edersheim, Alfred. The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as They Were at the Time of Christ'. Eerdmans, 1958.

Habermas, Gary. Ancient Evidences For the Life of Jesus'. Thomas' Nelson, 1984.

Harrison, Everett. A Short Life of 'Christ. Eerdmans, 1986.

Harrison, R.K., ed. Major Cities of the Biblical World. 'Thomas Nelson, 1985.

Hoehner, Harold. Chronological Aspects of the Life of 'Christ. Zondervan, 1977.

House, Wayne. Chronological and Backqround Charts of the New Testament. Zondervan, 1981.

Jeremias, Joachim. Jerusalem in the Time of 'Jesus. Fortress Press, 1962.

Josephus, Flavius. The Jewish War, trans. Gaalya Cornfield, Gen. Ed. Zondervan, 1982.

Metzger, Bruce. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth and Content. Abingdon, 1965.

Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of 'Jesus Christ'. Zondervan, 1981.

Sherwin-White, A.N. Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament. Baker, 1963.

Stalker, 'James. The Life of 'Jesus Christ'. Zondervan, 1983.

Tenney, Merrill, ed. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. 5 vols. Zondervan, 1975.

Trench, Richard. Notes on the Miracles and the Parables of Our Lord. Revell, 1971.

Unger, Merrill. The New Unger's Bible Handbook (Revised). Moody, 1984.

Yadin, Yigael. Masada. Random House, 1966

Credits

Grateful Acknowledgement:

Photos, Maps and Illustrations:

Photos by Ron Haaland,  Haaland Productions

Courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Courtesy of theGallerie d'Arte Moderne, Florence

Courtesy of the Vatican Library, Rome

Courtesy of theForest Lawn Memorial Park Museum

Courtesy of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Microsoft Corporation

Royalty Free Images

Adobe Photoshop

Fractal Painter

Kai's Power Tools

Corel Corporation

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Early History of Rome

Geography

- The Italian peninsula is a rocky, mountainous land.

- 600 miles long x 150 miles wide

- The Apennine Mountains are 850 miles long reaching from north to south

- The great harbors are located on the western and southern coasts

- Greece lies 50 miles to the east across the Adriatic Sea

- Africa is 100 miles from the west coast of Sicily

3 Plains

- There are 3 plains on the western coast which were main areas of settlement for the invaders from Europe

- The Tuscan Plain in the north central, drained by the Po River is a fertile farming region

- Latium in the middle of the west coast,  drained by the Tiber River was a trading center for merchants from the north and south

- The Campanian Plain, southwestern coast (where Naples is now) had Italy's best harbor

The Latins

- It was in Latium that an Indo-European group, the Latins, (ancestors of the Romans) migrated

- Their first city Alba Longa, was built about 1000 BC.

- Their most important city, Rome, was founded in 753 BC by Romulus

       The Legend of Romulus and Remus

According to legend, the Greeks had laid siege to the city of Troy (near the coast of modern Turkey) and killed almost everyone. One Trojan prince named Aeneas, escaped by sea and sailed to Italy. He landed at Laurentum on the west coast of Italy. He formed an alliance with Latinus the king of the Latins and married his daughter Lavinia. Aeneas' son Ascanius founded a city called Alba Longa. He was the first of a long line of kings who ruled for about 400 years. When the last king was overthrown, his twin grandsons Romulus and Remus were left to die by the River Tiber. A wolf found them and looked after them. When the twins grew up they decided to set up a new city on the spot where they had been left to die. They held a sacred ceremony and Remus mocked it so Romulus killed his brother and named the city after his own name and became its first ruler.

- The followers of Romulus were shepherds, hunters, farmers, and merchants who lived in small huts scattered on the seven hills on which the city was built.

- The Latins were strongly influenced by the Greeks and the Etruscans

- The Etruscans, a hard and warlike people, settled in Tuscany (first civilized people in Italy)

- In Tuscany they built cities, developed law codes, established trade and were into art

- In the 8th century BC they controlled north and central Italy through a chain of city-states

- They also had colonies on Corsica and traded with the Carthaginians living in Sardinia

- In southern Italy and eastern Sicily were Greek colonists (centers of culture and commerce)

- They wanted to civilize (rather than conquer) the Latin tribes and teach them skills and fine craftsmanship of the East, the Greek alphabet, and Greek religion.

- There were also the Carthaginians (Sicily and Sardinia) who were commercial rivals of Rome that exercised control over many city-states.

- The Romans fought them in the Punic Wars for commercial and political control of the western Med.

The Etruscans

- Little is known about where the Etruscans migrated from (Asia Minor or modern Turkey)

- The Etruscans were the first civilized people to settle in Italy and they greatly influenced the Romans.

- Extensive iron ore deposits near them in north central Italy they became very rich from trade.

- In the 6th cent. BC. they occupied and ruled Rome for 100 years.

- The Etruscan and Roman civilizations were put together from bits and pieces from Greece, Phoenicia, Israel, Egypt, and Persia. (They flourished from 800-400 BC.)

Etruscan Religion

- The Etruscans were fanatically religious with a primitive theology. They offered many libations to their gods, examining entrails, or studying storms for omens.

- They are the reason the Romans became such a highly superstitious people always seeking good or evil omens in everyday happenings.

- They spent a great deal of time preparing for death (if properly cared for a man's spirit would live on.

- They built elaborate tombs (supplied them with wealth and articles necessary for life) including weapons, pots, jewelry, etc., scenes of earthly pleasures painted on the walls (like a man and wife sitting on a couch).

Etruscan Weapons and Armor

- Etruria also expanded because its armies were well trained and very disciplined.

- Because of their skill at working with metals they had weapons far superior to their opponents.

- The Romans adopted all their fighting techniques, weapons and armor designs of the Etruscans and conquered them in the 4th Cent. BC.

Etruscan Elegance

- Etruscan Women were considered equal to their men. This was the same with Roman women.

- An Etruscan noblewoman, hair elegantly curled, rich clothing and much jewelry

- The Romans adopted their elegance and pleasure seeking qualities from the Etruscans.

- Reclining on couches at banquets (slaves serving fine food & drink), watching dancers, & entertainers

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The Punic Wars

The Punic Wars

- Conflict over the trade routes of the western Mediterranean.

- Carthage was a great power in the west ruling the northern coast of Africa, parts of Spain, Sicily, Sardinia

- Rome was the rising power in Italy waiting to test its strength.

- The Punic Wars were fought in three stages.

Three stages

- The first (264-241 BC.) and second struggles (218-201 BC.) were fought with evenly matched sides.

- And the final in 149 BC.

- Carthage was larger and wealthier than Rome and had a large navy.

- Rome was superior in its manpower and loyal citizenry.

The First War

- The first war began in Sicily, when Messana in Sicily asked Rome for protection against Carthage

- The Romans built a large fleet to challenge Carthaginian supremacy on the sea.

- Using the Raven  (30 foot ramp with a heavy hook at the end) the Romans turned a naval war into a type of land war. Rather than trying to sink the enemy ships they would board them and fight on the decks

- It was a success and the Romans won every major battle of the first Punic War.

- In 241 BC. after 23 years of fighting, a peace treaty was signed (Carthage paid money & gave up Sicily)

- Later Rome took Sardinia and Corsica also

The Second War

Hannibal'

- The second conflict was dominated by one man, Hannibal of Carthage.

- Hannibal had dedicated himself at age 9 to the total destruction of Rome.

- He invaded Italy from the north by crossing the Alps with 40,000 men and many war elephants

- His skillful maneuvering, and his use of war elephants completely demoralized the Roman armies sent to stop him at Lake Trasimene and Cannae.

- Forcing the Romans to fight on his terms, he trapped the legionaries between the hills and the lake at Trasimene, pushing them back into the water where many drowned.

- At Cannae, he surrounded the entire Roman army, slaughtered 50,000 and lost only 6,000 of his own men

- He was never able to capture Rome because he lacked equipment and manpower for a long siege.

Rome attacks Carthage

- He ravaged the countryside for 4 years until Rome decided to go and attack Carthage.

- A Roman army under Cornelius Scipio sailed for Africa.

- Hannibal was recalled to defend his native city.

- Hannibal suffered his first defeat by a Roman army at Zama (80 mi. SW of Carthage) and fled to Greece

- Carthage lost the war, surrendered the Spanish colonies, burned its own navy, and paid another large sum of money to Rome.

- Rome was now the master of the Mediterranean Sea

The Third War

- In 149 BC. the final episode was played. Rome saw Carthage as a commercial threat (olives and wine)

- Rome sent an army to destroy its enemy forever.

- After a 3 year siege Carthage fell, cities were leveled and salted (50,000 were sold into slavery)

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Republican Government

- In 509 BC. the Romans rebelled against their Etruscan overlords replacing kingship with a republic (A country governed by the elected representatives of its people).

- The Senate evolved composed of 300 men from the wealthiest families of Rome.

- They were supposedly an advisory body but in actuality they were the center of all policy decisions concerning foreign affairs, military matters, finances, public land, and state religion.

- The middle class and poor were represented in 2 assemblies:

- The Assembly of Tribes - A legislative assembly of elected officials called tribunes and questors who passed laws and conducted minor trials.

- The Assembly of Centuries - Elected consuls, censors, and praetors. They could declare war

- The 2 Consuls were the chief executive officers. They were elected for one year terms. They presided over the Senate and were commander in chief during wartime. They were also supreme judges

- There were also 2 Censors (ex-consuls) who took the census, assessed the taxes, named senators, etc.

- 4 Aediles served as mayors of the city and 8 Quaestors acted as treasurers

- The  10 Tribunes protected the rights of the people from decisions of the senate. They had power to veto

- The judiciary branch of government were the 6 Praetors (elected for 2 years) who were the high judges.

- By the 2nd Cent. BC. more power was in the hands of the senate and they were becoming corrupt

Statesman of Republic Rome

- Rome's victory over Carthage marked the beginning of the end of the Roman republic.

- During the war there were revolutions, assassinations and things were moving toward a dictatorial rule.

Marcus Porcius Cato

- One of the reactionary men of this time was Marcus Porcius Cato

- Unpolished, hard, of peasant origins he became very powerful within the senate

- He hated all foreigners (especially Greeks cause of their religion and philosophy).

- He believed that Rome should rule the world with an iron hand.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla

- He was Rome's first dictator

- He upheld the senatorial privileges at all costs

- He resorted to mass killings and purges to destroy his political enemies.

- Finally all the powers of the senate were controlled by him

Marcus Tullius Cicero

- He was one of the most brilliant people of this era.

- He strongly defended traditional republican ideals

- He believed in a republican system based on an alliance of the middle-class and the aristocracy against dictators and the dissatisfied masses.

Gnaeus Pompey

- He was a brilliant cavalry officer and an outstanding athlete

- He fought in Sicily and Africa for Sulla and after Sulla's death he fought in Spain

- He also assisted in crushing the slave revolt led by Spartacus

- After 10 more years of fighting Rome's enemies he, and 2 others (Crassus and Julius Caesar) formed the triple alliance known as The First Triumverate.

- These 3 men assumed absolute power though they claimed to be a republic

- Pompey received large land grants in the eastern provinces

- Julius Caesar was given the governorship of Gaul which he held for 9 years.

Julius Caesar

- Julius Caesar in 59 BC. was a man hungry for power.

- He had fought in Spain and proved to be a brilliant but violently ambitious general.

- He drove his men hard and himself harder.

- In his 9 years in Gaul put down many rebellions, grew richer and more powerful by becoming governor.

- In 49 BC. he challenged Pompey for supreme leadership and there was conflict in Rome for 2 years until he finally defeated Pompey in battle and became the master of Rome.

Marcus Junius Brutus

- He was a politician and general who had sided with Pompey in the civil war but was pardoned by Caesar and became one of his followers.

- He was a firm believer of the power of the senate and the rule of the senatorial class.

- As Caesar was gaining power Brutus thought that by killing him the republic would be saved.

- This act plunged Rome into another terrible and bloody conflict which completely destroyed the Republic

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The Religion of Rome

Statue of Mars

Early Times

- The early Romans worshipped spirits which they believed inhabited trees, rivers, fires, rocks, and houses.

- Their earliest religious ceremonies were performed in the home where a special altar called The Lararium was erected for the household gods who watched over the family and the home.

- The Lar (represented as a gay dancing human figure) was the spirit that guarded the land.

- The Penates (represented as snakes) protected the food (pantry) and the grain (barn)

- They were both friendly spirits and every day the father placed small offerings(honey cakes & wine) on the altar and fresh flowers 3 times a month.

Later on

-As time passed the spirits became personified

- The hearth fire was worshipped as the goddess Vesta (The Vestal Virgins were young unmarried girls chosen to guard and care for the fire that burned continually in her honor).

- They organized public rituals for the most popular gods (Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, and Mercury)

- Gradually a state religion developed with priests, ceremonies, omens, and sacrifices.

- Religion was soon identified with patriotism

- Gods were worshipped and rituals performed because the safety of Rome depended upon them

- The state religion had no doctrines or moral codes, no promise of a happy afterlife, demanded obedience

- After the death of Augustus Caesar in 14 AD., a new idea was added to the state religion, a belief that the ruler was divine and a descendant of the gods.

- Soon every emperor was worshipped as a god during his life and at death temples were erected for him

- Many Romans also worshipped Isis (an Egyptian goddess) and Mithra (a Persian god) for more exciting rituals, personal religion and promises of afterlife.

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Working Poor

Background

- By the middle of the 1st Cent. AD., most upper class Romans forsook manual labor.

- They considered it beneath their dignity to work.

- As a result, the work was performed by slaves or a large class of poor citizens.

- Their were very skilled craftsmen, worked long hard hours and few became rich.

Artisans

- Artisans set up their shops throughout the city.

- The shop was just a one room store from which the craftsman sold directly to the buyer

- The most common were cobblers, goldsmiths, cutlery makers, and butchers.

Clients

- Many other free Romans were unskilled and had to depend entirely upon the charity of the rich

- Every morning these poor "clients" would line up outside a rich man's door for scraps or coins

- The government also provided free bread, water, and entertainment for the poor

 Slaves

- Slaves were deprived of civil rights

- They were considered as animals to be worked to exhaustion for no pay except bare survival

- All slaves were completely at the mercy of their owners.

- Many were cruelly punished, maimed, or even killed for slight offenses

- Rome had approximately 200,000 to 300,000 slaves and 500,000 free men.

- By 100 AD. A law was passed forbidding a master to kill, torture, or mutilate a slave.

- In Rome, many slaves were freed and were known as "freedmen."

- A number of skillful freedmen became wealthy and politically influential.

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Domestic Life

Background

- The family was a strong social unit in Roman civilization.

- In early centuries, the head of the family (paterfamilias) exercised total control over the whole family

- Children were taught to respect the gods, their country, and their parents, in that order.

- By Julius Caesar's time, Roman women could own property and even influence politics.

- Girls and boys were educated, and some women received a higher education.

The Home

- The house was the center of family life and the evening meal was the family gathering

- The wife usually sat in a chair while the husband reclined on a couch and children stood nearby.

- The main foods were cereals and vegetables.

- The wealthy enjoyed cheese, eggs, fish, olives, poultry, mushrooms, and nuts.

- Most lived in many storied apartment houses with no heat and no place for cooking

- Bread (circular flat cakes) and relish (whatever was cheap) were their staple foods

- The poor also ate fish, goat's cheese, cabbage, onions, radishes, and especially garlic.

Villas

- The wealthy began to build lavish villas (AHD- A sometimes large and luxurious country estate).

- The Villa was usually rectangular, built around a garden court and an Atrium (roofless party room)

- There were numerous heated (brazier) bedrooms, two dining rooms (summer & winter), a bath with a steam room and a swimming pool, and a kitchen with an open hearth (AHD- The floor of a fireplace, usually extending into a room).

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Roman Forum

Background

- In early times the "forum" (place outside the door) was just a marsh, where many roads met.

- Here people could meet outside of town and exchange goods.

- As Rome grew the forum remained a meeting place and market place.

The Design of the Forum

- The oldest forum was called the Forum Romanum.

- As trade and business grew other forums were built by Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nerva, Trajan, & Ves.

* Each forum was carefully planned:

1. Open rectangular space surrounded by a colonnaded shelter or walkway on 3 sides

2. On the 4th side was the Basilica or town hall (roofed building)

3. The Basilica was concrete with an arched colonnade and a barrel vaulted roof.

[The Transparency]

None of the forums ever built reached the magnificence of the Forum Romanum

The Forum Romanum (from left to right)

a.  The Arch of the Emperor Septimus Serverus - built in 203 AD. to commemorate his many victories over the barbarians and his accession to the imperial throne.

b.  The Golden Milestone - from which all distances were measured on the roads that led from Rome.

c.  The Rostra with its curved back from which orators addressed the crowd.

d.  The Temple of Saturn

e.  The Basilica Julis (completed by Augustus in 14 AD.)

f.  The Temple of Castor

g.  The Curia Julia

h.  The Basilica Aemilia

i.  The Sacred Way - the main processional roadway into Rome.

j.  The Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine (completed in 313 AD.) 114 feet high

k.  The Colosseum (built in 69-79 AD. by Vespasian where spectators could watch gladiator contests)

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Roman Law

The Praetors

- Roman law was codified for the first time in 450 BC. Known as the 12 Tables.

- It dealt with general rules for behavior

- The Praetor administered the laws from 366 BC.

- All decisions given by the Praetors were recorded.

- The Praetors studied carefully the past decisions of previous Praetors and slowly a whole system of legal precedents was established which became the basis for Roman Law.

- Gradually a law developed called the Jus Gentium, which applied to all the inhabitants of the empire.

Lawyers and Judges

- Flexibility  and adaptability were the two main characteristics of Roman law.

- Besides the Praetors, a well defined class of legal experts, the Juris Prudentes, were the lawyers of Rome

- Civil lawsuits were tried by a judge (selected by senators from both parties involved).

- The judges verdict was final.

- Criminal cases were decided by jurors (a panel of 50-75 men)

- Majority votes determined the verdict after the defense challenged and cross-examined the witnesses.

Later Developments

- Roman law reached its greatest development in the 2nd Cent. AD.

- During the reign of the emperor Hadrian, all the laws were codified for the 1st time

- The final codification (series of volumes) was in Constantinople during the reign of Justinian

- Justinian's work Corpus Juris Civilis (the body of civil law) contained the entire legal history of Rome for 1000 years (property transactions, contracts, inheritance, wills, commercial dealings, murder, robbery, divorce, women's rights, and international obligations.

Influence

- Roman law civilized the world, because wherever Rome conquered, they took their legal concepts with them and implanted them so strongly that they are still functioning in many parts of Europe today.

* Civil law:

- The use of a professional lawyer class

- rules of evidence

- rights of defendants

- concept of innocent until proven guilty

- deeply influenced the western world

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The Roman Army

The Roman Army

'The Legion' (a professional outfit)

- Rome's military might was primarily because of its heavy infantry - the " Legion ."

- Composed of 4000-6000 men the legions were small mobile companies.

- at first it was a militia recruited among the wealthy classes

- by 100 BC. military service no longer appealed to the upper classes

- reforms were instituted by the Consul Marius (the Marian Reforms)

- they developed the 1st professional standing army (recruited from the lower classes)

- gifted soldiers from the ranks became officers

- as the Roman Empire grew, the legionaires were the policeman who kept the peace.

- Many were stationed in distant lands and spent their whole life in service outside of Italy.

- After 25 years, the legionary received a pension and a small plot of land

The Praetorian Guard

- During the reign of Augustus Caesar, an elite group called the Praetorian Guard was formed

- They guarded the emperors and served as the last line of defense for the city of Rome.

- They were well paid, arrogant, and because of their position, able to influence political affairs.

Legionary Tactics

- Roman legionaries were constantly learning and developing new tactics of warfare

- One of their most effective formations was called the "tortoise." Marching into battle or attacking a walled city, soldiers protected themselves by linking their shields over their heads.

- When attacking an enemy fortress or fortified city the legionary could not only depend on battering rams, siege towers, and sheltering devices, but also on heavy artillery equipment such as catapults, fire throwers, and crossbows.

- The legionaries were not only fighters but they were builders as well. No Roman legion fought a battle or retired for the night without first building a fortified camp.

- each legionary carried 80 pounds of equipment (weapons, armor, axe, spade, saw, basket, tent stakes, cooking utensils, and 2 weeks' rations of meal)

- Overnight camps were tents surrounded by a ditch and a wooden palisade

- When far away they built more permanent quarters of wood, stone, and brick. (These later became cities)

- The army also built roads and bridges to link the various parts of the empire.

- bridge building was a special skill of the legionary

- the simplest bridge consisted of wooden frames covered with planking supported by pontoons.

- When there was a strong current, a more stable bridge was built secured by pilings into the river bed

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JULIUS CAESAR

 After his year as consul, Julius Caesar left Rome to serve as the proconsul or governor of Gaul (France). There, between 58 and 51 BC, he defeated innumerable Celtic and Belgic armies, massacring hundreds of thousands in the process. He twice invaded Britain, though it was not made a province until the later invasion of the Emperor Claudius in AD 43. When Pompey persuaded the Senate to order Caesar to lay down his arms at the end of his period as proconsul, Caesar challenged them by crossing the River Rubicon in 49 BC. As this marked the boundary between his province of Cisalpine Gaul and Italy, the die was cast for war. In the civil war which followed, Pompey's followers outnumbered Caesar's. But in 48 BC, on the plains of Pharsalus in northern Greece, Caesar decisively defeated Pompey. Hoping to find refuge in Egypt, Pompey fled to Alexandria but was murdered as he landed.

Caesar traveled to Egypt in pursuit of his enemy, and there became infatuated with Queen Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt. After extricating himself from a difficult military position in Alexandria with the aid of the Jews, Caesar proceeded to mop up pockets of opposition with rapidity. He had great plans and reforms in mind: he revised the calendar (his 'Julian' calendar, with minor changes introduced by Pope Gregory, is the one we use today), and planned a colony for Corinth. But because he arrogantly took up the powers of dictator, some of his close friends, including Brutus, joined in a plot to assassinate him in 44 BC, on the Ides of March, the 15th.

In a speech immortalized in drama by Shakespeare 'Friends, Romans, countrymen' - Mark Antony aroused the people to a fever pitch against the assassins who found it prudent to leave the country. Much to his own chagrin Antony found that Caesar's will did not name him heir; instead Caesar's young grandnephew, Octavian, was nominated successor. After some bitter feuding, Antony and Octavian, together with Lepidus, formed a Second Triumvirate in 43 BC to pursue Caesar's murderers. One of their first acts was to sentence to death the orator Cicero, who had bitterly attacked Antony in a series of speeches.

The crucial battle was fought at Philippi, Macedonia, in 42 BC. Brutus and Cassius, the leaders of the assassins, were disheartened, partly because of faulty communications, and committed suicide. The victors divided the Empire: Octavian was to rule the west and Antony the east. Antony summoned Cleopatra to appear before him at Tarsus. He was captivated by her, though he was married to Octavian's sister, the noble Octavia. Egged on by the ambitious queen, Antony eventually divorced Octavia and proclaimed Caesarion, Cleopatra's son, the legitimate heir of Caesar.

But outside the bay of Actium in north-western Greece, Antony's fleet was outmaneuvered by Octavian's admiral, Agrippa in 31 BC. Instead of attempting to rally his dispirited troops, Antony shamelessly joined Cleopatra in flight. After a half-hearted attempt to defend Egypt, he committed suicide. Cleopatra clasped a poisonous asp to her breast, and was buried at Antony's side in Alexandria.

Background

- Julius Caesar, after defeating the Gaul's and eliminating his political enemies, returned to Rome where he received the greatest triumphal celebration any Roman general had ever known.

- He received almost every power than an obedient Senate could confer on him.

- In 46 BC, he was made dictator for ten years, given command of all the armies, sole control of all money, and authority to draw up lists of senators.

- He was immune from the veto of tribunes and could ignore the assembly because his power came from his control of the army and his personal wealth.

Civil Reform

- Late in 46 BC, he devoted himself to civil reform.

- Army veterans were given land in Italy, new buildings were constructed, a new forum was planned, and the course of the Tiber River was altered.

- As pontifex maximus, supreme high priest, he reformed the Roman calendar to bring it into line with the solar year.

- The Julian calendar based on studies of Egyptian astronomers was used until the sixth century when it was replaced with the Gregorian calendar.

- By 45 BC, he had been granted the right to wear the purple toga of Roman kings, to use the laurel crown, and to sit in a gold chair. His image was set up in all temples in Italy and his likeness appeared on coins.

- Early in 44 BC, the Senate declared him "dictator for life." His next step would be to assume the title of king and found a dynasty.

The plot to murder Caesar

- The plot to murder Caesar was conceived by men who feared his assumption of arbitrary powers and his appropriation of senatorial responsibilities.

- These men also resented Caesar's popularity with the masses of people and with his soldiers.

- Altogether, sixty men were involved in the plot to kill Caesar.

- Caesar heard rumors about the plot to murder him but dismissed them.

- On March 15, the Ides of March, he went to a meeting with the Senate on the porch of the theater of Pompey.

- At 11 o'clock in the morning Caesar was asked by one of the plotters to recall his brother from exile.

- Caesar refused to listen to him, the conspirator insisted, and as he did so, the other conspirators gathered round, completely surrounding Caesar.

- Stabbed twenty-three times, Caesar fell at the foot of Pompey's statue.

- Caesar's death brought on another civil war which ended the Republic and ushered in the new era of the Empire.

Julius Caesar (Time Chart)

102-100 BC Roman records show birth. He claimed descent from the gods.

79 BC Elected to the college of priests.

60 BC Elected consul and chooses the provinces he wants to govern.

59-49 BC Conquers vast new territories for the Roman state.

58 BC. Takes on parts of northern Italy, Gaul, Germany, and Britain.

49 B.C. Crosses the Rubicon River and takes Rome.

48 B.C. Defeats Pompey at Pharsalus, Greece.

44 B.C. Murdered by Roman senators who thought he wanted to be king.

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The Roman World
  The Table of Contents

         Background of the Gospels

                Rome

'The Roman World'

   Early History of Rome

   The Punic Wars

   Republican Government

   The Religion of Rome

   Working Poor

   Domestic Life

   Roman Forum

   Roman Law

   The Roman Army

   Julius Caesar

   `Augustus

   `Master Builders

   Roman Art

   Roman Literature

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List of Caesar's

The Twelve Caesars

        Caesar                                   Birth/Death                                     Reign

1. Julius Caesar	102-44 BC	49-44 BC Dictator
2. Augustus	63 BC-14 AD	27 BC-14 AD Emperor
3. Tiberius	42 BC-37 AD	14-37 AD
4. Gaius Caligula	12-41 AD	37-41 AD
5. Claudius	10 BC-54 AD	41-54 AD
6. Nero	37-68 AD	54-68 AD
7. Galba	3 BC-69 AD	68-69 AD
8. Otho	32-69 AD	69-69 AD Emperor
9. Vitellius	15-69 AD	69-69 AD
10. Vespasian	9-79 AD	69-79 AD
11. Titus	39-81 AD	79-81 AD
12.Domitian	51-96 AD	81-96 AD

Dates for the Twelve Caesars based on J. Gavorse, ed., Suetonius: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars (New York, 1937).

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Augustus
AUGUSTUS  (27 BC-14 AD)

 AUGUSTUS CAESAR. Civil war broke out after Caesar's assassination. Two of the assassins, Brutus and Cassius, led one side. Octavian, Caesar's adopted 18-year-old son, and Mark Antony, one of Caesar's lieutenants, opposed their bid for power. In 2 quick battles, the assassins were crushed. The victory catapulted young Octavian— or Augustus, as he was later called— into the political limelight. Besides the power of his father's name, Octavian seems to have been rather striking in appearance. One of his chroniclers describes him in this highly personal and informal way.

"He was quite handsome.... Sometimes he would clip his beard; sometimes he would shave it. While his barbers were at work on him, it was not unusual for him to read or write.... His eyes were clear and radiant.... His complexion was between dark and fair. Though only five feet, six inches in height . . his shortness was not too noticeable because of the good proportions of his figure." Augustus SEUTONIUS

While Octavian was growing in political stature, so was Mark Antony. Among the Antony's political friends was Herod, Antipater's son. After Antipater's death by poisoning, Antony helped Herod eventually get the title "King of Judea."

But Antony's days of power were numbered. He and Octavian began to disagree openly, and a showdown took place at Actium in 31 B.C. Octavian triumphed, but Antony managed a spectacular escape to Egypt. There, months later, he and his famous lover, Cleopatra, ended their lives in suicide.

When Herod got wind of Antony's death, he knew his own kingship now hung by a thread. He decided upon a bold move. Seeking an audience with Octavian, he took off his crown and placed it at the leader's feet.

Herod's theatrics worked according to plan. Octavian picked up the crown and returned it to Herod, saying in effect: "Serve me as faithfully as you did Antony." Herod did just that, from that moment forward.

In 27 BC Octavian became Rome's first emperor, taking the name Augustus Caesar. Although he wore platform shoes to look taller, Augustus turned out to be a giant, politically. In later years he boasted, not incorrectly, that he had found Rome in bricks and left it in marble.

Background

- On January 13, 27 BC Octavian, a nephew of Julius Caesar and victor over Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC, resigned the offices he had held since 43 BC and officially restored the Republic.

- In exchange, the Senate bestowed on him the title, Augustus, and a ten year military command over all the armed forces in the provinces.

- By 23 BC, Augustus discovered that he needed more power than he had already obtained. He was named pro-consul and tribune for life, a position that gave him the power of veto.

- After 23 B.C., Rome was ruled by one man, the emperor.

Reform

- Augustus provided Rome with a new start after years of chaos, civil war, and ruin.

- He overhauled and improved the administration of the empire.

- In Rome, departments for the city were set up--police, fire, drainage, conservation of the Tiber banks, and most important the establishment of the corn dole.

- Augustus restored a sound money policy and the confidence he created pushed the economy forward.

- He inaugurated a vast public works program, restored old temples, and provided a new forum in order to provide work for the unemployed.

- Rome became a splendid city of gleaming white marble.

- During 18 B.C., Augustus instituted reform legislation that was designed to improve the morals and restore republican virtues.

- Laws against adultery, plus restrictions against luxury and ostentation were promulgated and Augustus revived respect for the Lares, Penates, and for the Vestal Virgins.

Military Policy

- The military policy of Augustus and his successors during the first two hundred years of empire was based on two principles:

1. the maintenance of the smallest army possible yet capable of meeting its commitments, and

2. the avoidance of a highly centralized army concentrated in Rome.

- As a result, the prime purpose of the army was to defend the frontiers of the empire and maintain peace in the provinces.

Agrippa (Marcus Vispanius Agrippa)

- Augustus was shrewd enough to know that he needed help to run so large an empire.

- He received help officially from Agrippa (general and right hand man of Octavian), a boyhood friend, and unofficially from Livia, his third wife.

- Agrippa was the first to advise Augustus to make a bid for power when Julius Caesar was killed.

- Augustus had fought well at Actium and put down uprisings in Gaul and Spain.

- Surviving portraits show his rugged, strong jawed features.

- He was an outstanding general, a well educated man, and a brilliant administrator who organized cities, constructed a water supply system for Rome, and supervised the building of a road network in Gaul.

Livia

- Livia was a dignified aristocratic beautifully amazing woman.

- She had nice features, enormous eyes, and thick wavy hair.

- When Octavian first met her, she was married to a middle-aged soldier who allowed her to divorce him so that she could marry Augustus.

- She was chaste, obedient, and silent in public.

- She had a tremendous influence on Augustus who made notes on subjects he wanted to discuss with her.

- Her greatest service to Rome was in her devotion to her husband

- Also in the civilizing influence she brought to bear on him.

- Her great-grandson Caligula gave her the nickname (Ulysses in Petticoats).

Pax Romana

Background

- The empire founded by Augustus was at its height in the first two centuries of its existence.

- During this age the pax Romana (universal peace terms for the dominions), existed throughout most of the Roman world.

- Only on the frontiers was defense necessary against Persian, German, and other foreign enemies.

- Defense was the work of the professional soldiers of the Roman legions.

- A standard bearing the eagle, the symbol of the empire, was planted in territory that extended to the Rhine river in the north, the Danube river in the northeast, the Caspian Sea in the near east, and the coastal area of North Africa.

- Britain and Dacia were added during the first century AD.

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Master Builders

Concrete

- The Romans were probably the greatest architects of the ancient world.

- They borrowed almost all their architectural forms and building techniques from earlier civilizations but had so changed and modified them that by the 1st cent. AD they had created a unique style that would greatly influence the western world.

- The style was based on the arch, the vault, and the dome.

- All made possible by a Roman invention, concrete, that did not buckle under the stresses of the huge structures.

Civil engineering

- Civil engineering was another highly developed skill.

- City planners laid out towns supplied with elaborate systems of aqueducts and sewers.

- Cities were connected by vast networks of solidly constructed roads.

- By the middle of the first century AD, the concrete and brick arch had become not only the means for erecting larger buildings but also an expression of sheer architectural beauty.

'The Pantheon' (Rome's Masterpiece)

- A temple built in honor of all the gods of the universe in 125 AD at the request of the emperor Hadrian.

- It is the masterpiece of Roman architecture both aesthetically and structurally.

- It is not known exactly how the building was erected but like most Roman buildings its basic ingredients are brick and concrete.

- Hidden within the walls is a framework of brick arches to support the weight of the dome.

- There is no windows except one opening in the center through which light and air enters.

Aqueducts'

- To provide fresh water for the many public baths and private consumers, aqueducts were constructed to conduct water from the hills down into the city.

- Most of the aqueducts had underground conduits, or pipes,

- A few were bridges with open concrete canals such as the three tiered Pont du Gard in Nimes, France.

- The arch enabled them to span any river or gorge.

- The bridges and aqueducts they built were meant to be functional, but they are also among the most beautiful ever built.

'The Colosseum'

- The most imposing structure built in Rome was the Colosseum.

- This huge amphitheater (double theater) with seating all around

- The arena is also known as the Flavian amphitheater because it was built during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD).

- The murderous battles of man-and-man and man-and-animal were staged in the Colosseum.

- The oval arena (287 x 180 feet) was surrounded by a 15 foot wall and had deep cells and cellars below.

- It had three tiers of arches, plus a top story with superimposed Doric, ionic, and Corinthian half-columns.

- The 45,000 spectators were protected from rain or fierce sun by huge canvas awnings fixed to masts secured to the topmost rim.

- After nearly two thousand years of pillage by other builders who used it as a quarry for building churches, palaces, and houses, the Colosseum still remains a lasting monument to the indestructible solidity of Roman architecture.

Pleasures of the Arena

Circus Mania

Chariot Races

- By the beginning of the 2nd cent. AD, the Romans seemed to care about little except food and circuses.

- Food was a necessity, but circuses became an addiction of every class in the empire.

- The mania for chariot racing knew no geographical limits.

- Thousands of spectators in every part of the empire attended the races to cheer on the drivers.

- Drivers rode under certain colors.

- Only the wealthiest citizens could afford to keep stables of horses with attendants, trainers, grooms, and chariot makers to produce winners.

- The opportunity to bet on the races added to their popularity.

- Adding to the excitement was the virtual certainty that, on any given day, at least one charioteer strapped to his reins would mess up on a turn, and either be dragged to his death, or cause a spectacular chain reaction of accidents.

- Only the desire to watch gladiators die, equaled the chariot races in attracting spectators.

- Roman emperors devoted many days to these events because of the popularity of the arena.

- Eventually, many citizens were spending as many as 150 of the year in stadiums or amphi-theaters watching charioteers race, animals being tortured and butchered, and desperate men kill each other.

A Day at the Colosseum

- The usual program for a day at the Colosseum would begin with the "venatio," (an event that featured wild animals).

- The animals might be pitted against each other, or sent into the arena to mangle defenseless humans, but the typical display was a simulated hunt during which animals were stalked by "bestiarii"

-specialists armed with spears, bows and arrows, and other weapons. (always lots of blood)

- As many as 5000 animals may have died during one day of major festivals such as the inauguration of the Colosseum in 80 AD.

- To keep amphitheaters supplied, a great trade in wild beasts developed.

- Many species virtually disappeared from their home regions of North Africa and the Middle East.

Gladiators

- The animal displays were merely used to wet the audience's appetite for the main attraction-the gladiatorial bouts.

- Roman gladiators were specially trained performers, mostly captured war prisoners, who fought to stay alive a little longer.

- The gladiators specialized in peculiar forms of fighting:

1. the "retiarus" armed with a net, dagger, and a trident (three pronged pitch fork) usually fought the:

2. the "secutor" who was armed only with sword and shield and a helmet on his head.

3. The helmeted figure in the transparency was called a "samnis." He wore a sleeve of leather or metal with a shoulder piece on the right arm, a belt, greaves on the legs, a vizored helmet with crest, and carried a shield and short sword.

- For the most part, these games aroused brutal passions and blood lust in the Roman people and created a class of lazy loungers who did nothing but attend games.

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ROMAN ART

Background

- The Romans were incredible in the field of art

- They were great painters of still life.

- They erected buildings of a scale and design undreamed of before their time.

Sculpture

- One of their greatest accomplishments was portrait sculpture, which began to emerge in the 3rd cent BC.

- The characteristics of the Roman patrons themselves, inspired the realistic sculpture.

- Roman artists were familiar with the idealized sculpture of Periclean Greece and with the sentimentalized realism of Hellenistic art.

- They knew Etruscan funerary sculpture

- The Roman practice of making death masks revealed the sags and lines of age.

- But most important, it was the Roman's individualism, his matter of factness, his interest in the here and now that made him demand utter truthfulness in images of himself and those surrounding him

- The Altar of Peace, a great masterpiece carved in marble during the reign of Augustus Caesar, shows the imperial family offering sacrifice.

Painting

- In painting, the Romans introduced still life painting while they continued to paint the mythical and historical subjects that the Greeks and Etruscans had introduced.

- The talent of Roman artists is known to us almost exclusively through wall paintings.

- Very few free-standing paintings have survived.

- Styles of painting changed over the centuries. (transparency) Woman Playing the Cithara.

- After the mid-1st century, painters created a purer form of expression, representing people in a warmer, freer way with a feeling of mood and scene

Mosaics

- The new appreciation of nature first seen in Roman still-life painting was also evident in the production of great mosaics.

- The intense animal scene (transparency) is from Hadrian's villa and is made of many pieces of marble that were fitted together to form a pattern in the floor.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


ROMAN LITERATURE

Background

- The Romans borrowed their forms and models of literary work from the Greeks.

- But gradually the Roman authors implanted their own beliefs and character into their works.

- The first literary form to reach significant development among the Romans was drama.

- Roman drama, patterned after the New Comedy of the Hellenistic Era, was light, entertaining, often humorous, and sometimes satirical.

Roman Dramatists

- The most noted Roman dramatists were Plautus (184 BC.) and Terence (159 BC.).

- Plautus' plays were filled with slap-stick energy and farcical situations needed to keep the attention of a Roman audience.

- Terence wrote for a more cultured age and was therefore more contemplative than Plautus.

- The father upset with the actions of the younger generation, is still found in modern drama.

- (Transparency) the father is rushing out of his mansion with a stick as his son has just come home from a party, accompanied by a girl playing the flute and his slave half supporting him, half hiding behind him.

- The greatest work of Roman literature was Virgil's (19 BC.)

- Aeneid. This is an epic poem telling of the wanderings of the mythical Aeneas, a refugee from Troy who eventually settled in Italy and founded the Latin civilization. He wrote the poem to celebrate the greatness of Rome and the Emperor Augustus.

- (transparency) Virgil is shown reading a section of the Aeneid, while the muses of Epic and Tragedy listen.

Poetry

- The greatest writer of Lyric poetry was Horace.

- His works include Satires, Odes, Letters and the Art of Poetry.

- The beautiful Odes were written in diverse moods, and on various themes: love, wine, the good life, courage, simple pleasures, and the shortness of life.

- His poetry could be passionate and polite, cynical and romantic, sensuous and sophisticated.

- Another Roman poet who enjoyed a wide audience was Ovid (17 AD.).

- Ovid wrote worldly love poetry that reflected the customs of the smart metropolitan society of his day.

- He was also an excellent story teller.

History

- Another highly developed literary form in Rome was the writing of history.

- Livy, Tacitus, and Suetonius were among the best of the Roman historians.

- They wrote to inspire and instruct future generations of Romans and to spread the idea that the mission of Rome was to lead less fortunate people to culture and civilization.

- Livy's "History of Rome" was written to glorify ancient Rome and the heroes of the Punic wars were to serve as models for a younger generation of Romans.

- Suetonius in his book "The Twelve Caesars" wrote informative and interesting biographies of the first emperors of Rome and laid the foundation for all succeeding biographical writing.

- Tacitus was probably the greatest of the Roman historians.

- His major work was the History of Rome from Tiberius to Domitian.

- The theme running throughout his work is that man can survive all types of evils and degregations and rise to heights of heroism.

- The history of Tacitus is the earliest account available of this period of history.

Satire

- The Romans also enjoyed reading political satires.

- Juvenal and Petronius were the best writers of satire produced in the Roman world.

- In his work called "Satires", Juvenal describes the weaknesses of contemporary society, using such targets as aggressive women, the military, and the influence of Greeks in Roman life.

- Petronius, in the "Satyricon", describes Roman society at the time of Nero and gives an excellent portrayal of a completely amoral pleasure-seeking society.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Intertestamental Period and Judaism
      The Table of Contents

              Background of the Gospels

'Intertestamental Period and Judaism'

  History of the Hellenized Jew - Part One

   (333 - 168 BC) Alexander - Antiochus Epiphanes

  History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Two

   (168 - 160 BC) Antiochus - Death of Judas Maccabee

  History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Three

   (160 -   67 BC) Jonathan - Death of Salome Alexandra

  History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Four

   ( 67 -    45 BC) Rome on the Move - End of the Hasmoneans

  History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Five

   ( 40 -      4 BC) King Herod - Death of Herod

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Part One
The History of the Hellenized Jew - Part One

(333 - 168 BC)  Alexander - Antiochus Epiphanes

1. Alexander, Charging the East

- The pigmy threatened the giant

- He wanted to link the West (cultural unity) to the East (grandeur and wealth)

- He built new cities (enlarged old ones) populated them with Greeks (esp. his soldiers)

- New: ideas, gods, methods of administration, language, military tactics, markets for trade, etc.

- The Jews were surrounded by a new world

2. Alexander and the Jewish People

- He made a big impression on the Jews

- He showed hostility to the Samaritans and kindness to the Jews (granted them self-govt.)

- He didn't compel Jewish men to join his army (respected their Sabbaths, etc.)

3. Dividing Alexander's New Found Kingdom

- Right when he died his general's quarreled for control over the conquered lands

- Many long and complicated wars followed with the Jews caught in the middle

- Two generals (Ptolemy and Seleucus) established a dynasty (important in Jewish history)

- Ptolemy gained control of Egypt (descendants were called "the Ptolomies")

- Seleucus won for himself all the Asian lands that were conquered (the Seleucids)

4. The Fate of Palestine

- Both Ptolemy and Seleucus claimed Palestine as part of their kingdoms

- Finally Ptolemy seized it and Seleucus let the matter go (though his des. never really let go)

*  Interesting note: Though Ptolemy did not expect Jerusalem to be an easy city to conquer, it was on a Sabbath and the Jews did not defend themselves (though they were considered foolish it showed how well the scribes had done their work and the deep reverence for Judaism)

Hellenization Outside of Palestine

5. Emigration

- Jews around the eastern world now looked to the west (trade, government was there)

- Jewish settlements began emerging along the Mediterranean and al the areas

- These Jewish emigrants had to learn Greek language, customs, and ideas (Hellenization)

* Hellas was the Greek name for Greece

6. The Jews and the Founding of Alexandria

- The community of Alexandria is probably the best example of what happened to the Jews under the influence of Greek or Hellenistic culture.

- The port of Alexandria became one of the most active commercial centers of the world. With many Jews there they formed an important part of the community.

-Citizenship depended upon  for the most part your religion (each city had a patron god/goddess) City festivities involved sacrificing to various deities especially if one held an office.

- Jews could not participate so they were not full citizens (yet they could not be called foreigners because they helped found Alexandria and made it prosperous and important)

- The Ptolemies allowed for separate communities for Jews (courts, religion, diet, Synagogue, etc.) They could not lead in festivals or hold a public office (unless they converted to paganism).

- In spite of all this the Jews and Alexandrians were friendly to one another.

7. Cultural Adjustment

- As Alexandria prospered their was more learning and philosophy than in Greece itself

- The Jews were hospitable and also spoke Greek and were somewhat cultured yet they remained Jews

- Eventually very few Jews spoke Hebrew or Aramaic (dangerous to their Jewish roots)

- This is how they dealt with it, first, they began teaching their children Hebrew and second, they translates the Pentateuch and other Jewish literature into Greek to preserve the Jewish spirit

8. The Legend of the Septuagint

- The Jews of Egypt surrounded the translating of the Bible with legend and miracles.

* See section on the Septuagint .

Greeks and Jews in Palestine

9. The New Greek Cities

- Greek influence was also spreading in Palestine

- Old cities assumed new Greek names and esp. the non-Jewish cities practiced the Greek way of life

- Greek buildings, gymnasiums, and forms of government

10. Prosperity and Migration

- Non-Jewish cities became very prosperous cause they were heavy into commerce (east and west)

- The Jews were big exporters of  grain, wine, olive oil, cheese, fruit, and fish

- Jewish population increased heavily and many became artisans and merchants and farmers

11. Hellenization in Judea

* Note: Almost every ancient people of the Bible disappeared except the Jews

- They maintained their Judaism and were not at all attracted to the gods of Olympus

- They rejected the philosophy and culture as inferior to Judaism though respecting it

- The Jews stood more than ever before as a different and unique people

- The priests of Jerusalem and upper class wanted it to be the great trade center. They wanted to externally resemble the people around them and yet maintain there Judaism and not indulge in (barbarianism)

12. The Sons of Tobias (Tax Collectors)

- The chief advocates of Hellenism in Judea were members of a family who were believed to have descended from Tobias the Ammonite who had hassled Nehemiah so much. Though they were not Jewish they had intermarried with the family of the high priest and being important in politics and government

- About 230 BC Joseph Ben Tobias bought from the king of Egypt the right to collect the taxes from the entire district of Syria (Judea and all its neighbors).

- The way it worked was one man would pay the royal treasury a lump sum for the privilege of collecting as much as he could from the inhabitants of a district. (Got rich at his neighbors expense...hated).

- Joseph, his family, and his co-workers became a great economic power in Palestine.

- They adopted the customs and ways of the Greeks the most and angered even the gentiles around.

You can learn it in Torah

13. A Scribes Advice

- The Jews had no idea what was coming soon (major struggles) as a result of Greek influences.

- At this time a man named Joshua ben Sirach (from Jerusalem) wrote a book on philosophy but his philosophy differed greatly from that of the Greeks. He ignored subjects like the physical universe, government, and society and was primarily interested in giving people practical advice on how to live.

- According to him Moses and the prophets, and Proverbs and Eccesiastes give us all of the answers. The wise man was the one who had no ambition and served God faithfully. He will avoid friendship with the ambitious and wealth seekers.

- Little did he know that tragedy would follow. The poor were dividing from the rich, things were hot.

The Maccabees Fight for Survival (The Jews fight a war against astronomical odds)

The Maccabean Age

* The next 50 years (200-150 BC) were very important and filled with stirring events. These events forever changed the Jewish people and Judaism even to the present day. Since all that happened, happened outside of Judea we must make mention of the ambitions and fortunes of the empires and kingdoms that controlled the world and their powerful rulers.

Judea Becomes a Syrian Province

14. Syria's Ambition

- The Syrians desired to reunite all of Alexander's conquests.

- By 198 BC Antiochus III, called "the Great" took the first step when he forced Egypt to give up Palestine

- Only one obstacle lay in the path of the Seleucid's march to world dominion----Rome

- Rome had just destroyed the power of Carthage and was gradually dominating the Mediterranean lands

- Antiochus was forced to give up Egypt and give hostages (his royal family) plus large sums of money (which they exacted from the peoples subject to them) as security against any Roman invasions.

- But Antiochus and his successor, Seleucus IV, continued to plan conquests.

- Seleucid empire began to crack when most of Asia would no longer submit to the tyranny (esp. Israel)

15. Factions Among the Jews

- Differences of opinion and many factions developed within Judaism. (Some were for the Syrian ambitions and some were against them)

- The family of Tobias and Hyrcanus, son of Joseph, were on the side of Egypt  (obviously) and others were on the side of Syria because they thought Syria was too powerful

- The common people didn't really get involved (they knew they would be taxed by either side) until it involved their religion and then real political parties began to develop

The Attack on Judaism

16. The Sanctity of the Temple

- The pro-Syrian group wanting the favor of Seleucus revealed that there was much wealth in the Temple

- In those days (having no banks) all Temples were used for storing treasures. A thief would not dare arouse the anger of a god by taking what the god protected.

- Seleucus dispatched Heliodorus (an official) to confiscate the money in the Temple

- Heliodorus left without taking any of the money (legend tells that a certain Jew beat him to a pulp)

- The Syrian plan was thwarted and the true intent of the Hellenized Jews was revealed

17. The High Priest is Removed and Antiochus Epiphanes

- The pro-Syrian group decided to remove the high priest. (Hoping to control the government)

- They did this because of  the change in the government of Syria

- Seleucus IV had died and had been succeeded by his brother Antiochus IV (who usurped the throne)

- Antiochus IV also wanted to conquer Egypt like the others and unite his empire

* He gave himself the surname "Epiphanes" which means "the visible god" (he and Zeus were identical)

- He acted as though he really were Zeus and the people called him "Epimanes" meaning "the madman"

- Since Palestine bordered Egypt he needed a loyal Hellenized population there

- Then a group of Jews came to him and devised a plan. The high priest Onias III should be removed and his Hellenized brother Jason was to take his place. (set up a Greek Constitution and coin Greek money)

- The plan was followed and all the Jews were outraged. It was the first time since the Babylonian Captivity that a non-Jewish government had interfered with the priesthood (treating the sacred office as though it were nothing other than a governmental office)

- But worse was to come. Now the Hellenizers had full control of the government in Jerusalem and they began to build gymnasiums within the city and encouraged the young to spent all their time there.

- The young priests engaged in sports. Jerusalem was filled with Greek styles, clothes, names, language and worst of all, its religion and loose morals.

- The most radical Hellenizers felt that things were not moving fast enough so they convinced Antiochus to remove Jason  (Jason fled) and replace him with Menelaus (not a member of the priestly family)

- Menelaus had no sympathy for the Jewish traditions whatsoever and was only concerned about power

- The Temple treasury did not contain enough money to pay Antiochus what he had promised so he sold some of the holy vessels of the Temple to raise the money he needed.

18. Judaism was to be Destroyed

- To Antiochus to be un-Hellenized was stiff-necked nonsense

- If Judaism stood in the way then Judaism was to be destroyed so he gave the orders

- The Syrian army marched into Jerusalem and many of the people were killed and others escaped to the hills. Only the known Hellenists were allowed to remain

- Orders were given: NO Sabbath, NO Holy Days, and NO Circumcision

- A Statue of Zeus/Antiochus was placed in the Temple above the altar

- The most detestable animals (the pig) were brought and sacrificed on the altar

- An abominable act was perpetrated on Kislev 25, 168 BC according to the Book of Maccabees that "left the Jewish people desolate." (They call this the Abomination of Desolation in Daniel) but Jesus taught that this was a prelimary of the secondary and greater fulfillment coming in the last days and seventieth week of Daniel.

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Part Two
The History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Two

(168 - 160 BC)  Antiochus - Death of Judas Maccabee

The Hopeless Situation

1. The Party of Hasidim

- As Hellenism was gaining ground the rich upper class Jews were for it and the common people adhered ever so strictly to Judaism and the commandments. A new class was forming among the people.

Hasidim, [Heb., = the pious], term used by the rabbis to describe those Jews who maintained the highest standard of religious observance and moral action. The first Hasidim, also called the Assideans or Hasideans, were members of a sect that developed between 300 BC and 175 BC Rigid adherents of Judaism, they led the resistance to the Hellenizing campaign of Antiochus IV of Syria and were important in the revolt of the Maccabees.

2. The Martyrs

- With Antiochus' edict to abolish Judaism there were only two options for the Hasidim: to die fighting or to die as martyrs (they could not fight but they could die for their ideals).

- There was no army and the leaders were the Scribes whose interests were far from political.

- The little book "Pirke Abot" (chapters of the fathers) reveals what the Scribes were concerned with:

a.  to be very moderate in passing judgment

b.  to raise a generation of educated men

c.  to protect the law of the Torah

- Judaism was declared illegal and thousands were put to death

- Men, women, and children were loyal to Judaism and died as martyrs

- The stories were told of Hannah who encouraged her 7 sons to die rather than abandon Judaism and Eliezer the old man who chose death as an example to the younger fellow Jews

- Thousands of Jews abandoned their homes (when the Greek army was approaching) and fled to the hills

- What was most disastrous were the Jews who had defected to the Hellenizers. Knowing who were the Hasidim they did not hesitate to betray them over to the Syrians. They did this openly and publicly

3. The Sabbath Attacks

- Many peasant Jews put up a strong fight against the Syrian soldiers

- The Syrians did most of their attacking on Saturdays (Sabbath Holy Days)

- The end of the Jewish people was soon approaching

The New Heroes

4. Mattathias and His Sons

- Northwest of Jerusalem was the little town of Modin. Among the most devoted Jews were the "Hashmonaim" or Hasmoneans (prob. a descendant of Hashmon) who were descended from the priests

- The aged Mattathias had five sons: Simon, Eliezer, Judah, Johanan, and Jonathan

- They knew that the Syrians would be arriving in their town soon too

5. Mattathias

- The dreaded moment finally arrived. The Syrian soldiers came to the most public meeting place for religious observance and erected an altar while the men of Modin were gathered there.

- The soldiers brought out a pig and Mattathias was ordered to sacrifice it to Zeus in honor of Antiochus

- Mattathias did not move and at that moment a young Jew stepped forward (Hellenized Jew) and asked permission to perform the sacrifice.

- It is obvious what must happen next. The sacrificial meat must be eaten and those who refused would be executed.

- At that moment the aged Mattathias, who was standing near the captain of the troops, snatched the sword out of the captains hand and thrust it through the body of the traitor. As the captain moved to stop him Mattathias stabbed him too. The sons of Mattathias suddenly rushed the soldiers and killed them all with the help of some other Jews and completely demolished the altar.

6. Beginnings of Real Opposition

- The famous cry of Mattathias was "whoever is for God, let him come unto me"

- The call echoed over the entire land, across the hills and in the caves and wherever the Hasidim were hiding and the Jews of Modin left for the wilderness knowing that the soldiers' deaths would be avenged

- Peasants from all around joined the Hasmonean band.

- They began to attack small troops of Syrian soldiers

- One added trait was that they decided to defend themselves on the Sabbath (the rest of the Jews welcomed this change in policy)

- This was the only hope for the preservation of the Jewish people

7. Judah the Maccabee "The Hammer of God"

- About 167 BC old Mattathias died (in the hills) just a year after the revolt

- The leadership moved to Judah who had distinguished himself above all others in the band

- For some reason he had acquired the surname "Maccabee" The reason is under speculation:

a.  The first letters of the phrase that was inscribed upon his banner, "who is like unto Thee among the mighty, O Lord?"

b.  Derived from "Makkabet" the Hebrew word for hammer Judah was the hammer God used to smite the Syrians

- Judah became one of the greatest military leaders of all time. He was as inspiring a general as David

- He united the Jews and fought for the independence of Israel

- The saying, "the praise of God was in their throat, and a double-edged sword was in their hand"

The Miraculous Victory

8. The First Test of Strength

- The Syrians brought in one force after another and tried to corner the Jewish army

- The Jews would fast and pray before battle

- They would fight with bravery as no other for the righteous cause. Victory after victory.

- Their army grew in number and arms. Many who wouldn't fight now joined them

9. The battle of Emmaus

- Antiochus realized that he had a full scale rebellion and it must be suppressed (bordered Egypt)

- At that time the Parthians in the northeast were seeking independence from the Seleucid empire

- Antiochus empowered his able general Lysias to stop the Judean revolt and guard his capital city

- Lysias also underestimated the strength of the Maccabean forces and instead of going himself he sent two commanders Nicanor and Gorgias.

- The neighboring peoples were so sure of the Syrian victory that merchants came with large sums of money to buy Jewish prisoners as slaves.

- In the dead of night Judah came (knowing the terrain) and annihilated the Syrian forces.

- Enormous stores of booty fell into the hands of the Maccabean soldiers.

- The greatest result of the victory at Emmaus was that the road to Jerusalem was now open

10. The First Hanukkah

- Singing hallelujah the Maccabean army came to Jerusalem which was in enemy hands for 3 years

- The high priest Menelaus fled, as did the Hellenized Jews and all the pagan residents just as almost 3 years earlier the Jews fled for the hills.

- The Temple was cleansed and the worship was re-established

- They removed every sign of paganism and destroyed the altar that was defiled by pagan sacrifices. They also ground the statue of Antiochus/Zeus into dust and erected a new altar

- On the 25th of Kislev (165 BC) they rededicated the Temple and celebrated the dedication feast called Hanukkah (from "hannak" which means "to dedicate") for eight days

11. The Miracle of Hanukkah

- According to the Talmud the priests had only enough oil to light the Temple Menorah for one day but it burned miraculously for eight days (until the priests could prepare more unpaganized oil)

- The 2nd Book of the Maccabees (which was written considerably later than the event) emphasized the battles and the victory of Judaism

- Hanukkah is still an important holiday for the Jews today

The Peace that was never Peace

12. The Hostility of the Pagans

- All of Jerusalem's neighbors gladly helped the Syrians fight the Jews whenever they had the chance.

- Jews were being heavily persecuted everywhere. In Jaffa 200 Jews were drowned (danger everywhere)

- Judah sent expeditions against any threats and then news came of the approaching Syrian army

13. The Siege of Jerusalem

- Lysias (Antiochus' general) was leading a larger army than the Jews had ever met

- Judah gathered his entire force to meet the Syrians not far from Jerusalem

- The Maccabeans fought heroically. Judah's brother Eliezer hacked his way through to the elephant that was supposedly carrying King Antiochus' son and he stabbed the elephant but then lost his life

- It was a hopeless struggle against overwhelming odds

- The Jews retreated to the walls of Jerusalem for safety

- Lysias besieged the city (hoping to starve the Maccabeans into submission)

14. Lysias' Offer of Peace

- While Lysias was besieging Jerusalem, news had reached him that a large army was coming against Antioch, the capital of Syria. Anxious to go to defend it he offered the Jews a treaty of peace

a.  Withdraw the laws against the observance of Judaism

b.  Syria would not interfere with the conflicts between the Hellenizing Jews and the Hasidim

c.  Menelaus would be removed from the office of high priest and executed

d.  Judah and his other leaders would not be punished for rebelling

e.  But the walls of Jerusalem would be leveled to the ground

f.  Syria was to remain the sovereign power in Judea (and appointed mild Hellenistic high priests)

15. Judah Refuses

- The new council in Jerusalem called a meeting over the peace offer (high officers, scribes, & elders)

- The people wanted it but Judah and the others did not trust Syria or the aristocratic Jews who would be coming back into power that began the whole conflict

- Judah insisted that the simple (farmers and peasants) retain political power

- Judah lost the debate and the council decided to accept the terms of peace

- Judah and a few of his followers left the city

16. The Disillusioned Hasidim

- It didn't take a lot of time for them to discover that Judah had been right

- Immediately, with the new high priest Alcimus in power, the Maccabean soldiers disarmed, the wall leveled, and Judah gone, the true intents came to pass. The new leaders were forced to step down and the old leaders came back into power.

- Alcimus had many of the Hassidic leaders seized and executed

- The people sought out Judah again and a great civil war began again

17. The Death of Judah

- Alcimus felt the tension and appealed to Syria, and Syria sent an army

- Judah led his army again into victory on the 13th of Adar (established as a half holiday)

- But this was Judah's last military victory

- The Hasidim had somewhat compromised in political power as long as religious freedom was granted

- Judah's followers were not as numerous again and he couldn't possibly stand against the Syrian force

- Judah went out to meet the army of Syria with only eight hundred men. Judah died in battle

Results of their Courage

18. A Fighting Remnant

- The death of Judah ended the first phase of the Maccabean Revolt

- Judah's brothers: Simon, Jonathan, and Johanan, with a small army had fled across the Jordan. The Syrians and the Jewish officials considered them outlaws.

- Jonathan had succeeded Judah and was a constant threat to the Jewish leaders

19. A Memorial

- The Maccabees go down in history as those that heroically went against the odds and also the early Hasidim who died as martyrs were the first martyrs in history to die for religious freedom.

- The common people were awakened to the fact that they were the stronger group and had a share in political power (a feeling for democracy)

20. Religious Ideas

- Loyalty to the faith was strengthened (More of a separation between Jew and Greek thought)

21. Contributions to Jewish Literature

- The Jews were trained by their scribes to be a book reading people

- Many songs and poems were written and some were added to the Psalms

- The First Book of Maccabees was written supposedly by an eye witness (about 140 BC) about the historical period

- There was also the "apocalyptic" books which were about visions of the latter days. They dealt with future judgments. Many try to force Daniel in with these books but unsuccessfully because of recent discoveries.

- The main noncanonical books are the writings ascribed to Enoch and Baruch, The Testament of the 12 Patriarchs, and IV Ezra. The authors did not put their names to the books (therefore they were termed Pseudepigraphical).

a.   Spurious writings, especially writings falsely attributed to biblical characters or times.

b.   A body of texts written between 200 BC and AD 200 and spuriously ascribed to various prophets and kings of Hebrew Scriptures.

[Greek, from neuter pl. of pseudepigraphos, falsely ascribed : pseudês, false. See below epigraphein, to inscribe (epi-, epi- + graphein, to write)]

- We cannot charge these writers with fraud but we also cannot accept the names assigned to their works

- The Jews had already believed the canon of Scripture closed until Messiah would come but there were thinkers who had helped to shape the truths already taught in Torah.

Section Below taken from Encyclopedia:

Maccabees, books of

The books of the Maccabees consist of four Jewish books named after Judas Maccabeus, the hero of the first two. The books do not appear in the Jewish BIBLE, but 1 and 2 Maccabees are included in the Greek and Latin canon and in the Protestant APOCRYPHA. Books 1 and 2 provide a vivid account of Jewish resistance to the religious suppression and Hellenistic cultural penetration of the SELEUCID period (175-135 BC). They also contain partial records of the Hasmonean (or Maccabean) dynasty, which achieved Jewish political independence during the resistance to the Seleucids and maintained it until 63 BC. Written about 110 BC, 1 Maccabees has more historical scope and detail than the others and displays Hasmonean sympathies. Dated prior to 63 BC, 2 Maccabees epitomizes an earlier work by Jason of Cyrene and has modest historical value. A historically dubious but edifying account of the persecution of Egyptian Jews by PTOLEMY IV (r. 221-204 BC) constitutes 3 Maccabees, which was written about 50 BC. The last book, 4 Maccabees, originally written in Greek probably about AD 25, is primarily a philosophical discussion of the primacy of reason, governed by religious laws, over passion.

pseudepigrapha

The word pseudepigrapha, meaning "books with false titles," refers to books similar in type to those of the Bible whose authors gave them the names of persons of a much earlier period in order to enhance their authority. Among the best known are 3 and 4 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasses, which are included in the APOCRYPHA.

The term is applied to many Jewish and Jewish-Christian books written in the period 200 BC-AD 200. The Jewish books include Jubilees, Enoch, Psalms of Solomon, Assumption (or Testament) of Moses, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Sibylline Oracles, and the Apocalypse of Baruch. Fragments of the Damascus Document have been found among the DEAD SEA SCROLLS.

Other pseudepigrapha exist in Greek, Slavonic, and other languages, many of them revisions of Jewish books. These include the Apocalypse of Peter, the Shepherd of HERMAS, and the Ascension of Isaiah. The Gospel of Thomas and the Protoevangelium of James contain many legends about Jesus and Mary and show the influence of GNOSTICISM, as does the Apocalypse of Adam. The Gospel of Nicodemus is composed of the Acts of Pilate and the Harrowing of Hell.

The pseudepigrapha are important for the light they throw on Judaism and early Christianity.  The Epistle of Jude, for example, reflects a knowledge of Enoch and the Assumption of Moses.

Apocrypha

The Apocrypha are books of the Old Testament included in Roman Catholic and Orthodox Bibles as deuterocanonical (added to the earlier canon), but excluded from the Hebrew Bible and from most Protestant Bibles.  It is not certain why the term apocrypha (hidden things) was originally applied to them, but they were considered less authoritative than the other biblical books because of their relatively late origin (c.  300 BC-AD 100).  Except for 2 Esdras, which was in Latin, they were part of the SEPTUAGINT.  The other books placed after the Old Testament in the Revised Standard Version are the following:  1 and 2 Esdras, TOBIT, JUDITH, Additions to the Book of ESTHER, WISDOM, SIRACH, BARUCH and the Letter of Jeremiah, Additions to DANIEL, the Prayer of Manasseh, and 1 and 2 MACCABEES.  Roman Catholic Bibles also list 1 and 2 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh as apocryphal. The Greek Orthodox Bible omits 2 Esdras but adds 3 Maccabees and Psalm 151, with 4 Maccabees as an appendix.  The Apocrypha are important sources for Jewish history and religious developments in the 1st and 2d centuries BC.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Part Three
The History of the Hellenized Jew - Part Three

(160 - 67 BC)  Jonathan - Death of Salome Alexandra

A Yoke Within

The Jews free themselves from a foreign yoke only to discover that a native yoke can be just as heavy

1. The Victory that Failed

- The heroic struggle of the Maccabees ultimately ended in defeat because the later Hasmoneans, thirsting for power and glory, lost touch with Jewishness, so that their actions cast dark shadows upon the memory of their ancestors.

Jonathan and Hasmonean Ambitions

2. The Most Popular Man in Judea

- Jonathan led a small army in the Eastern Jordan wilderness and was a constant threat to the Hellenizing Jews and the Syrian forces.

- The Syrians failed to stop him time and again

- All the Jewish population exalted Jonathan as their hero and they were ready to follow him

3. The Great Diplomat

- Though Jonathan did not possess the military genius of his brother Judah he did possess a more valuable quality judging by the times (150-140 BC). He was a remarkable diplomat (peaceful negotiations).

- A civil war broke out in Syria and Jonathan came back into Judea

4. Judea and Rome

- Something interesting is that Jonathan and the Hasmoneans entered into an alliance with Rome (since they were both hostile to Syria). Jonathan knew better than to become "Rome's friends" but this would make the Syrians think twice about attacking them.

- But little did they know that later on they would have much more to fear from Rome than Syria.

5. Jonathan's Policy (Good and Bad)

- Jonathan's goals were for self government (more than the Hassidim had ever thought possible) where Judah's were for religious freedom. Jonathan improved the economic position of the Jews. He became high priest and ruler of the people and his family became the most powerful among the Jews.

Simon's Rule

6. The Great Assembly

- When Jonathan died (killed by a Syrian general) the Jews turned to (Hasmonean Family) the only son of Mattathias still alive, Simon. He was known for his calm wisdom though he was very old.

- Simon called together an extraordinary assembly of all leading Jews (important priests, prominent family members, known leaders, etc.) and this was the beginning stages of the great Sanhedrin.

7. The Election of Simon

- Simon was unanimously the favored choice for high priest and ruler.

- But the Hassidim wanted a priest from the family of Onias and a ruler from the line of David

- The son of Onias had fled to Egypt during the Maccabean struggle

- Simon was elected because they saw Gods hand in the Maccabees and they came up with the saying, "Ruler and  high priest until a true prophet should arise."

8. Simon's Policy

- Simon was an old man so he couldn't lead the army in battle but he faithfully attended to priestly and civil duties.

- He left the fighting to his sons (one of them was John Hyrcan)

- Simon maintained the policy of his brother Jonathan

Policy and Politics

9. The New Generation

- Simon's death (135 BC) marked the end of the heroic age of the Hasmonean struggle.

- John Hyrcan became the next ruler and the Syrians agreed with him rather than the Hellenizing Jews

- Hyrcan promised to be an ally to Syria and to give up the pagan cities except Jaffa (the famous port city). The Hellenizing party now disappeared from the Jewish scene.

10. The Policy of Expansion

- Judah won religious freedom, Jonathan gained power for the Hasmonean family, and Hyrcan's reign began the policy of territorial expansion. The goal was greater national prosperity.

- The pagan cities that surround Jerusalem had controlled the commerce previously and hated the Jews.

- When Syria ran into problems again Hyrcan recaptured the cities and developed Jewish commerce.

- He soon conquered Edom where one of the great trade routes between Egypt and Asia was.

- To assure their loyalty Hyrcan compelled the Idumeans to adopt Judaism.

- But God's religion can never be forced on people.

New Political Parties

11. Those in Favor of Conquering

- Men of wealth wanted to expand their horizons (more money)

- Government officials who had intermarried with the wealthy (power and prestige)

- People who were seeking to become wealthy

- Patriots who wanted to conquer

12. Those Against Conquering

- The poor (shopkeeper, artisan, farmer) did not see any benefit for them in the conquests. They were reminded of the scribes' teaching that they should not seek war and wealth. All they ever saw from this was more wealth among the aristocrats and less devotion to God among the priests.

- Those who did not want to send their sons into war and pay more taxes to support it.

Which was more important, religious welfare or national strength?

13. The Pharisees

- Two political parties emerged

- The Scribes who were opposed to expansion was the Pharisees (probably from parosh "to separate."

- Separated from the pagans or separated from those that favored expansion.

- The Pharisees (spiritual descendants of the Hasidim) argued that their religion saved the Jewish people. Therefore everything must be subordinate to religion.

- They wanted not to force but to persuade by example.

14. The Sadducees

- Those who remained in complete charge of the government were the sadducees

- It is difficult to know where the name came from. They claimed to be descendants of Solomon's high priest Zadok. Zadok also means "righteous" so it may but doubtfully mean "righteous ones," there is another possibility is that it came from the Greek word meaning judges or controllers.

- The Sadducees argued that national power had saved the people and their religion. They were not opposed to Judaism and were for the forcing of Judaism on the pagans.

15. How Did They Differ in Religious Views?

- The Sadducees were in favor of a strict interpretation of the Torah (willing to obey all of It)

- The Pharisees were for a liberal interpretation (general truths and principles). They wanted to extend these principles to every phase of life. They argued that there was also an oral Torah (to support their views) a set of traditions that had been handed down to them by the former scribes (who received from their predecessors all the way back to Moses).

- Pharasaic Judaism was difficult to live by because it insisted on piety in every conceivable action

- The Jewish people became divided on national, economic, and religious policy.

The Civil War

16. The Hated Hasmoneans

- As long as John Hyrcan lived there were not serious divisions. He remembered poverty.

- His sons were different being raised in a palace with much Greek education.

- They wanted to eliminate the Pharisaic party and their was mutual dislike.

- The life and actions of the later Hasmoneans caused the deeds of the earlier ones to be almost completely forgotten.

17. Aristobulus, Lover of the Greeks

- The one-year reign (104 BC) of Hyrcan's oldest son Judah showed the Pharisees what they were to expect.

- He preferred the Greek name Aristobulus

- He immediately threw three of his brothers into prison because of jealousy and two of them supposedly starved to death. A few months later another brother was brutally murdered in the palace. This kind of thing happened regularly among the pagan nations but it shocked and disgusted the Jews.

- In national policy Aristobulus continued to conquer more territory.

- He boldly assumed the title of king (though he didn't use the Hebrew Title "melech")

- The Jews sighed with relief when he died. But this left many problems on the horizon.

18. The Approaching Storm

- His successor was no better, Alexander Jannai (Jonathan was his Hebrew name changed to Jannai) was the only brother of Judah Aristobulus still alive in prison at his death.

- For 15 years Alexander Jannai extended his territory. All of Israel's pagan city boundaries and trade centers were under Jewish rule.

- In 89 BC. he campaigned against the Arabs to the south. He was ambushed and lost his entire army.

- The Pharisees seized upon this opportunity. On the following Succoth, while Alexander was officiating as high priest in the Temple, the people who were watching, struck him with the "etrogin" (citrons, fruit). He ordered the slaughter of hundreds of defenseless people.

19. Halfhearted Rebels

- The people rebelled and along with the help of Syria defeated Alexander and he fled to the hills.

- The Syrians (giving themselves credit for the victory) wanting to put the Sadducees into power caused thousands of the Pharisees to flee to Alexander. With their help Alexander came back defeating the Syrians and the others.

- He instituted an inquisition (hunt) against those who had rebelled earlier and many fled the country.

- Alexander made a horrible example of those he caught. At one party he crucified 800 Pharisees. This marked him as one of the cruelest tyrants in Jewish history because he used a pagan method of execution.

- The Jews were again moving toward losing their independence.

Good Queen Salome

20. Did Alexander Repent?

- Supposedly on his deathbed (76 BC.) Alexander advised his wife Salome Alexandra, whom he had appointed as successor, to dismiss the Sadducean advisors and to govern with the aid of the Pharisees.

- Whether it is true or not she did it and appointed Pharisees to the Sanhedrin (at that time it was legislature and supreme court combined).

21. The School Law

- The Pharisees immediately went to work on the Jewish government.

- They ended the policy of conquest

- They reformed the judicial system and any contamination's on Jewish life.

- They established the school law. Every young man was in duty bound to seek an education

22. Sadducean Resentment

- The Sadducees could not agree with any arrangement that left them out of control of the government.

- They believed that they were the only ones fit to rule. They also knew that the Pharisees would not forgive the murderous crucifixion of the other Pharisees.

- While the Pharisees were sure of the populations support, the army, the military leadership, and the wealthy in the land were all on the Sadducean side.

23. Hyrcan and Aristobulus

- Alexander had little faith in his oldest son Hyrcan or his youngest son Aristobulus. While Salome was alive Hyrcan was high priest and was favored by the Pharisees. Aristobulus possessed the military qualities and with the peaceful Pharisees in power he was quite restrained. The Sadducees all favored him.

24. The Calm Before the Storm

- For the 9 years of her rule (76-67BC) Salome was somehow able to maintain peace the two parties.

- When she died another civil war broke out.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Part Four
The Intertestamental Period and Judaism - Part Four

(67 - 45 BC)   Rome on the Move - End of the Hasmoneans

Rome -  Called to Take

Rome who boasted that destiny had called it to rule the world by force was casting its shadow Eastward

Another Civil War

1. The Right to Rule

- When Salome Alexandra died, her older son, Hyrcan,  who was high priest, succeeded her on the throne as Hyrcan II.

- Already his brother, Aristobulus, was leading an army against Jerusalem.

- Hyrcan could not gather an army and the one that was already there deserted him and went over to his attractive brother Aristobulus.

- Hyrcan said he had never really wanted the throne and swore allegiance to (Aristobulus) Aristobulus II.

2. The Idumean

- At this time there was a man in Jerusalem named Antipater. (not of Jewish birth - Jewish Tradition).

- Both his parents were Idumeans and were converted to Judaism. Antipater was raised a Jew by religion

- Antipater sought power and persuaded Hyrcan to allow him and an army of Nabataen Arabs to drive Aristobulus out of Jerusalem and restore Hyrcan to power.

- Aristobulus was not prepared for such an army and he shut himself in Jerusalem ( a long siege).

Rome's Faithlessness

3. Power and Glory

- Rome was expanding. Julius Caesar was fighting his famous wars in Gaul and making a name for himself

- His rival (former political ally) Pompey was in the East trying to equal Caesar's record.

- Both wanted supreme authority in Rome and flattered the people of Rome with new victories.

- Pompey overcame Syria easily and sought more.

- He heard about the quarrel of the two brothers in Jerusalem and sought to interfere. He was bothered by the Nabatean Arabs (they were strong) and so he sent his lieutenant Scaurus to scare the Nabateans off.

- They withdrew the siege. The Jews were happy to have had earlier friendships with Rome. They even asked for Rome's decision as to who should rule.

4. Antipater's Chance

- Aristobulus, who was in control of the Temple, sent Pompey a vine of pure gold as a gift.

- Pompey sent such a valuable gift back to Rome to decorate the Temple of Jupiter.

- Antipater, on behalf of Hyrcan, understanding the Roman's political situation, sought to convince Pompey that if he favored Hyrcan, then he would eventually have control of Judea (another to boast of).

- Unexpectedly a group of Pharisees asked Pompey to rid them of both brothers and restore Judea to its original constitution where the high priest ruled with the advise of an elected council.

5. The Iron Fist of Rome

- Pompey marched his army into Judea.

- Aristobulus was afraid so he fortified himself in Jerusalem

- Pompey then besieged Jerusalem and Aristobulus surrendered. But the Sadducees refused to open the gates. The Romans came in and the Sadducees withdrew into the Temple.

- The Romans attacked the Temple and broke through the outer wall.

- The priests performed the sacrifices devotedly without giving any attention to what was happening

- As one priest fell by the sword another would take his place. (About 12,000 Jews perished that day)

- When it was over, Pompey entered the Temple, and even the Holy of Holies (truly no image inside?)

6. Pompey decides in Favor of Rome

- This was the end of Jewish independence. Rome would never let go of its prey

- When Pompey was called in to decide for the Jews who should rule he chose Rome

- Aristobulus was deprived of any power in the government

- The Pharisaic Party was totally disregarded (The Jewish people were not to be considered)

- Hyrcan was chosen and Antipater (now a friend of Rome) was to stand at his side

- Hyrcan now would be called Ethnarch instead of king and Judea was now a Roman province of Syria

- Pompey even brought Aristobulus and his two sons to the Roman forum in his march in triumphal procession to impress the people and the Roman Senate.

Rome and the Idumeans

7. Antipater and Rome

- Antipater and Rome from this time on worked together. Both were greedy for power.

- Rome supported Antipater and he in turn fulfilled all of Rome's demands.

- Hyrcan II, ruler and high priest (63-40 BC) was just a puppet in their hands.

- Actually Antipater ruled, and two of his sons, Phasael and Herod, were local governors.

- Phasael was governor over Jerusalem and Herod was governor over Galilee.

8. Rebels or Patriots

- The Pharisees, Sadducees, and the people wanted to drive out the Romans.

- Rome broke up the country's unity by dividing it into 5 administrative districts.

- Many Jewish patriots hid in the mountains of Judea and Galilee to make surprise attacks on the Romans.

- The Romans looked upon them as murderers and hunted them mercilessly as beasts of prey.

- Rome and the Idumeans were obviously not popular with the Jewish people.

9. The Humiliation of the Sanhedrin

- One patriot named Hezekiah and some men were captured by Herod in Galilee. They were executed.

- Some relatives of these men appealed to the Sanhedrin. They could do nothing.

- In fact when Herod was charged to answer to this, this is what happened.

- The normal procedure was for the accused to appear before the Sanhedrin in black clothes as a sign of penitence. Herod marched into the hall leading a body of soldiers in uniform with swords and spears.

- Herod was so sure of Rome's support that he had no respect for the Sanhedrin's judicial opinions.

- The 70 elders were humiliated and afraid. Only one man, Shemaiah spoke up. "If you will not judge this man now...the time will come when he will judge you and show you no mercy."

- The Sanhedrin was awakened and the trial began.

- Hyrcan, as high priest was president of the Sanhedrin. He knew that if he condemned Antipater's son then he would be opposing Rome and Rome would hold him personally responsible. He postponed the meeting till the next day.

- Herod, feeling insulted and in a rage, was ready to order a massacre on the Sanhedrin as well as all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem who would not show respect for Rome. His father and brother stopped him.

10. How Antipater Backed the Wrong Politician

- Julius Caesar being the rival of Pompey in Rome for power even tried to stir up a rebellion in Judea by releasing Aristobulus to return. When Antipater heard he sent men to poison Aristobulus in Greece before he reached Judea. He even had Aristobulus' son executed.

- Antipater and his sons were backing Pompey to the very end up till Pompey was defeated by Julius Caesar. Hyrcan and Antipater quickly changed sides.

- Caesar accepted them and allowed them to remain in power.

11. Again the Wrong Politician

- There was another civil war in Rome just after this. Brutus and Cassius were now in power in the eastern part of the Roman Empire.

- Cassius, in dire need of money, heavily taxed the Jews in Judea.

- In order to be collected, the huge sum had to be collected ruthlessly.

- Antipater and his sons were given the responsibility and therefore they became extremely unpopular.

- Herod was even the first to turn in the part he had collected.

- But Brutus and Cassius lost in the end. Would Antony and Octavian ever forgive Herod?

- The Jews pleaded to Rome for the removal of the Idumeans but Rome was in favor of Herod. He was brave and daring, qualities the Romans could appreciate.

- Herod and Phasael came out victors again, and the members of the Jewish delegation were executed on Antony's order.

The Last of the Hasmoneans

12. Jewish Feelings

- The feelings of the Jews at this time were expressed in a collection of poems written about this time called "Psalms of Solomon." Their author was undoubtedly a Pharisee whose chief interest lay not in war and power, but in piety and right conduct. He justified the misfortunes which befell the Hasmoneans, for they had sinned and deserved punishment. Nevertheless, he could not help speaking with great bitterness of Pompey and the Romans. They had been invited as friends; the gates of the city were opened to them. But they desecrated the Temple and enslaved the people. No wonder that when the author heard of Pompey's end, he exclaimed: "Praised be the Lord who judges the whole earth with His justice." Moreover, the author feared lest the pagan neighbors in league with the Romans make life unbearable for the Jews. He prayed: "Punish us in accordance with Thy will, but deliver us not into the hands of the Gentiles."

13. How Antigonus Made Himself King

- The Idumean brothers needed the strength of Rome but there were problems with the eastern part of the empire. Antony ruled over the East while Octavius took the West for himself.

- At that time Cleopatra, famed for her beauty and her seductive trickery, was trying to make herself mistress of Rome by becoming the mistress of Antony.

- For her Antony neglected the government and let his brilliant future go to waste.

- Soon the eastern Roman army became disorganized and the officials more than ever corrupt.

- Antigonus, Aristobulus II's youngest son, watched all this from the other side of the Euphrates, where he had found refuge with the Parthians.

- With their aid he invaded Judea' meeting only halfhearted Roman opposition, and arrived before the gates of Jerusalem.

- Antigonus lured Hyrcan and Phasael into the Parthian camp. How bitterly he hated them! He held them responsible for years of personal suffering, for the murder of his father and brother, for the loss of Jewish independence.

- Phasael, knowing that he had nothing to hope for, committed suicide.

- As to Hyrcan, Antigonus did not have his uncle killed. He did want to disqualify him permanently for the high priesthood so he cut off the lobe of one of Hyrcan's ears, for according to Jewish law no man who was physically mutilated could serve as high priest.

- Antigonus entered Jerusalem and assumed the royal title and the high priesthood under the name of Mattathias (40 BC).

13. Antigonus as King

- He was not like his father, Aristobulus, nor like his grandmother Salome, he possessed neither attractiveness nor charm, neither soldierliness nor statesmanship.

- He was the wrong man at a time when the right one might have changed the future of the entire East.

14. Herod, King by the Grace of Rome

- When Herod new what was happening with Antigonus entering Jerusalem he gathered his family, including Alexandra the daughter of Hyrcan, her daughter, Miriam or Mariamne, to whom he was betrothed, and Miriam's younger brother Aristobulus, and had fled in the direction of the Nabatean Arabs to the south.

- He left his family in a fortress in southern Palestine and continued on his way to Egypt where he hoped to tell his sad story to Antony. But he found that Antony had temporarily escaped Cleopatra's clutches and was gone making peace with Octavius.

- Although Cleopatra tried her seduction on Herod, he paid no attention to her and went on to Rome despite the danger of crossing the Mediterranean at that season.

- As usual, luck was with him. He arrived safely in Rome and was greeted warmly by Antony and Octavius.

- What could Herod have wanted with the rulers of the Roman empire? He certainly wanted revenge on Antigonus, and no doubt asked that Antony order the Roman armies in Syria to drive Antigonus out of Judea.

- Whatever the discussion was they and the Senate proclaimed Herod king of Judea.

- The family of Antipater, whose shrewdness had dispossessed the Hasmoneans, thus attained more than they had hoped for.

15. The Conquest of a Kingdom

- Herod, for the time being, was a king without a country.

- His first task was to win Judea by driving out Antigonus. But this was not an easy task in view of the bribes which the Roman generals in Syria were receiving from Antigonus, and the opposition of the Jews all over the country.

- Antigonus received letters and threats from Antony. Jerusalem was besieged for three months, and Antigonus could hold it no longer.

- The Romans army slaughtered so many within the city that Herod had to take drastic measures and promise the Romans large rewards to stop it or, as he complained to the Roman officers, he might be left a king of a country without a population.

- Antigonus was captured but he pleaded for mercy. It was not customary for the Romans to execute a captured king, but at Herod's request to avenge his brother, it was done in this case.

- The Hasmonean dynasty came to a horrible end and so did the independence which it had so gloriously won for Judea.

Herod as King

16. The Road to Misfortune

-  The next period of Jewish history saw the beginnings of the national calamity which overtook the Jews a century later. It is hard to refrain from wondering how different modern Jewish life would be if Herod had been a different sort of man, or if Rome and the Jews had understood each other. Until Herod's reign it was still possible to hope that the Jews and the Romans would arrive at some compromise whereby the Jews would be permitted to look upon their nation as almost independent. The Jews were a proud people. The more they felt themselves under the heel of Rome, the more they were determined to reassert their freedom. Herod was in excellent position to bring Rome and Judea to a better understanding. But he understood and sympathized with the Jews too little; he was interested in his own power too much. The result was infamy for himself and catastrophe for the people over whom he ruled.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Part Five
The Intertestamental Period and Judaism - Part Five

(40 - 4 BC)   King Herod - Death of Herod

Herod the Great, Servant of Rome

It would have been interesting to see how different the modern Jew would be if Herod the Great had been a different sort of man. Herod didn't understand the Jews enough nor did he feel for them. He was in a position to help the Jews and the Romans to understand each other a little better but he was only interested in his own power and the result was catastrophe for the Jews.

For 40 years, Jewish history was dominated by Herod the Great. He was born in about 73 BC, the son of the Idumean Antipater, and became a Roman citizen in 47. His father appointed him military governor of Galilee, with the task of clearing the region of terrorists. In 41, Antony made Herod and his brother tetrarchs, but Herod was not secure and in 40 fled to Rome. There Antony bestowed on him the kingship of Judea, which he secured with a Roman army in 37. Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the naval battle of Actium in 3I, but confirmed Herod in power.

Herod worked devotedly for Rome and kept Augustus's favor. His court was Hellenized and cultured. He founded the Greek cities of Sebaste (Samaria) and Caesarea, with its fine port. He built fortresses and palaces, including Masada, and a magnificent new temple. He also presided at the Olympic Games.

His family life, however, was unhappy. He ruled as an autocrat, supported by police, and, despite his rebuilding of the Temple, to the Jews he remained a detested foreigner. He died in 4 BC at the age of 69.

Herod's Dictatorship

1. The Marriage to Mariamne

- Herod knew he was unliked by the Jews and having displaced the Hasmoneans he felt insecure.

- He therefore married Mariamne, the granddaughter of both Hyrcan and Aristobulus. (Legitimate throne)

- But Herod was known to have really loved her but he did not mind hurting her when his personal welfare was at stake.

2. How Herod Made Himself Safe

- One of Herod's first acts was the execution of 40 prominent Sadducees. 2 reasons (enemies, money)

- He constantly had to pay off the Romans and anyone else who had helped him. (Bribes)

- He hired Jews from other lands as his army. Herod did not trust Jews from his own land.

- He was jealous of other members of his family.

- Aristobulus, Herod's own brother-in-law, was found drowned in a pool of one of the royal palaces.

- Hyrcan, returned from Parthia at Herod's invitation, was accused of plotting treason and executed.

- Herod's favorite wife, Mariamne, gave way to the intrigues of Herod's sister and was executed despite Herod's undoubted love for her.

- Later he killed his own two sons by Mariamne on suspicion that they were plotting against him.

- At his dying breath he ordered the execution of still another son.

3. Depriving the Sanhedrin

- Herod had not the slightest intention of letting the Jews rule themselves.

- He deprived the Sanhedrin of every vestige of political power.

- Neither the Pharisees nor the Sadducees any longer exercised political influence.

- Only their names continued for the purpose of describing two groups which differed on religious matters.

- Herod ruled, and through him Rome.

4. The Secret Opposition

- Politics became an underground affair.

- Dissatisfaction expressed itself in secret criticism.

- The young people became restless and joined secret organizations for the cause of Jewish independence.

- These organizations, years later, united to form the dreaded revolutionary party, the Zealots.

- Herod was an efficient ruler and knew how to maintain peace by ruthlessness.

- Numberless spies & torture. Everyone was under suspicion, and everyone lived in fear.

Herod and the Non-Jews

5. Fortifying His External Position

- Herod was clever in his relations with the pagans and particularly in his dealings with the Romans.

- The death of Antony confronted Herod with a serious danger. He realized that Augustus would now look upon him as an enemy.

- Herod, like his father under similar circumstances, hurried to meet the new ruler of the world.

- Removing his royal insignia, he appeared before Augustus and, without denying his friendship for Antony and his regret at Antony's defeat, frankly offered Augustus the same friendship and loyalty which he had given the defeated Antony.

- This attitude appealed to Augustus. He probably saw in Herod, a realist in politics, one who could be relied upon to serve Rome and Rome's master.

- Not only did Augustus accept Herod's offer of friendship, but, leaving him as king of Judea, Idumea, Samaria, and Galilee, he even increased Herod's territory by adding to his kingdom some lands across the Jordan and some of the pagan cities along the Mediterranean coast.

- The friendship between Augustus and Herod remained firm for the rest of their lives.

6. Herod and His Pagan Subjects

- The Greeks cities protested to Augustus. But they soon favored him for his character was more Greek than Jewish and his desire was to gain the reputation of being a great Hellenistic monarch.

- He filled his court with Greek hangers-on, mostly parasites who lived by their flattery.

- His most trusted adviser was an able Greek by the name of Nicolas of Damascus

- Herod's ideas about government were the same as the Roman empire.

- It was government for the sake of the wealthy and powerful. The common people had only one duty-to obey their masters.

7. Herod - The Builder

- According to the Greek standards of that day, a good king encouraged games and theaters and was active in building.

- He constructed pagan temples and amphitheaters in various Greek cities within and outside his domain.

- Athens, Sparta and Rhodes benefited from his liberality.

- He made large contributions of money to the Olympic games.

- Samaria again rose from its ruins and was renamed Sebaste (Royal City) in honor of Augustus.

- The same was done to an old, well-situated town on the coast, which now received the name Caesarea, again in honor of the Caesar. (Some after Herod) never after a Hasmonean or a former Jewish king.

- Augustus Caesar and Herod's friend Agrippa "Herod's realm was far too small for his liberality."

- Herod's Gentile subjects were happy that he liked to please them. To them Herod was "Herod the Great."

Herod and His Jewish Subjects

8. Hopes for Hellenization

- Of course, Herod considered himself a Jew.

- Herod knew better than to force Hellenization upon his Jewish subjects.

- Gradually introducing them to those Greek habits of life which he himself admired.

- Jerusalem also benefited from his building activity. He erected a theater and a hippodrome within the city.

- Foreign visitors to his capital would feel more at home and would not look down upon him as an insignificant king of a "barbarian" people.

9. Herod's Temple

- From Augustus, Herod obtained the right to intervene on behalf of the Jews wherever in the Roman empire they might be annoyed.

- But, above all, he tried to prove that Greek temples were not his only concern by undertaking to rebuild and beautify the Temple in Jerusalem.

- Almost five hundred years had elapsed since the Second Temple had been built by those who returned from the Babylonian Exile.

-After that the Temple had no doubt been repaired and enlarged, but it remained essentially the old building, inferior in beauty and grandeur to some of the pagan temples which were around.

- Not only was it contrary to Herod's love of architecture to permit the Temple of his own God to remain so modest, but he thought to show his piety to the Jews by making their Temple grander than the rest.

- the leading scribes at first opposed his plan (suspicious). They actually believed that once he pulled the old building down he would never replace it.

- Herod had to promise that he would not touch the old building until he had built the new one around it.

- Under no circumstances were the services to be interrupted.

- Herod hired workmen by the thousands.

- Among them were many priests to build those portions not accessible to ordinary Jews.

- The work was started by leveling larger portions of the Temple Mount, so that the new building might be erected on a broader base.

- It was also made much taller, so that the white stone gleamed in the bright Palestinian sun and could be seen from miles away.

- On the northern and southern sides of the building were the enclosed halls or rooms where the priests prepared for the service, and where the Sanhedrin met.

- The large open court on the east, facing the Temple proper, was divided into several parts.

- Closest to the Temple was the portion set aside for the altar and the officiating  priests.

- Next to it was the court for the Israelites who came to watch the service.

- By the side of that was the gallery for the women, and behind it was the court of the Gentiles.

- The whole area was surrounded by a wall. This is the wall, part of which remains to this day, known as "The Wailing Wall," to which Jews have gone on pilgrimage during the recent centuries of exile.

10. Herod's Blunder

- The Temple took many years to build. Begun in 19 BC, it was not finished till long after Herod's death

- The Jews prided in Herod's accomplishment until Herod placed a huge Roman eagle over the most important gate of the new Temple.

- Before long there was a conspiracy to pull the eagle down.

- When rumor circulated that Herod was dying, a group of young men gathered before the gate on which the golden eagle was set and began to pull it down.

- The soldiers interfered and arrested about forty of them. Herod was so enraged at this sign of insubordination and insult to Rome, that he had the "rebels" burned alive.

11. Herod in History

- Herod was an excellent king in certain respects.

- He maintained external peace in his land.

- He beautified his own and neighboring countries.

- He admired not on1y by the Roman empire, but also of the Jews outside Judea whose standards of value had changed through contact with Greek civilization. It is not difficult to understand why many people called Herod "the Great."

- Yet the majority of Jews of his own kingdom disliked him, and Jews of later generations called him "the Wicked."

- He pleased the pagans in the land and the cities prospered but the common Jew sank into poverty.

- When Herod died, the pagans among them mourned while the Jews rejoiced.

12. Comments

- Herod's slaughter of the infant boys . . . vividly reflects the pathological character of the king.

- He murdered members of his own family- yet scrupulously observed Mosaic dietary laws and would eat no pork.

- This provoked his Roman master Augustus into jesting: "I would rather be Herod's pig than Herod's son."

13. Death of Herod

- Joseph stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt l have called my son." Matt 2:15

- The historian, Josephus, describes the death of Herod at great length. When Herod's health began to fail him rapidly, he was moved to his winter capital in Jericho. From there he was carried by stretcher to the hot springs on the shores of the Dead Sea. The springs did no good; Herod returned home. Racked by despondency, Herod attempted suicide. Rumors of the attempt caused loud wailing throughout the palace. Herod's son, imprisoned by his paranoid father, mistook the cries to mean his father was dead. Immediately, he tried to bribe his jailers, who reported the bribery attempt to Herod. The sick king ordered his son executed on the spot. Now Herod plunged deeper into depression. He was only days away from his own death- and he knew it. What pained him most was the knowledge that his death would be met with joy in Judea. To forestall this, he devised an incredible plan.

Having assembled the most distinguished men from every village from one end of Judea to the other, he ordered them to be locked in the hippodrome at Jericho. Jewish Wars FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS

Herod then gave the order to execute them at the very moment he, himself, died. His sick mind reasoned that their death would dispel any joy in Judea over his own death. The order was never carried out.

After Herod's death, his body was carried in procession from Jericho to the Herodium outside Bethlehem for burial. Herod's body was adorned in purple, a crown of gold rested on his head, and a scepter of gold was placed in his hand. The bier bearing his body was made of gold and studded with jewels that sparkled as it was carried along under the desert sun. Following the bier was Herod's household and hundreds of slaves, swinging censers. Slowly, the procession inched its way up the mountainside to the Herodium, where it was laid to rest.

Today, the excavated ruins of the Herodium stand out grandly against the clear blue sky- reminding Bethlehem-bound tourists of the king who sought to kill the child whom they have come so far to honor.

Herodium

Looking like a volcano, the Herodium is one of several fortress-palaces built by Herod the Great. It was artificially shaped, with everything placed inside its protected craterlike top.

Josephus wrote of the Herodium:

Two hundred steps of purest white marble led up to it. Its top was crowned with circular towers; its courtyard contained splendid structures.

In the 1960s archaeologists unearthed the courtyard, fortification towers, and palace. No trace of Herod's remains were found.

Herod's Successors - (See section on Herod )

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Brief Historical Background

JEWS UNDER ROMAN RULE

THE MACCABEAN REVOLT

The conquests of Alexander the Great led to the spread of the Greek culture and language across a wide area. The generals who succeeded Alexander, Ptolemy in Egypt and Seleucus in Syria, attempted to unite their subjects with policies which combined Greek and native ingredients.

The Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, provoked the Jews into a revolt by his radical attempt to promote Greek culture (a process often known as 'hellenization'). He did win the support of the aristocratic Jews, who were keen to be recognized as cultured 'Greeks'. The brother of the Jewish high priest changed his name from Jesus to the Greek Jason, and bribed Antiochus so that he could become the high priest. He scandalized other Jews by building a gymnasium where nude exercises went on within sight of the temple. Jason ended his life in exile in Sparta.

Antiochus forbade the observance of the Sabbath and the practice of circumcision, and forced the Jews to eat food they regarded as ceremonially unclean. When a mother and her seven sons refused to defile themselves by eating pork they were martyred. Sacred prostitution associated with the Syrian goddess was practiced in the temple precincts. In December 167 BC, a pig was sacrificed on an altar erected to the Greek god Zeus. This was taken to be 'The Awful Horror' prophesied Daniel 11:31 by Daniel.

Jewish opposition was led by a priest called Mattathias and his sons, the oldest of whom was Judas, called 'Maccabeus' (The Hammer). The Maccabean Revolt succeeded in recapturing the temple in December 165. Jews today celebrate the holiday of Hanukkah, the 'Festival of Lights', to commemorate this event.

After Judas was killed in 161 BC, his brother Jonathan took over leadership. He was also appointed high priest in 153, the first of the long line of Hasmoneans (named after Simon, the last surviving brother of Judas) who were to control that post until 36 BC. This joining of political and religious leadership in the hands of one family was not welcomed by many of the devout Jews.

John Hyrcanus, a nephew of Judas and Jonathan, won political independence for the Jews in 129 BC. This lasted only to 63 BC when the Romans annexed Palestine.

THE ROMAN CONQUEST

The Roman leader Pompey was given unlimited powers in 66 BC to clear the Mediterranean of pirates, a task which he efficiently accomplished in three months. Almost as an afterthought he marched into Palestine, where two brothers were squabbling over the high priest's office. He sided with the older brother, Hyrcanus, against the ambitious Aristobulus. In 63 Pompey captured Jerusalem, and had the audacity to enter the Holy of Holies of the temple, which only the Jewish high priest entered once a year. The fact that he touched none of the temple treasures did little to lessen the indignation of the Jews.

Pompey also organized the Decapolis, a league of ten cities which were Greek colonies, and included Scythopolis (Bethshean) south of the Sea of Galilee, and nine others in Syria and Jordan, among them Damascus, Philadelphia (Amman), Pella, Gerasa and Gadara.

THE HERODS

The Idumaeans were a tribe who had been forced by the Nabatean Arabs westwards into southern Judea, where they had been forcibly converted to Judaism by the Hasmonean rulers of Palestine. The Idumaeans were for this reason Jews of a recent and suspect background. At the same time they were shrewd, and had no scruples about making political deals with the Romans for their own advantage.

ANTIPATER governed them from about 47 BC. He also served as an advisor to Hyrcanus, and gained the confidence of Pompey. When Julius Caesar was besieged in Alexandria in 48 BC it was Antipater who persuaded the Jews to aid Caesar. In gratitude Caesar gave the Jews important privileges.

Antipater's son, HEROD THE GREAT, was an opportunist of the highest order. During the tumultuous years of the Roman civil wars he skillfully shifted his allegiance from Pompey to Caesar to Antony to Octavian (Augustus). Because he was such an able soldier the Romans valued his services. He provided a strong buffer-state for Rome against the Nabatean Arabs to the south and the Parthians to the east.

Herod was appointed king of Judea by the Romans in 40 BC, and was supported by Roman soldiers in his fight to gain control of Judea in 37. From that time he relied on Gentile soldiers, including the Celtic bodyguard of Cleopatra which had been granted to him by Octavian. He transformed the ancient city of Samaria into Sebaste for his foreign mercenaries. He also built Palestine's first deep-water port of Caesarea.

Though successful in politics, Herod was bitterly unhappy in his private life. He married ten wives, including the beautiful Hasmonean princess, Mariamne. Though he loved her passionately, he suspected her of infidelity and had her executed. Later, in 7 BC, he had her two sons killed. When he found that his favorite son, Antipater, had been plotting against him, he had him executed- just five days before his own death in 4 BC. It was this paranoid monarch who ordered the massacre of the babies in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus.

Our system of dating BC/AD was devised by a monk in the sixth century AD. However, he miscalculated the reign of the Emperor Augustus by four years. Jesus must have been born before Herod's death in 4 BC, a date which has been established by astronomical calculations.

Herod's kingdom was divided between his THREE SONS:

ARCHELAUS inherited Judea;

ANTIPAS was given Galilee and Perea (Transjordan);

PHILIP inherited largely Gentile areas east of the Sea of Galilee.

Philip's rule was just and relatively uneventful. It was in Philip's territory that Jesus was transfigured, on the slopes of  Mount Hermon. At Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Hermon, Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ.

Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, was called 'that fox' by Jesus because of his craftiness. He was denounced by John the Baptist for his adulterous relationship with Herodias, the former wife of his half-brother. After a seductive dance by	her daughter, probably Salome, Antipas rashly promised her whatever she asked. He reluctantly fulfilled her request by presenting John's head on a dish to Herodias. It was her nagging insistence which proved to be Antipas' undoing. When he asked to be upgraded from tetrarch to king in AD 39, he was instead banished with his wife to France.

Archelaus was 'a chip off his father's block'. As his first official act, he slaughtered 3,000 of his enemies. When Joseph and Mary returned from Egypt, they wisely avoided his territory and settled in Galilee. Archelaus' rule was so oppressive that Jews and Samaritans united in successfully requesting his deposition in AD 6. This paved the way for direct rule by Roman governors.

HEROD'S BUILDINGS

Herod was a prodigious builder, as recent archaeological excavations have shown His rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, begun in 19 BC, was admired by Jesus' disciples, according to Mark, chapter 13. Final work on the temple was completed just six years before it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. All that remains today is the great platform whose western side is the Wailing Wall, where Jews today still lament the destruction of the temple.

Spectacular remains have also been uncovered at the fortress of Masada on the western shore and of Machaerus on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Machaerus was the fortress where John the Baptist was imprisoned. Other splendid structures from Herod's time have been found at Jericho, where Herod died, and at Herodium, where he was buried.

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION (Procurators)

From 6 AD, except for the brief rule of Agrippa I (41-44 AD), until the outbreak of the First Jewish War in 66 AD, a series of fourteen Roman governors ruled Judea.

The governor of Judea, known as a 'praefect' or 'procurator', came from the Roman equestrian class, and was subordinate to the legate of Syria at Damascus. Judea was considered a minor province; its governor had at his disposal only a small force of about 3,000 auxiliary soldiers, mostly stationed at Caesarea. On festival occasions, such as the Jewish Passover, a cohort of about 500 soldiers would be stationed in the Fortress of Antonia in Jerusalem, overlooking the temple grounds.

Pontius Pilate governed from AD 26 to 36, under the Emperor Tiberius. He was a protégé of the powerful Sejanus, head of the praetorian guard in Rome. Pilate outraged the Jews by several tactless actions. For instance he used temple funds to build an aqueduct, and introduced military standards bearing the emperor's image into Jerusalem, which offended Jewish religious traditions. He met opposition with ruthless force. On the other hand, he yielded to Jewish pressures to have Jesus crucified as a royal pretender. This occurred either in 30, or as some writers have argued, in 33 after the fall of Sejanus, when Pilate's own position became insecure.

As his name Felix (Latin for 'fortunate') indicates, the governor of Judea from 52 to 60 AD was a freedman, or former slave. His brother Pallas was the secretary of the Roman treasury under the Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD).

The historian Tacitus says of him: 'With every sort of cruelty and lust he exercised royal functions in the spirit of a slave.'

It was his hope for a bribe which kept the apostle Paul imprisoned in Caesarea. When Festus (60-62) succeeded Felix as governor, Paul took advantage of his right as a Roman citizen to appeal direct to Caesar, who at that time was Nero.

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION THROUGH JEWISH EYES.

The greatest blow felt by the Jews was to their national pride. They believed that God had chosen them to be his special people. They looked forward to the day when the nations of the world would come to worship God in Jerusalem. Instead, the Romans and their puppet rulers desecrated their holy places, and insulted their laws and customs.

Herod the Great built a temple to Augustus in Caesarea. Inside it were statues of the emperor depicted as Zeus and Rome personified as Hera, statues the Jews considered idolatrous. In Caesarea and in Jerusalem Herod built theaters and amphitheaters. Games were held in both places every fourth year in honor of Augustus. The naked competitors greatly offended the Jews, as did the religious customs linked with the games. Worst of all, over the great gate of the temple in Jerusalem Herod placed a massive golden eagle- the symbol of Roman dominion.

Roman soldiers were stationed in Judea to keep in check the Parthians who came from an area north-east of Syria. They were never completely conquered by the Romans. The soldiers also kept the peace in Judea, prevented riots and ensured the safety of trade routes.

The army's headquarters was at Caesarea but a detachment was kept as a garrison in Jerusalem. Soldiers were always on duty in the outer temple area, and more were sent to Jerusalem at Passover time when pilgrims flocked to the city.

The Jews were left under no illusion as to who controlled their country. Uniformed soldiers were an everyday sight in their streets. The Jews were, however, exempt from military service because their law forbade the carrying of weapons on the Sabbath, and because soldiers were expected to take part in pagan religious ceremonies.

One of the most hated aspects of Roman domination was the heavy taxation. The provinces were expected to bear most of the cost of administering the empire. In the province of Syria income tax was 1 per cent of a man's income per year, but there were also export and import taxes, taxes levied on crops one-tenth of the grain crop and one-fifth of the wine, fruit and oil - purchase taxes, taxes payable on the transfer of property, emergency taxes, and so on.

A Roman official called a censor was responsible for collecting the revenue but he sold the right to extort it to the highest bidders. These TAX COLLECTORS demanded more money than was due and kept the difference for themselves. It is likely that they took bribes from the rich so it was the poor people who really paid for the Roman government.

There were frequent Jewish revolts against the Romans, triggered by ill treatment of the Jews. In the time of the procurator Ventidius Cumanus (48-52 AD) a Roman soldier threw a scroll of the Law into the fire. The Jews were so incensed that Cumanus was forced to have the soldier executed. Under Judas the Galilean the Jews revolted against the excessive taxes but the revolt was put down with great cruelty and all the rebels were executed (Acts 5:37). Because they longed to be free of Rome sects such as the Zealots openly rebelled, and the Essenes opted out of normal citizenship in their self-supporting community.

The occupation had some benefits. The Romans secured peace and built a good system of roads. This in turn encouraged trade. They often respected local customs, allowed religious freedom and a certain degree of self government. They built baths and government offices.

The Sanhedrin, (the Jewish council of seventy elders and the high priest which met in Jerusalem) had control of religious affairs and also administered government and justice under the authority of the Roman procurator. Although it tried certain criminal cases it does not seem to have had the right to enforce capital punishment, which is why Jesus had to be executed by Pilate, the Roman governor.

JULIUS CAESAR

After his year as consul, Caesar left Rome to serve as the proconsul or governor of Gaul (France). There, between 58 and 51 BC, he defeated innumerable Celtic and Belgic armies, massacring hundreds of thousands in the process. He twice invaded Britain, though it was not made a province until the later invasion of the Emperor Claudius in AD 43.

When Pompey persuaded the Senate to order Caesar to lay down his arms at the end of his period as proconsul, Caesar challenged them by crossing the River Rubicon in 49 BC. As this marked the boundary between his province of Cisalpine Gaul and Italy, the die was cast for war. In the civil war which followed, Pompey's followers outnumbered Caesar's. But in 48 BC, on the plains of Pharsalus in northern Greece, Caesar decisively defeated Pompey. Hoping to find refuge in Egypt, Pompey fled to Alexandria but was murdered as he landed.

Caesar traveled to Egypt in pursuit of his enemy, and there became infatuated with Queen Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt. After extricating himself from a difficult military position in Alexandria with the aid of the Jews, Caesar proceeded to mop up pockets of opposition with rapidity. He had great plans and reforms in mind: he revised the calendar (his 'Julian' calendar, with minor changes introduced by Pope Gregory, is the one we use today), and planned a colony for Corinth. But because he arrogantly took up the powers of dictator, some of his close friends, including Brutus, joined in a plot to assassinate him in 44 BC, on the Ides of March, the 15th.

In a speech immortalized in drama by Shakespeare 'Friends, Romans, countrymen' - Mark Antony aroused the people to a fever pitch against the assassins who found it prudent to leave the country. Much to his own chagrin Antony found that Caesar's will did not name him heir; instead Caesar's young grandnephew, Octavian, was nominated successor. After some bitter feuding, Antony and Octavian, together with Lepidus, formed a Second Triumvirate in 43 BC to pursue Caesar's murderers. One of their first acts was to sentence to death the orator Cicero, who had bitterly attacked Antony in a series of speeches.

The crucial battle was fought at Philippi, Macedonia, in 42 BC. Brutus and Cassius, the leaders of the assassins, were disheartened, partly because of faulty communications, and committed suicide.

The victors divided the Empire: Octavian was to rule the west and Antony the east. Antony summoned Cleopatra to appear before him at Tarsus. He was captivated by her, though he was married to Octavian's sister, the noble Octavia. Egged on by the ambitious queen, Antony eventually divorced Octavia and proclaimed Caesarion, Cleopatra's son, the legitimate heir of Caesar.

But outside the bay of Actium in north-western Greece, Antony's fleet was outmaneuvered by Octavian's admiral, Agrippa in 31 BC. Instead of attempting to rally his dispirited troops, Antony shamelessly joined Cleopatra in flight. After a half-hearted attempt to defend Egypt, he committed suicide. Cleopatra clasped a poisonous asp to her breast, and was buried at Antony's side in Alexandria.

AUGUSTUS (21 BC-14 AD)

In 27 BC Octavian was granted the title Augustus and became the first 'emperor', a term which is derived from the military title 'imperator'. Technically he was no more than first senator. But as he combined in himself all the powers of consul, tribune and other offices, he had no rival. Augustus shrewdly kept direct control of all the military provinces which held the major part of the armed forces. He wisely avoided Caesar's mistake, by behaving deferentially to senators. In his reign Roman peace (Pax Romana) was extended as far as the Danube and the Black Sea.

Augustus was not only the first emperor, he was also the greatest. He justly deserved the title 'father of his country'. He passed many wise and far-sighted measures concerning both Rome and the provinces. He boasted that he had transformed Rome from a city of brick into a city of marble.

His genuine piety, celebrated in the famous Altar of Peace in Rome, led to his restoring eighty temples. Augustus also attempted to regulate morals, and banished his own daughter Julia for her immorality. He tried to use legislation to encourage marriages and births, and his censuses do indicate an increase in the number of citizens from 4,233,000 in 8 BC to 4,931,000 in 14 AD.

It was during an era of peace in his reign that Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than at his parents' home in Nazareth because a census ordered by Augustus required all adults to register at their ancestral home towns.

TIBERIUS (14-37 AD)

The Emperor Tiberius was the son of Livia, the empress, by a previous marriage. Though an able soldier, his dour personality did not impress Augustus. For his part Tiberius resented the shabby manner in which he was treated, in particular by being forced to divorce his beloved Vipsania to marry Augustus' adulterous daughter Julia.

Tiberius' reign was marred by a glut of treason trials. In 26 AD, at the age of 67, he was persuaded by Sejanus, the sinister chief of the praetorian guard, to retire to his luxurious villa on the island of Capri, near the bay of Naples. According to the scandalous stories repeated by the writer Suetonius, the emperor indulged himself with orgies and sadistic displays, and rarely ventured back to mainland Italy.

In 31 AD the treachery of Sejanus was uncovered and he was summarily executed. In either 30 or 33 AD, Jesus was crucified under Sejanus' protégé, Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea, a fact which was known to the historian, Tacitus.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Synagogue

THE SYNAGOGUE

During the Babylonian exile in the sixth century BC Jews began gathering to pray and study the scriptures in the synagogue A quorum of ten men was necessary to form a synagogue. Women sat in a separate section, and were not expected to take part.

Numerous synagogues were set up in Jerusalem, including one for freedmen, or ex-slaves. There were no less than 480 synagogues in Jerusalem during Jesus' time. The well preserved synagogue at Capernaum dates from the first or second century AD and is almost certainly the site of the building where Jesus spoke. About the only synagogue visible today which for certain, dates to the first century AD, is the building excavated at Masada.

Wherever the apostle Paul traveled he made first for the local synagogue to preach the Christian message to the Jews. As a qualified rabbi he would be invited to expound the weekly readings from the Torah and the Prophets. At Philippi he went to 'a place of prayer'. This was a common description for a synagogue and may have been a synagogue rather than just a riverside place of prayer, as is traditionally accepted.

Some synagogues were huge. Excavators have discovered an enormous synagogue at Sardis, in western Turkey, which was in use from 200-600 AD. The main hall is 65 yards long, with a forecourt and porch projecting an additional 43 yards. The great Diploston synagogue in Alexandria was so enormous that a man was stationed in the middle of the building so he could signal with a flag the correct moment for the Amen to people at the back of the building.

SYNAGOGUES IN THE TIME OF JESUS

- The first synagogues may have been built by Jews held captive far from the temple during the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century B.C., but synagogues were important religious and social institutions in the time of Jesus.

- The original Greek word synagogue means merely "a place of meeting."

- In the Jewish world synagogues were second only to the temple in Jerusalem itself as religious institutions. They also served as schools of religious instruction and communal halls for civic functions under the direction of a council of elders.

- Typically, a synagogue was a small structure built on a rise above the neighboring houses. Opposite the entrance, a portable ark contained the scrolls of the Law and the Prophets. In front of it, facing worshipers, were the "chief seats" for religious leaders.

- Men and women perhaps sat apart from each other in the congregation as they did in later times.

- For public worship, which was conducted on the Sabbath, a minimum of 10 adult males had to be in attendance.

- The five-part service included prayers, psalm-singing, blessings, readings from the Scriptures, and commentaries on the sacred passages, but there were no sacrifices and no standard liturgy.

- Although a rabbi might be recognized as the leader because of his distinguished teaching, there was no official clergy. In fact, any Jew who felt himself qualified could ask for permission to teach the Scriptures-as Jesus did at Nazareth.

SYNAGOGUE AND CHURCH

In the very beginning, believers in Jesus did not separate themselves from their fellow Jews. Like Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and lesser-known groups, they seemed to form a new sect of Judaism-sometimes called "the Way"; and the first Christians preached in synagogues whose members shared many of the same beliefs and were already familiar with the Scriptures.

Later, as missionaries carried the Gospel out into the Greco-Roman world, services that included gentiles were initially held in synagogues; but soon there were churches specifically for gentile converts.

Soon, the gentile Christianity that grew out of the early churches began to predominate over the Jewish Christianity that was centered in synagogues. In fact, as the faith spread in the West, it failed in Palestine, partly because it did not give encouragement to the Zealots, who wanted to rise up against Rome, and partly because its essential ideas and beliefs struck many traditional Jews as too revolutionary.

Perhaps as early as AD 50, Jews and Christianized Jews split, even rioting against each other in Rome, and soon the gulf between synagogue and church had widened beyond the point of reconciliation.

The Synagogue

The synagogue played a large part in the growth and persistence of Judaism, as previously noted.

The Jews of the Dispersion founded synagogues in every city of the empire where there were enough Jews to maintain one, and foreign synagogues flourished in Jerusalem.

Galilee, which in the days of the Maccabees was largely Gentile (I Macc. 5:21-23), was filled with synagogues in the time of Christ.

The synagogue was the social center where the Jewish inhabitants of a city gathered weekly to meet each other.

It was the educational medium for keeping the law before the people and for providing instruction for their children in the ancestral faith.

It was the substitute for temple worship, which was precluded by distance or by poverty.

In the synagogue the study of the law took the place of ritual sacrifice, the rabbi supplanted the priest, and the communal faith was applied to individual life.

Each synagogue had as its leader the "head of synagogue" (Mark 5:22), who was probably selected from among the elders by vote. The leader presided over the services in the synagogue, acted as instructor in case of any dispute (Luke 13:14), and introduced visitors to the assembly (Acts 13:15).

The synagogue attendant, or hazzan, acted as custodian of the property and had the responsibility of caring for the building and its contents. His duties included warning the village people of the beginning of the Sabbath on Friday afternoon and notifying them also of its close. Probably he was the official mentioned in Luke 4:20 who brought forth the roll of Scripture from which Jesus preached in the synagogue at Nazareth and who replaced the roll in its proper niche when He had finished reading from it. On occasion the hazzan served as the master of the local synagogue school.

The synagogue buildings were usually substantial structures of stone, sometimes richly furnished if the congregation or sponsor were wealthy. Every synagogue had a chest in which the roll of the law was kept, a platform with a reading desk from which the Scripture of the day was read, lamps for lighting the building, and benches or seats for the congregation.

Most of the equipment in use in the ancient synagogues still appears in their modern counterpart.

THE SYNAGOGUE SERVICE consisted of recitation of the Jewish Shema, "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. 6:4, 5),

This was accompanied by sentences of praise to God called Berakot because they began with the word "Blessed."

Following the Shema was a ritual prayer, concluding with an opportunity for individual silent prayer on the part of the members of the congregation.

The reading of the Scriptures, which came next, began with special sections of the law which were assigned to holy days; but as time went on the entire Pentateuch was divided into sections which gave a fixed cycle of one hundred fifty-four lessons to be read in a definite period of time. The Palestinian Jews read through the Pentateuch every three years, whereas the Babylonian Jews completed the reading in one year. The Prophets were also used, as Jesus' reading in the synagogue shows (Luke 4:16-.). Probably on that occasion Jesus Himself selected the reading.

A sermon followed the reading of the Scripture, explaining the portion which had been read. The sermon in the synagogue at Nazareth was in full keeping with the regular procedure of the day. The sermon was closed with a blessing, pronounced by some priestly member of the congregation. If no person with priestly qualifications was present, a prayer was substituted for the blessing.

Jesus Himself attended regularly the service of the synagogue and took part in it.

His disciples also had been accustomed to its ritual.

Paul in his travels visited the synagogues first whenever he entered strange cities, and he preached and debated with the Jews and proselytes who gathered to hear him.

The Church followed to some degree the procedure of the Synagogue. As a matter of fact, some early Christian worship may have been carried on within the synagogue; for the Epistle of James implies that the Christian community to whom it was written was still worshipping there (Jas. 2:1, 2).

Because of the summary and persistent rejection of the gospel of Christ by the Jewish people, the church and the synagogue parted company as it is today.

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The Mishnah and Talmud

THE MISHNAH AND THE TALMUD

The Pharisaic rabbis spent much time making oral comments on the Law. Those made in the first two centuries AD were compiled by Judah Hanasi about AD 200 to form the important collection known as the Mishnah. These rabbis were known as the 'Tannaim' (Teachers) and were chiefly concerned with decisions about regulations. A less important collection of their comments is known as the 'Tosefta' (enlargement).

The later expositions on the Mishnah by the 'Amoraim' (Expositors ) of Palestine and of Babylonia were known collectively as the Gemara (Completion). The combined text of the Mishnah and the related Gemara is known as the Talmud. These Pharisaic traditions form the basis of orthodox Judaism today.

Sermons commenting on the scriptures, known as 'Midrashim' were also compiled. The earlier Tannaitic Midrashim were mainly concerned with regulations They included commentaries on Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The later Amoraic Midrashim include much folklore and legendary materials. The greatest collection, the 'Midrash Rabbah' was not compiled until the sixth or seventh century AD. It includes commentaries on both the five books of the Law (the Pentateuch) and the five 'scrolls' of Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther.

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The Pharisees

THE PHARISEES

Closely linked with the scribes were the Pharisees. The name of the Pharisees literally means 'separated ones'. Their roots go back to the movement of  'the pious' (Hebrew Hasidim) who with the Maccabees, opposed attempts to introduce Greek elements into Jewish culture in the second century BC. Later they opposed the Maccabees when they combined secular and religious offices. They becamea group of laymen who had chosen to live in strictest adherence to scribal tradition and law. Although there were many scribes among the Pharisees who were leaders in their communities, the majority of Pharisees were simple, uneducated men. It was their extreme piety rather than their wisdom that set them apart from others, and they often went to great lengths to demonstrate that piety.

In Jerusalem the Pharisees lived in several communities. Membership was limited to men who had showed an ability to follow scribal teachings. Each community had a leader and followed a stringent set of rules. Members were required to fast twice a week, to observe fixed daily hours of prayer and to take part in a weekly communal meal. The Pharisees saw themselves as practicing the ideal way of life and were convinced that their communities would form the core of the community of the righteous in the Messiah's kingdom. They were often very critical of the people who did not live as they did. The people, on the other hand, looked up to them as models of perfect religious devotion.

The Pharisees are first mentioned as a distinct group under the high priest Jonathan. Unlike the Essenes, who looked for a kingdom of the new age, the Pharisees were willing to make compromises in order to survive as a distinct group. For this they were branded 'hypocrites' by the Essenes. On the other hand, as the Pharisees firmly believed in the resurrection, they clashed with the Sadducees. They held that 'he that says there is no resurrection of the dead has no share in the world to come'. The Sadducees were mainly priests, concerned with the temple worship practices; the Pharisees were primarily scribes, who interpreted the scriptures according to the oral law, which they held was as ancient as the written Law.

Their concern in interpreting the Law (the Torah) was first of all to apply the eternal Law to the changing circumstances of their day, by means of elaborate arguments. Secondly, they sought to 'make a hedge about the Law', that is, to take added precautions to prevent the breaking of the Law. For example, if the Law said that a task must be completed by morning, the rabbis went a step further and said that it should be completed by the previous midnight. A tailor should not place a needle in his clothes on Friday for fear he carry it with him and break the Sabbath law. It was this punctilious zeal for the letter of the Law which was condemned by Jesus as hypocrisy.

Not all Pharisees were hypocrites, however. In the generation before Jesus, Hillel, a famous rabbi who was originally from Babylonia, said: 'Do not do to others that which is hateful to you.' Hillel's grandson, Gamaliel, was the most famous rabbi of his day. The apostle Paul studied under him, and was until his conversion to Christianity a zealously sincere Pharisee. The Pharisees were also opposed to the revolutionary policy of the Zealots. The Pharisee leader Johanan ben Zakkai secured permission from the Emperor Vespasian to open a rabbinical school at Jamnia (Jabneh) near Jaffa, which enabled Pharisaism to survive the Jewish-Roman War.

THE PHARISEES  according to Josephus

The Pharisees were of more recent origin and were really the popular party. The term Pharisee means "separated,''  probably because they believed that one should separate himself from whatever contaminates religious purity before God. They originally appeared in the time of John Hyrcanus who was High Priest (134-104 BC), and were probably very encouraged by his great faithfulness to the Law. A feud broke out when they began to suspect him of temporal ambitions at the cost of his religion.

The Pharisees were regarded as exemplifying the religious ideal, and therefore were accepted as spiritual leaders, and as patriots par excellence. You can be sure that they represented as a whole the highest conceptions of religion to be found in the world at that time. A letter written in that time period declares:

"Regarding discussions and explanations of the Law they possessed great aptitude. They struck just the right balance, for they discarded the hard literalness of the letter, and were modest with regard to their own wisdom, and were ready to hold argument, to listen to the opinions of others, and to consider thoroughly every question that might be raised."

However much they are to be held responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus, it is only fair to say that they acted not from mere perversity, but from genuine conviction and with a good conscience. In their view, the State should be ruled by a priestly ruler who was prepared to enforce the ful1 observance of the Mosaic Law.

The "tradition of the elders" was simply the whole system of explanations, and these were examined on each case with the aid of an extraordinary method of reasoning. The question at issue when the disciples walked through the cornfield and plucked and ate the ears on the Sabbath (Mk 2:23-) was not that of stealing corn, but that rubbing the grain to remove the chaff constituted a case of threshing the corn, threshing being prohibited on the Sabbath. If the disciples had plucked the corn and eaten it without rubbing it between their hands, there would have been no reason for a dispute.

Josephus says that the Pharisees differed from the Sadducees and the Essenes on the question of the freedom of the will. As the Essenes were fatalists, and the Sadducees skeptics, the Pharisees declared that God foresaw everything, and yet that man could choose between good and evil. In the same passage (" The Jewish Wars " 2:8, 14), Josephus says that the Pharisees believed that the souls of good men come back to life again but in other bodies, whereas the bad are subject to eternal punishment under the earth. In regard to their customs, we learn that they lived simply without indulging in delicacies of diet, but tried to follow the direction of reason. They respected old people and their opinions. They offered prayers, performed sacrifices, and observed divine worship as prescribed in the Law, and Josephus does not hesitate to describe their conduct as entirely virtuous. Much can be said in their favor, and the more one reads of them the harder it is to be so condemning as is the norm. But the one obvious thing is that they lacked a sense of the inwardness of religion. With all the stress which they placed on externals, they missed the living heart, their religion was too much tradition and conformity to rules

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The Sadducees

SADDUCEES

The Sadducees were so named because they claimed to be descended from Zadok, the high priest at the time of King David and King Solomon. They consisted of the wealthy aristocratic families who controlled the office of high priest. They rejected belief in angels and the resurrection, but they were not liberal rationalists. Rather, they were staunch conservatives, who observed the Law of the Books of Moses (Pentateuch) and who rejected later interpretations of the law, the 'oral law'.

The Sadducees were angered at Jesus' cleansing the temple and at his teaching on the resurrection. It was Sadducean chief priests who condemned Jesus at a night-time trial and handed him over to Pilate. The Sadducees were primarily responsible for trying to suppress the preaching of Peter and the other apostles when they proclaimed that Jesus had risen from the dead. As the destruction of the temple in AD 70 destroyed their reason for existence, the Sadducees did not survive this period.

SADDUCEES VS. PHARISEES

In the time of Jesus there was much hostility between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. In many ways these two groups conflicted with each other. The Sadducees represented the privileged, conservative, traditional elite of Judaism. The Pharisees were the democratic, progressive new party of the common man. The Sadducees controlled the temple and its rituals, but the Pharisees controlled the synagogues.

The Pharisees openly challenged the privileged status of the Sadducees and criticized their easy tolerance of foreign rule. For the most part, the Pharisees opposed Roman rule, refused to take the oath of allegiance to the emperor and more than once participated in short revolts against Rome. (In 66 AD they led the nation in the great rebellion against Roman rule.) Though the Pharisees were represented on the Sanhedrin by the scribal members, the power there still rested with the Sadducees. The Pharisees were mostly influential in the realm of religious devotion and daily ritual.

But both parties united against Jesus. He brought about an uneasy alliance between these two groups. By threatening the privileged position of the Sadducees and at the same time challenging the basic scribal and Pharisaic precepts, he caused them to unite against Him. For their own very separate reasons, both parties saw this self-styled, unlearned Prophet from Galilee as a dangerous enemy, and together they concluded that he must be brought to trial and condemned to death.

THE SADDUCEES according to Josephus

During the life-time of Jesus, there were probably not more than about 5,000 of the Sadducees in Palestine, but they represented the rulers and the official order, and wore mostly resident in Jerusalem. The name of the sect is usually traced back to the priest Zadok, from whom they were all supposed to be descended. That is why they were more of a family than a religious sect. Josephus also tells us that the Sadducees often refused to take public office (" Antiquities " 18: 1, 4) and were sometimes compelled to do so by force.

All our real information about their beliefs and customs is derived directly from the New Testament and from Josephus (who himself was a Pharisee). Josephus is very clear in saying that the Sadducees believed that the souls of men "die with their bodies." They had no doctrine of the resurrection, an issue which they raised on one occasion with Christ (Mk 12:18-) and of this Paul took advantage at a later date (Acts 23:6). Josephus adds that they would not recognize anything in addition to what the Law commanded (they rejected the "tradition of the elders" (Mk 7:2-.).

In other passages (" The Jewish Wars " 1: 8, 14) Josephus adds further details which show their attachment with Epicurean philosophy: they deny providence, and declare that God is not concerned about our individual choice of right or wrong, a view which removes the idea of having a vital relationship with God, and leads towards skepticism. According to the New Testament, they were very skeptical about miracles and any unusual experience, and they did not believe in angels or spirits (Acts 23:8).

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Hebrew and Aramaic

HEBREW AND ARAMAIC

In the period between the writing of the Old and New Testaments HEBREW was replaced as the everyday language of the Jews by Aramaic. But the rabbis continued to use Hebrew in their learned deliberations, as we see from the Mishnah, the book of law written in that language. The majority of the Essene sect documents found among the Dead Sea Scrolls were written in Hebrew. When the actual words spoken are quoted in the New Testament they are often Aramaic, not Hebrew.

ARAMAIC is a Semitic language, originally used by the Aramaeans of Syria, which became widespread throughout the Near East as an international language. Because its alphabet was easier to use than the cumbersome cuneiform scripts used by the Assyrians and the Persians, they adopted it for diplomacy and commerce.

IMPERIAL ARAMAIC (700-200 BC) was quite uniform and is found on inscriptions from as far away as Anatolia and Afghanistan. Some passages in the Old Testament books of Ezra and of Daniel are written in this dialect. Other periods and dialects included:

MIDDLE ARAMAIC (200 BC-AD 200). After Alexander the Great had conquered the Near East and Greek had spread widely, various local dialects of Aramaic developed. From this period comes the Aramaic of the New Testament, of some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, of the Bar Cochba texts, of the Nabateans and of the Palmyreneans.

LATE ARAMAIC (AD 200-700). In this era the western branch of Aramaic included Samaritan, and Christian Palestinian Aramaic; the eastern branch included Syriac, Babylonian Talmudic Aramaic and Mandaic. When Jesus cried out on the cross 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani), He was speaking Aramaic. Many words in the New Testament are transliterations from the Aramaic. Peter's name Cephas is from 'kepha' (rock); Thomas is from 'toma' (twin). 'Bar' the Aramaic word for (son) occurs in such names as Bartholomew, Bar- Jonas, Barabbas and Bartimaeus. (The Hebrew word for son is 'ben' ). Golgotha is from 'golgolta' (skull); and Maranatha comes from 'maran' (our Lord) and 'eta' (come).

Apart from some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Bar-Cochba texts, only one extensive writing in Aramaic survives from Palestine in the New Testament period - the 'Megillat Tacanit' (The Scroll of Fasting). Almost all other Aramaic texts surviving are short inscriptions on the limestone boxes used for the deposit of the bones of the dead (ossuaries) dating from 100 BC to 70 AD. Of the twenty-nine inscribed ossuaries recovered on the Mount of Olives by one archaeologist, eleven were in Aramaic, seven in Hebrew and eleven in Greek.

Some time after the exile of the Jews to Babylon, Aramaic translations and paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures, called TARGUMS, were made for those who understood Aramaic better than Hebrew. We have targums for all the Old Testament books except Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The earliest extant targums are from Qumran on the Dead Sea. An extensive targum on portions of Job came from one cave and dates from 150-100 BC

The major- targum of the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, is known as Onkelos. It is quite a literal translation of the Hebrew and seems to have originated in Palestine, but was Later edited in Babylonia between the second and fifth centuries AD. The major targum of the books of the prophets is known as Jonathan. It was modeled on Onkelos, but is a less literal translation.

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List of Procurators in Judea

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION (Procurators)   Jews under Rome

From 6 AD, except for the brief rule of Agrippa I (41-44 AD), until the outbreak of the First Jewish War in 66 AD, a series of fourteen Roman governors ruled Judea.

The governor of Judea, known as a 'praefect' or 'procurator', came from the Roman equestrian class, and was subordinate to the legate of Syria at Damascus. Judea was considered a minor province; its governor had at his disposal only a small force of about 3,000 auxiliary soldiers, mostly stationed at Caesarea. On festival occasions, such as the Jewish Passover, a cohort of about 500 soldiers would be stationed in the Fortress of Antonia in Jerusalem, overlooking the temple grounds.

 Pontius Pilate governed from AD 26 to 36, under the Emperor Tiberius. He was a protégé of the powerful Sejanus, head of the praetorian guard in Rome. Pilate outraged the Jews by several tactless actions. For instance he used temple funds to build an aqueduct, and introduced military standards bearing the emperor's image into Jerusalem, which offended Jewish religious traditions. He met opposition with ruthless force. On the other hand, he yielded to Jewish pressures to have Jesus crucified as a royal pretender. This occurred either in 30, or as some writers have argued, in 33 after the fall of Sejanus, when Pilate's own position became insecure.

As his name Felix (Latin for 'fortunate') indicates, the governor of Judea from 52 to 60 AD was a freedman, or former slave. His brother Pallas was the secretary of the Roman treasury under the Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD).

The historian Tacitus says of him: 'With every sort of cruelty and lust he exercised royal functions in the spirit of a slave.'

It was his hope for a bribe which kept the apostle Paul imprisoned in Caesarea. When Festus (60-62) succeeded Felix as governor, Paul took advantage of his right as a Roman citizen to appeal direct to Caesar, who at that time was Nero.

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION THROUGH JEWISH EYES.

The greatest blow felt by the Jews was to their national pride. They believed that God had chosen them to be his special people. They looked forward to the day when the nations of the world would come to worship God in Jerusalem. Instead, the Romans and their puppet rulers desecrated their holy places, and insulted their laws and customs.

Herod the Great built a temple to Augustus in Caesarea. Inside it were statues of the emperor depicted as Zeus and Rome personified as Hera, statues the Jews considered idolatrous. In Caesarea and in Jerusalem Herod built theaters and amphitheaters. Games were held in both places every fourth year in honor of Augustus. The naked competitors greatly offended the Jews, as did the religious customs linked with the games. Worst of all, over the great gate of the temple in Jerusalem Herod placed a massive golden eagle- the symbol of Roman dominion.

Roman soldiers were stationed in Judea to keep in check the Parthians who came from an area north-east of Syria. They were never completely conquered by the Romans. The soldiers also kept the peace in Judea, prevented riots and ensured the safety of trade routes.

The army's headquarters was at Caesarea but a detachment was kept as a garrison in Jerusalem. Soldiers were always on duty in the outer temple area, and more were sent to Jerusalem at Passover time when pilgrims flocked to the city.

The Jews were left under no illusion as to who controlled their country. Uniformed soldiers were an everyday sight in their streets. The Jews were, however, exempt from military service because their law forbade the carrying of weapons on the Sabbath, and because soldiers were expected to take part in pagan religious ceremonies.

One of the most hated aspects of Roman domination was the heavy taxation. The provinces were expected to bear most of the cost of administering the empire. In the province of Syria income tax was 1 per cent of a man's income per year, but there were also export and import taxes, taxes levied on crops one-tenth of the grain crop and one-fifth of the wine, fruit and oil - purchase taxes, taxes payable on the transfer of property, emergency taxes, and so on.

A Roman official called a censor was responsible for collecting the revenue but he sold the right to extort it to the highest bidders. These TAX COLLECTORS demanded more money than was due and kept the difference for themselves. It is likely that they took bribes from the rich so it was the poor people who really paid for the Roman government.

There were frequent Jewish revolts against the Romans, triggered by ill treatment of the Jews. In the time of the procurator Ventidius Cumanus (48-52 AD) a Roman soldier threw a scroll of the Law into the fire. The Jews were so incensed that Cumanus was forced to have the soldier executed. Under Judas the Galilean the Jews revolted against the excessive taxes but the revolt was put down with great cruelty and all the rebels were executed (Acts 5:37). Because they longed to be free of Rome sects such as the Zealots openly rebelled, and the Essenes opted out of normal citizenship in their self-supporting community.

The occupation had some benefits. The Romans secured peace and built a good system of roads. This in turn encouraged trade. They often respected local customs, allowed religious freedom and a certain degree of self government. They built baths and government offices.

The Sanhedrin, (the Jewish council of seventy elders and the high priest which met in Jerusalem) had control of religious affairs and also administered government and justice under the authority of the Roman procurator. Although it tried certain criminal cases it does not seem to have had the right to enforce capital punishment, which is why Jesus had to be executed by Pilate, the Roman governor.

WHO WAS PONTIUS PILATE?

- Outside the New Testament, references to Pontius Pilate and his 10-year procuratorship in Judea are rare.

- The Roman historian Tacitus mentions him only in passing when noting "the execution of Christus, author of that sect, by the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius."

- But the Jewish historian Josephus recounts three incidents involving his rule:

First , Pilate deliberately offended Jews by sending soldiers into Jerusalem carrying images of the Roman emperor, but called them back after an angry crowd demonstrated in the streets.

Second, he sought to win favor by improving the Holy City's water supply, but Jews were outraged when he tried to use temple funds for the project. In the rioting that followed, several citizens were killed because Pilate's soldiers disregarded his orders to use batons rather than swords.

Third, Pilate was ordered by his superior Lucius Vitellius, the governor of Syria, to go back to Rome for an investigation after his forces ambushed and killed a gathering of religious fanatics in Samaria. According to tradition, he was tried and condemned to exile in France at Vienne-sur-Rhone, where he committed suicide during the reign of Caligula.

- The New Testament's authors were not unsympathetic to Pilate, and early Church fathers even thought of him as "a Christian by conscience."

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Herod and the Herodians

THE HERODS

The Idumaeans were a tribe who had been forced by the Nabatean Arabs westwards into southern Judea, where they had been forcibly converted to Judaism by the Hasmonean rulers of Palestine. The Idumaeans were for this reason Jews of a recent and suspect background. At the same time they were shrewd, and had no scruples about making political deals with the Romans for their own advantage.

ANTIPATER governed them from about 47 BC. He also served as an advisor to Hyrcanus, and gained the confidence of Pompey. When Julius Caesar was besieged in Alexandria in 48 BC it was Antipater who persuaded the Jews to aid Caesar. In gratitude Caesar gave the Jews important privileges.

Antipater's son, HEROD THE GREAT, was an opportunist of the highest order. During the tumultuous years of the Roman civil wars he skillfully shifted his allegiance from Pompey to Caesar to Antony to Octavian (Augustus). Because he was such an able soldier the Romans valued his services. He provided a strong buffer-state for Rome against the Nabatean Arabs to the south and the Parthians to the east.

Herod was appointed king of Judea by the Romans in 40 BC, and was supported by Roman soldiers in his fight to gain control of Judea in 37. From that time he relied on Gentile soldiers, including the Celtic bodyguard of Cleopatra which had been granted to him by Octavian. He transformed the ancient city of Samaria into Sebaste for his foreign mercenaries. He also built Palestine's first deep-water port of Caesarea.

Though successful in politics, Herod was bitterly unhappy in his private life. He married ten wives, including the beautiful Hasmonean princess, Mariamne. Though he loved her passionately, he suspected her of infidelity and had her executed. Later, in 7 BC, he had her two sons killed. When he found that his favorite son, Antipater, had been plotting against him, he had him executed- just five days before his own death in 4 BC. It was this paranoid monarch who ordered the massacre of the babies in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus.

Our system of dating BC/AD was devised by a monk in the sixth century AD. However, he miscalculated the reign of the Emperor Augustus by four years. Jesus must have been born before Herod's death in 4 BC, a date which has been established by astronomical calculations.

Herod's kingdom was divided between his THREE SONS:

ARCHELAUS inherited Judea;

ANTIPAS was given Galilee and Perea (Transjordan);

PHILIP inherited largely Gentile areas east of the Sea of Galilee.

Philip's rule was just and relatively uneventful. It was in Philip's territory that Jesus was transfigured, on the slopes of  Mount Hermon. At Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Hermon, Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ.

Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, was called 'that fox' by Jesus because of his craftiness. He was denounced by John the Baptist for his adulterous relationship with Herodias, the former wife of his half-brother. After a seductive dance by	her daughter, probably Salome, Antipas rashly promised her whatever she asked. He reluctantly fulfilled her request by presenting John's head on a dish to Herodias. It was her nagging insistence which proved to be Antipas' undoing. When he asked to be upgraded from tetrarch to king in AD 39, he was instead banished with his wife to France.

Archelaus was 'a chip off his father's block'. As his first official act, he slaughtered 3,000 of his enemies. When Joseph and Mary returned from Egypt, they wisely avoided his territory and settled in Galilee. Archelaus' rule was so oppressive that Jews and Samaritans united in successfully requesting his deposition in AD 6. This paved the way for direct rule by Roman governors.

HEROD'S BUILDINGS

Herod was a prodigious builder, as recent archaeological excavations have shown His rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, begun in 19 BC, was admired by Jesus' disciples, according to Mark, chapter 13. Final work on the temple was completed just six years before it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. All that remains today is the great platform whose western side is the Wailing Wall, where Jews today still lament the destruction of the temple.

Spectacular remains have also been uncovered at the fortress of Masada on the western shore and of Machaerus on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Machaerus was the fortress where John the Baptist was imprisoned. Other splendid structures from Herod's time have been found at Jericho, where Herod died, and at Herodium, where he was buried.

HEROD ANTIPAS, THAT FOX

- He was the most politically gifted of Herod the Great's sons.

- Herod Antipas inherited only part of his father's kingdom at the tyrant's death in 4 B.C.

- Although he was not a Jew by ancestry, Antipas reigned for 43 years as tetrarch of principally Jewish Galilee, firmly keeping the peace and respecting the religious beliefs of his subjects.

- His presence in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus' arrest andtrial, for example, indicates that he celebrated the Passover feast with a pilgrimage to the Holy City.

- Ambitious and luxury-loving, Antipas built the beautiful seaside town of Tiberias. (Ironically, the construction work uncovered an ancient cemetery, making the site ritually impure to observant Jews, and Antipas was forced to populate his new capital with foreigners and people of the lower classes.)

- On the international stage, he won the respect of Rome as a skilled and loyal diplomat.

- Antipas's downfall began when he fell in love with Herodias, who was both his niece and sister-in-law. His enraged wife, the daughter of a Nabatean king, escaped to her native land, and her father punished his  son-in law with a disastrous military defeat.

- In the New Testament, Jesus calls Antipas "that fox," perhaps referring to his cleverness, but the tetrarch is also shown submitting to the wiles of Herodias when he orders the execution of John the Baptist.

- She was also responsible for his final, fateful error. Jealous that her brother Agrippa had been elevated to a kingship, she urged Antipas to go with her to Rome to ask Caligula for a crown, too. The emperor, convinced by letters from Agrippa that Antipas was a traitor, banished the tetrarch to Gaul in A.D. 39. The proud Herodias was offered sanctuary in Rome, but she chose exile with her husband instead.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Deity of Jesus
The Diety of Jesus

Scriptures that Reveal the Diety of Jesus

References taken from Naves topical Bible

Exod 23:20-21

20	"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

21	"Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.

Num 21:6

6	So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

Ps 45:6-7

6	Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

7	You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Ps 102:24-27

24	I said, "O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; your years are throughout all generations.

25	Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26	They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed.

27	But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.

Ps 110:1

1	The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."

Isa 6:1

1	In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Isa 7:14

14	"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isa 8:13-14

13	The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.

14	He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Isa 9:6

6	For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isa 40:3

3	The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:9-10

9	O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"

10	Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

Mal 3:1

1	"Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

Matt 1:23

23	"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Matt 3:3

3	For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.' "

Matt 8:29

29	And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

Matt 9:6

6	"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."

Matt 11:10

10	"For this is he of whom it is written: `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'

Matt 22:43-45

43	He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him `Lord,' saying:

44	`The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '?

45	"If David then calls Him `Lord,' how is He his Son?"

Matt 28:17-18

17	When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18	And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Mark 5:6-7

6	When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

7	And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."

Luke 4:12

12	And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, `You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Luke 4:33-34

33	Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,

34	saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are-- the Holy One of God!"

Luke 8:28

28	When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!"

Luke 9:43-44

43	And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,

44	"Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."

John 1:1-2

1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2	He was in the beginning with God.

John 5:17-18

17	But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

18	Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

John 5:21-23

21	"For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

22	"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

23	"that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 10:30-33

30	"I and My Father are one."

31	Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

32	Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"

33	The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."

John 12:41

41	These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

John 12:45

45	"And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

John 20:28

28	And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Acts 7:37-39

37	"This is that Moses who said to the childrenof Israel, `The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.'

38	"This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us,

39	"whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,

Acts 20:28

28	"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Rom 1:7

7	To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 1:3

3	Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 2:8

8	which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1 Cor 8:6

6	yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

1 Cor 10:9

9	nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;

1 Cor 15:47

47	The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.

2 Cor 1:2

2	Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:1-2

1	Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),

2	and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

Eph 1:2

2	Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 6:23-24

23	Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24	Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Phil 1:2

2	Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Col 1:2

2	To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thes 1:1

1	Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thes 3:11

11	Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.

II Th 1:1-2

1	Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2	Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

II Th 2:16-17

16	Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,

17	comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

1 Tim 3:16

16	And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.

2 Tim 1:2

2	To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Titus 2:13

13	looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Heb 1:8

8	But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.

Heb 1:10

10	And: "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

1 Pet 2:8

8	and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

I Jn 5:20

20	And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Names of Jesus

THE NAMES OF JESUS

-NAMES, APPELLATIONS, AND TITLES OF

.Adam

.Advocate

.Almighty

.Alpha and Omega

.Amen

.Angel

.Angel of his presence

.Anointed

.Apostle

.Arm of the Lord

.Author and Finisher of our faith

.Beginning and end of the creation of God

.Beloved

.Blessed and only Potentate

.Branch

.Bread of life

.Bridegroom

.Bright and Morning Star

.Brightness of the Father's glory

.Captain of the Lord's host (army)

.Captain of Salvation

.Carpenter

.Carpenter's son

.Chief Shepherd

.Chief Cornerstone

.Chiefest among ten thousand

.Child

.Chosen of God

.Christ

.The Christ (Messiah)

.Christ, a King

.Christ Jesus

.Christ Jesus our Lord

.Christ of God

.Christ, the chosen of God

.Christ the Lord

.Christ, the power of God

.Christ the wisdom of God

.Christ, the Son of God

.Christ, Son of the Blessed

.Commander

.Consolation of Israel

.Cornerstone

.Counselor

.Covenant of the people

.David

.Daysman

.Dayspring

.Day Star

.Deliverer

.Desire of all nations

.Door, the

.Elect

.Emmanuel

.Ensign

.Eternal Life

.Everlasting Father

.Faithful and True

.Faithful Witness, the

.Faithful and true witness, the

.Finisher of faith

.First and last

.First begotten

.First begotten of the dead

.Firstborn

.Foundation

.Fountain

.Forerunner

.Friend of sinners

.Gift of God

.Glory of Israel

.God (deity)

.God blessed forever

.God manifest in the flesh

.God of Israel, the Saviour

.God of the whole earth

.God our Saviour

.God's dear Son

.God with us

.Good Master

.Governor

.Great Shepherd of the sheep

.Head of the ekklesia (body)

.Heir of all things

.High priest

.Head of every man

.Head of the corner

.Holy child Jesus

.Holy one

.Holy one of God

.Holy one of Israel

.Holy thing

.Hope (our)

.Horn of salvation

.I AM

.Image of God

.Israel

.Jehovah

.Jehovah's fellow

.Jesus

.Jesus Christ

.Jesus Christ our Lord

.Jesus Christ our Saviour

.Jesus of Nazareth

.Jesus (of Nazareth), King of the Jews

.Jesus, the Son of God

.Jesus, the Son of Joseph

.Judge

.Just man, Just person, Just One

.King

.King of Israel

.King of the Jews

.King of Saints

.King of Kings

.King of Glory

.King of Zion

.King over all the earth

.Lamb

.Lamb of God

.Lawgiver

.Leader

.Life

.Light

.Light, everlasting

.Light of the world

.Light to the Gentiles

.Light, true

.Living Bread, the

.Living Stone

.Lion of the tribe of Judah

.Lord

.Lord of Lords

.Lord of all

.Lord our righteousness

.Lord God Almighty

.Lord from heaven

.Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

.Lord Christ

.Lord Jesus

.Lord Jesus Christ

.Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour

.Lord of glory

.Lord of Hosts (armies)

.Lord, mighty in battle

.Lord of the dead and living

.Lord of the sabbath

.Lord over all

.Lord's Christ

.Lord, strong and mighty

.Lord, the, our righteousness

.Lord, your holy one

.Lord, your redeemer

.Man Christ Jesus

.Man of sorrows

.Master

.Mediator, the only

.Cf

.Messenger of the covenant

.Messiah

.Messiah the Prince

.Mighty God

.Mighty one of Israel

.Mighty one of Jacob

.Mighty to save

.Minister of the sanctuary

.Morning Star

.Most holy

.Most mighty

.Nazarene

.Offspring of David

.Only begotten (Greek monogenes: one and only, unique)

.Only begotten (Greek monogenes: one and only, unique) of the Father

.Only begotten (Greek monogenes: one and only, unique) Son (the best mss. have "God" instead of "Son" here)

.Only wise God, our Saviour

.Overseer

.Passover, our

.Plant of renown

.Potentate

.Power of God

.Physician

.Precious Cornerstone

.Priest

.Prince

.Prince of Life

.Prince of Peace

.Prince of the kings of the earth

.Prophet

.Propitiation (expiation, our Sin-offering)

.Rabbi, Rabboni

.Ransom

.Redeemer

.Resurrection and the Life, the

.Redemption

.Righteous Branch

.Righteous Judge

.Righteous Servant

.Righteousness

.Rock

.Rock of Offence

.Root of David

.Root of Jesse

.Rose of Sharon

.Ruler in Israel

.Salvation

.Sanctification

.Sanctuary

.Saviour

.Saviour, Jesus Christ

.Saviour of the body (ekklesia)

.Saviour of the world

.Sceptre

.Second Man, the

.Seed of David

.Seed of the woman

.Servant

.Servant of rulers

.Shepherd

.Shepherd and Overseer of souls

.Shepherd, Chief

.Shepherd, Good

.Shepherd, Great

.Shepherd of Israel

.Shiloh

.Son of the Father

.Son of God

.See JESUS, SON OF GOD

.Son of Man

.See JESUS, SON OF MAN

.Son of the Blessed One (God)

.Son of the Highest One (God)

.Son of David

.Star

.Sun of Righteousness

.Surety (Guarantee)

.Stone

.Stone of Stumbling

.Sure Foundation

.Teacher

.True God

.True Vine

.Truth

.Unspeakable Gift

.Very Christ

.Vine, the

.Way, the

.Which is, which was, which is to come (equivalent to the tetragrammaton (YHWH), the Eternal One, I AM THAT I AM

.Wisdom

.Wisdom of God, the

.Witness

.Wonderful

.Word

.Word of God

.Word of Life

(Outline from Nave's Topical Bible)

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Time Charts

Time Line (Mostly Historical)

BC

343 Egypt: Artaxerxes III of Persia recaptures Egypt and founds the 31st dynasty,

which lasts to 332. Rome: First Samnite War between Rome and the Samnites and Latins (to 341).

340 Macedonia conquers Thrace.

339 Greece: Fourth Sacred War, between Macedonia and Athens (to 338).

338 Philip of Macedon defeats Athenian and Theban forces at battle of Chaeronea. He unites all Greece under his rule. Rome: tribes and cities of Latin League revolt against Rome. Romans are victorious at Trifanum, and the League is dissolved. Persia: Artaxerxes lil is assassinated; succeeded by Darius lil (336-320).

336 Greece: Philip of Macedon is murdered. He is succeeded by his son, Alexander III, known as "the Great."

334 Alexander the Great begins campaign against Persia and defeats Darius III in Anatolia.

333 Alexander the Great defeats Darius III again at battle of Issus. He takes the city of Tyre after siege. End of Phoenician empire.

332 Alexander invades and conquers Egypt. Work begins on construction of his new city, Alexandria.

331 Alexander renews Persian campaign and defeats Darius III at Arbela.

330 Darius III is assassinated, leaving Alexander in control of Persia.

327 Alexander begins invasion of India.

326 Second Samnite War (to 304). Roman troops are defeated and humiliated. During the war Appius Claudius builds the Appian Way from Rome to Capua, near Naples, to help move Roman troops more easily to the war area.

323 Alexander dies at Babylon, aged 33. His body is buried at Alexandria, Egypt. Alexander the Great's generals argue over division of his empire (to 319). Ptolemy rules in Egypt (to 285). Hellenistic period begins (to 31).

321 India: Chandragupta founds Mauryan dynasty (to 184).

320 Judah: Ptolemy captures Jerusalem. Libya: Egypt takes Libya as a province. Syria: Seleucus, one of Alexander's generals, begins to take control.

310 Italy: The Etruscans join the Samnites in attacking Rome, but are defeated at Lake Vadimo.

307 Greece: Two of Alexander's generals rule the country, both taking the title of king as Antigonus I and Demetrius I. Other governors follow their example.

306 A trade treaty is agreed between Rome and Carthage.

305 Egypt: Ptolemy I takes the title of king. Babylon: Seleucus I becomes king, founding Seleucid dynasty.

304 Italy: Rome makes peace with the Samnites and other enemies and gains land in area around Naples. India: Seleucus gives up his claim on India to Chandragupta in exchange for 500 elephants.

301 Central America: Mayan civilization begins to spread south. Greece: Antigonus I killed in battle of Issus against Seleucus I and his allies. Seleucus rules Syria, and Ptolemy rules Palestine and Egypt.

300 Treaty between Rome and Carthage.

298 Gauls join Samnites and Latins against Rome in the Third Samnite War (to 290). It ends in Roman victory.

287 Rome: Full equality between patricians and plebeians is agreed. Greece: Birth of Archimedes, mathematician (dies 212).

285 Egypt: Reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (to 246).

276 Greece: Antigonus II Gonatus rules (to 239)

c. 276 Greece: Birth of Euclid, mathematician (dies 194)

273 India: King Asoka rules Mauryan empire (to 232), uniting central and northern India. He becomes a Buddhist.

264 First Punic War between Rome and Carthage (to 241) begins a century of struggle for control of the Mediterranean.

254 Rome takes Panormus in Sicily from Carthage.

250 Judea is part of Ptolemaic empire based in Egypt (to 198). Hebrew scriptures are translated into Greek. Apollonius a Greek mathematician begins work in astronomy (to 220).

246 Egypt: Ptolemy III rules (to 221).

241 Peace between Rome and Carthage. Sicily becomes first Roman province.

238 Carthaginians begin conquest of Spain.

237 Rome: Birth of Scipio Africanus, the general who leads Rome in the Second Punic War (dies 183).

225 Romans defeat Celts at Telamon in Italy.

223 Antiochus III, the Great, succeeds his father and restores power of Seleucid empire (to 187).

221 China: Qin dynasty unites the country for the first time in one empire (to 207). Greece: Philip V rules Macedonia (to 179). Egypt: Ptolemy IV Philopater rules (to 203).

218 Second Punic War (to 202). Hannibal crosses the Alps with elephants.

217 Hannibal defeats Roman army at Lake Trasimene in Italy.

216 Hannibal wins another great victory, at Cannae, inflicting one of the worst defeats the Romar s suffer.

215 Hannibal is defeated by the Roman, Marcellus, at Nola in southern Italy.

214 Rome: Marcellus begins conquest of Sicily, completed in 210. China: Construction of the Great Wall begins.

212 China: To maintain his position of power the emperor, Shi Huangdi, has all historical documents burned and books are banned. After this time a silk-based material is used for writing on, and Chinese script is standardized.

211 First Macedonian War, in which the Macedonians and the Carthaginians fight Rome (to 205).

206 Rome: Scipio defeats the Carthaginians in Spain.

205 Egypt: Reign of Ptolemy V Epiphanes (to 181).

203-201 Africa: Hannibal is recalled to Carthage to repel a Roman invasion by Scipio. Scipio defeats Hannibal at Zama and ends Second Punic War. Carthage surrenders Spain and Mediterranean lands and Carthaginian fleet is destroyed.

202 China: Reign of the Han dynasty (to A.D. 9), founded by Lui Pang.

200 Second Macedonian War between Greeks and Philip V of Macedon (to 196). With the help of the Romans, the Greeks are victorious, and Philip is forced to surrender Greece.

198 Judea part of Seleucid empire under Antiochus III and IV (to 166).

196 Hannibalis political reforms in Carthage make him unpopular. His enemies force him to flee into exile.

192 Syrian War (to 189). Antiochus III defeated in war with Rome.

190 Greece: Birth of Hipparchus, astronomer (dies 120).

c. 185 India: Last Mauryan king overthrown.

184 India: Reign of the Sunga dynasty (to 172), founded in the Ganges Valley, by Pushayanitra.

183 Hannibal commits suicide to avoid being captured by the Romans.

180 Egypt: Ptolemy VI Philometor rules (to 145).

180 Africa: early Meroitic writing appears.

179 Perseus, son of Philip V of Macedonia, continues war with Rome (to 167).

175 Antiochus IV Epiphanes is king of Seleucid empire (to 163).

171 Third Macedonian War (to 167). Macedonians under Perseus attack Rome once again.

170 Egypt: Antiochus IV invades the country and captures Ptolemy VI. The Egyptians proclaim his brother, Ptolemy Vl11 Euergetes, king. Antiochus withdraws, and the two brothers reign jointly.

168 In the battle of Pydna the Romans defeat the Macedonians and capture their leader, Perseus.

167 Judah: Antiochus begins persecution of the Jews. The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated to the worship of the Greek god, Zeus. Judah: Jews, under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, rebel against the persecution of Antiochus IV (to 164, when Jewish worship is restored).

160 Judah: Judas Maccabeus is killed in battle against Syrians. His brother, Jonathan, leads the Jews (to 143).

155 China: Early writings are compiled, including important Taoist manuscripts.

149 Third Punic War (to 146) leads to destruction of Carthage by Romans under Scipio the Younger.

149 Fourth Macedonian War (to 148). Macedon is conquered and becomes a Roman province.

145 Egypt: Ptolemy VII rules under the regency of his mother, Cleopatra II. Ptolemy VIII seizes the throne (to 116).

143 Judea: Simon Maccabeus, Judas's second brother, leads the Jews (to 134).

141 Judea: Jews liberate Jerusalem. Judea proclaimed an independent kingdom.

140 China: Emperor Wu Ti expands the empire (to 87).

135 First Servile War - revolt of Roman slaves in Sicily crushed (to 132).

134 Judea: John Hyrcanus, son of Simon Maccabeus, rules (to 104).

124 China: philosophical teachings of Confucius become official.

116 Egypt: PtolemyVIII dies; Ptolemaic empire is split up; years of strife follow.

111 China: Eastern and southern areas are subjugated (to 110). Africa: War breaks out between Rome and Jugurtha, King of Numidia.

110 India: Munda kings reign in the Deccan, central region (to 225 AD).

108 Wu Ti, emperor of China, conquers Korea.

106 Galus Marius elected Roman consul and sent to Africa.

105 Africa: Marius and Sulla defeat the Numidian Jugurtha. He is taken to Rome and executed.

104 Judea: Aristobulus I is king (to 103).

103 Judea: Alexander Janneus rules (to 76). Second Servile War (to 99) - a revolt by slaves in Rome.

100 China: A general history and standard religious texts are compiled, along with a list of Chinese literature.

91 War between Rome and Italian cities.

90 Judea: Revolt of Pharisees occurs.

89 Rome: Roman army under Sulla regains control of Italy; all Italians are granted Roman citizenship.

88 Anatolia: First Mithradatic War (to 84). Rome fights Mithradates IV of Pontus.

88 Civil war is waged in Rome (to 82). Sulla is victorious.

87 Anatolia: Sulla defeats Mithradates and takes Athens. China: Death of Wu Ti leads to a period of disorder.

83 Anatolia: Second Mithradatic War (to 81). Romans successfully invade Pontus.

82 Sulla becomes dictator of Rome. He launches a vicious attack on all his opponents and many are killed.

78 Rome: Sulla dies. Revolt of Lepidus is defeated by Pompey fhe Great, who rules with Crassus.

78 India: Most of northern India is under the rule of Kanishka l of Kushan dynasty (to 100 AD).

76 Judea: Saiome- 41exandra rules (to 67).

74 Anatolia: Third: Mithradatic War (to 64). Mithradates takes Bithynia, which Rome claims.

73 Anatolia: Lucullus and the Roman army defeat Mithradates and occupy Pontus. Rome: Spartacus leads slave revolt in Third Servile War (to 71); it is crushed by Pompey and Crassus.

70 Rome: Birth of Virgil, poet (dies 19 B.C.). His most famous work is the Aeneid, the story of Aeneas after the fall of Troy.

67 Judea: Hyrcanus II rules. Civil war breaks out between his forces and those of his brother Aristobulus II.

65 Pompey and the Roman army invade Syria and conquer Palestine. Rome: Birth of Horace (dies 8 B.C.), poet and satirist. He wrote Ars Poetica and Odes.

63 Judea: Pompey captures Jerusalem, annexes Syria and Judea. Aristobulus II, King of Judea, dies; Mithradates IV of Syria commits suicide; and Hyrcanus II becomes high priest of Judea.

61 Rome: Julius Caesar wins his first major victories, in Spain.

60 Triumvirate joint rule by three people) of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus in Rome.

58 Caesar is appointed governor of Gaul, part of present day France. (The Gauls are a branch of the Celts.) 55 Caesar conquers northern Gaul and attempts unsuccessfully to invade Britain.

54 Second invasion of Britain by Caesar. Cassivellaunus, a powerful British leader, agrees to pay tribute to Rome.

53 Crassus is killed at battle of Carrhae against the Parthians.

52 Pompey appointed sole consul in Rome. Gauls rebel under their leader Vercingetorix, but are crushed by the Romans.

51 Caesar completes conquest of Gaul. Egypt: Cleopatra VII and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, become joint rulers of Egypt.

50 Rome: Rivalry between Caesar and Pompey comes to a head. Buddhism spreads along the Silk Road to China from India.

49 Senate orders Caesar to give up control of Gaul. He crosses the Rubicon into Italy to start civil war. Pompey flees to Greece.

48 Caesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalus in Greece. Pompey flees to Egypt.

47 Pompey is assassinated, possibly by order of Cleopatra. Caesar conquers Cleopatra’s enemies. Judea: Antipater becomes procurator of Judea; his son Herod becomes governor of Galilee.

45 Rome: Caesar defeats Pompey's son, Sextus, in Africa and crushes a mutiny in the Tenth Legion. He becomes virtual dictator of Rome. Caesar introduces Julian calendar and adopts his nephew, Octavian, as his heir.

44 Caesar is assassinated by a group of Romans led by Brutus and Cassius.

43 Rome: Second Triumvirate is formed by Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus. Birth of Ovid, the poet who wrote Metamorphoses (dies 17 AD). Cicero, the orator, is put to death for denouncing Mark Antony.

42 Rome: Triumvirate defeats Brutus and Cassius at the battle of Philippi.

37 Judea: Reign of Herod the Great (to 4 BC). Rome: Triumvirate is renewed for five years. Mark Antony, already married to Octavia (the sister of Octavian), also marries Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.

36 Octavian's fleet defeats that of Pompey's son, Sextus.

32 Octavian declares war on Antony and Cleopatra.

31 Battle of Actium, at which Octavian defeats Antony and Cleopatra.

30 Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide. Octavian declares Egypt a Roman province.

27 Rome: Octavian given supreme power by the Roman Senate, thus effectively ending the Roman Republic. He takes the title Augustus and becomes the first emperor of Rome (to 14 AD).

15 Roman empire extended to the upper Danube.

12 Revolt in Pannonia (part of present-day Slovenia) quelled by Augustus' stepson, Nero.

5 Judea: Probable year of birth of Jesus of Nazareth, at Bethlehem.

4 Judea: Herod the Great dies; his kingdom is split between his three sons.

AD

5 Rome acknowledges Cymbeline King of Britain. China: Wang Mang establishes the short Hsin dynasty (to 23).

14 Rome: Augustus dies and is succeeded by Tiberius Caesar.

23 Rome: Birth of Pliny, writer (dies 79).

25 China: Reign of later Han dynasty (to 220).

26 Judea: Pontius Pilate is procurator (to 36).

27 Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist.

30 Crucifixion of Jesus.

31 Martyrdom of St. Stephen.

32 Saul is converted to Christianity and becomes Paul.

37 Rome: Tiberius dies and is succeeded by Caligula (to 41 AD). Judea: Herod Agrippa becomes king of northern Palestine.

41 Rome: Assassination of Caligula. Claudius becomes emperor (to 54 AD),

42 Mauretania (modern Morocco) becomes a province of Rome.

43 Britain: Romans invade under Aulus Plautius. China: Ma Yuan conquers Tonkin and Annam.

45 Paul begins his missionary journeys in the eastern Mediterranean to spread Christianity. China: Birth of Pan Chao, (sister of General Ban Chao), historian, poet, astronomer, mathematician, and educator (dies 115).

54 Rome: Claudius is assassinated; 	succeeded by Nero (to 68).

58 China: Emperor Ming Ti introduces Buddhism.

61 Britain: Boudicca (Boadicea) of the Iceni leads a revolt against the Romans. It fails and Boudicca dies. 64 Rome: Fire destroys the city of Rome. The Christians are blamed for it and they are subsequently persecuted. St. Peter is executed.

65 St. Mark's Gospel is written.

66 Jewish revolt against the Romans (to 70).

67 Martyrdom of St. Paul.

68 Rebellion in Rome. Nero commits suicide.

69 Rome: "Year of the Four Emperors:" Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. Vespasian defeats Vjtellius to become emperor of Rome (to 79). Founds Flavian dynasty of emperors.

70 Titus (Vespasian's son) destroys Jerusalem and suppresses Jewish revolt. First Diaspora (expulsion of Jews) takes place. St. Matthew's Gospel is written.

73 Jewish stronghold at Masada falls to the Romans.

74 China: General Ban Chao brings states of Turkestan to submission and opens silk trade to the Roman empire (to 94).

75 St. Luke's Gospel is written.

77 Britain: Agricola governs Britain (to 84).

78 India Second Kushan dynasty (to 96).

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Sea of Galilee

THE SEA OF GALILEE

- At 680 feet below sea level, the Sea of Galilee is the world's lowest freshwater lake with a length of about 13 miles, a width of up to 8 miles, and a depth of as much as 150 feet.

- Also known in ancient times as the Lake of Gennesaret, the Sea of Tiberias, and the Sea of Chinnereth (the name of an important shore town).

- The water is deep blue in a semitropical climate,

- It is fed by the Jordan River in the north and surrounded by the verdant fields and orchards of Galilee.

- Often, however, fierce storms abruptly rise up and toss the waters about-as happened when Jesus lay asleep in his disciples' boat. In the north, there is scant protection from strong winds; southward, turbulence can spring up without warning because of temperature shifts between the low-lying lake and the hills around it.

- In Jesus' day, the fishing industry contributed to the wealth of the region. Dried, salted fish were exported throughout Palestine and to lands beyond. Simon Peter and Andrew were working their nets here when Jesus called them to become "fishers of men."

- The headquarters for his Galilean ministry was the seaside town of Capernaum.

- Mary Magdalene came from the nearby hamlet of Magdala.

- Here Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish and exorcised the demons from a possessed man, driving them into a herd of swine.

- Here, too, Jesus appeared to his disciples after the Resurrection, ending his earthly mission by charging commanding Peter to feed His sheep.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Historical Time Chart

HISTORICAL TIME CHART (Biblical and Historical)

Note: Biblical dating follows that of several scholars in my Bibliography, esp. Whitcomb and Boyer. Some dates are uncertain. There is also some overlap, especially in the case of the judges and the kings.

  B.C.

2090     Abraham called by God

2067     Isaac born

2007     Jacob born

1992     Abraham dies

1944     Isaac dies

1877     Jacob arrives in Egypt

1860     Jacob dies in Egypt

1806     loseph dies in Egypt

1730     Hyksos invasion of Egypt; Hebrews bondage begins.

1728     Hammurabi of Sumer born

1570     Hyksos expelled from Egypt; Amose I founds 18th dynasty

1548     Amenhotep I becomes pharaoh of Egypt

             Hebrew midwives ordered to destroy all Hebrew male children

1528     Thutmose I becomes pharaoh

             All newborn Hebrew males are to be cast into the Nile

1525     Moses born

1510     Thutmose II becomes pharaoh

1504     Hatshepsut becomes pharaoh

1487     Moses pees Egypt

1483     Thutmose III becomes pharaoh

             The great oppression of the Hebrews begins

1450     Amenhotep II becomes pharaoh

1447     The Exodus begins

1446     The Tabernacle constructed

1423     Thutmose IV becomes pharaoh

1410     Amenhotep III becomes pharaoh

1407	Moses dies; Joshua conquers Canaan

1400	Conquest of Canaan completed

1377	Akhnaton becomes pharaoh; inaugurates monotheistic reforms

1375	Othniel becomes judge

1319	Ehud becomes judge

1318	Rameses I founds the 19th dynasty in Egypt

1240	Deborah and Barak judge Israel

1194	Gideon becomes judge

1167	Eli born

1155	Abimelech usurps power in Israel

1152	Tola becomes judge

1131	Jair becomes judge

1109	Eli becomes priest

1105	Samuel born

1089	Jephthah becomes judge

1083 	Ibzan becomes judge

1071	Elon becomes judge

               Samson becomes judge

1069	Samuel begins to minister

1066	Abdon becomes judge

1043	Saul becomes king

1011	Saul and Jonathan slain

                David becomes king of Judah

1004	David becomes king over all Israel

 971	Solomon ascends the throne

 966	Solomon begins to build the Temple in Jerusalem

 945	Sheshhonk ( Shishak) becomes pharaoh of Egypt

 931	Rehoboam becomes king of Israel and Judah

Jeroboam rebels; sets Up a rival kingdom in the north

 913	Abijam becomes king of Judah

 911	Asa becomes king of Judah

 910	Nadab becomes king of Israel

 909	Bausha becomes king of Israel

 890 	Benhadad becomes king of Syria

 886 	Elah becomes king of Israel

Zimri becomes king of Israel

 885	Tibni becomes king of Israel

 883	Ashurbanipal II becomes king of Assyria

 880	Omri becomes king of Israel

 874	Ahab becomes king of Israel

 873	Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah

 859	Shalmaneser III becomes king of Assyria

 858	Elijah begins to prophesy

 853	Ahaziah becomes king of Israel

 	Jehoram becomes king of Judah

 852	Joram becomes king of Israel

Elisha begins to prophesy

 841	Jehu becomes king of Israel

Ahaziah becomes king of Judah

Athaliah seizes the throne of Judah

Hazael becomes king of Syria

 835	Joash becomes king of Judah

 830	Joel prophecies

 814	Jehoahaz becomes king of Israel

 801	Benhadad II becomes king of Syria

 798	Jehoash becomes king of Israel

 796	Amaziah becomes king of Judah

 790	Uzziah becomes co-regent of Judah

 783	Shalmaneser IV becomes king of Assyria

 783	Jonah begins his ministry

 782	Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel

 776	Olympic games begin in Greece

 767	Uzziah becomes full king of Judah

 764	Amos begins to prophesy

 755	Hosea begins to prophesy

 753	Rome founded

                Zechariah becomes king of Israel

 752	Shallum becomes king of Israel

                Menahem becomes king of Israel

 745	Tiglath-pileser III becomes king of Assyria

 742	Pekahiah becomes king of Israel

 740	Pekah becomes king of Israel

 739	Uzziah dies; Isaiah begins to prophesy

                Jotham becomes king of Judah

 736	Micah begins to prophesy

 735	Ahaz becomes king of Judah

 732	Hoshea becomes king of Israel

 727	Shalmaneser IV becomes king of Assyria

 722	Sargon II becomes king of Assyria Samaria falls; the ten tribes go into captivity

 715	Hezekiah becomes king of Judah

 705	Sennacherib becomes king of Assyria

 701	Judah invaded by the Assyrians

 686	Manasseh becomes king of Judah

 681	Esarhaddon becomes king of Assyria

 669	Ashurbanipal becomes king of Assyria

 660	Zoroaster born

 648	Nahum predicts the fall of Nineveh

 642	Amon becomes king of Judah

 640	Josiah becomes king of Judah

 634	Zephaniah begins to prophesy

 627	Jeremiah begins to prophesy

 626	Nabopolasser becomes king of Babylon

 622	Revival in Judah

 619	Habakkuk begins to prophesy

 612	Nineveh falls

 609	Neco II becomes pharaoh of Egypt

 	Jehoahaz becomes king of Judah

Jehoiakim becomes king of Judah

 605	Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon

The Babylonians invade Judah Daniel begins to prophesy

 597	Jehoachin becomes king of Judah

Zedekiah becomes king of Judah

 593	Ezekiel begins to prophesy

 586	The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple

 	The Jews deported to Babylon Gedaliah becomes governor of Jerusalem

The rabbis preempt the priests as the chief custodians of divine truth

 563	Buddhism founded by Siddhartha

 553	Belshazzar becomes regent in Babylon

 550	Cyrus becomes king of Persia

The temple of Artemis erected at Ephesus

 550	Confucius begins to teach

 539	Babylon falls to the Medes and Persians

Darius the Mede rules in Babylon

 538	Zerubbabel and Joshua lead a small party of Jewish repatriates back to Palestine

 536	The Temple started in Jerusalem

 530	Cambyses becomes king of Persia

 521	Smerdis becomes king of Persia

Darius I Hystapses becomes king of Persia

 520	Zechariah begins to prophesy

Haggai begins to prophesy

Construction of the Jerusalem Temple resumed

 516	The Temple completed

 509	The Roman Republic founded

 486	Xerxes becomes king of Persia

 484	Herodotus the historian born

 480	The Greeks defeat Xerxes at Salamis

 479	The Greeks defeat Xerxes at Thermopalye

 478	Esther becomes queen of Persia and later saves the Jews of the empire from extermination

 473	The Feast of Purim started

 469	Socrates born

 464	Artaxerxes Longimanus becomes king of Persia

 458	Ezra takes a small contingent of Jews back to Palestine

 447	The building of the Parthenon commenced

 445	Nehemiah takes a small contingent of Jews back to Palestine

 443	Nehemiah and Ezra read the Scriptures to the Jews and help them understand them; the first delicate roots of the Midrash begin to sprout; the Sopherim (Scribes) flourish

 436	Malachi begins to prophesy

 423	Darius II becomes king of Persia

 404	Artaxerxes II becomes king of Persia

 400	The Midrash begins to develop

 399	Socrates condemned to death

 359	Artaxerxes III becomes king of Persia

Philip becomes king of Macedonia

 342	Epicurius teaches his philosophy

 336 	Darius III Codomannus becomes king of Persia

                Alexander the Great becomes king of Greece

 335	Aristotle teaches at Athens

 333	The Battle of Issus fought; Alexander defeats the Persians

                Alexander takes Egypt

 332	Alexander destroys Tyre

 331	Alexander seizes Babylon

 330	Darius III of Persia slain

 329	Alexander marries Roxana in a symbolic gesture of uniting East and West

 327	Alexander invades India

 323	Alexander claims to be the son of Zeus

                Alexander dies

                Alexander's empire divided between his four chief generals

                Ptolemy I Soter takes Egypt

 320	Ptolemy I seizes Palestine

 311	Seleucus I Nicator takes Babylon

 300	Rome becomes a major world power in the western Mediterranean

                Seleucus I adds Syria to his realm

 285	Ptolemy II Philadelphius becomes king of Egypt

                Between 285 and 130 the Septuagint translated

 280	Antiochus I Soter becomes king of Syria

 276	The first Syro-Egyptian war begins

 275	Ptolemy of Egypt invades Syria

 274	Hinduism codified in India

 264	Rome's first Punic war against Carthage begins

 261	Antiochus II Theos (the God) becomes king of Syria

 260	The second Syro-Egyptian war begins

 252	Antiochus II marries Bernice, daughter of Ptolemy II

 250	The Parthian kingdom founded

 246	Seleucus II Callinicus becomes king of Syria

                Ptolemy III Euergetes becomes king of Egypt

                The third Syro-Egyptian war begins

 245	Ptolemy invades Syria

 240	Seleucus invades Egypt

 223	Antiochus III (the Great) becomes king of Syria

 221	Ptolemy IV Philopater becomes king of Egypt

The fourth Syro-Egyptian war begins

 219	Antiochus the Great invades Egypt

 218	Rome's second Punic war against Carthage begins

 217	Hannibal invades Italy Ptolemy IV invades Syria; Battle of Raphia

 215	Rome's first Macedonian war begins

 206	Rome drives Carthage out of Spain

 203	Ptolemy V ( Epiphanes ) becomes king of Egypt

 201	The fifth Syro-Egyptian war begins Carthage surrenders to Rome

 200	Rome's second Macedonian war begins

 200	The Mishna begins to appear among the Jews

 193	Ptolemy V marries Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus III

 190	Antiochus III defeated by Romans at Magnesia

 187	Seleucus IV Philopator becomes king of Syria

 181	Ptolemy VI Philomater becomes king of Egypt

 175	Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes king of Syria

 171	Ptolemy VII becomes co-regent of Egypt with Ptolemy VI

 	Rome's third Macedonian war begins

 	Mithridates I begins the conquest of Babylonia and Media, adding those countries to Elam, Persia, and Bactra to form the Parthian Empire

 169	Antiochus Epiphanes captures Jerusalem

 168	The Romans interfere in Antiochus's war with Egypt and prevent his capturing Alexandria

Antiochus pollutes the Temple in Jerusalem and suspends the sacrifices of the Jews

 166	Matthias leads the Jews in revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes

 165	The Jerusalem Temple repaired and cleansed

 164	Antiochus Epiphanes dies

 154	The Jews in Egypt build a temple at Leontopolis

 149	Rome's third Punic war against Carthage begins Rome's fourth Macedonian war begins

 146	The Romans destroy Carthage

 135	John Hyrcanus becomes high priest in Jerusalem

 133	Rome begins to expand her empire eastward

 130	The Pharisees begin to emerge as a sect

 124	Mithridates II (the Great) conquers Scythia, adds it to the Parthian Empire, and makes a treaty with Rome

 120	Hyrcanus repudiates the Pharisees and declares himself a Sadducee

 106	Cicero born

   88	Rome's first Mithridatic war begins

   83	Rome's second Mithridatic war begins

   74	Rome's third Mithridatic war begins

   64	Pompey captures Jerusalem; leaves the Maccabean high priest Hyrcanus in power with Antipater as civil adviser

   60	The first Triumvirate at Rome (Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey )

   59	Julius Caesar becomes proconsul; Pompey marries Julia, daughter of Caesar

   58	Caesar conquers Gaul

   54	Caesar invades Britain

   49	Caesar crosses the Rubicon

   48	Pompey slain in Egypt

Caesar makes Cleopatra queen of Egypt

   44	Caesar becomes dictator of Rome for life

Caesar assassinated

   43	The second Triumvirate at Rome (Anthony, Lepidus, and Octavian )

   40	Herod appointed king

   37	Herod captures Jerusalem

   31	Battle of Actium, Anthony slain, Octavian becomes master of the Roman world, the final triumph of Empire

   30	Egypt becomes a Roman province

   30	Shammai fourished

Hillel flourished

Philo of Alexandria fourished

   21	Octavian assumed the title of Augustus

   20	Herod begins to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple

     4	Herod dies

     4	THE BIRTH OF JESUS

  A.D.

   14	Augustus dies

                Tiberius becomes Roman emperor

   26	Jesus begins to teach; He characterizes rabbinic teaching (the Mishna) as "vain tradition'

   30	Jesus crucified and raised from the dead

                Pentecost; the Christian church is born

   37	Caligula becomes Roman emperor

   40	Gentiles are added to the church with the conversion of Cornelius

   41	Claudius becomes Roman emperor

                Antioch becomes the new center of church activity

   43	Theudas claims to be Messiah and is executed

   54	Nero becomes Roman emperor

   59	The apostle Paul is imprisoned at Caesarea

   60	Paul appears before Agrippa

   61	Paul a prisoner at Rome

   66	The Jews of Judea revolt against Rome

   68	Paul martyred at Rome

   69	Jerusalem beseiged by the Romans

                Jochanan ben Zakkai seeks an audience with Vespasian

                Vespasian becomes Roman emperor

   70	Jerusalem falls; the Temple burned; the Jews deported

   73	The last stand of the Jewish rebels at Masada

   79	Titus becomes Roman emperor

   81	Domitian becomes Roman emperor

   96	Nerva becomes Roman emperor

   98	Trajan becomes Roman emperor

 113	Rome goes to war with Parthia

 116	A further Jewish revolt against Rome is suppressed with great severity

 117	Hadrian becomes Roman emperor

 132	Bar Kochba claims to be Messiah and leads a revolt against Rome

                Judea depopulated and the Jews denationalized by the Romans

 138	Antoninus Pius becomes Roman emperor

 150	Tertullian born

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Jerusalem at the Time of Christ

 'Jerusalem-1st Cent. AD.'

THE JERUSALEM OF HEROD THE GREAT

The Jerusalem Jesus knew nowhere near resembled the city David conquered in the tenth century BC. At that time, it had been a small, isolated hill fortress, valued more for its location than its size or splendor. Yet from that time on it was known as the City of David, and the kings of David's dynasty, especially his son Solomon, had enlarged and beautified it.

In the sixth century BC, the army of Nebuchadnezzar leveled Jerusalem and drove its citizens into exile. During the long years of captivity in Babylon, the Jews in exiles' prayers and longings focused on the distant Holy City. But the city rebuilt by the Jews who returned a century later was far inferior to its former splendor. It was, ironically, the hated tyrant Herod the Great who restored Jerusalem to its former grandeur.

In the 33 years of his reign (37-4 B.C.), Herod transformed the city as had no other ruler since Solomon. Building palaces and citadels, a theatre and an amphitheatre, viaducts (bridges) and public monuments. These ambitious building projects, some completed long after his death, were part of the king's single-minded campaign to increase his capital's importance in the eyes of the Roman Empire.

No visitor seeing Jerusalem for the first time could fail to be impressed by its visual splendor. The long, difficult ascent from Jericho to the Holy City ended as the traveler rounded the Mount of Olives, and suddenly caught sight of a vista like few others in the world. Across the Kidron Valley, set among the surrounding hills, was Jerusalem, "the perfection of beauty," in the words of Lamentations, "the joy of all the world."

The view from the Mount of Olives was dominated by the gleaming, gold-embellished Temple which was located in the most holy spot in the Jewish world and really God's world. This was the Lord's earthly dwelling place, He mediated His throne here and raised up a people to perform rituals and ceremonies here that would foreshadow the coming of His Messiah kinsman redeemer who would be the lamb of God, slain for the sins of the whole world.

The Temple stood high above the old City of David, at the center of a gigantic white stone platform.

To the south of the temple was THE LOWER CITY, a group of limestone houses, yellow-brown colored from years of sun and wind. Narrow, unpaved streets and houses that sloped downward toward the Tyropean Valley, which ran through the center of Jerusalem.

Rising upward to the west was THE UPPER CITY, or Zion, where the white marble villas and palaces of the very rich stood out like patches of snow. Two large arched passageways spanned the valley, crossing from the Upper City to the temple.

A high, thick, gray stone wall encircled Jerusalem. It had been damaged, repaired and enlarged over the centuries, and in Jesus' day it was about 4 miles in circumference, bringing about 25,000 people into an area about a square mile. At intervals along the wall were massive gateways. Just inside each gate was a customs station, where publicans collected taxes on all goods entering or leaving the city.

COMMERCE OF THE LOWER CITY

Once past one of the gates, you would face a maze of dusty streets and alleyways, running uphill and down in every direction. As you made your way toward the temple, you would hear sounds of voices, the clatter of hooves and odors of cooking food. Along the Small Market street in the Lower City, you would pass open-air shops where Jerusalem's craftsmen sat at work: the city's weavers, dyers, potters, bakers, tailors, carpenters and metalworkers. Farther along you would enter the colorful bazaar, where merchants sold fruits and vegetables, dried fish, sacrificial animals, clothes, perfumes and jewelry.

The market street was always crowded and busy, especially on Mondays and Thursdays, the main market days, when citizens and visitors came there to buy goods or souvenirs. Perishable goods were on sale every day. Only on the Sabbath was the street empty and quiet.

After traveling you could stop to rest at one of Jerusalem's many taverns or restaurants. There you could select from a menu offering fresh or salted fish, fried locusts, vegetables, soup, pastry and fruit. You could drink local wine or imported beer.

The farmers of Jerusalem, like their rural cousins, went out each morning to tend their crops. Most of them worked in the rich olive groves that covered the surrounding hillsides and provided the city's only major export.

Jerusalem's numerous craftsmen had for a long time been organized into professional groups and most of them worked in public shops. The members of each group lived in a cluster of houses in a particular section of the city and they usually had their own synagogue. In Jesus' time, there were at least 480 synagogues in Jerusalem.

POMP OF THE UPPER CITY

Most of Jerusalem's working people lived in the crowded, noisy precincts of the Lower City. Their one- and two-story houses stood packed closely together. In contrast, the broad fashionable avenues of the Upper City were laid out in an orderly grid pattern like the elegant cities of Greece and Rome. This part of Jerusalem was the home of the rich and powerful Jewish families and high-ranking Roman officials.

Comfortably removed from the rest of the population, they lived in spacious white marble mansions and palaces built around courtyards with elaborate gardens and pools. The magnificent royal palace of Herod the Great- later used by the Roman governor of Judea during his visits to Jerusalem-was situated in the uppermost northwest corner of the city.

Directly in front of the palace stood the Upper Market, with its Roman-style arcades along three sides and an open court for market booths in the center. Here were the shops of the dealers in luxury goods: the distillers of expensive oils and perfumes; the master tailors and silk merchants; the goldsmiths and silversmiths; the dealers in ivory, incense and precious stones. Household slaves went there to buy expensive imported foods for their masters' banquet tables.

Not far away was the PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST. (The high priest at the time of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem, Caiaphas, did not live there but in another section of the Upper City. Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin probably took place in one of the large halls of his palace). Herod the Great had also built a THEATRE in the Upper City. It was a large, open-air auditorium with semicircular rows of seats ascending from a central stage. Wealthy Jews came there to watch the best of Greek and Roman drama. Most traditional Jews, however, scorned this and other outgrowths of Greco-Roman culture as immoral.

Jerusalem during the Feasts

During these times the enormous crowd of pilgrims into the Holy City inflated its population of 25,000 to at least four or five times that number. This brought an important stimulus to the city's economy. Besides creating a huge demand for food, lodging and sacrificial animals, the incoming Jews were required to spend a tenth of their annual income (after taxes) within Jerusalem. This "second tithe" was in addition to the tithe they had to pay directly to the temple.

Many pilgrims found lodging in one of Jerusalem's inns or in private homes. Some of the foreign Jewish communities had built shelters for their citizens to use when they visited the Holy City. The Essenes and Pharisees also provided lodging for fellow members. But the vast majority stayed in tents outside the city or in private homes in the villages of Bethphage or Bethany, where Jesus and his disciples stayed during his last months of ministry.

The overcrowding and the excitement of the festivals frequently led to outbreaks of violence and anti-Roman rebellion. On more than one occasion the huge mass of pilgrims had been stirred up by zealous nationalists or would-be Messiahs. For this reason, the Roman governor made a point of being present during these occasions, and extra soldiers were stationed at strategic locations throughout the city.

Besides attracting large crowds of pilgrims three times a year, the temple provided a constant demand for supplies from local merchants. Its requirements provided the backbone of the city's economy, and some had become extremely rich by monopolizing the supplying of certain items. The wealthy family of Garmo, for example, had the exclusive right to bake the offertory loaves of bread for the temple. Other merchants wove the priestly vestments, supplied incense, carried wood for the altar fires and fashioned the sacred ornaments and golden vessels.

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Maps

   Israel in the Time of Jesus

   Topographical Map of Israel

   'Italy and the Mediterranean'

   The Mediterranean' World

   Map of Roman Roads

   Map of Jerusalem in New Testament Times

   Roman Provinces in Israel

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Biblical Lists
   The Table of Contents

'Biblical Lists'

   'The Parables of Jesus'

   'The Diety of Jesus'

   'The Names of Jesus'

   'The Miracles of Jesus'

   'Messianic Prophecy'

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THE GREAT SEA

Please make use of the map button as you go through this extremely fascinating subject. If you do this, you will find that, when reading the New Testament, the story will become very much more realistic and dramatic.

THE GREAT SEA

The thirty-year old Procurator, Pontius Pilate, with his wife sailed into the absolutely marvelous harbor built by Herod the Great at Caesarea on the coast of Palestine to take up residence in the Roman palace built on a rock in the middle of that harbor (the foundations still remain). This symbolized the significance of Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean world. From Athens and Corinth, Rome and Alexandria and Ephesus, the rulers, merchants and scholars of the Mediterranean world entered into Palestine. The Jews themselves, sailing from all those ports and many others and returning for the Festival, infiltrated the Hebraic ways of Palestine with Hellenistic civilization and Roman order.

The absence of any great natural harbor on the coast is due to the constant flow of Nilotic silt from Egypt. If you stand today on the rocky coastal land that was Tyre, the capital of a mighty civilization at one time, you see that its southern harbor does not exist, though the northern harbor still protects ships. The rock which has held up the silt on the southern side has protected the other harbor. Also, the harbor that created the port city of Joppa (Jaffa) is now completely silted up and forms a little flat plain.

The booths in the market-places of Jerusalem, Capernaum and Sebaste (Herod's capital of Samaria) contained a very large percentage of foreign-made goods that had come in by sea. In fact everything came to Palestine by way of the Sea. The Roman rule and the procurator who condemned Jesus to death; as well as the Greek language, and that Greek view of life which not only created the ten cities of Decapolis but deeply influenced the more liberal Jews.

If, again, in reading the Gospels we make a note of all the times that Jesus meets with Roman centurions or soldiers and men like the publicans who were servants of Rome, we get a more incredible sense of the influence of the sea upon the life of Palestine.

As far as climate, all the rains that shower the hills and water the valleys of Palestine come from the Mediterranean. And the wonderful dews which, with the regularity of clockwork, settle during the rainless

season in the cool of the evening upon the Palestinian hills. The harvest, whether of grain or fruit, is nourished by these heavy dews.

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THE COASTAL PLAIN

THE COASTAL PLAIN

The coastal plain, about 150 miles long, varies in width from about 1 mile at the north to 25 miles at the south; and narrows to a relatively few yards at two points north and south of the bay of Acca (now Haifa). Working from the north southward we have, first, THE PLAIN OF TYRE. This area, dominated in Old Testament times by the wealthy Phoenician civilization and by the Baal worship which Jezebel brought from Tyre into Samaria when she married Ahab, was still in Jesus' time more pagan than Jewish. The Syro Phoenician woman was from this area. Jesus visited this plain with His disciples later in His ministry while He was avoiding the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem. The southern boundary of the Plain of Tyre is called the ladder of Tyre. At this point the Galilean hills thrust out westward right to the very edge of the sea; and the traveler must go around a narrow and difficult road to pass southward from the Plain of Tyre to THE PLAIN OF ACCA. This plain, which runs as much as 10 miles inland, is restrained on the south by the sudden headland of Mount Carmel, which creates the harbor of Haifa.

The Plain of Acca is restrained on its eastern edge by low hills, rising up to the Galilean hills, and across these hills to the south-east the road carries over into the Plain of Esdraelon which we shall discuss in the next section.

At the base of the Mount Carmel headland we reach THE PLAIN OF SHARON, which is some 50 miles long and of varying width. CAESAREA was in the center of it in Jesus' time. Herod the Great built here a harbor with a breakwater so wide that two chariots could drive along it side by side, and it curved like a hook to protect the whole bay. On the coast he built a citadel, a palace, a hippodrome, and other features of Graeco-Roman civilization. It was here that Pontius Pilate lived, except when he went to Jerusalem at the time of the Feasts to keep order. The Plain of Sharon was and is a place of great fertility. The rains of centuries have carried down the soil from the hills of Judea to this plain. The rains from the Mediterranean come down on these Judean hills and are carried down to irrigate the plain. The climate is warm and never really threatening. Oranges, lemons, grapes, almonds, figs and, on the foothills, olives, grow in rich abundance.

South of Caesarea on this same coast was the town of Joppa with its dramatic situations involving the apostle Peter. It is a fishing, importing and exporting town, but has now no harbor, only an open and rocky windbreak.

Last of all comes THE PLAIN OF PHILISTIA, that continues southward to the desert. Across the southern edge of this plain Mary and Joseph with the child Jesus passed on their way to Egypt. The cities of Gaza and Beersheba were there. The rich soil and climate of this area make it essentially a grain-producing area.

We now move on from this long series of broken plains on the coast to the third great feature that, in fact, makes Palestine.

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THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINOUS PLATEAU

THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINOUS PLATEAU.

From Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon on the north (which are themselves out-thrusts of the great Taurus range which upholds the plateau of Asia Minor) for 150 miles down to the low hills that descend into the Sinai desert, there is an irregular broken plateau of mountains, hills, and valleys. A legend that prevails throughout the Near East says that when Titan was transporting the material of the world and was carrying the rocks to spread them all over the world equally, his sack broke and the whole mass tumbled out, and that this plateau which I am now describing is the result.

Moving from north to south we discover again here on the plateau, as we did on the coastal plain, obvious sections that begin and end.

The first is GALILEE. The word " Galilee " means " the circle," and it is spoken of in two separable halves. UPPER GALILEE is elevated, with mountains that push northward towards Mount Hermon. Mount Hermon (called by the Arabs " The Sheik " because of the white turban of snow on it during the winter months and because of its majesty) has two important geographical conditions in Palestine.

1. From its southern roots appear two little rivers, one at Dan and the other at Caesarea Philippi, which combine to form the Jordan.

2. The cold air around the high shoulders and the snowy summit of Hermon at times dashes down at terrific speed to fill the vacuum in the Jordan valley, unleashing a tempest of hurricane type winds upon the lake that suddenly come and suddenly cease.

Upper Galilee is a highland country and, as in most regions of that kind, its inhabitants have always been almost fiercely independent and in relation to Judaism they have shown themselves to be anti-orthodox and anti-ecclesiastic. Jesus gathered multitudes of followers from here. The fiercest nationalist party in the time of Jesus, the Zealots, found this to be their best recruiting ground. The Talmud says, " Galileans are more anxious for honor than for money."

The lovely climate of Upper Galilee, its inexhaustible streams and rivers, its heavy dews in the hot, rainless season, its rich soil and vigorous inhabitants have caused this area to be the home of a strong, fighting, and industrious peasantry. But they have always been too divided by family loyalties either to make a united resistance for long to such powers as that of Rome, or to become a center of cultural civilization. It is characteristic of the people produced by this environment that, in their patriotic zeal when attracted by the fame and power of Jesus, they rushed at Him to make Him King; and that when He refused to lead a political revolt, large numbers left from following Him.

LOWER GALILEE (which has its center between Capernaum and Nazareth), does not have the mountains of Upper Galilee. It has broader valleys, richer vegetation, and in Jesus' time was especially prosperous through the popularity of Galilean fish preserved with the salts from the deposits round the Dead Sea. This fish was exported to all parts of the Roman Empire. It is estimated that 150,000 people inhabited as many as twenty towns on the shores of the Lake of Galilee at that time. There was an abundance of fruit harvest, the Plain of Gennesaret had orchards of figs, walnuts, olives and date palms, that bore crop after crop for as much as ten months out of the year.

Lower Galilee was also distinct from Upper Galilee because the great road (called the Way of the Sea) running down from Damascus and across the Lower Galilean hills, all the way to the coastal plain and Egypt, brought many influences from the Mediterranean and from the Middle East. Merchants and camel-men, scholars and diplomats, would pass through Capernaum from Persia (Iran) and Mesopotamia (Iraq) on the one side, and from the Nile, North Africa, Greece and Rome on the other. It is important to note that the cost of building the synagogue in which Jesus worshipped and performed His miracles at Capernaum was paid by a Roman centurion, as a freewill offering.

THE RURAL BACKGROUND OF OUR LORD'S EARLY YEARS

NAZARETH itself is in Lower Galilee. There are many pictures that we get from Jesus' parables, like the working carpenter, the prosperous farmer building a big barn, the keeper of the vineyard, the shepherd with his sheep, the glory of the spring flowers, the fox running to its lair, the farmer sowing and weeding and reaping his crops, are all characteristic of the geography and climate, the flora and fauna and the inhabitants of this beautiful region resting between the peaceful valleys of the Jordan and the awesome heights of Hermon, and between the sea and the desert.

On its southern and south-eastern edge Lower Galilee drops into THE PLAIN OF ESDRAELON, which is the one real break in the sequence of hills which makes the Central Plateau. Because it is such a break through the rocky hills, it has been, so to speak, the corridor through which, during all historic times, armies have fought, from the time when Deborah was giving  judgment under her oak and Barak came with his Galilean highlanders to attack Sisera in this plain, down to the times when Napoleon brought his army here and saw that it is a place "designed for battle." This plain, whose red soil suggests the blood of the innumerable warriors who have died here, has been a battle-ground through the centuries. The word "Armageddon" means " the Plain of Megiddo," which was another name for this plain in the time of Jesus.

On the eastern side this Plain of Esdraelon breaks down through Jezreel into the Jordan Valley. Through that gap the Arabs (or Midianites), hungry from their eastern desert homes, have raided Palestine continuously from time past.

SAMARIA'S HILLS AND FERTILE VALLEYS

The plateau now rises again southward into THE HILLS OF SAMARIA with the mighty spur of Mount Carmel on their north-western side and Mount Gilboa on their north-eastern side. When we think of Mount Carmel on the one side, we have to think of Elijah the prophet, and on the other side we see Mount Gilboa and reminisce the tragic battles of Saul. These were important events and suggest the importance of this group of hills of Samaria.

In the time of Jesus, Herod the Great had built the Samaritan capital, Sebaste, in his lavish Roman-Hellenic style. The people of Samaria, having in early times forsaken the racial purity of the Jews, by taking foreign women, were looked on with contempt and anger by the Jews. The Samaritans returned the fury with interest. For this reason, the geographical situation of Samaria is of importance in the life of Jesus, because it lies in a direct line between his home-town and Jerusalem.

THE VALLEYS OF SAMARIA were low and well-watered with gradual hills. This made Samaria a center of great cultivation, of greenhouse vineyards and fields of grain. It was toward one of these fields that Jesus was looking when by the well of Jacob on the south side of the hills of Samaria He said, " Behold, the fields are white unto harvest." As He sat there, He was close to the two mountains of Ebal and Gerizim with the ancient Shechem in the valley between them. On Mount Gerizim is the place of worship of the Samaritans. Jesus was pointing to it when He said to the woman of Samaria that the hour was come when neither in that mountain nor in Jerusalem would men worship. The contrast between the richly-productive narrow valleys and the rocky hillsides and ridges of Samaria is striking.

Samaria, with its open valleys through which the highways pass (in one of them Joseph was sold to the passing Ishmaelite traders), its accessibility to other races that thus intermingled their blood with that of the Israelites, and the attractiveness of its rich vineyards and fields and prosperous cities to invaders. Faith in one invisible God survived triumphantly in Judea; but in Samaria it compromised with the invaders-the Jezebels from Tyre and the animist Arabs from the East.

In the whole land of JUDEA there is not a single running stream whose waters flow throughout the year, and very few actual springs of water. The winter rains rush down these rocky hillsides into the valleys; and whether for Jerusalem or Hebron, the other outstanding city of this area, the collection of water in huge rock-hewn cisterns is essential.

To really grasp in our minds the Judea of Jesus' time it is necessary to imagine on the hillsides the multiple terraced vineyard. The long centuries of Turkish mix-rule from the Middle Ages to modern times, culminating in corrupt taxation of the poor farmers, led them to neglect these terraced vineyards. As a result the earth has been washed down by the rains of centuries from the hills and can never be replaced. The place today is much more barren than in Jesus' time. No one today could describe these Judean hills in the Old Testament language as a land " flowing with milk and honey." For milk means flocks of sheep as well as herds of goats and cattle; and it involves grass for pasture. And honey presupposes an abundant growth of flowering plants and trees. These things (pasture and woodland and terraced slopes) did exist on those hills in ancient times.

Judea is about 40 miles from north to south and only some 15 miles wide.

The eastern slope forms the terrible " wilderness " of Judea. From Bethany (about 4 miles from Jerusalem) eastward, the land becomes dry and rocky, where the sun scorches in the summer and the rains pour in the winter, and the vegetation is scarce. Here Jesus in the forty days of the Temptation was " among the wild beasts."

From the eastern edge this wilderness plunges down into the Jordan valley. The pinnacled summit of one noticeable cliff is thought of as the Place of Temptation, from which Jesus could look out across the Jordan Valley toward the eastern lands, and range north and south toward Syria and Egypt, thus, by suggestion, having in His mind the "kingdoms of the world," although I think Satan offered a bigger picture.

It is a noticeable fact in history that the desert life is not far from Jerusalem.  The wandering desert Arab has brought his flocks over these hills and thus carried the primitive nomad life continuously almost to the very gates of Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, the prophets who have lived at the royal court in Jerusalem found, within a short walk of the great city, the solitude and the silence, the mass of eternal stars overhead, and the awe of the sense of the Presence of God’s vastness.

Judea is geographically a mountain fortress resistant to invasion, whether military, cultural, or racial. Judea is the natural place for the growth of an austere, rugged faith in an almighty Creator, a faith refusing compromise or a mingling with other beliefs.

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THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN

GREAT RIFT OF THE JORDAN VALLEY.

Flanking this broken plateau of Galilean, Samaritan and Judean hills on its eastern side, we find the fourth great strip in the make-up of Palestine, the incredible crater of the Jordan Valley.

Starting from the northern foothills that are the fading ends of Mount Hermon, THE JORDAN RIVER has a fall of over 1700 feet from Caesarea Philippi to the Sea of Galilee, where the surface is 682 feet below sea-level. From the south end of the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, the river curves to and fro in its course of 200 miles (although only 65 miles in a straight line) and drops another 1000 feet. It is very clear how correct is the name of Jordan, which means "the descender." This valley is by far the deepest land trench on the face of the earth. Geologically it is connected across the Red Sea with the central African lakes. Fish are found in the Lake of Galilee and in the central African lakes that are found nowhere else in the world.

Hot volcanic springs flow in at different points, especially near Capernaum, where the remains of Roman aqueducts show that they were treasured for their healing powers, while farther down on the west shore of the lake other hot springs were incorporated by Herod the Great in the thermal baths of his Golden Palace, and these springs were used for healing in Jesus' day, as they still are.

We will now follow the geography of the valley from north to south, thinking of it in terms of the life of Jesus:

CAESAREA PHILIPPI was built at the point where the infant stream cascaded from the foot of a cliff under Mount Hermon. Here Jesus retired from the fierce hostility of Herod Antipas to the country that was under the milder rule of Philip the Tetrarch. The actual city was new in Jesus' time, having been built by Philip, who was reigning during Jesus' ministry. He called it " Philippi " after himself and " Caesarea " in honor of the Roman emperor. Up till then, under Greek influence, it was called Panias (the city of Pan). A Greek inscription carved in the face of the cliff was there in Jesus' time and still exists, declaring that " Pan and his nymphs haunt this place." The lively, sparkling stream, the overhanging trees, the towering cliff and the mountain background make it a scene of exquisite beauty and of majesty.

This gushing stream, together with others in these foothills, carries three-quarters of the water from the snows of Mount Hermon into the Jordan Valley. They form the baby river that flows at this stage in a wide valley and meanders through a shallow malarial marsh famous for its papyrus and Lake Huleh.

From Lake Huleh, which is 4 miles long, the infant Jordan surges swiftly down through a narrow gorge to open out at the mouth formed at the north end of the Sea of Galilee by the soil carried down by the river. On the eastern side of this mouth the flats are constantly covered by green grass. This accounts for the fact that two of the Gospel writers, describing the feeding of the multitude, mention the greenness of the grass, which indicates how unusual this was in Palestine.

THE SEA OR LAKE OF GALILEE is shaped like a pear, 8 miles wide (at the northern end) and just over 12 miles long. To visualize the Lake in Jesus' day' we need to reconstruct the cities and towns so busily employed around its shores, and the multitude of fishing boats sailing on the vividly blue waters, casting their nets to provide the famous Galilean salt fish that had become a delicacy of the Roman world. Of the Lake-side cities at that time the largest and newest, named TIBERIAS after the Emperor, was avoided by orthodox Jews, because part of it was built on an old cemetery.

CAPERNAUM at the north end of the Lake, the city which Jesus made the center of His ministry, was more important than Tiberias because one of the great arterial routes of traffic of the Roman world ran through it. The camel caravans coming down from Damascus and crossing the upper Jordan by the Bridge of the Daughters of Jacob (which still exists reconstructed) paid custom taxes at Capernaum before going on to Jerusalem or Egypt. Jesus called Matthew to be His disciple as he was " sitting at the receipt of custom " as a servant of the Roman government at Capernaum.

On the steep eastern shore toward the north end of the Lake are the GADARENE slopes where the swine ran down into the sea. The presence of swine (animals prohibited to the Jews as food) and the demoniac's statement that his name was " Legion " point to the fact that behind the hill was the great encampment of the Roman legions, signs of which can still be traced at the present day.

As the River Jordan runs rapidly down beyond the south end of the Sea of Galilee it receives from the east the turbulent RIVER YARMUK. This branch, that flows down from Transjordania, is almost as large as the Jordan itself at that point. The river is again met, 20 miles north of the Dead Sea, by the RIVER JABBOK, which also flows into it from the East from the hills of Gilead. As we head south toward the Dead Sea we reach Jericho.

THE CITY OF JERICHO stood in Jesus' time in the valley far up from the river to the west. The presence of that city and its frequent rebuilding after siege and earthquake was and is due to the beautiful Fountain of Elisha, as the perpetual spring is called. Jericho, before the birth of Jesus, had been largely rebuilt by Herod the Great, with a citadel, hippodrome and other buildings in the massive Hellenic-Roman style. Actually it had been possessed by Queen Cleopatra of Egypt during part of her lifetime. She died in the year 30 B.C. Herod died in Jericho soon after Jesus' birth, and during his last hours was so bothered by realizing the joy with which the news of his death would be received that he decreed the massacre of a large number of Jews to take place immediately on his death. The decree was never carried out.

The "pride of Jordan," spoken of in the Old Testament, refers to the tremendous flood of waters that comes down when the snows of Hermon are melting fast and rains are falling on the hills of Transjordania. At that time the river is swollen from its summer width of 75 or 100 feet until it reaches sometimes even 1mile in width.

The site of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is not at all certain. The traditional place is not very far from the Dead Sea, almost opposite Jericho; and there pilgrims go, although this is not the likely place.

The Jordan flows into THE DEAD SEA. This strange Lake is very unique. Its waters lie 1,292 feet below the surface of the ocean. The bottom of the sea is 1,278 feet lower still. Six to eight million tons of vapor rise into the hot air every day from the Dead Sea. For it has no outlet. It holds many chemicals in vast quantities in its belly. Chloride of magnesium makes it bitter. Chloride of calcium makes it feel oily. Great salt cliffs six hundred feet high on the south-west were the source of the salt of which Jesus speaks, used to preserve the Galilean fish and the housewife's stores of food. Above the eastern shore on a great mass of rock Herod built his castle of Machaerus, in which John the Baptist was imprisoned.

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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN

THE UPLANDS AND TRANSJORDANIA.

The fertile hill country beyond the Jordan eastward (Transjordania) was important in the Gospel accounts because nine Greek cities out of the League of ten that made Decapolis were situated in this area, running from Damascus in the north to Philadelphia in the south. The extensive ruins of the Graeco-Roman city, Gerasa in Transjordania, reveal today the strength of the Greek civilization that built and sustained these influential centers of culture as well as commerce. A huge forum, theatres, temples, a long street where the grooves of the chariot wheels are still visible in the stone, all illustrate the powerful penetration of Hellenism into Palestine.

The rivers Yarmuk and Jabbok, already mentioned, show how richly watered is this fertile area. Even today these hills provide the chief grain-fields of Palestine. Flocks of sheep and goats, and herds of cattle, roam on every hill from the foot of Mount Hermon in the north to the numerous ridges of Moab in the far south.

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THE GREAT DESERT

THE GREAT DESERT.

Beyond Transjordania lies the great desert, stretching away to the River Euphrates. Like the Great Sea on the West, the desert on the East is, strictly speaking, outside Palestine. Its influence, however, has been continuous throughout history. The raiding Arab nomad tribes have on the one hand, raided the cultivated lands of Palestine for booty and, on the other hand, with camel caravans have been means of transport between the Near East and the Middle and even Far East, as well as India. One of the gifts (frankincense) mentioned as being brought by the three kings to the infant Jesus was from an Indian shrub. The whole story of the Magi, who came across this desert, opens to us an outlook into the great influence of Persian and Babylonian art, religion, culture, and philosophy upon the life of Palestine.

The desert was therefore on the eastern side of Palestine what the sea had been on its western side- an area barren in itself, across which the cultures, faiths, and racial streams of life have poured into the country. We see this influence most vividly expressed at Damascus.

DAMASCUS is created geographically by two constantly flowing rivers called in the Old Testament the Abana and the Pharpar, which rush out from the north-eastern roots of Mount Hermon and flow eastward all the way to the sand of the desert. All the way there, they create by their irrigation an oasis that is, in one sense, a prominent peninsula of cultivation pushing its way into the desert. Orchards of peach, almond, fig, date, and other fruits with fields of grain make it a splendid spot for the habitation of man. For this reason the camel-caravans from across the desert naturally hasten toward this area of fruit, grain, and abundant wells. So Damascus, becomes the port at which the ship of the desert, the camel, rejoices to come to rest. Damascus has been overwhelmed and destroyed times without number since the dawn of recorded history. Yet if she were destroyed a thousand times a new city would inevitably spring up where the water and lushness runs toward the desert and its thirsty men and animals.

The famous Way of the Sea, which we have mentioned as coming through Capernaum from Egypt, headed northward to Damascus in Jesus' day. From Damascus the great caravan route struck due east, crossing the northern edge of the desert till it reached the Euphrates. Thence one branch ran southward along the river to the cities of Babylonia, while the main route ran on across the Tigris up into Persia.

It was from Damascus that the converted Saul of Tarsus went into the desert to get re-orientation of mind and spirit for his new task, a task that forever changed the world.

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HIGHWAYS OF  PALESTINE

HIGHWAYS OF  PALESTINE

The six parallel divisions of Palestine described above, and Israel’s embracing sea and desert were connected with one another in Jesus' day not only by the highways already mentioned, but also by the local tracks that Joined the towns and villages of the hill-land. The Hebrew people were never road makers. The Hebrew word for road means a beaten track. The structure of Palestine presents difficult problems even to the skilled road engineer. When we see Jesus going from Nazareth to Bethsaida and then over the hills into the regions of Tyre and Sidon, His feet walked for the most part on old tracks where no road-making had been done. In contrast with these were the great highways which the Romans made, so that the Roman chariots could pass over them. But most of the traffic, whether commercial or diplomatic, was camels, donkeys, and horses. Really only a few of these highways were suited to chariot traffic. The roads in Palestine in the time of Jesus were as follows.

1. The road that passed northward up the coastal plain from Gaza, (the port of the Egyptian desert), past Joppa and Caesarea round the nose of Mount Carmel up to Tyre, and Sidon. This road, at a point due west of Jerusalem, had a fork running north-eastward, climbing the foothills of Samaria and going through the valleys of Samaria (including that in which Joseph was sold to the Egyptians) to the plain of Esdraelon. Crossing that plain it climbed the Galilean hills and passed between two strange rocky peaks called the Horns of Hattin down a ravine in which dwelt thousands of pigeons that were captured in Jesus' day to be sold in the Temple for the poor to use as sacrificial offerings. Then to the Plain of Gennesaret which the road then crossed, and north through Capernaum and crossing the Jordan with Mount Hermon on its left, eastward to Damascus.

2. Starting in the south from Beersheba (the other port of Palestine on the Egyptian desert), a very

ancient road climbed northward up the Judean hills to Hebron and through Bethlehem to Jerusalem. The Flight into Egypt from Bethlehem with the infant Jesus would probably take this route. From Jerusalem the road forked in three directions. One ran to the left down the steep ravines of the Judean hills to the coastal plain and to Joppa. It is down this road that Peter would go in the journey described in Acts. The road to the east ran even more steeply down past Bethany to the deep trench of the Jordan valley. This is the road from Jerusalem to Jericho (a descent of 3500 feet in 14 miles) that is the scene of the story of the Good Samaritan; and up its steep slopes Jesus came from Transjordania, the Jordan Valley, and Jericho, to face trial and death at Jerusalem.

3. Another road from Jerusalem ran directly northward over the hills of Judea, passing by the site of Bethel and descending into a small plain before lifting again to the hills of Samaria under the shadow of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Through Samaria it runs past the foot of Mount Gilboa across the Plain of Esdraelon, where one fork runs north-westward to Nazareth and another north-eastward by the foot of Mount Tabor and the north end of the Lake of Galilee, where it joins up with the great Way of the Sea. It will be seen that none of these roads to and from Jerusalem is a great international highway. The roads or tracks are there because Jerusalem exists; and they simply lead to and from the Holy City.

4. Moving still farther east we come upon another series of routes important in the life of Jesus. The Gospels tell us that He took the road from Galilee to Jerusalem through Samaria on at least one occasion. The fierce hostility of the Samaritans to the Jews, however, led Jews when traveling from the north to Jerusalem to turn eastward at Jezreel (the eastern gap from the Plain of Esdraelon into the Jordan Valley), and go down into that valley to join a road running southward on the western side of the river to Jericho. There the pilgrims to Jerusalem would turn west again to climb up to Jerusalem, having avoided Samaria.

5. Still farther east, on the Transjordania side of the Jordan River, roads ran in Jesus' time between the Graeco-Roman cities of Decapolis. It is highly probable that in His last journey (associated in Luke with the parables of the lost money, the lost sheep, and the prodigal son) Jesus walked upon these roads, Which ran through Philadelphia, Gerasa, Gadara and up to Damascus. The road from Amman also ran southward. Jesus did not take this road; but as it ran near to the Castle of Machaerus, in which John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas, John himself may have been led in chains along that route.

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THE ROCKY HILLS OF PALESTINE

THE ROCKY HILLS OF JUDEA, Samaria, and Galilee made these roads very rough travel. With considerable distances separating towns and villages, the peril of bandits was always present, even under Roman rule, as illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan; and after nightfall there was often danger from wild beasts.

Similarly, on the site of the Temple itself at different periods through the thousands of years of occupation, outcrops of rock have been leveled down, and lower portions lifted, so that the impossible adventure of destroying the existing vast and sacred pavement and the Moslem buildings on it would be necessary in order to arrive at even an approximation to the original Contours.

A vital fact geographically about the hills on which Jerusalem was built lies in the curious geological formation. On the surface is a very hard limestone with lines of flint within it. Below this brittle top is a deep bed of beautiful white limestone, uncommonly soft before it is exposed, but hardening when out in the air. It is easy for masons to cut out perfect blocks for building purposes. Underneath this deep deposit of porous limestone is a third layer. It is still of limestone, but intensely hard and impenetrable to the movement of water.

Obviously Jerusalem, lacking, as it does, springs of water, could not have supported a considerable population apart from the fact that this curious geological formation made it possible to hew out stupendous cisterns in the soft, porous limestone to which the third layer of impervious rock made a perfect bottom. In this way the city was literally honeycombed, as it is today, with these great water cisterns that hold in the aggregate many millions of gallons of rainwater. The Pool of Hezekiah, the scene of one of Jesus Christ's miracles, is just such a cistern and can be seen today.

The second important and interesting result of this soft and white nature of the middle layer of rock, together with its power to harden swiftly in the air, is the creation of the vast quarries that run underground deep and far beneath the surface of Jerusalem. A convincing explanation of the strange achievement by which in the building of Solomon's Temple no sound of mallet or chisel was heard lies in the creation, probably by Solomon, of these underground quarries where the great blocks of stone could be hewn into exact shape without a sound being heard at ground level, and then dragged on rollers to the surface, and on to the plateau of what became the Temple area.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


SPRINGS OF WATER BENEATH JERUSALEM

SPRINGS OF WATER BENEATH JERUSALEM

The surface slope of these hills of Jerusalem is in general inclined downward toward the south-east at an angle of about ten degrees. That angle means that the city drains toward the corner where the deep ravine of the Kidron Valley runs. The Kidron runs all along the eastern side of the city between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It meets the valley of Hinnom, which runs along the south side of the city. The Pool of Siloam (the pool where the blind man washed his eyes) lies in this corner. This pool is fed from the one spring that exists in relation to Jerusalem. The spring is now called The Virgin's Fountain. It is outside the city wall. The Pool of Siloam was inside the ancient city wall. Hezekiah, as the result of a dream connected the spring and the pool by a tortuous tunnel right through the rocky hill. The chisel-marks show that the workmen had started from each end, meeting at last in the middle.

How they conceivably could do so without heavy equipment in a tunnel cut through limestone that takes four or five decisive curves in its course, still baffles the archaeological imagination. The tunnel was cut in this way because an enemy was threatening the city, and the king wanted a fresh water-supply within the walls. The porous nature of the limestone is said to be responsible for the intermittent character of the spring. The water percolates gradually into a hidden natural cistern until it reaches an exit at the top. Having filled that exit it siphons out in a swift stream, and then no more water flows until the hidden and never yet discovered cistern is re-filled. The peasants of Jesus' day, as at the present time, believed that it flowed when an angel disturbed the waters.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


IMPREGNABLE STRENGTH OF JERUSALEM

In the Valley of Hinnom in Jesus' day was the city incinerator, a pit to which the rubbish of the city was carried every day and which was perpetually burning. The Valley of Hinnom in Hebrew gives us the Word " Gehenna," so that the "everlasting fire" of Gehenna is simply the Jerusalem incinerator.

IMPREGNABLE STRENGTH OF JERUSALEM

These two valleys, of Kidron and Hinnom, gave to Jerusalem its strategic strength. They made it impregnable from those sides, and it is significant that the recently-discovered foundations of the Jebusite fort which David captured after enormous difficulty lie in the angle of those valleys. Strategically, the weakest side of Jerusalem is on the north, and to some extent the west. To overcome this difficulty deep moats were cut in the limestone rock with a perpendicular face some 20 to 30 feet high. On the western side a series of intersecting valleys lead up to Jerusalem. Strategically these were always used by the Jews for making attacks from the city on foes advancing from the Philistine Plain; and therefore coming at a disadvantage up one or other of the valleys. But the essential strategy of Jerusalem lay in their spiritual strength.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her cunning.

If 1 do not remember thee Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

The walls around Jerusalem in Jesus' day covered a circuit of 4 miles. At intervals along those 4 miles were 100 towers. The highest and most majestic of these were three on the cast side facing the Mount of Olives. Herod the Great, who built them, named one tower Hippicus after a friend of his killed in war, another Phasaelus after a brother, also slain in battle, and the third Mariamne after his wife, whom Herod himself had assassinated when he was in a mad fury of jealousy.

In order to get from the Mount of Olives (where the Galilean pilgrims used to camp) to the Temple, Jesus went down the steep pathway of the Mount into the Kidron Valley, past the tomb of Absalom, the only monument which He saw that now exists. From the valley he climbed up the steep Roman stone-stepped street that ran up the hill of Ophel (some of it has recently been unearthed) toward a gate through the southern wall of the city. Inside the city He found the entrance to the bridge across the Tyropean Valley, with a drop of over 200 feet below.

The glory of Jerusalem was a wonderful sight from the spot on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley where the Galileans camped. Looking across that deep ravine the gorgeous buildings put up by Herod the Great would overwhelm the senses. They were all carved from pure white stone from the quarries beneath. There was Herod's first great building, the Tower of Antonia, which loomed above the Roman fortress on the western hill. A marble open-air theatre and Herod's royal palace as well as the three colossal towers stood above the valley of Kidron. What made Jerusalem the center of the universe to the devout Hebrew of those days, however, was the new Temple which had been in process of building for decades through Herod's reign and was not even finished in Jesus' boyhood.

From the topmost tower of that Temple, where a white-robed priest at the end of the night waited for the first gleam of dawn as the signal for starting the sacrifices, down to the bottom of the Kidron Valley, was fully 450 feet. The walls that supported that Temple on the edge of Jerusalem in its south-east corner were built of enormous stones. The Porch of the Temple, which Jesus entered over the bridge across the Tyropean Valley, had a colonnade Seven hundred feet long. Eighteen marble pillars one hundred feet high supported the center aisle. This colonnade and those on either side, slightly lower, were roofed with cedar wood. This Porch or colonnade was itself really an entrance to the still greater Center Court of the Temple. This was called the Court of the Gentiles (or " the peoples ") because non-Jews of any nationality might come in. Here were the money-changers that Jesus drove out.

Walking across that court you would come to a marble screen four and a half feet high with an opening through it from which steps led up to an inner part of the court. On this screen was a marble slab with a notice in Greek capital letters. It was in Greek so that a non-Hebrew could understand it. The wording was as follows:

LET NO FOREIGNER ENTER WITHIN THE SCREEN AND ENCLOSURE AROUND THE HOLY PLACE. WHOSOEVER IS TAKEN SO DOING WILL HIMSELF BE THE CAUSE THAT DEATH OVERTAKES HIM.

On this terrace Jesus faced the central building of the Temple. 9 gateways led into it (4 on the north and 4 on the south, and 1, the Gate Beautiful, on the east), facing the ravine of the Kidron and the Mount of Olives. So mighty was this last gate that the full strength of twenty men was called for to swing it open in the morning and close it at night.

Entering by any one of these gates you would enter another great area called the Court of the Women. It was so called not because it was for women only, but because no women might go beyond it. The innermost court was that of the Priests, into which only the priests and adult Jews coming to make sacrifice could enter. At the very heart of that court was the Holy of Holies, built over the sacred rock on which it was believed that Abraham had made his sacrifice. If, passing out of the Court of the Priests and the Court of the Women, through the Gate Beautiful, you turned to the left, you would be on the north side of the Temple. There you could see the Tower of Antonia above the northwest corner of the outer court. On it Roman sentries kept watch day and night, especially through the festivals. From that Tower the sentry gave the alarm when the Jews tried to assassinate Paul. On the steps leading up to that Tower Paul made his speech that angered the Jews. From that Tower came the soldiers who arrested Jesus Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, which lies in the Kidron Valley at the beginning of the slope up to the Mount of Olives.

Exiting out of the Temple area across the bridge and over the Tyropean Valley, you would find yourself again in the busy streets of Jerusalem. In each narrow street or market-place were craftsmen selling in the front of the shop the articles that they made at the back, the leather-worker and the carpenter, the goldsmith, the silversmith and the man who hammered copper vessels, the potter and the tailor. At the time of the festivals these city markets were packed with crowds of pilgrims walking in the narrow streets, often covered with arched roofs to keep out the sun and the rain. Here you might find goods or meet someone from India, China, Egypt, Persia, or Gaul.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Temple

HEROD'S TEMPLE

Directly across the Tyropean Valley from the Upper City, in the northeastern corner of Jerusalem, stood the magnificent temple, the city's crowning jewel. Built by Herod as a goodwill gesture toward his hostile Jewish subjects, it was commonly accepted as one of the finest religious structures in the world.

The central sanctuary was approached through a series of spacious outer courts, each court progressively more exclusive. The outermost was the COURT OF THE GENTILES, a huge rectangular area about 35 acres in size. It was paved with colored stones and enclosed by tall, stately columns. Visitors entered through a number of immense double and triple gates, which stood at intervals along the outer court. As its name suggests, the Court of the Gentiles was open to Gentiles as well as Jews, and it was usually crowded with people from many backgrounds and walks of life. On a typical day a visitor would encounter Jewish pilgrims from all over Palestine and the Roman Empire; merchants selling doves, young sheep and cattle for sacrifice; moneychangers converting foreign currency into Jewish shekels; Jewish scribes and rabbis discussing points of Mosaic law; and others simply passing the time of day.

At the center of the Court of the Gentiles stood a second enclosed compound, posted with signs in Greek and Latin warning: "No foreigner is allowed within the balustrades and embankment about the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will be personally responsible for his ensuing death." Only Jewish men and women could venture beyond this point, which led, through three large gates, into the COURT OF WOMEN. This court too was surrounded by ornate columns.

At the western side of the Court of Women was a curved flight of 15 stairs, which ascended to the NICANOR GATE, so named because its magnificent bronze doors had been donated by a rich Alexandrian Jew named Nicanor.

Beyond them lay the COURT OF ISRAEL, a long and narrow area where the Jewish men assembled during temple services. No women were allowed here.

A low balustrade (railing) separated this section from the COURT OF THE PRIESTS, accessible only to the priests and Levites who served in the temple.

In the center of this court was the great horned ALTAR OF SACRIFICE with a long ramp leading to the top.

The beauty of the entire complex was the majestic TEMPLE SANCTUARY itself, which stood at the rear of the Court of Priests. It was built of perfectly tooled and fitted white marble stones, covered with plates of heavy gold. Golden spikes rose from the roof, which soared to a height of about 165 feet. At the back of a large porch were immense gilded doors covered by a Babylonian tapestry of blue, purple, crimson and gold, depicting the heavens. Above was a golden vine, symbol of the nation of Israel. It was said that there was so much gold covering the building that no one could look directly at it in bright sunlight.

THE FIRST ROOM OF THE TEMPLE SANCTUARY

Inside the Temple Sanctuary were two rooms. The first, the HOLY PLACE, was a large hall paneled in cedar. It contained a GOLDEN ALTAR FOR INCENSE, a GOLDEN TABLE FOR THE BREAD OFFERING and a GOLDEN MENORAH, a seven-branched candelabrum lit by seven lamps burning purest olive oil.

THE SECOND ROOM OF THE TEMPLE SANCTUARY

The second room, the HOLY OF HOLIES, was separated from the first by a heavy linen curtain embroidered with spun gold. Only the high priest was allowed to enter this sacred spot, and he only on the annual Day of Atonement. Within this mysterious chamber, believed to be the earthly dwelling place of Israel's Lord, there was nothing at all. The very absence of objects symbolized the intangible and invisible presence of God.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

Begun in 20 BC, the construction of the temple was one of Herod's most ambitious projects. The old temple mount first had to be cleared and enlarged to about twice its original size. The new area was roughly 1000 by 1500 feet, girded by a massive retaining wall of huge fitted stones, each more than 15 feet long and 13 feet thick. As Solomon had done earlier, Herod imported the best stone masons and architects from Phoenicia to direct the construction. Only the finest materials were used: cedar from Lebanon, the purest marble and limestone and the finest gold.

"One of his disciples said to him, 'Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!'" (Mk 13:1)

When Herod the Great rebuilt Jerusalem's temple in 20 BC, he erected a great retaining wall to extend the temple's base. Taking thousands of  workers many years to build, the huge wall was made of limestone blocks (some of them over 30 feet long) hauled from a quarry on rollers and hoisted aloft by wooden cranes. Its fine masonry is apparent in unweathered, newly excavated portions, where the unmortared stones still show their smooth original faring.

The project required the services of more than 10,000 laborers. Herod had 1,000 priests specially trained as carpenters and masons to work on the sanctuary building: by law no layman was allowed to handle the sacred building materials. The sanctuary was completed in 18 months, but the outer courtyards were not finished for another 80 years, in 64 AD. During this entire time the temple ritual was never interrupted.

THE FORTRESS OF ANTONIA

Along the northern side of the temple courtyard stood the massive palace - fortress of Antonia, another of Herod's landmarks. A stairway and an underground passageway connected the Antonia with the Court of the Gentiles, and the 600 soldiers stationed there were always on the alert for disturbances in the temple precincts. The precious ceremonial robes of the high priest were kept in one of its four guard towers and were released only on important religious feast days.

The Romans had taken custody of the garments as a precautionary measure. Realizing the tremendous power of the high priest's office, they sought to limit it by restricting the use of the robes, which symbolized its authority. In the century before the Roman occupation in 63 BC, the king of Israel had also been the high priest and both offices had been hereditary. The Romans had abolished the kingship and had made the office of high priest appointive, always subject to their approval. Nonetheless, in Jesus' day the high priest remained the most powerful figure in the Jewish nation.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Sanhedrin

THE SANHEDRIN

The high priest and the chief priests formed an elite religious nobility within Jerusalem. Their members were selected from a small number of wealthy families who traced their descent back to Zadok, the high priest during Solomon's reign. But in the time of Jesus, the dominant priestly families constituted an illegitimate aristocracy whose members were not of pure Zadokite blood. The powerful clans of Boethus, Annas, Phiabi and Kamith, all members of the illegitimate priesthood, supplied all the high priests in the temple. The house of Annas was especially powerful. Annas had been high priest from 6-15 AD, and five of his sons, his son-in-law Caiaphas and his grandson Jonathan also held that important post.

These men controlled not only the temple, but a large number of seats on the Sanhedrin, the supreme judicial body of the Jewish nation. Its 71 members were divided into three groups, the chief priests, the elders and the scribes. The high priest served as its presiding officer. Although in theory the Sanhedrin had executive and legislative functions as well as judicial authority, its powers had been restricted by the Roman rulers. In Jesus' day, the Sanhedrin did not have the authority to carry out the death sentence.

There was also an influential lay nobility within Jerusalem, represented by the elders who sat on the Sanhedrin. They were the descendants of ancient ruling families whose powers had originated in the days following the Conquest.

After the return from exile in Babylon they had functioned as representatives of the people in dealing with the Persian, Egyptian and Syrian rulers. Many elders were wealthy merchants and landowners.

These two powerful ruling elites, the priestly and lay aristocracy of Judaism, made up the party known in Jesus' time as the Sadducees. They constituted a tightly closed circle of influential families who wielded great political power by virtue of their control of the Sanhedrin and their favored status in the eyes of the Roman rulers. They had found that they could best maintain their position by following a policy of cooperation with Rome. Their political and religious outlook was conservative, aimed at preserving both the temple and their own authority.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Scribes

THE SCRIBES

In the decades just before and during the time of Jesus, the dominant role of the Sadducean families was being overtaken by a new and dynamic ruling class of scribes. These men came from all classes. Some were priests, but the vast majority were merchants, artisans and laborers. Among the most famous scribes in Jesus' day, there was Shammai (a carpenter) and Hillel (a laborer).

Unlike the hereditary ancestral and financial status of the Sadducees, the authority of the scribes rested upon their learning. Anyone who wished could try to become a member of this venerated class, but he had to devote years upon years of study. A scribe to-be had already mastered the law and achieved a thorough familiarity with the scriptures by the age of 14. Thereafter he spent years in close association with a recognized scribal teacher, receiving lengthy instruction in personal conduct and application of the law in everyday situations.

Such teachers were so venerated that pupils often observed not only their teachings but their actions as well. When a student reached the point where he could make his own personal decisions on points of law and justice, he became a non ordained scholar. Only at about the age of 40 would he be formally ordained as a scribe in his own right, and from that time on he could be addressed as rabbi.

In the time of Jesus, young Jews came to Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire to sit at the feet of the rabbis. At any given time there might have been 10 scribal schools in the Holy City. The venerated rabbi Hillel had as many as 80 pupils at a time. Much of the teaching took place in the precincts of the temple, but there were probably classrooms throughout the city.

The scribes were held in great awe and respect throughout the Jewish world. Like the prophets of old, they were thought to possess vast, secret knowledge of the workings of the Lord's power. In many ways they might be viewed as the legitimate heirs of the prophetic tradition. They could be recognized on the streets by their long, flowing robes, fringed at the corners with very long tassels. When a scribe passed, ordinary people rose as a sign of respect. They were given the place of honor at important feasts and in synagogues.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Chief Priests, Priests, and Levites

'THE OFFICE OF HIGH PRIEST'

The office of high priest carried with it a number of unique privileges and responsibilities. He alone was permitted to enter the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement to atone for the sins of the entire nation. As head of the Sanhedrin or Jewish supreme court, he presided over the nation's highest administrative and judicial body. His daily life was governed by the strictest rules of ceremonial purity. His death was viewed as an act of atonement and was marked by the release of a condemned murderer. Even if he retired from office he continued to wield great influence.

'THE CHIEF PRIESTS'

The high priest stood at the apex of an elaborate hierarchy of temple personnel. Directly beneath him in rank were the chief priests, an exclusive group of about 200 highborn Jews. The most important of them was the captain of the temple, second only in rank and power to the high priest. His duties included supervision of the whole body of priests and of all temple activities. Other chief priests had charge of the daily and weekly temple services, the temple treasury and the maintenance of the sacred vessels.

THE ORDINARY PRIESTS

Below the chief priests were the ordinary priests of the temple. There were probably about 7,200 of them in Jesus' time. They formed an exclusive hereditary community of men who could trace their descent back to Aaron, Moses' brother and the first high priest. Unlike the chief priests, most of them lived outside Jerusalem in the towns and villages of Judea and Galilee. They were divided into 24 priestly clans, each of which served a week at a time at the temple. Their duties included lighting the altar fires, attending to the offerings of incense and unleavened bread and killing the sacrificial animals.

'THE LEVITES'

The lowest-ranking temple officials were the Levites. These men were descendants of Levi, the father of the priestly tribe. Aaron and all Israel's priests had been members of this tribe. There were some 9600 Levites in the first century BC. Like the majority of priests, they comprised 24 families or courses, each course serving one week at a time as guards, policemen, doorkeepers, singers, musicians and servants of the temple. They were forbidden, resulting in death, to enter the holy sanctuary or approach the altar of sacrifice. The daily temple ritual required the services of nearly 1,000 chief priests, priests and Levites. On feast days all 24 courses were required to come to Jerusalem to participate in the elaborate ceremonies and sacrificial rites. This meant that there were nearly 18,000 temple personnel on hand during each of the three great pilgrim festivals: Passover, Weeks and Booths.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Essenes

THE ESSENES according to Josephus

The Essenes are not mentioned in the New Testament, or the Talmud, but they are well known in other sources like Philo, Josephus, and the elder Pliny. The Essenes have been described as " primarily nothing but a more emphatic Pharisaism." In the time of our Lord, there were apparently only about 4,000 of them.

JOSEPHUS, who had essayed Essenism in his youth, describes them at considerable length (" The Jewish Wars " 2: 8, 2 and 3). He declares that their piety was extraordinary; they offered prayers in traditional form at sunrise, followed by manual labor until midday; then they bathed in cold water, dressed in white, ate a communal meal preceded and followed by grace; then, changing into their working clothes, they labored until the evening, and returned to supper in the same manner.

Their manners were very quiet, and their lives extremely simple and chaste, although marriage was permitted if used solely for the continuance of the race. They practiced a sort of community of goods.

Although they were profoundly devout and genuinely patriotic Jews, as was clear when the Roman war broke out again, they did not share in the Temple sacrifices, as they had purer ones of their own-whatever that statement may mean; perhaps, that they did not practice animal sacrifices. Nevertheless, they sent contributions to the upkeep of the Temple.

Candidates for membership had to go through a strenuous training for three years before ful1 admission, after which their special doctrines were taught under vows of secrecy. These vows also included a promise to preserve their special books, and not to reveal the names of angels. If they fell into heinous sin, they were made to eat grass till they died of hunger.

Their special beliefs included a doctrine of the immortality of the soul, but not of the body; good souls, when released from the body, mounted upwards, while bad souls were allotted a dark and tempestuous den, full of never-ceasing punishments. They urged, therefore, that the reward of righteousness had to be earnestly striven for, and yet, according to Philo, " the Essenes exempted nothing from the sway of fate" (Quod Omris I 2).

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Zealots

THE ZEALOTS

The Zealots or Canaaneans were also a political group. They were revolutionaries, frequently revolting, their restlessness resulted in the loss of 200,000 lives from the beginning of the century up to the actual outbreak of war in 66 AD. Extreme nationalists of this type had existed since the time of the Maccabees, and one of Herod's achievements was to keep them well in hand. But after his death, and especially at the census ordered by Augustus, rebellion broke out; in Judea, it was brought under control by the persuasion of the priests, but in Galilee two men, Judas and Sadduk by name, organized resistance. Judas founded a religious sect sworn to "invincible liberty and to God as their only leader and Lord." Acts 5:37 shows that the rebellion failed. A subgroup, the Sicarii, or assassins, appeared a few years after the middle of the century, and represented the extremists of an extreme movement. They held out for three years after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


The Role of Women

THE ROLE OF WOMEN AT THE TIME OF JESUS

Apart from their role as ritual mourners at funerals, Jewish women took no part in public life and were largely confined to the domestic scene. A woman was exempt from the commandments requiring attendance at public religious ceremonies, and duties such as studying the Law or Torah, making pilgrimage to Jerusalem and reading from the Law in the synagogue.

Schools were for boys only, and women sat apart from men in the synagogue. Men did not speak to women in the streets.

In the Temple, women had access only to the Courts of the Gentiles and of Women, and during periods of uncleanness (for example, the monthly purification and for 40 days after the birth of a boy and 80 days after the birth of a girl) they were not even allowed there.

Yet a woman had her own religious obligations. She was expected to keep kosher - indeed, as the one who presided over the kitchen, it would be her particular responsibility to see that the food laws were not infringed.

She was to observe the Sabbath, to keep herself ritually clean and to perform significant domestic rituals, for religion affected not only public life but that of the home as well.

Within the household, a woman had much honor and many duties. She was responsible for grinding corn, baking and cooking. She did the washing, the spinning and the weaving, and she cared for the children. She would wait upon her husband and his guests, and was expected to obey him. In rural communities, the women helped in the fields and, among poorer classes, the wife assisted her husband in his trade and often sold his goods.

Respect for father came before respect for mother, but both were required by the commandments.

A woman was usually under male protection. Until she married, she was subject to her father; she had no rights of possession and her father acquired the proceeds from anything she produced or found. A father could even cancel her vows and only he could accept or refuse an offer of marriage, which was a contract between male heads of families. If a woman reached maturity without marrying, however, she was free of her father, and even as a minor her consent to a marriage was legally required.

Betrothal signified the legal 'acquisition' of a woman by a man. The marriage contract gave her a certain legal protection from exploitation and it was her property. The marriage portion had to be given up to her in the event of divorce. In that case, the husband was also required to provide a sum agreed in the contract for her ‘maintenance.’ A woman could sue for divorce but only the husband could effect it. Marriage usually took place a year after betrothal. By today's standards the age of a girl at marriage was young, often about twelve. Her most important duty was to have sons for her husband.

In her own domain, a woman's religious and social status was high, but in the eyes of the Law she was inferior, being coupled with minors and slaves in the rabbinical writings of the Mishnah. Her ineligibility to perform in public religious life is reflected in the ancient synagogue prayer: 'Blessed art thou, O Lord God, king of the universe, who hast not made me a woman.'

© 1995-1996 The Bible Knowledge Accelerator ( Registered )


Glossary

(NKJ)

1Ampitheatre

1Antonia

1Bethesda

1Court

1CPalace

1Golgotha

1Hinnom

1Hippodrome

1HPalace

1Kidron

1Olivet

1Siloam

1Temple

1Viaduct

1Wailing

A

Abel

abomination of desolation

about

Abraham

Abraham's bosom

abyss

adultery

alabaster flask

Andrew

Anna

Antony

apostles

aqueducts

Archelaus

Augustus

B

Baptist

Barabbas

Bartholomew

Bartimaeus

Beelzebub

begotten

Bethabara

Bethany

Bethesda

Bethlehem

Bethphage

Bethsaida

betrothed

blasphemes

Boanerges

born again

bosom

bridegroom

Brook Kidron

Burial Customs

C

Caesar

Caiaphas

Calvary

Camel

Cana

Capernaum

Capernaum1

Capernaum2

casting lots

casting out demons

Census

centurion

Cephas

certificate of divorce

chief priests

chief tax collector

Children Picture

Chorazin

Christ

Chuza

circumcision

Cleopas

cloak

Coin1

Coin2

Coins Picture

Colosseum

Copyright

Corban

cross

crucified

Crucifixion Picture

Cyrene

D

Day of Atonement

days of her purification

Decapolis

definitions

demon

demon-possessed

denarii

devil

disciple

divorce

dotted

dove

dragnet

E

elephants

Elizabeth

Ephphatha

Epiphanes

eunuchs

F

false prophets

Feast of Dedication

Feast of Lots

Feast of Pentecost

Feast of Tabernacles

Feast of Trumpets

Festival of Lights

fishermen

flow of blood

footstool

Fortress of Antonia

frankincense

friends of the bridegroom

G

Gabriel

Gadarenes

Galilee

Gentiles

Gergesenes

Gethsemane

girded

Gladiator1

gnashing of teeth

God and Man Picture

Golgotha

Gomorrah

gospel

graveclothes

great tribulation

H

Hades

hallowed

Hannibal

Heavenly Jerusalem Picture

herald

Herod the Great

Herodians

Herodias' daughter

high priest

hireling

Hosanna

Hypocrite

hyssop

I

Ichthus

Idumea

Idumean

Immanuel

inn

innkeeper

Inscription1

Isaiah

Iscariot

Israel

Italy

J

Jairus

James

Jeremiah

Jericho

Jerusalem

Jerusalem1

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus Washing Feet Picture

Jews under Rome

John

Jordan

Joseph

Judea

judgment seat

Julius Caesar

K

kingdom of God

kingdom of heaven

L

Lake of Gennesaret

lamp

Latin

lawyers

Lazarus

leaven

Lebbaeus

Legion

Legion1

Legion2

leper

Levi

Levite

Levites

linen cloths

loaves

Loaves and Fishes Picture

Lower1

M

Magdalene

Magi

mammon

manger

Map1

marriage

Martha

Mary

Mary and Child Picture

Masada

Matthew

Mediterranean

Messiah

Milestone Picture

millstone

mina

Mishna

mite

money belts

moneychangers

Mount of Olives

mustard seed

My Father

myrrh

N

Naaman

Nain

Nathanael

Nazareth

Nicodemus

nobleman

note1

O

Octavian

officers

Olivet

overshadow

P

Palestine in NT Times

Pantheon

parable

Paradise

paralytic

Passover

Peter

Pharisee Picture

Pharisees

phylacteries

Pictures1

Pilate Picture

Pilate1

pinnacle

plank

platter

Pompey

Pontius Pilate

pool of Siloam

Praetorium

prodigal

prophet

prophetess

put her away

Q

Quirinius

R

Rabbi

Rabboni

Raca

Rachel

Ramah

Raven

redemption of the first-born

Registered

Repent

resurrection

right eye

Roads1

Roads2

Roman Soldier

rooster

rulers of the synagogue

S

Sabbath

sackcloth and ashes

Sadducees

Samaria

Samaritan

sandal strap

Sanhedrin

Satan

Saturnalia

Savior

scourge

scourged

scribes

Sea of Galilee

Sea of Tiberias

shake off the dust

Sheep Gate

sheepfold

shepherds

SheWolf

Sidon

Sign of Rome

Simeon

Simon

Simon a Cyrenian

Simon called the Zealot

Sodom

Solomon

Solomon's porch

Son of David

Son of God

Son of Man

speck

spikenard

steward

Storm Picture

Susanna

swaddling

Sychar

synagogue

synagogue1

synagogue2

Synoptic

Syria

Syro-Phoenician

T

talents

Talitha, cumi

tares

tax collector

tax office

tempest

Temple

Temple Picture

Temple1

ten thousand talents

Ten Virgins Picture

Thaddaeus

the Coming One

the council

the Dispersion

the evil one

the Law and the Prophets

the temple tax

the tempter

the treasury

the wicked one

Thomas

Tiberias

Tiberius

Timaeus

tomb

Tomb Picture

TopMap

Tortoise

transfigured

Triumvirate

tunic

Tyre

U

Unleavened Bread

unwashed

Upper1

V

veil of the temple

vinedressers

W

washed

wedding feast

wedding garment

winebibber

wineskins

Woe

Word became flesh

Y

yoke

Z

Zacchaeus

Zacharias

Zarephath

Zealot

Zebedee

Zebulun and Naphtali


(NKJ)

New King James Version


1Ampitheatre

THE AMPITHEATRE

Herod the Great had also built a THEATRE in the Upper City. It was a large, open-air auditorium with semicircular rows of seats ascending from a central stage. Wealthy Jews came there to watch the best of Greek and Roman drama. Most traditional Jews, however, scorned this and other outgrowths of Greco-Roman culture as immoral.

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.


1Antonia

THE FORTRESS OF ANTONIA

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.

Herod's palace fortress, named the Antonia for his benefactor Mark Antony was the place Jesus may have been tried before Pontius Pilate . In Jesus' time a battalion of Roman soldiers were stationed there. It was northwest of the Temple area. Along the northern side of the temple courtyard stood the massive palace - fortress of Antonia, another of Herod's landmarks. A stairway and an underground passageway connected the Antonia with the Court of the Gentiles, and the 600 soldiers stationed there were always on the alert for disturbances in the temple precincts. The precious ceremonial robes of the high priest were kept in one of its four guard towers and were released only on important religious feast days.

The Romans had taken custody of the garments as a precautionary measure. Realizing the tremendous power of the high priest's office, they sought to limit it by restricting the use of the robes, which symbolized its authority. In the century before the Roman occupation in 63 BC, the king of Israel had also been the high priest and both offices had been hereditary. The Romans had abolished the kingship and had made the office of high priest appointive, always subject to their approval. Nonetheless, in Jesus' day the high priest remained the most powerful figure in the Jewish nation.


1Bethesda

POOL OF BETHESDA

BETHES'DA  Heb. "beth Chesda" (house of mercy) Gk. from Aram. Beth hesda, "house of grace"). A spring-fed pool with five porches where invalids waited their turn to step into the mysteriously troubled waters that were supposed to possess healing virtue (Jn 5:2-4). The disturbance of the water by an angel, are placed in brackets in the NASB because there is not sufficient attestation by early texts. Here Jesus healed the man who was lame for thirty-eight years. The historicity of this site was once in question. Scholars like Dr. Alfred Loisy, claimed the detail of the five porticoes was invented. They said John made it up to represent the five books of Moses, which Jesus came to fulfill. But recent archaeological discoveries have once again confirmed the Biblical account. In 1956, digging at the ancient Biblical site of Bethesda, archaeologists unearthed a rectangular pool with a portico on each side and a fifth one dividing the pool into 2 separate compartments.

The place is now thought to be the pool found during the repairs in 1888 near St. Anne's Church in the Bezetha quarter of Jerusalem not far from the Sheep's Gate and Tower of Antonia. It is below the crypt of the ruined fourth-century church and has a five-arch portico with faded frescoes of the miracle of Christ's healing.

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.


1Court

COURT OF THE GENTILES

Jesus preached in the Court of the Gentiles which Herod's builders had doubled in size and surrounded with an elaborate Hellenistic portico. This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.

 Josephus the Jewish historian wrote about the warning signs that were on the barrier that separated the court of the gentiles from the other courts in the Temple. Not until recent times did archaeologists actually discover one. Its seven line inscription read as follows:

NO FOREIGNER

IS TO GO BEYOND THE BALUSTRADE

AND THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE

WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO

WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME

FOR HIS DEATH

WHICH WILL FOLLOW


1CPalace

PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST

 The high priest at the time of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem, Caiaphas, did not live there but in another section of the Upper City. Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin probably took place in one of the large halls of his palace.

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.

.


1Golgotha

GOLGOTHA

Golgotha meaning the "place of the skull" was probably where Jesus was crucified. In 135 AD Rome's Emperor Hadrian covered this traditional site of Golgotha and Jesus' tomb with a massive pavement. Two centuries later, Constantine removed it and built the first Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

CAL'VARY (Gk. kranion, a "skull," Heb. Golgotha )

Calvary refers to the place where Christ was crucified, designated as the place of a skull (Golgotha), either because of the shape of the mound or elevation or because it was a place of execution. Some claim that Moriah and Calvary are identical. The shift of the city wall from time to time renders it difficult to locate the spot. It would probably have been a prominent place near the public highway, for the Romans selected such places for public executions.

From the fourth century to the present day the sites of Calvary and of the Holy Sepulcher have been shown within the precincts of the church of the Holy Sepulcher, a Crusader construction, standing where Constantine's Basilica was raised. Others identify the spot with "Gordon's Calvary," N of the present N wall.


1Hinnom

THE VALLEY OF HINNOM (GEHENNA)

All the rubbish of Jerusalem was burnt here. Its interesting to note that Aceldama (Field of Blood) was here in this valley.


1Hippodrome

THE SPORTS HIPPODROME

The sports Hippodrome was built by Herod the Great like a Roman circus, for chariot races. The spectators sat on stair-like seats around a central space, which had in the middle  a large partition that the chariots raced around. This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.


1HPalace

HEROD'S PALACE

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.


1Kidron

KIDRON VALLEY

This valley was also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat.


1Olivet

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

The Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed was outside the city, opposite the eastern wall of the Temple . Here was the garden of Gethsemane which means "olive press."

A north-to-south ridge of hills east of Jerusalem where Jesus was betrayed on the night before His crucifixion. This prominent feature of Jerusalem's landscape is a gently rounded hill, rising to about the height of 830 meters (2,676 feet) and overlooking the Temple.

The closeness of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem's walls made this series of hills a grave strategic danger. The Roman commander Titus had his headquarters on the northern extension of the ridge during the siege of Jerusalem in  70 AD. He named the place Mount Scopus, or "Lookout Hill," because of the view which it offered over the city walls. The whole hill must have provided a platform for the Roman catapults that hurled heavy objects over the Jewish fortifications of the City.

In ancient times the whole mount must have been heavily wooded. As its name implies, it was covered with dense olive groves.

The Mount of Olives is also mentioned in a reference by the prophet Zechariah to the future Day of the Lord: "In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (Zech 14:4).

In the New Testament the Mount of Olives played a prominent part in the last week of our Lord's ministry. Jesus approached Jerusalem from the east, by way of Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1). On the night of His betrayal, He and His disciples sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26), to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36; Mk 14:32). In this garden, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and delivered into the hands of His enemies.


1Siloam

THE POOL OF SILOAM

The expression "pool of Siloam (which is translated, Sent)"  is found 3 times in Scripture-- (Neh 3:15, "Pool of Shelah"; Is 8:6, "waters of Shiloah"; Jn 9:7, "pool of Siloam").

Josephus frequently mentions Siloam, placing it at the termination of the Valley of the Cheesemongers or the Tyropoeon Valley (Wars 5.4.1)--but outside the city wall (Wars 5.9.4)--where the old wall bent eastward (Wars 5.6.1), and facing the hill upon which was the rock Peristereon, to the E (Wars 5.12.2). From these descriptions it is quite evident that Josephus speaks of the same place as the present Birket Silwan, on the other side of the Kidron.

John's account (Jn 9:7) of the blind man sent by Jesus to wash at the pool of Siloam seems to indicate that it was near the Temple. It was from Siloam that water was brought in a golden vessel to the Temple during the feast of Tabernacles; our Lord probably pointed to it when He stood in the Temple and cried, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink" (7:37).

The pool of Siloam is fed by a conduit that is cut for a distance of 1,780 feet through solid rock, and which starts at the so-called Virgin's Spring (En-rogel). The reason for which it was cut is unmistakable. The Virgin's Spring is the only spring of fresh water in the immediate neighborhood of Jerusalem, and in time of siege it was important that, while the enemy should be deprived of access to it, its waters should be made available for those who were within the city.

But the spring rose outside the walls, on the sloping cliff that overlooks the valley of Kidron. Accordingly, a long passage was excavated in the rock, by means of which the overflow of the spring was brought into Jerusalem; the spring itself was covered with masonry, so that it could be "sealed" in case of war.


1Temple

Herod's finest achievement, the Temple in Jerusalem.

"One of His disciples said to Him, 'Look, Teacher what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings." (Mk 13:1)

When Herod the Great rebuilt Jerusalem's Temple in 19 BC, he erected a great retaining wall to extend the Temple's base. Taking thousands of workers many years to build, the huge wall was made of limestone blocks (some of them over 30 feet long and 25 feet thick) hauled from a quarry on rollers and hoisted aloft by wooden cranes.


1Viaduct

THE VIADUCT

The Viaduct (bridge) linked the Temple with Herod's grand fortified palace.


1Wailing

THE WESTERN (WAILING) WALL

THE WESTERN (WAILING) WALL "Hakotel Hama'aravi" is all that remains of the Jerusalem temple where Jesus taught and prayed. This wall formed part of the plaza upon which stood the remodeled temple of Herod the Great. Herod's vast remodeling project began in 19 BC, and continued long after his death. It was completed only 7 years before the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. It acquired the name "Wailing Wall" because during the long exile of the Jewish people from the city, they could return only once a year to mourn the destruction of the Temple. When Israeli tanks rumbled into Jerusalem's Old City in June of 1967, it was the first time, except for a brief period in 135 AD, that Jews controlled the site since 70 AD.


Abel

Abel was the first martyr in the Hebrew Old Testament just as Zechariah was the last in the Hebrew order of Books.


abomination of desolation

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

The idolatrous image to be set up by the Antichrist (the "beast," or "man of lawlessness" of 2 Thes 2:3-4) in the restored Temple at Jerusalem in the latter half of Daniel's seventieth week (Dan 9:27; 12:11). For the first part of the three and one-half years the Antichrist keeps his covenant with the Jews. At the beginning of the last half of the week he breaks it and commands the Jews as well as the whole world to worship his image. This is "the abomination (idol) of the desolator" or "the idol that causes desolation" (Dan 11:31; 12:11), which will begin the period of "Jacob's trouble" (Jer 30:7), a time of testing for the Jews to prepare them to receive their Messiah whom they rejected at His first coming, as well as a time of doom for the nations (Ezek 30). In (Dan 11:31) the reference is to the act of Antiochus Epiphanes (a type of the final Antichrist) who, in June 168 B.C. desecrated the Temple at Jerusalem. He built an altar to Jupiter Olympus on the altar of burnt offering, dedicated the Temple to this heathen deity, and offered swine's flesh. History maintains that neither Antiochus Epiphanes nor the Romans under Titus in A.D. 70 fulfilled Daniel's prophecy. Amillennial interpretation, sees a fulfillment in the advance of the Romans against Jerusalem in A.D. 70 with their image-crowned standards, which were regarded as idols by the Jews.


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Abraham

AV RAHAM (father of a multitude). The recognized father of the Hebrew people and the first recorded Hebrew.

Gen 17:5-7

5	"No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

6	"I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.

7	"And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.


Abraham's bosom

ABRAHAM'S BOSOM

"Abraham's bosom" was an expression in the oral traditions of the Jewish Rabbi's for the state of bliss after death.

The phrase "to be in one's bosom" applies to the person who so reclines at the table that his head is brought almost into the bosom of the one sitting next above him. To be in Abraham's bosom signified to occupy the seat next to Abraham. Jesus, accommodating His speech to the Jews, describes the condition of Lazarus after death by this figure (Luke 16:22-23).

Father Abraham was, to the Israelites, in the corrupt times of their later superstitions, almost what the virgin Mary is to the Roman church. He was constantly invoked as though he could hear the prayers of his descendants, wherever they were; and he was pictured standing at the gate of paradise to receive and embrace his children as they entered, and the whole family of his faithful descendants was gathered to his arms.


abyss

ABYSS  (Gk. heabussos).  In classical Gk. the word abussos is always an adjective meaning "very deep" ("bottomless") or "unfathomable" ("boundless").

In the NT the abyss is the abode of the imprisoned demons (Rev. 9:1-21). Many of the demons whom Jesus expelled in His earthly ministry were commanded to return to the abyss (Luke 8:31), but these evil spirits dreaded to go there before their predetermined time.

Multitudes of demons will be let loose during the Great Tribulation, but will be shut up again in this prison together with Satan at the second coming of Christ (Rev 20:1-3).

The abyss is therefore to be distinguished from sheol (hell) or hades (death) (Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; Rev. 1:18; 20:13-14). It is also to be distinguished from "tartarus," the "prison abode of fallen angels" (2 Pet. 2:4) and "the lake of fire" (Rev. 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).

The LXX renders Heb. tehom, "the primeval ocean" (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 24:2, etc.) as "abyss."


adultery

ADULTERY

In Jewish thought adultery was seen as the willful violation of the marriage contract by either of the parties through sexual intercourse with a third party.  When the Pharisees, hoping to twist the Law in favor of the husband, put the question, "Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate and divorce her?" Jesus replied, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way . . . . whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery" (Matt 19:3-9).

According to the Law it is adultery for the man as well as the woman to have a sexual relationship with a person other than the legal spouse.

In ancient times, however, exception was made among the nations generally in favor of the man. He might have more wives than one or have intercourse with a person not espoused or married to him without being considered an adulterer.

Adultery was sexual intercourse with the married wife, or the betrothed bride of another man. In the seventh commandment (Ex 20:14) all manner of lewdness or unchastity in act or thought seems to be meant (Matt. 5:28).


alabaster flask

FLASK

(Heb. pak, (2 Ki 9:1,3); Gk. alabastron, <Mark 14:3>). A container usually narrowed toward the outlet and used for holding liquids such as oil, ointment, or perfume. . The KJV uses "box of oil" or "box of ointment," whereas the NASB rendering is "flask of oil" or "vial of . . . ointment," and the NIV, "alabaster jar."

ALABASTER

(Gk. alabastron, (Mark 14:3); Heb. shesh, (1 Chr. 29:2);  translated "marble" in the KJV and NIV). Identified with the substance now called oriental (or Egyptian) alabaster, also "onyx marble."

The most common form of alabaster is a fine textured variety of massive gypsum (sulfate of lime). It is very soft and therefore excellent for carving. The color is usually white; but it may be gray, yellow, or red.

Large quantities of gypsum were quarried in the Jordan Valley in the days before the Hebrew people occupied this territory. Many articles were fashioned from this stone, including vases, jars, saucers, bowls, lamps, and statues. Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with costly oil from a flask made of alabaster (Mark 14:3).

The ancient variety of alabaster is known as "oriental alabaster" (carbonate of lime), a form of marble. It is much harder than the gypsum variety but is used for the same purpose. Ancient alabaster was found only in Egypt.

Today the name alabaster is applied to a still softer stone, the compact variety of gypsum, or sulphate of lime, used for small statuettes, paper weights, and little ornaments of no great value.

The alabastrites of Theophrastus, Pliny, and the ancients generally was largely quarried and worked at Alabastron, a well-known locality near Thebes, and was the favorite material for the little flasks and vases for ointment and perfumery that are so abundant in Egyptian tombs and almost all ancient collections.


Andrew

ANDREW

Gr. "Andreas" (manly)

A native of the city of Bethsaida in Galilee and brother of Simon Peter. Became one of the 12 apostles.

TRADITIONS. The traditions about him are various. Eusebius makes him preach in Scythia; Jerome and Theodoret in Achaia (Greece); Nicephorus in Asia Minor and Thrace. It is supposed that he founded a church in Constantinople and ordained Stachys, named by Paul (Rom. 16:9), as its first bishop.

 At length, tradition states, he came to Patrae, a city of Achaia, where Aegeas, the proconsul, enraged that he persisted in preaching, commanded him to join in sacrificing to the heathen gods, and upon the apostle's refusal ordered him to be severely scourged and then crucified. To make his death more lingering, he was fastened to the cross, not with nails, but with cords. Having hung two days, praising God, and exhorting the spectators to embrace, or adhere to, the faith, he is said to have expired on November 30, but in what year is uncertain.

The cross is stated to have been of the form called Crux decussata, and commonly known as "St. Andrew's cross, X." Some ancient writers speak of an apocryphal Acts of Andrew.


Anna

ANNA

The Gk. form of Hannah


Antony


apostles

APOSTLE (Gk. apostolos, a "delegate").

One sent with a special message or commission. In this sense the word is used in the LXX (1 Ki 14:6; Is 18:2), and in the NT: (Jn 13:16), "Neither is one who is sent [apostle] greater than the one who sent him"; (2 Cor 8:23; Phil 2:25), where persons sent out by churches on special errands are called their apostles, or messengers. In (Heb 3:1) Jesus is called "the Apostle and High Priest of our confession."

The official name of those twelve of the disciples chosen by our Lord to be with Him during His ministry and to whom He entrusted the organization of His church. These He chose early in His ministry and ordained "that they might be with Him."

The number twelve was, doubtless, with reference to the twelve tribes of Israel and was fixed, so that the apostles were often called simply "the twelve" (Matt. 26:14).

Their names were (1) Simon Peter (Cephas, Barjona); (2) Andrew; (3) John; (4) Philip; (5) James; (6) Bartholomew (perhaps same as Nathanael); (7) Thomas (Didymus); (8) Matthew (Levi); (9) Simon the Zealot; (10) Jude (Thaddaeus); (11) James the Less; (12) Judas Iscariot.


aqueducts


Archelaus

ARCHELA'US (ar-ki-la'us; "ruler of the people").

Son of Herod the Great by a Samaritan woman, Malthace (Josephus Wars 1.28.4), and brought up, with his brother Antipas, at Rome (Josephus Wars 1.31.1).

Upon his father's death, Caesar divided his kingdom, giving to Archelaus (4 B.C.) Edom, Judea, and Samaria, with the important cities Caesarea, Sebaste, Joppa, and Jerusalem. His share of the kingdom brought him a yearly income of six hundred talents. He was made ethnarch, with promise of becoming king if he ruled virtuously (Josephus Ant. 17.11.4).

After Herod's death, and previous to going to Rome to receive the government, Archelaus ordered his soldiers to attack the Jews, who were becoming tumultuous, at the Temple. The attack resulted in the death of about three thousand Jews. On his going to Rome the Jews sent a deputation of the principal citizens protesting against his cruelty and asking to be permitted to live according to their own laws, under a Roman governor.

 Archelaus returned to Judea, and, under pretense that he had countenanced the seditions against him, he deprived Joazar of the high priesthood and gave that dignity to his brother Eleazar. He governed Judea with so much violence that in the tenth year of his reign he was dethroned, deprived of his property, and banished to Vienna, in Gaul (Josephus Ant. 17.13.2).

 His cruelty was manifested toward Samaritans as well as Jews. Joseph and Mary turned aside, from fear of him, on their way back from Egypt and went to Nazareth in Galilee, under the domain of his more gentle brother Antipas (Matt. 2:22).


Augustus

AUGUSTUS (27 BC-14 AD)

 In 27 BC Octavian was granted the title Augustus and became the first 'emperor', a term which is derived from the military title 'imperator'. Technically he was no more than first senator. But as he combined in himself all the powers of consul, tribune and other offices, he had no rival. Augustus shrewdly kept direct control of all the military provinces which held the major part of the armed forces. He wisely avoided Caesar's mistake, by behaving deferentially to senators. In his reign Roman peace (Pax Romana) was extended as far as the Danube and the Black Sea.

Augustus was not only the first emperor, he was also the greatest. He justly deserved the title 'father of his country'. He passed many wise and far-sighted measures concerning both Rome and the provinces. He boasted that he had transformed Rome from a city of brick into a city of marble.

His genuine piety, celebrated in the famous Altar of Peace in Rome, led to his restoring eighty temples. Augustus also attempted to regulate morals, and banished his own daughter Julia for her immorality. He tried to use legislation to encourage marriages and births, and his censuses do indicate an increase in the number of citizens from 4,233,000 in 8 BC to 4,931,000 in 14 AD.

It was during an era of peace in his reign that Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than at his parents' home in Nazareth because a census ordered by Augustus required all adults to register at their ancestral home towns.


Baptist

This baptism of repentance was a different baptism from any the Jews had known. The idea of baptism was not new for the Jews were very familiar with "making themselves clean" (Lev 15). Even proselytes were initiated into Judaism through a baptism.

John immersed the entire man in the water in the Jordan River. This symbolized a complete moral cleansing. It was a public confession of sin and of the need of a Saviour-Messiah.


Barabbas

BARAB'BAS (Gk. barabbas, for Aram. bar'abba', "son of the father," or "son of Abba").

A robber who had committed murder in an insurrection (Mk 15:7) in Jerusalem and was lying in prison at the time of the trial of Jesus before Pilate, A.D. 29.

Pilate, in his anxiety to save Jesus, proposed to release Him to the people, in accordance with their demand that he should release one prisoner to them at the Passover. Barabbas was guilty of the crimes of murder and sedition, making him liable to both Roman and Jewish law. But the Jews so wanted the death of Jesus that they preferred pardoning Barabbas (Mat 27:20).

"And wishing to satisfy the multitude, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified" <Mark 15:15>.


Bartholomew

BARTHOL'OMEW (bar-thol'o-mu; "son of Tolmai").

One of the twelve apostles of Jesus, and generally supposed to have been the same person who in John's gospel is called Nathanael.

Name and Family. In the first three gospels (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14) Philip and Bartholomew are constantly named together, whereas Nathanael is not mentioned. In the fourth gospel Philip and Nathanael are similarly combined, but nothing is said of Bartholomew. Nathanael must therefore be considered his real name, whereas Bartholomew merely expresses his filial relation (Kitto).

He was born in Cana of Galilee (John 21:2). Philip, having accepted Jesus, told Bartholomew that he had "found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth." To his question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see."

Jesus, as He saw him coming to Him, said "Behold an Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile!" (Jn 1:45-47). He was appointed with the other apostles (Mk 3:18), was one of the disciples to whom the Lord appeared after the resurrection (Jn 21:2), was a witness of the ascension, and returned with the other apostles to Jerusalem (Acts 1:4,12-13).

TRADITION. Tradition only speaks of his subsequent history. He is said to have preached the gospel in India (probably Arabia Felix); others say in Armenia, and report him to have been flayed alive there, then crucified with his head downward.


Bartimaeus

BARTIMAE'US ("son of Timaeus").

A blind beggar of Jericho who sat by the wayside begging as our Lord went out of the city on His last journey to Jerusalem (Mk 10:46). Hearing that Jesus was passing, he cried for mercy, and in answer to his faith he was miraculously cured and "began following Him on the road" (v. 52).


Beelzebub

BEEL'ZEBUL (be-el'ze-bul), a heathen deity.

[bee EL zih bub]-- New Testament form of Baal Zebub

Believed to be the prince of evil spirits (Lk 11:15-28). By some Beelzebul is thought to mean ba`al zebel, the "dung god," an expression intended to designate with loathing the prince of all moral impurity.

It is supposed, at the same time, that the name Beelze bub, the Philistine god of flies, was changed to Beelze bul ("god of dung") and employed in an approbrious way as a name of the devil.

Others prefer to derive the word from ba`al zebul, the "lord of the dwelling" in which evil spirits dwell.

The fact that Jesus designates Himself as "master of the house" would seem to indicate that Beelzebul had a similar meaning.


begotten

BEGOTTEN " one of a kind."

A New Testament word that describes Christ as the only, or unique, Son of His heavenly Father (Jn 3:16-18; Heb 11:17; 1 Jn 4:9).

The Greek word expresses the idea of distinctiveness--" one of a kind." As the unique, sinless Son, Jesus accomplished our salvation through His death on the cross.


Bethabara

BETHAB'ARA (beth-ab'a-ra; "house of the ford").

In the KJV, the place on the E bank of the Jordan where John was baptizing (Jn 1:28); placed by scholars at the ford 'Abarah, just N of Beisan but there are numerous fords.

The NASB and NIV read "in Bethany beyond the Jordan." Many of the best Gk. manuscripts have "Bethany" instead of "Bethabara." This is not the Bethany near Jerusalem.

The sixth-century Madeba map shows Bethabara on the W bank of the Jordan near the traditional site of Jesus' baptism.


Bethany

BETH'ANY (beth'a-ni; "house of the afflicted one").


Bethesda

BETHES'DA  Heb. "beth Chesda" (house of mercy)

Gk. from Aram. Beth hesda, "house of grace")

A spring-fed pool with five porches where invalids waited their turn to step into the mysteriously troubled waters that were supposed to possess healing virtue (Jn 5:2-4). The disturbance of the water by an angel, are placed in brackets in the NASB because there is not sufficient attestation by early texts.

Here Jesus healed the man who was lame for thirty-eight years.

The place is now thought to be the pool found during the repairs in 1888 near St. Anne's Church in the Bezetha quarter of Jerusalem not far from the Sheep's Gate and Tower of Antonia. It is below the crypt of the ruined fourth-century church and has a five-arch portico with faded frescoes of the miracle of Christ's healing.


Bethlehem

BETH'LEHEM "House of Bread" (BETH'LECHEM)

Bethlehem is about five miles S of Jerusalem, and elevated 2,460 feet above sea level.

There was much history in this little town. Rachel died and was buried here. Boaz and Ruth were wedded and dwelt in Bethlehem. David was born in Bethlehem, and here he was anointed as future king by Samuel (1 Sam 16:1); here was the well from which David's three heroes brought him water (2 Sam 23:15-16), it was the birthplace of the Messiah (Mic 5:2 Mt 2:1), and its male children were slain by order of Herod (Mt 2:16,  Jer 31:15).

It was originally called Ephrath

In Bethlehem today stands the Basilica of the Nativity, marking the traditional site of the birth of Christ.


Bethphage

BETH'PHAGE (beth'fa-ji; Aram. "House of unripe figs").

On the Mount of Olives, and on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho, close to Bethany. A Sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1; Lk 19:29).

It is not mentioned once in the OT, though frequently in the Talmud.

No trace of it now remains.

Now called Abu Dis.


Bethsaida

BETHSA'IDA (beth-sa'i-da; Gk. from Aram. bet sayda, "house or place of fishing").

 A city in Galilee, on the NE coast of the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 1:44; 12:21).

It was the home of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, and frequently visited by Jesus.

Our Lord rebuked its inhabitants for not receiving His teachings (Lk 10:13).

It is probably to be located at Aradj about a mile E of where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee.


betrothed

Jewish marriages came at an early age. Rabbi's held 18 suitable for men and 13 for women. A period of betrothal preceded marriages. It probably developed because of having parents pick marriage partners. The two did not usually know each other before betrothal. The betrothal usually lasted about a year.

Betrothed really meant married. A man could not renounce her except by divorce. If he died during the betrothal she was legally declared a widow. If she was unfaithful she could be punished for adultery.

THE BETROTHAL.The selection of the bride was followed by the espousal, which was not altogether like our "engagement" but was a formal proceeding, undertaken by a friend or legal representative on the part of the bridegroom and by the parents on the part of the bride. It was confirmed by oaths and accompanied with presents to the bride. These presents were described by different terms, that to the bride by "a dowry" (Heb. mohar) and that to the relatives by "a present" (Heb. mattan).

It has been supposed, indeed, that the mohar was a price paid to the father for the sale of his daughter. Such a custom undoubtedly prevails in certain parts of the East at the present day, but it does not appear to have been the case with free women in patriarchal times. It would undoubtedly be expected that the mohar should be proportioned to the position of the bride and that a poor man could not on that account afford to marry a rich wife <1 Sam. 18:23>.

A "settlement," in the modern sense of the term, that is, a written document securing property to the wife, did not come into use until the post-Babylonian period: the only instance we have of one is in Tobit 7:14, where it is described as an "instrument." The Talmudists called it a ketubah and have laid down minute directions as to the disposal of the sum secured in a treatise of the Mishna expressly on that subject.

The act of betrothal was celebrated by a feast, and among the more modern Jews it is the custom in some parts for the bridegroom to place a ring on the bride's finger. The ring was nevertheless regarded among the Hebrews as a token of fidelity (Gen 41:42) and of adoption into a family (Luke 15:22).


blasphemes

BLASPHEMY (Gk. blasphemia, signifies the speaking of evil of God; Heb. naqab shem 'Adonai, to "curse the name of the Lord," (Is 52:5; Rom 2:24).

Sometimes, perhaps, "blasphemy" has been retained by translators when the general meaning "evil-speaking" or "slander" might have been better (Ps 74:18; Col 3:8).

There are two general forms of blasphemy: (1) Attributing some evil to God, or denying Him some good that we should attribute to Him (Lev 24:11; Rom. 2:24). (2) Giving the attributes of God to a creature-- which form of blasphemy the Jews charged Jesus with (Mt. 26:65; Lk 5:21; Jn 10:36.

The Jews from ancient times have interpreted the command in (Lev 24:16) as prohibiting the utterance of the name Jehovah, reading for it "Adonai" or "Elohim."

The punishment for blasphemy, when committed in ignorance, i.e., through thoughtlessness and weakness of the flesh, might be atoned for;

but if committed "with a high hand," i.e., in total rebellion against Jehovah, was punished by stoning (Lev 24:11-16).


Boanerges

BOANER'GES (bo-a-nur'jez; Gk. from Aram. "Sons of thunder," "noise," regosha, cf. Arab. rejasa, "to rumble"-- thunder).

An epithet used of James and John (Mk 3:17), denoting probably their fiery eloquence (Jerome) or zeal. It may, however, refer to their quick temper and disposition to violence <Luke 9:52-56>.

Compare Aram. riggusha (Syr. regsha, "tumult"; rugza, "anger").


born again

BORN AGAIN.

The new birth is a creative life-giving operation of the Holy Spirit upon a lost human soul, whereby in response to faith in Christ crucified <John 3:14-16; Gal. 3:24>, the believing one, "dead in . . . trespasses and sins" <Eph. 2:1>, is quickened into spiritual life and made a partaker of the divine nature and of the life of Christ Himself <Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:10; Col. 1:27; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 1:4>. The complete necessity of this spiritual transaction is the result of fallen man's state of spiritual death, his alienation from God, and his consequent utter inability to "see" <John 3:3> or "to enter into" the kingdom of God <3:5>. No matter how moral, refined, talented, or religious the natural or unregenerate man may be, he is blind to spiritual truth and unable to save himself <3:6; cf. Ps. 51:5; 1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7-8>. It is clear, therefore, that the new birth is not the reformation of the old nature but the reception of a new nature.


bosom

BOSOM.

There are two possibilities under consideration:

1. "lap"; Gk. kolpos. The bunchy fold of the dress in front of the breast, into which one grabs with his hand (Ps 74:11); also used as a pocket or bag in which bread, grain, and other kinds of food were carried (Hag 2:12; Lk 6:38).

Shepherds also carried lambs (Is 40:11).

2. The front of the body between the arms; to "lean on one's bosom" is to so recline at the table that the head covers, as it were, the breast of the one next to him (Jn 13:23).

The expression "carried away . . . to Abraham's bosom" (Lk 16:22) means to obtain the seat next to Abraham, i.e., to be partaker of the same blessedness as Abraham.

Christ "is in the bosom of the Father" (Jn 1:18), i.e., "He who is most intimately connected with the Father, and dearest to Him."


bridegroom

BRIDEGROOM

A man who has recently been married or is about to be married.

The term is applied symbolically to the MESSIAH.

John the Baptist called Jesus the "bridegroom" (Jn 3:29).

Jesus referred to Himself as the "bridegroom" (Mt. 9:15).

Jesus' bride, of course, is the church-- those who are spiritually united with Him by faith.


Brook Kidron

KID'RON  "turbid, dusky, gloomy"; Gk. Kedron; "Cedron," (Jn 18:1).

The brook that flows through the valley of Jehoshaphat. The name was also applied to its bed, the valley of Kidron.

It is described by Smith this way (Hist. Geog., p. 511): "To the north of Jerusalem begins the torrent-bed of the Kidron. It sweeps past the Temple Mount, past what were afterward Calvary and Gethsemane. It leaves the Mount of Olives and Bethany to the left, Bethlehem far to the right. It plunges down among the bare terraces, precipices, and crags of the wilderness of Judea-- the wilderness of the scapegoat. So barren and blistered, so furnace-like does it [the valley] become as it drops below the level of the sea, that it takes the name of Wady-en-Nar or the Fire Wady. At last its dreary course brings it to the precipices above the Dead Sea, into which it shoots its scanty winter waters; but all summer it is dry."

The valley is only 20 miles long but has a descent of 3,912 feet. The place where it enters the Jordan is a narrow gorge about 1,200 feet deep.

The Kidron was the brook crossed by David when he fled from Absalom (2 Sam 15:23).

Solomon fixed it as the limit of Shimei's walks (1 Kin. 2:37);

beside it Asa destroyed and burned his mother's idol, or Asherah <15:13>;

here Athaliah was executed (Josephus, Ant. 9.7.3; (2 Ki. 11:16)).

It then became the regular receptacle for the impurities and abominations of the idol worship when removed from the Temple (23:4,6,12; 2 Chr 29:16; 30:14);

and in the time of Josiah this valley was the common cemetery of Jerusalem (2 Ki 23:6; Jer 26:23; 31:40).


Burial Customs

BURIAL CUSTOMS IN ANCIENT PALESTINE

In Jesus' day, the dead of wealthy families were typically laid to rest in family burial places in use for generations, either caves or tombs cut into soft rock.

Although criminals were usually buried in the trench graves where the poor were laid to rest, Jesus did not receive a criminal's burial. Since his own family would not have owned a burial spot near Jerusalem, a follower named Joseph of Arimathea arranged to bury Jesus in his own unused tomb in a garden near Golgotha.

Such tombs usually had one or more irregular chambers with ledges where the bodies were placed and were accessible only by a short, low-ceilinged, ramplike shaft.

No coffin was used.

As suggested in the Gospels, a rough boulder or a specially cut closing stone blocked the entrance, basically to protect the corpse from jackals.

The dead were usually buried promptly, as Jesus was, because the Jews did not embalm their deceased and bodies decomposing rapidly in the Middle Eastern heat created a health hazard.

Normally, the corpse was immediately washed and anointed with spices, including aloes and myrrh, then wrapped in linen graveclothes , with special care taken to bind the chin to keep it from lowering. In funeral processions, which were arranged by the nearest of kin, the bereaved cried aloud or sang ritual lamentations and beat their breasts, sometimes wearing sackcloth or rolling in the dust, while hired musicians and professional mourners added to the public demonstration of grief.


Caesar

A name-title given to all the Roman emperors after Julius Caesar.

 Upon his return to Rome, Pompey struck up a political friendship with the young military genius, Julius Caesar. The elder Pliny described Caesar as being "most dynamic" in personality and character. He was open, frank, and popular with troops. Another chronicler says of him: "He was skillful with sword and horse, and had amazing powers of physical endurance. He always was at the head of his army more often walking than riding, and went bareheaded both in sun and rain. When he encountered rivers too deep for wading, he would either swim or propel himself across on an inflated skin."   Caesar - SEUTONIUS. But Pompey's alliance with Caesar was doomed. By intrigue and plot, the corrupt Roman Senate turned the 2 young leaders against each other. Pompey fled Rome; Caesar followed in pursuit. With the help of Antipater, an Idumean Jew, Caesar routed Pompey and his forces. Returning to Rome, Caesar had Antipater appointed administrator of Judea. Next, by astute political arm-twisting, Caesar took control of the Roman Senate. By 44 B.C., he was Rome's undisputed boss.

March 15, 44 B.C. dawned like any other day in ancient Rome. It was 3 days before Caesar's trip to the East, and he had an appointment with the Senate in Pompey's theater. (The Senate s meeting hall was being repaired.)

When Caesar arrived, he was greeted politely. Then something happened. A crowd of senators rushed upon Caesar. Seconds later, 23 daggers plunged into his body. A stunned Caesar slumped in a pool of blood at the foot of Pompey's statue. In his hand, according to one report, was a note warning him of the plot. Someone had handed it to him on his way to the theater, but he had neglected to read it.

Caesar became a name-title given to all the Roman emperors after Julius Caesar. The Caesar's mentioned in the gospels are Augustus (Lk 2:1) and Tiberius (Lk 3:1; 20:22).


Caiaphas

CA'IAPHAS (ka'ya-fas).

A surname, the original name being Joseph (Josephus Ant. 18.2.2); but, the surname becoming his ordinary and official designation, it was used for the name itself. Caiaphas was the high priest of the Jews in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, at the beginning of the Lord's public ministry (Lk 3:2) and also at the time of His crucifixion (Mt. 26:3,57; etc.).

He was appointed to this office through the curator Valerius Gratus and held it during the whole procuratorship of Pontius Pilate, but was deposed by the proconsul Vitellus, (38 AD).

Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had formerly been high priest and who still possessed great influence and control.

After Christ was arrested He was taken before Annas, who sent Him to Caiaphas, probably living in the same house. They determined that Jesus deserved to die, but, as Caiaphas had no power to inflict the punishment of death, Christ was taken to Pilate, the Roman governor, that His execution might be duly ordered (Mt. 26:3,57; Jn 18:13,28).

Edersheim (Life and Times of Jesus): "The conjunction of the two names of Annas and Caiaphas probably indicates that, although Annas was deprived of the pontificate, he still continued to preside over the Sanhedrin"

What became of Caiaphas is not known.


Calvary

Golgotha meaning the "place of the skull" was probably where Jesus was crucified. In 135 AD Rome's Emperor Hadrian covered this traditional site of Golgotha and Jesus' tomb with a massive pavement. Two centuries later, Constantine removed it and built the first Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

CAL'VARY (Gk. kranion, a "skull," Heb. Golgotha )

Calvary refers to the place where Christ was crucified, designated as the place of a skull (Golgotha), either because of the shape of the mound or elevation or because it was a place of execution. Some claim that Moriah and Calvary are identical. The shift of the city wall from time to time renders it difficult to locate the spot. It would probably have been a prominent place near the public highway, for the Romans selected such places for public executions.

From the fourth century to the present day the sites of Calvary and of the Holy Sepulcher have been shown within the precincts of the church of the Holy Sepulcher, a Crusader construction, standing where Constantine's Basilica was raised. Others identify the spot with "Gordon's Calvary," N of the present N wall.


Camel

The Camel or Dromedary is always used in the Hebrew "gamal". Whether one-humped (camel) or two-humped (dromedary).


Cana

CA'NA (ka'na).

"Cana of Galilee," a name found in the gospel of John only, but in such references no clue is given as to its locality; supposed to be near Capernaum.

It was the birthplace of Nathanael (Jn 21:2) and honored as the scene of Christ's first recorded miracle (2:1,11; 4:46).

North of Nazareth lie the two sites that have at various times been regarded as representing Cana of Galilee. The one is the Christian village of Kefr Kenna, about four miles NE of Nazareth, accepted before the Crusades as the true site; the other site is Khirbet, four or five miles farther N. Though the former is usually pointed out to tourists as the true site, scholars are increasingly leaning to acceptance of the latter.


Capernaum

CAPER'NAUM (ka-per'na-um; "town of Nahum").

A city of Galilee, frequently mentioned by the evangelists in connection with the life of our Lord. It was on the western shore of the "Sea of Galilee" (Mt. 4:13;  Jn 6:24).

It was of sufficient size to be called a "city" (Mt. 9:1; Mk 1:33), and had its own synagogue, in which our Lord frequently taught.

It had a customs station. Capernaum was the residence of Jesus and His apostles, and the scene of many miracles and discourses. At Nazareth He was "brought up," but Capernaum was called His "own city"; it was when He returned to it that He is said to have been "at home" (Mk 2:1). Here He chose the evangelist Matthew, or Levi (Mt. 9:9>. The brothers Simon Peter and Andrew belonged to Capernaum (Mk 1:29).

The doom pronounced against Capernaum and the other unbelieving cities (Mt. 11:23) has been remarkably fulfilled. The town has completely disappeared. The site is still a matter of debate.


Capernaum1


Capernaum2


casting lots

CASTING OF LOTS,

A way of making decisions in Bible times, similar to drawing straws or casting a pair of dice to determine what course or direction to follow. The word lots occurs 70 times in the Old Testament and seven in the New Testament. Most of the occurrences were in the early period when little of the Bible was available and when God apparently approved of this means for determining His will.

For example, the high priest separated the Scapegoat from the one he sacrificed by casting the lot (Lev 16:8-10).

Various offices and functions in the Temple were also determined by lot. The sailors on Jonah's ship also cast lots to determine who had brought God's wrath upon their ship.

In spite of the many references to casting lots in the Old Testament, nothing is known about the actual lots themselves. They could have been sticks of various lengths, flat stones like coins, or some kind of dice; but their exact nature is unknown.


casting out demons

DEMONIAC (Gk. daimonizomai, "to be under the power of a demon," rendered "demon possessed" or "demoniac").

 A term frequently used in the NT of one under the influence of a demon. The verb "to be demonized" occurs, in one form or another, seven times in Matthew, four times in Mark, once in Luke, and once in John.

By some, demoniacs are believed to have been "persons afflicted with especially severe diseases, either bodily or mental (such as paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, epilepsy, melancholy, insanity, etc.), whose bodies, in the opinion of the Jews, demons had entered." But the evidence points to actual possession by spirits. "The demonized were incapable of separating their own consciousness and ideas from the influence of the demon, their own identity being merged, and to that extent lost, in that of their tormentors. In this respect the demonized state was also kindred to madness" (Edersheim, Life of Jesus, 1:608).

Jesus treated cases of demonic possession as realities. He is not only described as "rebuking," "commanding," and "casting out" the unclean spirits, but His direct addresses to them are recorded. In (Mark 5:8-12) and (Matt. 8:28-32) Jesus addresses the demons who are called "Legion," commanding them to leave and finally granting them permission to enter a nearby herd of swine. Again <Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35>, He directly addressed the unclean spirit: "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

Clearly demonism was regarded by our Lord as reality.


Census

The Roman Empire demanded of all its subject peoples both taxes and military service when necessary. The taxes were of two kinds:

1. An impost, levied upon goods or property, the collection of which was farmed out to publicans, or collectors, whom the taxpayers of the Land looked upon with the utmost contempt. These men collected taxes on many things, not only on land but also on fruit trees, vegetables, grapes in the vineyards, grain, flocks and herds and even fish from the sea. Working for the hated Romans, they were extortioners, hard men who grew rich through manipulation. They were regarded as sinners.

2. There was also a head or poll tax assessed against each male. This tax, plus the need for draft records, required frequent taking of the census.

This Census or Numbering of the People was ordered by Augustus Caesar in the latter days of the reign of Herod the Great. It meant that many families had to journey to their hometowns to be registered. It was a 3 day journey for Joseph and Mary.


centurion

Centurion (from a carving on a tomb). A centurion (in the A.V. "captain of a hundred") wore a helmet and a more ornate harness of a better quality. By courage and loyalty the centurions worked their way up from the ranks of ordinary soldiers, and were made officers by the general.


Cephas

CE'PHAS (Aram. "Rock, stone").

A surname that Christ bestowed upon Simon Peter


certificate of divorce

DIVORCE (Heb. keritut; Gk. apostasion, "cutting," "separating").

According to Jewish Law divorce can be defined as a legal separation between man and wife by means of a formal process of some sort. As the ordinances respecting marriage have in view the hallowing of that relationship, so also was the Mosaic regulation in respect of divorce (Deut 24:1-4). From this we learn that a man, finding in his wife something shameful or offensive, dismissed her from his house with a certificate of divorce.

Divorce, giving a certificate, and causes of divorce seem to have been accepted by Moses and allowed because of the people's hardness of heart. The question of divorce was entirely at the will of the husband; the wife, not possessing equal privileges with the husband, had no right of divorce.


chief priests

The high priest stood at the apex of an elaborate hierarchy of temple personnel. Directly beneath him in rank were the chief priests, an exclusive group of about 200 highborn Jews. The most important of them was the captain of the temple, second only in rank and power to the high priest. His duties included supervision of the whole body of priests and of all temple activities. Other chief priests had charge of the daily and weekly temple services, the temple treasury and the maintenance of the sacred vessels.


chief tax collector

TAX-GATHERER (Gk. telones; KJV "publican").

A collector of the Roman revenue. The Roman Senate had found it convenient, at a period as early as-early as the second Punic war, to farm the vectigalia (direct taxes) and the portoria (customs) to capitalists, who undertook to pay a given sum into the treasury (in publicum) and so received the name of publicani.

Contracts of this kind fell naturally into the hands of the equites, who were the commercial and financial class of Romans. Not infrequently they went beyond the means of any individual capitalist, and a joint-stock company (societas) was formed, with one of the partners, or an agent appointed by them, acting as managing director (magister).

Under this officer, who resided commonly at Rome, transacting the business of the company, paying profits to the partners and the like, were the submagistri, living in the provinces.

Under them, in like manner, were the portitores, the actual customhouse officers, who examined each bale of goods exported or imported, assessed its value more or less arbitrarily, wrote out the ticket, and enforced payment. The latter were commonly natives of the province in which they were stationed, being brought daily into contact with all classes of the population.

It is this class (portitores) to which the term tax-gatherer refers exclusively in the NT. These tax-gatherers were encouraged by their superior in vexatious and even fraudulent exactions, and remedy was almost impossible. They overcharged (Lk 3:13) and brought false charges of smuggling in the hope of extorting hush money (19:8). The strong feeling of many Jews as to the unlawfulness of paying tribute made matters worse.

The scribes for the most part were not against it and thus were considered traitors. The publicans were also regarded as traitors and apostates, defiled by their frequent contacts with the heathen and being willing tools of the oppressor.

Practically excommunicated, this class furnished some of the earliest disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus. The position of Zaccheus as a "chief tax-gatherer" (Luke 19:2, Gk. architelones) implies a gradation of some kind among the publicans; perhaps he was one of the submagistri. In Augustus's day (27 B.C.-A.D. 14) the practice of selling tax-collection contracts to joint-stock companies ceased, and tax collectors were put on the public payroll. Thus a kind of Internal Revenue Service was established and continued through the rest of the NT period.

"The Talmud distinguishes two classes of publicans-- the tax-gatherer in general (Gabbai) and the Mokhes or Mokhsa, who was specially the douanier, or customhouse official. Although both classes fell under the rabbinic ban, the douanier-- such as Matthew was-- was the object of chief execration. And this because his exactions were more vexatious and gave more scope to rapacity. The Gabbai, or tax-gatherer, collected the regular dues, which consisted of ground, income, and poll tax. . . . If this offered many opportunities for vexatious exactions and rapacious injustice, the Mokhes might inflict much greater hardship upon the poor people. There was a tax and duty upon all imports and exports; on all that was bought and sold; bridge money, road money, harbor dues, town dues, etc. The classical reader knows the ingenuity which could invent a tax and find a name for every kind of exaction, such as on axles, wheels, pack animals, pedestrians, roads, highways; on admission to markets; on carriers, bridges, ships, and quays; on crossing rivers, on dams, on licenses-- in short, on such a variety of objects that even the research of modern scholars has not been able to identify all the names. But even this was as nothing compared to the vexation of being constantly stopped on the journey, having to unload all one's pack animals, when every bale and package was opened, and the contents tumbled about, private letters opened, and the Mokhes ruled supreme in his insolence and rapacity" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus).


Children Picture

Painting depicting Jesus' love for the children by Carl Vogel Von Vogelstein(1788-1868)


Chorazin

This city, in the general vicinity of Bethsaida and Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee, was rebuked by Jesus and committed to destruction for its unbelief in the face of His mighty works (Mt. 11:21; Lk 10:13). Some now identify it with Kerazeh, about three miles N of Tell Hum (Capernaum).


Christ

Christ

Greek is "Christos" in the Septuagint from the Hebrew "Mashiach" meaning (to smear, anoint, the anointed One).


Chuza

CHU'ZA (koo'za; Aram. chuza', "jug").

The "steward" of Herod (Antipas), whose wife, Joanna, having been cured by our Lord either of possession by an evil spirit or of a disease, became attached to that body of women who accompanied Him on his journeyings (Lk 8:3).


circumcision

Circumcised

Heb. "milah" (to cut around)

Gr. "peritome"

The cutting away of the foreskin was the sign of the covenant that daily reminded man of God's promise to Abraham (Gen 12, 15, etc.)

The ceremony of circumcision consisted in cutting away the foreskin, i.e., the hood or fold of skin covering the head of the male organ. This is generally done by means of a sharp knife, but in more primitive times sharp stones were used (Ex 4:25; Josh 5:2, "flint knives").

 As a rule this act was performed by the father <Gen. 17:23>, although it might be done by any Israelite, and, if necessary, women as well <Exo. 4:25>, but never by a Gentile. In later times the operation was, in the case of adults, performed by a doctor.

The Jews of the present day entrust it to a person called a mohel appointed especially for the purpose. In later times the naming of the child accompanied the act of circumcision (Lk 1:59).


Cleopas

CLE'OPAS (kle'o-pas; contraction of Gk. kleopatros, "of a renowned father").

One of the two disciples who were going to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, when Jesus drew near and conversed with them (Lk 24:18).

Not the same Clopas of (Jn 19:25).


cloak

Mantle, or Cloak (Heb. simla, and other terms).

A piece of cloth nearly square, a sort of blanket or plaid. In pleasant weather it was more conveniently worn over the shoulders than being wrapped around the body. Although it answered the purpose of a cloak, it was so large that burdens, if necessary, might be carried in it (Ex. 12:34; 2 Kin. 4:39).

The poor wrapped themselves up wholly in this garment at night, spread the leather girdle upon a rock and rested the head upon it, as is customary to this day in Asia. Moses taught that the upper garment, when given as a pledge, should not be retained overnight (Ex. 22:25-26; Deut 24:13; Job 22:6; 24:7>.

In the time of Christ creditors did not take the upper garment or cloak, which it was not lawful for them to retain, but the coat or tunic, which Jesus wore (Mt 5:40).

There having occurred an instance of the violation of the Sabbath (Num 15:32-41), Moses commanded that there should be a fringe upon the four corners of this garment, together with a blue cord or "riband," to remind the people of the heavenly origin of His statutes (Mt 9:20; Lk 8:44).

The prophet's mantle was, probably, as a rule a simple sheepskin with the wool turned outward.


Coin1

 This coin of Tiberius Caesar' dates from the time of Jesus. The wording reads from right to left: "TI (BERIUS) CAESAR DIVI AUG (GUSTI) F (ILIUS) AUGUSTUS" Translated it reads (Tiberius Caesar, august son of the deified Augustus).

This coin is the silver denarius. According to Mat 22:19 the denarius was the tribute required of every Israelite by the Roman ruler, and was therefore called tribute money.


Coin2

Caesar's Coin

"Pontif Maxim" (The Great Pontiff "high priest")

 The Bible says that the Temple leaders sent spies to trap Jesus into speaking against the Romans.

Luke 20:22-26

22	"Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

23	But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test Me?

24	"Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They answered and said, "Caesar's."

25	And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

26	But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

Jews hated paying Roman taxes, especially since it had to be done with a coin bearing Caesar's "divine" image and inscription. To possess a Roman coin was to admit a Roman obligation. Therefore, when the spies produced Caesar's coin from their purse, they answered their own question.


Coins Picture

Silver Coins and a Bronze Pot. These were excavated in Israel and accurately dated to the time of Jesus. They are kept in the Israeli Museum, Jerusalem.

They might be similar to the 30 pieces of silver paid to Judas (Mat 26:15). They probably were silver shekels equaling about 120 denarii. This was the amount of compensation ("blood money") paid for accidental death (Ex 21:32).


Colosseum

 The most imposing structure built in Rome was the Colosseum. This huge amphitheater (double theater) had seating all around. The arena is also known as the Flavian amphitheater because it was built during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD) although gladiatorial games existed for centuries. The murderous battles of man-and-man and man-and-animal were staged in the Colosseum. The oval arena (287 x 180 feet) was surrounded by a 15 foot wall and had deep cells and cellars below. It had three tiers of arches, plus a top story with superimposed Doric, ionic, and Corinthian half columns. The 45,000 spectators were protected from rain or fierce sun by huge canvas awnings fixed to masts secured to the topmost rim.  After nearly two thousand years of pillage by other builders who used it as a quarry for building churches, palaces, and houses, the Colosseum still remains a lasting monument to the indestructible solidity of Roman architecture.

A DAY AT THE COLOSSEUM

- The usual program for a day at the Colosseum would begin with the "venatio," (an event that featured wild animals).

- The animals might be pitted against each other, or sent into the arena to mangle defenseless humans, but the typical display was a simulated hunt during which animals were stalked by "bestiarii"

-specialists armed with spears, bows and arrows, and other weapons. (always lots of blood)

- As many as 5000 animals may have died during one day of major festivals such as the inauguration of the Colosseum in 80 AD.

- To keep amphitheaters supplied, a great trade in wild beasts developed.

- Many species virtually disappeared from their home regions of North Africa and the Middle East. See Gladiator1 .

Later, many Christians were condemned to be thrown to the beasts in the Colosseum to entertain spectators. One early Christian wrote: "I am God's wheat and shall be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become God's pure bread. . . the time for my birth is at hand.   Letters - Ignatius of Antioch (100 AD)


Copyright

These programs were written by Rusty Russell (russell @centcon.com) having been motivated by countless other Biblical teachers and authors.  Feel free to copy, cite, reference, sample, borrow or plagiarize the textual contents of any of these programs. All truth is God's truth.


Corban

CORBAN (kor'ban; Gk. korban, an "offering").

A name common to any sacred gift; the term in general use to denote sacrifice, its equivalent (Ex 28:38) being "holy gifts."

All things or persons consecrated (or vowed) for religious purposes became corban and fell to the sanctuary.

The Pharisees taught that "if a man says to his father or his mother, anything of mine you might have been helped by is Corban [i.e., devoted]" (Mk 7:11), he thereby consecrated all to God and was relieved from using it for his parents. This Jesus declared to be contradictory of the command that taught children to honor their parents.


cross

CROSS (Gk. stauros, a "stake"; Lat. crux).

The cross that was used as an instrument of death was either a plain vertical stake to which the victim was fastened, with the hands tied or nailed above the head, or such a stake provided with a crossbar, to which the victim was fastened with the arms outstretched.

Of this crossbar three varieties were known, so that there were four forms of the cross:

(1) simple (Lat. simplex), (shaped like a lower case "t"), on which it seems likely that Jesus died for our sins, because of the notice placed above His head (Mt. 27:37)

(2) St. Andrew's (decussata), which is shaped like a capital "X"

(3) St. Anthony's (commissa), which has the crossbeam at the top (shaped like a capital "T")

(4) the Latin (immissa),. the so-called Greek cross which has the crossbeam in the center (shaped like a plus sign).


crucified

At the time of Jesus punishment by the cross was confined to slaves or to criminals of the worst class. Exemption from it was the privilege of Roman citizenship.

This form of punishment was in use among the Egyptians (Gen 40:19), the Carthaginians, the Persians (Esth 7:10), the Assyrians, Scythians, Indians, Germans, and from earliest times among the Greeks and Romans.

After the conquest of Tyre, Alexander the Great ordered two thousand Tyrians to be crucified as punishment for the resistance which that city made.

Crucifixion was abolished by Constantine, probably toward the end of his reign,no doubt because of his increasing reverence for the cross.

Among the Jews, as well as among the Romans, crucifixion was considered the most horrible form of death; to a Jew it would seem the more horrible from the curse "He who is hanged is accursed of God" (Deut 21:23).

Crucifixion was preceded by scourging. The criminal carried his own cross, or a part of it, in which case another person was compelled to share the burden (Lk 23:26). The place of execution was outside the city (1 Ki 21:13; Acts 7:58; Heb 13:12); arriving there, the condemned was stripped of his clothes, which became the property of the soldiers (Mt 27:35); and the cross having been previously erected, he was drawn up and made fast to it with cords or nails, although sometimes he was first fastened to the cross and then raised. The limbs of the victim were generally three or four feet from the earth. Before the nailing or binding took place a medicated cup was given out of kindness to confuse the senses and deaden the pangs of the sufferer (Pro 31:6), usually of "wine mixed with myrrh," because myrrh was medicinal. The Lord refused it (Mt. 27:34; Mk 15:23).

The sufferer was left to die of exhaustion, it might take days to accomplish the process. Instances are on record of persons surviving for nine days. The Lord was watched, according to custom, by a party of four soldiers (Jn 19:23), with their centurion (Mt. 27:54). Fracture of the legs was resorted to by the Jews to hasten death (Jn 19:31). This was done to the two thieves crucified with Jesus but not to Him, for the soldiers found that He was dead already (19:32-34).

In most cases the body was allowed to rot on the cross by the action of the sun and rain or to be devoured by birds and beasts. Interment was generally, therefore, forbidden, but because of the Jewish laws (Deut 21:22-23) an exception was made in favor of the Jews (Matt. 27:58).


Crucifixion Picture

"The Crucifixion" by renowned Polish artist Jan Styka.


Cyrene

CYRE'NE (si're'ne).

A city founded by the Greeks upon a beautiful tableland eighteen hundred feet above sea level. It was the capital of the district of Cyrenaica in Africa. It was a Greek city but contained many Jews. Cyrene was represented in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts 2:10).

Simon, one of its people, helped Jesus bear His cross (Mt 27:32). Cyrenian Jews had a synagogue at Jerusalem (Acts 6:9).

Cyrene was a great city in antiquity. The central part of the city was surrounded by a wall four miles in circumference, but large temples and other isolated structures stood far outside the walls. At its height it was said to have had a population of more than 100,000. It was noted among the ancients for its intellectual life, and its medical school was famous.

The city was devastated due to the Jewish revolt of A.D. 115-16 and the measures taken by the Roman government to quell it. It was descibed as deserted in the fourth century. Several fine buildings and some excellent sculpture were excavated there early in this century.


Day of Atonement

(Heb. yom ha kippurim).

An annual Hebrew feast when the high priest offered sacrifices for the sins of the nation (Lev 23:27; 25:9). It was the only fast period required by the Mosaic law (Lev 16:29; 23:31).

It was observed on the 10th day of the 7th month (Tishri). A day of great solemnity and strict observance of the law.


days of her purification

The purification of the parents and redemption of the first-born son took place according to the law 41 days after the birth:

Lev 12:4-8

4	'She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

5	'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in theblood of her purification sixty-six days.

6	'When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

7	'Then he shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

8	'And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons-- one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

Mary had to be Levitically clean before she could be participate in the ceremony of Pidyon Ha Ben. The ceremony consisted of:

1. The presenting of the child to the priest (recognizing God's ownership)

2. The payment of the 5 shekels

3. The priest immediately pronounced 2 blessings (one of thanksgiving for the law of redemption and another for the gift of the first-born son)


Decapolis

DECAP'OLIS (Gk. de-kap'o-lis; "ten cities").

A district containing ten cities in the NE part of Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee (Mt 4:25; Mk 5:20; 7:31).

The cities were Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Gerasa, Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus. Damascus is the only one now entitled to the name of city.

They were built originally by the followers of Alexander the Great and rebuilt by the Romans in 65 B.C., by whom they had certain privileges conferred upon them. These were typical Greco-Roman cities with their forums, pagan temples, baths, theaters, hippodromes, and other accoutrements.

They were a thorn in the side of the Jews because they introduced nonsupernaturalistic ideas and elements of non-Jewish life-style and architecture into Palestine during the Roman period. The excavations at Jerash (Gergesa) especially reveal the nature of these cities.


definitions

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demon

DEMONIAC (Gk. daimonizomai, "to be under the power of a demon," rendered "demon possessed" or "demoniac").

 A term frequently used in the NT of one under the influence of a demon. The verb "to be demonized" occurs, in one form or another, seven times in Matthew, four times in Mark, once in Luke, and once in John.

By some, demoniacs are believed to have been "persons afflicted with especially severe diseases, either bodily or mental (such as paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, epilepsy, melancholy, insanity, etc.), whose bodies, in the opinion of the Jews, demons had entered." But the evidence points to actual possession by spirits. "The demonized were incapable of separating their own consciousness and ideas from the influence of the demon, their own identity being merged, and to that extent lost, in that of their tormentors. In this respect the demonized state was also kindred to madness" (Edersheim, Life of Jesus, 1:608).

Jesus treated cases of demonic possession as realities. He is not only described as "rebuking," "commanding," and "casting out" the unclean spirits, but His direct addresses to them are recorded. In (Mark 5:8-12) and (Matt. 8:28-32) Jesus addresses the demons who are called "Legion," commanding them to leave and finally granting them permission to enter a nearby herd of swine. Again <Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35>, He directly addressed the unclean spirit: "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

Clearly demonism was regarded by our Lord as reality.


demon-possessed

DEMONIAC (Gk. daimonizomai, "to be under the power of a demon," rendered "demon possessed" or "demoniac").

 A term frequently used in the NT of one under the influence of a demon. The verb "to be demonized" occurs, in one form or another, seven times in Matthew, four times in Mark, once in Luke, and once in John.

By some, demoniacs are believed to have been "persons afflicted with especially severe diseases, either bodily or mental (such as paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, epilepsy, melancholy, insanity, etc.), whose bodies, in the opinion of the Jews, demons had entered." But the evidence points to actual possession by spirits. "The demonized were incapable of separating their own consciousness and ideas from the influence of the demon, their own identity being merged, and to that extent lost, in that of their tormentors. In this respect the demonized state was also kindred to madness" (Edersheim, Life of Jesus, 1:608).

Jesus treated cases of demonic possession as realities. He is not only described as "rebuking," "commanding," and "casting out" the unclean spirits, but His direct addresses to them are recorded. In (Mark 5:8-12) and (Matt. 8:28-32) Jesus addresses the demons who are called "Legion," commanding them to leave and finally granting them permission to enter a nearby herd of swine. Again <Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35>, He directly addressed the unclean spirit: "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

Clearly demonism was regarded by our Lord as reality.


denarii

Denarius (Gk. denarion, <Mt. 18:28>). The denarius was the daily wage of a laborer.

This was a Roman silver coin, in the time of Jesus and the apostles. It took its name from its being first equal to ten "donkeys," a number afterward increased to sixteen.

The earliest specimens are from approximately the start of the second century B.C. From this time it was the principal silver coin of the commonwealth.

In the time of Augustus eighty-four denarii were struck from a pound of silver, which would make the standard weight about sixty grains. This Nero reduced by striking ninety-six from the pound, which would give a standard weight of about fifty-two grains, results confirmed by the coins of the periods, which are, however, not exactly true to the standard.

In Palestine, in the NT period, evidence points to the denarii as mainly forming the silver currency. The denarius was the daily wage of a laborer. The only way to compute the value of NT coins in current values is to consider what a laborer might earn in a day in various countries of the world


devil

DEVIL (Gk. diabolos, "accuser").

 One who slanders another for the purpose of injury, a maligner, e.g., a "malicious gossip" (1 Ti 3:11; 2 Ti 3:3; Tit 2:3).


disciple

DISCIPLE. This term occurs in the OT as the rendering of Heb. limmud, one "instructed," (Is. 8:16; 50:4); rendered "taught" in (54:13).

In the NT it is the rendering of the Gk. mathetes, "learner," and occurs frequently.

The meaning applies to one who professes to have learned certain principles from another and maintains them on that other's authority. It is applied principally to the followers of Jesus (<Mt 5:1; 8:21>; etc.); sometimes to those of John the Baptist <9:14> and of the Pharisees <22:16>.

It is used in a special manner to indicate the twelve (10:1; 11:1; 20:17).


divorce

DIVORCE (Heb. keritut; Gk. apostasion, "cutting," "separating").

According to Jewish Law divorce can be defined as a legal separation between man and wife by means of a formal process of some sort. As the ordinances respecting marriage have in view the hallowing of that relationship, so also was the Mosaic regulation in respect of divorce (Deut 24:1-4). From this we learn that a man, finding in his wife something shameful or offensive, dismissed her from his house with a certificate of divorce.

Divorce, giving a certificate, and causes of divorce seem to have been accepted by Moses and allowed because of the people's hardness of heart. The question of divorce was entirely at the will of the husband; the wife, not possessing equal privileges with the husband, had no right of divorce.


dotted

Tiny round marks made by a pointed instrument.


dove

Doves were often seen caressing each others necks, thus symbolizing affection.

Turtledoves and pigeons were the only birds that could be offered in sacrifice, being usually selected by the poor (Gen 15:9; Lev 5:7; 12:6; Lk 2:24); and to supply the demand for them dealers in these birds sat about the precincts of the Temple (<Matt. 21:12>; etc.).

The dove was the symbol of reconciliation with God (Gen 8:8,10) and has since been the emblem of peace. It is also a symbol of tender and devoted affection (Song of Sol 1:15; 2:14; etc.)

The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit that descended upon Jesus at His baptism with that hovering motion that distinguishes the descent of a dove (Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32).


dragnet

DRAGNET

A net in which fish are trapped as it is dragged along the bottom of a stream (Hab 1:15-16; Mt 13:47).


elephants


Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Heb. "Elisheba" (my God is oath)


Ephphatha

EPH'RATHAH (ef'ra-tha), or Eph'rath (ef'rath; "fruitfulness, fruitful").

The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah (Gen 35:16,19; 48:7).


Epiphanes

ANTIOCHUS IV


eunuchs

EUNUCH (Gk. eunouchos; Heb. saris).

The Gk. word means literally "bed keeper," i.e., one who has charge of beds and bedchambers.

The original Heb. word clearly implies the incapacity that mutilation involves.

Castration, according to Josephus (Ant. 4.8.40), was not practiced by the Jews upon either man or animals; and the law (Deut 23:1;  Lev 22:24> dealt severely with this kind of treatment of any Israelite. But the Israelites did adopt this as other pagan practices when in rebellion.

It was a barbarous custom of the East to treat captives thus (Herodotus History 3. 49; 6. 32), not only those of tender age, but, it should seem, when past puberty.

The "officer" Potiphar (<Gen. 37:36; 39:1>, KJV marg., "Eunuch") was an Egyptian, married, and the "captain of the bodyguard."

In the Assyrian monuments a eunuch often appears, sometimes armed and in a warlike capacity or as a scribe noting the number of heads and amounts of spoil, as receiving the prisoners, and even as officiating in religious ceremonies.

The origination of the practice is ascribed to Semiramis (of Babel).

They mostly appear in one of two relations, either in the military as those set over "the men of war," greater trustworthiness possibly counterbalancing inferior courage and military vigor, or associated, as we mostly recognize them, with women and children.

We find the Assyrian Rab-saris, or chief eunuch (2 Kin. 18:17) employed together with other high officials as ambassador. Some think that Daniel and his companions were Eunochs (2 Ki 20:17-18; Is 39:7; Dan. 1:3,7).

The court of Herod had its eunuchs (Josephus Ant. 15.7.4; 16.8.1), as did that of Queen Candace (Acts 8:27). It is important to remember that both the Heb. and Gk. terms were sometimes applied to those filling important posts, without regard to bodily mutilation.


false prophets

FALSE PROPHETS

In the New Testament, Jesus said, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke 6:26).

He warned his disciples to beware of false prophets "who come... in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" Mt 7:15).

When speaking of the signs of the times and the end of the age, He also said, "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. 24:11,24).

FALSE CHRISTS. Those who falsely claim to be the Messiah, as foretold by Jesus (Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22). Nothing is known of the historical fulfillment of this prophecy, but Josephus (Wars 7.11.1) mentions Jonathan as a pretender.


Feast of Dedication

Feast of Dedication (Heb. hanukka).

In 1 Macc. 4:52-59 it is called "the dedication of the altar," and by Josephus (Ant. 12.7.7) "the feast of lights."

It was a popular and joyous festival commemorating the purifying of the Temple, the removal of the old polluted altar, and the restoration of the worship of Jehovah by Judas Maccabeus, 164 BC.

This feast began on the 25th Chislev (December) and lasted eight days but did not require attendance at Jerusalem. Assembled in the Temple or in the synagogues of the places where they resided, the Jews sang "Hallel," carrying palm and other branches; and there was a grand illumination of the Temple and private houses.

The origin of the illumination of the Temple is unknown, although tradition says that when the sacred "lampstands" of the restored Temple were to be lighted only one flagon of oil, sealed with the signet of the high priest, was found to feed the lamps. This was pure oil, but only sufficient for one day-- when by a miracle the oil increased, and the flagon remained filled for eight days, in memory of which the Temple and private houses were ordered to be illuminated for the same period.

No public mourning or fast was allowed on account of calamity or bereavement. The festival did not require anyone to abstain partially or completely from his ordinary occupation, and unlike some other celebrations it was not marked by a holy assembly at the beginning and the end. The celebration was always of a joyous, exuberant character which commemorated the restoration of the worship of the Temple (1 Macc. 4:41-49).

The similarity between this festival and the "feast of Booths" would seem to indicate some intended connection between the two. Without doubt, Jesus attended this festival at Jerusalem (Jn 10:22). It is still observed by the Jews.


Feast of Lots

Purim (Heb. purim, "lots," <Esther 9:26,31>).

This feast was instituted by Mordecai, at the suggestion of Esther, in memory of the extraordinary deliverance of the Jews of Persia from the murderous plot of Haman. It was generally adopted, though not at first without opposition.

The name Purim, "lots," was given to this festival because of the casting of lots by Haman to decide when he should carry into effect the decree issued by the king for the extermination of the Jews <Esth 9:24>. The name was probably given to the festival in irony.

The only directions given respecting the observance of the festival is that Mordecai ordered the 14th and 15th of Adar to be kept annually by the Jews; that these two days should be days of feasting and joy, of the interchange of presents, and of sending gifts to the poor; and that the Jews agreed to continue the observance of the festival as it was begun (Esth 9:17-24). No mention is made of any special sacrifice.

At the present day the festival is kept as follows:

the day preceding (13th Adar) is kept as a fast day (called "the Fast of Esther"), in accordance with the command of the queen (4:15-16). Sundry prayers, expressive of repentance, etc., are introduced into the ritual for the day. As on all fast days, <Ex 32:11-14> and (34:1-11) are read as the lesson from the law, and (Is 55:6-56:8) as the Haphtarah.

If 13th Adar falls on a Sabbath, the fast is kept on the previous Thursday. As soon as the stars appear the festival commences, candles are lighted, and all the Jews go to the synagogue, where, after the evening service, the benediction is pronounced, and the book of Esther is read by the prelector. As often as the name of Haman is mentioned in the reading, the congregation stamps on the floor, saying, "Let his name be blotted out. The name of the wicked shall rot!" While the children shake rattles. After the reading the congregation exclaims, "Cursed be Haman; blessed be Mordecai!" etc.; the benediction is said, and all go home and partake of milk and eggs.

On the 14th, in the morning, the people go to the synagogue; several prayers are inserted into the regular ritual; (Ex 17:8-16) is read as the lesson from the law, and Esther, as on the previous evening. The rest of the festival is given up to rejoicing, exchanging of presents, games, etc. Rejoicing continues on the 15th, and the festival terminates on the evening of this day.


Feast of Pentecost

PENTECOST: THE FEAST OF WEEKS

As the Greek term Pentecost suggests, the annual Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, took place 50 days after Passover began.

Considered the second most important of all of the ancient Jewish celebrations, and one of the three occasions on which all males were required to appear before the Lord at the temple.

This joyful festival marked the end of the grain harvest.

It was also a reaffirmation of Yahweh's covenant with his people, for the successful harvest proved that he had taken care to sustain them through the previous year.

Following the Old Testament injunction for a "cereal offering of new grain," two loaves of leavened, salted bread were offered at the Shavuot ceremony.

The use of yeast, unique to this ritual in Hebraic practice, suggests an origin as a Canaanite agricultural festival adopted by the Israelites when they gave up their wanderings and settled down to become farmers in Palestine.

After the founding of the Christian church at Pentecost, and especially after the temple was destroyed in AD 70, the interpretation of Shavuot gradually changed.

Since it was believed that Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Sinai 50 days after the original Passover in Egypt, the feast became a commemoration of the giving of the Torah and the Covenant of Sinai.

For Christians, Pentecost celebrates the miracle of the birth of the church, a dramatic affirmation that God's plan of redemption applies to all of the world's people, not the Jews alone. The gift of the Holy Spirit that day was considered to be the dawn of a new age in which believers then and now were enjoined to become missionaries until the Gospel message is heard "to the end of the earth."


Feast of Tabernacles

Feast of Tabernacles.

References to the Feast of Tabernacles in the OT include (Ex 23:16; 34:22, Lev 23:33-36; 39-43; Num 29:12-32; Deut 16:13-16; Ezra 3:4); and (Zech 14:16,18-19).

This festival was observed on the 15th day of the seventh month to commemorate the wandering of Israel in the wilderness. Features of the celebration included a holy convocation on the first and eighth days, and the offering of many animal sacrifices.

The Israelites were also commanded to live in booths made of palm and willow trees during the festival to commemorate their period of wilderness wandering when they lived in temporary shelters. This feast is also known as the Feast of Booths.


Feast of Trumpets

Seventh Month Festival. (Heb. Rosh Hashanna)

This festival is mentioned in (Lev 23:24-25,27-32) and (Num 29:1-40). It was introduced with the blowing of trumpets, the halt of labor, sacrifices, and a testing (Lev 23:24-32; Num 29:1-40).

The exact reason for its observance is not clear. Some scholars believe it originated during the Babylonian Captivity as a way of counteracting the influence of the Babylonian New Year Festival. This feast is generally known as the Feast of Trumpets.


Festival of Lights

Feast of Dedication (Heb. hanukka).

In 1 Macc. 4:52-59 it is called "the dedication of the altar," and by Josephus (Ant. 12.7.7) "the feast of lights."

It was a popular and joyous festival commemorating the purifying of the Temple, the removal of the old polluted altar, and the restoration of the worship of Jehovah by Judas Maccabeus, 164 BC.

This feast began on the 25th Chislev (December) and lasted eight days but did not require attendance at Jerusalem. Assembled in the Temple or in the synagogues of the places where they resided, the Jews sang "Hallel," carrying palm and other branches; and there was a grand illumination of the Temple and private houses.

The origin of the illumination of the Temple is unknown, although tradition says that when the sacred "lampstands" of the restored Temple were to be lighted only one flagon of oil, sealed with the signet of the high priest, was found to feed the lamps. This was pure oil, but only sufficient for one day-- when by a miracle the oil increased, and the flagon remained filled for eight days, in memory of which the Temple and private houses were ordered to be illuminated for the same period.

No public mourning or fast was allowed on account of calamity or bereavement. The festival did not require anyone to abstain partially or completely from his ordinary occupation, and unlike some other celebrations it was not marked by a holy assembly at the beginning and the end. The celebration was always of a joyous, exuberant character which commemorated the restoration of the worship of the Temple (1 Macc. 4:41-49).

The similarity between this festival and the "feast of Booths" would seem to indicate some intended connection between the two. Without doubt, Jesus attended this festival at Jerusalem (Jn 10:22). It is still observed by the Jews.


fishermen

FISHING. Fisherman. One who catches fish for food.

Both amateur and professional fishermen existed in Bible times.

This trade has always been an industry pursued by a large number of people in Palestine. They are exceedingly fond of fish and pay double to triple the price for it that they do for meat.

Several methods of taking fish are mentioned in the Bible:

(1) Angling with a hook, also called casting a line (Is 19:8; Hab 1:15; Job 41:1; Amos 4:2).

(2) Spearing (Job 41:7). In this passage the reference is to the Leviathan, but it is included under the generic idea of fish as conceived by the Hebrew mind, i.e., a creature living more or less in the water.

(3) Netting. They used the cast net (<Ezek 26:5,14; 32:3; 47:10; Hab 1:15,17; Mic 7:2; Eccl 7:26; Mt 4:18-21; Mk 1:16-19>; etc.). This consists of a net with fine mesh and of a circular form, about fifteen feet in diameter. The margin is loaded with leaden sinkers. To the center of the net is attached a long piece of fishline. This is held in the left hand, while the net, which has been previously gathered up in the right, is cast by a broad sweep of the arm over an area of the shallow water close to the shore, where the fisherman has previously observed a school of fish. The center of the net is now drawn up by means of the cord, and the fisherman wades into the water and secures the catch. The seine is also used. Half of it is loaded into one boat and the other half in another, and the boats then separate, playing out the net as they go and enclosing a vast area of the water. When all the net has been played out the boats draw it toward the shore and land the ends of the net. The two crews then commence to draw in their respective ends, thus enclosing the fish and gradually landing them (Mt 13:48. At other times the two boats enclose a circle in the water and draw the fish into the boats (Lk 5:4-9).

Four of Christ's twelve disciples were fishermen. Christ promised them that they should become fishers of men (Mk 1:17; etc.)


flow of blood

Issue of Blood. According to the Mosaic Law, a woman suffering from menstrual disorders was to be considered ceremonially unclean (Lev 15:25). One such woman who had suffered for 12 years (Lk 8:43-48) touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed immediately because of her great faith.


footstool

FOOTSTOOL (Heb. kebesh, sometimes "trodden" upon).

An article of furniture used to support the feet when sitting in state, as upon a throne (2 Chr. 9:18).

The divine glory that resided symbolically between the cherubim above the Ark of the Covenant is supposed to use the Ark as a footstool (1 Chr 28:2; Ps 99:5; 132:7).

The earth is called God's footstool by the same expressive figure that represents heaven as His throne (ps 110:1; Is 66:1; Mt 5:35>.


Fortress of Antonia

The Fortress of Antonia

This model at the Holy Land Hotel is a Scholar's conception showing how the site may have looked in Jesus' day.

Herod's palace fortress, named the Antonia for his benefactor Mark Antony was the place Jesus may have been tried before Pontius Pilate . In Jesus' time a battalion of Roman soldiers were stationed there. It was northwest of the Temple area. Along the northern side of the temple courtyard stood the massive palace - fortress of Antonia, another of Herod's landmarks. A stairway and an underground passageway connected the Antonia with the Court of the Gentiles, and the 600 soldiers stationed there were always on the alert for disturbances in the temple precincts. The precious ceremonial robes of the high priest were kept in one of its four guard towers and were released only on important religious feast days.

The Romans had taken custody of the garments as a precautionary measure. Realizing the tremendous power of the high priest's office, they sought to limit it by restricting the use of the robes, which symbolized its authority. In the century before the Roman occupation in 63 BC, the king of Israel had also been the high priest and both offices had been hereditary. The Romans had abolished the kingship and had made the office of high priest appointive, always subject to their approval. Nonetheless, in Jesus' day the high priest remained the most powerful figure in the Jewish nation.


frankincense

Gal'banum (gal'ba-num; Heb. lebona, "whiteness").

A gum resin with a pungent balsamic odor (Ex 30:34). It was one of the constituents of the sacred incense. Two ferulas, F. galbaniflua, Boiss, et Buhse, and F. rubricaulis, Boiss., both growing in Persia, are believed to be the sources of the gum.

It is used in medicine as an antispasmodic. It is a greasy, sticky, granulated resin, presenting a whitish appearance at first, but afterward changing to yellow, having a pungent odor and taste, and which, when mixed with fragrant substances, has the effect of increasing the odor and fixing it longer.


friends of the bridegroom

Before the time of Moses, when the proposal was accepted, the marriage price paid, and the gifts distributed, the bridegroom was at liberty to move the bride at once to his own home.  Usually the marriage took place at the home of the bride's parents and was celebrated by a feast to which friends and neighbors were invited and which lasted seven days.

The word wedding does not occur in the OT but there was the oath (Prov 2:17; Ezek 16:8; Mal 2:14), and the blessing that was pronounced (Gen 24:60; Ruth 4:10-12), etc. But the essence of the ceremony consisted in the removal of the bride from her father's house to that of the bridegroom or his father. There seems to be a literal truth in the Heb. expression "to take" a wife (Gen 21:21; 24:3,38; 26:34), for the ceremony appears to have mainly consisted in the taking.

After putting on festive dress, placing a "garland" or "wreath"on his head (Isa. 61:10; "crown," Song of Sol 3:11), the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen (Judg 14:11; Mt 9:15), preceded by a band of musicians or singers (Gen 31:27; Jer 7:34; 16:9; 1 Macc. 9:39), and accompanied by persons bearing lamps (2 Esd 10:2; Mt 25:7; Jer 25:10; Rev 18:23).

Having reached the house of the bride, who with her companions anxiously expected his arrival (Mt 25:1,6), he conducted the whole party back to his own or his father's house, with every demonstration of gladness (Ps 45:15). On their way back they were joined by a party of young girls (virgins), friends of the bride and bridegroom, who were in waiting to catch the procession as it passed (Mt 25:6). The inhabitants of the place pressed out into the streets to watch the procession (Song of Sol 3:11).

At the house a feast was prepared, to which all the friends and neighbors were invited (Gen 29:22; Mt 22:1-10; Lk 14:8; Jn 2:2), and the festivities were protracted for seven or even fourteen days (Judg. 14:12; Tobit 8:19). The guests were provided by the host with wedding clothes (Mt 22:11), and the feast sometimes was enlivened with riddles (Judg 14:12) and other amusements.

The bridegroom now entered into direct communication with the bride, and the "FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM . . . rejoices greatly" at hearing the voice of the bridegroom conversing with her (Jn 3:29), which he regarded as a satisfactory testimony of the success of his share in the work. The last act in the ceremony was the conducting of the bride to the bridal chamber (Heb. cheder, (Judg 15:1; Joel 2:16), where a canopy, named a chuppa, was prepared (Ps 19:5; Joel 2:16). The bride was still completely veiled, explaining the deception practiced on Jacob (Gen 29:23,25).

A newly married man was exempt from military service, or from any public business that might draw him away from his home, for the space of a year (Deut. 24:5). A similar privilege was granted to one who was betrothed (20:7).

This of course is a picture of the greater marriage and ceremony that will one day happen with Christ and His bride (the church).


Gabriel

Gavri El (man or hero of God) a heavenly messenger who is an angel of God; he appeared to Daniel (Dan. 8:16), Zacharias (Luke 1:19), and the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38).  All appearances of Gabriel recorded in the Bible deal with the Messiah.


Gadarenes

GADARENES (gad-a-renz').

The inhabitants of Gadara, mentioned in the account of the healing of the demoniacs also called "Gergesenes," and "Gerasenes."

Gad Ara was the capital of the Roman province of Peraea, E of the Jordan, about six miles from the Sea of Galilee and opposite Tiberias. Jesus healed the demoniac in Gadara.

The modern village Um-Keis is in the midst of ruins intimating the grandeur of the ancient Gadara.


Galilee

Northern Province of Israel (50 miles N to S and 30 miles E to W).

Galilee was the "garden" of Palestine, well-watered and fertile. It was thickly populated and had many good roads leading in every direction. The main highway was the one that connected Damascus and the Mediterranean and crossed Galilee, through Capernaum where Matthew (Levi) had sat at its custom-house. Galilee was largely influenced by Greek culture, as the prophet Isaiah had said "Galilee of the gentiles," and many non-Jews lived there.

The Galileans were very bold and rough of whom the historian Josephus said learned "war from infancy," and from Galilee sprang most of the Zealots who were always anxious to drive out the Romans from their land. The people of Galilee were very religious, although the Jews in the south doubted their orthodoxy and despised their northern accent.

- Galilee was the most beautiful and fertile section of Palestine.

- Lots of agriculture (Corn, grapes, olives, and fruits) also flowers

-  Animals (domestic and wild), great variety of birds,

- numerous springs and brooks and green pastures

- A population estimated as high as three million (numerous villages and towns) industries flourished

- According to sources the people were generous, impulsive, simple in manners, full of intense nationalism, free, and independent of the traditionalism of Judea. There were lots of gentiles there.

- Rabbis of Jerusalem held the Galilean in contempt (manner of speech, colloquialisms, lack of a certain type of culture characteristic of the Jerusalemite). Probably envy since Galilee was so beautiful.

- They were accused of neglecting the traditions and preferred the Haggadah to the Halakkah.

- The Judeans were accustomed to say that no prophet ever arose from Galilee. But such was not the case, since Jonah and probably Nahum were born there and the ministry of both Elijah and Elisha was cast in that section though Elijah was born in Tisbeli of Gilead and Elisha in Abel-Meholah.


Gentiles

GENTILES Heb. goyim

The whole world apart from "the land" (Israel). The goyim were the surrounding nations, foreigners as opposed to Israel (Neh 5:8).

In the New Testament:

(1) The Gk. ethnos in the singular means a people or nation (Mt 24:7; Acts 2:5), and even the Jewish people (Lk 7:5; 23:2). It is only in the plural that it is used for heathen (Gentiles).

(2) Helle, lit., Greek (Jn 7:35; Rom 3:9). The KJV is not consistent in its treatment of this word, sometimes rendering it "Greek" (Acts 14:1; 17:4; Rom 1:16; 10:12), sometimes "Gentile" (2:9-10; 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:32). Gentile seems to have arisen from the almost universal adoption of the Gk. language.

The Jews were the chosen people of God. They were in covenant with Yahweh. All others were considered idolators by the Jews. In the time of Jesus the Jews unjustly felt contempt for all gentiles.

Yet the Lord made it clear that he placed Israel in the center of the world as a light to the whole world. They were the chosen people because they would give the Written Word of Yahweh to the world and ultimately bring forth the Living Word of Yahweh Jesus. But they rejected God's truth and rejected His Messiah.

Therefore God has temporarily set aside the nation (throughout the church age) and will again arise on their behalf after a time of great tribulation (Jacob's trouble or testing) when they humble themselves before the risen LORD.


Gergesenes

GADARENES (gad-a-renz').

The inhabitants of Gadara, mentioned in the account of the healing of the demoniacs also called "Gergesenes," and "Gerasenes."

Gad Ara was the capital of the Roman province of Peraea, E of the Jordan, about six miles from the Sea of Galilee and opposite Tiberias. Jesus healed the demoniac in Gadara.

The modern village Um-Keis is in the midst of ruins intimating the grandeur of the ancient Gadara.


Gethsemane

means "olive press"


girded

GIRDLE. an article of clothing

To "gird [or girdle] up the loins" is a common expression in the KJV for putting one's self in readiness for any service that might be required (Lk 12:35); also to "gird your minds for action" (1 Pet 1:13). The girdle was a symbol of strength, activity, and power (Job 12:18; Is 23:10; 45:5; 1 Kin. 20:11).

Righteousness and faithfulness are called the "girdle" of the Messiah (Is 11:5, KJV; NASB and NIV, "belt"), and the perfect adherence of the people of God to His service is spoken of as the "cleaving of the girdle to a man's loins" (Jer. 13:11, KJV).


Gladiator1

Gladiators

- The animal displays were merely used to wet the audience's appetite for the main attraction-the gladiatorial bouts.

- Roman gladiators were specially trained performers, mostly captured war prisoners, who fought to stay alive a little longer.

- The gladiators specialized in peculiar forms of fighting:

1. the "retiarus" armed with a net, dagger, and a trident (three pronged pitch fork) usually fought the:

2. the "secutor" who was armed only with sword and shield and a helmet on his head.

3. The helmeted figure in the picture was called a "samnis." He wore a sleeve of leather or metal with a shoulder piece on the right arm, a belt, greaves on the legs, a vizored helmet with crest, and carried a shield and short sword.

- For the most part, these games aroused brutal passions and blood lust in the Roman people and created a class of lazy loungers who did nothing but attend games.


gnashing of teeth

GNASHING OF TEETH

To grate or grind one's teeth together as an expression of hatred and scorn (Job. 16:9). Jesus used the phrase to portray the futility of the wicked who will be judged by God at the end of time (Mt 13:42,50).

GNASH (Heb. haraq). To grate the teeth; "He has gnashed at me with His teeth," and "gnash their teeth." Expressions denoting rage or sorrow (Job 16:9; Lam 2:16.


God and Man Picture

"The Creation of Adam" is one of the scenes painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo around 1511.


Golgotha

Golgotha meaning the "place of the skull" was probably where Jesus was crucified. In 135 AD Rome's Emperor Hadrian covered this traditional site of Golgotha and Jesus' tomb with a massive pavement. Two centuries later, Constantine removed it and built the first Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

CAL'VARY (Gk. kranion, a "skull," Heb. Golgotha )

Calvary refers to the place where Christ was crucified, designated as the place of a skull (Golgotha), either because of the shape of the mound or elevation or because it was a place of execution. Some claim that Moriah and Calvary are identical. The shift of the city wall from time to time renders it difficult to locate the spot. It would probably have been a prominent place near the public highway, for the Romans selected such places for public executions.

From the fourth century to the present day the sites of Calvary and of the Holy Sepulcher have been shown within the precincts of the church of the Holy Sepulcher, a Crusader construction, standing where Constantine's Basilica was raised. Others identify the spot with "Gordon's Calvary," N of the present N wall.


Gomorrah

GOMOR'RAH (go-mor'ra; apparently meaning "submersion";  Arab. ghamara, to "overflow, inundate").

The city in the Jordan Valley (Gen 10:19; 13:10) that, with Sodom, became a type of intolerable wickedness and was destroyed by fire (19:24-28).

The bible points out that the district of the Jordan where Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar were located was exceedingly productive and well populated around 2054 B.C., but that not long afterward it was abandoned. This circumstance is in full agreement with archaeological findings.

These cities were located in the valley of Siddim (Gen 14:3). Probably this was the area at the southern end of the Dead Sea, now covered with water. Somewhere in the vicinity of 2050 B.C. this region was overwhelmed by a great conflagration. The country was said to have been "full of tar pits" (14:10). Bitumen deposits are still to be found in that area. Being on the fault-line forming the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Arabah, this region has been the scene of earthquakes throughout history.

The salt and free sulfur of this area, now a burned-out region of oil and asphalt, were mingled by an earthquake to form a violent explosion. Evidently salt and sulfur were blasted red-hot into the sky so that literally it rained fire and brimstone over the whole plain (19:24,28). Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt is reminiscent of "the Mount of Sodom" known to the Arabs as Jebel Usdum, a five-mile-long salt mass stretching N and S at the southeastern end of the Dead Sea.

Somewhere under the slowly rising water of the southern part of the lake the five cities of the plain are to be found. According to Tacitus's History 5.7 and Josephus's Wars 4.8.4, their ruins were still visible in classical and NT times, not yet being covered with water.


gospel

GOSPEL (Anglo-Saxon, godspel, "good story").

Good news, and employed as the equivalent of the Gk. euaggelion. This word in the earlier Gk. language signified "a present given to one who brought good tidings," or "a sacrifice offered in thanksgiving for such good tidings having come." In later Gk. it was employed for the good tidings themselves. It is used to signify:

The good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as provided by our Lord and preached by His disciples:

1 Cor 15:1-6

1	Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,

2	by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-- unless you believed in vain.

3	For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4	and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

5	and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.

6	After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.

(NKJ)


graveclothes

GRAVECLOTHES (Gk. keiria, "winding sheet").

From early times the body was washed (Acts 9:37), then wrapped in a linen cloth (Mt 27:59), or the limbs separately wound with strips of linen (Jn 11:44).


great tribulation

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

This is the period of unparalleled suffering that, according to premillennial eschatology, will precede the establishment of the future kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6). The trouble will be upon the entire earth (Rev 3:10). Yet in a distinctive sense it will center upon Jerusalem and Palestine, being called by Jeremiah specifically "the time of Jacob's distress" (Jer 30:7).

The Jews were the chosen people of God. They were in covenant with Yahweh. All others were considered idolators by the Jews. In the time of Jesus the Jews unjustly felt contempt for all gentiles.

Yet the Lord made it clear that he placed Israel in the center of the world as a light to the whole world. They were the chosen people because they would give the Written Word of Yahweh to the world and ultimately bring forth the Living Word of Yahweh Jesus. But they rejected God's truth and rejected His Messiah.

Therefore God has temporarily set aside the nation (throughout the church age) and will again arise on their behalf after a time of great tribulation (Jacob's trouble or testing) when they humble themselves before the risen LORD.

 The Great Tribulation is identical with the last three and one-half years of Daniel's seventieth week of years (Dan 9:24-27; Rev 11:2-3). The gigantic wars, cataclysms, pestilences, etc., that befall the earth are actually the manifestation of the risen, victorious Christ taking an open hand to claim His redeemed rights to the earth in preparation for the divine program involving His people on the earth.(See Ruth and Jeremiah)


Hades

HA'DES (Gk. hades, "unseen").

This word occurs several times in the original and in the NASB and NIV, although KJV renders "hell" (Mt 11:23; 16:18; Lk 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27,31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13-14>; hades is KJV "grave" in <1 Cor. 15:55>, but the true reading is thanatos, "death," which the NASB and NIV follow).

The ancient Greek view of Hades, and the Roman view of Orcus, or Inferna, is that of a place for all the dead in the depth of the earth; dark, dreary, cheerless, shut up, inaccessible to prayers and sacrifices, ruled over by Pluto. This presiding god was the enemy of all life, heartless, inexorable, and hated accordingly by gods and men.

The Heb. Sheol is the equivalent for Hades and is likewise the subterranean abode of all the dead until the judgment. It was divided into two departments, paradise or Abraham's bosom for the good, and Gehenna or hell for the bad.

Believers pass immediately upon death into the presence of the Lord (Jn 14:2-3; Phil 1:23).

We therefore must reject the fables that sprung up amid the Dark Ages about the limbus, or antechamber of hell, and the purgatorial fires, in which it was supposed even redeemed souls had to complete their "ripening for glory"

(Read Luke 16:19-31)  At the sinners' judgment of the great white throne, Hades will surrender the wicked. They will be judged and cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:13-14). However, with regard to the state of the righteous and the location of paradise, Christ's ascension has evidently worked a drastic change. The apostle Paul was "caught up to the third heaven . . . into Paradise" (2 Cor 12:1-4). Paradise, therefore, now denotes the immediate presence of God. When Christ "ascended on high" He "led captive a host of captives" (Eph. 4:8-10). Since it is immediately added that He "descended into the lower parts of the earth," evidently the paradise division of hades, He set free the saved spirit believers of the underworld.

During the present church age, the redeemed who die are "absent from the body . . . at home with the Lord." The wicked, by contrast, are in hades. Both are awaiting resurrection: one the resurrection to life and the other the resurrection to condemnation.


hallowed

HALLOW, HALLOWED (Heb. qadash, to "set apart, consecrate," Gk. hagiazo, to "make sacred,").

consecrate, dedicate, sanctify, and holy


Hannibal


Heavenly Jerusalem Picture

"The Resurrection" by Robert Clark.


herald

In the Orient, a herald went before the king, calling the people together to repair the roads which were usually very poor, that the royal caravan might pass safely.

Isa 40:3-5

"Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth;

The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."


Herod the Great

For 40 years, Jewish history was dominated by Herod the Great. He was born in about 73 BC, the son of the Idumean Antipater, and became a Roman citizen in 47. His father appointed him military governor of Galilee, with the task of clearing the region of terrorists. Rome needed a shrewd and capable agent in Palestine, and in Herod the Great they felt they had found such a man.

In 41, Antony made Herod and his brother tetrarchs, but Herod was not secure and in 40 fled to Rome. There Antony bestowed on him the kingship of Judea, which he secured with a Roman army in 37. Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the naval battle of Actium in 3I, but kept Herod in power.

Herod worked devotedly for Rome and kept Augustus's favor. His court was Hellenized and cultured. He founded the Greek cities of Sebaste (Samaria) and Caesarea, with its fine port. He built fortresses and palaces, including Masada, and a magnificent new temple. He also presided at the Olympic Games.

His family life, however, was unhappy. He ruled as an autocrat, supported by police, and, despite his rebuilding of the Temple, to the Jews he remained a detested foreigner and a usurper. Most Jews openly hoped for his death. He died in 4 BC at the age of 69. (See Death of Herod ).

Herod kept an uneasy peace by dealing ruthlessly with suspected rivals and troublemakers. He systematically killed off all living claimants to the Hasmonean kingship, including his young brother-in-law, the high priest Aristobulus. He even ordered the execution of his favorite wife, Mariamne, and her mother because he believed they were plotting against him. Shortly before his death, he had three of his own sons killed because of rumors that they had designs on his throne. It is easy to imagine such a man ordering the massacre of all male infants in Bethlehem for no better reason than a vague rumor that one had been born "King of the Jews."


Herodians

HERO'DIANS (he-ro'di-anz).

A party among the Jews of the apostolic age, and were opposed to Jesus (Mt 22:16; Mk 3:6; 12:13) but of which no explicit information is given by any of the gospel writers.

The party was probably formed under Herod the Great and appears to have held that it was right to pay homage to a sovereign who might be able to bring the friendship of Rome and other advantages, but who had personally no title to reign by law and by religion. On this question they differed from the Pharisees (Matt. 22:16-17), although they joined forces with them in disguised opposition, or in open union against Jesus, in whom they saw a common enemy. The Herodians were obviously something more than a political party and something less than a religious sect.


Herodias' daughter

SALOME

The daughter of Herodias by her first husband, Herod Philip (Josephus Ant. 18.5.4). She is the "daughter of Herodias," mentioned in (Mt 14:6) as dancing before Herod Antipas and securing, at her mother's instigation, the death of John the Baptist.

To do honor to the day and to the company Salome broke through the rule of strict seclusion from the other sex and condescended, though a princess and the daughter of kings, to dance before Antipas and his guests. One scholar said:

"The dancing then in vogue in both Rome and the provinces, from its popularity under Augustus, was very like that of our modern ballet. The dancer did not speak, but acted some story by gestures, movements, and attitudes, to the sound of music. Masks were used in all cases to conceal the features, but all other parts of the body, especially the hands and arms, were called into action, and a skillful pantomimist could express feelings, passions, and acts with surprising effect. The dress of the performer was planned to show the beauty of the figure to the greatest advantage, though it varied with the characters represented" (Geikie, Life of Christ, p. 300).

Salome was married first to Philip, tetrarch of Trachonitis, her paternal uncle, who died childless; and, second, to her cousin Aristobulus, son of Herod, king of Chalcis, by whom she had three sons.


high priest

THE HIGH PRIEST,  (Heb. hakkohen, "the priest," hakkohen haggadol, "the great priest"). The high priest formed the culminating point in the Israelite hierarchy. The first to fill this high position was Aaron.

Following the Captivity. An interval of about fifty-two years elapsed between the high priests of the second and third group, during which there was neither Temple, altar, Ark, nor priest. Jehozadak, who should have succeeded Seraiah, lived and died a captive at Babylon. The pontifical office revived in his son, Jeshua (which see, and he stands at the head of this series), honorably distinguished for his zealous cooperation with Zerubbabel in rebuilding the Temple and restoring the dilapidated commonwealth of Israel. His successors, so far as given in the OT, were Joiakim, Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. Jaddua was high priest in the time of Alexander the Great. Jaddua was succeeded by Onias I, his son, and he again by Simon the Just, the last of the men of the great synagogue. Upon Simon's death, his son Onias being under age, Eleazar, Simon's brother, succeeded him. The high priesthood of Eleazar is memorable as being that under which the LXX version of the Scriptures was made at Alexandria.

After the high priesthood had been brought to the lowest degradation by the apostasy and crimes of the last Onias or Menelaus, and after a vacancy of seven years had followed the brief pontificate of Alcimus, his no less infamous successor, a new and glorious succession of high priests arose in the Hasmonaean family. This family was of the division of Jehoiarib <1 Chr. 24:7>, whose return from captivity is recorded in <9:10>; <Neh. 11:10> and lasted from 153 B.C. until the family was destroyed by Herod the Great. Aristobulus, the last high priest of his line, was murdered by order of Herod, his brother-in-law, 35 B.C.

"There were no fewer than twenty-eight high priests from the reign of Herod to the destruction of the temple by Titus, a period of one hundred and seven years. The New Testament introduces us to some of these later and oft-changing high priests, viz., Annas, Caiaphas, and Ananias. Theophilus, the son of Ananus, was the high priest from whom Saul received letters to the synagogue at Damascus (Acts 9:1,14). Phannias, the last high priest, was appointed by lot by the Zealots from the course of priests called by Josephus Eniachim (probably) a corrupt reading for Jachim" (Edersheim)


hireling

HIRED SERVANT (Heb. sakir; Gk. misthotos). "hireling"

A laborer hired for a limited time (Job 7:1; 14:6; Mk 1:20), as distinguished from one belonging to his master. Naturally, as a temporary laborer, he would feel much less interest than would the shepherd or permanent keeper of the flock (Jn 10:12-13) "hireling."


Hosanna

HOSANNA (Gk. hosannah, from Heb. hoshi`ana', "save now").

The cry of the multitude as they joined in our Lord's triumphal procession into Jerusalem (Mt 21:9,15; Mk 11:9-10; Jn 12:13). The psalm from which it was taken (Ps. 118) was one with which they were familiar from being accustomed to recite verses 25 and 26 at the feast of Tabernacles.

During the feast the Hallel, consisting of (Ps 113-18), was chanted by one of the priests, and at certain intervals the multitudes joined in the responses, waving their branches of willow and palm and shouting "Hallelujah," or, "Hosanna," or, "O Lord, we beseech Thee, do send now prosperity" (118:25).

On each of the seven days during which the feast lasted, the people thronged the court of the Temple and went in procession about the altar, setting their boughs bending toward it, the trumpets sounding as they shouted, "Hosanna."

The early Christian church adopted this word into its worship. It is found in the earliest of times.


Hypocrite

HYPOCRISY "to wear a mask"

Pretending to be what one is not. The New Testament meaning of hypocrisy and hypocrite reflects its use in Greek drama. In the Greek theater, a hypocrite was one who wore a mask and played a part on the stage, imitating the speech, mannerisms, and conduct of the character portrayed.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus vigorously exposed and denounced the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. They paraded their charitable deeds, praying and fasting as a theatrical display to win the praise of men (Mt 6:1-2,5, 16). They sought to give the appearance of being godly, but they were actually blind to the truth of God (Lk 20:19-20).

The apostle Paul encountered hypocrisy among some Jewish Christians, who refused to eat with the Gentile converts. Paul said: "Let love be without hypocrisy" (Rom 12:9).


hyssop

HYSSOP. A species of marjoram and a member of the mint family.

Hyssop was an aromatic shrub under one meter (three feet) tall with clusters of yellow flowers. It grew in rocky crevices and was cultivated on terraced walls <1 Kin. 4:33>.

The high priest sprinkled the blood with hyssop. The first record of this use of hyssop is in connection with the Exodus, when the Israelites used "bunches" of hyssop to sprinkle the doorposts with the blood of the paschal lamb (Ex 12:22). It was also used in connection with the ceremony of purifying lepers (Lev. 14:4-7) and in sprinkling blood on the leprous house (vv. 48-53). Hyssop was also used in the peculiar ordinance appointed for the purification of ceremonial uncleanness contracted by touching a dead body (Num 19:14-18).

In the account of the crucifixion (Jn 19:28-29) it is recorded, "they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a bunch of hyssop, and brought it to His mouth."

Figurative. The psalmist, having in view the frequent use of hyssop in the ceremonial law as a means by which the virtue of the sacrifice was transferred to the transgressor, applies it figuratively to the purification of sin and guilt when he prays, "Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean" (Ps 51:7).


Ichthus

The greek word for fish "ichthus" was an acrostic for

Iesous (i)

Christos (ch)

Theou (th)

Uios (u)

Soter (s)

Jesus Christ, Gods's Son, Saviour


Idumea

IDUME'A (id-u-me'a; Gk. "Pertaining to Edom").

This is a term employed by Greeks and Romans for the country of Edom (Mk 3:8). After the fall of Jerusalem (587 BC) the Edomites began to advance northward . By 312 B.C. the Nabataeans, who established themselves in Edom, drove them from Petra. The Edomites were gradually pushed into the southern half of Judea, including the region around Hebron, an area that the Greeks later called Idumea.

Judas Maccabaeus warred against them and a half century later John Hyrcanus completely subdued them, imposed the rite of circumcision, and invoked the old Jewish law of assembly (Deut 23:7-8).

Julius Caesar in 47 BC appointed an Idumean, Antipater, procurator of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Herod, son of Antipater, was crowned king of the Jews in 37 BC. When Titus besieged Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Idumeans joined the Jews in rebellion against Rome. Josephus says that 20,000 Idumeans were admitted as defenders of the Holy City. Once within, they proceeded to rob and kill, but these traitors received the same fate as the few surviving Jews when Rome took over Jerusalem. Idumea, or Edom, ceased to be.


Idumean

IDUME'A (id-u-me'a; Gk. "Pertaining to Edom").

This is a term employed by Greeks and Romans for the country of Edom (Mk 3:8). After the fall of Jerusalem (587 BC) the Edomites began to advance northward . By 312 B.C. the Nabataeans, who established themselves in Edom, drove them from Petra. The Edomites were gradually pushed into the southern half of Judea, including the region around Hebron, an area that the Greeks later called Idumea.

Judas Maccabaeus warred against them and a half century later John Hyrcanus completely subdued them, imposed the rite of circumcision, and invoked the old Jewish law of assembly (Deut 23:7-8).

Julius Caesar in 47 BC appointed an Idumean, Antipater, procurator of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Herod, son of Antipater, was crowned king of the Jews in 37 BC. When Titus besieged Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Idumeans joined the Jews in rebellion against Rome. Josephus says that 20,000 Idumeans were admitted as defenders of the Holy City. Once within, they proceeded to rob and kill, but these traitors received the same fate as the few surviving Jews when Rome took over Jerusalem. Idumea, or Edom, ceased to be.


Immanuel

IMMAN'UEL (i-man'u-el; "God with us"; i.e., "savior").

 A title given to Christ by Matthew (1:23) after (Is 7:14) revealing Jesus as the God-man (theanthropos) and has reference to the personal union of the human nature and the divine in Christ.


inn

INN (Heb. malon, a "lodging place"; the Gk. kataluma is used for an "inn," (Lk 2:7); or "guest room" as in (Mk 14:14; Lk 22:11). The word translated as inn means "loosing or untying," suggesting the releasing of animals upon arrival so they could rest.

Inns were usually primitive shelters or enclosures for travelers and their animals.

In the East hospitality was religiously observed, and therefore, in our sense of the term, inns were not known. Khans, or caravansaries, are the representatives of European inns and were only gradually established.

The origin of inns is unknown. Perhaps they were established at first by traders who regularly passed the same road. Now they are spread over the whole of the East, being found in cities, villages, and even the open highway. They consist of large buildings of stone arranged in a square, which enclose a spacious court. They are frequently of two stories, the lower containing stores and vaults for goods and stalls for cattle, the upper being used for travelers. They also contain a well or a large reservoir.

It appears that houses of entertainment were sometimes, as in Egypt (Herodotus History 2:35), kept by prostitutes.


innkeeper

One who managed an inn.

In Old Testament times, most travelers stayed in private dwellings or slept in the open.

By New Testament times some people managed inns (Lk 10:35) which were often not very comfortable or safe. Mary and Joseph stopped at a larger private dwelling, because it was the custom for such homeowners to rent out dwelling quarters during festival times (Lk 2:7).


Inscription1

Cross Inscription

The script of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Latin and Greek inscriptions on the excavated wallsl of lava-buried Pompeii suggest the sign on Jesus' cross looked like this. (The first line is Hebrew and reads from right to left).


Isaiah

Isaiah (745-695 B.C.) "yesha yahu" (Yaweh is salvation).

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem at the time Judah was threatened by the Assyrians. He warned Jerusalem about idolatry and foreign alliances, although he was usually scoffed at. He spoke about the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians. He also spoke of the destruction and captivity of Jerusalem by the Babylonians as well as the release of the Jews by Cyrus the Persian. Jewish tradition records that the leaders in Jerusalem sawed the prophet Isaiah in half between two planks.

Isaiah says more about the ministry of the Messiah than any other Book in the Old Testament.

Isa 53:4-6

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He also describes in great detail the blessings of the future age of peace.

Isa 11:6-10

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. . .The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious."


Iscariot

JUDAS ISCARIOT

JU'DAS ISCAR'IOT (Gk. 'Ioudas, from Heb. Judas; 'Iskariotes, "inhabitant of Kerioth").

The son of Simon and one of our Lord's twelve apostles. He was His betrayer that was foretold in the prophets.


Israel

The land of Israel in Jesus' day was situated at the western end of the fertile crescent with the great Mediterranean Sea as its western boundary, the Jordan River as the eastern, the northern being Lebanon and Hermon,  and the southern boundary was the hills of Judea which slope down into the great Negev and the desert.

Israel's length (from Dan to Beersheba) was about 160 miles and its average width was about 50 miles. It was a mountainous land and to be familiar with it a person had to often "lift up his eyes to the mountains." It was a land with extraordinary contrasts of climate, from the cool airs of Jerusalem to the tropical heats of Jericho, "the city of palms," only 14 miles away. It was also a very colorful land with strikingly bright clouds and its famous rich blue waters of the Sea of Galilee, as well as the vivid green of the Jordan valley and the gleaming snows of Mount Hermon. The flatland along the shores of the Mediterranean formed a highway down into Egypt along which had marched many conquerors.


Italy


Jairus

Jairus means "He will awaken"


James

James Gr. "Iakobos"

James is the hellenized name for Jacob (trickster, con)


Jeremiah

Jeremiah (626-586 B.C.) "yeremi yauw" (Yaweh will lift up).

He prophesied to Judah and against the surrounding nations. He emphasized the folly of idolatry as God pleaded with His people :

Jer 2:5-7 Thus says the LORD: "What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters? . . . I brought you into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination.

He continually warned that Jerusalem would be captured and the inhabitants exiled to Babylon.

Jer 5:15; 19:3 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. . . "Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle.

He prophesied against the pagan nations around (Jer 46-51) and also foretold that after 70 years the Jews would return from Babylon:

Jer 29:10-14 For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah's words were vehemently rejected and he was heavily persecuted. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C Jeremiah was forced to live in Egypt. He prophesied much of the Messiah and His kingdom. His greatest prophecy was probably Chap. 31:

Jer 31:31-34 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant . . . No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."


Jericho

JER'ICHO (jer'i-ko; possibly "place of fragrance" or "moon city").  'a city of palm trees'

One of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Situated in the wide plain of the Jordan Valley at the foot of the ascent to the Judean mountains, Jericho lies about 8 miles northwest of the site where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea, some 5 miles west of the Jordan.

Since it is approximately 800 feet below sea level, Jericho has a climate that is tropical and at times is very hot. Only a few inches of rainfall are recorded at Jericho each year; but the city is a wonderful oasis, known as "the city of palm trees" Deut 34:3; (Judg 3:13). Jericho flourishes with date palms, banana trees, balsams, sycamores, and henna (Song 1:14; Lk 19:4).

Interesting memories around Jericho:

The spies sent by Joshua were entertained in Jericho by Rahab (which see), for which they promised her protection when the city would be destroyed <Josh. 2:1-21; 6:25>.

The miraculous capture of Jericho, the sin and punishment of Achan, and the curse pronounced upon anyone who should attempt to rebuild it are graphically recorded (6:1-7:26).

Elisha 'healed the spring of the waters;' and over against it, beyond Jordan,

Elijah 'went up by a whirlwind into heaven' <2 Kin. 2:1-22>.

Zedekiah fell into the hands of the Chaldeans <25:5; Jer. 39:5>.

The Jericho of the days of Josephus was a distant one hundred and fifty stadia from Jerusalem and fifty from the Jordan."

New Testament Jericho. In the early years of Herod the Great, the Romans plundered Jericho. But Herod later beautified the city and ultimately died there. Jesus passed through Jericho on numerous occasions. Near there He was baptized in the Jordan River (Mt 3:13-17), and on the adjacent mountain range He was tempted (Mt 4:1-11).

Here Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46-52. Here too Zacchaeus was converted (Lk 19:1-10). And Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan has the road from Jerusalem to Jericho as its setting (Lk 10:30-37), robbers have ever terrorized the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.


Jerusalem

JERUSALEM The etymology of the name is not certain; it is apparently of Semitic origin. An Egyptian notice from the third quarter of the nineteenth century B.C. mentions Urusalimum. The Assyrians called it Ursalimmu. Modern scholars take these names to mean "founded by the god Shalem," a god of the Amorites (Jerusalem is said to have been founded by Amorites and Hittites; (Ezek 16:3,45).

In time, however, the second part of the name became associated with shalom ("peace") in Hebrew minds, and Jerusalem came to mean "city of peace." Romans and Greeks called it Hierosolyma. To the Arabs it is El Kuds, meaning "holy town."

The first city of Palestine, and the "holy city" for three great world religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

The "holy city" is located fourteen miles W of the Dead Sea, thirty-three miles E of the Mediterranean. Bethlehem lies about five miles to the SE. The city is situated on an uneven rocky plateau at an elevation of 2,550 feet. It is 3,800 feet above the level of the Dead Sea. It is poetically called "beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth" (Ps 48:2). Its location has helped to give it prestige.

Jerusalem stands at a point where three steep-sided little wadis join to form one valley. They are the Kidron, Tyropoeon, and Hinnom valleys. The Kidron runs N and S and lies on the E of the city. Between it and the Tyropoeon Valley (also N-S) a long, narrow spur extends southward; on this stood the Jebusite town conquered by David. Then a western hill (now known as Zion) stands between the Tyropoeon and the Hinnom, which runs N and S and then curves in an easterly direction to join the other two valleys. To the E of the Kidron rises the Mount of Olives.


Jerusalem1

"Of the 10 measures of beauty that God hath bestowed upon the world, nine of these fall to the lot of Jerusalem."  -The Talmud

"Erets Yisrael is the navel of the world, and Jerusalem is its center, and the Bet ha Mikdash is at the center of Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies is at its center, and the Holy Ark is at the center of the Holy of holies, and in front of it is the Foundation Stone on which the world was founded."  -The Midrash

"No people blessed as thine, no city like Jerusalem"  -Christian Hymn

"One prayer in Jerusalem is worth 40,000 elsewhere."  -Islamic Saying

"A city, the fame of which has gone out from one end of the world to the other."  -The Talmud

Ps 48:1-2

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, thejoy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Jer 3:17

At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.

Ps 125:2

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.

Ps 137:5-6

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth-- if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Zech 9:9

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. (NKJ)


Jesus

Greek form of the Hebrew Y'Shua or Yeshua (Yahweh is Salvation), a common Hebrew name at the time.

Ancient documents reproduce Jesus' name this way in Hebrew. Jesus is Greek for the Hebrew name, Joshua. In New Testament times, however, people spoke mostly Aramaic in daily conversation. Thus, Jesus would have answered to Jeshua or Yeshua.


Jesus of Nazareth

"Can any good come out of Nazareth?" remarked Nathaniel, speaking of Jesus. (John 1:46) The Old Testament never mentions the town Nazareth. Nor is it listed among the 63 Galilean towns in the Talmud. The first ancient reference to Nazareth, found outside the New Testament writings, turned up in 1962. Digging near Caesarea-on-the-Sea, archaeologists unearthed these 2 inscribed tablets. The 2 stone fragments were once part of a wall panel of a third-century synagogue, which listed the current residences of the 24 priestly classes who once served the temple. (I Chronicles 24:7-18, Luke 1:15) The name "Nazareth" appears on the left stone, in the second of the four lines.


Jesus Washing Feet Picture

The last supper was really reclining at a table rather than sitting on chairs as we do today. It was an eastern custom of the times to have dinner beds (Mk 7:4) for reclining or lying down for a meal. The Romans had 3 beds with room for 3 on each bed (9 in all). The  Jews went beyond this number. The front of the bed was higher than the table with the feet declining toward the floor. They probably ate while leaning their breasts upon cushions and also turned upon the left side, leaning upon the elbow as with John, who leaned upon the bosom of Jesus at supper (Jn 13:23). The job of the servant was to wash the feet of those who would enter from the dusty road of travel. Jesus seized upon this example in Jn 13 to illustrate what true greatness was by washing His disciples' feet.


Jews under Rome

Besides Christianity, the only major religion to survive the impact of Roman domination was Judaism—symbolized by this seven branched candlestick, or Menorah, from a relief in the ancient Palestinian catacombs of Beth Shetarim. Scattered in small settlements throughout the Empire, and surrounded by pagans, the Jews clung to their belief in one God, and to the literature, laws and language which had united them as a people for some 1,300 years.

Although they lived under chronic suspicion for their strict adherence to a monotheistic God, the Jews of Rome enjoyed periods of genuine toleration. Augustus even decreed that synagogues were inviolable and that Jews were exempt from appearing in court on their Sabbath. Indeed, the growing dissatisfaction which many Romans felt toward the proliferation of pagan cults led some to convert to Judaism.

Palestine, however, was a Jewish state which had been ruled by the Romans since 63 B.C. Seething under the supervision of unpopular procurators, the Jews rose up in fierce rebellion in 66 AD. But this uprising and other sporadic revolts which followed were soon crushed by the legions. In 135 AD the Jews were driven out of Jerusalem and forbidden to re-enter—a dispersal that was to last until the 20th Century.


John

Greek is "Ioannes" from the Hebrew "Yohanan" meaning (Yahweh is Gracious).


Jordan

Jordan

Heb. "ha yorden" (the descender) because it descends so rapidly.

Most important river in Israel. 200 miles in length and 100 feet wide. At the dead sea it is 1300 feet below sea level


Joseph

The Hebrew name "Yoseph" means (Jehovah will Add).


Judea

Judea was a high table-land cut by deep gullies running east to west. Its territory was 55 miles long and 30 miles wide. The country was divided into 5 regions: The coastal plain, the Shephelah (lowlands near the coast), the Negev (southland), the hill country, and the wilderness. One brief mention about the hill country and the wilderness. The hill country was a rough stony land with deep cut clefts or ravines and rising 2500 feet to the open plateau where Jerusalem sat. The wilderness was a bleak barren region where the Judaen mountains on the east side slope down 4000 feet to the earth's lowest land trench, the Dead Sea region, which was about 1300 feet below sea-level. This was where, at Qumran, the Essene scribes had written the Dead Sea Scrolls and established a devout and separated  community.

The population of Judea was exclusively Jewish. Adorning the rocky plateau was the city of Jerusalem with the beautiful Temple of Herod (not yet completed) on Mount Zion. The rabbi's used to boldly say, "He who has not seen Jerusalem in its beauty has not seen a beautiful great city in his whole life, and he who has not seen the Second Temple has not seen a handsome building in his life.

On the west side of the Temple Mount stood the palace of Herod, and north of that was the fortress of Antonia with its garrison of Roman auxiliary troops. It was there at the Antonia fortress that Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor had his residence.


judgment seat

JUDGMENT SEAT (Gk. bema, a "step"). A raised place mounted by steps;

The official seat of a judge (Mt 27:19; Jn 19:13; Acts 18:12,16-17; 25:6), "seat on the tribunal"

The judgment seat of God (Rom 14:10); or Christ (2 Cor. 5:10);

The structure, resembling a throne, that Herod built in the theater of Caesarea, from which he used to view the games and make speeches to the people (<Acts 12:21>, marg.).


Julius Caesar

 Upon his return to Rome, Pompey struck up a political friendship with the young military genius, Julius Caesar. The elder Pliny described Caesar as being "most dynamic" in personality and character. He was open, frank, and popular with troops. Another chronicler says of him: "He was skillful with sword and horse, and had amazing powers of physical endurance. He always was at the head of his army more often walking than riding, and went bareheaded both in sun and rain. When he encountered rivers too deep for wading, he would either swim or propel himself across on an inflated skin."   Caesar - SEUTONIUS. But Pompey's alliance with Caesar was doomed. By intrigue and plot, the corrupt Roman Senate turned the 2 young leaders against each other. Pompey fled Rome; Caesar followed in pursuit. With the help of Antipater, an Idumean Jew, Caesar routed Pompey and his forces. Returning to Rome, Caesar had Antipater appointed administrator of Judea. Next, by astute political arm-twisting, Caesar took control of the Roman Senate. By 44 B.C., he was Rome's undisputed boss.

March 15, 44 B.C. dawned like any other day in ancient Rome. It was 3 days before Caesar's trip to the East, and he had an appointment with the Senate in Pompey's theater. (The Senate s meeting hall was being repaired.)

When Caesar arrived, he was greeted politely. Then something happened. A crowd of senators rushed upon Caesar. Seconds later, 23 daggers plunged into his body. A stunned Caesar slumped in a pool of blood at the foot of Pompey's statue. In his hand, according to one report, was a note warning him of the plot. Someone had handed it to him on his way to the theater, but he had neglected to read it.

Caesar became a name-title given to all the Roman emperors after Julius Caesar. The Caesar's mentioned in the gospels are Augustus (Lk 2:1) and Tiberius (Lk 3:1; 20:22).


kingdom of God

KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Heb. Malkut, Gr. Basilea; both mean "rule or reign" at any given period.

In Jewish thought both kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven were synonymous terms as Hebrew parallelism since heaven is where God rules from. Therefore "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done is Hebrew parallelism and equal terms.

Kingdom of God embraces all created intelligences, both in heaven and on earth, who are willingly subject to God and thus in fellowship with Him. The kingdom is a term descriptive of the rule of God at any given period.

 John the Baptist, Christ, and the apostles announced that the kingdom of national Israel was "at hand." That offer was rejected. As a result the "kingdom of heaven" in its earthly manifested form was postponed until Christ's second advent.

 According to the clear teaching of the Bible the full manifestation of the kingdom will be revealed at the second coming of Christ.

According to (Mt 13) the present gospel age represents the mystery form of the kingdom. "Since the kingdom of heaven is no other than the rule of God on the earth, He must now be ruling to the extent of full realization of those things which are termed 'the mysteries' in the NT and which really constitute the new message of the NT" (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 7:224).


kingdom of heaven

KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Heb. Malkut, Gr. Basilea; both mean "rule or reign" at any given period.

In Jewish thought both kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven were synonymous terms as Hebrew parallelism since heaven is where God rules from. Therefore "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done is Hebrew parallelism and equal terms.

Kingdom of God embraces all created intelligences, both in heaven and on earth, who are willingly subject to God and thus in fellowship with Him. The kingdom is a term descriptive of the rule of God at any given period.

 John the Baptist, Christ, and the apostles announced that the kingdom of national Israel was "at hand." That offer was rejected. As a result the "kingdom of heaven" in its earthly manifested form was postponed until Christ's second advent.

 According to the clear teaching of the Bible the full manifestation of the kingdom will be revealed at the second coming of Christ.

According to (Mt 13) the present gospel age represents the mystery form of the kingdom. "Since the kingdom of heaven is no other than the rule of God on the earth, He must now be ruling to the extent of full realization of those things which are termed 'the mysteries' in the NT and which really constitute the new message of the NT" (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 7:224).


Lake of Gennesaret

The harp-shaped Sea of Galilee (13 miles long and 8 miles across) was about 700 feet below sea level and surrounded by small brown hills. It was also notorious for its sudden storms because it was surrounded by storms. The Sea of Galilee maintained a large fishing industry and was encircled by fairly large cities such as Capernaum, Chorazin, and Tiberias (Herod Antipas made this his capital which was on the southern shore). There is no record of Jesus ever visiting Tiberias. Bethsaida which means "fishing house" was at the eastern shore and near there was the "desert place" where Jesus fed the multitude.

Mount Hermon (9,100 feet) began just 20 miles to the north and Nazareth (Jesus' home town which was quite large) was just 12 miles to the west on a sharp slope high in the hill country.The hills of Nazareth looked down upon the great trade-routes where travelers and caravans coming from all over the world could be seen often. The northern hilltops gave a beautiful view of the whole region.


lamp

A simple oil-burning vessel used for lighting houses and public buildings in Bible times. Pottery lamps either had lips or were completely enclosed, with a hole in the middle, or a spout in the rim, for the wick. Such lamps were often decorated, and many had handles for convenient carrying.

Jewish lamps were decorated with the symbol of the MENORAH, the seven-branched lampstand. Christian lamps were decorated with Christian symbols such as crosses, fish and the alpha and omega. The typical Palestinian lamp in Christ's day was plain and round, with a filling hole for oil and a spout for the wick

Lamps could be held by hand or placed on a support, like a shelf or a lampstand. More light was provided by additional wicks. Lamps with up to seven spouts have been discovered by archaeologists. Some lamps were made of metal.

Lamps burned olive oil or fat. Those with a single wick would burn from two to four hours. Occasionally the flax wick would have to be trimmed.

The lamp became a symbol of understanding (2 Sam 22:29), guidance (Prov 6:23), and life (Job 21:17). John the Baptist was "the burning and shining lamp" in whose light the Jews of his day rejoiced (Jn 5:35). In Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13), they were to take enough oil to keep the lamps burning. Not taking enough oil to keep the lamps burning represented disobedience to Christ.


Latin

The vernacular language of the Romans, although most of them in the time of Christ also spoke Greek.

The New Testament refers to Latin-the language which sprang from ancient Rome (Lk 23:38, Jn 19:20). Most of the Roman Empire also spoke Greek in Jesus' day. But as Roman power spread throughout the ancient world, Latin also expanded in use.

The influence of Latin on the Mediterranean world in the time of Jesus is shown by the occurrence of such Latin words as denarii (Mt 18:28) and praetorian (Phil 1:13), (RSV, NASB) in the New Testament.


lawyers

LAWYER (Gk. nomikos, according to "law").

A term used to signify one who was familiar with the Mosaic law (Mt 22:35; Lk 7:30; 10:25; 11:45; 14:3; Tit 3:13), and probably applied to a scribe in his practical administration of the law in the pronouncement of legal decisions.

It is not by accident that the expression is so frequently used by Luke. He purposes by this repetition to make clear to his Roman readers the character of the Jewish scribes


Lazarus

LAZ'ARUS (laz'a-rus; from the Heb. "Eleazar").


leaven

A substance added to dough to cause it to rise, from Lat. levamen, that is, "that which rises," from lavere, "to raise."

Leaven was used to produce fermentation in dough and make it rise (Ex 12:15,19-20). In Bible times leaven was usually a piece of fermented dough retained from a previous baking that was placed in the new dough to cause it to rise.

The use of leaven was prohibited in food offerings dedicated to the Lord by fire (Lev 2:11). However, leavened bread was required for the peace offering (Lev 7:13) and for the two wave loaves offered at the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost (Lev 23:17). During the Exodus, the Israelites had eaten unleavened bread because of their hasty departure from Egypt (Ex 12:34,39). The practice of this first Passover was continued in all subsequent observances of the Passover. At the beginning of the Passover season every year, all leaven was expelled from the house (Ex 12:15) and was kept from the house for seven days (Ex 12:19). These days, called the "Days of Unleavened Bread" (Acts 12:3), commemorated the eating of unleavened bread at the time of departure from Egypt.

Leaven is used metaphorically in the Bible of an influence that can permeate whatever it touches. Leaven is used as a symbol of either good or bad influence. In one parable, Jesus used the word leaven in a good sense:

"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened" (Mt 13:33). The action of the leaven in the meal-- hidden, yet powerful, relentless, and pervasive-- is a symbol of the growth of God's spiritual rule in the world.

On the other hand, Jesus also used the word leaven in an evil sense to illustrate the "fermentation" of moral and political corruption: "Take heed and beware of the leaven [doctrine] of the Pharisees and the Sadducees" (Mt 16:6,12.


Lebbaeus

[leh BEE uhs] (man of heart or courage)

One of the 12 apostles, also called THADDAEUS (Mt 10:3). According to a church tradition, Lebbaeus is the same person as "Judas the son [or brother] of James" (Lk 6:16).


Legion

 LEGION. A main division of the Roman army, nearly equivalent to our regiment. It comprised a much larger number of men, running from 3,000 men to about 6,000 at the time of Christ. The word legion came to figuratively mean a great number or multitude, for example, of angels (Mt 26:53) and of evil spirits (Mk 5:9,15).  (See Roman Army).

- The legionaries were not only fighters but they were builders as well. No Roman legion fought a battle or retired for the night without first building a fortified camp.

- each legionary carried 80 pounds of equipment (weapons, armor, axe, spade, saw, basket, tent stakes, cooking utensils, and 2 weeks' rations of meal)

- Overnight camps were tents surrounded by a ditch and a wooden palisade

- When far away they built more permanent quarters of wood, stone, and brick. (These later became cities)

- The army also built roads and bridges to link the various parts of the empire.

- bridge building was a special skill of the legionary

- the simplest bridge consisted of wooden frames covered with planking supported by pontoons.

- When there was a strong current, a more stable bridge was built secured by pilings into the river bed


Legion1


Legion2


leper

A person who suffers from a slowly progressing and incurable skin disease. Leprosy (Heb. sara`at). The meaning is uncertain.

Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease characterized by sores, scabs, and white shining spots beneath the skin.

Old Testament Law was quite detailed in its instructions regarding recognition and quarantine of leprous persons. The Bible never implies that leprosy can be cured by non-miraculous means, even though it does contain guidelines for readmitting cured lepers into normal society. The Old Testament contains no references to treatment or remedy.It was believed that leprosy could be cured only by a miracle.

If the symptoms of leprosy showed up in a person, the priest was to decide if this was leprosy or some other disease. Because of the need to control the spread of a disease for which there was no cure, the law required that a leper be isolated from the rest of society (Lev 13:45-46). While excluded, the leper was required to wear mourning clothes, leave his hair in disorder, keep his beard covered and cry "Unclean! Unclean!" so everyone could avoid him. As long as the disease lasted, he was to live in isolation away from other people <Lev. 13:45-46>.

Any contact with a leper defiled the person who touched him. Sometimes leprosy victims were miraculously cured. Moses (Ex 4:7), Miriam, his sister (Num 12:10), and Naaman (2 Ki 5:1,10) are examples of such miracles. King Uzziah was a leper from middle age until death (2 Chr 26:19-21).

Modern medicine provides cures for leprosy.

Jesus touched and healed the lepers.


Levi

MATTHEW (From Mattathias, "gift of Jehovah").

The son of a certain Alphaeus, surnamed Levi (Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27). It is not known whether his father was the same as the Alphaeus named as the father of James the Less, but he was probably another.

Matthew's residence was at Capernaum, and he was a publican or "tax-gatherer." There was at that time a large population surrounding the Lake of Gennesaret; its fisheries supplied a source of livelihood, and its surface was alive with busy navigation and traffic. A customhouse was established at Capernaum by the Romans, where Matthew was tax collector. The publicans proper were usually Romans of rank and wealth, who farmed out the business of collecting to resident deputies called portitors. It was to this class that Matthew belonged.

While Matthew was thus occupied, "sitting in the tax office," Jesus said to him, "Follow Me!" he immediately "rose, and followed Him" Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27-28). Jesus also dined with the publicans (Mt 9:10).

After this we find no mention of him except in the mentions of the apostles (Lk 6:15) and his presence in the "upper room" in Jerusalem after our Lord's ascension (Acts 1:13).

The gospel that bears his name was written by this apostle, according to the testimony of all antiquity. Tradition relates that Matthew preached in Judea after the ascension for twelve or fifteen years and then went to foreign nations.


Levite

LE'VITES (Heb. benelewi, "sons of Levi," or simply lewi, "Levites"). A title that, besides denoting all the descendants of Levi (Ex 6:25; Lev 25:32; Josh 21:3,41, is also the distinctive title of that portion of the tribe that was set apart for the service of the sanctuary and subordinate to the priests (Num 8:6; Ezra 2:70; Jn 1:19; etc.).

After the Captivity. After the captivity the Levites cherished the traditions and maintained the practices of their tribe. It is noticeable that, in the first body of returning exiles, they were present in a noticably small number (Ezra 2:36-42). Those who did come were blessed in the foundation and dedication of the second temple (3:10; 6:18). In the next movement under Ezra none of them presented themselves at the first great gathering (8:15).

The special efforts of Ezra did not succeed in bringing together more than thirty-eight, and their places had to be filled by two hundred and twenty of the Nethinim (v. 20). Those who returned with him resumed their functions at the feast of tabernacles as teachers and interpreters (Neh 8:7), and those who were most active in that work were foremost also in chanting the hymnlike prayer which appears in ch. 9 as the last great effort of Jewish psalmody.

The two prophets who were active at the time of the return, Haggai and Zechariah, if they did not belong to the tribe, helped it forward in the work of restoration. The strongest measures were adopted by Nehemiah, as before by Ezra, to guard the purity of their blood from the contamination of mixed marriages (Ezra 10:23); and they are made the special guardians of the holiness of the Sabbath (Neh 13:22).

The last prophet of the Old Testament sees, as part of his vision of the latter days, the time when the Lord 'shall purify the sons of Levi' (Mal 3:3).

In the New Testament. The Levites appear but seldom in the history of the NT. Where we meet with their names it is as the type of a formal, heartless worship, without sympathy and without love (Lk 10:32). The mention of a Levite at Cyprus in (Acts 4:36) shows that the changes of the previous century had carried that tribe also into "the Dispersion among the Greeks."


Levites

LE'VITES (Heb. benelewi, "sons of Levi," or simply lewi, "Levites"). A title that, besides denoting all the descendants of Levi (Ex 6:25; Lev 25:32; Josh 21:3,41, is also the distinctive title of that portion of the tribe that was set apart for the service of the sanctuary and subordinate to the priests (Num 8:6; Ezra 2:70; Jn 1:19; etc.).

After the Captivity. After the captivity the Levites cherished the traditions and maintained the practices of their tribe. It is noticeable that, in the first body of returning exiles, they were present in a noticably small number (Ezra 2:36-42). Those who did come were blessed in the foundation and dedication of the second temple (3:10; 6:18). In the next movement under Ezra none of them presented themselves at the first great gathering (8:15).

The special efforts of Ezra did not succeed in bringing together more than thirty-eight, and their places had to be filled by two hundred and twenty of the Nethinim (v. 20). Those who returned with him resumed their functions at the feast of tabernacles as teachers and interpreters (Neh 8:7), and those who were most active in that work were foremost also in chanting the hymnlike prayer which appears in ch. 9 as the last great effort of Jewish psalmody.

The two prophets who were active at the time of the return, Haggai and Zechariah, if they did not belong to the tribe, helped it forward in the work of restoration. The strongest measures were adopted by Nehemiah, as before by Ezra, to guard the purity of their blood from the contamination of mixed marriages (Ezra 10:23); and they are made the special guardians of the holiness of the Sabbath (Neh 13:22).

The last prophet of the Old Testament sees, as part of his vision of the latter days, the time when the Lord 'shall purify the sons of Levi' (Mal 3:3).

In the New Testament. The Levites appear but seldom in the history of the NT. Where we meet with their names it is as the type of a formal, heartless worship, without sympathy and without love (Lk 10:32). The mention of a Levite at Cyprus in (Acts 4:36) shows that the changes of the previous century had carried that tribe also into "the Dispersion among the Greeks."


linen cloths

GRAVECLOTHES (Gk. keiria, "winding sheet").

From early times the body was washed (Acts 9:37), then wrapped in a linen cloth (Mt 27:59), or the limbs separately wound with strips of linen (Jn 11:44).

BURIAL CUSTOMS IN ANCIENT PALESTINE

In Jesus' day, the dead of wealthy families were typically laid to rest in family burial places in use for generations, either caves or tombs cut into soft rock.

Although criminals were usually buried in the trench graves where the poor were laid to rest, Jesus did not receive a criminal's burial. Since his own family would not have owned a burial spot near Jerusalem, a follower named Joseph of Arimathea arranged to bury Jesus in his own unused tomb in a garden near Golgotha.

Such tombs usually had one or more irregular chambers with ledges where the bodies were placed and were accessible only by a short, low-ceilinged, ramplike shaft.

No coffin was used.

As suggested in the Gospels, a rough boulder or a specially cut closing stone blocked the entrance, basically to protect the corpse from jackals.

The dead were usually buried promptly, as Jesus was, because the Jews did not embalm their deceased and bodies decomposing rapidly in the Middle Eastern heat created a health hazard.

Normally, the corpse was immediately washed and anointed with spices, including aloes and myrrh, then wrapped in linen graveclothes , with special care taken to bind the chin to keep it from lowering. In funeral processions, which were arranged by the nearest of kin, the bereaved cried aloud or sang ritual lamentations and beat their breasts, sometimes wearing sackcloth or rolling in the dust, while hired musicians and professional mourners added to the public demonstration of grief.


loaves

LOAVES OF BREAD (Heb. kikkar, "circle"; Gk. 'artos; sometimes only lehem, "bread").

Round cakes or biscuits, the usual form of bread among the orientals (Ex 29:23, "cake of bread"; Judg 8:5; 1 Sam 10:3; 1 Chron 16:3; Mt 14:17; Mk 6:38; etc.).


Loaves and Fishes Picture

This mosaic behind the altar of the Church of the Multiplying of the Loaves and Fishes at El-Tabgha in Israel reveals how important Christian symbols were such as these fish and bread. The basket of loaves is full (2 whole loaves and 2 halves, each marked with a cross).

The early Christian writer Tertullian, compared the newly baptised to little fishes, following the larger fish through the waters of baptism.

Jesus said He would make the disciples, "fishers of men" after the miraculous catch, symbolizing their successful missionary endeavors.

The risen Christ met the disciples on the shore offering them bread and fish

The greek word for fish "ichthus" was an acrostic for

Iesous (i)

Christos (ch)

Theou (th)

Uios (u)

Soter (s)

Jesus Christ, Gods's Son, Saviour


Lower1

THE LOWER CITY

Once past one of the gates, you would face a maze of dusty streets and alleyways, running uphill and down in every direction. As you made your way toward the temple, you would hear sounds of voices, the clatter of hooves and odors of cooking food. Along the Small Market street in the Lower City, you would pass open-air shops where Jerusalem's craftsmen sat at work: the city's weavers, dyers, potters, bakers, tailors, carpenters and metalworkers. Farther along you would enter the colorful bazaar, where merchants sold fruits and vegetables, dried fish, sacrificial animals, clothes, perfumes and jewelry.

The market street was always crowded and busy, especially on Mondays and Thursdays, the main market days, when citizens and visitors came there to buy goods or souvenirs. Perishable goods were on sale every day. Only on the Sabbath was the street empty and quiet.

After traveling you could stop to rest at one of Jerusalem's many taverns or restaurants. There you could select from a menu offering fresh or salted fish, fried locusts, vegetables, soup, pastry and fruit. You could drink local wine or imported beer.

The farmers of Jerusalem, like their rural cousins, went out each morning to tend their crops. Most of them worked in the rich olive groves that covered the surrounding hillsides and provided the city's only major export.

Jerusalem's numerous craftsmen had for a long time been organized into professional groups and most of them worked in public shops. The members of each group lived in a cluster of houses in a particular section of the city and they usually had their own synagogue. In Jesus' time, there were at least 480 synagogues in Jerusalem.


Magdalene

Magdalene

Magdala was the birthplace of Mary Magdalene (the Magdalene). It was on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Tiberias.


Magi

MA'GI (ma'ji, Gk. magoi singular, magos from Old Persian magav). The KJV renders "wise men" in Mt 2:1,7,16.

The term "Magi" comes from the ancient Persian "magav" and was used as the name for priests and wise men among the Babylonians, Medes, and Persians.

To say there were three because of the number of gifts that were given is merely speculation with no historical basis just as it would be to assume that they were kings.


mammon

MAM'MON (Gk. from Aram. mamona', "wealth").

a word that speaks of wealth (Mt 6:24; Lk 16:9,11,13, especially wealth that is used in opposition to God. Mammon is a transliteration of the Aramaic word mamon, which means "wealth, riches," or "earthly goods."

Modern versions have "money," "gold," and "material possessions." Jesus said that no one can serve two masters-- God and money-- at the same time. Nor can mammon (money) purchase security (Lk 12:13-21). "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mt 16:26; Mr 8:36; Lk 9:25).


manger

Not far from Bethlehem's fertile grasslands were cave shelters called manger's. The soft limestone in the area eroded over centuries and formed most of Bethlehem's caves. These manger's provided shelter for domestic animals and livestock. The herdsmen could easily carve out niches in the walls and and use them as feeding troughs.


Map1


marriage

Before the time of Moses, when the proposal was accepted, the marriage price paid, and the gifts distributed, the bridegroom was at liberty to move the bride at once to his own home.  Usually the marriage took place at the home of the bride's parents and was celebrated by a feast to which friends and neighbors were invited and which lasted seven days.

The word wedding does not occur in the OT but there was the oath (Prov 2:17; Ezek 16:8; Mal 2:14), and the blessing that was pronounced (Gen 24:60; Ruth 4:10-12), etc. But the essence of the ceremony consisted in the removal of the bride from her father's house to that of the bridegroom or his father. There seems to be a literal truth in the Heb. expression "to take" a wife (Gen 21:21; 24:3,38; 26:34), for the ceremony appears to have mainly consisted in the taking.

After putting on festive dress, placing a "garland" or "wreath"on his head (Isa. 61:10; "crown," Song of Sol 3:11), the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen (Judg 14:11; Mt 9:15), preceded by a band of musicians or singers (Gen 31:27; Jer 7:34; 16:9; 1 Macc. 9:39), and accompanied by persons bearing lamps (2 Esd 10:2; Mt 25:7; Jer 25:10; Rev 18:23).

Having reached the house of the bride, who with her companions anxiously expected his arrival (Mt 25:1,6), he conducted the whole party back to his own or his father's house, with every demonstration of gladness (Ps 45:15). On their way back they were joined by a party of young girls (virgins), friends of the bride and bridegroom, who were in waiting to catch the procession as it passed (Mt 25:6). The inhabitants of the place pressed out into the streets to watch the procession (Song of Sol 3:11).

At the house a feast was prepared, to which all the friends and neighbors were invited (Gen 29:22; Mt 22:1-10; Lk 14:8; Jn 2:2), and the festivities were protracted for seven or even fourteen days (Judg. 14:12; Tobit 8:19). The guests were provided by the host with wedding clothes (Mt 22:11), and the feast sometimes was enlivened with riddles (Judg 14:12) and other amusements.

The bridegroom now entered into direct communication with the bride, and the "FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM . . . rejoices greatly" at hearing the voice of the bridegroom conversing with her (Jn 3:29), which he regarded as a satisfactory testimony of the success of his share in the work. The last act in the ceremony was the conducting of the bride to the bridal chamber (Heb. cheder, (Judg 15:1; Joel 2:16), where a canopy, named a chuppa, was prepared (Ps 19:5; Joel 2:16). The bride was still completely veiled, explaining the deception practiced on Jacob (Gen 29:23,25).

A newly married man was exempt from military service, or from any public business that might draw him away from his home, for the space of a year (Deut. 24:5). A similar privilege was granted to one who was betrothed (20:7).

This of course is a picture of the greater marriage and ceremony that will one day happen with Christ and His bride (the church).


Martha

Greek from Aramaic meaning "lady, or mistress"


Mary

Greek "Maria" from the Hebrew "Miriam" meaning (rebellious or stiff necked).


Mary and Child Picture

Stained Glass Window depicting Raphael's famous painting, "Madonna of Foligno." 1511 (Vatican Museums)


Masada

 "A steep narrow trail called the Snake's Path winds its way to the top. When you reach the barred summit and look Out in the burning bright sunlight, you are overwhelmed by the loneliness of the place. It is a formidable site cut off on all sides by steep valleys. Here 2000 years ago Herod the Great built a powerful fortress and a luxurious palace as a refuge from his enemies. The wall surrounding the mountain top had 37 defense towers. After Herod's death Masada was occupied for 70 years by a Roman garrison. Then in 66 AD came the Great Revolt of the Zealots. A party of them captured Masada and to this remote place gathered multitudes of refugees, men, women, and children."    Masada  YIGAEL YADIN

MASADA Decades after Jesus’ death, Zealots engineered a revolt against Rome. The uprising was brutally stamped out and ended with Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 AD. Survivors fled to Masada, a fortress built by Herod near the Dead Sea. Today, the excavated remains of Masada have become a national symbol for all Israelis.

Here 900 Zealots held out until the year 73. Then, the inevitable day came when 15,000 Roman troops breached its walls. Since it was late in the day, the Romans delayed the final attack until dawn. That night the survivors met and voted for suicide, rather than for capture.

"The survivors chose, by lot, 10 men to slay all the rest. Each man lay down on the ground with his wife and children and embraced them. Together, they awaited the blow from the men chosen to deliver it. When the 10 executioners had, unflinchingly, completed their task, they drew lots again to see who would kill the other 9 and, then, take his own life."

At dawn, the Romans poured through the breached walls. Fires burned quietly everywhere. A ghostly stillness hung over the air. Finally, 2 old women and 3 small children came out of hiding to tell the story. Josephus concludes his report of Masada with these striking words:

"When the Romans saw the mass of slain, they were unable to take pleasure in the sight, even though the people were their enemies."    Jewish Wars  FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS


Matthew

MATTHEW (From Mattathias, "gift of Jehovah").

The son of a certain Alphaeus, surnamed Levi (Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27). It is not known whether his father was the same as the Alphaeus named as the father of James the Less, but he was probably another.

Matthew's residence was at Capernaum, and he was a publican or "tax-gatherer." There was at that time a large population surrounding the Lake of Gennesaret; its fisheries supplied a source of livelihood, and its surface was alive with busy navigation and traffic. A customhouse was established at Capernaum by the Romans, where Matthew was tax collector. The publicans proper were usually Romans of rank and wealth, who farmed out the business of collecting to resident deputies called portitors. It was to this class that Matthew belonged.

While Matthew was thus occupied, "sitting in the tax office," Jesus said to him, "Follow Me!" he immediately "rose, and followed Him" Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27-28). Jesus also dined with the publicans (Mt 9:10).

After this we find no mention of him except in the mentions of the apostles (Lk 6:15) and his presence in the "upper room" in Jerusalem after our Lord's ascension (Acts 1:13).

The gospel that bears his name was written by this apostle, according to the testimony of all antiquity. Tradition relates that Matthew preached in Judea after the ascension for twelve or fifteen years and then went to foreign nations.


Mediterranean


Messiah

MESSI'AH (Heb. mashiah, "anointed"; rendered in the LXX by the Gk. equivalent Christos).

The word Christ is therefore almost invariably used instead of Messiah in the NT as the official designation of our Lord. In the Old Testament PRIESTS are referred to as the "anointed" (Lev 4:3; 8:12; Ps 105:15), as are KINGS (1 Sam 24:7-11; 2 Sam 23:1; 1 Ki 19:16). We also read (19:16) of anointing to the office of PROPHET.

But along with these lesser uses of the term, which undoubtedly foreshadowed the three great offices of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King, its highest use was employed to designate the One promised of God as the great Deliverer, and who was to be in a preeminent and altogether unique sense the Anointed, or the Messiah, of God.

The subject is therefore extensive, and offers to the student an immense field for investigation not only in the OT and NT Scriptures but also in Jewish and Christian literature.

(See Messianic Prophecy Topic)


Milestone Picture

This inscribed Roman milestone standing almost 10 feet tall was used to count the miles along all major roads. A network of 50,000 miles of highways linked Rome's 43 provinces. Many roads are still being used today.


millstone

MILLSTONE. The mill stone used for grinding grain.

These consist of two circular stones, about eighteen inches or two feet in diameter, the lower of which is fixed and has its upper surface slightly convex, fitting into a corresponding concavity in the upper stone. The latter, called by the Hebrews rekeb, "chariot," and by the Arabs rekkab, "rider," has a hole in it through which the grain passes, immediately above a pivot or shaft that rises from the center of the lower stone, and about which the upper stone is turned by means of an upright handle fixed near the edge.

It is worked by women, sometimes singly and sometimes two together. (Matt. 24:41) The labor is very hard. So essential were millstones for daily domestic use that they were not to be taken in pledge (Deut 24:6; Josephus Ant. 4.8.26) in order that a man's family might not be deprived of the means of preparing their food.

It was the millstone of a mill of this kind, driven by a donkey, that is alluded to in (Mt 18:6). With the movable upper millstone of the hand mill the women of Thebez broke Abimelech's skull (Judg 9:53).


mina

Mina (Heb. maneh, a "portion," the original of the Lat. moneta and our money; (1 Ki 10:17; Ezra 2:69; Neh 7:71-72; Ezek 45:12), "maneh"; Gk. mna, (Lk 19:13-25).

From (Ezek 45:12) it appears that there were 60 holy shekels in a mina, whereas from the passages in Kings and Chronicles it is evident that a mina was equivalent to 100 shekels. These latter Keil thinks were the common shekels, 100 of which would make only 50 holy (i.e., Mosaic) shekels. Sixty minas formed a talent. The mina contained 100 drachmas.


Mishna

Talmud

Talmud comes from the Hebrew word "Lamad" which means (to study or learn). This and the Old Testament are the main religious works of the Jews. The Talmud is a very extensive collection of rabbinical discussions and decisions relating to the Torah over a period of several centuries.

When the work of the first generation of rabbis (the tannaim) was brought to its conclusion in the Mishnah, their task was taken over by the "amoraim" (expounders) who developed practical living standards by determining what was right or wrong. Their annotations to the Mishnah are called the Gemara. Together the Mishnah and the Gemara form the Talmud.

The study of the Talmud is extremely important for a proper understanding of the Old and New Testament. We learn of Jewish customs as well as insight into the thought and idium of the Jewish people.


mite

MITE. A mite (KJV) or small copper coin (NASB) was a unit of money.


money belts

PURSE (Heb. harit,, "money purses," a "belt").

The Hebrews in journeying were provided with a bag in which they carried their money (Gen 42:35; Prov 1:14; 7:20; Is 46:6).

Ladies wore ornamental purses (Heb. harit, <3:22>; <2 Kin. 5:23>, "bags"). The name given to them by Isaiah is supposed to refer to the long, round form of the purse. The "money belt" was also used as a purse (Mt 10:9; Mk 6:8).


moneychangers

MONEY CHANGER

The Gk. trapezites (Mt 25:27), "Bankers," is a general term for a money changer, broker, banker; one who exchanges money for a fee and pays interest on deposits. The fact that this occupation had become characterized by greed may account for the strong language and vigorous action of Jesus in (Mt. 21:12) and (Mk 11:15).


Mount of Olives

A north-to-south ridge of hills east of Jerusalem where Jesus was betrayed on the night before His crucifixion. This prominent feature of Jerusalem's landscape is a gently rounded hill, rising to about the height of 830 meters (2,676 feet) and overlooking the Temple.

The closeness of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem's walls made this series of hills a grave strategic danger. The Roman commander Titus had his headquarters on the northern extension of the ridge during the siege of Jerusalem in  70 AD. He named the place Mount Scopus, or "Lookout Hill," because of the view which it offered over the city walls. The whole hill must have provided a platform for the Roman catapults that hurled heavy objects over the Jewish fortifications of the City.

In ancient times the whole mount must have been heavily wooded. As its name implies, it was covered with dense olive groves.

The Mount of Olives is also mentioned in a reference by the prophet Zechariah to the future Day of the Lord: "In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (Zech 14:4).

In the New Testament the Mount of Olives played a prominent part in the last week of our Lord's ministry. Jesus approached Jerusalem from the east, by way of Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1). On the night of His betrayal, He and His disciples sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26), to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36; Mk 14:32). In this garden, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and delivered into the hands of His enemies.

The Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed was outside the city, opposite the eastern wall of the Temple . There was the garden of Gethsemane which means "olive press."


mustard seed

Mustard (Gk. sinapi).

A well-known plant of which two species, Sinapsis arvensis, L., and S. alba, L., flourish in the Holy Land. Besides these S. nigra, L., the black mustard is cultivated as a condiment. All produce minute seeds (Mt 17:20; Lk 17:6). All, in favorable soil in this warm climate, attain a great size (Mt 13:31-32; Mk 4:31-32; Lk 13:19).

The birds in (Lk 13:19). as it says, nest in the branches also with the word tree is to be taken only as an exaggerated contrast with the minute seed and to be explained by the parallel "but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree" (Mt 13:32). Palestinian mustard trees sometimes grow to a height of ten to fifteen feet or more.


My Father

DEITY of the Son. A matter of doctrine with reference to the divine nature of Christ. It is woven with the doctrine of the Trinity and in the very nature of the case points to a relationship that in its deepest essence cannot be comprehended by the human understanding (Mt. 11:27) any more than if we tried to comprehend God's omnipresence,etc.. Yet the Scriptures do throw some rays of light on the subject.

Scriptural. The term Son of God is used in the Scriptures in various senses. In the OT it is sometimes applied to Israel (Ex 4:22), also figuratively to heavenly beings (Job 1:6; 38:7). In the NT it is also applied to Christ. And yet it is clear beyond all question that the Scriptures apply this title to Christ in a sense far deeper than all these. Both Christ Himself and His apostles speak of His sonship in a way that cannot be employed with reference to any, even the highest, of God's creatures (Jn 3:13,16; 5:17-31; 6:62; 8:58; 10:30; 14:1,11; Rom 1:3-4; 9:5; Col 2:9; Tit 2:13).

Theological. The doctrine of the Scriptures, universally held by the Christian church, includes the following features:

1. The deity of the Son involves an eternal distinction of personality between the Son and the Father. He is the eternal Son even as the Father is the eternal Father. Thus both Christ and the apostles speak of His preexistent state Jn 8:58; 17:5; Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:5-8).

2. The sonship of Christ implies also that He as the Son has the ground of his existence in the Father, and as the Father has not in the Son. Christ is the "only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father" (Jn 1:18; ), the "only begotten Son" <3:16>, "His own Son" <Rom. 8:3>. Upon these and similar Scripture expressions is based the doctrine of the eternal generation.

3. The Son is in the most complete sense partaker in the same nature with the Father. He possesses the same attributes (Jn 5:21), performs the same works (Mt 9:2-6; Jn 5:24-29), and claims equal honor with the Father (5:23; 14:1). As the Son, having the ground of His existence in the Father, He is in this sense subordinate. Also in His incarnate state He became subordinate in a still deeper sense. And yet before His incarnation He "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped"; and in His glorified state "in Him all the fulness of the Deity dwells in bodily form."

The doctrine of the eternal sonship of Christ has been the ground of many hard-fought battles (particularly Arianism and Sabellianism ), but the Christian church steadfastly holds to the teachings of the Scriptures. And the truth at this point is most important; for only in the light of this truth can we recognize in Christ the perfect revelation of God and realize the efficacy of His saving ministry.


myrrh

Myrrh (Heb. mor, "distilling"; Arab. murr; Gk. smyrna, "myrrha").

It is the well-known gum resin extracted from the Arabian Balsamodendron Myrrha, Nees.

It was used as a perfume, for embalming, and as an ingredient of the holy anointing oil. It was one of the gifts of the magi.


Naaman

NA'AMAN (na'a-man; "pleasantness").

 "The Syrian" was commander of the armies of Ben-hadad II (Josephus Ant. 8.15.5), king of Damascene Syria. He is described in (2 Ki 5:1) as "a great man with his master, and highly respected, . . . a valiant warrior."

He was, however, a leper; and when a captive Hebrew girl spoke of a prophet in Samaria who could cure her master of leprosy, Ben-hadad furnished him with a letter to King Joram. But when the king read the letter to the effect that Naaman had been sent to him to be cured, he tore his clothes, suspecting that the object was a quarrel.

Elisha the prophet, hearing of this, sent for Naaman, who came to his house, not being permitted as a leper to enter. Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean." Naaman was indignant at the apparent incivility and would doubtless have returned to Syria without a cure but for the entreaties of his servants. He bathed in the Jordan and was cleansed of his leprosy.

Returning to Elisha, he acknowledged that Jehovah was above all gods, and he declared his intention of worshiping Him alone. (about 848 BC)


Nain

NA'IN (na'in; "pleasantness, beauty").

The city at the gate of which Jesus raised the widow's son to life (Lk 7:11-15).

Robinson found a hamlet named Nein, six miles SW of Nazareth, standing on a bleak, rocky slope of the northern descending slope of Jebel ed-Duhy (the "hill of Moreh" of Scripture) in the Valley of Jezreel. In this locality Eusebius and Jerome place the city of Nain.


Nathanael

NATHAN'AEL (na-than'a-el; Gk. from Heb. "God has given").

BARTHOL'OMEW (bar-thol'o-mu; "son of Tolmai").

One of the twelve apostles of Jesus, and generally supposed to have been the same person who in John's gospel is called Nathanael.

Name and Family. In the first three gospels (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14) Philip and Bartholomew are constantly named together, whereas Nathanael is not mentioned. In the fourth gospel Philip and Nathanael are similarly combined, but nothing is said of Bartholomew. Nathanael must therefore be considered his real name, whereas Bartholomew merely expresses his filial relation (Kitto).

He was born in Cana of Galilee (John 21:2). Philip, having accepted Jesus, told Bartholomew that he had "found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth." To his question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see."

Jesus, as He saw him coming to Him, said "Behold an Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile!" (Jn 1:45-47). He was appointed with the other apostles (Mk 3:18), was one of the disciples to whom the Lord appeared after the resurrection (Jn 21:2), was a witness of the ascension, and returned with the other apostles to Jerusalem (Acts 1:4,12-13).

TRADITION. Tradition only speaks of his subsequent history. He is said to have preached the gospel in India (probably Arabia Felix); others say in Armenia, and report him to have been flayed alive there, then crucified with his head downward.


Nazareth

- The little town of Nazareth was one of the loveliest spots in Galilee. Situated on the southeast slope of a hollow pear shaped basin, which descends gradually from the elevated plateau 1500 feet above sea level and opens out through a steep winding way -the stem of the pear-into the plain of Esdraelon, a thousand feet lower.

- On the hill five hundred feet above the town, a most wonderful panorama opens to view of the beauties and historic scenes of the land.

- To the north one sees the plateaus of Zebulun and Naphtali

- The mountains of Lebanon with snow-covered Hermon towering above them all

- To the west the coast of Tyre and the blue waters of the Mediterranean

- Mt. Carmel, historic scene of the struggle of Elijah with the prophets of Baal

- To the south the plain of Esdraelon (scene of many of the most memorable battles of Israel), and the hills of Gilboa where Saul and Jonathan lost their lives

- Mt. Ebal and the land of Shechem in the background

- To the east, across the sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley, Gilead and Jaulan with Tabor.

- What thoughts Jesus must have had sitting upon these hilltops

- At the foot of the hill passed the Roman road, "the Way of the Sea," connecting the ancient city of Damascus with the Mediterranean sea-ports.

- Southward ran a road to Egypt and

- A mile and a half away was the caravan route to Jerusalem

- The town itself was built of the white limestone from the quarries of the calcerous mountains which encircle the basin.

- Most of the houses were of one characteristic type even with the rich and poor.

- A plentiful spring furnished the water supply for the whole population and was a favorite place

- Nazareth did not have the best of reputations even in Galilee. Nathaniel of Cana was but speaking a common opinion when he said: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

- Remember how violent they were when He preached there in the beginning of His ministry?

- It was an evil reputation to be called a Nazarene (Matthew said this was in accord with the prophecy of Isaiah 53) and pictures the Messiah as a "root springing up out of the dry ground."

- The best known of the names for the Messiah among the Jews was Tsamech or Branch, based on Isaiah's prophecy (Isa 11:1). The word Netzer is the exact equivalent. The title Nazarene not only stood for the reproach which Jesus bore, but was a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. He was a Branch (Netzer) sprung out of David's roots.

- All Classes of people for Jesus to observe (home, weddings, funerals, the carpenter shop, synagogue,

- His childhood days brought innumerable illustrations for His later teachings such as the leaven hid in three measures of meal, women grinding at the mill, sowing and reaping, the sparrow and the lily, the children in the market place playing at wedding and funeral, etc.

- Educators say that the child learns more in the first three or four years than in all the rest of life.

- Nazareth was secluded by its natural location but it was not cut off from the outside world.

- Sepphoris, the capital of Herod Antipas and strongest military center in Galilee, was only five miles to the northwest across the rolling hills.

- Tiberias, Capernaum, Bethsaida and other towns were a few miles away on the margin of the Sea of Galilee; and even Jerusalem itself was not a great distance from His Nazareth home.


Nicodemus

NICODE'MUS (nik-o-de'mus; Gk. "victor over the people").

His family is unknown, though some recognize him as Nicodemus Ben Gorion, the brother of Josephus the historian. This Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin and was counted one of the three richest men of Jerusalem. But it was said that he afterward became poor, and his daughter was seen gathering barleycorn for food from under the horses' feet. Some have conjectured that this was the result of the persecutions he received for having become a Christian.

Christian tradition has it that Nicodemus was baptized by Peter and John, suffered persecution from hostile Jews, lost his membership in the Sanhedrin, and was forced to leave Jerusalem because of his Christian faith. Further mention is made of him in The Gospel of Nicodemus, an apocryphal narrative of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.


nobleman

One belonging to a king (Jn 4:46-53); or one well born (Lk 19:12-27).


note1

 The following information is a compilation of some of the notes I made while studying certain of these subjects. It is extremely brief and covers just a general overview of this time period. For a more detailed look please refer to (BKA23 Between the Testaments) and (BKA8 The Romans).


Octavian

AUGUSTUS (27 BC-14 AD)

 In 27 BC Octavian was granted the title Augustus and became the first 'emperor', a term which is derived from the military title 'imperator'. Technically he was no more than first senator. But as he combined in himself all the powers of consul, tribune and other offices, he had no rival. Augustus shrewdly kept direct control of all the military provinces which held the major part of the armed forces. He wisely avoided Caesar's mistake, by behaving deferentially to senators. In his reign Roman peace (Pax Romana) was extended as far as the Danube and the Black Sea.

Augustus was not only the first emperor, he was also the greatest. He justly deserved the title 'father of his country'. He passed many wise and far-sighted measures concerning both Rome and the provinces. He boasted that he had transformed Rome from a city of brick into a city of marble.

His genuine piety, celebrated in the famous Altar of Peace in Rome, led to his restoring eighty temples. Augustus also attempted to regulate morals, and banished his own daughter Julia for her immorality. He tried to use legislation to encourage marriages and births, and his censuses do indicate an increase in the number of citizens from 4,233,000 in 8 BC to 4,931,000 in 14 AD.

It was during an era of peace in his reign that Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than at his parents' home in Nazareth because a census ordered by Augustus required all adults to register at their ancestral home towns.


officers

an officer or bailiff of a court of justice. He collected fines and acted as a messenger of the court.


Olivet

A north-to-south ridge of hills east of Jerusalem where Jesus was betrayed on the night before His crucifixion. This prominent feature of Jerusalem's landscape is a gently rounded hill, rising to about the height of 830 meters (2,676 feet) and overlooking the Temple.

The closeness of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem's walls made this series of hills a grave strategic danger. The Roman commander Titus had his headquarters on the northern extension of the ridge during the siege of Jerusalem in  70 AD. He named the place Mount Scopus, or "Lookout Hill," because of the view which it offered over the city walls. The whole hill must have provided a platform for the Roman catapults that hurled heavy objects over the Jewish fortifications of the City.

In ancient times the whole mount must have been heavily wooded. As its name implies, it was covered with dense olive groves.

The Mount of Olives is also mentioned in a reference by the prophet Zechariah to the future Day of the Lord: "In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (Zech 14:4).

In the New Testament the Mount of Olives played a prominent part in the last week of our Lord's ministry. Jesus approached Jerusalem from the east, by way of Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1). On the nightof His betrayal, He and His disciples sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26), to the Garden of GETHSEMANE (Mt 26:36; Mk 14:32). In this garden, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and delivered into the hands of His enemies.


overshadow

This unusual term "overshadow" occurs also in the Book of Exodus:

Exod 40:34-35

Then the cloud covered (overshadowed) the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.


Palestine in NT Times


Pantheon


parable

A word derived from the Gk. verb paraballo, to "lay by the side of," to "compare"; and so a "likeness, similitude."

Heb. mashal, a "similitude." Most commonly rendered "discourse" or "oracle," in (Ps 78:2) "parable" is the rendering, and an obscure or mysterious saying appears to be meant.

Gk. parabole, a "placing one thing beside another," an example by which a doctrine or precept is illustrated (Lk 14:7); an instructive saying involving some likeness or comparison, and having preceptive or admonitory force; an aphorism, a maxim (<Matt. 15:15; Luke 5:36; 6:39>; a proverb, and so rendered in <4:23>.

3. Gk. paroimia, a saying out of the usual course; any dark saying that shadows forth some didactic truth, a symbolic or figurative saying (<John 16:29>, rendered "figure of speech"; "proverb,"); an allegory, i.e., extended and elaborate metaphor (10:6).

Whedon (Com., on <Matt. 13:1ff.>) thus happily sums up the advantages of the parable as a means of teaching: "The sacred parable was a wonderful vehicle of truth to serve three distinct purposes, viz.: to reveal, to conceal, and to perpetuate. It revealed the sacred truth by the power of analogy and illustration. It concealed the truth from him who had not, by proper sympathy or previous instruction, the true key to its hidden meaning. To such a one it was a riddle or a tale. And so our Lord could give to his disciples in this method the deepest secrets of his kingdom for ages, while the caviler, who would have abused the truth, heard without understanding (v. 11). But the truth thus embodied in narrative was, as it were, materialized and made fit for perpetuation. It had a form and body to it by which it could be preserved in tangible shape for future ages."

In interpreting a parable, scolarly opinion is as follows:

(1) The analogies must be real, not arbitrary.

(2) The parables are to be considered as parts of a whole, and the interpretation of one is not to override or encroach upon the lessons taught by others.

(3) The direct teaching of Christ presents the standard to which all our interpretations are to be referred, and by which they are to be measured.

(4) And, finally, the parable may not be made the first source of doctrine. Doctrines otherwise and already grounded may be illustrated, or indeed further confirmed by them, but it is not allowable to constitute doctrine first by their aid.


Paradise

PARADISE (Gk. paradeisos, "park"). This term has been applied to Eden. In the later books of the OT it appears in the sense of a park or pleasure ground (Heb. pardes, rendered "forest," <Neh. 2:8>; "parks," <Eccles. 2:5>; "orchard," Song of Sol. 4:13).

The word in the Greek stands for a wide open park, enclosed against injury, yet with its natural beauty unspoiled, with stately trees, many of them bearing fruit, watered by clear streams on whose banks roamed large herds of antelope or sheep-- this was the scenery that connected itself in the mind of the Greek traveler with the word paradeisos and for which his own language supplied no precise equivalent.

Paradise, with no other word to qualify it, was the bright region that man had lost, which was guarded by the flaming sword. Paradise, or the Garden of Eden, became to the later Jews a common designation for the state of bliss that awaits the righteous after death-- by which they meant that delights like those of Eden are enjoyed by the departed-- they are in a paradise-like state.

It is employed in the NT to indicate the destiny and experience of the redeemed (Lk 23:43; Rev. 2:7; 22:2,14).


paralytic

Paralysis (Gk. paralutikos, "loosened," (Mt 4:24; 9:2; etc.).

Paralysis comes from several causes:

(1) Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. In the East this is specially common in infancy, and in many cases leads to partial paralysis, as of the shoulder, arm, one or both legs, and sometimes the nerve of speech or hearing, or both.

(2) Injuries of the spinal column. These are more apt to occur in adult life.

(3) Pressure from curvature of the spine, or from tumors or other cause.

(4) Apoplexy. The paralysis from the latter cause is sometimes cured. That from the others is incurable.

The cases brought to Jesus were undoubtedly of the incurable sort and probably involved at least the lower limbs.


Passover

The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread as a unit constituted the most important of the three great annual festivals of Israel.

It was called the feast of the Passover. The feast of Unleavened Bread marked the distinction between the Passover as a sacrifice and as a feast following the sacrifice, the feast was designated as the feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5-6).

The Heb. word pesach (from pasach, to "leap over," figuratively, to "spare, show mercy") denotes (1) an overstepping and (2) the paschal sacrifice by virtue of which the passing over was effected (Ex 12:21,27,48; 2 Chr. 30:15).

The paschal meal was on the evening of the 14th Nisan, and the seven days following are called the feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5-6). The whole feast, including the paschal eve, is called the festival of Unleavened Bread (Ex 23:15; Lev 23:6; Ezra 6:22; Lk 22:1,7; Acts 12:3; 20:6); but the simple name "Passover" (Heb. pesach) is the one commonly used by the Jews to the present day for the festival of Unleavened Bread (2 Chr 30:15; 35:1,11; Mk 14:1; Gk. pascha).


Peter

Peter

Gr. "Petros" (a rock).

His name was formerly Simon

The Rock. "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church," etc. "The expression this rock upon which I will build my church, has received very different interpretations . . . in various ages.

The first is the interpretation given by the Roman Catholic Church. . . . It affirms that the rock is Peter individually, that the commission constituted him supreme apostle, with authority, inherited from him by the bishops of Rome.

Other constructions are more convincing.

First, as may be shown, not Peter alone, but each apostle, was a rock and a recipient of the keys, and all were coequal in powers.

Second, were the authority conveyed to Peter alone and personally, it must still be shown that this personal prerogative was among the successional attributes conferred upon him.

Third, that Peter was ever bishop of Rome is without historical foundation; and the pretense of a succession from him by the Roman bishop is a fable. It is to be clearly noted that Peter was not given the keys of the church but of 'the kingdom of heaven' as a sphere of Christian profession (Mt 13). Since a key signifies power and authority (Is 22:22; Rev 3:7), the book of Acts gives the infallible commentary on Peter's use of this special prerogative. It was Peter who opened the door of Christian opportunity to Israel at Pentecost (Acts 2:38-40), to the Samaritans (Acts 8:14-17), and to the Gentiles in Cornelius's house (Acts 10:34-46). After gospel opportunity was introduced to this age to Jew (Acts 2), Samaritan (Acts 8), and Gentile (Acts 10), there was no assumption whatever by Peter of any other authority (Acts 15:7-11). The power of binding and loosing (Mt 18:18; John 20:23) was shared with the other disciples.


Pharisee Picture

The Pharisee read from a Torah scroll with a loud voice. His prayer shawl was adorned with exceptionally long tassels, and his phylacteries (little boxes containing passages from the Torah) were bound to his left arm and forehead with wide leather straps.


Pharisees

The name of the Pharisees literally means 'separated ones'. Their roots go back to the movement of  'the pious' (Hebrew Hasidim) who with the Maccabees, opposed attempts to introduce Greek elements into Jewish culture in the second century BC. Later they opposed the Maccabees when they combined secular and religious offices.

The Pharisees are first mentioned as a distinct group under the high priest Jonathan. Unlike the Essenes, who looked for a kingdom of the new age, the Pharisees were willing to make compromises in order to survive as a distinct group. For this they were branded 'hypocrites' by the Essenes. On the other hand, as the Pharisees firmly believed in the resurrection, they clashed with the Sadducees. They held that 'he that says there is no resurrection of the dead has no share in the world to come'. The Sadducees were mainly priests, concerned with the temple worship practices; the Pharisees were primarily scribes, who interpreted the scriptures according to the oral law, which they held was as ancient as the written Law.

Their concern in interpreting the Law (the Torah) was first of all to apply the eternal Law to the changing circumstances of their day, by means of elaborate arguments. Secondly, they sought to 'make a hedge about the Law', that is, to take added precautions to prevent the breaking of the Law. For example, if the Law said that a task must be completed by morning, the rabbis went a step further and said that it should be completed by the previous midnight. A tailor should not place a needle in his clothes on Friday for fear he carry it with him and break the Sabbath law. It was this punctilious zeal for the letter of the Law which was condemned by Jesus as hypocrisy.

Not all Pharisees were hypocrites, however. In the generation before Jesus, Hillel, a famous rabbi who was

originally from Babylonia, said: 'Do not do to others that which is hateful to you.' Hillel's grandson, Gamaliel, was the most famous rabbi of his day. The apostle Paul studied under him, and was until his conversion to Christianity a zealously sincere Pharisee. The Pharisees were also opposed to the revolutionary policy of the Zealots. The Pharisee leader Johanan ben Zakkai secured permission from the Emperor Vespasian to open a rabbinical school at Jamnia (Jabneh) near Jaffa, which enabled Pharisaism to survive the Jewish-Roman War.


phylacteries

 Phylacteries (tephillin). These are strips of leather to which is attached a very strong, square box made of parchment and painted black. The box contains four parts of the Torah written on parchment: Exodus 13:1 and 11:6; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21. According to Deut 6:4-9 two phylacteries were used, one for the head and one for the arm. These (called frontlets in Deuteronomy) were put on in such a way that one box rested on the head, between the eyes (seat of the mind) and the other on the left arm opposite the heart (seat of the actions and the emotions, denoting that one loves the Lord with one's heart). They are referred to as phylacteries in the New Testament (Mat 23:5).


Pictures1

You can find pictures throughout the entire program and also when you see this [image] and click on it.


Pilate Picture

Jesus and Pilate by Antonio Ciseri

 Pontius Pilate was considered a myth according to scholars until recent discoveries. Among them is this dedication stone that archaeologists unearthed while excavating an ancient ampitheatre near Caesarea (on the Sea). The inscription reads as follows:

First Line: TIBERIEUM,

Second Line: (PON) TIUS PILATUS,

Third Line: (PRAEF) ECTUS IUDA (EAE)

The stone is part of a larger statement of dedication to Tiberius Caesar' by Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.


Pilate1

 Pontius Pilate was considered a myth according to scholars until recent discoveries. Among them is this dedication stone that archaeologists unearthed while excavating an ancient ampitheatre near Caesarea (on the Sea). The inscription reads as follows:

First Line: TIBERIEUM,

Second Line: (PON) TIUS PILATUS,

Third Line: (PRAEF) ECTUS IUDA (EAE)

The stone is part of a larger statement of dedication to Tiberius Caesar' by Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.


pinnacle

PINNACLE (Gk. pterugion, a "wing, any pointed extremity," (Mt 4:5; Lk 4:9). The NIV translates, "highest point."

It is impossible to decide definitely what portion of the Temple is referred to as the pinnacle. The use of the definite article makes plain that it was not a pinnacle but the pinnacle. Much difference of opinion exists respecting it, but it may be that it was the battlement ordered by law to be added to every roof or the roof of Solomon's Porch..

Whatever its exact location, the pinnacle offered a vast view of Jerusalem.


plank

LOG. Used for building purposes (Mt 7:3-5; Lk 6:41-42).

A huge timber that supports the roof and floor of a large building. Heavy wooden beams, cut from the famed cedars of Lebanon, were used in the construction of the Temple in Solomon's time (1 Ki 6:36.

The KJV renders "beam," and the NIV "plank."


platter

A large, shallow dish or plate, used especially for serving food.


Pompey

Pompey the Great (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) 106-40 BC. Magnus means "the great." One of the great statesman and generals of the late Roman Republic.

 Pompey's star first began to glow in the heavens when he swept the Mediterranean of pirates. Earlier, these same pirates had kidnapped a young Roman noble named Julius Caesar. Later, Pompey marched his armies into Syria and won a stunning victory. Finally, Pompey marched on Jerusalem. He took the city easily. Some say that he entered it on the Sabbath and therefore encountered little resistance. Only a handful of militants opposed his entry. These militants eventually holed up inside the temple area and held out for over 3 months. Roman occupation of Jerusalem ushered in a new era for the Jews of Judea. For the next 135 years they suffered and bled under the ever-poised claws of the Roman eagle.


Pontius Pilate

The fifth Roman procurator of Judea (ruled 26-36 AD), who issued the official order sentencing Jesus to death by crucifixion (Mt 27; Mk 15; Lk 23; Jn 18-19).

The Jewish historian Josephus provides what little information is known about Pilate's life before A. D. 26, when Tiberius appointed him procurator of Judea. The sketchy data suggests that Pilate was probably an Italianborn Roman citizen whose family was wealthy enough for him to qualify for the middle class. Probably he held certain military posts before his appointment in Judea.

He was married (Mt 27:19), bringing his wife, Claudia Procula, to live with him at Caesarea, the headquarters of the province. Pilate governed the areas of Judea, Samaria, and the area south as far as the Dead Sea to Gaza. As procurator he had absolute authority over the non-Roman citizens of the province. He was responsible to the Roman governor who lived in Syria to the north (Lk 2:2).

Pilate never became popular with the Jews. He seemed to be insensitive to their religious convictions and stubborn in the pursuit of his policies. But when the Jews responded to his rule with enraged opposition, he often backed down, demonstrating his weakness. He greatly angered the Jews when he took funds from the Temple treasury to build an aqueduct to supply water to Jerusalem. Many Jews reacted violently to this act, and Pilate's soldiers killed many of them in this rebellion. In spite of this, Pilate continued in office for ten years, showing that Tiberius considered Pilate an effective administrator.

Pilate's later history is also shrouded in mystery. Josephus tells of a bloody encounter with the Samaritans, who filed a complaint with Pilate's superior, Vitellius, the governor of Syria. Vitellius deposed Pilate and ordered him to stand before the emperor in Rome and answer for his conduct. Legends are confused as to how Pilate died. Eusebius reports that he was exiled to the city of Vienne on the Rhone in Gaul (France) where he eventually committed suicide.

Pilate's Encounter with Jesus. Since the Jews could not execute a person without approval from the Roman authorities (Jn 18:31), the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate to pronounce the death sentence (Mk 14:64). Pilate seemed convinced that Jesus was not guilty of anything deserving death, and he sought to release Jesus (Mt. 27:24; Mk 15:9-11; Lk 23:14; Jn 18:38-40; 19:12). Neither did he want to antagonize the Jews and run the risk of damaging his own reputation and career. Thus, when they insisted on Jesus' crucifixion, Pilate turned Jesus over to be executed (Mt. 27:26; Mk 15:12-15; Lk 23:20-25; Jn 19:15-16).


pool of Siloam

The expression "pool of Siloam (which is translated, Sent)"  is found 3 times in Scripture-- (Neh 3:15, "Pool of Shelah"; Is 8:6, "waters of Shiloah"; Jn 9:7, "pool of Siloam").

Josephus frequently mentions Siloam, placing it at the termination of the Valley of the Cheesemongers or the Tyropoeon Valley (Wars 5.4.1)--but outside the city wall (Wars 5.9.4)--where the old wall bent eastward (Wars 5.6.1), and facing the hill upon which was the rock Peristereon, to the E (Wars 5.12.2). From these descriptions it is quite evident that Josephus speaks of the same place as the present Birket Silwan, on the other side of the Kidron.

John's account (Jn 9:7) of the blind man sent by Jesus to wash at the pool of Siloam seems to indicate that it was near the Temple. It was from Siloam that water was brought in a golden vessel to the Temple during the feast of Tabernacles; our Lord probably pointed to it when He stood in the Temple and cried, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink" (7:37).

The pool of Siloam is fed by a conduit that is cut for a distance of 1,780 feet through solid rock, and which starts at the so-called Virgin's Spring (En-rogel). The reason for which it was cut is unmistakable. The Virgin's Spring is the only spring of fresh water in the immediate neighborhood of Jerusalem, and in time of siege it was important that, while the enemy should be deprived of access to it, its waters should be made available for those who were within the city.

But the spring rose outside the walls, on the sloping cliff that overlooks the valley of Kidron. Accordingly, a long passage was excavated in the rock, by means of which the overflow of the spring was brought into Jerusalem; the spring itself was covered with masonry, so that it could be "sealed" in case of war.


Praetorium

Gk. praitorion, (Mt. 27:27; Mk 15:16); sometimes "judgment hall," KJV).

The praetorium was headquarters in a Roman camp, the tent of the commander in chief. It was also the palace in which the governor or procurator of a province resided (Jn 18:28,33; 19:9; Acts 23:35).

At Jerusalem the Praetorium was the magnificent palace that Herod the Great built for himself, and that which the Roman procurators seem to have occupied whenever they came from Caesarea to Jerusalem on public business.

In Rome the Praetorium was probably the quarters built by Tiberius for the imperial bodyguard, the "praetorian guard" (Phil 1:13).


prodigal

Reckless and extravagant.

When Jesus told the parable of the two lost sons, He devoted the first part of the story to the younger son who "wasted his possessions with prodigal living" (Lk 15:13); (loose living, RSV, NASB; riotous living, KJV; wild living, NIV).


prophet

The general Heb. word for prophet is nabi', from the verb naba'; cf. Akkad. nabu, "to announce, call a declarer, announcer."

The primary idea of a prophet, therefore, is a declarer, announcer, one who utters a communication. The great majority of biblical critics prefer the active sense of announcing, pouring forth the declarations of God. Two other Heb. words, ro'eh and chozeh, are used to designate the prophet, both meaning "one who sees," and sometimes rendered "seer."

The three words occur in (1 Chr 29:29), where they seem to be contrasted with each other: "Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer [ro'eh], in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet [nabi'], and in the chronicles of Gad the seer [chozeh]."Ro'eh occurs twelve times (1 Sam 9:11,18-19; 2 Sam 15:27; 1 Chr 9:22; 26:28; 29:29; 2 Chr 16:7,10; Is 30:10), and in seven of these it is applied to Samuel.

It was superseded in general use by the word nabi, by which Samuel was designated as well as by ro'eh (1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Chr. 35:18), and which seems to have been revived after a period of disuse (1 Sam 10:5,10-12; 19:20,24). Chazon is the word consistently used for the prophetical vision and is found in Samuel, Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, and in most of the Prophets.

Sometimes the prophets are called watchmen, Heb. sopim (Jer 6:17; Ezek 3:17; 33:2,6-7); shomer, a watchman (Is 21:11; 62:6); and ro`eh, "pastoral," a shepherd (Zech 11:5,16). The word is uniformly translated in the LXX by prophetes and in the NASB and NIV by "prophet." In classical Gk. prophetes signifies "one who speaks for another," especially "one who speaks for a god" and so interprets his will to man. Hence its essential meaning is "an interpreter." The use of the word prophetes in its modern sense is postclassical, and is derived from the LXX.

From the medieval use of the word propheteia ("prophecy") passed into the English language in the sense of prediction, and this sense it has retained as its popular meaning. The larger sense of interpretation has not, however, been lost. In fact the English word prophet, like the word inspiration, has always been used in a larger and in a closer sense.

The NT (After Christ's resurrecion) prophet is clearly a different office than that of the OT prophet.


prophetess

A female prophet.

There is a prophetic message in the Word spoken by certain women Miriam, the sister of Moses who led the women with her chorus in response to the great song of her brother (Ex 15:20). Deborah joined with Barak in song and exulted in their great victory (Judg 5:2-31). Hannah's prayer was remarkable, foretelling how David's dynasty would be founded (1 Sam 2:1-10).

Luke reported the prophetic activity of the elderly Anna in the Temple (2:36-38), as well as that of Elizabeth and Mary (1:41-45,46-55). (1 Cor 11:5) assumes the female role in prophesying, seen again in Philip's four virgin daughters (Acts 21:9).


put her away

DIVORCE (Heb. keritut; Gk. apostasion, "cutting," "separating").

According to Jewish Law divorce can be defined as a legal separation between man and wife by means of a formal process of some sort. As the ordinances respecting marriage have in view the hallowing of that relationship, so also was the Mosaic regulation in respect of divorce (Deut 24:1-4). From this we learn that a man, finding in his wife something shameful or offensive, dismissed her from his house with a certificate of divorce.

Divorce, giving a certificate, and causes of divorce seem to have been accepted by Moses and allowed because of the people's hardness of heart. The question of divorce was entirely at the will of the husband; the wife, not possessing equal privileges with the husband, had no right of divorce.


Quirinius

[kwy REN ih us] (meaning unknown) "Publius Silpicius Quirinus"

He was consul with M. Valerius Messala. Roman governor of Syria at the time of Jesus' birth (Lk 2:1-5); (Cyrenius, KJV). Quirinius is mentioned in connection with a census taken for tax purposes. The census was not a local affair; the Roman emperor Augustus (ruled 31 BC-14 AD) had decreed that all the world, or the Roman Empire, should be taxed. For this purpose, Joseph and Mary made their pilgrimage to Bethlehem. While they were there, Jesus was born.

The Gospel of Luke reports that Quirinius was governor of Syriaat a time when Herod the Great was still alive. According to historians, the governor of Syria at this time was Quintilius Varus. Quirinius may have been a military commander who shared civil duties with Varus.

He was a favorite with Tiberius, and on his death (A.D. 21) he was buried with public honors by the Senate at the request of the emperor.


Rabbi

(Heb. rabbi, Gk. hrabbi, "my teacher").

 A respectful term applied by the Jews to their teachers and spiritual instructors (Mt. 23:7-8; Jn 1:38; 3:26; 6:25). The terms rabbi and rabboni both mean simply "master" (Jn 1:38; 20:16).

The use of the title rabbi cannot be proved to have been used before the time of Christ. Later Jewish schools had three grades of honor: rab, "master," the lowest; rabbi, "my master," the second; and rabboni, "my lord, my master," the most elevated.

The word rabbi comes from a Semitic root word meaning "great" or "head." It is only used in the gospels, usually of Jesus. The disciples of John the Baptist also addressed him as rabbi (Jn 3:26).


Rabboni

(Heb. rabbi, Gk. hrabbi, "my teacher").

 A respectful term applied by the Jews to their teachers and spiritual instructors (Mt. 23:7-8; Jn 1:38; 3:26; 6:25). The terms rabbi and rabboni both mean simply "master" (Jn 1:38; 20:16).

The use of the title rabbi cannot be proved to have been used before the time of Christ. Later Jewish schools had three grades of honor: rab, "master," the lowest; rabbi, "my master," the second; and rabboni, "my lord, my master," the most elevated.

The word rabbi comes from a Semitic root word meaning "great" or "head." It is only used in the gospels, usually of Jesus. The disciples of John the Baptist also addressed him as rabbi (Jn 3:26).


Raca

Gk. from Aram. reqa', "empty, worthless, good for nothing").

A common term of contempt in the time of Christ (Mt 5:22), denoting a certain looseness of life and manners. The word appears often in the writings of the Jewish rabbis with the meaning of "ignorant, senseless." To say raca to a person was like saying, "You Airhead!." It differs from "fool," which conveys the idea of impious, godless, because such a one neglects and despises wisdom.


Rachel

RACHEL (lamb)-- the younger daughter of Laban; the second wife of Jacob; and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

For Rachel Weeping (see Ramah).


Ramah

RA'MAH (ra'ma; a "height"; Ezek 16:24)). Many ancient cities and towns of Palestine were located on the tops of hills for safety purposes, and those that were specially conspicuous came to be called the Height; and this in time came to be used as a proper name.

Ramah of Benjamin, one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Benjamin.

Nebuchadnezzar, commander of the armies of Babylon, established his headquarters on the plain of Hamath, at Riblah (Jer 39:5), and from there sent his generals, who took Jerusalem. It was here that the Jewish captives were assembled in chains, among whom was Jeremiah himself (39:8-12; 40:1).

Here were probably slaughtered those who, from weakness, age, or poverty, were not believed worthwhile to transport to Babylon, thus fulfilling the preliminary part of the prophecy: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children," (Jer 31:15; Mt 2:18).


Raven


redemption of the first-born

The "redemption of the first-born son" or Pidyon Ha Ben in Hebrew. The first-born son of every Israelite was to be set apart for the service of the priesthood:

Exod 13:1-2

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine." (NKJ)

After the establishing of the priestly tribe of Levi (Num 8), the first-born son in all other tribes was redeemed from this duty by the payment of 5 shekels.


Registered

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Repent

(Gk. metanoia, a "change" of mind).

A willingness to agree with God and abandon every other preconceived belief system.


resurrection

(Gk. anastasis, "to make to stand," or "rise up"). The reunion of the body and soul that have been separated by death.


right eye

A Jewish idiom that expresses the most valuable of possessions.


Roads1


Roads2


Roman Soldier

Roman Soldier. The DRESS of a soldier consisted of (1) tunica militaris, a woollen shirt with short sleeves, (2) a sagum, sagulum, a woollen cloak reaching down to the knees and fastened on the shoulder with a clasp, (3) a cingulum militare, a belt. His EQUIPMENT included (4) an infantry helmet, and (5) a scutum, an oblong shield made of wood, covered with leather and metal, and carried on the left arm. In addition a soldier of the legion wore a harness of metal plates on his chest. His WEAPONS were: the gladius (the short, straight, two-edged sword with which he would thrust rather than slash), and this he carried on a belt either from the shoulder or round the waist; the javelin "pilum" (six foot long spear, with a pointed spearhead of flexible metal).


rooster

COCK. Most people assume that hens and roosters (cocks) were common in Palestine, but they are rarely mentioned in the Bible. Domestic chickens probably descended from the red jungle fowl of Asia. Cocks were bred for the ancient sport of cockfighting before hens were raised for meat and eggs.

The crowing of cocks served the ancient world as an alarm clock. Cocks crowed about midnight and again about 3 A. M. Soldiers often rotated their guard duty at this regular signal.


rulers of the synagogue

The leader or president of a Synagogue.

As an administrator, he was charged with supervision of all matters pertaining to the synagogue. He was not a dictator over the congregation. He was elected by the board of elders to oversee the worship services and the upkeep of the building. He chose the men to read the Scriptures, to offer prayer, and to preach or explain the Scripture for each meeting.

If discipline was called for, the ruler of the synagogue could reprimand or excommunicate a member (Jn 9:22; 16:2, or even order that a scourging or a whipping be carried out (Mt 10:17; Mark 13:9). Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue (Mk 5:22; Lk 8:41).


Sabbath

The Hebrew word for Sabbath means "to cease or abstain."

The Sabbath is taught in many places, including (Ex 16:22-30; 20:8-11; 23:12; 31:12-16; 34:21; 35:2-3; Lev 23:3; 26:2; Num 15:32-36; 28:9-10; Deut 5:12-15).

Two reasons are given for observing the Sabbath:

(1) Creation and (2) Exodus.

(Ex 20:8-11) reminded the nation of Israel to remember that God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2). This grounds the observance of the Sabbath in the creation of the world. (Deut 5:12-15) reminded Israel to remember its bondage years when there was no rest. This passage fixed the origin of the Sabbath in the bondage of the Hebrews in Egypt.

The Israelites were instructed to include the family, the hired servants, the stranger, and even their domestic animals in observance of this holy day. All were commanded to cease from normal labor. This included the command not to gather firewood (Num 15:32-36) or to kindle a fire (Ex 35:2-3). Stoning to death was apparently the penalty for gathering firewood on the Sabbath. Those who violated the Sabbath would be excommunicated from the community or could be put to death (Ex 31:12-16).

The Sabbath became not only a day of rest but a convocation (meeting time) to the Lord as well. A specific sacrifice on the Sabbath is required in (Num 28:9-10). It included a lamb, a meal offering mixed with oil, and a drink offering. This was to be offered as a burnt offering.

The purpose of the Sabbath was twofold. It symbolized that the nation of Israel had been set apart by the Lord as His special people. The Sabbath was also a celebration of the fact that the land belonged to God. This is seen in His provision of a Sabbatical Year-- one year out of every seven when the land should rest from cultivation in order to renew and replenish itself.

The observance of the Sabbath set the Hebrew people apart from their neighbors. Unfortunately, burdensome restrictions and heavy requirements eventually grew up around its observance. The day that was set apart for rest, renewal, and worship became a day filled with rules of many things that must not be done.

Jesus revealed the true intent of the Sabbath (Mt 12:1-14; Mk 2:23--3:6; Lk 6:1-11). He declared God's intention for the Sabbath by pointing out that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mk 2:27).


sackcloth and ashes

SACKCLOTH (Heb. saq; Gk. sakkos, "a mesh," i.e., coarse, loose cloth).

A coarse texture of a dark color, made of goat's hair (Is 50:3; Rev 6:12) and resembling the cilicium of the Romans. It was used:

(1) for making sacks (Gen 42:25; Lev 11:32; Josh 9:4) and

(2) for making the rough garments used by mourners (Gen 37:34; Esth 4:1-4), which were in extreme cases worn next to the skin (1 Ki 21:27; 2 Ki 6:30; Job 16:15), and this even by females (Is 32:11; Joel 1:8; 2 Macc 3:19).

ASHES spoke of bitter Lamentation and mourning. When a city was deatroyed it was left in ashes.


Sadducees

The Sadducees were so named because they claimed to be descended from Zadok, the high priest at the time of King David and King Solomon. They consisted of the wealthy aristocratic families who controlled the office of high priest. They rejected belief in angels and the resurrection, but they were not liberal rationalists. Rather, they were staunch conservatives, who observed the Law of the Books of Moses (Pentateuch) and who rejected later interpretations of the law, the 'oral law'.

The Sadducees were angered at Jesus' cleansing the temple and at his teaching on the resurrection. It was Sadducean chief priests who condemned Jesus at a night-time trial and handed him over to Pilate. The Sadducees were primarily responsible for trying to suppress the preaching of Peter and the other apostles when they proclaimed that Jesus had risen from the dead. As the destruction of the temple in AD 70 destroyed their reason for existence, the Sadducees did not survive this period.


Samaria

South of Galilee and north of Judea was Samaria, a land of big valleys with surrounding hills. Its territory was 20 miles from north to south and 30 miles from east to west. The inhabitants were the descendants of Assyrian colonists who had intermarried with the Jewish remnant that was left behind after the deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. They claimed to be the true Israelites, and had set up their own temple and priesthood. Their holy place was Mount Gerazim, their holy book was the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses), and their holy city was Shechem between Mounts Gerazim and Ebal.

A Galilean  pilgrim traveling south for the Passover would normally cross over the Jordan River through Decapolis (a federation of 10 Greek towns) and Perea (meaning "Transjordan") and completely avoid Samaria. It was in the wilderness of Perea that John the Baptist ministered and in the Perean fortress of Machaerus that he was beheaded.


Samaritan

Heb. shomeronim). Mentioned in (2 Ki 17:29) as "the people of Samaria."

The inhabitants of the region of Samaria. After the captivity of the Northern Kingdom of Israel colonists were brought in by the king of Assyria in place of the deported Israelites (II Ki 17:24-34 who intermarried with remnants of Jews in Samaria.

They were held in contempt by the Jews (Neh 4:1-3; Mt 10:5; Jn 4:9-26).

If their origin can be traced to any single event, possibly we should have to go back to the year 722 B.C. when Sargon deported nearly 30,000 Israelites to Assyria, and sent a mixed group to take their place. In the course of time the Israelite number grew faster than the rest, mostly due to the influence of Judea. But when the Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim in 332 BC the rivalry could be felt. John  Hyrcanus destroyed the Samaritan temple in 128 BC. Herod the Great regarded the province with great favor.

There are certain peculiarities to their beliefs that make them distinct from that of the Jews. They based their religion exclusively on the five Books of Moses; this was partly because, at the time of the final separation between Samaria and Judea, those books alone were regarded as authoritative scripture, and partly because the prophets belonged to the tradition that circled round David, Jerusalem, and Judea. But still, their religion was essentially Jewish in character in spite of certain minor differences. Like the Jews, they worshipped Yahweh (Jehovah), and until the 5th century of the Christian era they refused to accept belief in a doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. The Samaritans were, and are still, more conservative than the Jews. They looked for the coming of the Messiah, but had characteristic views about Him, they held Him in lower esteem than Moses, believed that He would die at the age of one hundred and ten, and that His character and work would be those of a secular monarch. At the end of the world, the righteous would go to the Garden of Eden, but the wicked would be burned.


sandal strap

(Gk. sandalion, representing the Heb. na`al). The sandal, apparently the article used by the Hebrews for protecting the feet, consisted simply of a sole attached to the foot by thongs. The Gk. hupodema properly applies to the sandal exclusively, as it means what is bound under the foot.

We learn from the Mishnah that the materials employed in the construction of the sole were either leather, felt, cloth, or wood, and that it was occasionally shod with iron.

Sandals were worn by all classes of society in Palestine, even by the very poor (Amos 8:6), and both the sandal and the thong were so cheap and common that they passed into a proverb for the most insignificant thing (Gen 14:23; Ecclus. 46:19).

They were taken off indoors and were only put on by persons about to undertake some business away from their homes, such as a military expedition Is 5:27; Eph 6:15) or a journey (Ex 12:11; Josh 9:5,13; Acts 12:8). On such occasions persons carried an extra pair. During mealtimes the feet were undoubtedly uncovered, as implied in (Lk 7:38; Jn 13:5-6.

Figurative. It was a mark of reverence to take off the shoes in approaching a place or person of eminent sanctity (Ex 3:5; Josh 5:15).

It was also an indication of violent emotion or of mourning if a person appeared barefoot in public (2 Sam 15:30; Is 20:2; Song  7:1; Ezek 24:17,23). To carry or to unloose a person's sandal was a menial office betokening great inferiority on the part of the person performing it (Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7; Jn 1:27; Acts 13:25).

* A sandal thong (or lace), or even sandals themselves (Gen 14:23; Amos 2:6; 8:6) stand for anything of little value (just a piece of hide). Sandals with blood on them were figurative of being engaged in war (1 Ki 2:5).


Sanhedrin

The high priest and the chief priests formed an elite religious nobility within Jerusalem. Their members were selected from a small number of wealthy families who traced their descent back to Zadok, the high priest during Solomon's reign. But in the time of Jesus, the dominant priestly families constituted an illegitimate aristocracy whose members were not of pure Zadokite blood. The powerful clans of Boethus, Annas, Phiabi and Kamith, all members of the illegitimate priesthood, supplied all the high priests in the temple. The house of Annas was especially powerful. Annas had been high priest from 6-15 AD, and five of his sons, his son-in-law Caiaphas and his grandson Jonathan also held that important post.

These men controlled not only the temple, but a large number of seats on the Sanhedrin, the supreme judicial body of the Jewish nation. Its 71 members were divided into three groups, the chief priests, the elders and the scribes. The high priest served as its presiding officer. Although in theory the Sanhedrin had executive and legislative functions as well as judicial authority, its powers had been restricted by the Roman rulers. In Jesus' day, the Sanhedrin did not have the authority to carry out the death sentence.

There was also an influential lay nobility within Jerusalem, represented by the elders who sat on the Sanhedrin. They were the descendants of ancient ruling families whose powers had originated in the days following the Conquest.

After the return from exile in Babylon they had functioned as representatives of the people in dealing with the Persian, Egyptian and Syrian rulers. Many elders were wealthy merchants and landowners.

These two powerful ruling elites, the priestly and lay aristocracy of Judaism, made up the party known in Jesus' time as the Sadducees. They constituted a tightly closed circle of influential families who wielded great political power by virtue of their control of the Sanhedrin and their favored status in the eyes of the Roman rulers. They had found that they could best maintain their position by following a policy of cooperation with Rome. Their political and religious outlook was conservative, aimed at preserving both the temple and their own authority.


Satan

(sa'tan; Heb. satan, Gk. Satanas, an "adversary, opponent"). The chief of fallen spirits.

Satan is also called the devil, the dragon, the evil one, the angel of the abyss, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world, Apollyon, Abaddon, Belial, and Beelzebub. But Satan and the devil are the names most frequently given.

Satan is mentioned first in the book of (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7). He appears with the sons of God (angels), among whom he no longer has any rightful place; he arbitrarily roams about and seeks his own but is still used as a servant by God, on whom he remains dependent. His independent activity in this passage is mainly that of the spy of evil, of the accuser of man to God.

Job was delivered into the hands of Satan for testing. Satan's intention was to prove that Job had strings attached to his love for God. Job was faithful.

In the OT Satan never appears openly as the enemy of God Himself. One scholar said it this way, "Though he has his special purposes and aims, he is yet the servant of God for punishment or trial, the asserter or executor of the negative side of the divine justice."

In the NT there is mention of many evil spirits, with Satan as their head (Mt 8:28; 9:34; 12:26; Lk 11:18-19). Jesus said the enemy is the devil (13:19,39; Mark 4:15), and  that Satan was a murderer from the beginning (Jn 8:44), the enemy and falsifier of God's Word (Mt 13:19,39); that he aroused hatred to Jesus and put treason into the heart of Judas (Jn 13:27, 6:70; Lk 22:53); that the prince of this world is already judged by Christ, or, as Luke puts it, Satan falls "from heaven like lightning" (10:18).

God will allow rebelion to run its full course and defeat it.


Saturnalia

A Roman pagan feast. A season of goodwill, the giving of gifts, drunken festivity, slaves enjoyed freedom for a day, no criminal execution, etc. It fell on Dec 25th.


Savior

A person who rescues others from evil, danger, or destruction. The Old Testament viewed God Himself as the Savior: "There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior" (Is 45:21).


scourge

Scourge. The Roman scourge was made of two or three leather thongs fixed to a handle and terminating in a number of small pieces of zinc or iron, brass or sharp pointed bone attached to them at various places to gouge the flesh.  According to Jewish law the number of stripes was forty minus one (Deut. 25: 3), either in order to avoid exceeding the number forty or because the punishment consisted of thirteen stripes with three thongs (hence 13 X 3). The Romans used this method of torture to exact a confession and criminals condemned to crucifixion were generally scourged before being executed (Livy XXXIII, 36) . The victim was stripped to the waist, and bound in a stooping position, with the hands behind the back to a post or pillar. The suffering under the lash was intense. The body was frightfully lacerated. The Christian martyrs at Smyrna about 155 AD were so torn with the scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles and sinews, and even the bowels, were exposed (Eusebius, Hist. iv. 15).


scourged

Scourge. The Roman scourge was made of two or three leather thongs fixed to a handle and terminating in a number of small pieces of zinc or iron, brass or sharp pointed bone attached to them at various places to gouge the flesh.  According to Jewish law the number of stripes was forty minus one (Deut. 25: 3), either in order to avoid exceeding the number forty or because the punishment consisted of thirteen stripes with three thongs (hence 13 X 3). The Romans used this method of torture to exact a confession and criminals condemned to crucifixion were generally scourged before being executed (Livy XXXIII, 36) . The victim was stripped to the waist, and bound in a stooping position, with the hands behind the back to a post or pillar. The suffering under the lash was intense. The body was frightfully lacerated. The Christian martyrs at Smyrna about 155 AD were so torn with the scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles and sinews, and even the bowels, were exposed (Eusebius, Hist. iv. 15).


scribes

Members of a learned class in ancient Israel through New Testament times who studied the Scriptures from age 14 to 40 and served as copyists, editors, and teachers.

After the Jews returned from the Captivity in Babylon, the era of the scribes began. The reading of the Law before the nation of Israel by Ezra (Neh 8-10) signaled the nation's return to exact observance of all the laws and rites that had been given. Following the Law and the traditions that had grown up around it became the measure of devotion and spirituality.

At first the priests were responsible for the scientific study and professional communication of this legal code. But this function eventually passed to the scribes. Their official interpretation of the meaning of the Law eventually became more important than the Law itself.

This position of strength allowed these early scribes to enforce their rules and practices with a binding authority. To speak of the scribes as interpreters of Scripture means that they provided rules for human conduct out of their study.

By the time of Jesus, the scribes were a new upper class among the Jewish people. Large numbers of priests in Jerusalem before A. D. 70 served as scribes. One of these was Josephus, the Jewish historian. Some scribes came from among the Sadducees. Others came from the ordinary priestly ranks. But the largest group of scribes came from among every other class of people, including merchants, carpenters, flax combers, tent makers, and even day laborers, like Hillel, who became a famous Jewish teacher.

Many writings of late Judaism contained great theological systems that were understood only by the specially initiated. This was left to the confidential teaching of the scribes. They believed that God intended to leave the mass of people ignorant of His reasons for requiring certain things under the Law. These truths were hidden from the masses because they could not be trusted to understand and apply the Law.

The city of Jerusalem was the center of this scribal knowledge and interpretation of the Law. Only ordained teachers could transmit and create the tradition; this was the matter studied to perfection by students often beginning at age 14. When they completed their study at the age of 40, they could be ordained. As members with full rights, they could act as judges, be called rabbis, and occupy positions in administration of justice, government, and education. They joined the chief priests and aristocratic families who made up the SANHEDRIN. The scribes were held in greatest esteem by the people.


Sea of Galilee

The harp-shaped Sea of Galilee (13 miles long and 8 miles across) was about 700 feet below sea level and surrounded by small brown hills. It was also notorious for its sudden storms because it was surrounded by storms. The Sea of Galilee maintained a large fishing industry and was encircled by fairly large cities such as Capernaum, Chorazin, and Tiberias (Herod Antipas made this his capital which was on the southern shore). There is no record of Jesus ever visiting Tiberias. Bethsaida which means "fishing house" was at the eastern shore and near there was the "desert place" where Jesus fed the multitude.

Mount Hermon (9,100 feet) began just 20 miles to the north and Nazareth (Jesus' home town which was quite large) was just 12 miles to the west on a sharp slope high in the hill country. The hills of Nazareth looked down upon the great trade-routes where travelers and caravans coming from all over the world could be seen often. The northern hilltops gave a beautiful view of the whole region.


Sea of Tiberias

The harp-shaped Sea of Galilee (13 miles long and 8 miles across) was about 700 feet below sea level and surrounded by small brown hills. It was also notorious for its sudden storms because it was surrounded by storms. The Sea of Galilee maintained a large fishing industry and was encircled by fairly large cities such as Capernaum, Chorazin, and Tiberias (Herod Antipas made this his capital which was on the southern shore). There is no record of Jesus ever visiting Tiberias. Bethsaida which means "fishing house" was at the eastern shore and near there was the "desert place" where Jesus fed the multitude.

Mount Hermon (9,100 feet) began just 20 miles to the north and Nazareth (Jesus' home town which was quite large) was just 12 miles to the west on a sharp slope high in the hill country. The hills of Nazareth looked down upon the great trade-routes where travelers and caravans coming from all over the world could be seen often. The northern hilltops gave a beautiful view of the whole region.


shake off the dust

In the countries suffering from severe droughts the soil is often converted into dust, which, agitated by violent winds, brings terrific and desolating storms. Among the punishments against the Hebrews, in the event of forsaking Jehovah, was that, instead of rain, dust and ashes ("powder") should fall from heaven (Deut 28:24).

To put dust on the head was the sign of the deepest grief (Josh 7:6); sitting in the dust denotes degradation (Is 47:1); the "mouth in the dust" (Lam 3:29) symbolizes suppliant and humble submission. Dust may mean the grave (Job 7:21), death itself (Gen 3:19; Ps 22:15), a numerous people (Num 23:10) or low condition (1 Sam. 2:8).

*The shaking off the dust is a sign of merited contempt with which the people rejecting the truth are reduced to the level of the Gentiles (Mt 10:14; Acts 13:51). To "lick the dust" signifies the most abject submission (Ps 72:9). To "throw dust" at anyone <2 Sam 16:13) may signify contempt or, as some believe, to demand justice (Acts 22:23).


Sheep Gate

(sha`ar, "gate"; hasso'n, "flock," i.e., "gate of the flock"; NASB and NIV "sheep gate" is KJV "sheep market").

One of the gates of Jerusalem rebuilt by Nehemiah (Neh 3:1,32; 12:39). It was located between the Tower of the Hundred ("Tower of Meah," KJV) and the upper room of the corner (3:1,32), or Gate of the Guard (12:39). It is probably the "sheep gate" mentioned in (John 5:2).


sheepfold

Gk. aule, a court (Jn 10:1), the roofless enclosure in the open country into which flocks were herded at night.

When sheep are exposed to the depredations of robbers, it is customary in the East to shelter them in well-built enclosures, which are impregnable once the flock is within them. When no danger from this source is feared the flocks are put in folds only when they are to be shorn.


shepherds

(from Heb. ro`eh, "one who tends," to "tend"; Gk. poimen).

The routine of the shepherd's duties appears to have been as follows: In the morning he led forth his flock from the fold (Jn 10:4), which he did by going before them and calling them, as is still usual in the East. Arriving at the pasturage, he watched the flock with the assistance of dogs (Job 30:1), and, should any sheep stray, he searched for it until he found it (Ezek 34:12; Lk 15:4). He supplied them with water, either at a running stream or at troughs attached to wells (Gen 29:7; 30:38; Ex 2:16; Ps 23:2). At evening he brought them back to the fold and checked to see that none was missing by passing them "under the rod" as they entered the door of the enclosure (Lev 27:32; Ezek 20:37), checking each sheep as it passed, by a motion of the hand (Jer 33:13). Finally, he watched the entrance of the fold throughout the night, acting as gatekeeper (Jn 10:3). The shepherd's office thus required great watchfulness, particularly by night (Lk 2:8; Nah 3:18). It also required tenderness toward the young and feeble (Is 40:11), particularly in driving them to and from the pasturage (Gen 33:13).

Shepherds in Bible lands were of two varieties: nomadic, and those who resided in towns and tended flocks in nearby meadows.

They didn't wash correctly according to the Jews therefore they were dispised and considered unclean. Shepherds were banned from the temple and synagogue.

- Jesus birth was unrevealed to kings and religious leaders but revealed to the humble Judean shepherds.

- The fields of Bethlehem were the fields where Jacob had kept his flocks, also where Boaz and Ruth had been wedded, and where David had spent his youth.

- The eastern plains of Bethlehem contained the watchtower of Migdal Eder where the Messiah was supposed to be revealed. According to the Mishna, flocks that were pastured there were destined for the temple sacrifices and the shepherds that tended them were the only ones not unclean.


SheWolf


Sidon

Sometimes Zidon, as in the KJV. This ancient Phoenician city was built on a small island, which was connected with the mainland by a bridge. The town was some 20 miles N of Tyre, is called Saida at present, and is now located in the republic of Lebanon.

It is situated between mountains to its back and the sea to its front. Its people very early took to seafaring commerce. As the oldest capital of the Phoenicians, its antiquity is attested by (Gen 10:15). The city is referred to around 1400 BC in the Amarna Letters.

The Phoenicians were called Sidonians from the eleventh to the eighth centuries B.C. The city's early preeminence is attested by Homer, who often mentions Sidon but never Tyre, and who employs the name as synonymous with Phoenicia and Phoenicians. Later, however, it was outclassed by Tyre, but Phoenicians generally continued to be known as Sidonians (1 Ki 5:6; 16:31).

Solomon was influenced by Sidonian cults (11:5-7) and hired expert Sidonian timber cutters. Sidonians worshiped Baal and Ashtoreth. Jezebel of infamy was a daughter of Ethbaal, "king of the Sidonians." Her introduction of the licentious worship of Canaanite cults into Israel brought internal misery (16:31-33; etc.).

Shalmaneser of Assyria captured the city in 725 B.C. It was invaded by Sennacherib, dominated by Esarhaddon, overrun by the Babylonians after the fall of Assyria, and made a province by the Persians. It was conquered by Alexander the Great (330 BC). It enjoyed importance under the Romans, and Herod embellished it.

Our Lord visited the general territory (Mk 7:24,31) and made reference to the iniquity of its inhabitants (Mt 11:21-24). Paul visited the place on his way to Rome (Acts 27:3). It figures in early church history, at the time of the Crusades and finally under Muslim rule.


Sign of Rome

Roman armies carried this standard wherever they went. When Pompey conquered Jerusalem, his engineers set up these kind of emblems in all public places. The eagle stood for power, and the wreath stood for victory, and the letters SPQR for Senatus Populusque Romanus (The Roman Senate and People).


Simeon

Heb. "Shimeon" (hearing)

Gr. "Simon"


Simon

Simon

Heb. "Shimeon" (hearing)

Gr. "Simon"


Simon a Cyrenian

"Simon of Cyrene." A Hellenistic Jew, born at Cyrene, on the N coast of Africa, who was present at Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, either as an attendant at the feast (Acts 2:10) or as one of the numerous settlers at Jerusalem from that place (6:9).

Meeting the procession that conducted Jesus to Golgotha as he was returning from the country, he was pressed into service to bear the cross (Mt. 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26) when Jesus Himself was unable to bear it any longer.

Mark describes him as the father of Alexander and Rufus, perhaps because this was the Rufus known to the Roman Christians (Rom 16:13), for whom he more specifically wrote.

Certain Gnostics believed that Simon suffered in the place of Jesus.


Simon called the Zealot

"Simon the Zealot," one of the twelve apostles (Mt 10:4; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13).

The term zealot (Gk. Zelotes), which is peculiar to Luke, is the Gk. equivalent for the Aram. term Qanne'an, preserved by Matthew and Mark. Each of these equally points out Simon as belonging to the faction of the Zealots, who were conspicuous for their fierce advocacy of the Mosaic ritual.

He is not to be identified with Simon the brother of Jesus.


Sodom

SODOM. A town of the patriarchal age located in the plain or "valley of the Jordan" Gen 13:11-12), together with its sister cities Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar.

The city in the Jordan Valley (Gen 10:19; 13:10) that, with Gomorrah, became a type of intolerable wickedness and was destroyed by fire (19:24-28).

The bible points out that the district of the Jordan where Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar were located was exceedingly productive and well populated around 2054 B.C., but that not long afterward it was abandoned. This circumstance is in full agreement with archaeological findings.

These cities were located in the valley of Siddim (Gen 14:3). Probably this was the area at the southern end of the Dead Sea, now covered with water. Somewhere in the vicinity of 2050 B.C. this region was overwhelmed by a great conflagration. The country was said to have been "full of tar pits" (14:10). Bitumen deposits are still to be found in that area. Being on the fault-line forming the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Arabah, this region has been the scene of earthquakes throughout history.

The salt and free sulfur of this area, now a burned-out region of oil and asphalt, were mingled by an earthquake to form a violent explosion. Evidently salt and sulfur were blasted red-hot into the sky so that literally it rained fire and brimstone over the whole plain (19:24,28). Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt is reminiscent of "the Mount of Sodom" known to the Arabs as Jebel Usdum, a five-mile-long salt mass stretching N and S at the southeastern end of the Dead Sea.

Somewhere under the slowly rising water of the southern part of the lake the five cities of the plain are to be found. According to Tacitus's History 5.7 and Josephus's Wars 4.8.4, their ruins were still visible in classical and NT times, not yet being covered with water.

 Jesus refers to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah <Matt. 10:15>. Sodom's wickedness and moral depravity became proverbial <Rom. 9:29; Rev. 11:8>. Fresh water irrigation at the southern end of the Dead Sea was sufficient to maintain the five Jordan cities and furnish another evidence of the location of Sodom in this region.


Solomon

Solomon's name (Heb. Shelomoh) means "peaceable." He was also called Jedidiah, meaning "beloved of Jehovah."

He was a son of King David by Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:24; 1 Chr 3:5). He succeeded King David to the throne and ruled from 965-926 B.C.


Solomon's porch

The "portico" (Gk. stoa Solomonos), the outer corridor of the Temple (Jn 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12).

 A roofed portico or colonnade on the east side of Herod's Temple in Jerusalem.


Son of David

The term "Sonof David" delineates His kingly Jewish name, as "Son of God" denotes His divine name. (2 Sam 7:14-)


Son of God

DEITY of the Son. A matter of doctrine with reference to the divine nature of Christ. It is woven with the doctrine of the Trinity and in the very nature of the case points to a relationship that in its deepest essence cannot be comprehended by the human understanding (Mt. 11:27) any more than if we tried to comprehend God's omnipresence,etc.. Yet the Scriptures do throw some rays of light on the subject.

Scriptural. The term Son of God is used in the Scriptures in various senses. In the OT it is sometimes applied to Israel (Ex 4:22), also figuratively to heavenly beings (Job 1:6; 38:7). In the NT it is also applied to Christ. And yet it is clear beyond all question that the Scriptures apply this title to Christ in a sense far deeper than all these. Both Christ Himself and His apostles speak of His sonship in a way that cannot be employed with reference to any, even the highest, of God's creatures (Jn 3:13,16; 5:17-31; 6:62; 8:58; 10:30; 14:1,11; Rom 1:3-4; 9:5; Col 2:9; Tit 2:13).

Theological. The doctrine of the Scriptures, universally held by the Christian church, includes the following features:

1. The deity of the Son involves an eternal distinction of personality between the Son and the Father. He is the eternal Son even as the Father is the eternal Father. Thus both Christ and the apostles speak of His preexistent state Jn 8:58; 17:5; Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:5-8).

2. The sonship of Christ implies also that He as the Son has the ground of his existence in the Father, and as the Father has not in the Son. Christ is the "only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father" (Jn 1:18; ), the "only begotten Son" <3:16>, "His own Son" <Rom. 8:3>. Upon these and similar Scripture expressions is based the doctrine of the eternal generation.

3. The Son is in the most complete sense partaker in the same nature with the Father. He possesses the same attributes (Jn 5:21), performs the same works (Mt 9:2-6; Jn 5:24-29), and claims equal honor with the Father (5:23; 14:1). As the Son, having the ground of His existence in the Father, He is in this sense subordinate. Also in His incarnate state He became subordinate in a still deeper sense. And yet before His incarnation He "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped"; and in His glorified state "in Him all the fulness of the Deity dwells in bodily form."

The doctrine of the eternal sonship of Christ has been the ground of many hard-fought battles (particularly Arianism and Sabellianism ), but the Christian church steadfastly holds to the teachings of the Scriptures. And the truth at this point is most important; for only in the light of this truth can we recognize in Christ the perfect revelation of God and realize the efficacy of His saving ministry.


Son of Man

Heb. Ben Adam (Gk. ho huios tou anthropou).

This title, hinting at the apocolyptic redeemer of (Dan 7:13) where everlasting dominion is ascribed to the Messiah, was continually used by Christ and occurs sixty-one times in the gospels.

Dan 7:13-14

13	"I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

14	Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

In the light of the corresponding term "the Son of God," which stresses Christ's deity, the term "Son of Man" emphasizes His divine humanity. Whereas the gospel of John presents Christ as the Son of God, the gospel of Luke presents Him as the Son of Man. The term "Son of Man" is Christ's racial name as a representative man (cf. <1 Cor. 15:45-47>). The term "Son of David" delineates His kingly Jewish name, as "Son of God" denotes His divine name.


speck

(Gk. karphes, "dry" twig or straw). Any small, dry particle, such as of chaff, wood, etc. (Mt 7:3-5; Lk 6:41-42), and figurative of some slight moral defect seen in another. The KJV term is "mote."

The self-righteous man is likely to see these, while being unconscious of greater evils in himself.

The proverb was a familiar one with the Hebrews.


spikenard

Nard (nard; Heb. nerd; Gk. nardos). An aromatic oil extracted from an East Indian plant, Nardostachys jatamansi,. (Song 4:13; Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3).

It was a costly oil derived from the dried roots and stems of the nard, an herb of Asia. This oil was used as a liquid or made into an ointment. Solomon praised the fragrance of spikenard. Spikenard was imported from India in alabaster boxes. These were stored and used only for special occasions. When household guests arrived, they were usually anointed with this oil. Jesus was anointed on two occasions as an honored guest (Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3).

Many spikes grew from a single nard root which produced clusters of pink flowers. The stems were covered with hair, giving them a woolly appearance. Some translations of the Bible refer to spikenard as nard.

PERFUME

Such passages as the following: "Oil and perfume make the heart glad" (Prov. 27:9);

Perfumes were generally in the form of ointments, incense, or extracted by some process of boiling and then mixed with oil. Perfumes entered largely into the Temple service, in the two forms of incense and ointment (30:22-38). Nor were they less used in private life; not only were they applied to the person but to garments (Ps. 45:8; Song 4:11) and to articles of furniture, such as beds (Prov. 7:17). The use of perfumes was omitted in times of mourning (Is 3:24).

OILS AND OINTMENTS

Funereal. Perfumes as well as oil were used to anoint dead bodies and the clothes in which they were wrapped (Mt 26:12; Mk 14:3,8; Lk 23:56; Jn 12:3-7; 19:40).


steward

(usually Heb. sar, "head" person; Gk. epitropos, "manager"; oikonomos, "overseer").

 A manager or superintendent of another's household. There is mention of Herod's steward (Lk 8:3); "manager," NIV. As great confidence was reposed in these officials, Paul describes Christian ministers as the stewards of God over His church (1 Cor. 4:1-2; "those given a trust," NIV). Believers are also said to be stewards of God, of God's gifts and riches (1 Pet 4:10).


Storm Picture

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt van Rijn (17th Cent.)


Susanna

Gk. from Heb. "A lily"), one of the women who followed our Lord and His disciples and "were contributing to their support out of their private means" (Lk 8:3).

No particulars of her life are known. The name, apparently of common occurrence, is of the same origin and meaning as Sheshan (1 Chr 2:31,34-35).


swaddling

Like most Palestinian peoples, the Jews thought that swaddling an infant, or binding it with long cloth strips, would ensure straight limbs. (This is also how they mended broken bones).


Sychar

(meaning unknown)-- a city of Samaria mentioned in connection with Jesus' visit to Jacob's Well (Jn 4:5).

The fame of Sychar is associated with Jesus' conversation with the woman who came there to draw water, her conversion, and the conversion of many of the Samaritans during His two days in the area.

Many scholars identify Sychar with ancient Shechem (Gen 33:18). Jacob's Well, one of the best attested sites in Palestine, is situated on the eastern edge of the valley which separates Mount Gerizim from Mount Ebal.

It is now commonly located at the site of the village of 'Askar, on the eastern slope of Ebal, almost two miles ENE from Nablus, about a half mile N of Jacob' s well, and a short distance SE of Shechem.

Shechem is first mentioned in connection with Abraham's journey into the land of Canaan. When Abraham eventually came to Shechem, the Lord appeared to him and announced that this was the land He would give to Abraham's descendants (Gen 12:6). This fulfilled God's promise to Abraham at the time of his call (Gen 12:1-3).

In response, Abraham built his first altar to the Lord in Canaan at Shechem (Gen 12:7). Because of this incident, Shechem is an important place in the religious history of the Hebrew people.


synagogue

SYNAGOGUES IN THE TIME OF JESUS

- The first synagogues may have been built by Jews held captive far from the temple during the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century B.C., but synagogues were important religious and social institutions in the time of Jesus.

- The original Greek word synagogue means merely "a place of meeting."

- In the Jewish world synagogues were second only to the temple in Jerusalem itself as religious institutions. They also served as schools of religious instruction and communal halls for civic functions under the direction of a council of elders.

- Typically, a synagogue was a small structure built on a rise above the neighboring houses. Opposite the entrance, a portable ark contained the scrolls of the Law and the Prophets. In front of it, facing worshipers, were the "chief seats" for religious leaders.

- Men and women perhaps sat apart from each other in the congregation as they did in later times.

- For public worship, which was conducted on the Sabbath, a minimum of 10 adult males had to be in attendance.

- The five-part service included prayers, psalm-singing, blessings, readings from the Scriptures, and commentaries on the sacred passages, but there were no sacrifices and no standard liturgy.

- Although a rabbi might be recognized as the leader because of his distinguished teaching, there was no official clergy. In fact, any Jew who felt himself qualified could ask for permission to teach the Scriptures-as Jesus did at Nazareth.


synagogue1

A reconstruction drawing of the remains of the synagogue at Capernaum discovered at Tell Hum (ruins of a Jewish village and Synagogue at Capernaum).


synagogue2

A reconstruction drawing of the remains of the synagogue at Capernaum discovered at Tell Hum (ruins of a Jewish village and Synagogue at Capernaum).


Synoptic

The Synoptic Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are termed the "synoptic" gospels because, in marked contrast to John, they present a "common view" of the facts about Jesus implied in the Gk. word sunopsis, "a blended view."


Syria

Under the Romans. As Syria holds an important place in the NT as well as in the OT, some account of its condition under the Romans is in order. That condition was somewhat peculiar. Although the country generally was formed into a Roman province, under governors who were at first propraetors or quaestors, then proconsuls, and finally legates, a number of "free cities" were exempted from the direct rule of the governor. These retained the administration of their own affairs, subject to a tribute levied according to the Roman principles of taxation. Also a number of tracts, assigned to petty princes, commonly natives, were ruled at their pleasure, subject to the same obligations as the free cities as to taxation. The free cities were Antioch, Seleucia, Apamea, Epiphania, Tripolis, Sidon, and Tyre; the principalities, Comagene, Chalcis ad Belum, Arethusa, Abila or Abilene, Palmyra, and Damascus. The principalities were sometimes called kingdoms, sometimes tetrarchies. They were established where it was thought that the natives were so inveterately wedded to their own customs, and so well disposed for revolt, that it was necessary to consult their feelings, to flatter the national vanity, and to give them the semblance without the substance of freedom.

Although previously overrun by the Romans, Syria was not made tributary and governors appointed until 64 BC Down to the battle of Pharsalia the country was fairly tranquil; the only trouble was with the Arabs, who occasionally attacked the eastern frontier. The Roman governors, particularly Gabinius, took great pains to restore the ruined cities. After Pharsalia (46 BC) the troubles of Syria were renewed. Julius Caesar gave the province to his relative Sextus (47 BC), but Pompey's party was still so strong in the East that the next year one of his adherents, Caecilius Bassus, put Sextus to death and established himself in the government so firmly that he was able to resist for three years three proconsuls appointed by the Senate to dispossess him. He only finally yielded upon terms that he himself offered to his antagonists. Bassus had just made his submission when, upon the assassination of Caesar, Syria was disputed between Cassius and Dolabella (43 BC). The next year Cassius left his province and went to Philippi, where he committed suicide. Syria then fell to Antony, who appointed as his legate L. Decidius Saxa (41 BC.). Pacorus, the crown prince of Parthia, overran Syria and Asia Minor, defeating Antony's generals and threatening Rome with the loss of all her Asiatic possessions (40-39 BC). Ventidius, however, in 38 BC, defeated the Parthians, slew Pacorus, and recovered for Rome her former boundary. A quiet time followed. In 27 BC a special procurator was therefore appointed to rule it. He was subordinate to the governor of Syria but within his own province had the power of a legatus. Syria continued without serious disturbance from the expulsion of the Parthians (38 BC) to the breaking out of the Jewish war (AD 66). In 19 BC it was visited by Augustus and in A.D. 18-19 by Germanicus, who died at Antioch in the last named year. In AD 44-47 it was the scene of a severe famine.


Syro-Phoenician

From Phoenicia, a nation northeast of Palestine which had been incorporated into the Roman province of Syria. Non Jewish.


talents

Talent (Heb. kikkar, "circle"; Gk. talanton, a "balance").

The name given to this weight, perhaps from its having been taken as "a round number" or sum total. It was the largest weight among the Hebrews, being used for metals, whether

gold (1 Ki 9:14; 10:10),

silver (2 Ki 5:22),

bronze (Ex 38:29), or

iron (1 Chr 29:7).

The talent was used by various nations and differed considerably. It is perhaps impossible to determine whether the Hebrews had one talent only or several of different weights. From (Ex 38:24-29) we infer that the talent of gold, silver, and bronze was a talent of the same weight, and the evidence favors but one weight of that denomination, which contained 3,000 shekels. Probably almost 100 pounds or a full weight for an able man to carry (2 Ki 5:23).

In the NT the talent occurs in a parable (Mt 25:15) and as the estimate of a stone's weight, "about one hundred pounds each" (Rev. 16:21).


Talitha, cumi

TALITHA KUM Two Aram. words (Mk 5:41), signifying "Little girl, arise."


tares

Tares (Gk. zizanion); RV darnel. (A type of weeds)

Tares are numerous in the grainfields, along with a large number of other species of plants not suitable for human food. They are left until the stalks are well grown, and then, not long before the harvest (Mt 13:30), women and children, and sometimes men, go carefully among the grain and pull up all but the wheat and barley.

There are four kinds of tares in the Holy Land, by far the most common of which in the grainfields is Lolium temulentum, L., or the bearded darnel. It is a poisonous grass, almost indistinguishable from wheat while the two are growing into blade. But when they come into ear, they can be separated without difficulty.

Today these weeds are not burned but fed to cattle. If any tares remain unnoticed until the grain is harvested and threshed out, the seeds are separated from the wheat and barley and set aside for poultry.


tax collector

TAX-GATHERER (Gk. telones; KJV "publican").

A collector of the Roman revenue. The Roman Senate had found it convenient, at a period as early as-early as the second Punic war, to farm the vectigalia (direct taxes) and the portoria (customs) to capitalists, who undertook to pay a given sum into the treasury (in publicum) and so received the name of publicani.

Contracts of this kind fell naturally into the hands of the equites, who were the commercial and financial class of Romans. Not infrequently they went beyond the means of any individual capitalist, and a joint-stock company (societas) was formed, with one of the partners, or an agent appointed by them, acting as managing director (magister).

Under this officer, who resided commonly at Rome, transacting the business of the company, paying profits to the partners and the like, were the submagistri, living in the provinces.

Under them, in like manner, were the portitores, the actual customhouse officers, who examined each bale of goods exported or imported, assessed its value more or less arbitrarily, wrote out the ticket, and enforced payment. The latter were commonly natives of the province in which they were stationed, being brought daily into contact with all classes of the population.

It is this class (portitores) to which the term tax-gatherer refers exclusively in the NT. These tax-gatherers were encouraged by their superior in vexatious and even fraudulent exactions, and remedy was almost impossible. They overcharged (Lk 3:13) and brought false charges of smuggling in the hope of extorting hush money (19:8). The strong feeling of many Jews as to the unlawfulness of paying tribute made matters worse.

The scribes for the most part were not against it and thus were considered traitors. The publicans were also regarded as traitors and apostates, defiled by their frequent contacts with the heathen and being willing tools of the oppressor.

Practically excommunicated, this class furnished some of the earliest disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus. The position of Zaccheus as a "chief tax-gatherer" (Luke 19:2, Gk. architelones) implies a gradation of some kind among the publicans; perhaps he was one of the submagistri. In Augustus's day (27 B.C.-A.D. 14) the practice of selling tax-collection contracts to joint-stock companies ceased, and tax collectors were put on the public payroll. Thus a kind of Internal Revenue Service was established and continued through the rest of the NT period.

"The Talmud distinguishes two classes of publicans-- the tax-gatherer in general (Gabbai) and the Mokhes or Mokhsa, who was specially the douanier, or customhouse official. Although both classes fell under the rabbinic ban, the douanier-- such as Matthew was-- was the object of chief execration. And this because his exactions were more vexatious and gave more scope to rapacity. The Gabbai, or tax-gatherer, collected the regular dues, which consisted of ground, income, and poll tax. . . . If this offered many opportunities for vexatious exactions and rapacious injustice, the Mokhes might inflict much greater hardship upon the poor people. There was a tax and duty upon all imports and exports; on all that was bought and sold; bridge money, road money, harbor dues, town dues, etc. The classical reader knows the ingenuity which could invent a tax and find a name for every kind of exaction, such as on axles, wheels, pack animals, pedestrians, roads, highways; on admission to markets; on carriers, bridges, ships, and quays; on crossing rivers, on dams, on licenses-- in short, on such a variety of objects that even the research of modern scholars has not been able to identify all the names. But even this was as nothing compared to the vexation of being constantly stopped on the journey, having to unload all one's pack animals, when every bale and package was opened, and the contents tumbled about, private letters opened, and the Mokhes ruled supreme in his insolence and rapacity" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus).


tax office

TAX-GATHERER (Gk. telones; KJV "publican").

A collector of the Roman revenue. The Roman Senate had found it convenient, at a period as early as-early as the second Punic war, to farm the vectigalia (direct taxes) and the portoria (customs) to capitalists, who undertook to pay a given sum into the treasury (in publicum) and so received the name of publicani.

Contracts of this kind fell naturally into the hands of the equites, who were the commercial and financial class of Romans. Not infrequently they went beyond the means of any individual capitalist, and a joint-stock company (societas) was formed, with one of the partners, or an agent appointed by them, acting as managing director (magister).

Under this officer, who resided commonly at Rome, transacting the business of the company, paying profits to the partners and the like, were the submagistri, living in the provinces.

Under them, in like manner, were the portitores, the actual customhouse officers, who examined each bale of goods exported or imported, assessed its value more or less arbitrarily, wrote out the ticket, and enforced payment. The latter were commonly natives of the province in which they were stationed, being brought daily into contact with all classes of the population.

It is this class (portitores) to which the term tax-gatherer refers exclusively in the NT. These tax-gatherers were encouraged by their superior in vexatious and even fraudulent exactions, and remedy was almost impossible. They overcharged (Lk 3:13) and brought false charges of smuggling in the hope of extorting hush money (19:8). The strong feeling of many Jews as to the unlawfulness of paying tribute made matters worse.

The scribes for the most part were not against it and thus were considered traitors. The publicans were also regarded as traitors and apostates, defiled by their frequent contacts with the heathen and being willing tools of the oppressor.

Practically excommunicated, this class furnished some of the earliest disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus. The position of Zaccheus as a "chief tax-gatherer" (Luke 19:2, Gk. architelones) implies a gradation of some kind among the publicans; perhaps he was one of the submagistri. In Augustus's day (27 B.C.-A.D. 14) the practice of selling tax-collection contracts to joint-stock companies ceased, and tax collectors were put on the public payroll. Thus a kind of Internal Revenue Service was established and continued through the rest of the NT period.

"The Talmud distinguishes two classes of publicans-- the tax-gatherer in general (Gabbai) and the Mokhes or Mokhsa, who was specially the douanier, or customhouse official. Although both classes fell under the rabbinic ban, the douanier-- such as Matthew was-- was the object of chief execration. And this because his exactions were more vexatious and gave more scope to rapacity. The Gabbai, or tax-gatherer, collected the regular dues, which consisted of ground, income, and poll tax. . . . If this offered many opportunities for vexatious exactions and rapacious injustice, the Mokhes might inflict much greater hardship upon the poor people. There was a tax and duty upon all imports and exports; on all that was bought and sold; bridge money, road money, harbor dues, town dues, etc. The classical reader knows the ingenuity which could invent a tax and find a name for every kind of exaction, such as on axles, wheels, pack animals, pedestrians, roads, highways; on admission to markets; on carriers, bridges, ships, and quays; on crossing rivers, on dams, on licenses-- in short, on such a variety of objects that even the research of modern scholars has not been able to identify all the names. But even this was as nothing compared to the vexation of being constantly stopped on the journey, having to unload all one's pack animals, when every bale and package was opened, and the contents tumbled about, private letters opened, and the Mokhes ruled supreme in his insolence and rapacity" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus).


tempest

A major storm like a typhoon


Temple

Almost five hundred years had elapsed since the Second Temple (Zerubbabel's) had been built by those who returned from the Babylonian Exile. After that the Temple had no doubt been repaired and enlarged, but it remained essentially the old building, inferior in beauty and grandeur to some of the pagan temples which were around. Not only was it contrary to Herod's love of architecture to permit the Temple of his own God to remain so modest, but he thought to show his piety to the Jews by making their Temple grander than the rest. The leading scribes at first opposed his plan (suspicious). They actually believed that once he pulled the old building down he would never replace it. Herod had to promise that he would not touch the old building until he had built the new one around it.

Under no circumstances were the services to be interrupted. Herod hired workmen by the thousands. Among them were many priests to build those portions not accessible to ordinary Jews. The work was started by leveling larger portions of the Temple Mount, so that the new building might be erected on a broader base. It was also made much taller, so that the white stone gleamed in the bright Palestinian sun and could be seen from miles away.

On the northern and southern sides of the building were the enclosed halls or rooms where the priests prepared for the service, and where the Sanhedrin met. The large open court on the east, facing the Temple proper, was divided into several parts. Closest to the Temple was the portion set aside for the altar and the officiating priests. Next to it was the court for the Israelites who came to watch the service. By the side of that was the gallery for the women, and behind it was the court of the Gentiles. The whole area was surrounded by a wall. This is the wall, part of which remains to this day, known as "The Wailing Wall," to which Jews have gone on pilgrimage during the recent centuries of exile.

The Temple took many years to build. Begun in 19 BC, it was not finished till long after Herod's death. The Jews prided in Herod's accomplishment until Herod placed a huge Roman eagle over the most important gate of the new Temple. Before long there was a conspiracy to pull the eagle down. When rumor circulated that Herod was dying, a group of young men gathered before the gate on which the golden eagle was set and began to pull it down. The soldiers interfered and arrested about forty of them. Herod was so enraged at this sign of insubordination and insult to Rome, that he had the "rebels" burned alive.


Temple Picture

The Temple of Herod in the model of Jerusalem at the Holyland Hotel. The model shows Jerusalem as it must have looked in 63 AD., the end of the Second Temple era, just before the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. The models construction was supervised by Prof. Michael Avi Yonah and was based on descriptions of the city given by Flavius Josephus, the Talmuds, the Mishna, the Tosephtha, recent archaeological discoveries, and contemporary sources.

The Western (Wailing) Wall is all that remains of the Jerusalem Temple where Jesus ministered. Herod began the incredible remobeling project in 19 BC., and it continued long after his death. It was completed in 63 AD., only 7 years before the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.


Temple1


ten thousand talents

An extraordinary amount of money, perhaps millions of dollars in todays currency.


Ten Virgins Picture

19th Century stained glass of the parable of the ten virgins.


Thaddaeus

Meaning (breast)-- one of the twelve apostles of Jesus (Mt 10:3; Mark 3:18); Also called Lebbaeus (Mt 10:3) and Judas the son of James (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13).

Nothing else is known about this most obscure of the apostles, but some scholars attribute the Epistle of Jude to him.


the Coming One

A Messianic term (Dan 7:13)


the council

Any assembly for the purpose of deliberating or judging (sunedrion, a "sitting together").

 Among the Jews these councils were:

(1) The Sanhedrin.

(2) The lesser courts (Mt 10:17; Mk 13:9), of which there were two at Jerusalem and one in each town of Palestine.


the Dispersion

(Gk. diaspora; (Jn 7:35); rendered "dispersed," (Ja 1:1); "scattered," (1 Pet 1:1).

Jewish communities settled in almost all the countries of the civilized world, remaining on the one hand in constant communication with the mother country and, on the other, in active interaction with the non-Jewish world.


the evil one

Another name for Satan


the Law and the Prophets

A common term for the whole Hebrew Bible.

The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into 3 sections:

-The Law (Torah), 5 books:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

-The Prophets (Nebhim), 8 books:

Former Prophets - Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings

Latter Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve

-The Writings (Kethubim), 11 books:

Poetical Books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job

Megilloth - Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther, Ecclesiastes

Historical Books - Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles.

In the Hebrew Bible Genesis (Bershiyt) is the first book and Chronicles (Dibre Hayamim) is the last book.


the temple tax

TRIBUTE Gk. didrachon, a double drachma is a Temple tax levied on all Jews (Mt 17:24); and Gk. phoros, a burden, was the annual tax upon houses, lands, and persons (Lk 20:22; 23:2). "Tribute money," KJV, was the coin with which the tax was paid (Mt 22:19).


the tempter

Another name for Satan


the treasury

The inner area of the Temple contained three courts. The easternmost court was the Court of Women, and it contained the Temple treasury where people donated their money (Mk 12:41-44). Three gates led into this court, one on the north, one on the south, and a third on the east. This third gate was probably the "Beautiful Gate" (Acts 3:2,10). A fourth, larger, more massive and ornate gate led from the Court of the Women west into the Court of Israel (for male Jews), which was elevated 15 steps above the Court of Women.


the wicked one

Another name for Satan


Thomas

From Aram. te'oma', "twin"). One of the twelve apostles, he was also called Didymus, its Gk. equivalent.

He is said to have been born in Antioch, but is also considered by some a native of Galilee, like most of the other apostles (Jn 21:2).

In the first three gospels there is an account of his call to the apostleship (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15). The rest that we know of him is derived from the gospel of John.

Early traditions, as believed in the fourth century, represent him as preaching in Parthia, or Persia, and as finally being buried in Edessa. Later traditions carry him farther E. His martyrdom is said to have been occasioned by a lance.


Tiberias

A city in the time of Christ, on the Sea of Galilee; first mentioned in the NT (Jn 6:1,23; 21:1, "Sea of Tiberias"), and then by Josephus, who states that it was built by Herod Antipas and was named by him in honor of the emperor Tiberius, A.D. 14-37.

It was one of nine towns around the sea, each one having not less than 15,000 inhabitants. Because Tiberias was situated on the edge of the ancient walled town Rakkath (Josh. 19:35), or Hammath, whose cemetery lies beneath it, in Jesus' time it was avoided by strict Jews. There is no record of Jesus ever visiting the city. It was noted for its laxness as a hot-water bath resort.

Tiberias was the capital of Galilee from the time of its origin until the reign of Herod Agrippa II, who changed the seat of power back again to Sepphoris, where it had been before the founding of the new city. Many of the inhabitants were Greeks and Romans, and foreign custom prevailed there to such an extent as to give offense to stricter Jews. After the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Tiberias became a Jewish metropolis and center of rabbinic learning.

After A.D. 150, it was well known as the seat of the Sanhedrin and the rabbinical schools from which came the Talmud and the Masorah. The city lies about twelve miles S of the entrance of the Jordan into the Lake of Galilee and six miles N of the river's exit from the sea. The vicinity is rich in archaeological possibilities, especially the area between the city and the famous hot springs. Masonry of various dates survives, including a synagogue.


Tiberius

 TIBERIUS (14-37 AD) The Emperor Tiberius was the son of Livia, the empress, by a previous marriage. Though an able soldier, his dour personality did not impress Augustus. For his part Tiberius resented the shabby manner in which he was treated, in particular by being forced to divorce his beloved Vipsania to marry Augustus' adulterous daughter Julia. Tiberius' reign was marred by a glut of treason trials. In 26 AD, at the age of 67, he was persuaded by Sejanus, the sinister chief of the praetorian guard, to retire to his luxurious villa on the island of Capri, near the bay of Naples. According to the scandalous stories repeated by the writer Suetonius, the emperor indulged himself with orgies and sadistic displays, and rarely ventured back to mainland Italy.

 In 31 AD the treachery of Sejanus was uncovered and he was summarily executed. In either 30 or 33 AD, Jesus was crucified under Sejanus' protégé, Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea, a fact which was known to the historian, Tacitus.


Timaeus

Father of the blind beggar cured by Christ (Mk 10:46), the son being then called Bartimaeus.


tomb

(Heb. gadish, "heaped" up, a "tumulus"; Gk. mnemeion, a "remembrance"). A natural cave enlarged and adapted by excavation, or an artificial imitation of one, was the standard type of sepulcher.

"The caves, or rock-hewn sepulchers, consisted of an antechamber in which the bier was deposited, and an inner or rather lower cave in which the bodies were deposited, in a recumbent position, in niches.

According to the Talmud these abodes of the dead were usually six feet long, nine feet wide, and ten feet high. Here there were niches for eight bodies-- three on each side of the entrance and two opposite. Larger sepulchers held thirteen bodies.

The entrance to the sepulcher was guarded by a large stone or by a door (Mt 27:65; Mk 15:46; Jn 11:38-39). This structure of the tombs will explain some of the particulars connected with the burial of our Lord, how the women coming early to the grave had been astonished in finding the 'very great stone' 'rolled away from the door of the sepulcher,' and then, when they entered the outer cave, were affrighted to see what seemed 'a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment' (Mk 16:4-5)" (Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life, p. 171).


Tomb Picture

These wheel shaped stones were used in the time of Jesus to discourage grave robbers and allow loved ones to enter to leave customary precious objects with the deceased in the tomb . The stone was usually located on a slope. A wedge was needed to open it before the tomb was entered. The stone rolled down upon an inclined track, stones often weighed as much as a ton. Tomb robbing was not unusual in ancient times. Striking evidence of this was unearthed in Palestine in the form of an ancient decree. Written in Greek and dating from about the time of Jesus, it makes tomb robbing a crime punishable by death.

Matt 28:1-7

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." (NKJ)

Ironically, the ancient Herod-family tomb in Jerusalem was used to shelter the living during the Arab-Israeli wars in 1948 and 1967.


TopMap

This Small topographic map shows how the Dead Sea region is the deepest land trench in the world being about 1300 ft. below sea level.


Tortoise

 Roman legionaries were constantly learning and developing new tactics of warfare. One of their most effective formations was called the "tortoise." Marching into battle or attacking a walled city, soldiers protected themselves by linking their shields over their heads.


transfigured

(Gk. metamorphoo, to "change into another form").

It is recorded (Mt 17:2; Mk 9:2) that our Lord "was transfigured" before His disciples Peter, James, and John; and this is explained (Lk 9:29): "And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming." Each of the evangelists represents it as taking place about eight days after the first distinct mention Jesus made to them of His approaching sufferings, death, and resurrection.

The location is merely given as a high mountain, which is traditionally thought to have been Mt. Tabor; but as Jesus was at this time sojourning in the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, it seems likely that it was one of the ridges of Hermon. While our Lord was praying He was "transfigured," i.e., His external aspect was changed, His face gleaming like the sun, and His clothing being so white that it shone like light. The cause of this appearance was that His divine glory shone out through His human form and was not, as in the case of Moses, caused by God's having appeared to Him.


Triumvirate

Unofficial Roman rule (60-50 BC). Crassus, Caesar and Pompey were the three that formed the first secret First Triumvirate.


tunic

The Dress of Men. Among the Israelites these were a tunic or coat (Heb. kuttonet, (Ex 28:4,39; 29:5; 2 Sam 15:32); Gk. chiton, (Mt 5:40; Mk 6:9; Lk 3:11; 6:29; etc.).

This was the simplest of all the garments worn, like an ordinary shirt or nightgown. It was probably made of two pieces sewn together at the sides, or else formed of one piece, with a place cut for the head to pass through. It afforded so slight a covering that persons who had on nothing else were called naked (1 Sam 19:24; 2 Sam 6:20; Jn 21:7).

Another kind reached to the wrists and ankles. It was in either case fastened around the loins with a girdle, and the fold formed by the overlapping of the robe served as an inner pocket. Such a garment was worn by the priests and probably by Joseph (Gen 37:3,23) and Tamar (2 Sam 13:18).

Outer Tunic (Heb. me`il). This was a looser and a longer sort of a tunic reaching to near the ankles; open at the top also as to be drawn over the head, and having holes for the insertion of the arms. As an article of ordinary dress it was worn by kings (1 Sam 24:4), prophets (28:14), nobles (Job 1:20), and youths (1 Sam 2:19). It may, however, be doubted whether the term is used in its specific sense in these passages and not rather for any robe that chanced to be worn over the kuttonet.

Where two tunics are mentioned (Lk 3:11) as being worn at the same time, the second would be a me`il; travelers generally wore two, but the practice was forbidden to the disciples (Mt 10:10; Lk 9:3).


Tyre

TYRE (a rock)-- an ancient seaport city of the Phoenicians north of Palestine. Tyre was the principal seaport of the Phoenician coast, about 25 mi south of Sidon and 35 mi north of Carmel. It consisted of two cities: a rocky coastal city on the mainland and a small island city. The island city was just off the shore. The mainland city was on a coastal plain, a strip only 15 mi long and 3 2 mi wide.

During the Roman period Tyre was rebuilt, eventually achieving a degree of prosperity. A Roman colony was established at the city. Herod I rebuilt the main temple, which would have been standing when Jesus visited the coasts of Tyre and Sidon (Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-31). People of Tyre listened to Jesus as He taught (Mk 3:8; Lk 6:17. The Lord Jesus even cited Tyre as a heathen city that would bear less judgment than the Galilaean towns in which He had invested so much of His ministry (Mt 11:21-22; Lk 10:13-14).


Unleavened Bread

(Heb. massa, "sweet"; Gk. 'azumos). Bread baked from unfermented dough, or (NIV) without yeast (Gen 19:3; Judg 6:19; 1 Sam 28:24).

This was formally presented for the Paschal (Passover) cakes (Ex 12:8,15,20; 13:3,6-7) and thus became a symbol of the festival popularly called "the feast of unleavened bread ."


unwashed

A distinction must be made between this ceremonial washing and ordinary cleansing of the hands as a matter of decency. When the charge was made against our Lord's disciples that they ate with unwashed hands, it was not meant that they did not wash their hands at all, but that they did not do it ceremonially.

These ceremonial washings were prescribed with such minute details as to be not only burdensome but sometimes impossible. Before the ceremony one had to decide the kind of food to be partaken of-- whether it was prepared firstfruits, common food, or holy, i.e., sacrificial food.

"The water was poured on both hands, which must be free from anything covering them, such as gravel, mortar, etc. The hands were lifted up, so as to make the water run to the wrist, in order to insure that the whole hand was washed and that the water polluted by the hand did not again run down the fingers. Similarly, each hand was rubbed with the other (the fist), provided the hand that rubbed had been affused; otherwise the rubbing might be done against the head, or even against a wall. But there was one point on which special stress was laid.

In the 'first affusion,' which was all that originally was required when the hands were not Levitically 'defiled,' the water had to run down to the wrist. If the water remained short of the wrist, the hands were not clean. Accordingly, the words of St. Mark can only mean that the Pharisees eat not 'except they wash their hands to the wrist.' If the hands were 'defiled' two affusions were required: the first to remove the defilement, and the second to wash away the waters that had contracted the defilement of the hands. Accordingly, on the affusion of the first waters the hands were elevated, and the water made to run down at the wrist, while at the second waters the hands were depressed, so that the water might run off by the finger joints and tips" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, 2:11).

The Pharisees carried the practice of ablution to such excess, from the affectation of purity while the heart was left unclean, that our Lord severely rebuked them for their hypocrisy (Mt 23:25).


Upper1

THE UPPER CITY

Most of Jerusalem's working people lived in the crowded, noisy precincts of the Lower City. Their one- and two-story houses stood packed closely together. In contrast, the broad fashionable avenues of the Upper City were laid out in an orderly grid pattern like the elegant cities of Greece and Rome. This part of Jerusalem was the home of the rich and powerful Jewish families and high-ranking Roman officials.

Comfortably removed from the rest of the population, they lived in spacious white marble mansions and palaces built around courtyards with elaborate gardens and pools. The magnificent royal palace of Herod the Great- later used by the Roman governor of Judea during his visits to Jerusalem-was situated in the uppermost northwest corner of the city.

Directly in front of the palace stood the Upper Market, with its Roman-style arcades along three sides and an open court for market booths in the center. Here were the shops of the dealers in luxury goods: the distillers of expensive oils and perfumes; the master tailors and silk merchants; the goldsmiths and silversmiths; the dealers in ivory, incense and precious stones. Household slaves went there to buy expensive imported foods for their masters' banquet tables.

Not far away was the PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST. (The high priest at the time of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem, Caiaphas, did not live there but in another section of the Upper City. Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin probably took place in one of the large halls of his palace). Herod the Great had also built a THEATRE in the Upper City. It was a large, open-air auditorium with semicircular rows of seats ascending from a central stage. Wealthy Jews came there to watch the best of Greek and Roman drama. Most traditional Jews, however, scorned this and other outgrowths of Greco-Roman culture as immoral.


veil of the temple

VEIL (Heb. paroket).

The curtain separating the Holy Place and Most Holy Place in the Temple.  It was this piece of tapestry that was rent by the earthquake at Christ's crucifixion (Mt 27:51).


vinedressers

One who tills the soil and raises food. Terms in the Bible which refer to farmer include plowman (Is 28:24>, husbandman (KJV), vinedresser (Is 61:5), gardener (Jn 20:15), and tiller (Gen 4:2).

This was one of the major occupations of the ancient Hebrews, along with shepherding. The farmer of ancient times was responsible for all aspects of farming. All the plowing, planting, tending, and harvesting was done by the farmer and his family. More prosperous farmers were able to hire helpers for their farm.

In the New Testament a farmer is one who owns the land or rents it and raises crops (Mt 21:33). In (Jn 15:1-8), Jesus refers to Himself as the true vine and His Father as the vinedresser.


washed

A distinction must be made between this ceremonial washing and ordinary cleansing of the hands as a matter of decency. When the charge was made against our Lord's disciples that they ate with unwashed hands, it was not meant that they did not wash their hands at all, but that they did not do it ceremonially.

These ceremonial washings were prescribed with such minute details as to be not only burdensome but sometimes impossible. Before the ceremony one had to decide the kind of food to be partaken of-- whether it was prepared firstfruits, common food, or holy, i.e., sacrificial food.

"The water was poured on both hands, which must be free from anything covering them, such as gravel, mortar, etc. The hands were lifted up, so as to make the water run to the wrist, in order to insure that the whole hand was washed and that the water polluted by the hand did not again run down the fingers. Similarly, each hand was rubbed with the other (the fist), provided the hand that rubbed had been affused; otherwise the rubbing might be done against the head, or even against a wall. But there was one point on which special stress was laid.

In the 'first affusion,' which was all that originally was required when the hands were not Levitically 'defiled,' the water had to run down to the wrist. If the water remained short of the wrist, the hands were not clean. Accordingly, the words of St. Mark can only mean that the Pharisees eat not 'except they wash their hands to the wrist.' If the hands were 'defiled' two affusions were required: the first to remove the defilement, and the second to wash away the waters that had contracted the defilement of the hands. Accordingly, on the affusion of the first waters the hands were elevated, and the water made to run down at the wrist, while at the second waters the hands were depressed, so that the water might run off by the finger joints and tips" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, 2:11).

The Pharisees carried the practice of ablution to such excess, from the affectation of purity while the heart was left unclean, that our Lord severely rebuked them for their hypocrisy (Mt 23:25).


wedding feast

Before the time of Moses, when the proposal was accepted, the marriage price paid, and the gifts distributed, the bridegroom was at liberty to move the bride at once to his own home.  Usually the marriage took place at the home of the bride's parents and was celebrated by a feast to which friends and neighbors were invited and which lasted seven days.

The word wedding does not occur in the OT but there was the oath (Prov 2:17; Ezek 16:8; Mal 2:14), and the blessing that was pronounced (Gen 24:60; Ruth 4:10-12), etc. But the essence of the ceremony consisted in the removal of the bride from her father's house to that of the bridegroom or his father. There seems to be a literal truth in the Heb. expression "to take" a wife (Gen 21:21; 24:3,38; 26:34), for the ceremony appears to have mainly consisted in the taking.

After putting on festive dress, placing a "garland" or "wreath"on his head (Isa. 61:10; "crown," Song of Sol 3:11), the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen (Judg 14:11; Mt 9:15), preceded by a band of musicians or singers (Gen 31:27; Jer 7:34; 16:9; 1 Macc. 9:39), and accompanied by persons bearing lamps (2 Esd 10:2; Mt 25:7; Jer 25:10; Rev 18:23).

Having reached the house of the bride, who with her companions anxiously expected his arrival (Mt 25:1,6), he conducted the whole party back to his own or his father's house, with every demonstration of gladness (Ps 45:15). On their way back they were joined by a party of young girls (virgins), friends of the bride and bridegroom, who were in waiting to catch the procession as it passed (Mt 25:6). The inhabitants of the place pressed out into the streets to watch the procession (Song of Sol 3:11).

At the house a feast was prepared, to which all the friends and neighbors were invited (Gen 29:22; Mt 22:1-10; Lk 14:8; Jn 2:2), and the festivities were protracted for seven or even fourteen days (Judg. 14:12; Tobit 8:19). The guests were provided by the host with wedding clothes (Mt 22:11), and the feast sometimes was enlivened with riddles (Judg 14:12) and other amusements.

The bridegroom now entered into direct communication with the bride, and the "FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM . . . rejoices greatly" at hearing the voice of the bridegroom conversing with her (Jn 3:29), which he regarded as a satisfactory testimony of the success of his share in the work. The last act in the ceremony was the conducting of the bride to the bridal chamber (Heb. cheder, (Judg 15:1; Joel 2:16), where a canopy, named a chuppa, was prepared (Ps 19:5; Joel 2:16). The bride was still completely veiled, explaining the deception practiced on Jacob (Gen 29:23,25).

A newly married man was exempt from military service, or from any public business that might draw him away from his home, for the space of a year (Deut. 24:5). A similar privilege was granted to one who was betrothed (20:7).

This of course is a picture of the greater marriage and ceremony that will one day happen with Christ and His bride (the church).


wedding garment

Before the time of Moses, when the proposal was accepted, the marriage price paid, and the gifts distributed, the bridegroom was at liberty to move the bride at once to his own home.  Usually the marriage took place at the home of the bride's parents and was celebrated by a feast to which friends and neighbors were invited and which lasted seven days.

The word wedding does not occur in the OT but there was the oath (Prov 2:17; Ezek 16:8; Mal 2:14), and the blessing that was pronounced (Gen 24:60; Ruth 4:10-12), etc. But the essence of the ceremony consisted in the removal of the bride from her father's house to that of the bridegroom or his father. There seems to be a literal truth in the Heb. expression "to take" a wife (Gen 21:21; 24:3,38; 26:34), for the ceremony appears to have mainly consisted in the taking.

After putting on festive dress, placing a "garland" or "wreath"on his head (Isa. 61:10; "crown," Song of Sol 3:11), the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen (Judg 14:11; Mt 9:15), preceded by a band of musicians or singers (Gen 31:27; Jer 7:34; 16:9; 1 Macc. 9:39), and accompanied by persons bearing lamps (2 Esd 10:2; Mt 25:7; Jer 25:10; Rev 18:23).

Having reached the house of the bride, who with her companions anxiously expected his arrival (Mt 25:1,6), he conducted the whole party back to his own or his father's house, with every demonstration of gladness (Ps 45:15). On their way back they were joined by a party of young girls (virgins), friends of the bride and bridegroom, who were in waiting to catch the procession as it passed (Mt 25:6). The inhabitants of the place pressed out into the streets to watch the procession (Song of Sol 3:11).

At the house a feast was prepared, to which all the friends and neighbors were invited (Gen 29:22; Mt 22:1-10; Lk 14:8; Jn 2:2), and the festivities were protracted for seven or even fourteen days (Judg. 14:12; Tobit 8:19). The guests were provided by the host with wedding clothes (Mt 22:11), and the feast sometimes was enlivened with riddles (Judg 14:12) and other amusements.

The bridegroom now entered into direct communication with the bride, and the "FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM . . . rejoices greatly" at hearing the voice of the bridegroom conversing with her (Jn 3:29), which he regarded as a satisfactory testimony of the success of his share in the work. The last act in the ceremony was the conducting of the bride to the bridal chamber (Heb. cheder, (Judg 15:1; Joel 2:16), where a canopy, named a chuppa, was prepared (Ps 19:5; Joel 2:16). The bride was still completely veiled, explaining the deception practiced on Jacob (Gen 29:23,25).

A newly married man was exempt from military service, or from any public business that might draw him away from his home, for the space of a year (Deut. 24:5). A similar privilege was granted to one who was betrothed (20:7).

This of course is a picture of the greater marriage and ceremony that will one day happen with Christ and His bride (the church).


winebibber

One who drinks too much wine.  Jesus' enemies accused Him of being a winebibber (Mt 11:19; Lk 7:34). Unlike John the Baptist, who "came neither eating bread nor drinking wine" (Lk 7:33), Jesus "came eating and drinking" (Mt 11:18). His association with those who ate and drank freely brought the rebuke of the religious leaders who had decided to kill Him.


wineskins

A bag for holding and dispensing wine, made from the skin of a goat or another animal (Job 32:19). In Bible times, wineskins were manufactured from whole animal hides.

Jesus used the analogy of wineskins to show that the Jewish legalism of the Old Testament was inflexible and outdated: "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined" (Mt 9:17; Mk 2:22; Lk 5:37-38).

The "old wineskins" of Judaism and legalism could not contain the dynamic new faith of Christianity and freedom.


Woe

Deep sorrow, grief, or affliction. In the Bible the word woe is often used, particularly by the Old Testament prophets, as an exclamation expressing dismay or misfortune (Is 3:9,11; Jer 10:19; Amos 5:18).

In the New Testament Jesus pronounced woes on the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida (Mt 11:21), on the scribes, Pharisees, and lawyers (Lk 11:42-44), and on the one who betrayed Him (Mk 14:21).


Word became flesh

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yoke

A bar or frame of wood by which two farm animals, especially oxen, are joined at the necks or heads for working together, for drawing a load or pulling a plow.


Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus (Gk. for Heb. Zaccai).

A chief tax-gatherer (architelones), or publican, residing at Jericho, who, being a short man, climbed into a sycamore tree in order that he might see Jesus as He passed through that town. When Jesus came to the tree, He paused, looked up, and called Zaccheus by name. He told him to hasten and come down, because He intended to be a guest at his house. With speakable joy Zaccheus hastened down and welcomed the Master.

The people murmured, saying that He had "gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." Zaccheus was especially despised as being a Jew and occupying an official rank among the tax-gatherers, which would indicate unusual activity in the service of the Roman oppressors.

Zaccheus seems to have been deeply moved by the consideration shown him by Jesus and, before all the people, made the vow that attested his penitence: "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much," greater restitution than the law required (Num 5:7). Jesus then said, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham" (Lk 19:1-10).


Zacharias

Heb. "Zechariah" (Yahweh remembers)


Zarephath

A town that was famous from having been the residence of the prophet Elijah during the drought (1 Ki 17:9-10). The Bible doesn't give its location. Josephus (Ant. 8.13.2) says that it was "not far from Sidon and Tyre, for it lay between them." It is on the seashore, N of Tyre. To this Jerome adds (Onom., "Sarefta") that it "lay on the public road," i.e., the coast road.


Zealot

Gk. "A zealous one". KJV uses "Zelotes". Gk. for Aram. Cananaean; a member of a Jewish patriotic party,

Zealot was the surname of the apostle Simon (Mt 10:4; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13), to distinguish him from Simon Peter.

In the first two verses the KJV uses the name "Simon the Canaanite," perhaps a transliteration of the Heb. Aram. qana'na, "zealot."

Zealots were fanatical defenders of the theocracy; and who, while taking vengeance on those who wronged it, were themselves guilty of great excesses.

According to Josephus

The Zealots or Canaaneans were also a political group. They were revolutionaries, frequently revolting, their restlessness resulted in the loss of 200,000 lives from the beginning of the century up to the actual outbreak of war in 66 AD. Extreme nationalists of this type had existed since the time of the Maccabees, and one of Herod's achievements was to keep them well in hand. But after his death, and especially at the census ordered by Augustus, rebellion broke out; in Judea, it was brought under control by the persuasion of the priests, but in Galilee two men, Judas and Sadduk by name, organized resistance. Judas founded a religious sect sworn to "invincible liberty and to God as their only leader and Lord." Acts 5:37 shows that the rebellion failed. A subgroup, the Sicarii, or assassins, appeared a few years after the middle of the century, and represented the extremists of an extreme movement. They held out for three years after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.


Zebedee

Gk. form, probably, of Zabdi or Zebediah. The father of James and John (Mt 4:21), and the husband of Salome (27:56; Mk 15:40).

He was a Galilean fisherman, living probably either at or near Bethsaida. From the mention of his "hired servants" (Mk 1:20) and the acquaintance between John and Annas the high priest, it has been inferred that the family was in good circumstances. He appears only once in the gospel narrative (Mt 4:21-22; Mk 1:19-20), where he is in his boat with his two sons, mending their nets.


Zebulun and Naphtali

The territory of Zebulun in Canaan lay between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. Nazareth and Cana were in it; and it embraced a section of the shore of the former sea, where Christ performed so many of His miracles, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (Is 9:1-2; Mt 4:12-16).