Understanding the locations, people, and culture in the Bible are vital to fully understanding the concepts and ideas put forth. To that end, I will slowly be building on the "Places" page on this website. Today we'll be looking at the town of Bethlehem. Physically, it is situated five miles south/southwest of Jerusalem along the main ridge route (to Hebron and Egypt), in the area of Judah. It was also called Ephrath ("fruitful") and/or Ephrathah during ancient times. The region was known for its fertile hills and valleys. Bluntly, it was an insignificant town-though ancient- during OT times, its major notices being: Ruth dying near there; King David's birthplace; and finally Micah prophesied that the Messiah would come from there. Bethlehem is first noted as the burial place of Rachel (wife of Jacob), though scholars debate over the precise location of burial and whether she had a different place for burial and another for her tomb. It is clear, though, that Matthew references her in 2:18 as part of the fulfillment of the scripture, "Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, for they are no more." This is in reference, of course, to the slaughter of innocents at Bethlehem. The next major event(s) around Bethlehem occur when we enter the time of King David. David was originally a shepherd of sheep in Bethlehem. Much of the book of Ruth takes place there, as the is the great-grandmother of King David. The parallels between the great king David and Jesus need no illumination. When Jesus was born, Bethlehem was still a small town. The leaders knew of Micah's prophecy (see Micah, chapter 5), which in part led Herod to there. Both Matthew and Luke note Bethlehem in the infancy narratives. The Church of the Nativity was founded by Justin Martyr in the 2nd century; he identified a cave near the village as the place of Jesus' birth (the cave was supposed to have served as a stable for the inn). Constantine funded the constructed the first basilica there at his mother Helena's request/prompting in approx. 330 A.D. Church Father Jerome is said to have spent thirty years here, starting in 386, translating the Bible into the Latin Vulgate. It was rebuilt more grandly in the sixth century by Justinian. The Christian population in the region severely declined after the Muslim conquest, although some revival took place during the Crusades. Finally, repairs were started again in 1670. It is one of the oldest Christian churches in existence, and continues to be an area of tension. Archeological knowledge: It was first settled in the Paleolithic era, but is first mentioned in the Amarna letters (14th century B.C., Egypt's governor for pharaoh wrote to him about "Bit-Lahmi"). The Israel Antiquities Authority recently released information about "The first ancient artifact constituting tangible evidence of the existence of the city of Bethlehem" seemingly from the 7th or 8th century B.C.
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1 When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He began to teach them, saying: The Beatitudes 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. 6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you." The Similes of Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." Teaching about the Law 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Teaching about Anger 21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." Teaching about Adultery 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.s It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna." Teaching about Divorce 31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Teaching about Oaths 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all; not 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 Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one." Teaching about Retaliation 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Love of Enemies 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, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Since it has been brought to my attention that the Septuagint and the Apocrypha books are a source of great division, I have decided (through a series of posts) to expand the original, quite short definition of the book I had. With each post, I will link back to the earlier ones as well as post on the new "Septuagint & Apocrypha" page in case one wishes to read the entire thing! (& as always, thank you to those who give me feedback and let me know what my readers would like to see.) The Septuagint has become an issue of serious debate. The reason for this is because the Old Testament in Protestant and Catholic Bibles is different. The Catholic Bible contains the Apocrypha, which was later removed by Luther. The trend of removing these books from the Bible was continued by the other Protestant churches. The Septuagint is organized in the following order: the Pentateuch, followed by the historical, poetic, wisdom, and prophetic books. The order is loosely followed by our English translations. Due to the fact that various translators at various times with varying capabilities and styles. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament (both Hebrew and Aramaic). The title “Septuagint” is Latin for “seventy.” Legend/tradition holds that 72 elders, working independently of one another, each produced an identical translation of the Hebrew Pentateuch into Greek around 285 B.C. Originally designed for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt, the Septuagint was completed by various translators in or around Alexandria between the third and first centuries B.C. The reason it was in Greek is because the vast majority of the people (including Jews) spoke Greek. It was fairly pointless to read the scripture in Hebrew because most couldn't understand it (much like why the Bible is read in English now; no one understood the Latin). It came to have great authority among the non-Palestinian Jews, and allowed the Greeks to read the divine revelation in their own tongue. New Testament writers also relied heavily on the Septuagint, as a majority of Old Testament quotes cited in the New Testament are quoted directly from the Septuagint (others are quoted from the Hebrew texts). It is still the official text of the Greek Church. We know that when Jesus read the passage for the day, he was reading from the Septuagint. I thought this was an interesting side-note from Septuagint website: "The majority of the Septuagint, Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls are remarkably similar and have dispelled unfounded theories that the Biblical text has been corrupted by time and conspiracy. " The material for these posts will probably end up filling many pages when I'm done, but I'll be posting as I go along in "quick bites" for people who are interested in such things. But this means that I won't have read everything or know everything (if such a thing is possible) when I write each blog post. I'm learning as I continue to research. Should you find an error, please let me know! Please, please, reference "Canon History" for the most up-to-date, accurate information! As many of the wisdom books don't require extensive footnotes...and because a little wisdom and praise never go amiss all our other studying...the wisdom books will be gradually introduced throughout the rest of our study. We'll be starting with Psalms. Psalm 3: Threatened but Trusting 1 A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. 2 How many are my foes, LORD! How many rise against me! 3 How many say of me, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah 4 But you, LORD, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high. 5 With my own voice I will call out to the LORD, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. Selah 6 I lie down and I fall asleep, [and] I will wake up, for the LORD sustains me. 7 I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side. 8 Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you strike the cheekbone of all my foes; you break the teeth of the wicked. 9 Salvation is from the LORD! May your blessing be upon your people! Psalm 4: Trust in God 1 For the leader; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David. 2 Answer me when I call, my saving God. When troubles hem me in, set me free; take pity on me, hear my prayer. 3 How long, O people, will you be hard of heart? Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies? Selah 4 Know that the LORD works wonders for his faithful one; the LORD hears when I call out to him. 5 Tremble and sin no more; weep bitterly within your hearts, wail upon your beds, 6 Offer fitting sacrifices and trust in the LORD. 7 Many say, “May we see better times! LORD, show us the light of your face!” Selah 8 But you have given my heart more joy than they have when grain and wine abound. 9 In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, LORD, make me secure. Chapter 3 and 4 cover the baptism of Jesus, the temptation by Satan, the very beginning preparations of Jesus' ministry. It is our introduction before the great Sermon on the Mount. Two themes throughout this section: 1) Repentance and the coming of the kingdom. John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptism to begin again. Jesus rejects temptation in the desert. And then Jesus goes on to preach repentance. The proclamation of the near arrival of God's kingdom is the central message of Jesus and, along with the resurrection, the basis and object of Christian hope. We have seen Jesus in humanity and suffering; we look forward to seeing His kingdom come again in faith, glory, justice, and peace on Earth. 2) The beginning of the apostles. We see the first four disciples gathered towards the end of the Chapter 4. We see their complete abandonment of previous life in order to follow Jesus. Note that this is different from the normal teacher-student behavior. Students come to the teacher to learn. Here (and following), we see Jesus gather up certain people, the closest he comes to founding a church. 4:1-11 Jesus was proclaimed Son of God at his baptism. He is now called upon to display the character of true sonship, obedience. He does this by resisting Satan's three attempts at temptation: the first two are subtle, the third overt. Matthew and Luke tell almost identical tales, likely having drawn upon the same source. While the historicity of the event is not doubted, one can note that the relaying of it to us "thus represents a narrative midrash or interpretation of the event in such a way as to make it pastorally useful for believers." (1, p.639) 4:2 Forty days and forty nights is intended to recall the forty years of Israel wandering in the desert, as well as the forty nights of Moses and Elijah. 4:5-7 The devil attempts to use scripture to support his temptation, but Jesus answers with scripture to refute the temptation. 4:8 The devil offers all the kingdoms of the world and their glory/magnificence. We should note Jesus' refusal of this (outer spender and wealth) and his choice instead to be faithful to God. 4:11 Angels come to aid Jesus like they did with Elijah. 4:12-17 Zebulun and Naphtali are a fulfillment of Isaiah 8:23-9:1 (though one should note that Capernaum is actually only in Naphtali). "Galilee of the Gentiles" meant "the circle of the Gentiles," i.e. encircled by Gentiles- Galilee was by Matthew's day at least half Gentile in population, half pagan, and bilingual. 4:17 Jesus takes up the message of John of the Baptist, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 4:18 We see Simon with his original name, but Matthew also tells of his future renaming as Peter, upon whom the rock is built. 4:18-22 The call of the first disciples requires them to abandon their way of life and go with Jesus. As with the temptation, we can interpret (if we wish) that there might have been some slight time delay while the disciples talked to Jesus/spiritually grew and realized they should follow. 4:24 The phrase "gospel of the kingdom" is unique to Matthew, and occurs three times. The historical books of the Bible are a continuation of the history of the Pentateuch. They include: Joshua; Judges; Ruth; 1 and 2 Samuel; 1 and 2 Kings; 1 and 2 Chronicles; Ezra; Nehemiah; Tobit; Judith; Esther; and 1 and 2 Maccabees. Protestant Bibles removed Tobit, Judith, and the Maccabees during the Reformation. Note that the "divisions" of the Bible into Pentateuch, Historical books, Prophets, etc. can be different according to different scholars/schools of thought. Joshua, Judges, Samuel(s), & King(s) are often called "The Deuteronomistic History." In an earlier form, these books were published together with Deuteronomy as their introduction. The "final" edition of these books certainly dates from the post exilic period, but much of it may have been in written form before then. Sources mentioned throughout the books indicate that there was a body of historical writing that these authors drew upon. These books not only attempt to inform of historic events, but also inserts speeches/essays of theology. The Deuteronomistic History tells of Israel's history, but leaves its future a bit vague. Ruth is, quite simply, a short story of ordinary people. The artistic telling of this story is meant to inform and provide models of living faithfully even during times of difficulty. "The Chronicles and Later Histories" includes 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Chronicles start with a list of genealogies starting with Adam and going to Saul. In contrast with the Deuteronomistic History, the Chronicles try to visualize for us a clearer form of Israel's future. It shows continuity between Israel's past and their coming future. It makes a larger effort not just to relay events of the past, but to interpret them. Ezra and Nehemiah are narrative accounts of the post exilic period, showing the restoration of Judah following the exile of Babylon. Tobit is often described as a "religious novel." The purpose of the story is to show that God controls events and circumstances in order for His own purposes. Judith and Esther are, bluntly, hard to classify at all. Both have multiple historical errors, but are kept for their attempts to show how God will rescue Israel. Finally, 1 2 Maccabees cover the period of the second century B.C. It provides details from the period after the histories but before the Gospels. 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’” 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him. 12 When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” 17 From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. 19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. 23 He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. 24 His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. 25 And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him. Thanks to "Know Your Meme" for the humor. (I used their code for embedding this on a site...so I'm assuming it's all right to share it!) 3:1 John the Baptist comes from the priestly Essene milieu and is referenced outside the Bible by Josephus. 3:2 When John says the "kingdom of heaven" is at hand, he is referring to the coming of God. Devout Jews at the time avoided using God's name out of reverence. Mark, Luke, & John all refer directly to the coming of the Lord. 'Repent' = to change one's mind for the better. 3:4 Jews expected the return of Elijah from heaven to prepare Israel for the final coming of God's kingdom. John's austere dress echoes that of the prophet Elijah, who did not die, but rather ascended into heaven. John's dress and austere eating later became a model for monks. On a side note, it is likely his clothing was not made of actual camel's hair (which was fairly expensive once woven), but rather simple dressed camel's skin. 3:6 Ritual washing was a powerful and frequently used symbol at the time. Here it is a religious rite of cleansing/purification, but performed by John instead of by the penitent sinner alone. This was not just a symbolic act; they were to go forth and make serious changes in their lives and return to God. In addition, John's baptism was performed once-only in contrast to ritual washing. 3:7 Pharisees & Sadducees (see 'Beyond the Bible, 'People' section). The fairly harsh words of John ("You brood of vipers!") are directed to them rather than the crowds that came out of honest interest/faith. 3:8 'Bear fruit' = good works. 3:9 Salvation is no longer exclusive to the children of Abraham. Gentiles can be saved. 3:11 In contrast with John's baptism of water, Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Some scholars find them synonymous: both related to the the purifying and refining characteristics of fire. Others take fire as a threat of destruction of the unrepentant during God's judgment. 3:12 A winnowing fan was a fork-like shovel with which the threshed wheat was thrown into the air. The good kernels fell to the ground; the light chaff, blown off by the wind, was gathered and burned up. 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit equips Jesus for his coming ministry. He has received the power, wisdom, and holiness he needs for that role. All four gospels include this incidence (though slightly differently), emphasizing its importance. 3:14-15 The dialogue between John and Jesus here only occurs in Matthew. It reveals that John is well aware of Jesus' superiority. 3:15 "to fulfill all righteousness" means to submit to God's plan for the salvation of the human race. Here Jesus is identified with the sinners around him by also accepting baptism. |
Jennifer Becker Landsberger
Who am I? Freelance writer (magazines, websites, & copywriting), Catholic, military wife, and Mensan. Double Bachelor's in History & Psychology. Witnessing by charity and love are above all. Studying the Bible and beyond helps me on this quest. Feel free to join my walk into the Bible.
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If you found the information helpful, even a small donation would be wonderful! Thank you & God bless you. ~~~Prayer before Writing-
Oh creator of the universe, who has set the stars in the heavens and causes the sun to rise and set, shed the light of your wisdom into the darkness of my mind. Fill my thoughts with a loving knowledge of you, that I may bring you like to others. Just as you can make even babies speak your truth, instruct my tongue and guide my pen to convey the wonderful glory of the Gospel. Make my intellect sharp, my memory clear, and my words eloquent, so that I may faithfully interpret the mysteries what you have revealed. Categories
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To my readers & fellow writers,
I promise: 1. I will pray that God's grace helps illuminate all of our interactions- both those of simple reading and more active conversations. 2. I will communicate with you respectfully and civilly. These are (rightly) issues which we feel passionate about. But even in disagreements, I will respect you fellow "seekers of truth." 3. I will not fall into negative behavior or words, such as insinuations, exaggerations, blames, or personal attacks. I respectfully ask you to do the same. 4. I will pray we will all find the truth and strive to fulfill the two greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31) This site will occasionally feature paid posts! I always 100% verify everything I endorse. You will not see posts for products or sites I would not use myself.
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