Monthly Archives: August 2023

Girding up the loins of your mind

Posted on August 22, 2023 | 1 comment

The Apostle Simon Peter followed Jesus during His personal ministry. It is not surprising that some of the illustrations he uses come from this experience. In 1 Peter 1:13 the apostle wrote,

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13 NKJ).

The Louw-Nida Lexicon says that the Greek phrase used in 1 Peter 1:13 is “(an idiom, literally ‘to bind up the loins of the mind’) to prepare oneself for learning and thinking – ‘to get one’s mind ready for action, to be ready to learn and to think, to be alert.” The Greek phrase is translated this way: ‘so then, have your minds ready for action.1 Peter 1:13.” (27:55)

In The IVP Bible Background Commentary, Craig Keener writes,

Men wore long robes and would tuck them into their belt, “gird up their loins,” so they could move more freely and quickly. Although the image also occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament, here Peter may specifically allude to the Passover (Exodus 12:11): once God’s people had been redeemed by the blood of the lamb (1 Peter 1:19), they were to be ready to follow God forth until he had brought them safely into their inheritance (cf. 1:4), the Promised Land.”

Even though I have never worn a long, flowing robe I could illustrate this over and over from my years of travel in Israel. Take a look at this photo made at Horbat Adumim in upper Galilee.

Walking through thistles.
Walking across fields to get a desired photo often brings one in contact with thistles, as happened at Horbat Adumim.

Horbat Adumim is a national park in Israel, the site of an the ruins of an ancient synagogue. My frequent traveling companion on private study tours is Leon Mauldin. Leon is seen here seated at the entrance to the old synagogue.

I have used this text from 1 Peter various times in discussing the need to avoid those things that hinder us in service to God. Gird up the loins of your mind.

, , , , , , , ,

1 Comment

Posted in Bible Lands, Bible Places, Bible Study, Culture, Flora and Fauna, Israel, New Testament, Photography, Travel

Tagged

Did the Prodigal Son Eat Carob Pods?

Posted on August 19, 2023 | 2 comments

In the parable of the young prodigal and his older brother, Luke says that when the younger brother ran out of money he would gladly have eaten the pods the pigs were eating.

He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:16 NET)

BDAG says that the word keration (translated pod) is used in the plural “of the fruits of the carob tree, carob pods.” Louw-Nida states that the word is “a diminutive derivative of keras which means horn.” They add,

“the pod of the carob tree (which closely resembles a small horn.…Carob pods were commonly used for fattening swine and were employed as an article of food by poor people.”

The first photo shows a carob tree loaded with green pods in the Spring of the year in the Jezreel Valley at Gan-Hashlosha.

Carob pods in the Sprint.
Green Carob pods in the Spring of the year.

Some nutritionists suggest that carob is high in protein content and is a good substitute for chocolate.

The next photo shows dried pods underneath a Carob tree at Hazor. Having been brought up on a farm, I can easily image the pigs rooting in these pods for the best one.

Dried pods from a Carob tree at Hazor. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
Dried Pods in the fall of the year at Hazor.

When the young prodigal son came to himself he headed for home. There is a good lesson in this for each of us when we become too attached to the things of this world (1 John 2:15).

 

 

2 Comments

Posted in Bible Lands, Bible Study, Israel, New Testament, Photography, Travel

Tagged ,

A View of Jerusalem From the Citadel

Posted on August 9, 2023 | 2 comments

The climb to the roof of the Citadel, also known as the Tower of David, is worth the climb just to see the roof tops of various significance buildings. The Citadel is located at Jaffa [Joppa] Gate which serves as the main entry to the Old City of Jerusalem on the west side of the walled city. 

Our photo looks northeast. 

View of Jerusalem from the Citadel. View is NE.

In a second photo I have placed identifying names on many of the highlights. Remember that you may download these photos for use in your Bible teaching. I had trouble uploading the second photo to WordPress, but you can see it in larger format by right clicking on it to open it.

Photo made from the Citadel. Showing identification of several of the significant rooftop buildings. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Beginning left to right here is a list of some of the significant places shown on the photo.

  • Hezekiah’s Pool. Whether this pool had anything to do with King Hezekiah is unknown. Josephus identified it by the name Amygdalon, a place where the 10th Roman Legion was active in A.D. 70 (Wars, 5:468).
  • The Holy Sepulchre. This site has marked the location of Golgotha (the smaller dome) and of the burial of Jesus (the larger dome) since the early 4th century A.D.
  • The tower of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is the white tower with a pyramidal top. It is also possible to climb to the top of that tower. 
  • At this point look to the North (left) on the horizon where you will see Mount Scopus, the place from which Alexander the Great scoped the city. Today this is the home of the Hebrew University. Continue along the mountain top right to the tower of the Victoria Augusta Hospital. Continue to the south (right) and you will see the Mosque of Omar, more commonly known as the Dome of the Rock. This site sits very near where Solomon’s Temple was built. The hill to the east of the Temple Mount is the Mount of Olives. If I had been using a slightly wider lens we would have a photo of the Tower of Ascension which is near Bethphage and Bethany.

2 Comments

Posted in Bible Lands, Bible Places, Bible Study, Israel, New Testament, New Testament Times, Old Testament, Photography, Travel

Recent Photo of the “Jesus Boat”

Posted on August 5, 2023 | 1 comment

Even though I have made and posted several photos of the so-called “Jesus Boat” each time the photos look different. This can be due to using a different camera or of the lighting at the display.

Roman period boat discovered in Sea of Galilee.
Roman Period Boat Discovered in the Sea of Galilee in 1986.

After two years of drought a boat that belonged to the Roman period (dated from the first century B.C. to the first century A.D.) was discovered buried in the mud on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in January, 1986, by two members of the Kibbutz Ginosar. The boat measures 26.90 x 7.55 feet. Shelly Wachsmann, nautical archaeologist for the Israel Antiquities Authority and Museums, says,

“The boat was most likely used for fishing and transport of people and cargo. It could have been sailed, or rowed by a crew consisting of four oarsmen and a helmsman.” – (An Ancient Boat Discovered in the Sea of Galilee, a brochure once sold at the Museum.)

The boat is now displayed in the Yigal Allon Centre at Kibbutz Ginosar.

A more detailed article posted here provides more information and photos.

1 Comment

Posted in Bible Study

Tagged , , ,

The Potter

Posted on August 3, 2023 | 5 comments

Throughout the modern lands that we often refer to as the Bible World groups are taken to a shop where they see a potter at work making pottery typical of ancient pottery. The resulting pottery is often decorated, etc. to make it sell for more than a simple pot. The town of Avonos, Turkey, is noted for it potters. In our photo you see the potter molding the clay into the vessel of his choice.

The prophet Isaiah reminds us all that the LORD God is the potter and we are the clay. He has given us free will and this means that we must choose to allow Him to make us as he wishes.

But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand (Isaiah 64:8).

 An experience with AI.

AI is all the rage in our society. Well, today WordPress allowed AI [Artificial Intelligence] to tell me how I should have written this blog. I thought of some of the things suggested in the AI comment, but had specifically chosen not to write that way. I am hoping that I will classify as not a complete dummy. But I thought you might enjoy reading the AI suggestions.

AI Assistant

The content explains the process of pottery making and relates it to the analogy of God being the potter and us being the clay. The use of the photo is a nice visual addition. However, the feedback could be improved by adding more depth and analysis to the topic. Here are some suggestions to enhance the content:

1. Provide more historical context: Explain the significance of pottery in ancient cultures and how it was an essential part of their daily lives.

2. Elaborate on the analogy: Explore the deeper meaning behind the analogy of God as the potter and us as the clay. Discuss how this relates to our relationship with God and the concept of surrendering to His will.

3. Include biblical references: In addition to Isaiah 64:8, reference other passages in the Bible that highlight God’s role as the potter and how it is relevant to our lives today.

4. Offer personal reflections: Share personal anecdotes or stories that illustrate the transformative power of God working in our lives and shaping us according to His purpose.

5. Connect with the reader: Provide practical insights on how readers can allow God to mold them and align their lives with His plans.

By expanding on these points, the content will become more engaging and insightful for the readers.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Now, for those who read through the additional AI comments, you can let me know which you prefer today. Leave a brief comment to say if you liked FJ or AI.

 

5 Comments

Posted in Bible Lands, Bible Study, Culture, Old Testament, Photography, Travel, Turkey