Volume 11 | Path to the Cross Discovery Guide

Faith Lesson Discovery Guides are designed to interact with and support the video sessions. A group outline and video discussion segments are provided for the weekly meeting, plus five days of personal reflection and study between the video sessio...

Volume 11 | Path to the Cross Discovery Guide

Faith Lesson Discovery Guides are designed to interact with and support the video sessions. A group outline and video discussion segments are provided for the weekly meeting, plus five days of personal reflection and study between the video sessio...

A Far Country Decapolis

The Decapolis is mentioned by name only three times in the New Testament. In addition to these three instances, on at least two other occasions, Jesus visited specific locations in the largely pagan league of cities to the east of the Sea of Galil...

City of Great Kings

Jerusalem was a fitting place for Jesus, the greatest king of all, to live out the final moments of his life.Jerusalem held deep cultural and religious significance for the Jewish people. Many of their great leaders, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, reig...

The Essenes

Original Setting of the Christmas Story

An Archaeological Treasure

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been called the greatest archaeological discovery of modern times. They have dramatically enhanced our understanding of the world of the New Testament, the teachings of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus, and the early c...

An Essene Cistern

In the Qumran community, the Essenes created several cisterns that, as shown here, were plastered and had steps to allow them to access water. At least two of these cisterns are believed to be mikvoth, ceremonial or ritual baths used for actual cl...

Caldarium

This photograph shows the remains of the caldarium (hot bath) of the public bathhouse. The floor of this room, now gone, was originally placed on the more than 200 columns seen here. The floor itself was probably a mosaic.The walls were faced with...

Cistern of Masada

Cisterns Herod built to provide water during times of siege and to fill his luxurious swimming pools and supply his bathing complexes. The amount of water needed was staggering. There were several swimming pools on top of the desert mountain, wher...

Cliff at the Garden Tomb

Cliff at the Garden Tomb This cliff face is located just outside the garden tomb. It was originally a quarry, but the rock quality was poor. It is just outside the city of Jerusalem, near the main gate. The area in front of the cliff was probably ...

Belial Definition

Hebrew meaning "useless." Came to be applied to the devil by the Essenes and the early Christians (2 Cor. 6).

Canaanite Definition

The word originally meant "merchant" or "trader." Eventually it came to refer to the people of the region.