That the World May Know

Sons of LightIn Jesus' time, there were four major religious groups (or "philosophies," as Josephus, the Jewish historian of the time, called them). They were the Zealots, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes. It is impossible t...

Standing at the Crossroads

GezerTravel to Gezer, and learn what it means to stand at the Crossroads.Gezer is one of the greatest tels in Israel. To stand on this magnificent tel is to stand on a part of history that existed as many as 3,000 years before our Messiah walked t...

VIEW ALL ARTICLES

Encyclopedia

Sea of Galilee Geography

Sea of Galilee GeographyAlthough it has many names, most New Testament readers recognize "the Sea of Galilee" as its common designation. It is also called the Sea of Kinnereth (Num. 34:11; Josh. 12:3), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), ...

Seating Beth Shean

This closeup shows the somewhat decayed and broken seating stone on the left. The fine craftsmanship of the tekton (i.e., carpenter) who carved it is seen along the bottom.The care with which thousands of these stones were cut for this structure h...

Seder and Marriage

The Marriage CupDuring Biblical times, a young man who wanted to marry would go with his father to the chosen woman's house to meet her and her father. They'd negotiate a steep "bride price", the money or physical items that the woman's ...

Solomon's Gate at Gezer

On Tel Gezer, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a huge, six-chambered gate complex, dating to Solomon's time (920 BC). This once huge gate complex stands only 4-5 feet tall today.With the street pavement partially gone, one can see the ...

Storehouses of Masada

This photograph shows the remains of the 15 storehouses on the eastern side of Masada. The one on the left is as it was found by archaeologists; the others have been reconstructed. In the background above the storehouses, you can see the Dead Sea,...

Susita

This photograph is taken from Mount Arbel on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee near Tiberias. The hilltop where Susita (Hippos) was located is clearly visible on the eastern shore. Towering over the Sea of Galilee, Susita is connected to the...

Synagogue Leaders

Local elders governed the synagogue as a kind of democracy. While all adult members of the community could belong to the synagogue, only adult males age 13 or older could be elders.A local caretaker called the hazzan (sometimes called "ruler&...

VIEW ALL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Glossary

Sea of Galilee Definition

Freshwater lake filled by the Jordan river, located in the Great Rift Valley and site of the first-century commercial fishing industry; significant for a trade route on its northern shore. Jesus spent the majority of his ministry here, including t...

Serapis Definition

Egyptian god of fertility and medicine, ruler of the dead. Worshiped by the Greeks and Romans also.

Sodom Definition

City near the southern end of the Dead Sea that was destroyed by God because of its wickedness, which included oppression of the poor.

VIEW ALL GLOSSARY

Login