serapha
01-26-2008, 05:56 PM
HI there...
What I like to do is take a Bible verse or passage which is being discussed and then to provide a broader understanding of that passage from what archaeology in the Holy Land has shown about that passage.
For example... from my notes on the Gadarenes.
Gathering Stones in the Land of the Gadarenes
Mark 5:1-5 1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones....
The location of the "land of the Gadarenes" is questioned by many Bible scholars, but in studying the older manuscripts, the area that meets all the criteria for the location is the ancient area known today as "Kursi." The biblical account describes the demoniac being delivered of demonic forces identified as "legion". But where does the demoniac live?
He lives on "the other side" which is a reference to the east side of the Galilee. In the first century, the west side of the Galilee was known as the Jewish side, and the east side of the Galilee was the Gentile side, referenced in the Bible several times as "the other side".
The "tombs" in the first-century Gentile area is usually a reference to caves where the dead were buried. There are caves in the hillside above Kursi in the progression of Nahal Samakh.
There is a steep slope of the land located there that slopes into the Sea of Galilee fitting the description of the swine running down the incline into the Sea.
But in gathering stones at Kursi, there is a noteworthy comment to be made. There are three types of stones in this area. First there is basalt, a dark-colored stone that is formed from volcanic activity. This type of rock has been molten in the past and is usually more smooth and rounded from water erosion from the Wadi runs and the splashing waves of the Sea of Galilee. Basalt could never be the type of rock that fits the description given in Mark of the demoniac "in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones...."
The second type of rock in this area is limestone which is the result of compression on the sands. It is soft limestone and is easily cut, but it doesn't have the hardness to cut human flesh.
But, the third type of rock that is found naturally in the area of Kursi is flint. Flint has a sharpness that is defined historically for use in tools and weapons, particularly in arrowheads or spearheads. Flint would easily cut human flesh as in body mutilations such as in the description of the demoniac.
Isn't it just awesome to find out that even the little, insignificant details of biblical accounts such as having rocks sharp enough to cut skin--just add credibility to the story. Did Mark know when writing the first-century account of the Gospel, that in recording the details of the account, he was actually recording the historical accuracy of the event? Mark was probably focused on recording the miracle of the healing and didn't have a clue on the geographics of the area. Archeology gave the details of the account that add to the credibility.
What I like to do is take a Bible verse or passage which is being discussed and then to provide a broader understanding of that passage from what archaeology in the Holy Land has shown about that passage.
For example... from my notes on the Gadarenes.
Gathering Stones in the Land of the Gadarenes
Mark 5:1-5 1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones....
The location of the "land of the Gadarenes" is questioned by many Bible scholars, but in studying the older manuscripts, the area that meets all the criteria for the location is the ancient area known today as "Kursi." The biblical account describes the demoniac being delivered of demonic forces identified as "legion". But where does the demoniac live?
He lives on "the other side" which is a reference to the east side of the Galilee. In the first century, the west side of the Galilee was known as the Jewish side, and the east side of the Galilee was the Gentile side, referenced in the Bible several times as "the other side".
The "tombs" in the first-century Gentile area is usually a reference to caves where the dead were buried. There are caves in the hillside above Kursi in the progression of Nahal Samakh.
There is a steep slope of the land located there that slopes into the Sea of Galilee fitting the description of the swine running down the incline into the Sea.
But in gathering stones at Kursi, there is a noteworthy comment to be made. There are three types of stones in this area. First there is basalt, a dark-colored stone that is formed from volcanic activity. This type of rock has been molten in the past and is usually more smooth and rounded from water erosion from the Wadi runs and the splashing waves of the Sea of Galilee. Basalt could never be the type of rock that fits the description given in Mark of the demoniac "in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones...."
The second type of rock in this area is limestone which is the result of compression on the sands. It is soft limestone and is easily cut, but it doesn't have the hardness to cut human flesh.
But, the third type of rock that is found naturally in the area of Kursi is flint. Flint has a sharpness that is defined historically for use in tools and weapons, particularly in arrowheads or spearheads. Flint would easily cut human flesh as in body mutilations such as in the description of the demoniac.
Isn't it just awesome to find out that even the little, insignificant details of biblical accounts such as having rocks sharp enough to cut skin--just add credibility to the story. Did Mark know when writing the first-century account of the Gospel, that in recording the details of the account, he was actually recording the historical accuracy of the event? Mark was probably focused on recording the miracle of the healing and didn't have a clue on the geographics of the area. Archeology gave the details of the account that add to the credibility.