When we read the Gospels, it is important to remember that the words of Jesus are those of an Eastern man. His words reflect the customs and idioms that would have been readily understood by those he taught. In the Gospel of Matthew, we find a verse that becomes very clear when we “see” it… Continue Reading
Jesus Christ often used objects in nature to teach his followers how to live according to God’s Word. Some familiar examples are the lilies and grass of the field in Matthew 6, which is part of what is often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. The customs of Jesus’ day shed light on… Continue Reading
When we look at our beds and sleeping quarters today, we may see a bed with box springs and a lovely, soft mattress. But when we turn our thoughts to the time of the Bible, we find that beds and sleeping quarters were generally much more simple and basic. Just as today, these varied according… Continue Reading
When we read God’s Word, we do not often see the words “locks” and “keys” because these terms are mentioned just a few times each. But some people did have locks and keys in Bible times. These locks and keys were generally much larger and simpler than ours are today. Manners and customs can help… Continue Reading
Our ministry’s publications can be very helpful in our study of Eastern manners and customs. For example, page 208 of Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed, by Victor Paul Wierwille, has some interesting details about what the inn of Luke 2:7 may have been like. The footnotes at the bottom of that page also lead us… Continue Reading
The job of the herald of Bible times was to announce, or proclaim. In the United States of America, we have a great present-day example of a herald. In the state of Kentucky, in the city of Louisville, we have a prestigious horse race called the Kentucky Derby. Thoroughbred horses, the best you can find,… Continue Reading
Cisterns were well known in Bible times. But today the word “cistern” is all but lost in our vocabulary. We can still find the word in the dictionary, and we still have cisterns at some of our farms that are located in isolated areas. A cistern can be described as an underground receptacle for collecting… Continue Reading
In the East when two parties were not able to work out their differences, they may have sought out a daysman. Job 9:32 and 33: For he [God] is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that… Continue Reading
We understand God’s Word much better when we know something of the manners and customs used in Bible times. What the Bible calls a “salute” has been a puzzle to some believers. It is not the military salute that is common today. We have many types of salutes and greetings in the Word of God.… Continue Reading
Metalworkers in Bible times held a very important occupation. Their job included digging ore from the ground, refining metal, and working the metal into useful objects such as weapons, tools, cooking utensils, and musical instruments. Different terms describing metalworkers in the Bible include artificer, smith, coppersmith, craftsman, and silversmith. By going to the Scriptures, we… Continue Reading
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