Mike's Blog

Today we started things off with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the lake, the sailors shut the boat’s motor off and we held our lecture there. Our instructor pointed out the regions of Galilee, Gaulanitis, and the Decapolis. This was very effective in helping me grasp what I’ve been looking at on the map. Plus, just being on the boat itself was awesome.

We then learned about the types of fishing that were common in Jesus’ day. Knowing some basic fishing techniques has put a little more “flesh on the bones” of the story of Jesus recruiting his first disciples in Luke 5:1-11. The fishermen had been working all night using a net that the fish would be able to see during the day. When Jesus told them to cast the net once more it was now daytime, so they were likely skeptical about catching anything at all. The fact that they not only caught fish, but caught many fish makes what Jesus did even more spectacular.

We also learned about how storms are caused on the lake. There are several valleys that lead into the area from the west, funneling and intensifying storms as they blow in from the Mediterranean Sea. Storms here can create waves up to 4-6 feet in height, which were more than enough to damage and capsize a meager first century fishing boat. Our instructor told us that even in the last 20-30 years, there have been cases of fishermen who disappeared on the lake during a storm. This reshaped my view of the disciples’ reaction to the bad weather in Luke 8:22-25 – considering the fact that a good number of them were fishermen, their fear no longer seems that unreasonable!

On that same note, a theme that we’ve discussed over the last three weeks is how the sea (generally speaking) fits into the Jewish worldview. More often than not, the waters are seen as chaotic, uncontrollable, and dangerous. Only God has power over the sea. Knowing this, the disciples’ reaction to Jesus takes on greater significance: when they asked, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him,” they were really asking “Who is this man, who does what only God can do?”

Once we were off the boat, we traveled up the eastern shore of the lake to Kursi, or Genasaret. Kursi is one of the three possible sites for where Jesus cast demons out of a man into a herd of pigs. Due to the fact that the scriptures say it was across the way from Galilee and in the Decapolis, our instructor believes that Kursi is the most probable site, both geographically and culturally. Here, we were encouraged to put ourselves in the shoes of the demon-possessed man, his family, and the community at large. Traveling to these places and experiencing them firsthand is making it easier to do so. These were real people, not just characters in a story. I hope to bring that mindset home with me.

Our next stop was Qatzrin, which offered us a window into first century Jewish life. We saw a wine press, two variations of an olive press, and a typical Jewish home. Learning about first century life in particular helped me better understand various passages of scripture. For instance, the parable of the lost coin is more meaningful to me after seeing the cracks and crevices in the kind of floor Jesus was talking about. Or the story of the paralytic being lowered from the roof – now I’ve seen that kind of roof. Jesus’ statement about preparing a room for his disciples also means more knowing that Joseph was likely more than just a carpenter, but also an engineer or home builder. So many things that appear in scripture are foreign to a twenty-first century American, but they were commonplace to those with whom Jesus interacted! It’s important for us to try to place ourselves in their shoes to understand what Jesus was talking about.

Next, we visited the Mount of Beatitudes, one of the possible locations for where Jesus preached his famous Sermon on the Mount. From where we were standing, our instructor pointed out Magdala and Hippos at different points on the lake. Magdala is a city where they salted fish, and Hippos was a city perched upon a high plateau – a city on a hill. Again, Jesus was employing accessible metaphors for his listeners.

After a quick hike down the hill, we found ourselves at the Church of the Primacy of Peter. People believe it was here that Jesus restored and commissioned Peter after Jesus’ resurrection.

We completed our day’s journey at Capernaum, which lies on the border between Galilee and Gaulanitis. There is a church there that was built over the remains of first century architecture believed by some to be the home of Peter.

Here, our instructor used the border between Galilee and Gaulanitis as a tool to help us understand the international nature of the area, and even the competing viewpoints and politics amongst the 12 disciples. Even though Jesus’ inner circle was comprised of Jews, there were tax collectors, zealots, Hellenists, and other allegiances represented within the group. They were, on a small level, a preview of what Jesus wants to do with the world. The love of God brings people together, paying no mind to what divides them.

Today we traveled north of the Sea of Galilee. Our first stop was Hazor, the largest city in ancient Israel. We spent some time studying Joshua‘s conquest there to help us get a handle on the major cities and routes of the area. Unfortunately, the geography is still a little fuzzy for me…I’m probably going to have to spend some quality time with my maps before Friday’s test!

Then we went to Tel Dan. Our arrival at Dan was somewhat of a culmination – over the last two and a half weeks, we’ve traveled along the full extent of the Patriarchal Highway! Here, we looked at a 3,800 year old Canaanite city gate before moving on to the Israelite city. We hiked alongside the Spring of Dan, the largest spring in the Middle East and one of the headwaters of the Jordan River. When we arrived at the outer gate of the, our instructor led a talk over the subject of judging and Israelite law. I found this discussion to be particularly revelatory, as it helped me achieve a better understanding of the social structure and justice system of ancient Israel.

Our next stop was Cesarea Philippi, where Peter made his confession that Jesus is the Son of God. Our lecture took place at the mouth of a cave that used to be the source of the Spring of Banias, another headwater of the Jordan River (the spring is still there, but it no longer runs through the cave like it did in Jesus’ time). Our instructor explained that from early on, the cave was a cultic site dedicated to worshipping the Greek god Pan. Later on under Roman rule, it was associated with Hades. Our instructor suggested that maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that Jesus chose to speak of the ‘gates of Hades’ here! Once again, our study of the land was revealing something new about the Scriptures.

Our last stop was Mt. Bental, which gave us a great view of Mt. Hermon and the farthest we could travel towards Damascus before entering Syria.

There on the border, our instructor turned to Isaiah 19:23-25:

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”

This is yet another example of a scripture that has been brought to life for me during our time in Israel. While it’s certainly possible to understand this passage without ever coming here, the promise becomes palpable when you have firsthand experience. It may no longer be the empires of Egypt and Assyria putting the squeeze on Israel, but it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch when you have to look beyond a large security fence to see the other side of the valley. I am praying for the day we see these words come true.

This morning, we embarked on our four day excursion into Galilee. Our first stop of the day was at Beth Shean, a tel to the west of Mt. Gilboa and southwest of Mt. Moreh. Beth Shean is the city where the Philistines hung Saul‘s body outside its walls after he took his life during battle.

Our class discussed the circumstances surrounding Saul’s death, such as why he was in the area fighting the Philistines to begin with: Saul was working to unite the kingdom, and the Philistines were threatened by the northern tribes coming together. As long as they remained isolated from each other they weren’t a threat to anyone, but Israel’s unification meant trouble for those in the more international region to the north. Our instructor pointed out that Saul was actually doing the right thing as king by working towards unification, challenging the caricature of Saul that’s become ingrained in the western Christian psyche. “He didn’t always act crazy,” he reminded us.

Also at the site of Beth Shean was the Second Temple era city of Scythopolis. Its architecture, its temples, and its theater painted a strikingly different picture than we’ve become accustomed to at the Israelite locations. As we sat on a hill above the city, our instructor invited us to take in the spectacular view and consider the wealth and power of the Decapolis cities. Their grand qualities were used as “evangelism tools” for Rome – it’s no wonder that groups like the Sadducees were willing to play along.

The next place we visited was Megiddo, which gave us an excellent overview of the Jezeeel Valley. From the top of the tel we could clearly see the Nazareth Ridge, Mt Tabor, the Tabor pass, Mt. Moreh, the Harod pass, Mt. Gilboa, and the Megiddo pass. In the foreground lie the Jezreel Valley and the Kishon Wadi. With the valley as his backdrop, our instructor walked us through the stories of Deborah and Jael, and Josiah’s fall in battle. We also discussed various views concerning the references to Megiddo found in Revelation.

The next site we visited was Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal. At this stop, our instructor shared his interpretation of the events that transpired there, helping us understand the cultural and religious backdrop of Elijah’s story. As we surveyed the land from the top of a scenic outlook, we could see Nazareth in the distance, which is where we traveled next.

Our location along the Nazareth ridge offered yet another breathtaking view of the Jezreel valley. As we looked southward, we could see Mt Tabor to our left and, across the valley, Mt Moreh directly in front of us. Here, our instructor asked us to consider all of the biblical events that occurred in the vicinity of Jesus’ upbringing (e.g. Deborah and Jael, Elisha raising a young boy from the dead, Saul’s defeat, etc.). Jesus grew up in Israel’s heartland, so to speak. But he also grew up in a poor area under Roman control; anyone hearing these stories would have looked back on them as the “good old days,” longing for God to restore Israel to its former glory.

Our instructor explained that this is the proper context for Luke 4:14-30 when Jesus traveled to Nazareth and read from Isaiah in the local synagogue. At first, his proclamation was well received, which is something I had never noticed in my reading before. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve become so familiar with rote recitations of the story, but in my mind I always understood that Jesus read from the scroll and everyone became upset about his claim to have fulfilled the prophecy. But a closer look at the text reveals that the people in the synagogue became upset only when Jesus implied that God’s promises were not only for his chosen people, but also for the Gentiles. Jesus was turning their expectations and worldview on its head. Jews in Jesus’ day wanted God to send his Messiah to overthrow the Romans, not invite them in!

Interestingly, the site where we studied this passage is understood to be the spot where they attempted to throw Jesus off a cliff. While there is absolutely no basis for it in scripture, local tradition states that they actually did throw him off the cliff, but he flew away. Gotta love local legends.

After spending a lot of time in the Old Testament, it’s been awesome bringing Jesus back into the picture a little. Even though this class is only three weeks long, I believe I’m gaining knowledge that can inform and apply to so much of what I’m already doing. I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but I can’t wait to get home and start putting what I’m learning here to good use!

Today’s outing was a little less intense with only three stops, but I’m thankful that we made the most of it. Sometimes when plans change, the planned activities give way to ‘filler’ material, but I didn’t feel that way at all about today. We visited Shiloh, the Israel museum, and Sataf.

The first site we visited was Shiloh, the capital of Israel before the first temple was built in Jerusalem. I’m thankful that we stopped here because I was fairly ignorant about the location’s significance before today. In the past, I would read about locations like Shiloh and not take notice, but now I’m beginning to understand the importance of differentiating them. I’m excited to go home and study the word with a fresh perspective – in the future, I will have not only a handle on the relative location of biblical cities and regions, but I will also remember actually being at so many of them!

At Shiloh, the piece of information that struck me the most was its geographical similarities with Jerusalem. Just like Jerusalem, Shiloh is somewhat isolated, but accessible; surrounded by hills and off the beaten path. Our instructor used these qualities to draw out a theological parallel, pointing out that God isn’t always in the places you’d expect. He is accessible, but you have to be looking for him in the right places. He desires those who intentionally seek him out.

Our next stop was the Israel Museum. First, I explored the Shrine of the Book, where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were on display. It was awesome to see them in person.

Next, I examined the to-scale model of Second Temple Jerusalem. After having already explored Jerusalem and knowing its true dimensions, I marveled at how large the temple must have been. It would certainly inspire awe in those who traveled from afar to worship there!

Lastly, I spent a good hour and a half in the archaeological building. I enjoyed getting to see some real artifacts from ancient Israel.

Our final stop was Sataf, where we learned a little bit about the daily life of those who lived on the terraces. Grapes, figs, and other produce are still grown in the area, so our instructor used the site to flesh out various vine metaphors employed in scripture.

I know it’s a little early to be giving feedback about the class as a whole, but I’m unbelievably grateful to the people who sent me here. I wouldn’t have had this opportunity if it weren’t for the generous donors who support Sioux Falls Seminary and believe in JUC. To whomever is reading this, feel free to pass along my sentiments – every seminary student should have this opportunity!

Josephus wrote about four major ‘philosophies’ that came to the forefront during Second Temple Judaism: those of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots. Today at Masada, we learned about the Zealots firsthand. Okay, maybe not firsthand, but kind of…we stood upon one of their most famous sites!

We walked up the siege ramp as a group, and everyone was winded by the time we reached the top. Once we all had a chance to catch our breath, our instructor told us about how the Sicarii (a particularly violent brand of Zealots) occupied the site during a rebellion against Rome. He told us about Josephus’ account of their downfall, which describes a mass suicide after Rome tore down their defenses. However, archaeological evidence seems to contradict Josephus, painting a picture of resistance and fighting to the death instead. Our instructor told us to keep in mind that Josephus was writing for a Roman audience, his goal was to portray his people in a positive light as he sought to preserve their history. Suicide is not an honorable death in Judaism, but it was for Rome – perhaps Josephus chose to contextualize their deaths in a way that would be seen as honorable to the Romans? It’s definitely something to consider.

We were given some time to explore the site, and then we had the choice of taking a cable car back to the bottom or walking down a winding snake path to get back to the buses. I chose to go on the hike, which turned more into a precarious downhill run because a classmate and I chose to wait until the last minute to depart (which, unfortunately, wouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me well). We reached the bottom relatively quickly, but I was unbelievably tired at the end. Thankfully, our instructor was gracious and gave us some extra time to re-hydrate before we left.

Next, we traveled to En Gedi, the area where David hid as he fled from Saul in 1 Samuel 23-24. We climbed up to several of the site’s waterfalls, where we once again had the opportunity to pray and read scripture in silence. I would have liked more time in this location, but it was apparent that most of my class was itching to get to our next location…

The Dead Sea. Big, salty, floaty. Most of my classmates swam in it, but I was content to take some photos and get my fingertips wet. It was a beautiful sight.

Qumran was mesmerizing. It was here that we discussed the Essenes (the general consensus is that the Qumran community was comprised of Essenes). I had learned about the Essenes in my undergraduate studies, and I was aware that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered at Qumran, but I knew very little about their discovery and the fact that the scrolls contained self-referencing (sectarian) writings. I’d love to learn more about this site and its people in the future.

Today was easily the most physically exhausting day of our journey. Although we still have class tomorrow, I’m looking forward to spending a few hours in a museum and limiting my exertion as we travel to a few other sites. As much as I want things to slow down, I understand the need to keep pushing forward. It’s a marathon of a class packed into a three week sprint, and I want to finish well.