Context is important. Find out how the social, religious and political context of Israel influenced biblical events and literature. Hundreds of years before the people of Israel took over the land known as Canaan, their ancestors came from Mesopotamia, a land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers far to the… Read More
Paul moved around. A lot. Read about the methods Paul used to travel during his journeys. By the time the apostle Paul and other early Christians began to take the good news about Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Roman Empire, the value of the Roman… Read More
Even without planes or trains, travelers in biblical times had options. Find out what their options were and the benefits of each option. Donkeys are mentioned in the Bible as an early means of transportation (Exod 4.20). Balaam, the prophet, rode a donkey (Num 22.22-35). And the “humble king”… Read More
In biblical times, water travel was often the fastest option. Check out the different types of water travel used in biblical times. Rafts, Boats, and Ships Small rafts made from logs and dugout canoes were the first boats used for traveling and fishing along the Mediterranean coast. Few trees… Read More
Traveling in biblical times wasn’t easy and it was often dangerous. This article explains some of the reasons people risked travel. Holy Travel The people of Israel traveled to special holy places such as Shiloh, Dan, Bethel, and Jerusalem to worship and celebrate religious festivals (1 Sam 1;… Read More
Family feuds are always messy. The Samaritans were related to the Jews, but they had distinct beliefs that separated them from mainstream Judaism. Another group mentioned a few times in the New Testament is the Samaritans. The ancestors of the Samaritans came from the ten Israelite tribes… Read More
Sometimes the truth is buried—literally. But as archaeologists sift through the deserted remnants of the past, they often have rediscovered truth attested to in the Bible. Archaeology has helped to confirm some of the events reported in the Bible. Although it cannot “prove” every detail found in the Bible (since… Read More
In a courtroom, a testimony is more believable if there are multiple witnesses. Find out how ancient writings are witnesses to the truths found in the Bible Bible translators sometimes have difficulty rendering accurate translations of certain Hebrew words until these words (or words similar to them) are discovered in… Read More
What was the average height of men in New Testament times? What kind of coins were used during the period of the exile? Archaeology helps us learn about daily life in biblical times. Some archaeological finds provide us with information on what life was like in biblical times in the… Read More
