​Why did God lead Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 3) east of the Dead Sea, causing them to cross the Jordan River when it was at flood stage?
 
Why not lead them directly north along the well-worn highways of their day?
 
In this video, we explore this question and the lesson that emerges out of this event. 

​The Jordan River at the traditional site of Jesus' baptism. Photo was taken from the Israel side. The opposite bank of the Jordan River is the country of Jordan. 

Class Handout:

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In today's video, we look at the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.

Sea of Galilee - There is a Jewish legend - Miriam's Well - about a rock that provided water while the Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years.

That rock, it is said, eventually makes it into the Sea of Galilee. The Legend of Miriam's Well is referenced by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4.

Jordan River - this is an introductory look at the Jordan River. The Jordan holds significant spiritual symbolism for both Israel and Christians.

Resources

Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews: All Four Volumes

Class Handout

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In this lesson, we take a detailed look at Mark 5:1-20 -  the story of Jesus healing the demon-possessed man from the Decapolis.

The story contains many details which can only be understood by studying the cultural context of the relationship between the religious Jews and the gentile pagans that lived right across the sea. 

More importantly, we funnel all of these details into a greater understanding of the disciples' actions. As we consider how the disciples reacted to Jesus taking them to the Decapolis, we must ask ourselves how this message applies to us. 

Class Handout: 

​Resources: 

The Jewish Annotated Apocrypha

This is a new book - just published in 2020 - that would be a great addition to your biblical research library.  Not only do you get a copy of the Apocrypha, but there are several excellent essays included to help you understand the culture of the Second-Temple period in Israel. 

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his video is a continuation of our series on the Sea of Galilee (part 1 and part 2). 
 
In today's video, we take a second look at the story of Jesus "stilling" the storm but will do so by looking at the version from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 4:35-41). 
 
As was mentioned in part 2 of this series, Jesus "stilling" the storm is an act that only God does throughout the Old Testament. This act's meaning is that the "authority of the Father" is being passed down to the Son. A counterpart for this story from the Old Testament is Psalm 107 - a Psalm of redemption. See Psalm 107:23-32.
 
We also begin to look at the next part of the story (Mark 5:1-20), where Jesus goes across the lake to heal a demon-possessed man.
 
Mark calls this the region of the "Gerasenes." This word presents a difficult interpretation for scholars. We will look at one possible meaning of what Mark was attempting to communicate.

Class Handout

Resources:

Bargil Pixner - With Jesus Through Galilee, According to the Fifth Gospel

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One cultural aspect that is important for us to understand when reading our New Testament is the symbolism of the "Sea" that existed in the minds of the Israelites and other ancient Near East people groups. 

The "sea" and the storms associated with it represent the abyss, the enemy of God, and the primordial chaos.  

Once we understand that symbolism, we can see a deeper meaning in the actions of Jesus. 

The question we ask in this lesson is, "Who has authority over the sea?" 

The depiction of Jesus having authority over the sea communicates to us that the Father's authority has been passed down to the Son. 

Class Handout

Resource for your library:

Ryken, Wilhoit, Longman - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 

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Scholars have noted how important the land is to understand Jesus' message.

A phrase was coined to describe the life-setting of the land as the "Fifth Gospel." Just as we have the other four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - the land itself becomes the “Fifth Gospel” and profoundly speaks to us.

In the series that follows, we will explore many of the biblical stories that take place in the area surrounding the Sea of Galilee.

In each study, we will pay particular attention to the context (location and audience) of where the event is happening.

When we consider the Biblical event's location and who the intended audience is, we can often gain a deeper understanding of God's message.

For more pictures from the Sea of Galilee click here

Class Handout 

Reference Material to help build out your library:

Bargil Pixner - With Jesus Through Galilee: According to the Fifth Gospel (Thrift Books)

Bargil Pixner - Paths of the Messiah (Thrift Books)

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In Jewish mystical thought (Lurianic Kabbalah), the human soul's three highest attributes are Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. 

These attributes have their counterpart in the "Heavenly Man" (Jesus), a manifestation of God's glory.

These three attributes are also associated with God creating the world (Proverbs 3:19-20).

In this lesson, we explore these attributes from Genesis through to Paul's letters and discuss how we can structure our own interactions with God through the Holy Spirit.

Class Notes:

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"Repetition is the mother of all learning."

We learn through repetition. Each time we encounter a biblical concept, we see something we didn't see the first time. It's kind of like watching a movie a second or third time and seeing something you didn't see the first time. 

Information - "in-forms" us. We are formed when we learn, and therefore we are different each time we encounter what seems to be the same information. We often feel this way when reading the Bible. Each time we read the same passage, it impacts us in a new way. 

The "Heavenly Man" lesson is not an easy one as it resides in the mystical. Mystical, by definition, is a mystery. 

In this lesson, we continue our exploration of the "Heavenly Man."  As we review the first video's information (click here), we will add some additional verses to help you see deeper into this amazing concept. 

Lesson Plan:

Resources:

Lawrence Kushner, Honey From the Rock

Dr. A Nyland, Complete Books of Enoch

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In 1 Cor. 15:49, Paul refers to Jesus as the "heavenly man" compared to the "first Adam." 

The idea of the "heavenly man" was not new to the Jews of the first century. In fact, we see this term used in the writings of Philo of Alexandria who was a Jewish philosopher
(20 BC - 50 AD). 

The "heavenly man" is derived from a mystical vision that Ezekiel records in Ezekiel 1.

Ezekiel sees the figure of a man sitting on a throne in heaven that is the fullness of the glory of God (Ezekiel 1: 26-28).  The "heavenly man" is, therefore, a king. 

Philo also calls this heavenly man - the Word (Greek Logos). 

In this lesson, we will explore how both Paul and John use these terms to refer to Jesus and how it pertains to our spiritual growth as we transform into His likeness. 

Class Handout to help with your studies:

Louis Ginzberg - Adam Kadmon - 
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/761-adam-kadmon

Daniel Boyarin, "Logos, a Jewish Word: John's Prologue as Midrash" 

Adam Kadmon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kadmon

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