For two thousand years, the story of Jesus walking on water (Mark 645:52; Matthew 14:22-33) has fascinated and perplexed us. How are we to understand the events of that night, and what might be the story's overall meaning?
 
In this and the following lesson, we explore these events through the perspective of Ancient Near East (ANE) symbolism.
 
Throughout the Ancient Near East and the Bible, similar symbols express the chaotic forces that exist in the world.
 
Join us as we take a unique look at this well-known story.

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This week's video brings the history of the Zealots closer to Jesus' ministry.

We explore some of the political events - leading up to the time of Jesus' birth - in the region of Galilee that involved the zealots and set the stage for the movement in the first century.

​We briefly explore the city of Sepphoris which was the administrative center of Galilee and how this city intersects with the zealots and with Jesus' upbringing.

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Josephus Quotes on the Zealots

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​Today's lesson begins a short series that focuses on the Zealots and the Zealot movement in first-century Israel.
 
The headquarters for the Zealot movement was located in a city near the Sea of Galilee called Gamla (see the links below to read more about Gamla).
 
Jesus continually interacts with the Zealots or those whose thinking had been influenced by the Zealots. He even has a disciple named Simon called "the Zealot" (see Mark 3:18).
 
Raising our awareness of the Zealots will help us understand the actions of many of the disciples and those who wanted to make Jesus their king.

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Zealot Historical Timeline:

Resources:

Bargil Pixner - Paths of the Messiah

Gamla - Wiki

Gamla - Jewish Virtual Library

Judah the Galilean - Jewish Virtual Library

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The number three carries significant meaning in the Biblical narrative, Judaism, and Christianity.

This lesson explores the significance of the number three and its inference toward a spiritual journey toward restoration.

braham, Moses, Joshua, and Jesus have a "three" or "third day" associated with their spiritual journey.

This lesson will help raise your awareness of how this number is used throughout scripture.

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The stories of Jesus feeding the 5000 and the 4000 are full of details that help us understand the overall message of what the miracles are telling us - that Jesus is the "bread" for the whole world.

Each story contains a different set of numbers. The details of the numbers are essential for us to understand the overall message as they apply to the audience that is specific to each miracle.

Join us as we compare these two events as told in the Gospel of Mark. Feeding of 5000 - Mark 6:30-44. Feeding of 4000 - Mark 8:1-10.

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This week we begin a two-part mini-series on Jesus' feeding miracles - the Feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44) and the Feeding of the 4000 (Mark 8:1-9).

Our first step is to look at two aspects of Biblical studies: reading narrative and High-Context communication. 

The majority of the Bible is written in narrative form. Narrative is a very powerful way of communicating information because we - as the reader - participate in the discovery process. When we discover the answer ourselves through a process of revelation, the end result can be transformative. 

One difficulty modern westerners have when reading narrative is that it is written in a "high-context" communication style. We will review the differences between "low-context" and "high-context" communication, which can help us gain a proper perspective as we approach the Biblical text. 

Finally, since both feeding miracles are written in narrative form, we will begin our exploration of what these stories mean and how the fine details of the narration communicate that meaning. 

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This video is part of a series on the Sea of Galilee, but we are taking a detour to talk about another "triangle number" found in the book of Acts.

For more on triangle numbers - like 153 fish in John 21 - see Sea of Galilee part 8 and part 9:

Why does Luke include the number of crew members (276) aboard the ship that he and Paul are traveling on to Rome?

The number 276 happens to be a triangle number (the triangle of 23).

Additionally, there is a Hebrew phrase in Jeremiah 23:6 (also Jeremiah 33:16) that adds up to 276. The phrase is unique and speaks to the hope that we can place in God's promise of deliverance.
 
Join us for a deep dive into Luke's use of this number

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Resources:

Paul W. Pruyser, Phenomenology and Dynamics of Hoping, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Autum, 1963), pp. 86-96. 

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Today's video is an extension of Sea of Galilee part 8: 

In this video, we dig deeper into the number 153 from John 21:11 and how this is connected to two words in Ezekiel 47:10 - Gedi and Eglaim. 

Finally, we explore another example of 153 and the Hebrew phrase 'Sons of God' and how scholars connect this to the overall message of John's Gospel. 

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Hebrew Alphabet

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So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. John 21:11

In today's video, we explore fishing on the Sea of Galilee.

In John 21, there is a miraculous catch of fish at a location called Tabgha, where seven warm water springs run into the lake. The warm water attracts Tilapia during the winter and early spring months.

The Gospel of John includes a minor detail regarding this miraculous catch of "large" fish. John tells us there were "153 fish." Why include this detail? What is the significance of the number 153?
 
Join us as we explore this number's deeper significance and how it connects to the Old Testament.

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Resource:

Mendel Nun, The Sea of Galilee and its Fishermen in the New Testament

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​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. 

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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

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Jesus stilling the sea (Mark 4:35-41) and the story of Jonah are intricately connected.

​Join us this week as we explore the possible meanings of the phrase "Sign of Jonah" and the connections to Jesus and his ministry.

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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. 

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​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 they've included several excellent essays to help you understand the culture of the Second-Temple period in Israel. 

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This 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.

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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. 

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Resource for your library:

Ryken, Wilhoit, Longman - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 

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