January 10, 2018
References to the diadem in the book of Revelation include 12:3, 13:1, and 19:2.
Gold Diadem. Made in southern Italy, 250-200 BC. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
“The diadem is the sign of royal status. Rev 12:3: the dragon had “seven diadems” on his seven heads; 13:1: the beast had “ten diadems” on his ten horns; 19:12: the rider of the white horse had “many diadems” on his head.” (Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 298).
This is one of the literally thousands of interesting artifacts in the British Museum, so many of which can be used in the context of biblical teaching/illustrations, etc.
Click image for larger view.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
January 3, 2018
“. . . they sailed to Cyprus. When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews” (Acts 13:4,5). The preaching here at Salamis in Cyprus was the beginning of what is usually called Paul’s “First Missionary Journey” (Acts 13-14).
Salamis on the Island of Cyprus. Pictured here is area of the gymnasium. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Luke, the author of Acts, is very brief in his account of the preaching that took place here, without recording any results from the proclamation of the Gospel in the synagogues, quickly moving on in his narrative SE to Paphos, and continuing on from there. Our photo here shows the area of the gymnasium at Salamis.
It is interesting to note that Barnabas, Paul’s traveling companion and fellow-preacher, was from Cyprus (Acts 4:36).
Here is the harbor into which their ship would have sailed for their arrival at Salamis.
Harbor at Salamis, Cyprus. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
We have previously posted on Salamis here here and here.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
December 15, 2017
Beth Guvrin in Israel was a Roman city on the outskirts of biblical Maresha (see Josh. 15:44; Micah 1:15).
Emperor Septimus Severus turned Beth Guvrin into a major administrative center (ca. 200 AD). I took this photo of the amphitheater on April 27, 2017.
Panorama of amphitheater at Beth Guvrin. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
This amphitheater would have been used for animal and gladiator fights.
BTW: Often folks refer to theaters as “amphitheaters.” There is a difference: the amphitheater makes an oval shape while a theater only makes a half circle.
Click image for larger view.
1 Comment | Bible History and Geography, Bible Places, Israel, New Testament, Old Testament, photography, Roman Empire, Theater, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged: Amphitheater, Beth Guvrin, Mareshah | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
December 13, 2017
The Apostle John wrote, “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps” (Revelation 14:2). I heard this harpist playing her harp in Jerusalem, at the Damascus gate this past April.
Harpist in Jerusalem, Joppa Gate. Photo ©Leon Mauldin.
The context of Revelation 14 is that of the Lamb standing victoriously on Mount Zion with His people, those “having His Father’s name written on their foreheads” (v.1). What joy belongs to those described in the text! — “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” (v.4).
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
December 8, 2017
In this panoramic shot of Jerusalem you can see several landmarks, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher at left, the Dome of the Rock, right center, and the Mount of Olives in the Distance.
Panorama of Jerusalem. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
It would be difficult to overestimate or overstate the importance of this city in both Old and New Testament studies!
I have numerous posts on Jerusalem, including here, here and here. Use the search box for more.
I took this photo this past April, 2017, on a personal study/photography trip with Ferrell Jenkins.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
December 6, 2017
Acts 10 narrates the exciting history of how the door of faith was opened to the Gentiles. The Apostle Peter was directed to leave Joppa and go up the coast to Caesarea where he would find a man with an honest and good heart, Cornelius the Roman Centurion, as well as his relatives and close friends.
Wave action at Caesarea, on the south side of the Herodian Palace. Photo ©Leon Mauldin.
Peter, who had the “keys of the kingdom of heaven,” had preached to the Jews first on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and was then privileged to preach to the Gentiles in Acts 10. Peter began by saying, “Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35, NASB). Cornelius and those present heard “words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 11:14, CSB). They were receptive to and obedient to the faith!
From this new beginning the gospel would go on to include Gentiles in Antioch (Acts 11), and on to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8; cf. Acts 13-28, etc.).
We have several posts on Caesarea, including here, here, and here.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
November 15, 2017
Acts 9 records the conversion of Saul, better known later as the Apostle Paul, the former persecutor of the church of the Lord. “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (vv.1-2).
It was on his way, as he neared Damascus of Syria that he saw the resurrected Christ. Blinded by this experience, he was led by the hand into the city, where after three days he was told of Jesus’ plan for him to be an apostle, a chosen vessel to preach the Gospel. Immediately he was baptized, and at once began to preach (vv.3-22). “The rest,” as they say, “is history.”
We had the occasion last November (’16) to be on the Israel/Syria border, and look over into Syria. Paul would have gone in this direction on his way to Damascus, and we thought about that as our group stopped here to look, reflect, and take photos.
In northern Israel, looking NE into Syria. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
October 18, 2017
Today concludes our Emerald Tour of Ireland, and was a day of “free time” for our group. Some of us included a visit to the Dublin Castle, because here the Chester Beatty Library is located. Among the interesting collections there are some of the very earliest New Testament texts, dating to c.AD 200.
Johnny Felker & Leon Mauldin at Chester Beatty Library. Photo by Martha Felker.
Photos are not permitted inside the exhibition.
Some info re: the New Testament manuscripts:
There are three New Testament manuscripts that are part of the Chester Beatty Papyri. The first, P. I, is labeled under the Gregory-Aland numbering system as P45 and was originally a codex of 110 leaves that contained the four canonical gospels and Acts. 30 fragmentary leaves remain, consisting of two small leaves of the Gospel of Matthew chapters 20/21 and 25/26, portions of the Gospel of Mark chapters 4-9, 11-12, portions of the Gospel of Luke 6-7, 9-14, portions of the Gospel of John 4-5, 10-11, and portion of the Acts of the Apostles 4-17. The ordering of the gospels follows the Western tradition, Matthew, John, Luke, Mark, Acts. These fragments are palaeographically dated to the first half of the 3rd century.
P46 is the second New Testament manuscript in the Chester Beatty collection (P. II), and was a codex that contained the Pauline Epistles dating c. 200.[citation needed] What remains today of the manuscript is roughly 85 out of 104 leaves consisting of Romans chapters 5-6, 8-15, all of Hebrews, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, virtually all of 1–2 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians 1-2, 5. The leaves have partially deteriorated, resulting in the loss of some lines at the bottom of each folio. The manuscript split up between the Chester Beatty Library and the University of Michigan. Scholars do not believe the Pastoral epistles were included originally in the codex, based on the amount of space required in the missing leaves; they conclude 2 Thessalonians would have occupied the final portion of the codex. The inclusion of Hebrews, a book that was questioned canonically and not considered authored by Paul, is notable. The placement of it following Romans is unique against most other witnesses, as is the ordering of Galatians following Ephesians.
P. III is the last New Testament manuscript, P47, and contains 10 leaves from the Book of Revelation, chapters 9-17. This manuscript also dates to the 3rd century, and Kenyon describes the handwriting as being rough (Wikipedia).
It’s been a great tour.
From the Chester Beatty Library Brochure.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
August 16, 2017
On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), for the first time conditions of salvation were proclaimed under the New Covenant. Three thousand responded!
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ– this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (vv. 36-41, NASB).
There were many pools right there in Jerusalem which would have been suitable for the baptism of so many, including the Pool of Siloam, the Pool(s) of Bethesda, etc. I am also mindful of “Solomon’s Pools,” south of Jerusalem, located between Bethlehem and Hebron, which were water sources for Jerusalem in the days of Jesus.
“Solomon’s Pool.” The middle of three. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
These three pools, the middle of which is in our photo here, were not built by Solomon, but by Herod the Great, or possibly by the Hasmoneans (intertestamental period). Pilate later made repairs to the pools.
Today the pools are located in the Palestinian Authority’s West Bank.
Click photo for larger image.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
August 15, 2017
On the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), which marked the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel and the discharge of the Great Commission, Peter affirmed the resurrection of the crucified Christ, showing the fulfillment of Psalm 16:8-11 (Acts 2:25-28). Peter explained,
Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses (Acts 2:29-32, NASB). (Note: the NASB uses upper-case in NT texts to indicate quotations from the OT).
Here is the proposed site for the tombs of the house of David located at the SE portion of the City of David, excavated by Raymond Weill, 1913-1914.
Royal Tombs of the House of David, proposed site. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
And a close-up shot:
Proposed Tomb of the House of David. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Dr. Todd Bolen notes,
Most scholars today reject this identification. These structures do not have features typical of Iron Age tombs; there are no burial benches or repositories. Because of later destruction, there is no stratigraphy, pottery, or burial gifts which would make dating the structure possible. Some scholars think that it dates to the Herodian period and may have been used as wine cellars for the structures built above it. There is no other candidate for the tomb of David.
The point to be remembered is that unlike the Subject of David’s psalm, David was buried, and his body saw corruption. The One of Whom he spoke saw no corruption. His body did not decay, and His spirit was not left in the Hadean realm–up from the grave He arose! The resurrection of Jesus is at the very heart of the Gospel message. Apart from the resurrection of Jesus there IS no Gospel!
We recently wrote on David’s Tomb here.
Click images for larger view.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
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