B I B L I C A L
WORSHIPING THE GOLDEN CALF Mary of Magdala Solomon: Leader and Builder
volume 44 number 1
fall 2017
I
Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources G. B. Howell, Jr. Content Editor Dwayne McCrary Team Leader Ken Braddy Director, Adult Ongoing Curriculum Michael Kelley Director, Group Ministry Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, Biblical Illustrator One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175 Or make comments on the Web at lifeway.com @B_Illustrator visit www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator Biblical Illustrator (ISSN 0195-1351, Item 005075109) is published quarterly by LifeWay, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2017 LifeWay. For ordering or inquiries visit lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, fax 615.251.5933, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, or write to the above address. Annual individual subscription, $26.50. Bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address when ordered with other literature, $6.25 each per quarter, plus shipping. Please allow six to eight weeks for arrival of first issue. Biblical Illustrator is designed to support the Bible study sessions in the student and adult Bible Studies for Life curriculum, The Gospel Project curriculum, and the Explore the Bible curriculum series. Bible background articles and accompanying illustrative material are based on the passages studied in these curriculum series. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Scripture quotations marked CSB® are from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the English Standard Version® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.lockman.org) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.® Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Printed in the United States of America
B I B L I C A L B I B L I C A L I L L U S T R AT O R WO R S H I P I N G T H E C A L F I M A RY O F M AG DA L A I S O L O M O N
T’S A SENTENCE WE DON’T often have a reason to say. In fact, I don’t believe I have ever said it. But, here goes: Happy 500th Anniversary! October 31, 1517, this date has affected our lives more than many people know. This was the day Martin Luther, a professor of biblical studies and practicing monk living in Wittenburg, Germany, posted the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” which came to be known as “The 95 Theses.” This document challenged the church’s teachings related to the nature of faith, forgiveness, and what should be the foundation for belief—the church or the Bible. History has often depicted Luther as dramatically and angrily hammering his document to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenburg. This was not the case. He posted the theses in order to open and initiate an academic discussion related to these topics. Some historians believe he didn’t post them to the door at all but that he mailed them that day to Albert of Brandenburgh, who was the Archbishop of Mainz. Albert had obtained permission from the pope to be in charge of selling “indulgences.” The church taught that people could purchase letters of indulgence to secure their personal forgiveness of sin and to help loved ones escape purgatory quicker. Half of the funds from the sale of indulgences went to Albert and the other half to Pope Leo X, for the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Indulgences removed the necessity of genuine personal repentance. Part of Luther’s theses declared, “Those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences” (# 21) and “It is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters” (# 52). Luther was attempting to open a discussion. When copies of his theses were distributed, what resulted, though, was a protest against the Roman Catholic Church. Eventually Luther was excommunicated. Why are we Protestants? Because we are faith descendants of those who protested. The Protestants reformed or restated their understanding of faith. The resultant movement became known as the Protestant Reformation. Out of the Reformation came five doctrinal truths that we hold dear: Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and glory to God alone. Luther could have never imagined the result of his document. But, aren’t you glad he penned it? Yeh, me too. Happy 500th Anniversary!
WORSHIPING THE GOLDEN CALF Mary of Magdala Solomon, the Leader and Builder
volume 44 number 1
fall 2017
1105
About the Cover: Bull-calf made of bronze, stands in front of a pottery shrine. Discovered at Ashkelon, the bull may represent Ba’al Saphon, the Canaanite storm god; dated to the 16th cent. B.C. A silver overlay remains on the head, legs, and tail.
FA L L 2 0 1 7
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE/ ROCKEFELLER MUSEUM/ JERUSALEM (190/B/1339)
T
On a scale of 1-10, this book receives a rating of 9 camels.
The Baker Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines; ed. John A. Beck; Baker Books, 2016; 240 pages; ISBN: 978-0801017124. Book reviews are limited to those the Illustrator staff feels confident to recommend, based on ease of reading, quality of content, and doctrinal viewpoint. Each book is reviewed within LifeWay’s doctrinal guidelines. The 1 to 10 scale reflects overall quality and usefulness.
YES!
HE BAKER BOOK OF Bible Charts, Maps and Time Lines is a helpful reference book divided into three sections: General Bible, Old Testament, and New Testament. The first section has a timeline spanning 2600 b.c. to a.d. 30o; six maps to help “set” the biblical stories in a geographical context; and twenty-three charts dealing with items such as the seasons and culture, weights and measures, and plants and trees of the lands where the biblical stories took place. In each of the Old and New Testament sections, the material is subdivided into four identical subsections. A timeline opens each of the Old and New Testament sections. The next subsection provides maps such as Old Testament tribal divisions or New Testament missionary journeys. The Old Testament section has thirteen maps and the New Testament has eleven. The next subsection gathers charts on material like “Key Theophanies in Genesis” and “Herodian Kings and the New Testament.” The Old Testament section has forty-three and the New has twenty-three. The next subsection features images and
explanations of key archaeological finds relating to the Bible. The book has ten pages of material in the Old Testament section and twelve in the New. The final subsection contains illustrations or reconstructions to help the reader better understand the context of biblical stories, such as an image of ancient ships or an illustration of fishing techniques. This subsection contains fourteen images in the Old Testament section and fifteen in the New. This book will help the reader better understand the biblical material by setting it in its cultural, geographical, and chronological contexts. The book’s copyright allows reproductions of pages for classroom use. Having a copy of a chart or map can give class members a better grasp of the lesson. For this purpose, the book would be even more useful with a companion CD that included the material in electronic form to make printing class handouts more convenient. The spiral binding, however, does allow the user to lay the book flat on a photocopier to create pages for class members. I Tom Goodman is pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Austin, Texas.
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Contents
FA L L 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 4 4 N U M B E R 1
DEPARTMENTS 2
BI Lines
3
BI the Book: The Baker Book of Bible Charts, Maps and Time Lines John A. Beck, editor Book review by Tom Goodman
62 Spies in the Land by John L. Harris October 15 // Session 1 14 Solomon: Leader and Builder by Jeff S. Anderson October 22 // Session 2 42 Persecution and the Scattered Church by Jerry M. Windsor November 5 // Session 4
98 Issues Gone BI BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
91 The Rabbi’s Role in the First Century by D. Larry Gregg, Sr. November 12 // Session 5
74 The Dragon in Revelation by Argile A. Smith, Jr. September 3 // Session 1
94
InSites: Mapping Jesus’ Miracles (between pages 66-67) September 10 // Session 2
25 Sorcery, Witchcraft, and Divination by James O. Newell September 17 // Session 3
EXPLORE THE BIBLE 18 It Happened at Mount Sinai by W. Wayne VanHorn September 3, October 1 // Sessions 1, 5
88 The Heavenly Places by Rudy D. Gonzalez October 1 // Session 5
81 Serpents: What the Egyptians Believed by Robert D. Bergen September 10 // Session 2
54 Jesus, the Son of God by John Polhill October 8 // Session 6
54
29
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Excavating Shiloh, An Interview with Scott Stripling by Eric A. Mitchell November 19 // Session 6
S E E R E L AT E D B I B L E S T U D Y R E S O U R C E S :
www.GospelProject.com • www.BibleStudiesForLife.com • www.lifeway.com/ExploreTheBible
46 The Lure of Egypt by J. Mark Terry October 1 // Session 5
67 Jesus’ Healing Ministry: Why It Mattered by Cecil R. Taylor September 10 // Session 2
71 Bezalel, Artisan of the Tabernacle by Byron Longino October 15 // Session 7
91 The Rabbi’s Role in the First Century by D. Larry Gregg, Sr. September 24 // Session 4
6
Worshiping the Golden Calf by Robert A. Street October 22 // Session 8
77 To Golgotha by Rodney Reeves October 1 // Session 5
29 The Message and Purpose of the Book of Leviticus by Mark F. Rooker November 5-26 // Sessions 10-13 58 Hebrew Priests and God’s Holy Presence by Kevin Hall November 12 // Session 11 84 The Day of Atonement: Its Meaning and Practice by Ken Cox November 19, 26 // Sessions 12-13
10 Mary of Magdala by Scott Hummel October 8 // Session 6
InSites: Magdala and the Torah Stone (between pages 66-67) October 8 // Session 6
33 Thomas in Scripture and Tradition by Timothy N. Boyd October 29 // Session 9
THE GOSPEL PROJECT
50 Beside the Sea of Galilee by Roy E. Lucas, Jr. November 5 // Session 10
22 Alabaster by Gary Hardin September 3 // Session 1
37 “The Ends of the Earth”: First-Century Views by Warren McWilliams November 19 // Session 12
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HEN YOU LOOK AT a bull at the rodeo, you see a creature that is strong, powerful, and virile. Riding a bull requires courage, and maybe a little foolhardiness. A raging bull is not an animal most want to offend or challenge in the ring. Is there any wonder that throughout the ancient Near East the bull represented power? Aaron acquiesced to the request of those who had fled from Egypt; he produced a golden calf. A quick reading of the Sinai events clearly condemns these actions as abhorrent to the worship of the God of the Exodus. Upon careful reading, 6 BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR / FALL 2017
however, a slightly different viewpoint can be seen in the telling of the story. With Moses’ absence, the people evidently became fearful that not only had Moses deserted them but also the God for whom Moses spoke had departed their presence. Were they simply seeking assurance that they had not been deserted and felt the need for something to represent the God who had delivered them from Egypt? Exodus 32:1 supports this view. Aaron, who had been Moses’ spokesman, granted their request by fashioning a golden calf (Ex. 32:2‑6). The image clearly is identified with the power that delivered the people from Egypt. Though many translations
ISTOCK PHOTO
ETB: Exodus 32:1-6,11-14
Egyptian Origins Ancient history shows that the Egyptians commonly used a calf or bull to represent one of their deities. As early as the Old Kingdom (2700– 2160 b.c.), Egyptians considered the bull Apis1 either as the son of the creator god Ptah or the incarnation Below: Small limestone relief depicting transportation of the mummy of Apis in a float on the day of his burial.
of Ptah.2 During the Middle and New Kingdoms (ca. 2100–1800 b.c.), Egyptians used a bull to represent the god Amon-Re.3 Female cows represented both the Egyptian goddesses Nut and Hathor.4 Ruins in the ancient city of Heliopolis, Egypt, contain depictions of a bull deity named Mnevis that represented the combined deity AtumRe.5 This meant Mnevis was identified with both the primal god Atum and the sun-god Re6 in the theological system of Heliopolis. Thus, both Apis and Mnevis could represent the primal god in differing eras and differing theological systems. During the Middle and New Kingdoms (ca. 2100–1800 b.c.; 1550– 1065 b.c.), the city of Hermonthis in Upper Egypt7 produced a new theology that rivaled the system of Heliopolis. The god from this Theban system who eclipsed Atum-Re was Amon-Re.8 The bull found in the Theban theology was named Buchis, but his position in the local pantheon is a mystery. Buchis may have served as a representative of a god in the pantheon—probably as the reincarnation of the war god Montu.9 History provides many examples of the Egyptian religion’s employing
bovine imagery in association with their gods. The idea of an Egyptian god delivering the Hebrews from bondage, though, seems far‑fetched. A New Religion Some have proposed that the calf was the start of a new religion and a Moses cult.10 Aaron’s response when the people asked for a substitute for Moses was to fashion the calf (vv. 1‑4). A cult that used a symbol to represent an absent or departed leader would be a modified form of ancestor worship. Apart from the reference to the bronze serpent or Nehustan that Hezekiah destroyed (Num. 21:4‑9; 2 Kings 18:4), the Scriptures offer no evidence to support a cult ever existed that was associated with Moses at all. Additionally, Moses’ response to the calf image at Sinai clearly indicates his conviction that the people were to worship only Yahweh. Unfortunately, we have little information about the faith the Hebrews practiced during their Egyptian bondage. All we have from that long period of Jewish history are vague references to the house of Levi in Exodus and
Right: Wadi Rum in southern Jordan— this would have been the northern part of ancient Midian.
RELIEF: ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ G.B. HOWELL/ LOUVRE MUSEUM (35/9/9)
WADI RUM: ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ SCOTT HUMMEL (32/2/50)
say, “These are the gods,” the Hebrew term translated “gods” is elohim, which the Old Testament customarily renders “God.” Aaron further declared the next day was to be a feast to the Lord (v. 5). Since the Lord is the only power the people ever credited with having caused the Exodus, evidently the calf somehow represented the deliverer to Aaron and the people. God’s and Moses’ response (Ex. 32:7‑9,19‑35), however, reveals they saw the event as the “Apostasy of the Wilderness” and that they condemned the actions. Where did the calf image as representing the presence of the one who lead them from Egypt originate? Using bovine images in association with deities was common from Egypt through Canaan to the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley. What were the backgrounds for such a representation to those leaving Egypt?
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Patriarchal Origins We can divide patriarchal history into two major periods prior to the sojourn in Egypt. Locations differentiate the two eras. The first was prior to Abraham’s entry into Canaan. The second came after he entered Canaan and prior to the sons of Jacob entering Egypt. Abraham’s father, Terah, migrated from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran. Ur’s exact location is unknown. Some scholars have located it in southern Mesopotamia. ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ JAMES MCLEMORE (13/33/9&10)
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Other scholars have put forth the interpretation that Ur was Urfa located in northern Mesopotamia11 and even in the Hittite kingdom (in modern Turkey); this interpretation has gained some popularity. Cyrus Gordon states “Abraham was a merchant prince; a tamkarum [meaning a merchant or money lender] from the Hittite realm. That his birthplace, Ur of the Chaldees, was Ura, whence so many merchants came, is, though not proved, quite likely.”12 If Abraham’s family was indeed from the region of the Hittites, the Hittite religion might have provided some calf symbolism. Hittite texts from Bogazköy describe their high god as a storm-god who was always associated with bulls. Iconography generally depicted him as bearded and holding a club or an axe.13 In the Hittite shrines at Alaja Hüyük, a carved bas-relief Below: Canaanite altar (left) and high place (right) at Tel Dan. The structure dates to the time of Jeroboam son of Joash (8th cent. B.C.) and replaced an earlier structure that Jeroboam son of Nebat constructed in the 10th cent.
B.C. The area served as a sacred place for a thousand years, until the end of the Roman Era. Right: Limestone stele showing Ta worshiping before Mnevis; dated to Egypt’s Late period (664332 B.C.).
portrays King Hattusilis and his queen before a pedestal and a bull mounted upon a stand.14 Later Disobedience Regardless of whether they started in northern or southern Mesopotamia, after entering Canaan, the patriarchs would have seen similar imagery depicting the gods Baal and El, both of whom were represented as bulls or associated with bulls. When the Israelites rightly understood that God has the power to perform acts previously attributed to local deities, they adopted syncretistic worship practices. “When they encountered other worshipers, they tended to accept their high gods . . . as other manifestations of
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ G.B. HOWELL/ LOUVRE MUSEUM (35/8/92)
the fact that the Hebrew midwives feared God. How active the faith of the fathers was in Egypt is unclear. But clearly, the faith did not die. Did the Hebrews while in Egyptian captivity somehow incorporate the calf into their worship of Yahweh? The answer is impossible to know. If they did, however, this Hebraic worship would have still been distinct and different from the beliefs and practices of Egyptian cults. When Moses fled to Midian, he encountered God and became God’s chosen one to deliver the Hebrews from bondage. We do not know how much of the faith of the fathers he learned from his fatherin-law Jethro, a priest of Midian. But he certainly took the messages back to the Israelites.
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ G.B. HOWELL/ LOUVRE MUSEUM (35/11/87)
Right: At Yazilikaya, which was the sanctuary of Hattusa and the capital city of the Hittite Empire; the carved relief depicts the king (facing right)
coming before Teshub (the storm god), Hepat (the sun goddess of Arinna), and their son Sharruma. The gods are standing on the backs of bulls and eagles.
their own true God.”15 Thus these fertility deities Baal and El became popular among the Hebrews after the people settled in Canaan. The storm god Baal and the accompanying Baalism clearly were the greatest threats to the Israelites’ faithfulness in worshiping the Lord in later times as evidenced by the prophet Elijah’s conflicts. Evidence of further disobedience, Israel’s king Jeroboam set up worship centers at Dan and Bethel and placed a golden calf at each. Echoing God’s indictment of the Israelites’ actions at Sinai, Jeroboam explained, “Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 12:29, csb; Ex. 32:8). King Jeroboam had replaced the sacrificial system that God had established for Jerusalem and had set up his own priesthood at the two cultic sites. Summarily, Scripture explains, “This was the sin that caused the house of Jeroboam to be cut off and obliterated from the face of the earth” (13:34, csb). Conclusion With all the possible origins, we must remind ourselves of an important fact. Regardless of the imagery’s origin, its use was improper. While the calf was part of Hittite, Canaanite, Egyptian,
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BOB SCHATZ (26/12/7)
Left: Boundary stone of Nazimaruttash, who was the Kassite king of Babylon about 1323–1298 B.C. The text mentions a gift of land that he gave to the temple of Marduk in Babylon. Overhead are symbols of the three major celestial divinities of Babylon: the star of Ishtar, the sun of Shamash and the crescent of Sin, the moon god.
and Hebraic worship, the theological significance was different for each group. In addition, over several hundred years the interpretation of a symbol could shift and the original meaning be lost. Maybe in the minds of the Israelites at Sinai, the calf initially represented the deliverer to Aaron and the people. A symbol, though, can become the recipient of adoration and worship, rather than simply a reminder of the adored and revered. Evidently this is what happened with the Israelites. The calf of the wilderness and later the calves of Jeroboam were thus abhorrent to true worship of the one true God. I
1. James Pritchard, The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament [ANEP] (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1954), Figure 570. 2. George Steindorff and Keith C. Seele, When Egypt Ruled the East, rev. ed. (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1957), 140–141. 3. S. G. F. Brandon, “Atum,” Dictionary of Comparative Religion [DCR], (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1978), 115. 4. Steindorff, Egypt, Figure 34, p. 143; and Henri Frankfort, Ancient Egyptian Religion: An Interpretation (New York: Harper & Row, 1948), Illustration 12; Pritchard, ANEP, Figure 573. 5. Frankfort, Ancient Egyptian Religion, 10; S. G. F. Brandon, “Re” in DCR, 531. 6. Helmer Ringgren, Religions of the Ancient Near East (Louisville: Westminster, John Knox, 1972), 46. 7. Steindorff, Egypt, 140, 204, 282. Hermonthis was also called Armant. 8. S. G. F. Brandon, “Atum” in DCR, 115. 9. Pat Remier, Egyptian Mythology, A to Z, 3rd. ed. (New York: Chelsea House, 2010), 34. 10. Jack Sasson, “Bovine Symbolism in the Exodus Narrative, “ Vetus Testamentum 18 (1968): 380–87. 11. Andre Parrot, Abraham and His Times, trans. H. Farley, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968), 12. 12. Cyrus H. Gordon, “Abraham and Merchants of Ura” in Journal of Near Eastern Studies 17, no. 30 (1958): 31. Gordon stated, “The Hittite contribution to Israel will doubtless appear more and more significant during the years ahead.” 13. The storm-god from Til Barsil (ANEP, figure 532) and the weather-god on a bull’s back (ANEP, figure 531) 14. O. R. Gurney, The Hittites, (Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1961), see plate 16. 15. John D. W. Watts, Basic Patterns in Old Testament Religion (New York: Vintage, 1971) 42; Berend Gemser, “God in Genesis,” Adhuc Loquitur: Collected Essays of Dr. B. Gemser, ed. A. Van Selms and A. S. Van Der Woude, Vol. VII of “Pretoria Oriental Series” (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1968), 20, noted “in pre-Mosaic times, no stress is laid upon an antithesis between the true God and the gods of heathen peoples or individuals.”
Robert A. Street is professor of computer information systems and Old Testament at Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, Kentucky. FALL 2017 / BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR
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TGP: Matthew 28:1-15
Mary of Magdala BY
A
S JESUS TRAVELED through the cities of Galilee proclaiming, teaching, healing, and casting out demons, He was accompanied by His twelve disciples and several women, including Mary “called Magdalene” (Luke 8:1‑3, csb). The Gospels do not describe when Mary first met Jesus or when He cast out seven demons from her (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9).
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S C O T T
H U M M E L
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Nevertheless, this encounter distinguished her from the other women who followed Jesus and explained her gratitude and fierce loyalty to Him.
A Unique Woman Mary Magdalene did not merely thank Jesus for casting demons out of her as the one Samaritan leper had done (Luke 17:12‑19); she financially supported Jesus and His
disciples (8:2‑3). Even as Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem, Mary Magdalene and the other women ministered to Him (Matt. 27:55). While so many others only received from Jesus, Mary gave back in support of Jesus. No one was a more loyal follower of Jesus than Mary Magdalene. Thousands flocked to Jesus when He fed the multitude; seventy went out to proclaim (Luke 10:1‑2);
disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18, csb), making her the first person to proclaim Jesus’ resurrection (Matt. 28:10). The guards went and told the chief priests who responded by bribing them to hide the truth (vv. 11‑15); in contrast Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples so they could know the truth. “Mary” was a common name. In addition to Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ mother, Mary the mother of James (Mark 15:40), Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25), and Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha (11:1) were all associated with Jesus’ ministry. “Magdalene” distinguished her from the other Marys. While the others were distinguished by their relationship with a husband or family member, Mary Magdalene was not; she was independent.1 Most take “Magdalene” to refer to Mary’s hometown, Magdala. While she is usually referred to
as Mary Magdalene, her name is written a few different ways. In Luke 24:10, most English translations read “Mary Magdalene” even though the Greek is inverted from the normal order to actually read “The Magdalen Mary.” Luke 8:2 says “Mary, called Magdalene” (csb). These variations may indicate that “Magdalene” referred to more than just a location. Jesus often called those closest to Him by nicknames. Simon was called “Peter” (John 1:42), and another Simon was called “Zealot” (Luke 6:15). One Judas was called “Didymus” (John 11:16) and another “Iscariot” (Luke 22:3). James and John were named “Boanerges,” meaning “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). The nicknames differentiate each man and accentuate a particular characteristic, but none indicates a hometown.2 “Magdalene” probably indicates both where she came from and a distinctive characteristic. Magdala means “tower” in Aramaic, and in Hebrew migdal means “tower.” This gives a clue about her hometown as well as something about her. As
Upper left: Detail of Mary kissing the feet of the crucified Jesus; Italian, early 14th century. This was a common subject in Renaissance art. Above: An alabaster perfume jar from Jericho. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb. Right: Site of the ancient port at Magdala; the modern city of Tiberias is in the distance.
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE (165-B-2006)
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ DAVID ROGERS/ JOSEPH A. CALLAWAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM/ THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY/ LOUISVILLE, KY (13/9/6)
twelve disciples followed Jesus, but most of them fled when Jesus was arrested. Even Peter denied knowing Jesus, but Mary Magdalene stood by the cross of Jesus (Mark 15:39‑40; John 19:25). The Gospel writers did not mention any of the disciples—except the “beloved disciple”—as being at the cross, but Mary Magdalene remained to see where Jesus was buried (Mark 15:46‑47). Even after Jesus’ death, Mary Magdalene remained faithful. While the Gospels mention other women, Mary Magdalene is the only one identified in every description of Jesus’ resurrection (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1). At dawn of the resurrection Sunday, Mary Magdalene brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body, so she was the first person to see the resurrected Lord. Filled with fear and joy she grasped Jesus’ feet and clung to Him, worshiping Him (Matt. 28:9). She ran to tell the
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A Unique Place The New Testament does not actually mention Mary’s hometown, Magdala, so this creates uncertainty in identifying the location.4 One possible site is Migdal Nunayah (translated “Tower of Fish”), which was about one mile north of Tiberias.5 A tower base was located at this small village; laborers may have separated types of fish there. Another possible site is about three miles north of Tiberias and is currently known as Migdal, al-Majdal, or Magdala. Following the Hasmonean conquest of Galilee in the second century b.c., many Jews from Judea migrated to Galilee.6 By the time of Mary Magdalene, Magdala was one of the most important Jewish cities on the west coast of the Sea of Galilee as demonstrated by extensive first-century ruins.7 During the first century, the immediate area may have been known as Magadan-Dalmanutha.8 In 12 BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR / FALL 2017
association with Jesus feeding the 4,000, Matthew (15:39) refers to the area of Magadan; Mark (8:10) refers to the area as Dalmanutha. In a.d. 66, the people of the city joined in the First Jewish Revolt against Rome, and the Roman legions crushed them.9 The sixth-century pilgrim Theodosius was the first to identify the site with the hometown of Mary Magdalene, and it became a pilgrim stop between Tiberias and Capernaum.10 Like many Roman cities, it was organized on the Hippodamian plan in which two large paved roads intersected in the center, the cardo maximus and the decumanus. Supporting a large fishing industry the city had the largest and best-preserved first-century harbor on the Sea of Galilee. It also had a sophisticated water supply system which supported Hellenistic and then later Roman hot baths.
Right: Stone benches line the walls of the synagogue at Magdala. Below: Replica of a carved stone found in the synagogue at Magdala. The stone measures approximately 24 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 18 inches tall. An opened Torah scroll likely rested on this block while someone read the text.
Archaeologists also discovered foundations of a large tower among the ruins.11 The discovery of three mikvehs or ritual baths confirms the presence of a large observant Jewish population in Magdala. Each mikveh has seven stairs descending into a pool, which was fed by ground water or “living water.” Not many mikveh have been found along the Sea of Galilee because worshipers would have used the sea itself for ritual purification. Migdal, though, had three, suggesting the wealth of its Jewish population.12 The most important discovery in the city is the first-century synagogue, which archaeologists uncovered in 2009. Despite decades of excavations, archaeologists have
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE (165-B-1752)
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE (165-B-1841)
Simon Peter was the “Rock,” Mary Magdalene was the “Tower.”3
Left: Recently excavated mikveh at Magdala.
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE (165-B-1739)
found no other first-century synagogue in the Galilean towns associated with Jesus’ ministry.13 The well-known synagogue ruins in Capernaum and Hamat Tiberias are both from the fourth century. The Magdala synagogue was about 36 feet by 36 feet, large enough to hold about 200 people. It had benches around the walls, pillars in the center, a mosaic floor, frescoes, and storage rooms. Archaeologists also discovered in the synagogue a large stone block upon which the Torah scrolls rested.14 The large block has four legs and is covered with symbols related to the Jerusalem temple, including the table of showbread, two palm-shaped columns, a menorah, amphorae for olive oil, an incense vessel, tools to rake the ash from the altar, a rosette representing the twelve tribes, and possibly the chariot of God.15 Priests serving in the Jerusalem temple would have
seen the objects represented on the stone, so the presence of the symbols in the synagogue communicates the presence and holiness of God to all the people. The symbols on the stone reflect the spirit of Galilean Jews at the time of Jesus and Mary.16 Jesus likely preached in this synagogue where Mary Magdalene would have worshiped frequently. Magdala represented a typical Jewish city, combining Jewish and Greco-Roman elements. Its synagogue revealed a congregation that revered the temple and yet desired to experience the presence of God at home. One of its own daughters, Mary, stood as a loyal follower and tower for the Messiah, who is Immanuel, “God with us.” I
mon, thus numerous towns in Galilee and Judea have Magdala (Aramaic) or Migdal (Hebrew) in their name. 5. Taylor, “Missing,” 209–10. From the first through fourth centuries it was known locally as Migdal. 6. For the history of the city from the second century B.C., see Mordechai Aviam, “The Decorated Stone from the Synagogue at Migdal: A Holistic Interpretation and a Glimpse into the Life of Galilean Jews at the Time of Jesus,” Novum Testamentum 55 (2013): 205; Jürgen Zangenberg, “Archaeological News from the Galilee: Tiberias, Magdala and Rural Galilee,” Early Christianity 1 (2010): 476. 7. Zangenberg, “Archaeological,” 476. 8. Taylor, “Missing,” 221. 9. Ariel Sabar, “Unearthing the World of Jesus,” Smithsonian 46:9 (Jan/Feb 2016): 6. 10. Taylor, “Missing,” 213. 11. Zangenberg, “Archaeological,” 475-76; Aviam, “The Decorated Stone,” 206; H. Shanks, “Exclusive! Major New Excavation Planned for Mary Magdalen’s Hometown,” Biblical Archaeology Review 33, no. 5 (Sept/Oct 2007). 12. Ronny Reich and Marcela Meza, “A Preliminary Report on the Miqwa’ot of Migdal,” Israel Exploration Journal 64, no. 1 (2014): 63–67. 13. Sabar, “Unearthing,” 2. 14. Sabar, “Unearthing,” 2–9; Aviam, “Decorated Stone,” 205–206. 15. Aviam, “Decorated Stone,” 207–20. 16. Aviam, “Decorated Stone,” 220; Sabar, “Unearthing,” 8.
1. Joan Taylor, “Missing Magdala and the Name of Mary ‘Magdalene,’” Palestine Exploration Quarterly 146, no. 3 (2014): 206. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid., 208, 222. 4. The King James Version reads “Magdala,” but the Greek clearly reads “Magadan” as transliterated in most other translations (see Matt. 15:39). Towers were com-
Scott Hummel is executive vice president and provost and professor of religion at William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. FALL 2017 / BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR
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BSFL: 1 Kings 3:3-14; 4:29-34
Solomon
LEADER AND BUILDER
ISTOCK PHOTO
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HE BIBLE CHARACTERIZES SOLOMON as a wise leader, a prolific builder, and an internationally renowned political figure—particularly in the early decades of his forty-year long reign over Israel. Upon the death of his father, David, Solomon began reigning around 970 b.c. (1 Kings 11:42).
Below: Ruins at Gezer; Solomon received Gezer as a dowry for marrying pharaoh’s daughter. As he also did at Hazor and Megiddo, Solomon built massive fortifications, including multi-chamber gates here.
and Shimei (vv. 5‑46). Of these, only Abiathar the priest survived. He was exiled to Anathoth, a priestly village in Judah, an obscure place where centuries later the prophet Jeremiah would be born. Not everything in life that begins well, ends well, but things certainly began well for Solomon. Early on, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. In this dream the inexperienced king asked God for wisdom to govern His people (3:5‑9). Solomon confirmed this great wisdom by wisely ruling in a custody battle involving two prostitutes and an innocent baby (vv. 16‑28). In this ruling, Solomon flushed out the real mother of the child by cleverly appealing to an ancient legal principle regarding disputed property with no clear record of ownership. Scripture summarizes Solomon’s wisdom
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BRENT BRUCE (127-B-0376)
Consolidation of Power Solomon might not have ever become king if not for the assistance of Nathan the prophet, Solomon’s mother Bathsheba, and Zadok the priest. Adonijah, perhaps David’s oldest surviving son, did not even wait for David to die to conspire with David’s military general Joab and Abiathar the priest to proclaim himself as the next king. With their help, he staged an elaborate ceremony, inviting all of Israel to attend his inauguration. Bathsheba got wind of the coup and persuaded David to let the entire nation know his own wishes that Solomon, not Adonijah, was to be heir to the throne. David immediately appointed Solomon ruler by staging his own public ceremony, parading Solomon through the streets of Jerusalem on his own mule, while Zadok publicly anointed him as the next king (1:36‑39). As his death loomed, David charged Solomon to walk in obedience to the Lord (2:1‑3); but he also instructed him to eliminate these individuals who had challenged his leadership: Joab, Adonijah, Abiathar,
Right: Ethiopian fresco of the Queen of Sheba.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
BY JEFF S. ANDERSON
FALL 2017 / BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR
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Solomon the Builder The Bible describes Solomon as a prolific builder. For example, Solomon forged an agreement with Hiram, king of Tyre, to provide supplies to build the Jerusalem temple (1 Kings 5:1‑12; 2 Chron. 2:3‑18). He conscripted staggering numbers of laborers—30,000—from his own people. In addition, he conscripted 70,000 carriers, 80,000 stonecutters, and 3,300 foremen (1 Kings 5:5:13‑18; 2 Chron. 2:1‑2). This magnificent building project took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:1‑38; 2 Chron. 3:1‑17). The size and scale of Solomon’s Temple belong within a widespread and solid framework of similar temples in the ancient Near East, from the third to first millennia b.c. Below: Tripartite storehouse reconstructed at Hazor dates to about
1100–1000 B.C. Hazor was the largest city in ancient Canaan.
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Upper right: Partially reconstructed stables at Megiddo.
at Ebla, Mari, Ain Dara, Hamath, Tell Teyinat, and elsewhere.2 While parallels to these other temples are intriguing, actual physical archaeological remains of Solomon’s Temple remain elusive.3 Texts describe the temple’s elaborate furnishings (1 Kings 7:13‑51; 2 Chron. 4:1‑22). Huram, a bronze craftsman from Tyre, crafted the furnishings of burnished bronze. When the project came to completion, Solomon brought all the silver and gold furnishings David had dedicated (2 Chron. 5:1‑14), summoned the elders to bring up the ark from the city of David (1 Kings 8:1‑4), and dedicated the temple to the Lord (2 Chron. 6:12–7:10). Several times the Scripture highlights the broad-based inclusion
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in 1 Kings 4:29‑34; further the Books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs and part of the Book of Proverbs are also attributed to Solomon. Next, using his own brand of gerrymandering, Solomon completely re-drew district borders, eliminating old tribal lines and appointed twelve district governors to supply his household—each for one month of the year (4:1‑19). These daily provisions seem excessive, yet the biblical text says nothing negative about Solomon’s twelve districts (v. 22‑23).1 As Solomon consolidated his reign, the geographical sphere of influence reached that which God promised to Abraham a thousand years earlier (Gen. 15:18-21). Solomon’s territory spread from the Mediterranean to the Tigris-Euphrates Valleys (1 Kings 4:21).
Below: Artist’s rendering of Solomon’s Temple.
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ BOB SCHATZ (26/36/17)
ILLUSTRATOR ART/ LINDEN ARTISTS/ LONDON
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/ GB HOWELL (35/54/86)
Above: Located 6 miles southeast of Tyre is a 20-foot-tall burial monument from the Persian period (586–332 B.C.). This has tradition-
ally been called the tomb of Hiram, the celebrated Phoenician architect of the Jerusalem temple.
of God’s people in this magnificent project (1 Kings 8:2,22,62,65). Significantly, Solomon’s own palace was a thirteen‑year ordeal, almost twice the time of the temple project (7:1‑6). This palace included an elaborate throne hall for judgments (vv. 7‑8). Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar contends that she has discovered five components of this palace, including a gatehouse complex, large tower, and a straight wall from the tenth century b.c.4 In addition to the temple and the palace, Solomon also built terraces along the steep hillsides of the city of David; further, he strengthened the walls of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. He also established store cities, chariot towns, and numerous stables (1 Kings 9:15‑19; 10:26‑29; 2 Chron. 1:14‑17; 8:1‑18). Archaeology offers plenty of evidence for the architectural innovation of six-chambered gates in the late tenth and early ninth centuries b.c. and the construction of stables throughout the region. Excavations at three of the four cities mentioned in 1 Kings 9:15‑17 have uncovered city gates.5 One archaeology and equine scholar persuasively argues that people used the six-chambered gates at the entrances of fortresses across Israel for harnessing chariot teams and inspecting horses returning from the field.6 Solomon’s International Relations Sometimes journalists and politicians speak of the “peace dividend.” The Bible reports that David had vanquished all his enemies from Philistia, Moab, Edom, and the rest of the region. This meant that Solomon spent next to
no time battling foreign powers. That period of peace allowed him to build a reputation as a prominent international figure. We have already seen that he forged a strong relationship with Hiram, king of Tyre (1 Kings 5:1‑18; 9:11‑14; 10:11). He also built a fleet of trading ships at Ezion-Geber (9:26‑28; 10:22), and Hiram’s sailors served Solomon’s fleet. The Queen of Sheba brought trade from southwest Arabia (vv. 1‑13). The Bible states that the whole world sought audience with Solomon (v. 24). Part of Solomon’s international clout derived from his intermarriages (3:1; 11:1). These realpolitik marriage alliances are but one indication that Solomon’s legacy would become one of both blessing and curse. Two adversaries, Hadad and Jeroboam, lurked in the shadow of Egypt waiting for some vulnerability to emerge in Israel (11:14‑40). Soon after Solomon’s death, weaknesses in the Solomonic legacy would lead to division in the kingdom. I 1. Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001), 401. 2. K. A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 126. 3. Alan R. Millard, “David and Solomon’s Jerusalem: Do the Bible and Archaeology Disagree?” in Israel: Ancient Kingdom or Late Invention, ed. Daniel L. Block (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2008), 190–94. 4. Eilat Mazar, Discovering the Solomonic Wall in Jerusalem: A Remarkable Archaeological Adventure (Jerusalem: Shoham, 2011), 115–26, 145–50. 5. William G. Dever, What did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001) 131–38. 6. Deborah O’Daniel Cantrell, The Horsemen of Israel: Horses and Chariotry in Monarchic Israel (Ninth-Eighth Centuries B.C.E.): History, Archaeology, and Culture of the Levant 1 (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2011).
Jeff S. Anderson is professor of religion at Wayland Baptist University, Anchorage, Alaska. FALL 2017 / BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR
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