A SPLASH OF COLOUR IN A BLACK-AND-WHITE WORLD by John adair
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have spent the better part of my adult life ruins are surrounded by a lush forest and a studying the Bible—for papers in college bubbling spring from which the Jordan River and seminary, in preparation for church les- emerges. In this remote location, far from sons, and while working on projects here at orthodox Jewish society and surrounded by Insight for Living Ministries. In the faded Greek and pagan influences, Jesus asked His blue, bare-bones NIV Bible I’ve worked with disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matmost often over the years, I know where to thew 16:15 NASB). Reading Peter’s confession find just about anything. Even if I don’t know that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God chapter and verse, I have a pretty good idea (16:16), we get a tantalizing glimpse into their of where a passage is located on the page. future. The apostles later went to the ends of Finding descriptions of places like the Sea of the earth proclaiming the Messiah to all in Galilee, Mount Carmel, and Golgotha in the their hearing, no matter the surroundings. The events at Caesarea black-and-white world of Philippi teach us somemy Bible is about as easy Seeing the land of Israel thing of Jesus’s person as finding my way home in person has forever and point us forward to from work. Imagine, then, the feel- changed the way I read, His most significant work ing upon my recent—and teach, and write about (16:21). In Gethsemane, first—trip to Israel. I the Bible—a change as we see that work set into motion. Jesus took His stepped off the plane, not into a world of words or stark as going from black disciples to the garden of and white to colour. Gethsemane on the night even photographs but one of His betrayal. Outside dotted with biblical sights, saturated with the sounds of spoken Hebrew, the walls of Jerusalem and surrounded by and filled with the aromatic spices and deli- gnarled olive trees, Jesus agonized over the cious foods of the Middle East. Even in those task before Him. Bent and twisted trees stood first hours in Israel, the land of the Bible came as silently then as they do today, a potent reminder of the anguish our Lord endured alive in full and vibrant colour. While I visited many historic and beautiful on that fateful night (26:36–46). Seeing the land of Israel in person has forlocations, two rather lonely places were especially significant, adding depth to the biblical ever changed the way I read, teach, and write narratives: Caesarea Philippi and the garden about the Bible—a change as stark as going from black and white to colour. of Gethsemane. Caesarea Philippi, in the first century a pagan city with a large temple dedicated to Copyright © 2011 by Insight for Living Ministries. All the Greek god Pan, sits in the far northeastern rights reserved worldwide. corner of the country at the base of Israel’s tallest peak, Mount Hermon. The extensive
