Geographist

Cilicians Key Scripture: Acts 21:39 Figures: Saul of Tarsus (later called the Apostle Paul)  We come at last to the home of one of the New Testament's prominent figures.  Like several other locations throughout Anatolia, the area known as Cilicia played a role in the growth of the early Christian church.  Its capital city, Tarsus, is well known to readers of the Bible as the birthplace of Saul, and would later be the place where Barnabas would find him prior to their joint ministry together.  The region had several similarities with other nearby provinces, but what has made it unique?  The land at the farthest northeast point along the Mediterranean Sea was almost certainly originally populated by the descendants of Japheth after the Flood, and has probably been continually populated ever since.  Geographically, the area is typically referred to as being split between Cilicia Trachea (rough) on the west and Cilicia Pedias (flat) on the east.  The mount...

Cappadocians Key Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1 Figures: none After spending a few weeks investigating many of the social, religious, and political groups within the Jewish communities during the first century AD, we finally find our way back to some of the outlying nations.  Like many others that we have studied, Cappadocia was part of the larger Roman empire.  And like many such provinces, its boundaries were not fixed but fluctuated over time.  Although there are a number of meaningful locations from the New Testament that are nearby, however, a dispute remains over whether any of the major figures in the early Church were ever present and involved with the spiritual growth and development there.  Let's see what we can learn about this region and its history. Set in the eastern part of Asia Minor or Anatolia, now known as Turkey, Cappadocia was a large province with several notable attributes.  First among them was the physical appearance of the area - a nearby volca...

Pharisees Key Scripture: Luke 11:39-54 Figures: Nicodemus, Gamaliel, Saul This week we reach one of the most commonly-referenced groups in the Gospels, the Pharisees.  As one of the most important groups in Jewish culture during the first century AD, this group combined political and religious influence through their emphasis on morality.  Although several of Jesus' followers came from among their number, Christ had some of his harshest exchanges with them.  Although they were exceptionally well thought of among the population, the Pharisees are today considered to be unpopular and their ways undesirable.  By studying the history, beliefs, and actions of this group we'll get to understand them a bit better.  Like most of the groups we have studied within Jewish culture, the Pharisees trace their origins back to the time of the Hasmonean dynasty.  They seem to have arisen shortly after the Maccabean Revolt alongside the Sadducees, but were largely made up of...

Zealots Key Scripture: Acts 5:37 Figures: Simon This week, as we move past another major milestone for the site, we're going to study a group that may seem similar to the focus of last week.  Their viewpoints on the social impact of Hellenization may have been similar, but the tactics they employed were vastly different.  Unlike the Essenes, whose practices reflected much in the actions of both Jesus and John the Baptist, the Zealots were much more confrontational and lived by a code that the early church had to reject.  Their actions were a major factor that ultimately led to the fulfillment of one of Jesus' prophecies.  Let's dig into the story of the Zealots. More of a social movement than an actual political party, the Zealots existed during the time of Roman control but could trace their inspiration all the way back to the time of Moses.  During Israel's period of wandering, a plague broke out within the camp due to their Baal worship and immorality, but th...

Another major milestone for the website, and it's both amazing and humbling.  Just 14 months after reaching the 100k mark, we've officially doubled the number of reader clicks.  Thanks to each one of you!  If you haven't had a chance to browse through any of the old topics, just tap on the menu options at the top and you'll see archived pages with each of the subjects I've touched on so far.  It really seems like we're picking up steam these days, so keep coming back each week to see what's new.  I've already got an idea of what we might start next, so in just a few more weeks you can expect for that news to be unleashed.  Here's to 200,000 more!