Gleanings
W. Carl Ketcherside
I find myself occasionally wanting to share
some of the things that I read without having to be concerned
about continuity of thought. For that reason I have lumped the
following together under the above title with the hope that you
may find them as interesting as I have, since all are Bible
related.
Schoolmaster
"Another term long ago explained by Professor
Mahaffy, but recently illustrated by the papyri, which gives a
new and important meaning to a Scripture passage is
paidagogos, translated 'schoolmaster' (Galatians 3:24).
This well-known individual was not the headmaster, but at best an
inferior instructor, often being a faithful slave whose chief
duty was to bring his master's sons safely to and from school,
guarding them from mischief on the way. When St. Paul said 'the
law was the pedagogue to lead us to Christ,' it was Christ of
whom he thought as the true 'teacher,' the Old Testament being
only the Father's trusty servant to bring the world to him."--
Camden M. Cobern in "The New Archaeological
Discoveries."
Hookworm
"One third of our planet's inhabitants had
hookworm. It is one of the oldest diseases recorded in history.
The Ebers papyrus, dating back to 1500 B.C., speaks of 'worms in
the abdomen,' and makes the hieroglyphic guess that the trouble
was caused by much handling of sand. It is more likely the
infection came from the sacred scarab, a creature so unclean that
it is commonly called 'the dung beetle.' Moses said to the
wanderers in the wilderness, 'And thou shalt have a paddle upon
thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad,
thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turn back and cover that which
cometh from thee.' Without that wise precaution against the
infecting parasite, the children of Israel
might never have seen the Promised Land."--S. M. Lambert in "A
Yankee Doctor in Paradise"
Parched Corn
"Harvest is the time for parched corn, not
what we lads in Ohio meant by the term. It is made thus: a
quantity of the best heads, not too ripe are plucked with the
stalks attached. These are tied into small parcels, a blazing
fire is kindled with dry grass and thorn bushes, and the grain
heads are held in it until the chaff is mostly burned off. The
grain is thus sufficiently roasted to be eaten, and it is a
favorite article all over the country. When traveling in harvest
time, my muleteers have very often thus prepared parched corn in
the evenings, after the tent has been pitched. Nor is the
gathering of this green grain for parching ever considered
stealing. After it has been roasted, it is rubbed out in the hand
and eaten as there is occasion."--W. M. Thomson in "The Land
and The Book."
The Goddess Justice
"The Romans, also, it is well known,
worshiped the virtues and affections of the mind, as Justice,
Fidelity, or Good Faith, Hope, Fortune, Fame, etc.;
and the same superstition prevailed among the inhabitants of
Malta, on which island Paul was shipwrecked. When they saw a
venomous serpent fasten on the hand of Paul, they concluded that
he was a murderer, whom vengeance--more correctly the goddess
Dike or Vindictive Justice--had not permitted to live (Acts
27:4). We learn from the mythological poet Hesiod, that the
Greeks had a female deity of this name."--Thomas Hartwell Home in
"An Introduction to the Holy Scriptures.
Fleeing Vipers
"No one who has traveled in the East can fail
to see the force of the reference in Luke 3:7, 'Ye offspring of
vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?' The
simile is obviously taken from the picture of the scrub fires
which are so common in the hot season. These are like prairie
fires on a small scale. Fanned by the wind, they spread with
extreme rapidity, while snakes and other reptiles, animals, and
insects flee terrified in front of the flames, and often flee in
vain."--Budden and Hastings in "Local Colour of the
Bible"
Lamp Wicks
"No priestly dress was ever washed, but when
soiled the garments were torn up and used as wicks for the Temple
lamps. The High Priest's vestments, however, were hidden, not
destroyed, and were renewed once a year."--Ibid.
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