Evidence for the Bible's Accuracy
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Vol. 88 No. 1,044 December 2018 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 470 Evidence for the Bible’s accuracy Also in this issue: Burying gladiators 437 Correspondence from 1948 446 The humble dandelion 455 Contents Zechariah: one invasion of Israel, or two? 466 TESTIMONY Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Contents Section Editors: DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; Publishing Editor’s column 437 Your Letters email: [email protected] Principled discipleship 464 Science; Archaeology Abigail, Nabal and David Kevin Dawn 439 The healing of the EDWARD CARR. 46 New Street, paralysed man 465 Donisthorpe, DE12 7PG. Miriam of Masada Elohim 465 Tel. 01530 271522; Barbara Booker 443 Zechariah’s final prophecy email: [email protected] Elohim Exhortation David Green 466 P. H. Adams 446 SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, The Parable of the Wicked Doune, FK16 6JD. The priests in the Husbandmen (Mk. 12:1-12) Tel. 01786 842996; Kingdom of God Mary Benson 468 email: [email protected] Mark Allfree 449 Watchman “Be ready always” For those who would be 3. Undesigned ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, kings (2) coincidences (1) Ling Common Road, Castle Edward Carr 453 Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, John Thorpe 470 PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; Science snippets “We beseech you” email: [email protected] One of nature’s best fliers Ray Ginn 473 Exposition David Burges 455 Index of titles 2018 474 JEREMY THOMAS (see above) From the judgement seat Principles, preaching and problems to the Kingdom (Review) York scenes 10. Nonconformist chapels GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 Alpha Geoff Henstock 456 Neil Galilee XXII Crescent, Panorama 5041, Going into Galilee in glory S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: [email protected] Paul Tovell 458 Australia Editor; Prophecy; “Male and female created Testimony books Reviews He them” Shaun Maher 461 Articles for publication Articles to be considered for publication are welcome and should be Testimony website: forwarded to the Publishing Editor (in Australia, the local editor) in the http://testimonymagazine.com first instance. Publication of articles in the Testimony does not presume editorial endorsement except on matters of fundamental doctrine, as defined in the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith. XXI “On the next day, when they had left Bethany, he became hungry. Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it; and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again!’” (Mk. 11:12-14, NASB). “Orchards of the common fig (Ficus carica) are often seen in Palestine . From the various references to figs in the Bible and other historical literature, there is no doubt that the fruit formed a very important part of the diet of ancient civilisations in the Near East. It was one of the seven fruits of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 8:8)” (F. Nigel Hepper, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Plants, pp. 110–1). Cover picture: Common fig (Ficus carica) Publishing Editor’s column HE CITY OF Pula, on the Istrian penin- with these and other sporting events from the sula in the Republic of Croatia, is home to Isthmian Games, which were held near Corinth several well-preserved monuments from every two years. There the victors were awarded T 1 the Roman era. Chief amongst these is the mag- “a perishable wreath” —“a corruptible crown” nificent Roman amphitheatre known locally as (AV)—made of pine leaves, conferring immense the Arena. Constructed over a period of nearly prestige on the recipient, yet short-lived and val- ninety years, beginning in 27 BC, the Arena is the ueless compared with the “imperishable” reward eleventh-largest of the 230 or so amphitheatres of eternal life for the faithful in Christ. known from the Roman era, with external axes Earlier in the same epistle, Paul describes the measuring 132 metres and 105 metres. It had a apostles being “exhibited . last of all, as men capacity of around 25,000, and it is easily one of condemned to death” (4:9). Here he appears to the best-preserved buildings of its kind. have in mind the tradition of the Roman triumph, A significant monument dating from the first an extravagant procession granted only to the century gives the visitor the opportunity to con- commanders of victorious military campaigns. sider what life was like for the Christian believers The custom was for Rome’s vanquished enemies of that era. Within the walls of the Pula Arena to bring up the rear of the procession, and to one cannot but reflect on the activities for which it be led into the amphitheatre for execution as a was built—what passed for public entertainment concluding treat for the spectators. The NIV’s in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ and paraphrase conveys the idea very well: “it seems the apostles. Amongst the events it hosted were to me that God has put us apostles on display at athletic competitions, theatrical presentations, the end of the procession, like those condemned wild animal hunts, executions of criminals, and to die in the arena.” elaborate reconstructions of military battles. Roman amphitheatre, Pula Part of everyday life Such entertainments were a part of everyday experience in the first century, as we can discern from allusions in some of the letters of the Apos- tle Paul. Speaking of the single-mindedness and self-control that must characterise the disciple’s effort to attain the prize of eternal life, Paul writes of running and boxing (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Paul’s Corinthian readers would have been familiar Testimony, December 2018 Contents 437 Double standards being practised by others. In his letter to the be- Most famous of all the events scheduled for the lievers at Rome, Paul writes of those who “knew Roman amphitheatre were the ‘games’ fought by God [but] did not honour Him as God” (1:21) the gladiators. The Pula Arena houses a small because in their personal conduct they “did not exhibition explaining gladiatorial life. One dis- see fit to acknowledge God any longer” (v. 28). play board is entitled “Burying gladiators” and There follows a list of the sins that Paul has in reads as follows: mind, at the end of which he delivers his knock- “As members of a special profession that out blow: “although they know the ordinance was regarded by the rest of society as hav- of God, that those who practise such things are ing negative connotations, [gladiators] were worthy of death, they not only do the same, but precluded from being interred in the usual also give hearty approval to those who practise burial grounds and were thus separated from them” (v. 32). other deceased individuals. Gladiators, as My own reading of Romans 1 is that Paul was also the case with prostitutes and actors, is addressing the sins of the Gentile world. He were socially stigmatised as infames, the ones speaks in verse 20 of things which are “under- who submit their own bodies for the pleasure stood through what has been made”—that is, of others, and were in accordance with this from observation of the natural world, rather buried in secluded parts of necropolises, or than from divine revelation. (Incidentally, we in smaller private necropolises situated close should note the inspired testimony that even an to the amphitheatre.” unenlightened man should conclude from his Reading this information, one is struck by an ob- observations that there is a God who created, vious contradiction. The gladiators were trained and not that the world has come into being by a at great expense, specifically for the entertainment random, unguided series of events.) Paul turns of the crowd, who could be relied on to flock to his attention to those whose understanding has the amphitheatre if a particularly bloodthirsty been enlightened by the Word of God—princi- engagement had been laid on for them. Yet pally the nation of Israel—in chapter 2. But even as individuals the gladiators were despised, if this reading is not correct, he declares that a even being denied a place in the public burial man is without excuse before God if, when he grounds once they had entertained the crowd condemns another man’s sins, he is guilty of the to their maximum potential and at maximum same sins himself—and he is guilty if he shows cost to themselves (namely, by being killed). The his approval of those sins by his willingness to inconsistency of this attitude is clear. Here is an be entertained by others committing them. The interesting insight into the social world of New case of such a ‘vicarious sinner’ is set out without Testament times. compromise as Paul’s argument progresses: Yet it is more than that: it is an insight into “Therefore you have no excuse . for in modern human thinking too. The nature of public that which you judge another, you condemn entertainment two millennia later may be more yourself; for you who judge practise the same sophisticated (and usually less deadly), but hu- things. And we know that the judgment of man nature does not change. Multitudes today God rightly falls upon those who practise such are just as willing to be entertained by activities things. But do you suppose this, O man, when which they would not participate in or even (so you pass judgment on those who practise such they would say) approve of.