Coloring Page

FRIDAY FOOD DAY

St. Peter's Fish with Parsley Sauce

In the Pacific regions or in small lakes in the United States, St. Peter's Fish are known by the name Tilapia or, more often than not, Sunfish. This fish tends to absorb the flavor of the water it is raised in, so it is important to buy from a dependable market or grocer. But when prepared well it is a great crowd pleaser: firm, light, and slightly sweet without that oily or fishy aroma. It is best to prepare these fish by baking, broiling, steaming, or saute´ing, making sure to avoid eating the skin, as it can leave a bitter taste.

• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 4 Tbsp. water
• juice of one lemon
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 6 St. Peter's fish, bass, or trout, filleted
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. onion, chopped

In a food processor, combine the parsley and the garlic with 2 Tbsp. of water and whir until the mixture is completely smooth. Thin the mixture with an additional 2 Tbsp. of water and mix well. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, covered.
On a flat plate combine about 2 Tbsp. flour with about ½ tsp. each of salt and pepper and mix well. Into this dip the fillets, coating well and shaking off the excess. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil and in this fry the fish until well browned on both sides. Transfer the fish to a preheated serving platter and set aside to keep warm.
Discard about half of the oil and in what remains saute´ the onions until golden brown. Sprinkle in the remaining flour and over a low flame cook until the sauce is a light brown, stirring constantly. Add the parsley mixture and cook, continuing to stir, for 2–3 minutes longer. Pour the gravy over the fish and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings

Source: Recipe adapted from www.holiveoil.com/services.html




That Jesus was preparing fish for the disciples to eat is probably more symbolic in nature than menu-related. (Fish was a symbol for early Christians, as the letters in the Greek word ichthus form an acrostic consisting of the first letters of an early confession of faith: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.) Yet taking the biblical passage at face value, this is what we know: the disciples were out fishing following the death and resurrection of Jesus when they spotted him on the nearby beach preparing a meal over a fire. As they returned to shore, he fed them with fish and bread, and it was by these actions that they were assured of who he was.

Source:Cooking with the Bible
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Fish, when available, did provide an important supplement to the diet of ancient peoples, so important, in fact, that Jerusalem had a marketplace called the Fish Gate (II Chronicles 33:14, Nehemiah 3:3; 12:39, and Zephaniah 1:10). Jewish dietary laws divided fish into clean and unclean food for consumption: those fish with scales and fins (that is, most fish) were considered clean (though eels were excluded, and shellfish were certainly prohibited [see Leviticus 11]). Fish, whether small or large, were consumed fresh or dried, salted or pickled, raw or cooked. The smallest fishes were thought to be particularly healthful, though the Jews seemed to have avoided young fish (other cultures did not). Often enough, fish were allowed to begin decomposing before being prepared for the table so as to achieve a distinctive taste. The eating of fish was also recommended during pregnancy. Fish brine was used as a seasoning, fish oil as a fuel, and fish skins as a writing surface; fish bones were fashioned into writing implements, hooks, needles, and hair ornaments.

The scriptures (particularly the New Testament) refer frequently to fishing—an indication of how important fishing was to the people of the 1st century. Many of Jesus' disciples made their living by fishing in the Sea of Galilee. In fact, Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, John, and other disciples who were fishermen must have been relatively well to do, for the scriptures seem to indicate that they were able to leave their boats and nets for long periods in order to follow after Jesus during his years of public ministry. Because the Sea of Galilee lies on the Via Maris, the ancient, heavily traveled trade road linking Egypt to the north and east, Galilean fishermen were readily able to trade their catches to traveling merchants, who would either consume the fish or pack them up for sale later. Perhaps it seems odd that Jesus, who was said to be a carpenter, would rely on fishermen to help spread his teachings, but he promised that they would be able to put their skills to good use, making them “fish for people” (Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17)—a phrase that has a double meaning, for they would proceed both to gather people and to “feed” those who hungered for the spiritual message they sought to impart.
Source:Cooking with the Bible

CHRISTMAS COLORING PAGE

WEDNESDAY WORD DAY

1Co 12:8  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 
1Co 12:9  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;


by ... by ... by — The first in Greek is, “By means of,” or “through the operation of”; the second is, “according to” the disposing of (compare 1Co_12:11); the third is, “in,” that is, under the influence of (so the Greek, Mat_22:43; Luk_2:27).


1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1Co 13:8
never faileth — never is to be out of use; it always holds its place.
shall fail ... vanish away — The same Greek verb is used for both; and that different from the Greek verb for “faileth.” Translate, “Shall be done away with,” that is, shall be dispensed with at the Lord’s coming, being superseded by their more perfect heavenly analogues; for instance, knowledge by intuition. Of “tongues,” which are still more temporary, the verb is “shall cease.” A primary fulfillment of Paul’s statement took place when the Church attained its maturity; then “tongues” entirely “ceased,” and “prophesyings” and “knowledge,” so far as they were supernatural gifts of the Spirit, were superseded as no longer required when the ordinary preaching of the word, and the Scriptures of the New Testament collected together, had become established institutions.
FROM JAMEISON,FAUSETT, AND BROWN COMMENTARY

In the New Testament, ekleipō, “to leave out” or “off,” is thrice rendered “fail” (Luk_16:9 “when it shall fail”; Luk_22:32, “that thy faith fail not”; Heb_1:12, “Thy years shall not fail”); ekpı́ptō, “to fall off or away” (1Co_13:8, “Charity (the Revised Version (British and American) “love”) never faileth”); katargéō, “to make useless” (1Co_13:8 the King James Version, “Whether prophecies, they shall fail”); husteréō, “to be behind,” “to lack” (Heb_12:15 the King James Version); apopsúchō, “to swoon away,” “failing” (Luk_21:26 the King James Version).

FROM INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA DICTIONARY

Over Peter's House

Floor House of Peter

The passages in Matthew and Mark indicate not only that Peter’s house was in Capernaum, but that it was extremely close to the synagogue. The house site is just outside the entrance of the synagogue remains, 84 feet to the south, less than a minute walk away. One of the miracles of Jesus occurred here—the healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5, Luke 7:1, Mark 2:1).

CHRISTMAS COLORING PAGE

HAMENTASCHEN (Haman's pocket)

The word hamentaschen (Haman pocket's).  It is made to look similar to a 3 cornered hat which was worn by Haman.  

Foods included in the preparation:

latkes (potatoe pancakes)

beans

peas

poppy seeds and other seeds

krepiach (ground meat wrapped in dough)braided challah (remembrance of the rope that hung Haman)

folares (pastry dough wrapped around hard-boiled eggs)

fish (baked in vinegar, raisins, and spices)

turkey

wine

Late in the afternoon a festival meal is served using several of the foods above.  The meal is clled  Seudah

HAMENTASCHEN

Hamentaschen

• ⅔ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup orange juice (without pulp)
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1⁄8 tsp. salt
• various preserves or pie fillings

Use cherry, apricot, strawberry, or other preserves as filling for these hamentaschen; don't be afraid to experiment.

Blend butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Slowly add orange juice and mix well. Combine with dry ingredients and form into a large ball. Refrigerate batter overnight, or for at least a few hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough as thin as possible on a well-floured board. Cut into 3" or 4" circles using a glass, and put a dollop of your favorite filling (perhaps prune butter or apricot) in the middle of each. Fold up the sides to make a triangle and squeeze the corners tightly so that just a smidgen of the filling is visible. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing them to a plate for serving.
Yield: 2–3 dozen cookies

OLIVE TREE

Olive Tree

ol´iv trē (זית, zayith, a word occurring also in Aramaic, Ethiopic and Arabic; in the last it means “olive oil,” and zaitūn, “the olive tree”; ἐλαία, elaı́a):

1. The Olive Tree:

The olive tree has all through history been one of the most characteristic, most valued and most useful of trees in Palestine. It is only right that it is the first named “king” of the trees (Jdg_9:8, Jdg_9:9). When the children of Israel came to the land they acquired olive trees which they planted not (Deu_6:11; compare Jos_24:13). The cultivation of the olive goes back to the earliest times in Canaan. The frequent references in the Bible, the evidences (see 4 below) from archaeology and the important place the product of this tree has held in the economy of the inhabitants of Syria make it highly probable that this land is the actual home of the cultivated olive. The wild olive is indigenous there. The most fruitful trees are the product of bare and rocky ground (compare Deu_32:13) situated preferably at no great distance from the sea. The terraced hills of Palestine, where the earth lies never many inches above the limestone rocks, the long rainless summer of unbroken sunshine, and the heavy “clews” of the autumn afford conditions which are extraordinarily favorable to at least the indigenous olive.

The olive, Olea Europaea (Natural Order Oleaceae), is a slow-growing tree, requiring years of patient labor before reaching full fruitfulness. Its growth implies a certain degree of settlement and peace, for a hostile army can in a few days destroy the patient work of two generations. Possibly this may have something to do with its being the emblem of peace. Enemies of a village or of an individual often today carry out revenge by cutting away a ring of bark from the trunks of the olives, thus killing the trees in a few months. The beauty of this tree is referred to in Jer_11:16; Hos_14:6, and its fruitfulness in Psa_128:3. The characteristic olive-green of its foliage, frosted silver below and the twisted and gnarled trunks - often hollow in the center - are some of the most picturesque and constant signs of settled habitations. In some parts of the land large plantations occur: the famous olive grove near Beirut is 5 miles square; there are also fine, ancient trees in great numbers near Bethlehem.

In starting an oliveyard the fellah not infrequently plants young wild olive trees which grow plentifully over many parts of the land, or he may grow from cuttings. When the young trees are 3 years old they are grafted from a choice stock and after another three or four years they may commence to bear fruit, but they take quite a decade more before reaching full fruition. Much attention is, however, required. The soil around the trees must be frequently plowed and broken up; water must be conducted to the roots from the earliest rain, and the soil must be freely enriched with a kind of marl known in Arabic as ḥuwwārāh. If neglected, the older trees soon send up a great many shoots from the roots all around the parent stem (perhaps the idea in Psa_128:3); these must be pruned away, although, should the parent stem decay, some of these may be capable of taking its place. Being, however, from the root, below the original point of grafting, they are of the wild olive type - with smaller, stiffer leaves and prickly stem - and need grafting before they are of use. The olive tree furnishes a wood valuable for many forms of carpentry, and in modern Palestine is extensively burnt as fuel.

From ISBE

Coloring Page

STRAIGHT STREET

 STRAIGHT STREET

Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

 illustration of the straight street one of the ancient thoroughfares ..

The direction given him is to go and enquire at such a house, probably an inn, for one Saul of Tarsus. Christ, in a vision, called to Ananias by name, Act_9:10. Possibly it was not the first time that he had heard the words of God, and seen the visions of the Almighty; for, without terror or confusion, he readily answers, “Behold I am here, Lord, ready to go wherever thou sendest me, and to do whatever thou biddest me.” Go then, saith Christ, into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas (where strangers used to lodge) for one called Saul of Tarsus.

  

G2117 (Straight street)
εὐθύς
euthus
yoo-thoos'
Perhaps from G2095 and G5087; straight, that is, (literally) level, or (figuratively) true; adverbially (of time) at once: - anon, by and by, forthwith, immediately, straightway.

G5087
τίθημι
tithēmi
tith'-ay-mee
A prolonged form of a primary word θέω theō (which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses); to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from G2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while G2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate): - + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.

G2095

εὖ

eu

yoo

Neuter of a primary word εὖς eus (good); (adverbially) well: - good, well (done).

Into the street which is called Straight - This street extends now from the eastern to the western gate, about three miles, crossing the whole city and suburbs in a direct line. Near the eastern gate is a house, said to be that of Judah, in which Paul lodged. There is in it a very small closet, where tradition reports that the apostle passed three days without food, until Ananias restored him to sight. Tradition also says that he had here the vision recorded in 2Co_12:2. There is also in this street a fountain whose water is drunk by Christians, in remembrance of what, they suppose, the same fountain produced for the baptism of Paul (Robinson, Calmet).

Albert Barnes Commentary

Damascus (Esh-Sham). In Straight Street

400 x 291 | 28.9 KB

BEAUTIFUL GATE

How the people that were eye-witnesses of this miracle were influenced by it we are next told. 1. They were entirely satisfied in the truth of the miracle, and had nothing to object against it. They knew it was he that sat begging at the beautiful gate of the temple, Act_3:10. He had sat there so long that they all knew him; and for this reason he was chosen to be the vessel of this mercy. Now they were not so perverse as to make any doubt whether he was the same man, as the Pharisees had questioned concerning the blind man that Christ cured, Joh_9:9, Joh_9:18. They now saw him walking, and praising God (Act_3:9), and perhaps took notice of a change in his mind; for he was now as loud in praising God as he had before been in begging relief. The best evidence that it was a complete cure was that he now praised God for it. Mercies are then perfected, when they are sanctified. 2. They were astonished at it: They were filled with wonder and amazement (Act_3:10); greatly wondering, Act_3:11. They were in an ecstasy. There seems to have been this effect of the pouring out of the Spirit, that the people, at least those in Jerusalem, were much more affected with the miracles the apostles wrought than they had been with those of the same kind that had been wrought by Christ himself; and this was in order to the miracles answering their end. 3. They gathered about Peter and John: All the people ran together unto them in Solomon's porch: some only to gratify their curiosity with the sight of men that had such power; others with a desire to hear them preach, concluding that their doctrine must needs be of divine origin, which thus had a divine ratification. They flocked to them in Solomon's porch, a part of the court of the Gentiles, where Solomon had built the outer porch of the temple; or, some cloisters or piazzas which Herod had erected upon the same foundation upon which Solomon had built the stately porch that bore his name, Herod being ambitious herein to be a second Solomon. Here the people met, to see this great sight.
From Henry Matthew's Commentary

(1) Wall, “Hel,” “Soregh,” Gates.
In the upper or northerly part of this large area, on a much higher level, bounded likewise by a wall, was a second or inner enclosure - the “sanctuary” in the stricter sense (Josephus, BJ, V, v, 2) - comprising the court of the women, the court of Israeland the priests' court, with the temple itself (Josephus, Ant., XV, xi, 5). The surrounding wall, according to Josephus (BJ, V, v, 2), was 40 cubits high on the outside, and 25 on the inside - a difference of 15 cubits; its thickness was 5 cubits. Since, however, the inner courts were considerably higher than the court of the women, the difference in height may have been some cubits less in the latter than in the former (compare the different measurements in Kennedy, ut supra, 182), a fact which may explain the difficulty felt as to the number of the steps in the ascent (see below). Round the wall without, at least on three sides (some except the West), at a height of 12 (Mid.) or 14 (Jos) steps, was an embankment or terrace, known as the ḥēl (fortification), 10 cubits broad (Mid. says 6 cubits high), and enclosing the whole was a low balustrade or stone parapet (Josephus says 3 cubits high) called the ṣōrēgh, to which were attached at intervals tablets with notices in Greek and Latin, prohibiting entry to foreigners on pain of death (see PARTITION, WALL OF). From within the ṣōrēgh ascent was made to the level of the ḥēl by the steps aforesaid, and five steps more led up to the gates (the reckoning is probably to the lower level of the women's court). Nine gates, with two-storied gatehouses “like towers” (Josephus, BJ, V, v, 3), are mentioned, four on the North, four on the South, and one on the East - the last probably to be identified, though this is still disputed (Waterhouse, etc.), with the “Gate of Nicanor” (Mid.), or “Corinthian Gate” (Jos), which is undoubtedly “the Beautiful Gate” of Act_3:2, Act_3:10 (see for identification, Kennedy, ut supra, 270). This principal gate received its names from being the gift of a wealthy Alexandrian Jew, Nicanor, and from its being made of Corinthian brass. It was of great size - 50 cubits high and 40 cubits wide - and was richly adorned, its brass glittering like gold (Mid., ii. 3). See BEAUTIFUL GATE. The other gates were covered with gold and silver (Josephus, BJ, V, v, 3).
From ISBE

                                                                                                                       

F

                                                                   

How Eastern Gate was Found

    When archaeologist Charles Warren dug in front of this gate in the 1860's, he discovered a heavy wall that formed a courtyard identical to those at Megiddo which was constructed by King Solomon. Additionally, the masonry of the lower courses on either side of the East Gate has been identified by Dr. Leen Ritmeyer as being identical to that of the, nearby, "Projecting Tower" which also was explored by Charles Warren. This tower was excavated, later, by Dame Kathleen Kenyon in the 1960's and she described the stones used in its construction as being "of the character identified as Phoenician at Samaria, with irregularly projecting bosses having unequal margins on one, two, or three sides. Solomon's use of Phoenician masons is undoubted." I Kings 9:15 says, "And this is the reason of the levy which King Solomon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer."

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I Kings 9: 15

The gate at Megiddo includes a courtyard in front which is created by heavy, angular walls. A heavy, angular wall was discovered in front of the eastern gate of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem by Charles Warren in the late 19th century. 

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THE SOLOMONIC NATURE OF THE EAST GATE OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT  
    I Kings 9:15 says, "And this is the reason of the levy which King Solomon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer." The East Gate was built into Solomon’s Temple Mount retaining wall directly east of where the Temple once stood. Is it possible that Solomon would have built his typical six-chambered gateway at that point in the wall as he did at Megiddo, Hazor, and Gezer? Who would ever dare to mention such a possibility? The answer is - the Prophet Ezekiel: Ezekiel 40:6 Then he took me over to the passageway that goes through the eastern wall… 7 Walking on through the passageway I saw that there were three guardrooms on each side… “TLB”10 And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side. KJVThree guardrooms on each side! That’s a six-chambered gate just like the others Solomon built. Not only do we find a six-chambered gate on the east of the Temple but Ezekiel also describes another one on the north at the Sheep Gate: Ezekiel 40:20 As I followed, he left the eastern passageway and went over to the passage through the northern wall and measured it.21 Here too there were three guardrooms on each side, and all the measurements were the same as for the east passageway…  “TLB” The King James Bible translates verses 21: And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side.Verses 10, 20 and 21 are also translated with the same six-chambered gateway in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible. The three inner wall gates were also the same (vs. 28, 32, 35 “TLB”).  Although Ezekiel is here describing the Millennial Temple, walls and gates, the vision is patterned after God’s instructions (I Kings 6:11, 12; I Chron. 28:11-21) given to David and Solomon for the literal building of the First Temple complex of which Ezekiel and all the people of Jerusalem had intimate knowledge. Israel lost Solomon’s Temple because of sin but was promised another if she would repent (Deut. 30:1-10). It would be essential that the two Temples be the same in order to assure the people of the fulfillment of the promise. Inasmuch as the Holy Place, Holy of Holies, courtyards and other measurements in Solomon and Ezekiel’s Temples are the same we conclude that Ezekiel’s Temple is Solomon’s Temple with a few adaptations to fit the new enlarged Kingdom. Both were inspired by the same Divine Designer, "Then David gave to Solomon the pattern... And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit... (I Chronicles 28: 11, 12), "All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern." (I Chronicles 28: 19).
    In the 1860's Charles Warren explored a large tower south of the Temple Mount. This same tower was excavated by Dame Kathleen Kenyon in the 1960's (SII). The construction of the tower and its attatched wall is of ashlars with roughly hewn bosses and irregular margins and the ashlars in the stone courses are laid in a header-and-stretcher fashion. Kenyon described the ashlars as being "of the character identified as Phoenician at Samaria,with irregularly projecting bosses having unequal margins on one, two, or three sides. Solomon's use of Phoenician masons is undoubted." The lower courses on either side of the East Gate in the Eastern wall are identical to the courses of the tower. The monolithic gate posts inside the East Gate belong to Solomon's original gate!
    While visiting the Temple Mount in 1984, I took a picture of the back side of the East Gate of the Temple Mount. While examining the picture, my brother Bill noticed some scaffolding that had been set up during reconstruction of the gate and he suggested that we compare the standard measurements of the scaffolding with the width of the current guardhouse. This allowed us to get an approximate measurement of the width of the existing structure - 48 feet, the same width as Solomon’s six-chambered gate in Megiddo and The Ophel Gate (Horse Gate) in the City of David. To prevent the enemy from a direct assault, Solomon constructed a wall in front of the East Gate, similar to the one at Megiddo. The wall formed a courtyard in front of the gate and changed the direction of entrance ninety degrees. The Ophel Gate (Horse Gate) also has a wall in front of it (attached to the tower constructed with huge, Phonecian, ashlars). Because of the topography, the courtyards varied in shape; however, the area of each is about the same. The Horse Gate and East Gate courtyard walls were both discovered in 1867 by the eminent British archaeologist, Captain Charles Warren, and date to the time of King Solomon.

 

The East Gate of the Temple Mount

This existing guardhouse may be built directly on the foundations of Solomon's Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount. It measures 48 feet across, which can be seen here by comparison to the scaffolding. The Ophel Gate (Horse Gate) measures 48.5 feet across and the Solomonic Gate at Megiddo measures 48 feet across. According to Dr. Leen Ritmeyer, the monolithic gate posts inside this gate have the identical characteristics of the Phoenician ashlars used by Solomon in the construction of the nearby tower at the Ophel Gate (Horse Gate).

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Captain Charles Warren's chart

The East Gate area was excavated by Captain Charles Warren in 1867 and his chart clearly shows the characteristic courtyard wall in front of the gate, identical to that found in Megiddo. Captain Warren also found a similar courtyard wall in front of the Horse Gate to the south.

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Solomon's Gate in Jerusalem

Chart by Charles Warren showing Solomonic characteristics of the eastern gate of the Temple Mount.

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Bliss and Dickie's chart

This magnificent courtyard wall, found by Warren, had a tower connected to it's northern end.  This tower incorporated huge Phoenician ashlars in its construction and is dated to the time of King Solomon. The gate and city wall here have been shown to be older than the tower and therefore could have been counstructed by Solomon's father. Eilat Mazar uncovered a four-chambered gate in the city wall which is protected by the courtyard wall. This is the Horse Gate and it is unfortunate that it has been mistakenly identified as the Water Gate which is located to the south above the Gihon Spring. 

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Report on First Temple Period wall found in Jerusalem - http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/07/31/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-33954

From Biblical Archaeological Truth

Kids Coloring Page

Kid's Coloring Page

LAMB WITH FIGS AND RED WINE

Lamb with Figs and Red Wine

• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cubed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 ½ cups dry red wine (not cooking sherry)
• ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. dried mustard
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup dried figs, cut into quarters
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• bed of hot rice

In an electric frying pan, brown the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until golden brown. Add the lamb and cook at a high temperature until the meat is well seared, being careful that the mixture does not burn. Stir in the chicken stock, wine, vinegar, bay leaves, dried spices, and salt, and bring to a boil. Place the cover on the frying pan and simmer until lamb is almost tender, about 1 hour.

Add figs and brown sugar, cover and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until lamb is tender. Bring to a final boil so that the lamb has a brown sugar glaze, and serve hot over a bed of rice.

Yield: 8–10 servingsd

FIG TREE

2. Natural History of the Fig-Tree

The Ficus carica, which produces the common fig, is a tree belonging to the Natural Order Urticaceae, the nettle family, which includes also the banyan, the India rubber fig-tree, the sycamore fig and other useful plants. Fig-trees are cultivated all over the Holy Land, especially in the mountain regions. Wild fig-trees - usually rather shrubs than trees - occur also everywhere; they are usually barren and are described by the fellahin as “male” trees; it is generally supposed that their presence is beneficial to the cultivated variety. The immature flowers harbor small insects which convey pollen to the female flowers and by their irritating presence stimulate the growth of the fruit. Artificial fertilization has been understood since ancient times, and there may be a reference to it in Amo_7:14.
Fig-trees are usually of medium height, 10 or 15 ft. for full-grown trees, yet individual specimens sometimes attain as much as 25 ft. The summer foliage is thick and surpasses other trees of its size in its cool and dense shade. In the summer owners of such trees may be seen everywhere sitting in their shadow (Joh_1:48). Such references as Mac Amo_4:4; Zec_3:10, etc., probably are to this custom rather than to the not uncommon one of having a fig-tree overhanging a dwelling.
From ISBE

SIMON OF CYRENE

From Kids Coloring Page

COLORING PAGE

CYRENE

Mat 27:32  

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

CYRENE

sı̄-rē´nē (Κυρήνη, Kurḗnē “wall”):

1. Location
Cyrene was a city of Libya in North Africa, lat. 32 degrees 40´ North, long. 22 degrees 15´ East. It lay West of ancient Egypt, from which it was separated by a portion of the Libyan desert, and occupied the territory now belonging to Barca and Tripoli. It was situated upon an elevated plateau about 2,000 ft. above the sea, from which it was distant some 10 miles. A high range of mountains lies to the South, about 90 miles inland. This shelters the coast land from the scorching heat of the Sahara. The range drops down toward the North in a series of terrace-like elevations, Thus giving to the region a great variety of climate and vegetation. The soil is fertile.

2. History
Cyrene was originally a Greek colony rounded by Battus in 630 bc. Because of the fertility of the soil, the great variety in climate and vegetation, together with its commercial advantages in location, the city soon rose to great wealth and importance. Greater fame, however, came to it through its distinguished citizens. It was the home of Callimachus the poet, Carneacles the founder of the New Academy at Athens, and Eratosthenes the mathematician. To these must be added, from later times, the elegant ancient Christian writer Synesius. So important did this Greek colony become that, in little more than half a century, Amasis II of Egypt formed an alliance with Cyrene, marrying a Greek lady of noble, perhaps royal, birth (Herod. ii.181). Ptolemy III (Euergetes I), 231 bc, incorporated Cyrene with Egypt. The city continued, though with much restlessness, a part of the Egyptian empire until Apion, the last of the Ptolemies, willed it to Rome. It henceforth belonged to a Roman province. In the middle of the 7th century, the conquering Saracens took possession of Cyrene, and from that time to this it has been the habitation of wandering tribes of Arabs.
3. Biblical Importance
Cyrene comes into importance in Biblical history through the dispersion of the Jews. Ptolemy I, son of Lagus, transported Jews to this and other cities of Libya (Josephus, CAp, II, 4) and from this time on Jews were very numerous there. By the return of the Jews of the Dispersion to the feasts at Jerusalem, Cyrenians came to have a conspicuous place in the New Testament history. “A man of Cyrene, Simon by name,” was caught by the Roman soldiers and compelled to bear the cross of Jesus (Mat_27:32; compare Mar_15:21; Luk_23:26). See CYRENIAN. Jews from Cyrene were among those present on the day of Pentecost. Their city appears as one of the important points in the wide circle of the Dispersion described by Peter in his sermon on that occasion (Act_2:10). Cyrenian Jews were of sufficient importance in those days to have their name associated with a synagogue at Jerusalem (Act_6:9). And when the persecution arose about Stephen, some of these Jews of Cyrene who had been converted at Jerusalem, were scattered abroad and came with others to Antioch and preached the word “unto the Jews only” (Act_11:19, Act_11:20 the King James Version), and one of them, Lucius, became a prophet in the early church there. In this case, as in so many others, the wise providence of God in the dispersion of the Jews in preparation for the spread of the gospel of the Messiah is seen.
4. Archaeology
In the ruins of Cyrene are to be seen the remains of some beautiful buildings, and a few sculptures have been removed. The most interesting remains of the wondrous civilization of this Greek colony are in a great system of tombs, some built, but the finest cut in the solid rock of the cliff. Doric architecture and brilliant decorative painting adorn these tombs.
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Coins of Cyrene

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Literature
Herodotus ii; Josephus, Apion; Thrige, Res Cyrenensium.

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) A man of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus (Mat_27:32; Mar_15:21; Luk_23:26). Mark calls him “the father of Alexander and Rufus,” well-known members of the church at (probably) Rome (compare Act_19:33; Rom_16:13). See 

CYRENIAN

SIMON

sı̄´mon (Σίμων, Sı́mōn):

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SWORD

From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The sword (ḥerebh) is by far the most frequently mentioned weapon in Scripture, whether offensive or defensive. The blade was of iron (1Sa_13:19; Joe_3:10). It was hung from the girdle on the left side, and was used both to cut and to thrust. Ehud's sword (Jdg_3:16) was double-edged and a cubit in length, and, as he was left-handed, was worn on his right thigh under his clothes. The sword was kept in a sheath (1Sa_17:51); to draw the sword was the signal for war (Eze_21:3). Soldiers are “men who draw the sword.” It is the flashing sword (Nah_3:3); the oppressing sword (Jer_46:16); the devouring sword (2Sa_18:8; Jer_12:12); the sword which drinks its fill of blood (Isa_34:5, Isa_34:6). The sword of the Lord executes God's judgments (Jer_47:6; Eze_21:9, Eze_21:10).
Figurative: In the highly metaphorical language of the prophets it stands for war and its attendant calamities (Jer_50:35-37; Eze_21:28).
In the New Testament machaira is employed for sword in its natural meaning (Mat_26:47, Mat_26:51; Act_12:2; Heb_11:34, Heb_11:37). Paul calls the Word of God the sword of the Spirit (Eph_6:17); and in the Epistle to Hebrews the Word of God is said to be sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb_4:12). As a synonym the word rhomphaı́a is used in the Apocrypha alone of the New Testament books, save for Luk_2:35. It was the Thracian sword with large blade, and is classed by the ancients rather as a spear. The word is used frequently in the Septuagint like machaira to translate ḥerebȟ. In Rev_1:16 the sharp two-edged sword of judgment, rhomphaı́a is seen in vision proceeding out of the mouth of the glorified Lord (compare Rev_19:15). Xı́phos is still another word for sword, but it is found only in the Septuagint, and not in the New Testament.

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