The Jordan River figures prominently in Biblical history, but the river itself isn’t as impressive as the events that surround it. Still, covering about 70 miles in length, it’s the biggest river in Israel and its waters feed a fertile valley situated between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Melting snow from Mount…

John the Baptist identified three types of baptisms: By water, by the Holy Spirit, and by fire. But what do those mean? In John’s use, water baptism was a symbol of repentance in the heart and mind of the person who was baptized. “The Jew who accepted baptism from John,” explains one Bible scholar, “confessed…

John the Baptist was a notable figure who shows up in both Bible history and Roman historical records from the time of Jesus. Here’s what we know about him: His father Zechariah was a temple priest, and his mother Elizabeth was a relative of Jesus’ mother, Mary. In that sense, John and Jesus may have…

Reader Appeal: Students, Pastors, Youth Pastors Genre: Cultural / Historical Reference FBSN Rating: B   One big obstacle to understanding the Bible, especially for younger Christians, is the enormous cultural differences between our modern society and the lives of the ancients. In an age of international democratization, media saturation, and moral intolerance, how are we…

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