From the Category, “The Eastern Eye”

[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.”  As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.

In understanding the Scriptures it is important for us to understand the culture, but it doesn’t mean that we should necessarily follow that culture. Rather, it is in the understanding of the Eastern culture that we gain light and understanding about many things in the Bible.In the book of Acts you read about people bringing gifts of money to the apostles, and laying the gifts at their feet.  In our culture, that sounds strange.  If we were giving someone a gift of money, we would hand it to them.

In the lands and times of the Bible, when a man of God was leaving a home after visiting, he would pray with the people and bless their home.  The people of that house would then hand him a tray, which contained fruits and flowers.  He could then pick what he wanted from the tray before leaving the house.

However, if they were giving him money, they did not put it on the tray.  Instead, it would be wrapped and placed at his feet.  This they did as an indication that money was only a servant; money was not their God.

There is nothing evil about money.  Money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is the root of all evil.  In our culture today, we need and utilize money to carry out the daily affairs of our lives.

Problems arise when a person begins to love money for the sake of seeing how much money he can accumulate.  Then, money ceases to be a necessary servant, but rather a god.  And, while there are numerous wonderful believers in the Bible who had great wealth, their wealth was not their God.

I think it’s really great that on all our money, paper or coin, that we use here in the United States, you can read, “In God We Trust.”  What a wonderful reminder to us, every time we use money that we should trust in our God, not in our money.

Acts 4:35
And laid [them] down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4:37
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5:2
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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Resources
There are a number of books that you can read to get insight on customs, manners, idioms and meanings from the Eastern culture in which the Bible was written.  The best I know of were written by Bishop K. C. Pillai.  I have had the pleasure of listening to many recorded teaching by him.

He wrote three books, and they are hard to find, and are usually over priced.  But, if you want to you can check this link to see what Amazon has to offer. Light Through an Eastern Window

Another great resource that I have used for years is a book called, “Manners and Customs of the Bible,” by James Freeman. Mine was printed in 1972 and I know they have newer additions. For the newest edition, just click the link and it will take you to Amazon. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible (Pure Gold Classics)

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