Here’s an updated version of my printable calendar of Holy Days and other important dates.

Click here for a free, printable calendar (2023-2026) from Hebrew Roots Mom!

Most Believers feel they have some connection to the Holy Land through the stories and people in the Bible. Artzabox brings this connection to you through items sent quarterly from different locations in the Holy Land for you to experience in your own home.

This quarter’s box contains items from the Negev – the beautiful desert area south of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The Negev was Abram’s temporary home when he and his wife, Sarai, left Egypt after God had brought a plague against them because Sarai had been taken into the house of Pharaoh (Genesis 12). 

The Negev was also the place Moses sent the spies to explore in Numbers 13. They found colossal grape clusters and other quality fruits in this wilderness area. They also reported that the people living there were massive and strong! There are many other references to the Negev in the Bible. An angel spoke to Hagar there (Gen. 16), and Isaac and Jacob also spent time there. 

Click here to see my previous Artzabox reviews.

The Artzabox Subscription 

Artzabox has two subscription plans, standard and premium. The premium subscription includes a limited edition item, something exceptional not included in the other boxes! Boxes are sent quarterly, with a different location featured each quarter.

But an Artzabox subscription doesn’t just ensure you receive the unique items sent to your home from the Holy Land. Your purchase also supports Israeli charities and small businesses. In the two years Artza has been sending Artzaboxes, they have helped support over seventy Israeli small businesses and charities!  

Here are the items in this quarter’s Negev box.

Moroccan Tile Craft Kit

The premium item in this quarter’s box is such a fun addition! It’s a kit with all you need to create your own Moroccan tile like those in beautiful zellige tilework. My artist daughter took the challenge and used this kit to create the beautiful tile below.

The founder of Zuak Moroccan Tile Studio is Hadasa Sharet, an entrepreneur with a passion for bringing people of different cultures together. She uses art to accomplish this, creating beautiful tiles and kits to create your own easily.

Handmade Ceramic Olive Leaf Dish

This dish is a beautiful piece with a meaningful background. The olive leaves hand-painted onto this dish symbolize peace and reconciliation. Olive trees Biblically represent Israel, where even the Gentiles have a role in Israel, as described in Romans 11. 

If the olive leaf design isn’t enough to make this dish special, it’s created by the residents at ADI. This organization helps rehabilitate those with Down syndrome and special needs. These dishes are handmade by children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities at ADI, as a valuable part of their vocational program. 

Dukkah Spice Blend

Originally an Egyptian creation, this Israeli Dukkah blend is versatile and delicious! It can be used as a topping for your challah or added to vegetables or meats as they cook. It would be a tasty addition to hummus, or you could use it to make the Hearty Dukkah Yogurt Soup recipe included in this Artzabox. 

Or and Avi created this spice blend at Derech Hatavlinim. Their spice blends have been included in previous Artzaboxes, so I was excited to receive another one to try. They’ve all been unique and delicious!

Natural Deep Cleaning Facial Mask

This mask will leave your skin soft and renewed. It also has an earthy scent that’s just wonderful! Kelp is the ingredient responsible for brightening the skin, while hempseed oil softens. Your skin will be nourished by various minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. And, as a massive bonus to my teens, this mask can even be used as a spot treatment for pimples!

All this mask’s ingredients and oils are natural and grown locally in the Negev Desert of Israel. The mask is certified organic and created by Argot Organic Wellness, founded by Esther Lachman. All ingredients are grown organically on her farm near the Gerar river, where Abraham and Isaac once lived. The king of Gerar, Abimelech, took Sarah from Abraham when Abraham (again) lied and introduced Sarah as his sister (Genesis 20).

Super Berry Granola

I was excited to see this when I opened the box because I LOVE granola! This natural granola looks, smells, and tastes delicious! I tasted it with milk, but Artza’s recommendation on how to enjoy it (with a fresh dollop of yogurt and berries) sounds even better. I’m sure my children would love this served parfait style too!

Galit and Dany created this tasty and healthy mix in Ashdod, Israel. This husband and wife team strives to make food that’s not just healthy but flavorful and rich also. They certainly achieved that with this granola! It’s delicious, but you don’t have to worry about eating added chemicals or sugar. 

Olive Wood Cross

This attractive hand-carved cross is perfectly smooth to the touch. As I mentioned above, the olive wood has meaningful symbolism of the land and the people of the nation of Israel. The beautiful wood grain is exposed, and its natural look complements any decor.

Connecting Hearts Game

This game is great for families! At their turn, each player chooses a card and reads the question. For example, “My favorite Bible character and why.” The other players attempt to answer the question about the player that chose the card, and that player gives the card to the person they think answered most accurately.

Connecting Hearts is made by Hooga Games in Israel. They focus on creating an atmosphere where people can bond and have meaningful and unforgettable experiences. 

Postcards from the Negev

Postcards of the featured Holy Land area are included in each Artzabox. The postcards included in this box are high-resolution images of Park Timna and the Churches of Ancient Mamshit.

Park Timna is an ancient Egyptian copper mining area known for its rock formations that seem to defy gravity. Located along the main road from Judea to Petra, the ancient once-lost city of Mamshit was one of the main trade posts over 1,500 years ago. This postcard shows one of the churches found there, complete with an intact mosaic floor!

Negev Desert Crossword

This is the first time I’ve seen this included in an Artzabox. I’m excited to see it included because I love sitting down with a good crossword puzzle. The clues to the puzzle all have something to do with the items included in the box. What a fun idea!

This Artzabox was a fantastic box with many unique items! Aren’t you excited to see what’s in the next one? 

If you’d like to see what was included in the previous Artzaboxes I’ve received, visit my Artzabox page.  

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The second episode in The Chosen’s second season introduces us to the prophet Nathanael and Philip in their pre-disciple days. I love that the writers of The Chosen strive to be true to the Jewishness and cultural context of the Bible. We see this context reflected again in this episode and can also appreciate the creative license the writers take as they show the characters’ humanity.

Haven’t seen it yet? Click here to watch!

Click here to read my other posts Explaining The Chosen.

Nathanael Building the Temple

In the opening scene, we see Nathanael, a passionate architect and follower of the one true God. Thought to be the same person as Bartholomew in the Bible, we’re not sure of Nathanael’s occupation. The Chosen’s writers probably decided to make him an architect so they could explain Jesus’s later interaction with him in John 1:43-51. 

At first meeting in the Book of John, Jesus knew that Nathanael was of trustworthy character and said he “saw him under the fig tree.” In The Chosen’s interpretation, this is explained by Jesus knowing Nathanael’s dedication in designing the building in service to God and knowledge of his despair in his failure. We’ll be further introduced to Nathanael later in this episode. 

Philip Emerges from the Bashan

The Bashan is an area of land East of the Jordan River, and it’s the location of the Kingdom of Og in the Old Testament. It’s described as a fertile area, producing strong bulls and oaks, among other things. 

When Philip emerges from the forest, he tells Simon to say “hello” to his friend, Andrew. Although there is more than one Philip in the Bible, this Philip came from the same area Simon and Andrew did – Bethsaida. And, though we know little about him, some believe he was a disciple of John the Baptist before he was one of Jesus’s twelve disciples.

Prophecy Against Gog and Magog

When Matthew collects wood from the ravine, which turns out to be wet, the disciples quote Ezekiel 39:9-10 in unison. In this prophecy, the inhabitants of Israel would not need to cut wood because they would make their fires out of the weapons of their enemy – Magog, and Gog, Magog’s leader.

“Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them. They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them,” declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 39:9-10, (NASB)

Spoiler alert – in this war between Magog and Israel, Magog loses because it’s God that’s doing the fighting for Israel. This war is still in the future, in the End Times. The context describes a time when the people of Israel have returned to the land of Israel and the surrounding countries united against them. But, as any of us who have studied Revelation know, there will be challenging times, but God and His people will come out victorious in the end!

Nathanael and the Bartender

In his conversation with the bartender, Nathanael describes the death of the architect in him. He tells of his struggle to rise to that position and his passion for building synagogues out of his devotion to God. We don’t find this part of the story in the Bible, but it’s a creative interpretation to explain Jesus’s response to Nathanael as having “no deceit” in him.

Hebrew School

Jewish boys start attending classes to learn the Biblical Hebrew language and the foundations of their faith at eight years old. Jewish girls attend Hebrew school now as well, but Jewish boys have been participating in this tradition for thousands of years.

Because of Hebrew school, most Jewish boys and girls have a solid knowledge of their faith and their Bible by their teen years. What an excellent way to intentionally pass on their faith to the next generation! I’m sure Hebrew school has enormously contributed to why Judaism has survived so much persecution throughout history. 

If you’re a parent or grandparent or even know any children, passing your faith on is your responsibility too! The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, tells us what we should be doing with our lives as God’s people. Verse 7 clearly tells us that we should be diligent in teaching God’s truths to our children. 

Nathanael Under the Fig Tree

We’re not sure what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree when Jesus mentions it in the Book of John. Biblical scholars have even suggested Jesus’s referral to Nathanael under the fig tree may be symbolic language rather than a physical occurrence. But whether he was under a real tree or Jesus was using an idiom, we can be sure the meaning of Jesus’s words has great significance and reveals Nathanael’s key character traits.

In the fig tree scene, Nathanael cries out to God in despair and quotes Psalm 102:1-2.

Hear my prayer, O LORD!

And let my cry for help come to You.

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress;

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day when I call answer me quickly.

Psalm 102:1-2 (NASB)

Out of his mourning, we see Nathanael putting handfuls of ashes on his head. Like Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:19, he demonstrated his deep despair in this way. Ashes were placed on the head or elsewhere out of mourning and were often accompanied by putting on sackcloth as a humble garment.

“He’s proud of you, like a father”

When reminiscing with Andrew, Simon, and Thomas about his days with John the Baptist, Andrew interrupts to ask how John is. Philip then tells Andrew that John is proud of him – “like a father.” 

So, how do Andrew and John the Baptist know each other? Andrew was once a disciple of John, and he even witnessed an interaction between John and Jesus during his time following John. We can read about this in John 1:35-41. We tend to think of these men as having no connection with Jesus before their calling to follow him, which came out of nowhere, but that’s not the case, at least with some of them.  

John was Jesus’s cousin and recognized something special about Jesus, even in the womb (Luke 1:41)! He probably had many disciples throughout his ministry and baptized Jesus, being a first-hand witness to God publicly declaring Jesus His son (Matt 3:17, Mk. 1:11, Lk. 2:14). Because of this history between the two of them, you can be sure that John taught his disciples and others in his audience, who Jesus was.  

Prayer

Thaddeus comments that prayer is like Matthew’s writing. At first, it begins as a chore but becomes a habit. 

Prayer doesn’t seem like a chore, though, does it? I’d be curious to see how many of us thought prayer seemed like a chore when we first began. Often we’re eager to pray when we first acknowledge God as someone we can talk to. Praying isn’t so much a chore as a way to experience and build a relationship with the God we’ve heard so much about.

But, being a regular Jewish guy, this type of prayer isn’t likely what Thaddeus is referring to. He’s likely referring to Jewish prayers, which are deep and meaningful and are said routinely throughout the day or during specific activities. 

Here are a few examples of these types of prayers:

The Model Ani (Said later in this episode by Ramah, also in the previous episode)

The Shema

The Aaronic Blessing

Blessings on the eve of the Sabbath

The Amidah

The Hand Washing Blessing

While it may seem strange and robotic to say prescribed prayers throughout your daily activities, these prayers and their various customs and traditions have kept the Jewish people connected with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for thousands of years! Many argue that the process of repeating the same prayers could result in a cold, rote, and disconnected prayer life, and it could. But, like so many aspects of our faith, it depends on where your heart is. Having a disciplined prayer life can be a tool to bring you closer to God, as long as you approach it honestly and humbly, listening for what God truly has to say to you.

My family and I say some of these prescribed prayers regularly, and I have to say I agree with Thaddeus. It does seem like a chore at first (especially if you try to memorize them in Hebrew!), but then it becomes a habit – a way of staying connected with God throughout the everyday rhythm of life. If you don’t already, I challenge you to include some of these prayers in your prayer life and see how it changes!

Shalom, Shalom 

While traveling, Andrew leaves Jesus and Simon to take his turn pushing the cart. As he goes, they all say “Shalom, Shalom” to each other. Repeating “shalom” is a greeting, taking the place of both hello and goodbye, in Israel and among Jewish people even today. Why?

The word “shalom” is usually translated into English as “peace,” but, as I’ve written, peace isn’t its only meaning. There’s so much more! In short, shalom encompasses perfect completion. It’s a concept where everything is as it was meant to be, and true peace has been achieved universally. 

Repeating shalom also has meaning. In Hebrew writing and culture, repetition strengthens the message. Here are a couple of examples:

Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem,

You who have drunk from the LORD’S hand the cup of His anger;

The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs.

Isaiah 51:17, (NASB)

My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart!

My heart is pounding in me;

I cannot be silent,

Because you have heard, O my soul,

The sound of the trumpet,

The alarm of war.

Jeremiah 4:19, (NASB)

Repeating Shalom, Shalom when greeting someone not only extends all the word shalom encompasses to them. It doubles that and heaps even more of that extreme blessing onto them. What a fantastic way to greet others!

Soon

In Jesus’s conversation with Simon, Simon wants reassurance that Jesus will have the conversation about him not always being there “soon.” Jesus replies, “Ahh, There’s that word, “soon.” It’s the most imprecise thing in the world.”

The impreciseness of “soon” is confirmed by both our current culture’s definition and the Biblical use of the word. In both Revelation 1:1 and 22:6, it says that these things (described in the Book of Revelation) will “soon take place.” However, these words were written thousands of years ago, and many of those events have still not occurred. How can we make sense of this?

While we may not know precisely what the Bible means by “soon,” there are two things we can be sure of. The first is that God’s timing and ours are not the same. Time, as we understand it isn’t the same as the eternal, supernatural view of time held by our Creator. “Soon” on an eternal scale means something entirely different than what I mean when I tell my children that dinnertime is “soon.”

The other thing we know is that God does fulfill all He says He will. If it was prophecied in His Word, we know it’s trustworthy and can be confident that it will come about. So, if God told John to write that the things that happen in Revelation will happen, they will. Knowing that we can take God at His word, we can also say that, even though we don’t know how close, we do know we’re closer to the time of the events in Revelation than we were yesterday and, indeed, more so than they were in the time John wrote his vision down.

“Soon” is very imprecise and may mean very different things in different situations, but we know it means things are imminent on some level.   

The Bet Midrash

Mary tells Matthew that she wants to teach Ramah to read because she and Ramah want to study Torah. She tells Matthew that women aren’t allowed in the Bet Midrash. Bet Midrash literally means “house of investigation.” It was here that members of the Sanhedrin and common people gathered to study the Torah (the first five books of the Bible).

At that time, women weren’t permitted in the Bet Midrash, so they depended on the faithful men around them for that part of their faith. There are still some Bet Midrashes around today, and some even include women in their studies. For Ramah and Mary to study Torah, they’d have to find a way to do it outside the Bet Midrash. 

A bit later, when talking to Thomas, Ramah says, “It’s not like we’re trying to be teachers or anything.” Women were not permitted to be in positions of leadership or judges. Some synagogues hold this belief today as well, while others allow women to be rabbis.

Philip the Tetrarch

As they’re approaching Caesarea Philippi, Philip jokes about the city being named after him. Then he explains its true origin – that it was instead named in honor of “Philip the Tetrarch, brother of Herod Antipas” and says that this was a family that “does not take kindly” to his former rabbi, John the Baptist. 

He’s referring to the tentative relationship with Herodias, Herod, and Herodias’s daughter on one side and John the Baptist on the other. We read in Mark 6:14-29 that Herod had gone against the Torah in marrying his sister-in-law (who was also his niece) while his brother, Philip, was still living (Leviticus 20:21) and that John had publicly called him out on it. Because of this, Herod, Herodias, and her daughter all held a grudge against John, resulting in him being beheaded.

In Antiquities of the Jews, historian Josephus also recorded that John was imprisoned and killed by Herod because of the influence John had over his followers. Josephus stated that Herod feared a rebellion and punished John to prevent this. Josephus’s account and Mark’s account explain Philip’s comment to Matthew. John the Baptist would have had a bad reputation with Herod and his family for sure.

Gehenna

“…a cold day in Gehenna before they hire another Jew”, says Nathanael to Philip after Philip roused him and they discussed Nathanael’s circumstances. It sounds similar to the saying in our culture, “It will be a cold day in hell before…”. This phrase is usually followed by some situation the speaker finds implausible or something they refuse to do. Replacing the word “hell” with “Gehenna” is just another way the writers of The Chosen create exciting and realistic dialogue in the series.

The concept of Gehenna is like the concept of hell in that it’s a place of punishment for the souls of the unrighteous. Gehenna differs from hell in that the duration of punishment is usually considered temporary instead of eternal. Gehenna (or Gehinnom in Hebrew) is a Greek term for the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem. Biblically, this was where some horrific things were done in honor of idols. Among these was when Manessah made his sons pass through fire (2 Chronicles 33:1-9).

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Here, we again find someone scoffing at the possibility that the Messiah could have possibly come from humble Nazareth. Nathanael laughs when Philip suggests that Jesus of Nazareth is “The One.” 

Nazareth wasn’t highly looked upon at this time, as I wrote about in Explaining The Chosen: Season 1, Episode 2, and Episode 5. To think that the Messiah could have come from a place such as Nazareth was unheard of. This conversation between Philip and Nathanael is recorded in John 1:44-46.

Also in this chapter of John is the interaction between Jesus and Nathanael, depicted in the next scene. Verses 47 through 50 describe when they meet and return to Nathanael’s desperate moments under the fig tree.

And that brings us to the end of another great episode of The Chosen. I’ll get to work on the next one, so keep an eye out for Explaining The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 3!

Now available on Amazon.com!

Need a how-to guide for your Passover Seder? Do you want detailed instructions on how to keep the Sabbath? Here’s a book with all you need, including explanations, recipes, blessings, and more! It will be a useful resource on your Hebraic faith journey! Get yours here:

Bring Shalom to Your Home welcomes Christians to bring peace and completion to their lives by providing ways to live out their Biblical faith. Led by ancient traditions and Scripture, Holly Eastburg teaches the basics of practicing the Hebraic Christian faith through these topics:

The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith

The Sabbath (Shabbat)

The Biblical Holy Days (Moedim)

Passover (Pesach)

Unleavened Bread (The Feast of Matzah)

First Fruits (HaBikkurim)

Shavuot (Pentecost)

Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah)

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication)

Purim

The Shema

The Biblical Hebrew Language

A Biblically Clean Diet

Studying the Bible

The Biblical Calendar

Finding a Church

Teaching Your Children

Explaining Your Faith to Your Others

Bring Shalom to Your Home will guide you in experiencing spiritual growth and a deep faith practiced throughout your life.

From Cover: How can we, as Believers, bring peace and stability to our lives? By aligning them with the ways of our God! Bring Shalom to your Home invites you to do just that – to live out your faith Biblically and practically through the traditions of God’s people, embracing Him through His ways revealed in Scripture.

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Season 1 of The Chosen drew an enormous audience! We got to know the characters we’ve learned about in the Bible on a personal level through the imaginations of The Chosen’s creators. Those of us enamored by Season 1 were chomping at the bit for Season 2 to come out, and it didn’t disappoint!

Episode 1 of Season 2 brought us back together with the characters we’ve come to know so well. We get to meet the culprit in the robbery and beating of the man in the Good Samaritan story and be surprised by the compassion Jesus shows him. We also get an inside perspective of what John was possibly thinking when he started writing the Book of John by referring back to creation.

Looking for my other posts on The Chosen? Here they are!

I’ve heard from so many of you who enjoyed the explanations I wrote for Season 1 and have asked when I’ll cover Season 2. I appreciate your support! To write these posts, I usually watch each episode and take notes on what I find interesting or that needs explanation. I have to admit this episode sucked me in! I kept forgetting to look for things to explain and enjoyed the story – even after watching it numerous times. I did eventually focus and found some exciting points to cover. Here they are!

“Behold, I am eating a new bug.”

I know The Chosen’s writers added this sentence to the interview with Simon and Andrew for comic relief, but there is some truth to it, as the Bible does say John the Baptizer did eat bugs (Matt. 3:4 and Mark 1:6)!

The “bugs” he ate were locusts. Being a Jewish guy, John would have only eaten animals considered kosher, as listed in Leviticus 11. Locusts fit into a kosher diet because of their leg structure. They have legs that are jointed above their feet, which qualifies them as kosher, as opposed to other bugs (Lev. 11:21). Although we don’t consider locusts a delightful addition to our diet, they would have been an adequate source of nutrition in the wilderness, where John spent his time.

“It was the fourth morning of the third week of Adar.”

In his interview with John, Matthew (with facial hair! I almost didn’t recognize him!) says, “It was the fourth morning of the third week of Adar, sometime in the second hour,” He states that he wants his account to be precise. Now we know this is just a part of his character, but it’s important to note here that the Hebrew calendar is precise and has been for thousands of years!

The Hebrew calendar is an intriguing subject, and it’s unique in that God Himself created it! He says the reason he placed the lights in the sky in the first place was for His calendar (Gen. 1:14-19).

In this scene, Matthew refers to the month of Adar. Adar is a joyful month, where the holiday of Purim is celebrated as indicated in the Book of Esther (Est. 9:20-32). The date he refers to is the 19th of Adar. I’m not sure whether that’s significant to the story or the writers just had him use that date to point out that he’s being very exact in his testimony.

“During Shiva?”

John’s mother (also Jesus’s mother) questions his timing in recording the story of Jesus’s days on earth. She appears concerned for him and asks, “Why now? During shiva?”.

Shiva is a time of mourning as a Jewish custom. When someone in the family dies, the rest of the family “sits shiva.” Shiva is three to seven days long, during which time the family stays together in either the deceased’s home or another location and takes time to comfort and support each other.

We conclude that the disciples and family members are together at the beginning of this episode to sit shiva in mourning of Big James. John takes advantage of this time when they’re all together to get the story of Jesus’s life and ministry from those closest to him.

Remah

As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts on The Chosen, I love the names the writers chose for the Biblically unnamed characters.

The word “Remah” means “word” and, more specifically, “a spoken word.” This Greek word is used when Jesus responds to Satan while being tempted in the wilderness. He says, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word (remah) that proceeds out of the mouth of God'” (Matt. 4:4), and remah is also the word used for the “things” Mary treasured in her heart (Luke 2:19).

The owner of the field plowed by James and John (we find out he’s the robber who beat the man in the good Samaritan story) is named Melech, which means “king,” and Chedva is his wife. Her name means “happiness.”

The High Priest of Sychar

As they walk through the city, the disciples discuss the invitation Jesus received to have dinner with the High Priest of Sychar. Sychar was a Samarian city where Jacob’s well was located (John 4:5). The High Priest of Sychar isn’t mentioned in the Bible, but his meeting with Jesus would have been a big deal, and here’s why.

The Samaritans maintain that the Temple should be on Mount Gerizim, where they say Jacob dreamt of angels descending and ascending (Gen. 28:10-22), Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac (Gen. 22:1-19), and where the Tabernacle stood (Jere. 7:12). The Bible, however, records these events taking place on Mount Moriah, where the Temple stood in Jerusalem. The fact that the Samaritans worshipped on Mount Gerizim as the holiest place was one of the points of contention between the Samaritans and the Jews.

Because of this, it would have been considered very wrong for the Samaritans to worship on this mountain, and the High Priest would have been totally out of line by practicing there. But, as Mary brings up later in this episode, they weren’t allowed to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem either, so they had no place to worship. This disagreement on the appropriate Temple location makes the invite to Jesus from the High Priest of Sychar such an unusual one.

Later in this episode, the disciples find Jesus and introduce him to Gershon, the priest of Sychar. The man is dressed in priestly garments, speaks of a synagogue, and even has the sacred breastplate worn by the priests (Ex. 28). But this man is from Sychar, Samaritan territory. How is he a Jewish priest?

While we should note that this scene isn’t in the Bible, the history of the Samaritans explains what’s going on here. The Samaritans are of Israelite descent. When the Israelites were taken captive by the Assyrians, some Israelites remained with the Assyrians. Those that stayed intermarried with the pagan inhabitants and adopted some of their religious practices. Gershon (a fictional character, as far as I can tell) would have practiced a similar religion to that of the Jews.

Search Torah

During his conversation with Melech, Jesus tells him to “Believe my words, return to synagogue. Search Torah.”

The Torah is the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy but some also use the word “Torah” to refer to the entire Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh or the Old Testament). So, Jesus was telling Melech he should return to the synagogue and search Torah to hear what God had to say and realign his life with God’s plan for him.

Melech responds with, “I never learned to read,” but Jesus tells him to listen to the word read aloud. It was common for people not to be able to read in those days, and even those who could would have had a hard time getting their hands on a Torah scroll. Every Saturday (Shabbat), the scrolls were – and still are – read aloud in Hebrew in synagogues, so people needed to merely show up and listen to access the Scriptures.

“I don’t always address everything with new converts.”

Big James wonders why Jesus didn’t correct Neriah when he said the bedroom was haunted. Jesus’s response that he doesn’t address everything with new converts reminds me of the Jerusalem Council’s decision when deciding what to do about the “problem” of Gentiles in the faith.

In Acts 15, an uncommon problem faced the apostles and elders. Many Gentiles had embraced the Messiah, causing them to abandon their pagan lives and worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It doesn’t sound like a problem to us, but previous to this time of mass conversion, the Jewish faith consisted mainly of those who were Jewish by birth. The men were all circumcised, and adherence to Torah Law was presumed. Now, numerous people were joining the Jewish faith through the Messiah. To use Paul’s imagery, they were being grafted in to the Kingdom of God, just like Gentile Christians are today.

But, as Christians who embrace a Hebraic faith even today know, it’s challenging to learn and align your life with Laws you have only been newly introduced to. To aid these Gentiles in joining the faith, they gave them a short list of just four Laws to start them out.

The decision of the Jerusalem Council is similar to how we disciple new Christians in our churches and faith communities. Although we know there are changes they may need to make in their lives to follow Jesus, we don’t confront them with all of it on the day of their conversion. We know they need time to grow and will be led in sanctification by the Holy Spirit along their walk.

Morning Prayers

When Jesus wakes up in the morning, he says a prayer before he even gets out of bed. This prayer is a tradition, primarily among Jewish people even today, and it’s called the Modeh Ani.

Here’s the Modeh Ani in English:

I am thankful before You, living and enduring King, for you have mercifully restored my soul within me.
Great is Your faithfulness.

It’s traditionally said in Hebrew:
מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּים. שֶׁהֶֽחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי ,בְּחֶמְלָה.
רַבָּה אֱמֽוּנָתֶֽךָ

The Hebrew is pronounced:

Mo-deh ah-nee leh-fa-neh-ka meh-lech chai veh-ka-yahm. Sheh-heh-cheh-zar-tah bee neesh-mah-tee beh-chem-lah. Ra-bah eh-moo-nah-teh-chah.

It’s interesting to note that, in this prayer, we thank God for returning our souls. This idea stems from the thought that sleep is somewhat similar to death in that our souls leave us temporarily when we’re asleep. Thanking God for returning our souls can be compared to thanking Him for giving us another day on this earth, as He’s the one who blesses us with each new day of life.

The Sons of Thunder

After rebuking James and John for suggesting Jesus use the power of God to rain down fire on the Samaritans who mistreated them, Jesus gives them the name “the sons of thunder.”

This scene comes from Jesus’s conversation with James and John in Luke 9:51-56. The term “sons of thunder” was given to these two men by Jesus in Mark 3:17, but the Bible doesn’t tell us why. We can assume they tended to over-react or be aggressive by their suggestion to call down fire from heaven and Jesus’s rebuke in response.

Another example of James and John’s inappropriate boldness came from Mark 10:35-45, when these two stirred up trouble among the disciples, suggesting they be seated on Jesus’ right and left in heaven (encouraged by their mother, Salome in Matt. 20:20-28). Jesus responded that this position wasn’t his to grant but his Father’s.

Torah Reading

The priest of Sychar invites Jesus to read from the Torah scroll in their synagogue. Out of everything in this episode, this is my favorite part! It’s such an honor to read the words of God from an ancient scroll and in the original language. An invite to read from the Torah scroll at a synagogue is referred to as “Torah honors” in synagogues worldwide today.

It is quite the honor, as the person who will read has to have quite a bit of preparation ahead of time. Not only is the scroll in Hebrew, but it’s written without vowels and in an ancient language. It also has no chapter or verse numbers! To give you an idea of what it looks like, here’s a close-up taken while my son was reading the Torah scroll at one of our services.

Books of the Torah

The next scene shows inside the synagogue and the different Torah scrolls in their ark (cabinet where the scrolls are stored). The scrolls are covered with an elaborate cover called a mantle to protect them during storage and when they’re being handled.

Gershon shows Jesus to the ark, then tells them which book is in each scroll. There’s one scroll for each book in this scene. Some scrolls (like the one my congregation has) have all five books of the Torah in one scroll. He tells Jesus which scroll is which book, and he lists them in order with their Hebrew names:

Genesis (large scroll in the middle) – Bereshit, meaning “In the Beginning.”
Exodus (scroll to the right of Bereshit) – Shemot, meaning “Names.”
Leviticus (scroll to the left of Bereshit) – Vayikra, meaning “And He called”
Numbers (scroll on the bottom right) – Bemidbar, meaning, “In the wilderness/desert
Deuteronomy (scroll on the bottom left) – Devarim, meaning “Words.”

The signs in Hebrew below each scroll bear each book’s Hebrew name, except one. The sign under the Bemidbar scroll is not only upside down, but it also says “Book of Messages.”

As Gershon leaves, we see the prayer shawl Jesus is wearing. This ceremonial garment, called a tallit, is worn in synagogues and services mainly by men, but some women wear them too. It’s a long, towel-shaped piece of material, with tassels on the corners, called tzitziyot (singular- tzitzit). A tallit is worn to remind the wearer of the blessing of being one of God’s people. The tzitziyot (tassels) are a reminder of God’s commandments from Num. 15:37-41 and Deut. 22:12.

In this scene, we can also see the cherubim on the curtain in the background. The red curtain behind Jesus as Gershon is leaving has a gold outline of a cherub on it. This depiction isn’t typically what we think of when we picture a cherub. We probably think of a chubby baby with wings, but a cherub is a supernatural heavenly creature! It’s depicted here as a bird-like creature. We know what they look like from the description of the cherubim that were to be atop the ark of the covenant in Exodus 25. Just a note on the Hebrew for cherub vs. cherubim – cherub (כְּרוּב ke-roov) is singular, and cherubim (כְּרֻבִים Ke-roo-veem) is the plural form.

Torah Only

As John and Jesus discuss what Jesus should read in the synagogue, Jesus gently teases John with examples from Scripture of those who let their emotions get the best of them.

He mentions:
Moses striking the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20).
Baalam hitting his donkey when he was mad (Numbers 22).
Moses breaking the tablets (Exodus 32:15-35).
Jonathan storming away from the dinner table (1 Samuel 20:34).
Samson striking down the men of Ashkelon (Judges 14:19).

After the last two examples, Jesus adds, “Oh wait. They don’t have those scrolls.” He says this because the first five books of the Bible are the only scrolls in this ark, and 1 Samuel and Judges are on separate scrolls that this synagogue apparently didn’t have.

“I am who I am.”

Here, Jesus quotes God’s response when Moses asks His name in Exodus 3:14. In Hebrew, God’s response reads literally, “I will be who I will be” (אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה eh-yeh ah-share eh-yah). Jesus refers to this here, and John clearly understands the reference.

The names of God make for a fascinating study! You can learn much about His character by looking for what He’s called throughout Scripture.

By the Word of the Lord

When he and John were discussing Creation, Jesus again quoted the Old Testament, as he does in so many times recorded in the New Testament. He quotes David in Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.” This verse is simply astonishing. What an awesome Creator we have that can speak even the heavens into existence and a supernatural army to inhabit it! Wow!

Jesus’s Reading

Jesus carried the scroll to the bimah, the table on which the scroll is set. Before reading, he removed the mantle and picked up the yad, a pointer to follow along in the scroll while reading. You’ll see it when they show a close-up of the scroll. It’s a metal hand with a pointing finger. When reading a Hebrew scroll, it’s sometimes challenging to keep your place. The scrolls aren’t to be touched because oils from our fingers can damage the scroll and smear the ink, so you cannot follow your reading with your finger.

He reads in English because that’s what language The Chosen is written in, but these scrolls are read in Hebrew. He starts at the top right corner of the column, reading Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” He reads from right to left, as Hebrew is read.

But would you like to know something interesting? What he’s reading isn’t Genesis 1:1. In fact, he’s not reading from a scroll of Genesis at all! The top of the column on this scroll is Isaiah 4:1, “For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!” (NASB). The column continues through Isaiah 5:18, ending in the middle of the verse.

I’m not sure why the creators of The Chosen would have used an Isaiah scroll instead of Genesis. Maybe they didn’t have access to one, but I’m sure most of their audience didn’t notice the switch anyway.

Menorah

You’ll notice the synagogue is lit by menorahs (plural is menorot in Hebrew). The menorah is the 7-branch lamp stand mentioned throughout the Old Testament, described in detail in Exodus 25:31-40.

Jewish tradition infers that there’s more significance to the menorah than just an item to illuminate a room. It’s been compared to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden and the seven days of creation. For an intense study on the menorah and its relation to creation, check out The Creation Gospel by Believer Holisa Alewine. Her study and videos are quite compelling!

With the surprise introduction of the thief in the Good Samaritan story, a Torah reading from Jesus, and an idea of where John may have gotten the inspiration for the beginning of the book of John, this episode was just as well done as the others! Keep an eye out for upcoming posts on more episodes of Season 2 of The Chosen.

If you love the Holy Land, you’ll love Artzabox! This quarter’s box contains items from the Jaffa port on the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv, Israel. 

Not sure what an Artzabox is? Artzaboxes are unique and exciting subscription boxes that arrive quarterly, filled with items from local artisans in a selected area of the Holy Land. A new location is featured with each box, and each contains:

• Something for the soul
• Something to inspire
• Something to learn
• Something to taste
• Something to share
• Something for the body
• Something to cook
• Something to cherish

To read my post on the previous Artzaboxes, click the links below.

Artzabox: The Golan Heights Box

Artzabox: Gifts from the Holy Land: Judaean Desert Box

Artzabox: Gifts from the Holy Land: Galilee Box

Although the Jaffa port is similar to other bustling ports on the Mediterranean and worldwide, the Jaffa port is unique. Our Bible mentions it, and it has been used for over 7,000 years! 

Jaffa is called Joppa in the Bible, and this ancient city was built by Noah’s son Japeth. You can also find Jaffa in the story of Jonah. Remember when God told Jonah to warn the Ninevites about their wickedness? Jonah decided he didn’t want to, and he got on a ship destined for Tarshish, which was in the other direction. He went to the Jaffa port to board the ship, which he would eventually be thrown off, then swallowed by the fish (Jonah 1). 

Jaffa is the port where timber was brought by sea to construct the first Temple, Solomon’s Palace, and the second Temple (2 Chr. 2:16 and Ezra 3:7).

The apostles were in the area around Japa in Acts 9 through 11. It was in Jaffa that Simon Peter stayed at the house of Simon, the tanner by the sea (Acts 10:32).

Along with all of the intriguing history behind this Artzabox brings many unique items by artisans in the area. Here are the things included in this Artzabox.

Jaffa Room Diffuser

In each Artzabox, one item is only included for the premium subscribers. In this box, it’s the diffuser. The artisan who made this item is a perfumer named Shachar, and the scent the diffuser gives off is just heavenly.

With oils such as lavender, cedarwood, and patchouli, the Jaffa diffuser says it’s the scent of ancient Israel. And I believe it! It’s a pleasant, low-maintenance scent that brightens any room.

Malabi, Sachlab, and Topping Mixes

For the “something to taste “item in this box, Artzabox has included Sachlab (also called sachlav) and Malabi mix. Sachlab is a unique Israeli drink with a milk base and a thick consistency similar to yogurt. There are recipes included for both mixes. The Sachlab powder can be mixed with milk and is a delicious creamy drink you can make in minutes. Sachlab powder is made from ground Sachlab orchid tubers and has a sweet, floral flavor.

Malabi is similar to Sachlab but is refrigerated so that it thickens and comes out more like pudding. The nut topping makes it similar to a parfait. My family liked the unique flavor of Malabi, and it’s cool and refreshing – perfect for a summer snack! Artzabox also includes a recipe for Sachlab cookies, which were delicious!

The artisan creator of these mixes lives in Jaffa and is named Or. While not familiar to us as English speakers, Or is a beautiful name as it means light in Hebrew.

Jaffa-Inspired Trivet

This item is both beautiful and practical. It features a beautiful picture of Jaffa and an encouraging verse from the Book of Jonah (2:2) – “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me”. It could be used as a trivet for your favorite hot dishes or would be a lovely piece of art to decorate a wall in your home.

Patchouli, Vanilla, and Shea Butter Hand Cream

I think this may be my favorite item in this box. Its scent is rich but not overpowering. It’s creamy, not oily, and soaks into your skin quickly, leaving them velvety soft. Ido, one of the artisans that created this luxurious cream, recommends you rub it into your skin and close your eyes and picture yourself in a flower-filled meadow. It’s not hard to do!

Cranberry Biscotti

This treat is made by an American attorney who emigrated to Israel with his family in the ’80s. He quit practicing law to bring his talent for baking to Jaffa and the world. His family, the Dan Family, created this cranberry biscotti just for this Jaffa box and I’m so glad they did!

With a cookie-like taste and texture, this biscotti would be perfect for with afternoon tea or your morning coffee. 

Artza Jaffa Tote Bag

“Welcome to Israel” is the warm message on this tote. It features a picture of the Jaffa port, as well as the orange trees that surround the area. It’s the perfect size for groceries or to carry your stuff on whatever daily adventure you choose.

House of Simon Postcard

Each Artzabox I’ve received has contained postcards with photos of the beautiful scenery around the Holy Land. This one has a picture of the House of Simon the Tanner. One of the many ancient stone houses in the city, this home is thought to be the one where Peter stayed in Acts 10:6 and 32.

Tel Aviv: The White City Postcard Set

The “White City” is an area of Tel Aviv with a high concentration of Bauhaus-style buildings. These light-colored and uniquely-designed buildings were built by Jewish architects who fled Germany during World War Two. Bauhaus architecture got its name from the Bauhaus School of architecture closed by the Nazis. 

Bauhaus buildings were designed to be modern and visually interesting and were white or light-colored to keep them cool when the Israeli weather was hot.

This set includes 18 postcards, each with a different Bauhaus building on it and its name and the year it was built. The set comes in a box for gifting or for your stationery use.

Interested in ordering an Artzabox for yourself? For a fellow Holy Land lover? Use my coupon code for a 20% discount on your order – HEBREW20

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Here it is – the last episode of the season that drew us all in to The Chosen series. Like the previous episodes, this one was engaging and entertaining, as well as surprisingly Biblically accurate – with a creative twist.

If you missed my posts on previous articles Explaining The Chosen, find them here.

And click on the image to the right to watch any episodes you missed (or just want to watch again) in Season 1.

Jacob’s Well

This episode opens with Jacob talking to his sons, saying “This is the spot.” This scene refers to the story in Genesis, where Jacob has just met and reconciled with his brother Esau. After this, he settled in the Canaanite city, Shechem.

Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city.  He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.  Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Gen. 33:18-20, NASB

Jacob explains to Yassib that his God is called El-Shaddai. God gave this name to Himself in Genesis 17:1 when establishing His covenant with Abram. El Shaddai means “all sufficient God”. The word Shaddai is also used by itself in Numbers 24:4, commonly translated as “Almighty”.

Jacob tells Yassib that God is usually invisible but that “there was one time he broke my hip”. He was referring to the time he wrestled with God in Genesis 32:24-32.

In this scene, it appears that Jacob’s well is out in a field in the middle of nowhere. While it may have started out that way, this location has been well-preserved throughout history. In fact, we still not only know the location of this well, dug thousands of years ago, but it’s one of the most highly fought over spots on earth!

The Samaritan Woman

It’s at this same well that we meet the Samaritan woman. Recorded in John 4:1-42, it was at Jacob’s well that Jesus sat to rest and asked this woman for water. Here, we see her drawing from this well in the heat of the day. As we know from the Bible, her lifestyle made it so she wasn’t able to draw water with the other women. Because she was ostracized, she visited the well in the heat of the day and not in the cool of the morning, when the others were there.

In her conversation with her current husband, Neriah, Photina presents him with a certificate of divorce. He responds that “only a man can divorce his wife” so she’s had the certificate written in his name. The Law they’re referring to is found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. The purpose of this law was to provide for a divorced woman. In their culture, a divorced woman would have no rights to land or property and would have no means to provide for herself. The certificate would force the man to go through legal proceedings instead of just banish her. It legally allowed her to go back to her family’s household and to go on with her life, including being re-married.

Of course, the conversation between Photina and Neriah isn’t in the Bible, so The Chosen’s writers are taking some creative license here.

The Dinner Party

When the rabbis visit the dinner party at Matthew’s house, they refuse to enter because of the type of people there. There were tax collectors, as well as those from the “Red Quarter”, like Mary Magdalene (Episode 1). Yussif even says that mentioning what goes on in the Red Quarter would defile him.

It’s often thought that the Jews in the Bible didn’t mix with Gentiles because it was against the Law given in the Old Testament but this isn’t the case. In order to ensure they did not break any laws, they made “fences” around the Law.

For example, it’s against the Law to work on the Sabbath. But how does one define what’s “work”? Well, in order to help the people know exactly what qualified, Rabbis determined specifically what actions were “work”. This is why Jesus and his disciples were accused of breaking the Sabbath when they picked wheat from a field in Matthew 12:1-7 (Also Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-11) even though the Torah doesn’t specify that picking grain is forbidden.

While we may find it strange and maybe even wrong to create these “fences” around God’s Law, most of us do this in some way. I know many Christians who don’t drink alcohol, not because the Bible says it’s sin to drink but to prevent their drinking from leading to sin. This concept is the same as that of the “fences” but the Jewish leaders just enforced these things on a more corporate level.

Caiaphus

When Zohara was helping Nicodemus get ready to go, she mentioned Caiaphus, the High Priest. We already know this guy from the story of Jesus’s crucifixion. In Matthew 26 and John 18, he’s the one who accused Jesus of blasphemy. We also see him questioning Peter and John in Acts 4. She also mentions Eliav and Havilah and Moshe and Gideon. I love the deep meanings of the Hebrew names used in this series. Eliav means “my God is a father”, Havilah is the land mentioned in Genesis 2:11, Moshe means Moses, and Gideon appears in the book of Judges.

The Eschet Chayil

Zohara reminds Nicodemus of the Shabbats (Sabbaths) they were used to celebrating as a family. The Eschet Chayil is a blessing the husband says over the wife at the Sabbath table. You can read more about this blessing as well as the other Shabbat blessings and traditions in Explaining The Chosen: Episode 2: Shabbat.

Adonai El Roi

This is the name given to God by Hagar after she was told by an angel that she was pregnant with Ishmael. It means “God who sees me”. Our God does indeed see us! What a beautiful attribute of His! Interested in more of the names of God throughout the Bible? Visit my Names of God page.

The Son of Man

When Shmuel and Nicodemus are talking, Shmuel mentions that Jesus called himself the “Son of man” and said it was right out of the book of Daniel. He’s referencing Daniel 7:13-14, a prophecy about the future. But the “Son of man” is not only used here it’s found throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, it’s a term used to refer to Jesus. In the Old Testament, it’s used not only in Messianic prophecy but also to refer to the prophet Ezekiel and a heavenly being as well. The term “Son of man” is used in the Bible when there’s some sort of human form of God’s Spirit, so this applies to Jesus, Ezekiel (because of his prophet status), and to heavenly beings.

The Roman Decree

The Roman soldier is told to put out a decree banning religious gatherings and to make it in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. We see a close-up of the decree, which says the following in Hebrew:

בפקודת רומא ומענישה אותה ומעצר ובמאסר מפגשים דתיים מחוץ

הספר העברי אסורים בהחלט

המורה המכונה ישוע מנצרת מתבקש לחקירה

By order of Rome, and punishable by arrest and imprisonment, religious gatherings outside

the synagogue and Hebrew school are strictly forbidden.

The teacher known as Jesus of Nazareth is sought for questioning.

The Mezuzah

In the scene where we see Jesus’s followers preparing to leave Capernaum, we see Mary Magdalene touch her fingers to her lips, then touch the doorframe of her house as she leaves. Andrew does this as well.

As a reminder of the commands in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, also called the Shema, many place a small box, containing this scripture (or another), on the doorframe of their home. When passing through the doorway, they often kiss their fingers and then touch the mezuzah to remember this command.

One reason the Shema is important because it’s a summary of what we’re supposed to be doing with our life. We’re to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. We’re to keep His words on our hearts and teach them to our children. When Jesus was asked what the most important of the commandments was in Matt. 22, Mark 12, and Luke 10, he said it was the Shema! That means it surely warrants our attention!

Matthew’s Dog

When Gaius stops by the home of Matthew’s parents to give him the key to the house, he leaves the dog there as well. Why do they act so strangely to the fact that Matthew had a pet dog?

As I explained in my post on Episode 4, Matthew having a dog as a pet in that culture would have been very strange. It wasn’t only uncommon to have a dog as a pet, they were looked down upon. Biblically, dogs were used for hunting and herding (Isaiah 56:11, Job 30:1) but to compare someone to a dog was an insult (Deut. 23:18, Prov. 26:11, 2 Sam. 9:8, and others).

Traveling Through Samaritan Territory

Jesus’s disciples protest when he suggests they travel through Samaritan territory. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:7-14) make it well known that there was a rift between the Jews and Samaritans. The Jews and Samaritans have a long history of division. Many Samaritans are of mixed Jewish heritage and are mixed religiously as well. In addition to some practices of Jewish origin, they incorporate some pagan practices.

According to Josephus (Antiquities 18.29-30), the Samaritans took advantage of when the Temple was open during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and put human bones into the Temple areas to defile it. This is what Big James refers to in this scene, when he says they “profaned our Temple”.

Jewish writings refer to times when Samaritans would sabotage the signal fires the Jewish people used to inform surrounding areas of the New Moons, which indicated the beginning of months (Talmud of Israel, Rosh Hashanah 2:1, 70-71).

Thaddeus chimes in and says “they fought against us with the Selucians in the Maccabean wars”. This story, from the books of the Maccabees, recalls a time when the Jewish people were under great persecution at the behest of the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes IV. While it was a very dark time, this story did end well for the Jewish people. Their miraculous victory over the Greeks was celebrated on Hanukkah in Jesus’s time and we still celebrate it today!

Jesus responds with “and we destroyed their temple 100 years ago”. Here, he’s referring to the Jews destroying the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerazim under the direction of the Jewish high priest, John Hyrcanus, in 112-111 BCE. While we don’t have record of Jesus saying what he said in this scene, we do have his reference to this temple in the next scene, with the woman at the well.

Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:7-43, recorded in this scene. This is at Jacob’s well which was located near the town called Sychar, where Matthew suggested they get food.

This episode concludes Season 1 of The Chosen. Wasn’t it wonderful? I’m so impressed by how well this season was done. It’s entertaining but fairly realistic when it comes to characters and situations. I’ve loved digging into each of these episodes and finding the unique Hebraic insights they’ve included. I intend to cover Seasons 2 and 3 as well so keep an eye out for my posts on those in the future!