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Herod the Great Herod the Great was the Roman-appointed king of Judea (37–4 BC) at the time of Jesus’ birth (Matt 2:1; Luke 1:5). He was a strong military leader, a brilliant politician, and a cruel tyrant.
Abraham “By faith . Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land. He went without knowing where he was going. Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him” (Heb 11:8, 17).
The Son of Man The Hebrew and Aramaic idiom “son of man” simply means “human being.” But the majestic yet humble figure in Daniel 7:13-14, who is “like a son of man”—meaning that he looked like a man—also appears to be much more.
Aaron Moses’ older brother, Aaron (see Exod 6:20; 7:7), played a crucial role in founding Israel and its institutions, particularly the priesthood. He first appears after Moses’ calling at the burning bush (Exod 3:1–4:17).
Jethro (Reuel) Jethro, also called Reuel (Exod 2:16-18; Num 10:29), was “the priest of Midian” (Exod 2:16). Moses rescued Jethro’s seven daughters from the rough treatment of other shepherds at a well and helped them water their flocks.
Rome In the first century AD Rome was both a cosmopolitan city and a mighty empire that had brought peace and stability to the Mediterranean world.
John, Son of Zebedee John, brother of James and son of Zebedee, was one of the twelve apostles. Early tradition identifies him as the author of the Gospel of John, the Letters of John, and the book of Revelation.
Timothy Timothy traveled with Paul for much of his missionary career and was one of Paul’s best-loved and most trusted assistants. Two of Paul’s last letters were written to Timothy at a time when Timothy was providing leadership for the...
Herod Agrippa I Herod Agrippa I was Herod the Great’s grandson, Herod Antipas’s nephew, and Herodias’s brother. Agrippa I ruled the whole of Palestine for a short time following the death of Jesus, during the very early days of the Christian movement (AD 41–44).
Joab Joab was David’s nephew, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chr 2:13-16); his brothers were Abishai and Asahel. Joab became commander of David’s armies because of his bravery and military skill (2 Sam 2:18; 8:16; 11:1; 1 Chr 18:15).
Joseph Joseph is known for his dreams and for the beautiful coat his father, Jacob, gave him. He is an example of faith, prudence, and administrative ability. Despite overwhelming difficulties, Joseph saved Canaan, Egypt, and his own family from starvation during seven years of drought.
Samson Samson is a prime illustration of God’s using a person for good in spite of that person’s indifference and sin. Samson was a rescuer of Israel without even trying or caring. He did not seem to care about his...
The Medes and Persians The Medes (around 850–549 BC) The early Medes left no written records. According to an inscription from Shalmaneser III of Assyria (858–824 BC), the Medes had settled around Ecbatana, their capital (modern Hamadan, Iran), by the mid-800s BC.
Esau Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, was Jacob’s older twin brother (Gen 25:24-26), so named because his body was hairy at birth.
Moses Moses was the founding leader of Israel as a nation. God used Moses at a critical juncture in the history of his people. He was the prophet who received the law and mediated God’s covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:3-6).
Elisha Elisha the prophet was Elijah’s follower and successor in the northern kingdom of Israel during the late 800s BC, a time when the leaders and people of the northern kingdom turned their backs on God and worshiped the Canaanite god Baal.
Ishmael Ishmael was Abraham’s first son, born of Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant. The boy was born near Hebron when Abraham was eighty-six years old (Gen 13:18; 16:16).
Simon Peter Simon Peter was the most prominent of the twelve apostles. After Jesus’ death, he became the primary spokesman for the early Christians in Jerusalem and was the apostle primarily responsible for evangelizing the Jews (Gal 2:7-8).
Melchizedek Melchizedek is a mysterious biblical personality whose name means “king of righteousness.” He was a Canaanite priest and king; there is no record of his family or of the beginning or end of his life. Abraham met Melchizedek after defeating four Mesopotamian kings.
The Greeks Greek civilization played a major role in the ancient world, and Greek culture was a primary influence on the world into which Jesus was born and in which the New Testament was written.
The Pharisees The Pharisees were one of three major Jewish sects, along with the Sadducees and the Essenes. The Pharisees comprised a non-political lay movement within Judaism.
Herod Agrippa II Herod Agrippa II, son of Herod Agrippa I, succeeded his father as king and ruled in Palestine AD 50–100, eventually controlling approximately the same area as his great-grandfather, Herod the Great. Agrippa II was in control of...
The Roman Church The details of the founding of the church in Rome are not known with certainty. There was a large Jewish population in Rome, and some Jews from Rome were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost...
Philippi Philippi was a minor village of Thrace until about 357 BC, when Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, conquered the site and rebuilt it. He named the village after himself, fortified it as a military...