149. "A land flowing with milk and honey" were the words God used to describe Palestine to Moses in Exodus 3:8. It's now generally used to describe a fine or pleasant place.
150. "The apple of my eye" is a phrase first created in Deuteronomy 32:10 to describe God's perspective of Israel. The Hebrew words literally mean "center" or "pupil" of the eye, but in the poetic sense they refer to someone or something highly valued by another. The poet David asks God in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye."
151. "Scapegoat." On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would lay his hands on one goat, symbolically transferring the sins of the people onto it. However, instead of being killed, that goat was driven into the wilderness as a symbol of the sins being "gone." The goat, which took the blame for the sins of others, was known as the "scapegoat."
152. "Spare the rod and spoil the child." This bit of homely wisdom (generally quoted by senior citizens when somebody else's kids are acting up) is based on the wisdom of King Solomon, who says in Proverbs 13:24 that a parent "who spares the rod hates his son."
153. "Pride goes before the fall," one of the most commonly quoted phrases in American history, were the words of King Solomon in Proverbs 16:18, referring to the fact that a prideful attitude can blind us and lead us into trouble.
154. "A fly in the ointment" is a phrase commonly used to describe something that has gone wrong with a system or procedure. It comes from Ecclesiastes 10:1, which states that "dead flies spoil the perfumer's ointment."
155. "Woe is me!" This phrase, once common in nineteenth-century literature, was first used in Isaiah 6:5 when the prophet came face-to-face with God. It also appears in the Book of Jeremiah as an expression of sorrow.
156. "A drop in the bucket." Generally used to refer to "a small amount" or "a meaningless portion," the words are lifted in their entirety from Isaiah 40:15, in which we are told that to the Lord "the nations are a drop in the bucket."
157. "Holier than thou." These words, which in our modern culture are generally used to describe a self-righteous person, were used in that same sense by the Lord in Isaiah 65:5 to criticize those who felt themselves better than others.
158. "Like a lamb to the slaughter" were words first used in Isaiah 53:7 to describe the coming Messiah's willingness to accept his fate. It's now generally used in reference to an innocent victim or someone who is bound to lose in his or her circumstances.
159. "The skin of our teeth." Generally used to mean "just barely," the imagery comes from Job 19:20. The phrase was popularized when made the title of a wildly successful play by American playwright Thornton Wilder.
160. "Can a leopard change its spots?" This rhetorical question, which suggests people cannot change what they are inherently, was coined by the prophet Jeremiah in 13:23 of his book.
161. "Feet of clay," an expression which has come to mean a personal flaw in an individual, was first used by the prophet Daniel when describing the statue he had seen in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The feet of the statue were made of clay mixed with iron-a weak base for such a big, heavy monument.
162. "The handwriting on the wall" is a phrase that comes from Daniel chapter 5. The carnal King Belshazzar had seen a hand appear and write a mysterious message. Calling upon Daniel to interpret the message, the king learned that God had weighed Belshazzar on an eternal scale and found him wanting. His kingdom was to be taken away that very night-leading to our use of the phrase as "something inevitable that we can all see happening."
163. "We reap what we sow." Generally accepted as cultural wisdom that means "you get what you earn," the phrase is lifted from Paul's letter to the Galatians in chapter 6, verse 7.
164. "The powers that be," a phrase first created by Bible translator William Tyndale, is usually used to refer to "the government" or "those in charge." It means those in positions of authority are there by God's choice and therefore exist only because He wishes them to. The phrase was used by the apostle Paul in Romans 13:1 when, as the King James Version reads, he noted, "the powers that be are ordained of God."
165. "A thorn in the side." The apostle Paul first used this phrase in Corinthians 12:7 to describe some sort of physical ailment. Though he pleaded with God to take it away, the problem continued, thus keeping Paul humble. We still use the phrase to refer to an ongoing problem.
166. "Money is the root of all evil." This popular phrase is actually a bit of a mistranslation from Timothy 6:10. The actual words of Paul stated that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (emphasis added). Still the fact remains that lusting after money can get us into all sorts of trouble.
167. "Nothing new under the sun." This statement by Solomon demonstrates the author's realization that despite temporary changes from one day to the next, there is nothing truly new or unexpected under the rising and falling of the sun each day. The phrase comes from Ecclesiastes 1:9.
168. "The fat of the land." Pharaoh spoke these words to Joseph in Genesis 45:18. Joseph was to pass them on in turn to his brothers, who were hungry and in need of a place to live due to the famine affecting the land of Israel. The Egyptian king promised Joseph the best land of Egypt and that he and his brothers would be well provided for and able to eat "the fat of the land."
169. "All things to all men." Paul is speaking in Corinthians 9:22 of how he has become all things to everyone in order to win some to Christ. The phrase now is often seen as a "sell out" point, as it is difficult to be everything to everyone and keep sight of one's own welfare.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
Famous Words and Phrases in the Bible l
129. "Raising Cain" means to act with abandonment or wildly. As a phrase, it is most likely descended from the Genesis character Cain who killed his brother, Abel, and was forever marked as a violent man.
130. "Jezebel" or "Delilah" is the name often given to a woman of cunning and deceit. Both Bible characters were beautiful, though calculating in nature. Delilah was a seductress; Jezebel was a queen .
131. A "Judas" can only refer to one personality trait: betrayal. Judas Iscariot betrayed his relationship to the Lord for thirty pieces of silver.
132. "Doubting Thomas" didn't believe Jesus had truly risen from the dead. He insisted on touching the nail marks in the Lord's hands and side before he would believe. today we call a person with doubts a doubting Thomas.
133. "Jonah" is considered an unlucky name. The prophet Jonah tried unsuccessfully to run from God's calling. He took refuge on a boat and brought nothing but trouble to the other passengers, because God would not forget Jonah. Someone who brings bad luck or misfortune is considered a Jonah.
134. The word beautiful was first used in the English language by William Tyndale when he produced his English translation of the New Testament in 1526. Some scholars considered it an outrage that a translator would use a word, fashionable word in his interpretation of Scripture.
135. "The salt of the earth." Many of the words we use in our culture come from the Lord Jesus. In describing his disciples with these words in Matthew 5:13, Christ was saying that they were valuable-salt being the preferred method of payment in those days. The phrase is still used to describe people we find valuable or important.
136. "Seek and ye shall find." These oft-quoted words of Jesus come from his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:7. It is still generally used as advice or encouragement to those who need to be seeking.
137. "A wolf in sheep's clothing." Jesus created this phrase in Matthew 7:15 to describe religious leaders who appear righteous on the outside but are actually evil on the inside. We still use it to describe hypocrites or those who portray goodness while intending evil.
138. "The faith to move mountains." Although not currently used as often as it was in the twentieth century, the phrase refers to the power of belief. The words were first said by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 17:20 when he was talking to his disciples about healing the sick and the demon possessed.
139. "The blind leading the blind." Jesus coined this phrase in Matthew 15:14 when describing false teachers who insist they know the truth but do not, therefore leading innocent people astray. In our culture we generally use it as a negative descriptor for the self-important and self-deluded.
140. "Do not throw pearls before swine." Jesus' words in Matthew 7:6 urge believers to take care with their message; it is not necessary to teach to those who are openly hostile to the Gospel. A person wouldn't throw precious pearls to pigs, and Christians shouldn't throw the gift of salvation to those who will only turn around and attack them.
141. "Eat, drink, and be merry" was a phrase created by Jesus in Luke 12 while telling a cautionary tale about a rich fool who thought the rest of his life was set. The fool died that very night. The words are still generally used in the sarcastic or pejorative sense.
142. "The straight and narrow." Following the small, less-traveled path leads to the narrow gate of life. In Matthew 7:14, Jesus cautioned his followers against following the more glamorous, broad, and well-traveled path that led to a wide gate full of destruction.
143. "A good Samaritan." Someone who goes out of the way to help another can be likened to the famed character of Jesus' parable in Luke 10:30-27. The hero acts for the good of another with no thought to his own situation.
144. "Sweating blood" is a phrase used to describe someone going through a very difficult time. The etymology of the word relates back to Luke 22:44, when Christ's anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane caused him to sweat blood-something physicians say, in fact, possible for those enduring great duress.
145. "The forbidden fruit" is one of many Old Testament phrases still used regularly in the English language. The original "forbidden fruit" was the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were instructed to stay away from it in Genesis 2:17, but when the serpent tempted them to eat of it, the couple disobeyed God and chose to sin. Now we use the phrase to refer to partaking in an activity we know to be wrong or sensual.
146. "Fire and Brimstone" were the tools God used to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, according to Genesis 19:24. The apostle John used those same words to describe the ultimate end of Satan in Revelation 21:8. Due to its colorful imagery, the phrase is generally used to describe preachers who focus on the punishment aspects of the Biblical story, or for any fiery speaker who makes reference to a bad end for wrongdoers.
147. "Taking a sabbatical" comes from the old Jewish notion of "taking time off." Leviticus 25 commands the people to allow the ground to lie fallow every seventh year in order to refresh it self-an action that was referred to as the "sabbatical year."
148. 'An eye for an eye" is a phrase that first appears in Leviticus 24:20. Rather than being a vindictive call for revenge, it actually limited the damage one person could do to another when taking retribution. Human nature encourages an individual to hurt others, but the Old Testament law wanted to limit that hurt to equivalent damage.
130. "Jezebel" or "Delilah" is the name often given to a woman of cunning and deceit. Both Bible characters were beautiful, though calculating in nature. Delilah was a seductress; Jezebel was a queen .
131. A "Judas" can only refer to one personality trait: betrayal. Judas Iscariot betrayed his relationship to the Lord for thirty pieces of silver.
132. "Doubting Thomas" didn't believe Jesus had truly risen from the dead. He insisted on touching the nail marks in the Lord's hands and side before he would believe. today we call a person with doubts a doubting Thomas.
133. "Jonah" is considered an unlucky name. The prophet Jonah tried unsuccessfully to run from God's calling. He took refuge on a boat and brought nothing but trouble to the other passengers, because God would not forget Jonah. Someone who brings bad luck or misfortune is considered a Jonah.
134. The word beautiful was first used in the English language by William Tyndale when he produced his English translation of the New Testament in 1526. Some scholars considered it an outrage that a translator would use a word, fashionable word in his interpretation of Scripture.
135. "The salt of the earth." Many of the words we use in our culture come from the Lord Jesus. In describing his disciples with these words in Matthew 5:13, Christ was saying that they were valuable-salt being the preferred method of payment in those days. The phrase is still used to describe people we find valuable or important.
136. "Seek and ye shall find." These oft-quoted words of Jesus come from his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:7. It is still generally used as advice or encouragement to those who need to be seeking.
137. "A wolf in sheep's clothing." Jesus created this phrase in Matthew 7:15 to describe religious leaders who appear righteous on the outside but are actually evil on the inside. We still use it to describe hypocrites or those who portray goodness while intending evil.
138. "The faith to move mountains." Although not currently used as often as it was in the twentieth century, the phrase refers to the power of belief. The words were first said by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 17:20 when he was talking to his disciples about healing the sick and the demon possessed.
139. "The blind leading the blind." Jesus coined this phrase in Matthew 15:14 when describing false teachers who insist they know the truth but do not, therefore leading innocent people astray. In our culture we generally use it as a negative descriptor for the self-important and self-deluded.
140. "Do not throw pearls before swine." Jesus' words in Matthew 7:6 urge believers to take care with their message; it is not necessary to teach to those who are openly hostile to the Gospel. A person wouldn't throw precious pearls to pigs, and Christians shouldn't throw the gift of salvation to those who will only turn around and attack them.
141. "Eat, drink, and be merry" was a phrase created by Jesus in Luke 12 while telling a cautionary tale about a rich fool who thought the rest of his life was set. The fool died that very night. The words are still generally used in the sarcastic or pejorative sense.
142. "The straight and narrow." Following the small, less-traveled path leads to the narrow gate of life. In Matthew 7:14, Jesus cautioned his followers against following the more glamorous, broad, and well-traveled path that led to a wide gate full of destruction.
143. "A good Samaritan." Someone who goes out of the way to help another can be likened to the famed character of Jesus' parable in Luke 10:30-27. The hero acts for the good of another with no thought to his own situation.
144. "Sweating blood" is a phrase used to describe someone going through a very difficult time. The etymology of the word relates back to Luke 22:44, when Christ's anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane caused him to sweat blood-something physicians say, in fact, possible for those enduring great duress.
145. "The forbidden fruit" is one of many Old Testament phrases still used regularly in the English language. The original "forbidden fruit" was the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were instructed to stay away from it in Genesis 2:17, but when the serpent tempted them to eat of it, the couple disobeyed God and chose to sin. Now we use the phrase to refer to partaking in an activity we know to be wrong or sensual.
146. "Fire and Brimstone" were the tools God used to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, according to Genesis 19:24. The apostle John used those same words to describe the ultimate end of Satan in Revelation 21:8. Due to its colorful imagery, the phrase is generally used to describe preachers who focus on the punishment aspects of the Biblical story, or for any fiery speaker who makes reference to a bad end for wrongdoers.
147. "Taking a sabbatical" comes from the old Jewish notion of "taking time off." Leviticus 25 commands the people to allow the ground to lie fallow every seventh year in order to refresh it self-an action that was referred to as the "sabbatical year."
148. 'An eye for an eye" is a phrase that first appears in Leviticus 24:20. Rather than being a vindictive call for revenge, it actually limited the damage one person could do to another when taking retribution. Human nature encourages an individual to hurt others, but the Old Testament law wanted to limit that hurt to equivalent damage.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Ten Greek Myths ll
Orpheus and Eurydice:
Orpheus was a musician who married a nymph called Eurydice. She trod on a poisonous snake, died, and went to the underworld. Orpheus was so sad that he visited the underworld and begged for her return. Orpheus charmed the souls of Hades with his lyre until Pluto, god of the underworld, relented. Eurydice was allowed to follow Orpheus out of Hades, so long as he didn't turn around to check if she was there. They almost reached safety when Orpheus looked back and Eurydice was drawn back to Hades. His lack of trust lost her forever.
Pandora's Box:
Pandora was the first mortal woman, created out of clay by Hephaestus. Athena breathed life into her, Aphrodite made her beautiful, and Hermes taught her to be beguiling. Zeus then sent her as a gift to Prometheus's brother, Epimetheus, in revenge for being tricked earlier by Prometheus. Epimetheus fell in love with her, and when they married, Zeus gave Pandora a wedding gift of a beautiful box, which he instructed her never to open. Pandora succumbed to curiosity and peeked inside, releasing disease, greed, old age, death, cruelty, war, and other types of suffering into the world. Only hope remained in the now empty box.
Perseus and the Medusa:
Perseus lived with his mother, Danae, on the island of Seriphus. The tyrant king, Polydectes, wanted to marry Danae, but she refused. In revenge, the king sent Perseus to kill Medusa, knowing he wouldn't return alive, since all who looked on her and her hair made of snakes were turned to stone. However, the gods helped Perseus in his quest; Athena gave him a shiny shield and Hermes gave him a sharp sword. Perseus then visited the Graiae, three hags who shared one tooth and one eye. He stole the eye and made the hags tell him where to find the Medusa. On his way, he passed through the land of Nymphs and was given a cap of invisibility, a shoe of swiftness to escape, and a special bag for the Medusa's head. Using the shield to view the Medusa's reflection, Perseus beheaded her. He took the head back to Seriphus and rescued his mother by showing the Medusa's head to everyone in the king's court, thus turning them to stone.
Theseus and the Minotaur:
During a power struggle with his brothers for the throne of Crete, Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a magnificent white bull as a sign of approval. He promised to sacrifice the bull, but when he saw it, he kept it for himself and sacrificed the best of his own herd. When Poseidon found out, he made Minos's wife Pasiphae fall in love with the bull and the resulting offspring was the Minotaur, a monster with a head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. Minos imprisoned the Minotaur in a gigantic labyrinth, and each year for nine years, seven young men and women were sent from Athens as food. Theseus volunteered to be one of the human sacrifices, but when he arrived at Crete, Minos's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with him. She gave him a ball of thread, which he fastened to the entrance of the maze then unravelled as he journeyed into the center, where he found and killed the Minotaur. Then Theseus retraced his steps back to his love by following the thread.
The Trojan Horse:
The Trojan War was caused when Prince Paris abducted beautiful Helen, queen of Sparta. The Greek warriors set sail for Troy to bring her back and the war waged for 10 years, with heavy losses on both sides. Finally, Athena, the goddess of war, gave Odysseus a plan. The Greeks built a huge wooden horse and left it in their camp, then pretended to sail away. The Trojans discovered their abandoned camp and the wooden horse. After much debate they dragged it into the city of Troy and had a big party to celebrate the end of the war. That night, Greek warriors, who had been hiding in the hollow horse, climbed out of a trap door and slaughtered the Trojan troops while they slept. They rescued beautiful Helen and sailed home.
Orpheus was a musician who married a nymph called Eurydice. She trod on a poisonous snake, died, and went to the underworld. Orpheus was so sad that he visited the underworld and begged for her return. Orpheus charmed the souls of Hades with his lyre until Pluto, god of the underworld, relented. Eurydice was allowed to follow Orpheus out of Hades, so long as he didn't turn around to check if she was there. They almost reached safety when Orpheus looked back and Eurydice was drawn back to Hades. His lack of trust lost her forever.
Pandora's Box:
Pandora was the first mortal woman, created out of clay by Hephaestus. Athena breathed life into her, Aphrodite made her beautiful, and Hermes taught her to be beguiling. Zeus then sent her as a gift to Prometheus's brother, Epimetheus, in revenge for being tricked earlier by Prometheus. Epimetheus fell in love with her, and when they married, Zeus gave Pandora a wedding gift of a beautiful box, which he instructed her never to open. Pandora succumbed to curiosity and peeked inside, releasing disease, greed, old age, death, cruelty, war, and other types of suffering into the world. Only hope remained in the now empty box.
Perseus and the Medusa:
Perseus lived with his mother, Danae, on the island of Seriphus. The tyrant king, Polydectes, wanted to marry Danae, but she refused. In revenge, the king sent Perseus to kill Medusa, knowing he wouldn't return alive, since all who looked on her and her hair made of snakes were turned to stone. However, the gods helped Perseus in his quest; Athena gave him a shiny shield and Hermes gave him a sharp sword. Perseus then visited the Graiae, three hags who shared one tooth and one eye. He stole the eye and made the hags tell him where to find the Medusa. On his way, he passed through the land of Nymphs and was given a cap of invisibility, a shoe of swiftness to escape, and a special bag for the Medusa's head. Using the shield to view the Medusa's reflection, Perseus beheaded her. He took the head back to Seriphus and rescued his mother by showing the Medusa's head to everyone in the king's court, thus turning them to stone.
Theseus and the Minotaur:
During a power struggle with his brothers for the throne of Crete, Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a magnificent white bull as a sign of approval. He promised to sacrifice the bull, but when he saw it, he kept it for himself and sacrificed the best of his own herd. When Poseidon found out, he made Minos's wife Pasiphae fall in love with the bull and the resulting offspring was the Minotaur, a monster with a head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. Minos imprisoned the Minotaur in a gigantic labyrinth, and each year for nine years, seven young men and women were sent from Athens as food. Theseus volunteered to be one of the human sacrifices, but when he arrived at Crete, Minos's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with him. She gave him a ball of thread, which he fastened to the entrance of the maze then unravelled as he journeyed into the center, where he found and killed the Minotaur. Then Theseus retraced his steps back to his love by following the thread.
The Trojan Horse:
The Trojan War was caused when Prince Paris abducted beautiful Helen, queen of Sparta. The Greek warriors set sail for Troy to bring her back and the war waged for 10 years, with heavy losses on both sides. Finally, Athena, the goddess of war, gave Odysseus a plan. The Greeks built a huge wooden horse and left it in their camp, then pretended to sail away. The Trojans discovered their abandoned camp and the wooden horse. After much debate they dragged it into the city of Troy and had a big party to celebrate the end of the war. That night, Greek warriors, who had been hiding in the hollow horse, climbed out of a trap door and slaughtered the Trojan troops while they slept. They rescued beautiful Helen and sailed home.
Ten Greek Myths l
Daedalus and Icarus:
Daedalus fled from Athens with his son, Icarus, after killing his nephew, Talos. The duo traveled to Crete, where they were welcomed by King Minos. Daedalus built the labyrinth for the Minotaur (see "Theseus and the Minotaur" below), but Minos imprisoned them because they knew its secret. They planned their escape by building wings, but Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the sun. Icarus ignored his father's advice, the sun's heat melted the wax that held the feathers in place, and he plunged to his death in a part of the Aegean Sea that is known as the Icarian Sea.
Jason and the Golden Fleece:
Phrixus and Helle were the children of the King of Iolcus. Their wicked stepmother plotted against them and duped the king into thinking the Oracle had instructed him to sacrifice his children to end a long drought. Upset but resolved, the king led Phrixus and Helle to the sacrificial altar, but at the last minute a flying golden ram (a gift from Hermes) rescued them. the children climbed onto the ram's back and flew far away. Helle became so exhausted that she fell to her death (in the sea now called the Hellespont), so only Phrixus survived. After delivering him safely to Colchis, the ram died and the people honored the beast by stripping its fleece and hanging it on a tree, guarded by a dragon. Meanwhile, Jason, rightful prince of Iolcus, was sent by his uncle, who had stolen Jason's throne, on an apparently impossible quest to get the fleece. With the help of the gods, his ship the Argo, and his crew of Argonauts, Jason succeeded and returned home to claim his throne.
The Labors of Heracles (Hercules):
Heracles was a mortal, the son of a mortal woman named Alcmene, and Zeus, who gave him supernatural strength. Zeus's jealous wife, Hera, sent two snakes to kill the baby Heracles but he strangled them in his cot. When he was a grown man, Hera plotted against him again by sending him into a fit of madness, during which he killed his wife and three children. The devastated Heracles visited the Oracle at Delphi and was assigned twelve labors of atonement. He killed the lion of Nemea, caught the Golden Hind of Ceryneia, killed the nine-headed Hydra, captured the wold boar of Mount Erymanthus, killed the Stymphalian man-eating birds, cleaned King Augeas' revolting stables, captured the wild bull of Crete, tamed the flesh-eating mares of Diomedes, brought back the golden girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, brought back the chestnut cattle from the giant Geryon, fetched the golden apples of Hesperides, and finally, captured Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded Hades. After completing his labors, Heracles had many other adventures, and at his death, he became an immortal on Mount Olympus.
Midas and the Golden Touch:
King Midas of Lydia loved collecting gold. As a reward for his hospitality to a friend, Dionysus granted him a wish. Midas asked for the golden touch. Dionysus granted the wish but warned him against greed. At first Midas was very happy, but soon everything he touched turned to gold-even his servants, his food, and his children. Midas realized his folly and begged Dionysus to retract the wish. Dionysus told him to bathe in the river Pactolus, after which Midas took a jug of water back to his palace and washed everything back to normal.
Narcissus:
Narcissus was a beautiful young man with whom many young women fell in love, including a nymph called Echo. As punishment for upsetting Hera, the queen of the gods, Echo could only repeat the last three words of whomever she was talking to. So she was unable to tell Narcissus of her love. When she spoke, he teased her until she ran away crying. Echo withered away into just a voice, and Aphrodite punished Narcissus by allowing him to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He didn't know he was bewitched by his own reflection, and every time he touched the water, the image disappeared. He pined away for his "lost love," his looks deteriorated, and he died. The gods made a flower-the narcissus-grow in his place.
Daedalus fled from Athens with his son, Icarus, after killing his nephew, Talos. The duo traveled to Crete, where they were welcomed by King Minos. Daedalus built the labyrinth for the Minotaur (see "Theseus and the Minotaur" below), but Minos imprisoned them because they knew its secret. They planned their escape by building wings, but Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the sun. Icarus ignored his father's advice, the sun's heat melted the wax that held the feathers in place, and he plunged to his death in a part of the Aegean Sea that is known as the Icarian Sea.
Jason and the Golden Fleece:
Phrixus and Helle were the children of the King of Iolcus. Their wicked stepmother plotted against them and duped the king into thinking the Oracle had instructed him to sacrifice his children to end a long drought. Upset but resolved, the king led Phrixus and Helle to the sacrificial altar, but at the last minute a flying golden ram (a gift from Hermes) rescued them. the children climbed onto the ram's back and flew far away. Helle became so exhausted that she fell to her death (in the sea now called the Hellespont), so only Phrixus survived. After delivering him safely to Colchis, the ram died and the people honored the beast by stripping its fleece and hanging it on a tree, guarded by a dragon. Meanwhile, Jason, rightful prince of Iolcus, was sent by his uncle, who had stolen Jason's throne, on an apparently impossible quest to get the fleece. With the help of the gods, his ship the Argo, and his crew of Argonauts, Jason succeeded and returned home to claim his throne.
The Labors of Heracles (Hercules):
Heracles was a mortal, the son of a mortal woman named Alcmene, and Zeus, who gave him supernatural strength. Zeus's jealous wife, Hera, sent two snakes to kill the baby Heracles but he strangled them in his cot. When he was a grown man, Hera plotted against him again by sending him into a fit of madness, during which he killed his wife and three children. The devastated Heracles visited the Oracle at Delphi and was assigned twelve labors of atonement. He killed the lion of Nemea, caught the Golden Hind of Ceryneia, killed the nine-headed Hydra, captured the wold boar of Mount Erymanthus, killed the Stymphalian man-eating birds, cleaned King Augeas' revolting stables, captured the wild bull of Crete, tamed the flesh-eating mares of Diomedes, brought back the golden girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, brought back the chestnut cattle from the giant Geryon, fetched the golden apples of Hesperides, and finally, captured Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded Hades. After completing his labors, Heracles had many other adventures, and at his death, he became an immortal on Mount Olympus.
Midas and the Golden Touch:
King Midas of Lydia loved collecting gold. As a reward for his hospitality to a friend, Dionysus granted him a wish. Midas asked for the golden touch. Dionysus granted the wish but warned him against greed. At first Midas was very happy, but soon everything he touched turned to gold-even his servants, his food, and his children. Midas realized his folly and begged Dionysus to retract the wish. Dionysus told him to bathe in the river Pactolus, after which Midas took a jug of water back to his palace and washed everything back to normal.
Narcissus:
Narcissus was a beautiful young man with whom many young women fell in love, including a nymph called Echo. As punishment for upsetting Hera, the queen of the gods, Echo could only repeat the last three words of whomever she was talking to. So she was unable to tell Narcissus of her love. When she spoke, he teased her until she ran away crying. Echo withered away into just a voice, and Aphrodite punished Narcissus by allowing him to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He didn't know he was bewitched by his own reflection, and every time he touched the water, the image disappeared. He pined away for his "lost love," his looks deteriorated, and he died. The gods made a flower-the narcissus-grow in his place.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Funny And Fresh Takes In The Bible ll
120. The Printers' Bible came out in the early eighteenth century, but an exact date is unknown. Psalm 119:161 reads, "printers have persecuted me without cause." The word printers should read as princes.
121. The Murderers' Bible was printed in 1801. The word murmerers was replaced with murderers in Jude 16: "These are murderers, complainers..."
122. The To Remain Bible was printed in Cambridge in 1805. A well-meaning proofreader was unsure about a comma in the manuscript and queried it. The editor penciled in the words "to remain"; thus Galatians 4:29 reads "he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit to remain, even so it is now."
123. The Standing Fishes Bible was printed in 1806, and mistakenly used the word fishes for fishers in Ezekiel 47:10: "And it shall come to pass that the fishes shall stand on it."
124. The Discharge Bible also appeared in 1806. In l Timothy 5:21, the apostle says, "I discharge thee... that thou observe these things." The correct wording would have been "I charge thee..."
125. The Idle Shepherd Bible appeared in1809. This edition mistook the 'idol shepherd" of Zechariah 11:17 and made it read "idle shepherd."
126. The Ears to Ear Bible was published in 1810. Matthew 13:43 reads, "Who hath ears to ear, let him hear" instead of "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
127. The Wife-hater Bible was printed in 1810. The word "life" was changed to "wife" in Luke 14:26: If any man comers to me, and hates not his father...and his own wife also..." It should read "If any man comes to me, and hates not his father...and his own life also..."
128. Rebekah's Camels Bible is an 1823 edition that gives Rebekah "camels" instead of "damsels" in Genesis 24:61: 'Rebekah arose, and her camels..."
121. The Murderers' Bible was printed in 1801. The word murmerers was replaced with murderers in Jude 16: "These are murderers, complainers..."
122. The To Remain Bible was printed in Cambridge in 1805. A well-meaning proofreader was unsure about a comma in the manuscript and queried it. The editor penciled in the words "to remain"; thus Galatians 4:29 reads "he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit to remain, even so it is now."
123. The Standing Fishes Bible was printed in 1806, and mistakenly used the word fishes for fishers in Ezekiel 47:10: "And it shall come to pass that the fishes shall stand on it."
124. The Discharge Bible also appeared in 1806. In l Timothy 5:21, the apostle says, "I discharge thee... that thou observe these things." The correct wording would have been "I charge thee..."
125. The Idle Shepherd Bible appeared in1809. This edition mistook the 'idol shepherd" of Zechariah 11:17 and made it read "idle shepherd."
126. The Ears to Ear Bible was published in 1810. Matthew 13:43 reads, "Who hath ears to ear, let him hear" instead of "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
127. The Wife-hater Bible was printed in 1810. The word "life" was changed to "wife" in Luke 14:26: If any man comers to me, and hates not his father...and his own wife also..." It should read "If any man comes to me, and hates not his father...and his own life also..."
128. Rebekah's Camels Bible is an 1823 edition that gives Rebekah "camels" instead of "damsels" in Genesis 24:61: 'Rebekah arose, and her camels..."
Funny And Fresh Takes in The Bible l
111. The Gothic Bible did not contain books of 1 Kings or 2 Kings. The reason was that Ulfilas, the missionary who brought the Gospel to the Goths of northern Europe in the mid-300s, didn't think the war-loving Gothic people should be reading about all the wars perpetrated by the Jewish kings. It's important to note, however, that the Goths had no written language at the time. In translating the Bible into the Gothic language, Ulfilas invented a Gothic alphabet so that the people could read the Good News for themselves.
112. The Bug Bible was published in 1535 and was known more by its real name, The Coverdale Bible. it was dubbed the "Bug Bible" because of its rendering of Psalm 91:5 "Thou shalt not need to be afrayd for eny bugges by night."
113. The Breeches Bible, or the Geneva Bible as it was better known, appeared in 1560. Genesis 3:7 reads that Adam and Eve "sowed figge-tree leaves together and made themselves breeches."
114. The Placemakers Bible was the 1562 edition of the Geneva Bible. The word "peacemakers" in Matthew 5:9 was changed to "placemakers" to read: "Blessed are the placemakers."
115. The Tryacle Bible came out in 1568 and was officially called the Bishops' Bible. The word "tryacle" was used in place of the word "balm" in Jeremiah. One instance can be found in Jeremiah 8:22: "Is there no tryacle in Gilead?" (Tryacle is a bit of a double entendre. It means "an antidote to poison," "a sweet dessert," and is sometimes used as a perjorative for anything cloyingly sweet.)
116. The King James Version (first edition) was completed by Robert Barker, the official printer of King James I, as early as 1611. Scholars call this a "He" Bible because it renders Ruth 3:15 as "...He went into the city" Instead of"...She went into the city." Different copies of the KJV published between 1611 and 1614 contain either he or she, indicating that two presses were producing the Bible at that time. Later editions accepted "she" as the proper wording.
117. The Wicked Bible, or Adulterous Bible, was printed in 1632. The word "not" was accidentally left out of the seventh commandment: "You shall commit adultery" (Exod. 20:14).
118. The Unrighteous Bible was the Cambridge edition of 1653. The word "not" was left out of Corinthians 6:9, which made it appear as: "The unrighteous shall inherit the Kingdom of God." Another mistake from this version was found in Romans 6:13-the word "righteous" was substituted for "unrighteousness"-"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of righteousness unto sin."
119. The Vinegar Bible was an Oxford edition from 1717. The heading for the segment of Luke 20 now known as the "parable of the tenants" was known in editions of that time period as "the parable of the vineyard." The word vinegar was mistakenly used in place of vineyard.
112. The Bug Bible was published in 1535 and was known more by its real name, The Coverdale Bible. it was dubbed the "Bug Bible" because of its rendering of Psalm 91:5 "Thou shalt not need to be afrayd for eny bugges by night."
113. The Breeches Bible, or the Geneva Bible as it was better known, appeared in 1560. Genesis 3:7 reads that Adam and Eve "sowed figge-tree leaves together and made themselves breeches."
114. The Placemakers Bible was the 1562 edition of the Geneva Bible. The word "peacemakers" in Matthew 5:9 was changed to "placemakers" to read: "Blessed are the placemakers."
115. The Tryacle Bible came out in 1568 and was officially called the Bishops' Bible. The word "tryacle" was used in place of the word "balm" in Jeremiah. One instance can be found in Jeremiah 8:22: "Is there no tryacle in Gilead?" (Tryacle is a bit of a double entendre. It means "an antidote to poison," "a sweet dessert," and is sometimes used as a perjorative for anything cloyingly sweet.)
116. The King James Version (first edition) was completed by Robert Barker, the official printer of King James I, as early as 1611. Scholars call this a "He" Bible because it renders Ruth 3:15 as "...He went into the city" Instead of"...She went into the city." Different copies of the KJV published between 1611 and 1614 contain either he or she, indicating that two presses were producing the Bible at that time. Later editions accepted "she" as the proper wording.
117. The Wicked Bible, or Adulterous Bible, was printed in 1632. The word "not" was accidentally left out of the seventh commandment: "You shall commit adultery" (Exod. 20:14).
118. The Unrighteous Bible was the Cambridge edition of 1653. The word "not" was left out of Corinthians 6:9, which made it appear as: "The unrighteous shall inherit the Kingdom of God." Another mistake from this version was found in Romans 6:13-the word "righteous" was substituted for "unrighteousness"-"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of righteousness unto sin."
119. The Vinegar Bible was an Oxford edition from 1717. The heading for the segment of Luke 20 now known as the "parable of the tenants" was known in editions of that time period as "the parable of the vineyard." The word vinegar was mistakenly used in place of vineyard.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Polar Ice And Global Warming
Antarctica is a continent about one and a half times the size of the United States, which lies mostly south of the Antarctica Circle. About 98 percent of it is covered by a thick continental ice sheet thousands of feet thick, and immense glaciers form ice shelves along half of its coastline. Antarctica contains 90 percent of the ice on earth. The Arctic (the North Pole) is much smaller, but it, too, is crucial to the welfare of the planet. Most worrisome for us human inhabitants, both have shown signs that they are getting smaller because global warming is making them melt.
Some of the ice shelves in the northern part of the continent, known as the Antarctic Peninsula, have been collapsing over the last few years and warming of 4.5 degrees F has been recorded since 1945. The 770-square-mile Larsen A shelf collapsed suddenly in 1995, and in 1998 and 1999 two more ice shelves, with a combined area of 1,150 square miles, fell into the sea. Scientists are worried that if the large West Antarctica ice sheet disintegrates, it could raise the sea level worldwide by as much as 20 feet.
In the Arctic, a series of NASA studies in 2002 found that "perennial" sea ice (ice that remains all year round) is melting at a disturbing rate of 9 percent per decade. Ice also reflects the sun's light. So at both poles, the less ice there is, the less of the sun's rays are reflected, and global warming accelerates.
But scientists cannot agree on one important consequence of these global changes: whether the climate will get hotter or colder. At the moment our planet is in an interglacial period-the ice has retreated to the poles, so how could global warming lead to the next ice age?
The answer lies with the Gulf Stream, the current that takes warm water from the West Indies to the North Atlantic, without which Europe would be at least five degrees colder with bitter winters. The Gulf Stream is part of a larger system of currents called the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC), but the basic mechanism runs something like this: salty cold water in the Atlantic sinks because it is dense. As it sinks more water flows north to replace it. This thermohaline circulation (from the Greek words for heat and salt) is a crucial factor in the climate of the earth.
The problem with melting ice is that it is fresh water. When it flows into the Atlantic, it makes the ocean less salty and therefore less dense, so the flow would sink less rapidly, and the Gulf Stream would slow down. Samples of ice (ice cores) show evidence of dramatic climate changes in the past and that thermohaline circulation have been responsible.
One thing is certain: the climate is changing, and in ways that may not have been experienced in several million years.
Some of the ice shelves in the northern part of the continent, known as the Antarctic Peninsula, have been collapsing over the last few years and warming of 4.5 degrees F has been recorded since 1945. The 770-square-mile Larsen A shelf collapsed suddenly in 1995, and in 1998 and 1999 two more ice shelves, with a combined area of 1,150 square miles, fell into the sea. Scientists are worried that if the large West Antarctica ice sheet disintegrates, it could raise the sea level worldwide by as much as 20 feet.
In the Arctic, a series of NASA studies in 2002 found that "perennial" sea ice (ice that remains all year round) is melting at a disturbing rate of 9 percent per decade. Ice also reflects the sun's light. So at both poles, the less ice there is, the less of the sun's rays are reflected, and global warming accelerates.
But scientists cannot agree on one important consequence of these global changes: whether the climate will get hotter or colder. At the moment our planet is in an interglacial period-the ice has retreated to the poles, so how could global warming lead to the next ice age?
The answer lies with the Gulf Stream, the current that takes warm water from the West Indies to the North Atlantic, without which Europe would be at least five degrees colder with bitter winters. The Gulf Stream is part of a larger system of currents called the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC), but the basic mechanism runs something like this: salty cold water in the Atlantic sinks because it is dense. As it sinks more water flows north to replace it. This thermohaline circulation (from the Greek words for heat and salt) is a crucial factor in the climate of the earth.
The problem with melting ice is that it is fresh water. When it flows into the Atlantic, it makes the ocean less salty and therefore less dense, so the flow would sink less rapidly, and the Gulf Stream would slow down. Samples of ice (ice cores) show evidence of dramatic climate changes in the past and that thermohaline circulation have been responsible.
One thing is certain: the climate is changing, and in ways that may not have been experienced in several million years.
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