Festivals
were very much a part of ancient life, and people were prepared to endure
crowded conditions and long journeys in order to participate. People travelled
in groups to Jerusalem for the Passover
and the other two major festivals -- Shavuot and Sukkot. The large
caravans in which many travelled also protected the temple tax which they brought
from lands outside of Israel. They came by land all the way from Babylon. Caravans and ships also brought
groups of pilgrims from Syria, Asia Minor and North Africa. Galileans
and Idumaeans also travelled in
companies to Jerusalem. There is no reason to exclude secular ditties, jokes,
and more wine than usual at night. The Jewish festivals were like Christmas: a
blend of piety, good cheer, hearty eating, making music, chatting with friends,
drinking and dancing. Read this Real Yeshua Blog at -- http://therealyesua.blogspot.com/2015/03/yeshua-travels-to-jerusalem-for-passover.html
The witnesses, laying their coats at the feet of Saul, were the men that would cast the first stones at Stephen in Acts 7. Why did they all lay their coats at Saul’s feet? The Talmud contains a very interesting account of the act of stoning that may provide the answer. “When the trial was over, they take him [the condemned person] out to be stoned. The place of stoning was at a distance from the court, as it is said, ‘Take out the one who has cursed.’ [i] A man stands at the entrance of the court; in his hand is a signaling flag [Hebrew sudarin = sudar , ‘scarf, sweater’]. A horseman was stationed far away but within sight of him. If one [of the judges] says, ‘I have something [more] to say in his favor,’ he [the signaler] waves the sudarin , and the horseman runs and stops them [from stoning him]. Even if [the condemned person] himself says, ‘I have something to say in my favor,’ they bring him back, even four of five times, only provided that there is some substance to...
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