LETTERS FROM OUR READERS

Was stoning really a way to execute people in Bible times? (Elisa B., San Antonio, Texas)

It was a common form of punishment called for in the law of Moses for crimes deserving death (Leviticus 20:2). An important part of stoning was that all members of the community were to carry out the punishment (Joshua 7:25). Moses and Jesus were both threatened with stoning by angry mobs (Exodus 17:4; John 8:59; 10:31). Saul, who held people’s coats while they stoned Stephen to death, himself became a follower of Jesus and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:8-20). He recovered, however, and went on to tell many others about Jesus Christ.

Why did they kill Stephen? Was he doing something wrong? (Carey R., Omaha, Nebraska)

The Jewish religious rulers didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah, so when Stephen claimed that He was, they believed Stephen was committing blasphemy against God. (Blasphemy is showing irreverence for God or claiming to be just like Him.) They also thought Stephen was saying Jesus came to get rid of the temple and tradition. That really upset them because they were very religious, and their traditions were important to them.

Some people believe that Stephen was illegally executed because Roman law said that the Jews had no authority to carry out executions without the permission of the Roman government. You can read about Stephen and the Hellenist believers in Acts 6–7.

Who were the Hellenists? Why didn’t they get along with the other Jewish believers? (Jessica L., Rochester, New York)

The word Hellenism refers to the Greek culture. Hellenists were Jews who spoke Greek and followed Greek customs. Although they were usually from other places, some were natives of Palestine.

The Hebrews, on the other hand, were Jews who spoke Aramaic and were from Palestine, although they were sometimes from other places too. The main problem between the two groups seems to have been that the Hebrews followed the law of Moses and Jewish cultural practices more strictly than did the Hellenists. Some of them looked down on the Hellenists, whom they saw as less righteous or holy. Naturally, that caused a lot of arguments between the two groups.

Did people actually eat calf brains? (Brianna M., Springfield, Illinois)

Yes, and not always just poor people. Headcheese —considered by some today to be a delicacy —is made from parts of animal heads, feet, and sometimes hearts and tongues. These parts are cut up fine, boiled, and pressed together into a solid food that can be sliced and served. Seconds, anyone?

What were the underground tunnels used for? (Justin C., Great Falls, Montana)

The underground tunnels that Karis’s and Mara’s families escaped through kept the city supplied with water. Jerusalem doesn’t get much rain, and it’s far away from both the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Several hundred years before Christ’s time, King Hezekiah wanted to be sure that Jerusalem wouldn’t run out of water if it was attacked and surrounded by the Assyrians, so he built a tunnel from a place called Gihon Spring (2 Chronicles 32:30). It emptied into the Pool of Siloam. Later, the people of Jerusalem built more tunnels and aqueducts to bring water from the surrounding springs into the city. All of the water had to come from higher elevations because it flowed into the city with the help of gravity.

The tunnels in Caesarea —where Karis was from —were the city’s sewage system. They were built in such a way that they would be cleaned out by the sea tides. So, anybody want to go for a swim?