{"id":1814,"date":"2014-07-14T20:37:48","date_gmt":"2014-07-14T20:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com\/israelnews\/?p=1814"},"modified":"2018-10-23T11:02:36","modified_gmt":"2018-10-23T11:02:36","slug":"what-is-samaria-samaria-today-and-in-biblical-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com\/israelnews\/what-is-samaria-samaria-today-and-in-biblical-times\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Samaria? Samaria Today and in Biblical Times."},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tom Brennan<\/p>\n

Samaria is one of those places and people that every Bible studen<\/a>t will instantly recognize. They symbolize the extreme differences that existed within The Land in Jesus\u2019 time<\/a>. For a Jew to even pass through Samaria drew raised eyebrows from fellow Jews and Samaritans alike. The Good Samaritan was a confusing statement for the incredulous listeners to the lesson Jesus taught that day. Even more incredulous was His asking a Samaritan woman for a drink of water and telling her that He was the prophesied Messiah. Of all people, a Samaritan and one that had five husbands and one live-in boyfriend at that. A visit to Samaria might round out our view of this place within Jesus view of what defines a lost sheep.<\/p>\n

\"Samaria\"<\/a>

Samaria<\/p><\/div>\n

The catastrophic cascade of warring kings of Israel and Judah after the glory days of Solomon resulted in the Assyrians taking advantage of the weaknesses to the south and invading Northern Israel. Ten of the Tribes lived there and they undergo massive deportations and displacements. The Assyrians are brutal but are not fools. Good productive land is a better proposition than a scorched earth policy so other peoples are sent into this area to work it with some remaining locals and maintain crop production and tribute. The newcomers are idol worshippers. The locals have held onto many of the basics of their religious connections to the former kingdom. There are some differences, however. Mount Gerizim was once a holy place so a temple is erected on the foundations of much earlier non-Jewish holy altars. They adhere only to the Books of Moses as being inspired. But eventually the pagan influences are too much to resist and a mixing occurs.<\/p>\n

By Jesus time, the Samaritans are seen as outcasts, apostates, heretics worthy of the fire and brimstone that Jesus\u2019 disciples urge Him to summon. By the time He has restored the covenantal relationship, His commission to go into the world and make disciples includes Samaria, and no one blinks an eye.<\/p>\n

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