Pseudepigrapha

Pseudepigrapha, meaning “writings with false titles,” is a general term for a collection of Jewish works written between 200 BC and 200 AD. Some of these works were written under the names of famous figures like Adam, Enoch, Moses, and Ezra. The Pseudepigrapha present themselves in the form of traditional stories, apocalyptic visions, and dreams. […]

The Background of the Book of Jude

The Book of Jude was likely written by Jude, the brother of Jesus, around 65-70 AD. By then, the apostolic era was nearing its end, the apostolic faith had been established (verse 3), the words of the apostles were being remembered (verse 17), and the apostles’ warnings had come true (verse 18), with many heresies […]

Roman Public Toilets

The public sanitation infrastructure of ancient Rome was remarkably advanced. Rome had the most sophisticated urban drainage system in the world at that time. Thanks to this comprehensive system, the city of Rome had 144 public toilets, solving the daily needs of a million people. Toilets could be divided into two types: public and private. […]

The Background of 3 John

The original text of 3 John is in Greek, and it is also known as the “Third Epistle of John.” The books of Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude are called the General Epistles or Catholic Epistles because they are not addressed to specific recipients and their author […]

Ancient Roman Sanitation Systems

The Roman water supply system is considered one of the most brilliant engineering feats of ancient history. Aqueducts were built throughout the Roman-controlled territories, and their construction became a symbol of the Roman Empire’s expansion. While aqueducts primarily served as escape routes or for military purposes, they also provided for other needs, such as supplying […]

The Background of 2 John

The original text of 2 John is in Greek and is also known as the “Second Epistle of John.” The books of Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude are called the General Epistles or Catholic Epistles because they are not addressed to specific recipients and their author is […]

 The Library of Celsus 

The Library of Celsus in Ephesus, built in 135 AD, is one of the few surviving libraries of the Roman Empire and was the third largest library in the ancient world, after the Library of Alexandria and the Library of Pergamum. The Library of Celsus housed 12,000 scrolls, and a 1-meter space between its inner […]

The Background of 1 John

The book of 1 John, like Hebrews, has a unique beginning, without a formal greeting or mention of any person. However, both internal and external evidence point to the Apostle John as the author. In his later years, the Apostle John settled in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor. During the great persecution under […]

The Background of 2 Peter

The original style of this letter is notably different from 1 Peter. It’s possible that Silas helped with the polished writing of the first letter (1 Peter 5:12), while this letter used a different scribe or was written by Peter himself. This significant difference, along with the later spread of Gnostic heresies through numerous letters […]

The Background of 1 Peter

The early church widely recognized the author of 1 Peter as the Apostle Peter. The letter was likely written between 62 and 64 AD, before Nero’s persecution of Christians began and after Paul’s first release from Roman prison. The location of writing was Rome, with “Babylon” (1 Peter 5:13) serving as a cryptic name for […]