"The Everlasting Tradition" by Galen Peterson
This book is wonderful compendium of information about "Jewish customs,
holidays, and historical events that reveal biblical truth," to quote
the front cover. To quote the back cover, the author, Galen Peterson, is
"a graduate of the University of California and Moody Bible Institute,"
and "is Executive Director of American Remnant Mission...an outreach
ministry to the Jewish community."
The book is divided into four parts: Tradition, Blessing, Redemption, and
Celebration. In each part there are four chapters that amplifies some aspect
of the New or Old Testament by explaining the underlying elements of history
or culture. Mr. Peterson's amplification can greatly add to one's understanding
of certain passages in the bible. I happened to be studying the Gospel of
John while reading this book, so I particularly appreciated Chapter Eight--"Some
Of That Old-Time Jewish Religion," which explains the background behind
John 10 when Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication and is walking
along Solomon's Colonnade. Mr. Peterson goes into an aspect of bible history
that I believe is little known among most Christians, probably because it
occured in the period between the Old and New Testaments. During that time,
Jerusalem came under Syrian control, and the Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes,
profaned the temple, even sacrificing a pig on the altar. The Maccabees
reclaimed Jerusalem and cleansed the temple, but because of the horrible
desecration of the altar, they decided they could not properly cleanse it,
so they tore it down and built a new one. The stones of the old altar were
placed near Solomon's Colonnade, until the time when a prophet would come
and tell them what to do with them. Mr. Peterson argues that when, in John
10, the crowd asks Jesus if He is the Messiah, they have in mind this ancient
tradition.
This book is very engagingly written, extremely insightful, and helpful
in filling in one's understanding of bible history and New and Old Testament
passages.
"The Everlasting Tradition" by Galen Peterson
©1995 by Kregel Publications
ISBN 0-8254-3499-8 (paperback)
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