Biblical Allusions

The Fall:
A Serpant came to Eve and told her to eat the apple if she wanted to have the wisdom and knowledge of God. Eve in turn took the apple and also got Adam to eat it too. This is called The Fall because Adam and Eve fell from the grace of God because of their disobedience.

The Flood:
Noah was told by God to build an arch. The bible story actually tells the dimensions that the arch was suppose to be. God told Adam a great flood was coming that would wipe out all of life on earth because he was angry with all the disobedience on earth. The arch had to be big enough to hold one male and one female of every species on earth plus Adam and his family. Noah was ridiculed by everyone and no one would help hi. So when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights causing the great flood, everyone and everything not on the arch died.

The Creation:
The creation, according to both the Bible, and in Genesis, was when God began to create heaven and earth. This took six days and on the seventh day God ceased from his labors. This is an example of man: six days of labor and one day of rest. Throughout these six days God created light, darkness, the sky, the ocean, the moon, stars, the sun, animals, plants, and on the last day humans, which were the most dominant of them all. The creation of man is sharply distinguished from the other parts of the creation, and the creation of woman is described as a distinct act of God. Genesis 2:7 teaches that man did not exist as an animate being before he was a man; it was after the image of God.

The mark of Cain:
Cain was the child of Adam and Eve. He also had a brother named Abel. God required that in order to show respect and live for himself Adam, Eve and his family had to sacrifice their best animals and crops in his honor. Abel was a good and faithful servant to God. Cain wanted to keep the best for himself. Cain was selfish, greedy, and jealous of his brother Abel. So Cain killed Abel. This was the first murder. God knew Cain killed him. When he asked Cain where Abel was and he replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” God grew very angry. He struck him with a mark on his forehead for all to know he was evil.

Lot and his wife:
The prophet Abraham was previously told by God that he was going to wipe out the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asked God if he could find 50 innocent people in the towns, if God would spare the place. Abraham kept going lower and lower in the nmber until he reached ten. At ten God said if you can find ten innocent people, I will spare the place. Abraham couldn’t find ten. There was only Lot, his wife, and his sons and daughters. God allowed the angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah but spared Lot’s family except for his wife was was turned into a pillar of salt for defiance.

Sodom and Gomorrah:
Sodom and Gomorrah were two towns famous for its sinners. The entire towns were full of people who Sodomized, gambled, got drunk, used prostitutes, etc. This was against everything God wanted for his people so he was going to send his angel of death to wipe out the entire place.

The Nativity:
There was a virgin named Mary who was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit (God) and her earthly husband, Joseph. In those days everyone was required to go to his or her birthplace to be counted. Because there were so many people in the cities, there wasn’t enough places to stay. The pregnant Marty went into labor and, after going door to door, was given a stable to give birth to her child in. There was a huge star in the sky that led the three wisemen and true believers to this stable where the baby was born- this baby was the Messiah Jesus Christ.

Lazarus:
Although there are two different stories, Lazarus the beggar and Lazarus the resurrected were combined into one. Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary Magdalene who lived in Bethany. During Christ’s absence, he took sick and died. After some delay, Christ returned and raised Lazarus from death. The miracle of it was that there were four days between his death and resurrection, there were a number of witnesses involved, and the health of Lazarus. The miracle illustrates Christ’s sympathy and power.

The Crucifixion
Crucifixion was on of the most cruel and barbarous forms of death known to man. The Crucifixion of Christ was a trial before the Jewish and Roman authorities. He was led forth for crucifixion. Before the actual ordeal itself, he was scourged. He was bent over, tied to a post, and the Romans lashed his back with pieces of bone or steel. After this, which was enough to kill him already, he was tied and nailed to the cross which caused great suffering. The slightest movement was significant torture.

The Denial
This was when Jesus met up with peter and told him after the third time that he denied him, the rooster would crow. So when a servant had said that Peter was with Jesus, Peter denied it for the first time. Then he denied it a second time when another lady shouted to the crowd that Peter was a follower of Jesus. Finally Peter was recognized as one of the disciples yet he still denied it. The rooster crow and Jesus looked at the embarrassment on Peter’s face.

Thirty pieces of silver
Judas Iscariot, one of the apostles, had betrayed Jesus. Wanting to arrest Jesus, but afraid to cause a riot Judas was bribed with 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Some say that the guilt overcame him and he returned the money and hung himself, others say he bought a field which eventually became the field of blood.

David and Goliath (Philistines)
A Giant named Goliath had all of the Israelites, including their army, in fear. Everyone except for a young man by the name of David. He was originally sent to the battle field to find out about his family but when he saw everyone in fear, he wanted to fight. After threatening the giant, the giant ran toward David but he simply shot a stone at the Giant and while he was down, he killed him with his sword. The Israelites cut off the giant’s head and then chased the rest of the Philistines away.

Buddha/Buddhism
Buddhism is often described as a religion and a collection of various philosophies. To many, however, Buddhism is a set of spiritual teachings and practices rather than a religion. Buddhism is also known as Dhamma, meaning “The teachings of the awakened one.” This is because the Mahayanna tradition believes that Buddhism spreads to anything that is living and awakened.

Golgotha
Golgotha translates to “the skull.” Two explanation of the name are found: (1) It was a place of execution, and therefore abounded in skulls; (2) The place had the appearance of a skull when viewed from a short distance. The Gospels and tradition do not agree as to its location.

The Prodigal Son
This is a story that is often read on the third Sunday of lent. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger brother demands his share of the inheritance while his father is still alive and he goes off to a distant place and wastes all of his money. Eventually he takes work as a swine herder. Eventually he comes to his senses and goes back to throw himself to his fathers mercy. Unexpectedly, his father greets him with open arms and they all celebrate. The older brother becomes jealous but the father responds by saying, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

Revelations (Four Horsemen, Number of the Beast, etc)
The Book of Revelation, also known as the Revelation to John. It is the only biblical book that is wholly composed of apocalyptic literature. In the book John wrote about visions he had seen. His first vision was the first half of the book. The beast is connected to the number 666 which represents the anti-Christ.

Jonah and the whale
Jonah was a prophet from Galilee and was told by the lord to go to Nineveh to warn them to repent or they would suffer consequences. Rather than doing what he was told, he headed for Tarshish, Spain. Jonah hops on a boat but when a storm hits them and he confesses that he is hiding from the lord, they throw him overboard. As Jonah is sinking into the sea, a whale swallows him Here we see God’s great mercy.

Samson and Delilah
An angel from God predicts to Manoah, an Israelite that he and his wife will have a son that will start to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. He was to keep from alcoholic beverages, unclean meat, and cutting his hair. Samson goes against what he is suppose to do and falls in love with a woman named Delilah who makes him shave his hair which is where he gets his strength. Since he went against the oath God leaves him and he is captured by the Philistines.

Moses and the flight from slavery in Egypt
God picked Moses to go to Egypt to free the Hebrews from the Pharaoh. After preparing, he left to Egypt and told the Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. The Pharaoh refused. Even after Moses threatened him, he still would not budge. Moses tried to show his power but the Pharaoh was just as good. Finally, after the Pharaoh became sick. Moses led the Hebrews to safety.