Impact0419

Services at St Chad’s
Transport in Biblical Times
Transport options today
are linked to a number of
factors: wealth, geography
and infrastructure, to
mention a few. Given
suitable finances, in Sheffield, I
could travel by bus, tram, taxi or
train. It wouldn’t take long to get to
an airport either. Where I grew up,
in a small village, one bus came
through a few times a day. In
places like Vietnam, cars are too
expensive for many, so scooters
and motorbikes are the preferred
form of transport.
In biblical times, transport
options on land were
obviously a lot more
limited: by foot or by
animal. Travelling was
hard work and took a
long time. The climate
was generally warm
in biblical locations,
so it was tiring and
plans for water
stops (at wells
or springs) were
necessary. It
was dangerous
too, due to
wild animals and
robbers.
Oxen are slow, but powerful
animals, and were used to pull
carts or wagons. Camels were
used for long distance travel and
transportation of goods in the
desert and hot places, due to their
strength, natural protection from
the elements, and not needing to
stop regularly for water. Horses
were expensive, generally only
used by kings or armies, and
would be used to transport
soldiers or pull chariots.
Donkeys are mentioned
throughout the Bible as a
means of transportation. The
most amusing incident, and
well worth a read, is the story of
Balaam travelling on his donkey
in Numbers 22. Balaam is not
paying attention to God and so
God allows the donkey to speak!
Other stories are probably more
familiar. In the story of Joseph, the
dreaming, coat-wearing favourite
son of Jacob, his brothers come
to him from Canaan to Egypt on
donkeys to collect grain due to
famine (Genesis 42-44). One of
Jesus’ most famous stories, the
Parable of the Good Samaritan,
involves a man travelling from
Jerusalem to Jericho. He
gets attacked and beaten
by robbers and left for
dead. It is a kind
stranger with a
donkey who takes
him to an inn and
cares for him
(Luke 25).
Jesus also rides
on a donkey, and
that story links
us with this time
of the year. Palm
Sunday (April
14) is where the
church remembers Jesus coming
into Jerusalem as a humble king,
not on a powerful horse, but
on a donkey. Here people laid
down cloaks and branches on
the ground (Matt 21). This begins
what is known as Holy Week,
including Good Friday (April 19),
where Christians remember the
death of Jesus on the cross. But
Easter Sunday (April 21) is when
Christians remember Jesus’
resurrection. This is at the core of
the Christian faith, that Jesus died
and rose again so that humanity
might be reunited with God.
Rev James Norris
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 22
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org