The presence of many Galileans and other non-Judeans during the Passover period may also have contributed to the fear of the leaders of Jerusalem to seize Jesus in broad daylight ‘lest an uproar occur.’—Matt. 26:3, 4.

GALILEE, SEA OF

A freshwater inland lake in N Palestine that has also been called the Sea of Chinnereth (Num. 34:11), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1) and the Sea of Tiberias. (John 6:1) (The Greek word translated “sea” may also mean “lake.”)

SIZE, AND TOPOGRAPHY OF AREA

The Sea of Galilee lies an average of 696 feet (212 meters) below the level of the Mediterranean Sea and is a part of the Rift Valley of the Jordan. Its greatest water depth is about 157 feet (48 meters). From N to S, this body of water has an approximate length of thirteen miles (21 kilometers), with a maximum width of about seven and a half miles (12 kilometers). Depending upon the season, the sparkling, clear waters of the Sea of Galilee vary from green to blue in color, and the average water temperature ranges from 57° F. (14° C.) in February to 86° F. (30° C.) in August. This lake is fed primarily by the Jordan River.

The bed of the Sea of Galilee resembles a huge basin. Rising from its shores on the E side are steep limestone mountains overlaid with lava, reaching an elevation of about 2,000 feet (610 meters). But on the W the mountains rise less abruptly. Hills and mountains practically surround the Sea of Galilee, except for the plains around the Jordan, that is, the points where the river enters the lake at the N end and where it renews its course at the SW. The area to the N is occupied by a mass of large basalt boulders. Not far S of the city of Tiberias on the W shore, there are hot sulphur springs that have long been famous for their medicinal properties. One of the seven springs there has a temperature of 137° F. (58° C.).

CLIMATE

The warm climate around the Sea of Galilee is conducive to the growth of tropical plants, including the lotus thorn, palms and indigo plants. Tortoises, turtles, crayfish and sandhoppers are found along the shores of the lake. Bird life and fish are abundant. Observed the nineteenth-century naturalist H. B. Tristram in his book The Natural History of the Bible, page 285: “The density of the shoals of fish in the Sea of Galilee can scarcely be conceived by those who have not witnessed them. Frequently these shoals cover an acre or more of the surface and the fish, as they slowly move along in masses, are so crowded, with their back fins just appearing on the level of the water, that the appearance at a little distance is that of a violent shower of rain pattering on the surface.”

Sudden storms, such as experienced by Jesus Christ and his disciples, are not uncommon. (Matt. 8:24; 14:24) Because of the low elevation of the Sea of Galilee, the air temperature is much warmer there than in the surrounding plateaus and mountains. This results in atmospheric disturbances. Also, strong winds rush down the Jordan valley from snowcapped Mount Hermon, not far to the N.

In the first century C.E., the shores of this lake were well populated. But, today, of the nine cities mentioned by Josephus as being on the Sea of Galilee only Tiberias remains.

JESUS’ MINISTRY IN AREA

This body of water figured prominently in Jesus’ earthly ministry. A number of times the Son of God spoke from a boat to great crowds assembled on its wide, pebbly shore. (Mark 3:9; 4:1; Luke 5:1-3) On one of these occasions he caused some of his disciples to have a miraculous catch of fish and called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be “fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:l8-22; Luke 5:4-11) In the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus performed many powerful works. He healed the sick, expelled demons (Mark 3:7-12), calmed the wind and the sea (Mark 4:35-41), miraculously fed more than 5,000, and then again more than 4,000 people, with several loaves of bread and a few fish (Matt. 14:14-21; 15:29, 34-38), and he also walked on the sea. (John 6:16-21) Rightly Jesus condemned three cities in that area, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, for remaining unresponsive despite the many powerful works their inhabitants witnessed.—Matt. 11:20-24.

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to some of his disciples by the Sea of Galilee and caused them to have a second miraculous catch of fish. He then stressed the importance of feeding his sheep.—John 21:1, 4-19.

GALL

A fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder, a small pear-shaped sac that rests on the underside of the right portion of the liver. The gall bladder can hold at one time about one and a half ounces of gall or bile. It is an extremely bitter yellow or greenish fluid used by the body in digestion. Gall came to be associated with that which is bitter or poisonous, and the word is so used in the Bible.

Describing his painful, bitter experience, Job figuratively speaks of his gall bladder as being poured out to the earth. (Job 16:1, 13) Later, Zophar, in figurative language, accusingly insinuates that Job has acted wickedly and that his “food” will be within him like “the gall [or poison] of cobras.” He warns that a weapon will pass “through his gall [bladder].” (Job 20:1, 14, 25) The Hebrew word here translated “gall” is also rendered “bitter” in many English translations.—Deut. 32:32; Job 13:26; see POISONOUS PLANT.

GALLEY

A long, low, narrow ship used mainly for naval warfare, powered by one or more tiers of oars.

Isaiah represents the inhabitants of Jerusalem as saying: “There the Majestic One, Jehovah, will be for us a place of rivers, of wide canals. On it no galley fleet will go, and no majestic ship will pass over it. For Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our Statute-giver, Jehovah is our King; he himself will save us.” (Isa. 33:21, 22) Jerusalem had no great rivers or canals as defenses against attack. Yet, just as rivers and canals protected cities such as Babylon and No-amon (Nah. 3:8), Jehovah would protect Jerusalem. So powerful would these “rivers” of God’s salvation be that strong enemy forces, symbolized by a fleet of hostile galleys or a majestic ship, would be wrecked in the mighty “waters” if they came up against Jerusalem. Jehovah thereby assured Jerusalem, in a figurative way, of her security under the defense he himself, ruling as her King, would provide for her salvation.

GALLIM

(Galʹlim) [heaps].

The home of Palti, to whom Saul gave his daughter Michal as his wife after David was outlawed. (1 Sam. 25:44) It is possibly the same as the Gallim whose inhabitants, centuries later, cried out in lamentation over the approaching Assyrian army under Sennacherib. (Isa. 10:24, 30) Gallim is placed at Khirbet Kakul, three miles (4.8 kilometers) NE of Jerusalem, by most modern geographers.

GALLIO

(Galʹli·o).

The proconsul of Achaia, before whose judgment seat the Jews accused Paul of leading men into another persuasion in worshiping God. Gallio dismissed the case on the basis that it did not involve a violation of Roman law. Thereupon the crowd went to beating Sosthenes the presiding officer of the synagogue, but Gallio chose not to concern himself with this either.—Acts 18:12-17.

According to secular sources, Gallio was born at Cordova, Spain, about the beginning of the first century C.E. He was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the older brother of Seneca the philosopher. Gallio’s original name was Lucius Annaeus Novatus. But, upon being adopted by the rhetorician Lucius Junius Gallio, he assumed the name of his adopter.

An inscription from Delphi points to the date 51-52 C.E. for Gallio’s term as proconsul of Achaia. (Acts 18:12) Only fragmentary, the inscription’s text has had to be reconstructed, but it definitely contains the name of “Lucius Junius Gallio, . . . proconsul.” Historians are generally agreed that the text is a letter from Emperor Claudius Caesar and that the number “26” found in it refers to Claudius’ having received the imperial acclamation for the twenty-sixth time. (It was Claudius who restored Achaia to the position of a separate province responsible to the senate and hence having a proconsul.) The evidence is that this letter was written in the first half of 52 C.E., for other inscriptions indicate that Claudius was acclaimed emperor for the twenty-seventh time before August 1, 52 C.E. A Carian inscription and an inscription on the aqueduct called the Aqua Claudia at Rome place Claudius’ twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh imperial acclamations within the year of his twelfth period of tribunician power. This twelfth tribunician period corresponded to January 25, 52 C.E., to January 24, 53 C.E. Gallio’s proconsulship of Achaia (an office that ran for a year, starting with the beginning of summer) therefore evidently ran from the summer of 51 C.E. to the summer of 52 C.E.

GAMALIEL

(Ga·maʹli·el) [recompense of God].

1. The son of Pedahzur of the tribe of Manasseh and the chieftain of his tribe. (Num. 1:10, 16) Gamaliel was one of the twelve chieftains designated by Jehovah to aid Moses and Aaron in numbering the sons of Israel for the army, from twenty years old upward. (Num. 1:1-4, 10) He was over the army of his tribe, which was a part of the three-tribe division of the camp of Ephraim. (Num. 2:18, 20; 10:23) After the setting up of the tabernacle the chieftains made their presentations, directed by Jehovah to be used for carrying on the service of the tent of meeting. Gamaliel also represented his tribe in presenting his offering on the eighth day for the inauguration of the altar.—Num. 7:1-5, 10, 11, 54-59.

2. A member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee and a Law teacher, at whose feet the apostle Paul had been instructed according to the strictness of the ancestral Law. (Acts 5:34; 22:3) Gamaliel is generally regarded as identical with Gamaliel the Elder. Gamaliel the Elder was greatly esteemed, being the first one to have the title of “Rabban” bestowed upon him. This honorary title was even higher than that of “Rabbi.” Concerning him the Mishnah says: “When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, the glory of the Law ceased and purity and abstinence died.” (Sotah, 9. 15) Gamaliel evidently was broad-minded and not fanatical in his views, as reflected by the counsel he gave on the occasion that Peter and the other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin. By citing examples from the past, Gamaliel illustrated the wisdom of not interfering with the work of the apostles, and then added: “If this scheme and this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them . . . you may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.”—Acts 5:34-39.

GAMES

Early in man’s history an interest in diversion and entertainment became manifest. Jubal, in the seventh generation from Adam, is said to be “the founder of all those who handle the harp and the pipe.” (Gen. 4:21) In course of time, at least in the post-Flood period, games were also developed.

EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA

In widely scattered locations of Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia, archaeologists have unearthed various forms of gaming boards, chessmen, dice and other game pieces, some of them dating back to times before Abraham. A relief from an Egyptian temple gate portrays Ramses III playing a game similar to draughts (checkers) with one of his concubines. The ancient game boards were of clay, limestone, ivory or ebony, some being beautifully inlaid. An ivory board from a royal gaming room in Crete was trimmed in gold and silver and decorated with a mosaic of rock crystal and blue paste. Boards were found that could be used for more than one game, some being very complicated, and most games used dice or throw sticks to determine the moves. Exquisitely carved dice have been discovered in Egyptian tombs and at other locations, including Ur.

Egyptian paintings, in addition to depicting dancing and instrument playing, show scenes of Egyptian girls playing with balls, juggling several at a time. Other youthful games, such as a kind of tug-of-war, involved team play. Marbles were also popular.

ISRAEL

No direct reference is made in the Bible to games among the Hebrews, but there are scattered indications of certain forms of recreation in addition to music, singing, dancing and conversation. Zechariah 8:5 tells of children playing in the public squares, and the singing and dancing of boys are mentioned at Job 21:11, 12. In Jesus’ time children played at imitating happy and sad occasions. (Matt. 11:16, 17) Excavations in Palestine have produced children’s toys such as rattles, whistles and miniature pots and chariots. Job 41:5 may indicate the keeping of tame birds. It appears likely that target shooting with arrows as well as slings was practiced. (1 Sam. 20:20-22, 35-40; Judg. 20:16) However, competitive games as such do not appear to have been in practice among the Jews until the Hellenic period.

Riddles and guessing games were popular in Israel, as illustrated by the riddle Samson propounded to the Philistines.—Judg. 14:12-14.

GREECE

At about the time that Isaiah began to prophesy in Judah during King Ahaz’ reign, the Greeks began their famous Olympic athletic contests in honor of Zeus, in the year 776 B.C.E. While the games at Olympia remained the most famous, three other Greek towns became important centers of the contests. On the Isthmus near Corinth were held the Isthmian Games, consecrated as sacred to Poseidon. Delphi featured the Pythian Games, while the Nemean Games, also in honor of Zeus, were held in Argos.

The Olympic Games were celebrated every four years and were of profound religious significance. Religious sacrifices and the worship of the Olympic fire were prominent features of the festival. The Isthmian Games near Corinth were held every two years.

The basic program in all the contests included foot racing, wrestling, boxing, discus and javelin throwing, chariot racing, and other events. Participants took a vow to keep the rigid ten-month training schedule, which occupied most of their time. The