• Transfiguration
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • were laboring under a delusion. Nor were they insensible to what occurred, for they were fully awake when witnessing the transfiguration. With their literal eyes and ears they actually saw and heard what took place at that time.—Luke 9:32.

      As Moses and Elijah were being separated from Jesus, Peter, “not realizing what he was saying,” suggested the erecting of three tents, one each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. (Luke 9:33) But as the apostle spoke a cloud formed (Luke 9:34), evidently (as at the tent of meeting in the wilderness) symbolizing Jehovah’s presence there on the mountain of the transfiguration. (Ex. 40:34-38) From out of the cloud there came Jehovah’s voice, saying: “This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.” (Luke 9:35) Years later, with reference to the transfiguration, Peter identified the heavenly voice as that of “God the Father.” (2 Pet. 1:17, 18) In the transfiguration, evidently Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets, both of which pointed toward and were fulfilled in Christ. Whereas in the past God had spoken through prophets, he now indicated that he would do so through his Son.—Gal. 3:24; Heb. 1:1-3.

      The apostle Peter viewed the transfiguration as a marvelous confirmation of the prophetic word, and by having been an eyewitness of Christ’s magnificence he was able to acquaint his readers “with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 1:16, 19) The apostle had experienced the fulfillment of Christ’s promise that some of his followers would “not taste death at all until first they see the kingdom of God already come in power.” (Mark 9:1) The apostle John may also have alluded to the transfiguration at John 1:14.

      Jesus told his three apostles: “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of man is raised up from the dead.” (Matt. 17:9) They did refrain from then reporting what they saw to anyone, apparently even to the other apostles. (Luke 9:36) While descending from the mountain, the three apostles “discussed among themselves what this rising from the dead meant,” concerning which Jesus had commented. (Mark 9:10) One current Jewish religious teaching was that Elijah must appear before the resurrection of the dead that would inaugurate the Messiah’s reign. So, the apostles inquired: “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus assured them that Elijah had come and they perceived that he spoke of John the Baptist.—Matt. 17:10-13.

      The transfiguration, it seems, served to fortify Christ for his sufferings and death, while also comforting and strengthening the faith of his followers. It showed that Jesus had God’s approval and it was a foreview of his future glory and kingdom power. It presaged the second presence of Christ, when his kingly authority would be complete.

  • Trap
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • TRAP

      A means or device for catching an animal, usually having a snare or spring that, when triggered, seizes, imprisons or kills the animal. As a rule, it is hidden, camouflaged or disguised in some manner so as to deceive the victim; bait is often used. A number of different Hebrew words are rendered variously as “trap,” ‘snare’ and ‘net.’ (Ps. 141:9, 10) Though the Bible does not provide detailed descriptions of the kinds of animal traps and snares used in ancient times, passages such as Job 18:8-10; Psalm 10:9; 140:5 and Jeremiah 18:22 give a general idea of how some of these were employed. For information regarding their construction and use, see BIRDCATCHER; HUNTING AND FISHING.

      FIGURATIVE OR ILLUSTRATIVE USE

      As they bring captivity, harm or death to animals caught in them, snares and traps can represent causes of loss of freedom, calamity, ruin or death. Thus, after Moses announced the coming of a severe locust plague on Egypt, Pharaoh’s servants asked: “How long will this man prove to be as a snare to us?” (Ex. 10:7) The previous plagues had all come at the announcement of Moses and, therefore, he had proved to be as a snare, that is, a cause of calamity or ruin to the Egyptians. Jehovah repeatedly warned the Israelites about allowing the Canaanites to remain in the Promised Land so that they would not fall into the trap of idolatry. (Ex. 23:32, 33; 34:12; Deut. 7:16, 25; Josh. 23:13) Idolatry was a trap or an insidious cause of calamity for the Israelites in that it resulted in their losing Jehovah’s favor and protection and led to oppression and restraint at the hands of their enemies. It was also deceptive, was baited with the pretense of bringing benefits and pleasures. (Judg. 2:2, 3, 11-16; 8:27) Similarly, King Saul used his daughter Michal in a scheme, saying: “I shall give her to [David] that she may serve as a snare to him.” (1 Sam. 18:21) Saul secretly hoped that David would lose his life in the venturesome exploit needed to obtain a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to give to the king instead of “marriage money.”—1 Sam. 18:25.

      Another feature of traps alluded to in figurative terms is the speed with which they can operate, catching one unawares. The fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians, for example, came so suddenly and unexpectedly that it was as if Jehovah had sprung a snare or trap on her.—Jer. 50:24; compare Luke 21:34, 35.

      An individual must carefully examine and be cautious about what he vows or guarantees to do so that he does not find himself trapped in a situation from which escape may be difficult or virtually impossible. (Prov. 6:1-3; 20:25) Companionship with a person given to fits of anger can cause one to become just like him. This is a snare, for it leads to entanglement in quarrels, ruinous complications and sin. (Prov. 22:24, 25; compare 1 Corinthians 15:33.) On the other hand, fear of God and striving to keep His way aids the wise one to avoid being enticed into wrongdoing (such as involvement with prostitutes) that might become a trap leading to death.—Prov. 13:14; 14:27; compare Proverbs 5:3-8; 7:21-23.

      In the first century C.E., some Christians, attracted by the allurement of riches, fell into a snare that brought spiritual ruin. (1 Tim. 6:9, 10) Others are said to have fallen into the “snare of the Devil.” Evidently this means that they had been misled and deviated from the truth and thus had become victims of the adversary. Timothy was urged to instruct such persons with mildness so that they might come to their senses and repent, thereby getting free from the Devil’s snare.—2 Tim. 2:23-26; compare 1 Timothy 1:3, 4; Titus 3:9.

      Though it is common for schemers to try to trap an innocent person, Jehovah can reverse things and “rain down upon the wicked ones traps, fire and sulphur.” (Ps. 11:6) He can trap them, cutting off all means of escape, and then execute judgment upon them.—Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.

  • Treasury
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • TREASURY

      A place, usually a building or room, where money or other valuables are kept for security. Numbers 31:54 indicates that at an early period the “tent of meeting” served, in a sense, as a sacred treasury holding contributed gold. The valuable things from Jericho that ‘belonged to Jehovah’ were given “to the treasure of Jehovah’s house,” suggesting that a treasury of some sort was established in connection with the tabernacle. (Josh. 6:17, 24) Levites were appointed over the treasures that were contributed and that which came as spoil made holy to God. (1 Chron. 26:20-28) The temple Solomon constructed also had a treasury, where gold and silver, as well as the costly utensils of the temple, were kept.—1 Ki. 7:51; 2 Chron. 5:1.

      Under the monarchy in Israel there was in addition a royal treasury. (2 Ki. 20:13; 24:13; 2 Chron. 32:27, 28; Jer. 38:11) Over the years the valuables of the royal treasury as well as the treasury of the house of Jehovah were repeatedly taken by enemies as plunder or used to buy off or bribe pagan nations.—1 Ki. 14:26; 15:18; 2 Ki. 12:18; 14:14; 16:8; 18:15; 24:13.

      Concerning the Babylonian treasury, Daniel 1:2 says that Nebuchadnezzar brought the valuable utensils of Jehovah’s house into “the treasure house of his god.” One Babylonian inscription represents Nebuchadnezzar as saying about the temple of Merodach: “I stored up inside silver and gold and precious stones . . . and placed there the treasure house of my kingdom.” (Compare Ezra 1:8.) The Babylonians may have had secondary treasuries in different parts of the empire. (Dan. 3:2) The Persians had such an arrangement, with the more localized treasuries holding some of the money collected as taxes by the satraps. (Ezra 7:20, 21) At least the main Persian treasuries also served as royal archives, containing important records in addition to gold and other valuables.—Ezra 6:1, 2; Esther 3:9.

      CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES

      When Jesus was on earth a portion of the temple in Jerusalem was termed “the treasury.” (John 8:20) This apparently was located in the area called the Court of the Women. According to rabbinical sources, in this temple rebuilt by Herod there were thirteen treasury chests around the wall in this court. These were shaped like trumpets, with small openings at the top, and the people would deposit in them various contributions and offerings. (Mark 12:41) The priests refused to put into this sacred treasury the silver pieces Judas threw into the temple, “because,” they said, “they are the price of blood.” (Matt. 27:6) It is believed that this temple also contained a major treasury where the money from the treasury chests was brought.

  • Trees
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • TREES

      [Heb., ʽets].

      The great variation in climate of Palestine and the neighboring lands made possible a very diversified growth of trees, from the cedars of Lebanon to the date palms of Jericho and the broom trees of the desert. Some thirty different types of trees are mentioned in the Bible and these are considered in this publication under the particular name of the tree.

      The problem of identifying the particular tree indicated by the original Hebrew or Greek word is frequently a difficult one, and, in a number of cases, the identification is only tentative. Such identification depends upon the extent of description given in the actual Bible record as to the characteristics of the tree (at times indicated by the meaning of the root word from which the name is derived) and by comparison of such description with the trees now known to grow in Bible lands, particularly in the regions indicated in the Bible text, when these are so mentioned. Additional help comes from a study of cognate words (that is, words that by their form give evidence of being related and having proceeded from the same original root or source) in other languages, such as Arabic and Aramaic. In some cases it seems the wiser course simply to transliterate the name, as, for example, in the case of the almug tree.

      As Harold Moldenke points out in his book Plants of the Bible (p. 5) many of the trees now found in Palestine may not have been growing there in Bible times, since, as he states, “floras change, especially in regions like Palestine and Egypt where man, notorious for his aptitude in upsetting the delicately adjusted balances in nature, has been most active” for thousands of years. He further states, on page 6: “Many plants which grew in abundance in the Holy Land or surrounding countries in Biblical days are now no longer there or else grow in far smaller numbers.” Some types have been exterminated or greatly diminished by excessive cultivation of the land, by devastation of timberlands due to the invading forces of Assyria, Babylon, on down to Rome. (Jer. 6:6; Luke 19:43) The destruction of trees and forests has allowed the topsoil to wash away and has resulted in much barrenness and desolation in many areas.

      As early as in Abraham’s day trees were listed in a contract for the transfer of property.—Gen. 23:15-18.

      IN THE LAW

      Later Jehovah God brought Israel into Canaan, a land containing “trees for food in abundance,” promised to provide the needed rain if Israel obeyed him, and required a tenth of the fruits for use of the sanctuary and the priesthood. (Neh. 9:25; Lev. 26:3, 4; 27:30) On invading the land the Israelites were instructed not to destroy the fruit-bearing trees when attacking the cities, although centuries later the kings of Judah and Israel were authorized by God to devastate the ‘good trees’ of the kingdom of Moab. The reason appears to be that Moab was outside the Promised Land. It was punitive warfare against Moab, and the Israelite action was a protection against Moabite revolt or retaliation. (Deut. 20:19, 20; 2 Ki. 3:19, 25; compare Jeremiah 6:6.) On planting a tree, the owner was not to eat of its fruit during the first three years, and on the fourth year its fruitage was to be devoted to sanctuary use. (Lev. 19:23-25; compare Deuteronomy 26:2.) Thereafter the annual first ripe fruits were likewise so dedicated.—Neh. 10:35-37.

      FIGURATIVE USE

      In the Garden of Eden God employed two trees for symbolic purposes: the “tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.” Failure to respect God’s decree concerning the latter brought man’s fall.—Gen. 2:9, 16, 17; 3:1-24.

      The significance of the “tree of the knowledge of good and bad” and of the restriction placed on its fruit has often been incorrectly viewed as relating to the sexual act between the first human pair. This view is contradicted by God’s plain command to them as male and female to “be fruitful and become many and fill the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) Rather, by standing for “the knowledge of good and bad” and by God’s pronouncement decreeing it to be “out of bounds” for the human pair, the tree became a symbol of man’s proper dependence on God, as his Sovereign Ruler, to make known for him what is “good” (approved by God) and what is “bad” (condemned by God). It thus constituted a test of man’s respect for his Creator’s position and his willingness to remain