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MildnessAid to Bible Understanding
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difficulty, whereas harshness would magnify the bad situation. The proverb says: “An answer, when mild, turns away rage, but a word causing pain makes anger to come up.” (Prov. 15:1) Mildness can have great force. “By patience a commander is induced, and a mild tongue itself can break a bone.”—Prov. 25:15.
ESSENTIAL WHEN UNDER DISCIPLINE
Another fine principle involving mildness or calmness is set forth by Solomon. It concerns the tendency we may have to show a rebellious spirit when corrected or chastised by one in authority. We may get so indignant as to leave our place of proper submission. But Solomon warns: “If the spirit of a ruler should mount up against you, do not leave your own place, for calmness itself allays great sins.” (Eccl. 10:4; compare Titus 3:2.) The proper attitude of calmness and mildness under discipline not only avoids further anger from the authority, but enables us to improve our personality through keeping our temper and our proper place and applying the discipline.
This is especially true when the ruler is Jehovah God and when discipline comes through those set in authority by him. (Heb. 12:7-11; 13:17) It also applies in our relationship to those permitted by God to wield worldly governing authority. (Rom. 13:1-7) Even when such a ruler may make a harsh demand of the Christian as to the reason for the hope he has, the Christian, while firmly putting obedience to God first, should answer “with a mild temper and deep respect.”—1 Pet. 3:15.
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MileAid to Bible Understanding
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MILE
[Gr., miʹli·on].
A measure of distance. (Matt. 5:41) In the Scriptures the measure in question is probably the Roman mile (5,000 Roman feet; 4,860 English feet; 1,481 meters). At Luke 24:13; John 6:19; 11:18 the word miʹli·on does not appear in the Greek text, but the distance figures are given in terms of stadia (1 Roman stadium = 1/8 Roman mile or 625 Roman feet; 607 English feet, 185 meters). In the New World Translation the stadia figures at Luke 24:13; John 6:19; 11:18 have been converted to Roman miles. For example, “sixty stadia” is given as “seven and a half miles” (about 7 English miles or 11 kilometers).—Luke 24:13.
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MiletusAid to Bible Understanding
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MILETUS
(Mi·leʹtus).
A city on the W coast of Asia Minor that is now in ruins. It lies near the mouth of the Maeander (Menderes) River and anciently had four harbors. By the seventh century B.C.E. the Ionians seem to have made Miletus a prosperous commercial center having numerous colonies on the Black Sea and in Egypt. The woolen goods of Miletus became widely known. Indicative of this is the fact that at Ezekiel 27:18 the Septuagint Version lists “wool from Miletus” as an item of Tyre’s trade. Miletus was also the home of famous philosophers such as Thales (640?-546 B.C.E.), regarded as the founder of Greek geometry, astronomy and philosophy. In the fifth century B.C.E. the Persians captured and destroyed Miletus for having shared in revolt. Later (in 334 B.C.E.), the rebuilt city fell to Alexander the Great. During Hellenic and Roman times Miletus witnessed considerable architectural activity. An impressive ruin from this period is a large theater built in an open field.
As time passed, the city declined in importance. This is attributed to the silting up of its harbor facilities by the Maeander River. Ancient Miletus seems to have been situated on a promontory extending from the S side of the Latmian Gulf. But today the ruins of the city lie about five miles (8 kilometers) inland, and what was once the Latmian Gulf is a lake.
PAUL VISITS
It was to Miletus that the apostle Paul came, probably in 56 C.E. Because of wanting to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost if at all possible and not wishing to spend time unnecessarily in Asia Minor, Paul, apparently at Assos, decided to take a vessel that bypassed Ephesus. But he did not neglect the needs of the congregation there. From Miletus, doubtless by means of a messenger, Paul sent for the older men of the Ephesus congregation (about 30 miles [48 kilometers] away). The additional time it took for word to reach them and for them to come to Miletus (perhaps a minimum of three days) apparently was less than might have been involved had Paul gone to Ephesus. Possibly this was because the available ship(s) from Assos putting into port at Ephesus made more breaks in the voyage than did the one(s) stopping at Miletus. Or, circumstances in Ephesus itself might have delayed Paul had he stopped there.—Acts 20:14-17.
In speaking to the older men of the Ephesus congregation, Paul reviewed his own ministry among them, admonished them to pay attention to themselves and to the flock, alerted them to the danger of “oppressive wolves” entering the congregation, and encouraged them to stay awake and to keep in mind his example. Having been told that they would see him no more, these overseers gave way to considerable weeping, “fell upon Paul’s neck and tenderly kissed him,” and then conducted him to the boat.—Acts 20:18-38.
At an unspecified time after his first imprisonment in Rome, Paul seems to have returned to Miletus. Trophimus, who had earlier accompanied him from Miletus to Jerusalem, became ill, necessitating Paul’s leaving him behind.—Compare Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Timothy 4:20.
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Military CommanderAid to Bible Understanding
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MILITARY COMMANDER
The Greek word khi·liʹar·khos (chiliarch) means “commander of 1,000 soldiers.” With the exception of its use in Revelation, it refers to a Roman military tribune. There were six tribunes in each Roman legion. The legion, however, was not divided into six different commands; rather, each tribune commanded the whole legion one-sixth of the time. For each two-month period, two tribunes served on alternate days.—See ARMY (Roman).
Such a military commander was vested with great authority. He nominated and assigned centurions. He presided at courts-martial and could order capital punishment. He had a body of attendants serving as aides, relaying orders, and so forth. His rank was recognized by his dress: a purple stripe on his toga and a gold ring of distinction. At one time these tribunes were elected by the people; later the Senate and other civil or military personnel were primarily responsible for their appointment. Normally ten years’ infantry duty or five years in the cavalry were required. Augustus allowed sons of senators to begin their careers as tribunes. Tiberius reserved the right of appointment to himself.
At the celebration of Herod’s birthday these commanders were among the honored guests entertained by the dancer Salome. In the presence of such men of rank Herod felt compelled to keep his oath, and so ordered John the Baptist beheaded. (Mark 6:21-26) A military commander (chiliarch) accompanied the soldiers who arrested Jesus.—John 18:12.
In 56 C.E. Claudius Lysias was the military commander of the Jerusalem garrison and the one who rescued Paul both from the street mob and from the rioting Sanhedrin and the one who wrote a letter of explanation to Governor Felix when Paul was secretly slipped down to Caesarea. (Acts 21:30–24:22) Military commanders were present in numbers when Paul appeared before Agrippa. (Acts 25:23) “Military commanders” are among those against whom God’s judgments are executed in John’s vision, in the book of Revelation.—Rev. 6:15; 19:18.
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MilkAid to Bible Understanding
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MILK
The product of female mammals for nourishment of their young, and used as a food by mankind in general. (Gen. 18:8; Judg. 4:19; 5:25) The Hebrew word rendered milk usually means “fresh milk,” and is generally distinguished from curds, cheese and butter. (Deut. 32:14; 2 Sam. 17:29; Job 10:10; Prov. 27:27)No distinction is made, however, between milk of cows, sheep and goats. (Ezek. 25:4; 1 Cor. 9:7) Sour or curdled milk was often mixed with honey and was regarded as a refreshing drink. David took “ten portions of milk” (“cheese,” Vg) to the “chief of the thousand” when taking food to his brothers in the army camp. These portions may have been in the form of fresh-milk cheese. Rotherham says “ten slices of soft cheese.”—1 Sam. 17:17, 18.
BOILING A KID IN ITS MOTHER’S MILK
Boiling “a kid in its mother’s milk” was a violation of the Mosaic law. (Deut. 14:21) Twice this prohibition is mentioned in connection with the festival of the firstfruits held around the beginning of June. (Ex. 23:19; 34:26) Many commentators therefore believe that the law was given because the Canaanites and other peoples observed an idolatrous ritual at this time of the year. A publication by a professor of Hebrew in the seventeenth century, Dr. Ralph Cudworth (who based his conclusions on an ancient Karaite commentary), is quoted as follows: “It was a custom of the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in the milk of its dam; and then, in a magical way, to go about and besprinkle with it all their trees and fields, gardens and orchards; thinking by this means to make them fruitful, that they might bring forth more abundantly in the following year.” (Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. I, pp. 421, 422; M’Clintock & Strong’s Cyclopædia, Vol. VI, p. 257) It is also noteworthy that one of the ancient Ras Shamra texts refers to cooking a kid in milk in connection with certain pagan offerings, perhaps the firstfruits of the harvest.
IN PROPHECY
Regarding Immanuel it was foretold: “Due to the abundance of the producing milk, he will eat butter; because butter and honey are what everyone left remaining in the midst of the land will eat.” This circumstance was to result from the devastation of Judah by the Assyrians. On account of this devastation, formerly cultivated land would become choked with weeds. Therefore those left remaining in the land would have to subsist to a considerable degree on dairy products and wild honey. There being ample pasturage, the animals that had been preserved alive would produce an abundance of milk for the greatly reduced population.—Isa. 7:20-25; compare 37:30-33.
ILLUSTRATIVE USE
Often milk is referred to in a figurative or an illustrative way. (Gen. 49:12; Song of Sol. 5:12; Lam. 4:7) Resources of nations and people are called milk. (Isa. 60:16) The Promised Land is repeatedly described as “flowing with milk and honey,” denoting abundance, fruitfulness and prosperity due to Jehovah’s blessing. (Ex. 3:8; Deut. 6:3; Josh. 5:6; Jer. 11:5; Ezek. 20:6; Joel 3:18) The shepherd of the Song of Solomon spoke of his beloved Shulammite as having honey and milk under her tongue, evidently meaning that her tongue gave expression to pleasant words.—Song of Sol. 4:11.
Since milk promotes physical growth to maturity, elementary Christian doctrine is likened to “milk” for spiritual babes, which will strengthen them to grow to the point of being able to assimilate “solid food,” the deeper spiritual truths. (1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12-14) The apostle Peter, speaking to mature Christians, says: “As newborn infants, form a longing for the unadulterated milk belonging to the word.” For what purpose? That they might keep on growing, not merely to maturity, but “to salvation,” that is, making their calling and choosing sure for themselves. (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 1:10) At Isaiah 55:1, God calls on spiritually thirsty ones to buy this growth-promoting spiritual “milk,” which, through his undeserved kindness, they can obtain “without money and without price.”
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MillAid to Bible Understanding
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MILL
A simple apparatus generally consisting of two circular stones (one placed atop the other), between which various edible threshed grains are ground into flour. It was possible to pound grain with a pestle in a mortar, rub it on a stone slab with a stone, or grind it with a hand mill, the method employed in most ancient Palestinian homes. Such devices were used from early patriarchal times, for Abraham’s wife Sarah made round cakes from “fine flour.” (Gen. 18:6) In the wilderness, the Israelites ground the divinely provided manna “in hand mills or pounded it in a mortar.”—Num. 11:7, 8.
Bread was generally baked every day and usually each family possessed its own hand mill. The grinding of grain into flour was ordinarily a daily activity of the women in the household. (Matt. 24:41; Job 31:10; Ex. 11:5; Isa. 47:1, 2) They rose early in the morning to prepare the flour needed for the day’s bread. The sound of hand mills is referred to in the Bible as a symbol of normal peaceful conditions. Conversely, abandonment and desolation were indicated when “the sound of the hand mill” was absent.—Jer. 25:10, 11; Rev. 18:21, 22; compare Ecclesiastes 12:3, 4.
Like its modern counterpart in the Middle East, the common hand mill of ancient times consisted of two round stones, the upper grindstone made to fit and revolve on the lower one. (Deut. 24:6; Job 41:24) Today, the heavy lower (or nether) stone is usually made of basalt and is often about eighteen inches (c. 45.7 centimeters) in diameter and two to four inches (c. 5 to 10.2 centimeters) thick. A peg fitted into the center of the lower stone serves as a pivot for the upper stone. The grinding surface of the stationary lower stone is convex, allowing the pulverized grain to drift out to the mill’s perimeter. The concave lower surface of the upper millstone (the rider) matches the top of the lower stone. A funnel-like hole in the center of the upper stone accommodates the peg and also serves as a place to put the grain into the mill. Toward the outer edge of the upper stone there is a hole into which a wooden stick is inserted, this serving as a handle for the upper grindstone.
Two women generally operated this kind of hand mill. (Luke 17:35) They sat facing each other, each placing one hand on the handle to turn the upper stone. With her free hand, one woman fed unground grain in small amounts into the filler hole of the upper stone, while the other gathered the flour as it emerged from the rim of the mill and fell to the tray or the cloth spread beneath the mill.
Since bread was usually baked daily and grain was ground into flour frequently, God’s law given to Israel mercifully forbade the seizing of a person’s hand
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