Question since you know languages and Biblical history better than me... A gardener who is also a historian posited once that the locusts Joh the Baptist ate may not have been insects, but the pods of the honey locust tree, the same as the prodigal son. Now, some locust insects taste like shrimp, so that would be palatable. What do you think?
I would dispute your compliment, but I’ll take it all the same! Some scholars do argue that he didn’t eat actual locust insects, but this seems to be a minority view. One of the most intriguing explanations I’ve found is from Dr. John Bergsma, who says that the Essene community at Qumran, who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, prescribed wearing and eating only what grew naturally in the wild, and they even given a specific description of how to prepare locusts to eat. This is the only other evidence of Israelites eating locusts at this time besides St. John. But the Essenes prescribed this only for exiles from their community.
So, what Dr. Bergsma concludes is that St. John was raised at Qumran, which wasn’t uncommon at the time especially for more devout families, but then was exiled when he preached the coming of the divine Messiah, since the Essenes believed there would be two Messiahs, one peaceful and one militaristic, and that they would be mere men, not God. So when he’s baptizing at the Jordan, he’s living as an Essene exile.
Very interesting. I also wondered because the Mosaic dietary laws forbid eating creeping and crawling things. Maybe since locusts can fly that was a carve out.
Maybe? I’m not sure, but that makes sense. Here’s a note related to it from Dr. Bergsma:
“The cleanliness of locusts is discussed in the Mishnah and other rabbinic traditions; however, not only do these postdate the first century, but it is frequently the case that the rabbis would debate the application of the law to merely theoretical or highly unlikely scenarios.”
That makes sense. Every few years when we have the big cicada hatch I tell myself I'm going to go harvest a bag full and cook them to eat. They are said to be better than shrimp. But, I always forget. As for honey locust pods though, I LOVE those! You can cook the pulp down into sort of a caramel/butter like consistency and tase, eat them raw or brew a very simple beer from them that is quite good.
They are not native, but people have been planting them. The Black locust is native, but its pods are not edible. Honey locust may be a different family than black locust, but the leaves and spikes on the trunk and limbs are similar but bigger. Black locust is in the legume family. I think Honey locust is in the acacia family. Either way, they are closely related. You can actually use honey locust thorns as nails! Honey locust is a much larger tree.
Great reflection. Thank you.
Thank you, sir! God bless!
Your welcome and Happy Advent.
Question since you know languages and Biblical history better than me... A gardener who is also a historian posited once that the locusts Joh the Baptist ate may not have been insects, but the pods of the honey locust tree, the same as the prodigal son. Now, some locust insects taste like shrimp, so that would be palatable. What do you think?
I would dispute your compliment, but I’ll take it all the same! Some scholars do argue that he didn’t eat actual locust insects, but this seems to be a minority view. One of the most intriguing explanations I’ve found is from Dr. John Bergsma, who says that the Essene community at Qumran, who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, prescribed wearing and eating only what grew naturally in the wild, and they even given a specific description of how to prepare locusts to eat. This is the only other evidence of Israelites eating locusts at this time besides St. John. But the Essenes prescribed this only for exiles from their community.
So, what Dr. Bergsma concludes is that St. John was raised at Qumran, which wasn’t uncommon at the time especially for more devout families, but then was exiled when he preached the coming of the divine Messiah, since the Essenes believed there would be two Messiahs, one peaceful and one militaristic, and that they would be mere men, not God. So when he’s baptizing at the Jordan, he’s living as an Essene exile.
Very interesting. I also wondered because the Mosaic dietary laws forbid eating creeping and crawling things. Maybe since locusts can fly that was a carve out.
Maybe? I’m not sure, but that makes sense. Here’s a note related to it from Dr. Bergsma:
“The cleanliness of locusts is discussed in the Mishnah and other rabbinic traditions; however, not only do these postdate the first century, but it is frequently the case that the rabbis would debate the application of the law to merely theoretical or highly unlikely scenarios.”
That makes sense. Every few years when we have the big cicada hatch I tell myself I'm going to go harvest a bag full and cook them to eat. They are said to be better than shrimp. But, I always forget. As for honey locust pods though, I LOVE those! You can cook the pulp down into sort of a caramel/butter like consistency and tase, eat them raw or brew a very simple beer from them that is quite good.
I’m from Georgia and I never really heard about honey locust pods growing in the south. Are they more common in the Carolinas?
They are not native, but people have been planting them. The Black locust is native, but its pods are not edible. Honey locust may be a different family than black locust, but the leaves and spikes on the trunk and limbs are similar but bigger. Black locust is in the legume family. I think Honey locust is in the acacia family. Either way, they are closely related. You can actually use honey locust thorns as nails! Honey locust is a much larger tree.