“Since 2004, my wife and I have been buying antiquities from Zak. I remember my first oil lamp from the Hasmonean period, how shocking it was to hold in my hand something that is from over 2000 years ago. It was in perfect condition, that means it was in use throughout the New Testament period as Zak told me.

Peter Wong
Peter Wong

Immediately I thought of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, maybe some of them were holding similar oil lamps. With Zak’s help we were able to take the oil lamp home with a price we can afford.

However, the parable talks about the wise ones carrying extra oil with them, so the following year with Zak’s help we bought an oil jar from the Herodian period. Ever since we have purchased many more pieces from Zak and each piece takes modern Bible readers back into the biblical period, into a different world.

My students ask questions like: what was it like to be a Jew in the First Century? How do they understand Jesus’ Word? I would take these opportunities to share with them how we must see and hear Jesus from the eyes and ears of the Jewish people in the First Century, understand Jesus’ Word in that period and then we can see how to apply in our world today.”