I would urge you to pay close attention to your pastor’s messages, and make an effort to observe Advent to the fullest extent. However, it appears that some flexibility in these issues is permissible.

Measurement in the Scriptures

Question: I occasionally come across references in the Bible indicating a journey was a certain number of miles away. Isn’t miles an American measurement system? Did they utilize miles during biblical times?

— Paul VanHoudt, Erie, Colorado

Answer: Distances and additional units of measurement in the Bible were articulated in manners typical of that era. The English word “mile” is derived from the Latin and Roman terminology. mille possum, indicating a thousand steps. Nevertheless, the majority of individuals in biblical eras would describe distance more in terms of time. Thus, Jerusalem was noted to be a “three-days journey” from the area of Galilee. Another frequently used biblical measurement is a cubit, representing the span from the elbow to the tip of a man’s middle finger (typically between 18 and 20 inches). Such terms were commonly employed in a rather general manner since paces and cubits can differ from individual to individual.

As one could anticipate, in specific environments, established standards were essential. Clearly, the weights and measures utilized in exchanges needed to be mutually accepted, along with certified scales and weights. In construction, there were also particular standardized dimensions for cubits, handbreadths, and so forth. Therefore, possessing measuring rods that adhered to specific criteria was occasionally crucial. Nevertheless, even among builders in ancient biblical periods, a significant amount of “eyeballing” and estimation occurred since most stones and other materials were not fashioned into precise shapes or consistent lengths, except in highly notable structures.

The majority of contemporary translations do provide modern English and American counterparts to biblical terminology. Although these translations may lack scientific accuracy, they closely estimate the distances and dimensions for today’s English reader.

One aspect to keep in mind is that ancient civilizations did not consistently possess exact instruments for gauging distance or indicating time. This understanding can alleviate our fixation on apparent inconsistencies in numbers and measurements found in the Bible. Nowadays, we might confidently state 2 p.m. and convey a specific understanding. However, this has not always been the case. People often had to refer to time in a more broad manner using expressions like mid-afternoon, after length, at the “third watch of the night,” and others. Pinpointing specific dates was also challenging, as in Jesus’ era, there were at least four calendars actively in use: a solar calendar, a lunar calendar, and a pair of Roman calendars. Among the Jewish people, moments necessitating precision, such as the onset of Sabbath at sundown on Friday and its conclusion at sundown on Saturday, required a trumpet to be sounded by an agreed authority (typically the temple or synagogue). However, there were occasions when disagreements arose regarding the exact days on which feasts commenced and concluded.

This remains valid even now, as the Eastern Churches follow a distinct calendar compared to the Western Churches. Therefore, Christmas, Easter, and various other celebrations are frequently observed at different times. In some way, we manage these variations, just as the ancient communities during biblical times did. Consequently, we must exercise caution when expecting precision in terms of time, distances, and other measurements from a text composed long before such accuracy was anticipated or required.

Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at blog.adw.org. Send questions to msgrpope@osv.com.