Like Apples of Gold (part 3)

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“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
in pictures of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)

A Little History of and Information about Apples

The apple was considered, in ancient Greece, sacred to Aphrodite. To throw an apple at someone was to symbolically declare one’s love; and similarly, to catch it was symbolically, to show one’s acceptance of that love.

“The proverb, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, addressing the supposed health benefits of the fruit, has been traced to 19th-century Wales, where the original phrase was “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Excerpt from: A Dictionary of American Proverbs by Wolfgang Mieder, (1992)

Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe and were brought to North America by European colonists. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including Norse, Greek, and European Christian tradition.

A line from a poem by William Butler Yeats ‘The Song of the Wandering Aengus’ is—

“The Golden Apples of the Sun”

Greek and Roman mythology referred to apples as symbols of love and beauty.

Isaac Newton is said to have thought up the law of gravity, while sitting under an apple tree, observing the falling of apples.

Members of the rose family have flower parts in fives (multiples of five). The flowers are white or pink and the fruit is a pome type, derived from the fusion of the ovary and the receptacle, which make up the fleshy part of the fruit. Cut the apple in half cross-wise to find a star with five chambers, with two seeds each.

“Pomme” is the French word for apple. Pomme de Terre (“apple”) +‎ de (“from”) +‎ terre (“earth”), “Apple from the Earth” is a state park in my home state (born and raised), in Missouri.

“Pomo” is one word in Italian translated as, “apple.” Pomodoro is an Italian sauce made with tomatoes (not a vegetable, but a fruit). Tomatoes are often referred to as “love apples.” Tomatoes are a whole other species of plant, have their own history and why they were called “love apples” is a whole other story, but I thought this interesting and included it here.

Even potatoes are sometimes referred to as, “ground apples” or “apples from the ground.”

For many, many years, the word “apple” has been associated with and called an “apple” and used, for almost every type of fruit and nuts, but not berries.

Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.

Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each.

The largest apple ever picked from a tree weighed 3 lbs. 2 oz, according to The Guinness Book of World Records.

It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.

Apples are sometimes called “nature’s toothbrush.” Apples help clean the teeth and massage the gums.

Apples are delicious and nutritious— full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and many other properties for health and wellbeing.

History of Apples in America

You may think as I once did that apples have always been here in the United States, but they were brought here from Europe, first in 1607. The first colony was in Jamestown, VA named after King James, the same King James, which authorized the King James Version of the Bible in 1611. It was a 7-year project that began in 1604, two years after his namesake settlement in Jamestown. But the apples did not take too well, until they brought honeybees from Europe in 1622, the same year the second edition of the King James Bible was published. It was basically the same except for the change in Ruth 3:15 referred to as the ‘She Version,’ “…she went into the city.” The 1611 version, same verse, called the ‘He Version’ was written, “…he went into the city.” After 1622 apples were carried and spread all across the 13 colonies. Native Americans had never seen honey bees before and called them “stinging flies.”

With a lot of credit to Thomas Jefferson and John Chapman (a.k.a. Johnny Appleseed), seeds were spread, nurseries developed and grafting produced new varieties throughout the United States. The “Grimes Golden Apple” tree was found at a cider mill and nursery established by John Chapman, back in the early 1800’s. The “Grimes Golden Apple” is a rich, spicy, tangy, with a honeyed sweet flavor that’s crisp and sharp. “Grimes Golden Apples” are simply unforgettable, packed in a simple light yellow skin. No one knows how it ever got there or came there, but it was the first known “golden apple” in the United States.

The “Golden Delicious Apple” was first discovered quite by chance on the Mullins’ family farm in Clay County, West Virginia around 1891. L.L. Mullins sent his 15-year-old son to mow the pasture with a large scythe. He saw a chance seedling that neither he nor his father knew anything about. It was then about twenty inches tall and the boy decided to just let it grow. Grew it did and produced a lot of “golden apples,” sweet and “delicious.”

A family from Kentucky moved to the fertile valleys of the Mississippi and settled in Missouri. They wanted to build a nursery and raise apples. The Stark Brothers really took off and grew like their apples and they started the first International Forum for Apples in the United States. Their biggest seller was “Stark’s Red Delicious,” or its common name now, “Red Delicious.” They started to promote and advertise apples and encouraged other growers to send in samples of their varieties. About a 1,000 miles away, the Mullin’s “golden apple” was sent in for review about 1938. The owner of Stark Brothers almost immediately boarded a train for at least the thousand-mile trip to West Virginia and rode on horseback the last 20 miles to Mullin’s farm. There he saw not much more than scrawny, runts and untended apple trees and then, he saw the one, shining like gold in the sun, so full of beautiful apples they were bending the branches almost to the ground. After one bite, he knew this was what he was looking for and bought the tree on sight, hired Mullins to watch over it and to protect his investment. This “golden apple” was like nothing he had ever tasted. And this is the apple that Italian firm back in 2009 researched, having 57,000 + genes and were more than any other plant they had ever studied.

Back home in Missouri, they decided to name it after their popular “red delicious” even though it was nothing nearly like it. But to try and capitalize on the name, they settled on ‘Stark’s Golden Delicious,’ It is still one of the most popular apples grown in the USA and all over the world. Truly the “Golden Delicious” or “Gold Apples” are as “American as apple pie.”

Changes in cultural movements, transportation and likes and dislikes, varieties of apples went from somewhere from 19,000 (many of which were the same variety, they just had different names. All said, it is estimated that the world over, there are somewhere around 10,000 varieties today and 7,000 of those were grown in the United States, at least at one time in our history. Today there may be considerably less, but the recent rise in popularity of apple cider (including hard cider), many varieties are coming back, especially to home-grown nurseries and small family orchards.

There is one more thing about apples I want to share. Apples have seeds as we all I’m sure know. Personally, I have eaten apples my whole life, skin, flesh, core, seeds and all. Some may not like the skin, the core or the seeds. Apple seeds are bitter.

Apple seeds contain everything needed to grow apples. The outer portion of the apple, as it has fallen on the ground, begins to decompose and this helps feed and nourish the soil and the seeds for new apples to grow from. Many people, animals and birds eat apples.

Sometimes seeds are ingested whole and end up being carried by people, animals and birds and end up spread and land on the soil, for new apples to grow and the species to carry on.

Apple seeds are designed to protect themselves. Their outer coating of amygdalin protects it from digestive enzymes, and the seeds can usually pass through the digestive system undamaged. But if the “amygdalin” breaks down, this becomes known as hydrogen cyanide. Cyanide can be toxic and even fatal in the right quantity and at the right weight of the host that ingests them. I am not about to describe any such formula or number of apples with apple seeds needed or how to release the cyanide, for it to be fatal. I am not going to say how to determine how much cyanide by one’s weight is required for this to be fatal. So don’t come back to this post and cite me as the cause of someone’s cyanide poisoning or death because, they saw, heard or read this here! I never said, not that I know what it is anyway!!

I gave no one any exact formula needed to consume enough cyanide to harm them or kill. Besides, too much and your body may react violently and throw off the poison and you still just might be well enough or alive to tell about it.

Swallowing whole apple seeds is unlikely to cause any symptoms. And if those seeds were from apples served in silver baskets or trays, some silver might be transferred to the apples and silver which purifies, just might counteract the effects of cyanide? Silver has been used for thousands of years, for many medical purposes. Silver nitrate used to be placed in the eyes of babies just born. Silver has been ingested and many believe in its medical benefits, in protecting, lengthening, preserving and restoring life.

Apples may also, help improve memory and focus.

I do find all these possibilities, extremely interesting and the relationship of apple seeds and real gold. Hydrogen cyanide from apple seeds has been and can be used in mining “gold”. And a skilled-trained jeweler may use cyanide to make jewelry.

So, let’s put this idiom and the whole verse together. Look again at Proverbs—

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)

We discovered earlier that “a word” (singular), could be used for many words (plural), in comparison to “apples” which is also plural. A word fitly spoken is the right word or words spoken, in the right way, at the right time and to the right person or people. This is the right time, the right words, spoken in the right way, for the right person— You or I and the right people, us!

This word (singular for the plural), is being compared to “apples of gold.” These apples are real apples (or some fruit), and they appear to be like real gold in appearance, brilliance; are precious and are meant to be protected.

The apples are emphasized and magnified and purified by real trays or baskets or “pictures of silver.” These silver trays or baskets may have had “pictures” (symbols and scenes familiar to the easterner, designed in and upon them, to further augment, magnify and emphasize the importance of, “apples of gold.”

Literally, this verse could have been written – apples of gold in pictures of silver (baskets or trays of silver with pictures or scenes), is like a word (or words) that are spoken in the right way, at the right time and place, for the right person or people. Inverted like this, it would literally mean the same thing. But God, the author, wanted the right (“fitly”), word spoken, used first and then compared it to the “apples of gold, in pictures of silver.” Why, because, God’s Word is first a “word” (or words), “fitly spoken” and is used first. As wonderful and as important the “apples of gold in pictures of silver” are, the figure of speech metaphor (“is”), was not used, a simile (“like”), is! “Apples of gold in pictures of silver,” are similar to, but not equal to, “a word fitly spoken!”

All of this points to eastern customs and mannerisms or “Orientilisms” that Bishop K.C. Pillai called them. This points to the covenant of salt, saying what is meant and meaning what is said. This is that it has had or has (theses customs and these words), integrity. And this points to eastern hospitality. And this points to how the easterner would even treat a stranger, not knowing if You were the Promised Messiah, an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher or some other person of importance or even an angel! And “apples of gold in pictures of silver”, points to the idiom that this is about food!

Yep, this is a food story. And to try and serve it, I know of no better way to tell it than to ask you—

1. Try to picture it in your mind.
2. Imagine this story is about you, because it is! Put yourself into this story because, You are!
3. For this to be effective, we each must use our imagination! One of the smartest persons of the 19th and 20th century Albert Einstein (March 14, 1879 – April 18, 1955), said—

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Albert Einstein

Said more succinctly, more simply, but also attributed to Einstein—

“Imagination is greater than knowledge.”

Albert Einstein

So sit back, get comfortable, and read along and please allow me to try and paint with words—

Your Story!

You are walking alone in the desert. You have been walking for quite some time. You are hot, tired, thirsty and hungry. Your feet are clad with sandals and your feet are dusty and dirty. The sun and sand has beaten against your face and all parts of your body exposed and it stings. You feel nearly hopeless, but you have no other choice, but to carry on. Survival is driving you against thirst and hunger and lack of strength and lack of well being.

Then all of a sudden, your eyes hear, “a word fitly spoken.” It is the sound (sight), of an oasis just up ahead. It beckons you to keep walking, keep going, and it sounds like, “Come!” It fills your heart with hope.

There is a cool soft breeze blowing against your hot and tired flesh. Your whole body hears, “a word fitly spoken.” It is the sound (touch), of refreshing and thirst-quenching water gurgling and it sounds like, Come!

Your nostrils hear, “a word fitly spoken.” It is the sound (aroma), of freshly ripened “apples,” wafting in the breeze and is coming from the oasis. It fills your nostrils and your lungs and sounds like, Come!

All of these so far are, “a word fitly spoken!” It is the right time, the right moment and spoken in the right way and you are the right person at the right place.

You walk to the oasis and past the first trees. Inside it is cool and calm. There is a deep well of pure cool water and a fountain. Songbirds sing to you, “a word fitly spoken.” Soft candles dance in the cool breeze. You are greeted with radiant faces smiling at you as if you were a welcomed treasure expected and they had been waiting for you for a long time. Your ears hear “a word fitly spoken,” “Please Come in and be seated!”

Your sandals are gently removed. Your feet and hands and face are gently washed and massaged with healing ointments. Cool water is brought to you in pure silver cups, more than you need. Your thirst is quenched.

Your eyes behold and your nostrils behold, fresh ripened golden apples, shining like real gold from the orchard of trees as far and as wide as you can see.

Much savory and sweet treats are brought to you, much that has been “seasoned” with salt. This salt covenant has been extended to include you. With integrity and care are you being, gladly honored. All that they have is yours in abundance, in quality and quantity. There is much more than you need or could desire. You are made to feel that you are friend and kin. You are.

This hospitality has integrity and says what it means and means what it says like the pure silver trays filled with food it is brought to you on. It is morally straight and spiritually upright. More than you could possible eat of these beautiful gold apples are picked personally for you and are brought to you on silver trays. The silver trays emphasize and magnify, the gold apples.

You take one of these golden shiny apples into your hand.

You see your own reflection (your “little man” or your “little woman” or “little maid”), in these “apples of gold!” You are its “gate.” You are precious and you are protected.

You taste and smell and eat. The juice dribbles down your chin. Your thirst is quenched yet again and your appetite is filled. You are refreshed. You are glad. You are strengthened. You are healed. You are comforted. You are filled with hope! You are renewed. You are reset afresh!

You are honored because, to your hosts, you could be the Messiah, an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher or some other very important person (VIP), or an angel. And this is how important “a word fitly spoken” is, in comparison to “apples of gold in pictures (trays or baskets), of silver!”

YOU— are “like,” “Apple of Gold, in a tray (with “pictures”), of silver!”

And this is the right word, (“a word fitly spoken”), for the right time, in the right way and at right place and the right person is like (similar to “apples of Gold in pictures (baskets or trays of silver) because You and I are—

“Apples of Gold!”

The following picture may be “like” (simile – similar to), to what you saw and experienced in ‘Your story.’

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  ‘Apples of Gold in Silver’ By Dahni © 2021, all rights reserved

Why is this “Your Story” or my story? Because, when we look into the apples of God’s eyes (his pupils), and the reflection we see is our own image (“little man” or “little woman” or “little maid”), it is precious, costly and shiny and brilliant like gold. What is precious to us we protect. When God looks into the apples of our eyes (our pupils), and the reflection He sees is His own image (“little man”), it is precious, costly and shiny and brilliant like gold. What is precious to Him He protects. How should we see each other and ourselves? We should see one another and ourselves in the eyes of God. How does God see us? God sees us, as He sees Himself!

But as wonderful as this story is and as great as these “apples of gold in pictures (on trays or baskets), of silver,” are, it is only like or similar to, “a word fitly spoken!”

Now if you want to dispute any of this. Go for it, but I did not write the Bible, I’m just…

…a witness.

Dahni

Like Apples of Gold (part 2)

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“A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)

In part 1 of this post we were introduced to the figurative words, “a word fitly spoken” and this “word,” which is inclusive of words (plural), is the right word or words, spoken at the right time, in the right way; for the right person or the right people. It is being compared to “apples of gold in pictures of silver.” By the word “like,” this comparison we know is the figure of speech called a “simile.”

Also in part 1, we saw the importance of the ‘salt covenant,’ that words have integrity; they are supposed to say what they mean and mean what they say. They are morally straight and spiritually upright. We saw how important eastern hospitality is to serve quantity and quality to their guests, as if they were serving the Messiah, a prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, some other very important person and even angel, all, even without without knowing their identity. In the Easterner’s mind, you or I could be one or more of these VIP’s (very important persons), and we are treated as if we are. Since food mostly always is salted and makes savory and purifies and silver purifies and with gold, it magnifies and emphasizes the gold. To understand this idiom, we need to understand what “the apples of gold” are. We know this is a figure of speech, the figure called an “idiom,” but what are they?

The words “apples of gold in pictures of silver” from the Greek word, the figure of speech idíōma and is translated in English as idiom.

These words, this idiom, is not predictable nor does it follow the order of the rules of grammar, like saying or writing golden colored or yellow apples. But the figure is understood in the language, dialect, or style of speaking, peculiar to a people.

If, and I should write when, when we become knowledgeable of the oriental idioms, customs, mannerisms and traditions of the Biblical setting, and figures of speech, these Scriptures become clear. WE are about to see this and it will all, become clear.

Solomon, the writer (not the author), of Proverbs “wise sayings” collected these from his own upbringing, and even from other countries. They were and still are in usage by some people today. What are these “apples of gold”, from Proverbs 25:11?

When the Authorized King James Version of the Bible was introduced in 1611, they just assumed these “gold” things were “apples” because, many people in the world quickly became familiar with “apples”. Yes, whatever these things were, they were gold in color or golden in appearance or yellow. How is this known, because the word “gold” is the word “gold” and is used to describe its color, brilliance and preciousness, as the metal (real gold), but not that they were made out of gold.

Let’s look at some information about apples and some of its history.

Though the forbidden fruit of Eden in the Book of Genesis is not identified, popular Christian tradition has held that it was an apple that Eve tempted Adam to share along with her. The origin of this popular identification with apples may have not been known in the Middle East in biblical times?

In the Vulgate—the Latin translation of the Bible is found the possible answer to this confusion? The Latin words mālum (an apple) and mălum (an evil), each of which is normally written malum is the same word in their spelling. It is the same word spelled the same, but pronounced differently and means something entirely different from the other. The tree of the forbidden fruit is called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” in Genesis 2:17, and the Latin words for “good and evil” is bonum et malum.

Everything has a wild ancestor. For the apple tree, it is believed to have originated in the mountains of Kazakhstan, a land-locked country, which borders Russia to its north and China to its south. Its name is— Malus sieversii. Malus sieversii (MAL-us see-VER-see-eye), is the botanical title for these wild fruits. Malus is the Latin word for “apple,” and Sieverrii honors Ivan Sievers, a Russian botanist who discovered the wild apples in 1793, in Kazakhstan. Do you see the connection mālum (an apple), and mălum (an evil), and malus (apple)? Varieties from Malus sieversii are called Malus domestica, which produce some 10,000 apples, known in the world today.

In 2010, an Italian firm had a genome project and found 57,000 genes in a certain species of apple in Malus domestica. This was more genes discovered than any other plant, they had ever researched. Would you like to guess where it was found and/or its name? Not to keep you hanging, but the apple is called, ‘Golden Delicious’ and it was discovered by chance, in the United States, and no one knows how it got there!

It is not surprising, that Malus sieversii and Malus domestica species still exist today and apples have been thriving for tens of thousands of years. Nutritious, delicious and highly versatile, apples are a mainstay of life the world over.

In Hebrew, there are two words found in Israel— Beth-tappuach (tap-poo’-akh): “place of apples,” a place in Judah and Tappuach (tap-poo’-akh): apple tree, apple.

The phrase, “Apple of the Eye” is an English idiom, a figure of speech, understood by those, which are familiar with its use. It denotes the pupil of the eye, which some believe is shaped like an apple and thus the word “apple” is used. It is the dark center of the eye and is reflective of whatever image is seen in it, when the light is right. The eye is precious and therefore, most carefully guarded. It is used several times in King James Version. The “apple of the eye” is also another ancient figure of speech. It is not a simile (similar to), but a metaphor (“is”) or it is the center of the eye, the pupil. The figure is that it is the pupil is, “the apple of the eye.”

The “apple” in “the apple of the eye” is a translation of the Hebrew word for “apple,” “ishon,” which is related to the word “ish,” meaning “man.” Another Hebrew word “isha” meaning, “woman” or “maid” which is the feminine equivalent, Etymologically, the “ishon” or “ishaon” of the eye is “the little man of the eye” or the “little maid (woman), of the eye.” It is the reflection of the person in the pupil, the center (“apple”), of another’s eye.

The eye itself is very sensitive and very much protected. We blink often to keep it moist and protected. If something flies in it or towards it, our eyelids reflectively close. We turn our head and our hand would instinctively position to immobilize the threat. Yes, our eyesight is valuable, it is precious, costly like gold and our body naturally protects our eyes to avoid injury.

Think about this. If we were made “in the image of God”, what could this possibly be? What would God, the creator of the heavens (anyplace or places (plural), above earth— earths (yes plural), and the whole universe see in our pupils? What would he see, in the “apple” of our eyes? The answer should be quite clear, He would see Himself and He would protect and care for it, (You, I), as something precious, brilliantly shining and costly like gold. This is how I should see YOU, YOU me, and we should see each other.

“In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.”

Deuteronomy 32:10

This was the poetic description of Moses that his image of himself would be reflected in the apple of God’s eye, and God would protect him as God would protect His own eyes.

“The wise father says to his son, “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”

Proverbs 7:2 (KJV)

In the son or daughter’s “apples of their eyes,” would be the reflection of their father as he looked upon them and they would see their own reflections if they looked into their father’s eyes. The father’s teachings are to be protected as he would his own eyes and we would our eyes.

“Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings”

Psalm 17:8 (KJV)

This is yet another verse about protecting what is valuable, costly, shining and brilliant like gold, “apples of gold”! The psalmist is asking God that when the psalmist looks into God’s pupils (the apples of God’s eyes), and sees himself (his own “little man”) [or herself], (her own “little woman” or “little maid”), God would keep these images in His eye and protect them as precious.

What were these Biblical or Eastern Apples of this Idiom?

Most Biblical authorities and experts agree that these “apples” if not “apples,” were likely some type of fruit, citrus fruit. But the same experts often disagree with what type of fruit the verse in Proverbs 25:11 is referring to. I have read everything from apples, to oranges, citron, etrog (a type of citron used by Jewish people in celebrations), apricots, kumquats and quince.

For K.C. Pillai, the man who had likely coined the word “Orientilisms” (customs and mannerisms used in the Bible and ancient Eastern culture), thought and taught that these are a kind of oranges grown in Egypt, Syria, and India of which there is no English name. It is gold in color, and does not last long after it is ripe and couldn’t be exported outside of the country. They were very tasty. A sherbet is made from this. Its fragrance is immediately recognized, when ripe on a tree. They are very beautiful to look at. It quenches the thirst quicker than any other juice. It has a very sweet taste and is very refreshing for people who are tired. Drinking the juice is very relaxing.

I found from the writings of K.C. Pillai, a certain Sanskrit word he used to name this fruit. I could not verify its existence in any Sanskrit dictionary, so I will not use the word here. This does not mean he was incorrect. It only means I could not trace, track and corroborate the word.

Without dispute or contradiction, I concede that the “apples of gold” from Proverbs 25:11 may have been any type of fruit that was or is found in the area where any expert or person living in the world may have been familiar with, at the time of writing Proverbs. Or these “apples of gold” may be any type of fruit from any culture since, which still use whatever fruit is familiar to them and who understand this idiom. Their experience and familiarity with this idiom may have been different than that of others as to the type of fruit.

Whatever the fruit was in the area at the time this scripture was written, may have been “apples,” some other fruit and even some type of apple that may or may not be any longer the original species or any longer available today. But there is one thing clear. This fruit was gold or golden in appearance actually. The word for “gold” actually used, is more specific about its description and brilliance like gold, than that of real gold. “Apples of Gold” is another figure of speech in this verse. It is a metaphor. Rules of grammar would merely say something like golden looking apples or yelloe apples. But gold is used to emphasize and magnify the word “apples” or whatever fruit it may have been. It’s skin or outer covering in the sun was likely shiny and reflective, like we would expect real gold to look like. There is no dispute or contradiction about the word “gold,” used in Proverbs 25:11.

Without dispute or contradiction, there is no reason to believe that whether apples could thrive in the area of Jerusalem or Israel as a whole, could not have been carefully irrigated, cultivated, grown and produce apples in a mostly arid area, where apples may not be normally best suited. Without dispute or contradiction, there is no reason to not believe that at the time of writing Proverbs 25:11, it may have been a more fragrant apple than what may be available today. What I am saying is said the best, with the following quote.

“On the whole there does not appear to be any sufficient reason for rejecting the translation of the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American); the Biblical references suit it; the identity of the Hebrew and Arabic words favor it and there is no insuperable objection on scientific grounds.”

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. “Definition for ‘apple; apple-tree'”.
“International Standard Bible Encyclopedia”

While gold is used to emphasize and magnify “apples” (real apples or some fruit), “pictures” emphasize and magnify the word “silver.” While the “pictures of silver” were trays or baskets to hold the fruit differ, there is no argument, dispute or contradiction that they were made out of real “silver.”

There is ample support from various translations, Hebrew, Latin and as we have read from the King James Version of the Bible that the “apples of gold” were real “apples.” They had a gold color or appeared golden and that they were held in “pictures” or trays or baskets, made of real “silver.”

The trays or baskets could have been artistic works in silver metal, molded, engraved, embossed, sculpted and woven with silver ropes and had actual “pictures” or symbols or scenes, familiar in the area, or at the time of writing Proverbs 25:11. These “pictures” could have been part of these ornate baskets or trays. But they were made out of real “silver.”

Concluding that the “apples of gold” in Proverbs 25:11 were real “apples” and the real word “gold” was used to describe its color, shine (reflection), and it preciousness and comparing it to the “apple of the eye,” what have we learned about these “apples of gold?”

1. They were golden or gold in color.
2. Like the real metal gold, they would be shiny in the light and reflect an image of say, you or I looking upon it, as the “apple of our eyes,” (“little man” or “little woman” or “little maid”).
3. They were served in “pictures” (scenes or symbols), in trays or baskets, made of real “silver,” to magnify and emphasize the “apples of gold.”

I promise that when this series is complete, neither you nor I will never look at or think about this verse in Proverbs 25:11, in the same way, ever again!

In Apples of Gold (part 3), we will put this idiom together, this verse in Proverbs 25:11, and see some of how important it is in the history of the world and in the founding and establishing, the United States for America!

Now if you want to dispute any of this. Go for it, but I did not write the Bible, I’m just…

…a witness.

Dahni

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  “Apple of the Eye” By Dahni © 2021, all rights reserved

Like Apples of Gold (part 1)

• 

  ‘Apple of Gold’ By Dahni © 2021, all rights reserved

“A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)

What sticks out in this verse? There is a comparison. Words, “A word fitly spoken” is being compared to, “apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

Notice the word “like”. By this word “like” it is the figure of speech, simile (similar to). Whatever this “word fitly spoken” is, it uses the word “like”, which makes it a figure of speech called a simile. It does not say it is, which would make it a metaphor, but it is “like” and that makes it a simile. The words are emphasized and magnified. Whatever “apples of Gold” are, it is like a “word fitly spoken” and vice versa or the other way around.

The phrase, “apples of gold in pictures of silver” is another figure of speech. It is from the Greek word, idíōma and is translated in English as idiom. These words, this “idiom” is not predictable nor does it follow the order of the rules of grammar, but are understood in the language, dialect, or style of speaking, peculiar to a people. To understand the figure of the simile in comparing “a word fitly spoken,” we must discover what these “apples of gold in pictures of silver” are. Makes sense to me.

There was a man, E.W. Bullinger – Ethelbert William Bullinger (December 15, 1837 – June 6th, 1913). He was a very smart man, an accomplished musician and it is said he carried out three games of chess with three other people, at the same time. He was a biblical scholar and wrote many books. One of his books in particular is, ‘Figures of Speech Used in the Bible.’ It is still currently available and I highly recommend it to anyone! Why?

The ancient Greeks catalogued 225 figures of speech and 212 of them are used in the Bible, with sometimes 40 varieties under one figure. Bullinger cites examples of all 212 used in the Bible, but he never had the time to work this subject completely. To illustrate the importance of figures of speech, let’s go back in time to the Greek and later, Roman orators.

People would marvel at these speeches which all seemed to be long, articulate and brilliant as if composed right on the spot. But they had a secret.

The words still used today in letters and all forms of communication often begin with “in the first place” or “the first point I want to make”, and etc. It seems as if a list of things, a bulleted list, will be spoken or read or written. There was one ancient Greek word for “the first place” an it is “loki.” It is the entrance to the speaker’s or the writer’s actual or literal home.

Their speeches were mostly all prepared in advance. Starting at “the first place” (the entrance to their homes), they would hang parts of their speech as inanimate objects on or in familiar things or places in their actual home. In their minds, they would just walk through their homes and find these albeit curios or strange attachments of their speeches.

While it may have seemed like they were mentally gifted and looking right at their audience, they were actually walking through their own comfortable and familiar homes in their minds. Then they just grabbed all the unfamiliar things (parts of their speech), they had placed there in their memories, until they could be recalled at any moment.

Oh, if I only knew this when studying for an exam or it could have removed my nervousness when facing an audience expecting me to speak. One time, I did memorize my speech, but could not recall a single word when I looked at my audience. I should have just been walking around in my head-house and spoken of what I had put there, my speech. These memory aides or tricks if you will, are figures of speech! It’s like mortar or bricks or “apples of gold” to build things that will endure and not be easily forgotten, but instantly recalled. It’s like giving life to lifeless words.

So this brings us to the idiom itself. Although Christianity may be considered western practice, writers who lived in the East and clearly understood this idiom, wrote in the East. For many years the words Occident and Orient were known and perfectly acceptable. The “Occident” was anyplace in the world, west of the Mediterranean Sea. The “Orient” was anyplace east of the Mediterranean Sea. Pretty simple to me. Replacing the word Orient or Oriental with the word Asia or Asian, does nothing but confuse the fact that at the time of writing Proverbs, Israel, and the Jewish nation was considered to be part of the “Orient.” Technically it still is!

A man by the name of Bishop K.C. Pillai, D.D., (c.1900-1970), most likely coined the word, which he said were Orientilisms. “Orientilisms” are customs and mannerisms of the people, which lived in the east, and many are still in use today in areas of such as Armenia, areas of India and others. The Bible is filled with passages that most Westerners do not understand, but Easterners do, often from birth.

If, and I should write when, when we become knowledgeable of the oriental idioms, customs, mannerisms and traditions of the Biblical setting, and figures of speech, these Scriptures become clear.

Solomon, the writer (not the author), of Proverbs (“wise sayings” ), collected these from his own upbringing, and even from other people from other countries. They were and still are in use by people, in places in the world today.

At the time of the Bishop’s early life, his native India had remained an isolated country for thousands of years. The customs and manners of the people were still aligned with the Eastern, Biblical culture.

For over twenty years, Bishop Pillai taught these “Orientalisms”, bringing great enlightenment to the western world. As an author of several books and one in particular, ‘Light through an Eastern Window’, it is significant for this post because, this is— “Light through an Eastern Window”.

His mission of imparting this light carried him to numerous universities and seminaries, as well as every major denomination throughout the United States, England and Canada. His teachings remain among the foremost authorities on Biblical customs and culture.

This will become very important later, but I do want to mention that Bishop K.C. Pillai was raised as a Hindu.

When a Hindu child of the ruling class is born, a little salt is rubbed on the baby who is then wrapped in swaddling cloth. This custom invoked one of the oldest and strongest covenants in the eastern world, the “salt covenant.” In this particular instance, the child was salted for a lifetime of dedication to the Hindu religion. The same custom was used at the anointing of a king (Jesus Christ), when the baby’s cloth was lightly salted, then the babe was swaddled, its torso wound loosely with the cloth, and this was significant that the child would be raised to be morally straight and spiritually upright. The salt is indicative that they would say what they mean and mean what they say. Their words had integrity!

The salt covenant was and is a big deal to Easterners. So great in fact, if you ever happen to eat a meal that is salted and with a thief, they would not and will not ever steal from you.

Yes, I suppose this could be where the phrase, “Honor among thieves,” may have been influenced by? I know, what has this to do with “Apples of Gold”? Hang on, we’re getting there.

Now we might begin to understand how great “A word fitly spoken is [was] like apples of gold in pictures of silver,” to K.C. Pillai. So great to him was God’s Word that he endured the shame, broke the ‘covenant of salt of his religion’ and was considered to be dead to his family and friends.

In the Roman Catholic Church, this would be called, being “excommunicated.”

Today, it may not be much of a big deal because, if I got kicked out of one church, another one just down the street, would probably be glad to have me, especially if I put money in the offering plate or basket when it’s passed. But this was not so for people of the East.

If one was “excommunicated” and it was you, you could not buy or sell. If it was Dahni and he walked down one side of the street, people would walk away, shun me, look down and away and not speak to me.

WOW, whatever the “Apples of gold” are; whatever “A word fitly spoken” is, must have been worth it to K.C. Pillai, to convert to Christianity! It was! They are!

WOW, what a great example of building ourselves up morally and honestly!

The words written in the Kings James Version, “A word fitly spoken” sure seems figurative. How do words or does a word “fit”? How do we “fit” a word or words? The word “word” could be used for many words (plural), as in comparing it or them to “Apples” (plural)? But words that are “fit” are like a perfect fit of some article of clothing we put on. It is the right word or the right words, for the right point in time, in the right way. They are “spoken” so in ears of the hearer, it is the right word or the right words, at the right time, in the right way, for them to hear!

These words “fitly spoken,” are seasoned with salt. They have integrity. Why do I say this? We will see that this verse involves food and food is salted to season it in the east for taste, to purify and symbolically. It also makes one thirsty for more. And there is one more thing I would like us to understand about salt. Along with the symbolism of saying what you mean and meaning what you say, and used in food, and purifying, it is also part of hospitality, especially among Easterners. If you are ever invited to a tea or a meal, consider it an honor because, you are being honored!

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares.”

Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

In the Bible and other cultures, hospitality is a big deal. A great deal of effort and much quantity and quality goes into preparation and presentation of food, for the entertainment, enjoyment, blessing (to be—”highly favored” or to “think favorably of”), and comfort of those being served. And yes, if this were You and I, we would be served, gladly!

Some reasons for this custom could be for the promised Messiah. Christians believe he already came and the Jewish people are still waiting for his first coming.

Some prophet or other person of importance might be under their roof with their having the privilege of serving.

And many people did and do believe in angels, spirit beings taking on the form of human beings. The word “unawares” means, “without knowing.”

Not knowing who you are, the Easterner treats you as if you were the promised Messiah, a prophet, some person of importance (You are), or even an angel. In their minds you could be, so they treated you and served you, as if you were.

Years ago, I met two men from Iran, studying at a University. They were friends since their youth and shared an apartment together, along with their wives. My new Iranian friends were curious about western culture, Christianity, and were just very kind, polite and friendly people. When we would see each other we would often have lengthy conversations. One day, they invited me to their home for, let’s just call it an afternoon tea. I accepted not knowing what to expect.

When I arrived and rang the doorbell, the door was almost instantly opened and I was warmly greeted with smiling beaming faces, almost like they had been looking out the window, looking for me and then timed it perfectly to open the door, when I rang the bell.

I was asked to remove my shoes, which I did. Next, I was directed to a chair and motioned to sit. I did. I was asked if one of them could remove my socks and wash my feet. I was a little embarrassed and declined the offer. I regret that decision. I took from them some of their joy in refusing to allow them to serve me. Years later, having actually had my feet washed, what an incredible feeling of well-being and how relaxing it was!

Continuing my story, next, I came into their living room, which had a central area of large, medium and small pillows, nicely arranged on the floor and I sat down.

There was sweet incense and candles burning and calm instrumental eastern music, playing in the background.

There was a very large oval shaped table with short legs in front me.

They asked me to make myself comfortable, excused themselves and left me alone to immerse myself in this delightful, new, and comfortable setting. They and their wives soon returned with plates and bowls of figs and dates, cups and pots of coffees and teas (yes both plural), and so many dainties— savory and sweet that I cannot now still describe. But one was a white substance like taffy in small bites, naturally sweet and from the root of some plant found in Iran.

There was more than enough than I could eat or even try and taste. That was part of the point, to offer more than needed, ample choice and to possibly meet any want or need they did not know I might have had. This was one of the most pleasant, inspiring and memorable experiences of my life. I was Christian being served by Moslems, as if I was one of theirs or someone of importance.

Sometime after this (several years later actually), a friend and I sent out hand written and hand painted invitations with a pastel watercolor butterfly, outlined in ink. “Come and be Renewed”, the invitations read. It was sent to 8 people, including my Mother, for a Mother’s Day surprise. The invitations gave the particulars and asked everyone to come with their favorite pillow. I wanted and my friend wanted to offer to our guests something similar as what we had learned or experienced about culture. Actually, it was a blend of several cultures, Eastern, Polynesian, Mediterranean and we even served Greek wine.

As our guests arrived, they were greeted with the aroma of incense and the food we were preparing. The curtains were drawn and soft candlelight and instrumental music set the mood. We made it available to any and all to have their feet and hands and face washed and dried and then moistened and massaged with oils to their hands, feet and foreheads.

Those that agreed to this blessing, I could literally see stress melt from their faces, hands and feet and watched them smile and relax. To “bless” means to “think favorably of” or to think “highly of.” They were!

We had a bunch of metal milk crates I borrowed from a local dairy. To get an idea of their size, each crate would hold four gallons of milk and were square, about 24” X 24” and about 12” high. These were set next to each other, about 4 foot across and about 12 foot in length. This table was covered with pieces of plywood to make each top stiff and then the whole thing was covered with a tablecloth. Four people set across from 4 others and all on their pillows.

In the center of our milk-crate, makeshift table is where we served the food. My friend and I did not sit at the table. We prepared, made and served everything, including desert, drink and coffee or tea at the end, to all our special guests

Both of these experiences, the one with my Iranian friends and the one I just shared, were wonderful for all and probably the greater benefits befell the servants. I know this was true for me. But these experiences should be noted and sealed in our memories as they are in mine, the importance of the “salt covenant”, eastern hospitality, the love of serving one another and that the word “fitly spoken” was like “apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver.”

This is because, You and I are about to be served with Apples of Gold, by Apples of Gold, to each one of us that are an—

“Apple of Gold!”

But we really need to understand the idiom of “The Apples of Gold”, to put this all together. What are the “Apples of Gold?”

Here are some hints:

1. Salt is used symbolically and it is also used with food in the East. A word or words “fitly spoken” are to be heard and are like having been salted, and purified, and salt make us thirsty for more. We come. Come for what?
2. The “Apples of Gold” are real. They are fruit. We are drawn in to eat. The “pictures of silver” are real. They are trays or baskets of silver, used to hold the “Apples of Gold.” Silver purifies. These silver trays magnify and emphasize, “Apples of Gold!”
3. Together we are, “Apples of Gold!” It is because, we each are an— Apple of Gold!
4. A letter from someone to someone else in 1860, used this exact same verse of scripture! Call it a Gold letter in a Silver envelope!
5. This letter and the response to it, is what inspired a little known work called ‘Fragment of the Constitution,’ associating (not separating), ‘the Declaration of Independence’ in 1776 and the United States Constitution for America,’ in 1789. And all together, these Apples are “like” words “fitly spoken”! They are at the right time, delivered in the right way, at the right moment and for the right people, You and I. I can hardly wait until next time to continue to discover in the next post, ‘ Like Apples of Gold (part 2),’ the idiom of Proverbs 25:11 that you and I are—

‘Like Apples of Gold (part 2),’

Now if you want to dispute any of this. Go for it, but I did not write the Bible, I’m just…

…a witness,

Dahni