With Ahab's marriage to Jezebel, Israel experienced a changing
scene on the religious landscape as Baal worship became more prevalent
through royal sponsorship. Paul was introduced to a larger landscape
through his missionary journeys beyond the sphere of Jerusalem and
Damascus. Although Jesus did not travel beyond eighty miles from his
birthplace, his presence and compassion changed the landscape of
households over and over, an example of which is the centurion's in the
gospel text for this week.
