The Biblical Hyssop (Wild Oregano), in most cases, is mentioned as a genuine purifier-often in combination with lamb's blood, scarlet wood, and water, with the purpose of cleansing ceremonies in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, after Jesus redemption, his blood is the Hyssop, cleansing us from sin.
A famous line from Psalm 51 confirm the type of cleansing that Hyssop did in the Old Testament by saying: "Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! Wash away all my evil and make me clean ... I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful. Sincerity and Truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom. Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Pslam 51: 2-7)
Since these plants can grow up to 3 or 4 feet tall and tend to have woody stems, the rod that raised a sponge of vinegar to Christ's mouth was the oregano. Psalm 69 presages the scene with the Hissop rod long before it actually happened: "You know how I am insulted, how I am disgraced and dishonored; you see all my enemies. Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none; for comfort, but I found none. When I was hungry, they gave me poison; when I was thirsty, they offered me vinegar." (Psalms 69: 19-21)
The name Oregano is derived from the Greek "oros" meaning "mountain" and "ganos" meaning "delight", hence, the name means, "Joy of the Mountain."The Greeks gave credit to their goddess Aphrodite for the existence of the oregano herb as a symbol of happiness. So bridal couples were crowned with the herb to ensure a cheery future. And in the case of the deceased growing oregano in their tombs supposedly indicated the deceased's satisfaction with his/her afterlife.
The most potent medicinal Oregano grows in the Mediterranean region, and in the Highlands of Peru.
Oregano is loaded with antiseptic compounds and it is a very effective antibiotic. It has been used for medicine and food preservation for thousands of years. During Middle Ages the herb was used as a germ killer, and over the centuries oregano has been used as a remedy for a wide range of lung and stomach conditions.
Oregano is one of the most richest herbs in antioxidants and it is still extensively used in cooking. It is also used as a digestive aid and expectorant, to ease congestion from colds, flu, etc.
In ancient times people strewed the floors with oregano, as well as packing it into bags and grinding it into powder. Its invigorating odor helped cover up a multitude of less pleasant smells.
The presence of oregano in the Old Testament as a purifier and then at the crucifixion has a great symbolic significance. Christ, is intended to be the final sacrificial lamb whose blood purge the sins of mankind. That is the kind of cleansing that even the best herb can't accomplish.
No comments:
Post a Comment