A Felucca & Faithfulness on the Nile
10/7/26 · Nelson Kraybill“I resonate with that struggle as a Christian seeking to be faithful to Jesus in a world of clashing cultures and competing loyalties.”
For sheer beauty, it’s hard to beat a felucca sailboat ride on the Nile River at sunset. Similar to boats used in biblical times, these craft still function well on the Nile. Northbound, the river current carries them. Southbound, lateen sails do the job since prevailing winds come from the north.
Elephantine Island
The boat for TourMagination launched from Aswan using only wind power. We navigated south for nearly an hour to the far end of Elephantine Island. There, elephant-shaped massive rocks reveal where the island got its name (see photo).
On this island, modern archeologists found a stash of papyrus letters written by Jews who lived there in the sixth and fifth centuries BC. They may have been among Jewish refugees who had fled to Egypt as Jerusalem fell to Babylon. Jeremiah had tried to persuade them not to go there (Jeremiah 41–44).
After Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon, he allowed Jews in Babylon to return home. Ezra went to Jerusalem from Babylon to teach them Mosaic Law, and Nehemiah went to rebuild city walls.
The Persian empire of Cyrus extended all the way through Egypt to Elephantine Island. There a garrison of Jewish soldiers, working for Persia, guarded the southern gateway of the empire. The soldiers lived on the island with their families. This Jewish presence was a surprise to historians.
Even more surprising was the fact that the Jewish colony built their own temple on Elephantine Island. Not a synagogue, but a fully functioning Jewish temple with priesthood and sacrifices.
Jewish leaders in Jerusalem at that time were emphatically teaching that there could be only one temple and one place of sacrifice—at Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-14). The ancient letters from Elephantine also indicate that Jews living there blended religions, worshipping both Yahweh and the goddess Anat.
A recent Jewish commentator reflected on these errors of a faith community. For many centuries, he said, Jews “have lived at the intersection of tradition and assimilation. Sometimes, as in Elephantine, that tension has led to confusion and error. But just as often, it has led to creativity, resilience, and reinvention.”
I resonate with that struggle as a Christian seeking to be faithful to Jesus in a world of clashing cultures and competing loyalties. How can Christians adapt to constant changes around us and still be true to our Lord?
Ancient Jews eventually wrote down their faith, producing the Torah, the Mishnah, and the Talmud. Christians have the New Testament for trustworthy guidance.
It is vital to seek living, mystical relationship with God in prayer and worship. But we also need the teaching of the ancient scriptures to anchor us in deep truths of our spiritual heritage.
About Nelson
Nelson Kraybill brings more than four decades of ministry, teaching, and cross-cultural experience to his tours. A pastor, author, scholar, and former Mennonite World Conference president, Nelson connects biblical sites and ancient texts with Christian life today, creating meaningful journeys filled with accessible teaching, conversation, prayer, singing, and laughter.