In the early 1980's I would travel into rural areas in Zimbabwe, along with Pastor Terry and others. The objective was to share the gospel, equip new believers with teaching and tools (bibles) to "go and make disciples" in their communities. Some areas that we would visit were prone to witchcraft, and so there would often be intense exchanges with those in "power" (charging the locals for services *spells, rituals, potions etc.) and this new form of "power" - Jesus Christ being offered freely.
On one of these trips, we were heading back to the city, and one of the brothers mentioned that something I shared with the audience was forceful and elevated in volume, and it reminded him of the African version of a whip, more commonly known as a "sjambok". So, from that moment when we would go into the rural areas to preach and share the gospel, I became aptly known as Brother Sjambok.
The sjambok is a heavy leather whip traditionally made from rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide, associated with Southern Africa. Its uses have included herding cattle and goats.
In the Bible, whips are mentioned in the context of:
- Driving out merchants and animals from the temple: Jesus is described as making a whip of cords for this purpose, signifying his zeal for God's house and his objection to the commercialization of worship.
- Discipline and chastisement: There are passages that mention whips in connection with punishment or discipline, though without using the specific term "sjambok".
Therefore, while the Bible mentions whips, it does not refer to the sjambok specifically. The sjambok is a distinct type of whip with its own cultural and historical significance, primarily in Southern Africa.
In the early 1980's I would travel into rural areas in Zimbabwe, along with Pastor Terry and others. The objective was to share the gospel, equip new believers with teaching and tools (bibles) to "go and make disciples" in their communities. Some areas that we would visit were prone to witchcraft, and so there would often be intense exchanges with those in "power" (charging the locals for services *spells, rituals, potions etc.) and this new form of "power" - Jesus Christ being offered freely.
On one of these trips, we were heading back to the city, and one of the brothers mentioned that something I shared with the audience was forceful and elevated in volume, and it reminded him of the African version of a whip, more commonly known as a "sjambok". So, from that moment when we would go into the rural areas to preach and share the gospel, I became aptly known as Brother Sjambok.
The sjambok is a heavy leather whip traditionally made from rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide, associated with Southern Africa. Its uses have included herding cattle and goats.
In the Bible, whips are mentioned in the context of:
- Driving out merchants and animals from the temple: Jesus is described as making a whip of cords for this purpose, signifying his zeal for God's house and his objection to the commercialization of worship.
- Discipline and chastisement: There are passages that mention whips in connection with punishment or discipline, though without using the specific term "sjambok".
Therefore, while the Bible mentions whips, it does not refer to the sjambok specifically. The sjambok is a distinct type of whip with its own cultural and historical significance, primarily in Southern Africa.
