The World of JesusThe World of Jesus

Exploring the Time of JesusExploring the Time of Jesus

25 miles

85 miles

• Mountain ranges running N to S

• East of the mountains is the valley of the Jordan River

• River widens in the N to the freshwater Sea of Galilee

• To the S the river narrows into the Dead Sea (lowest pt in the face of the earth, 1200 ft below sea level; saltiest, 25% salt)

• 3 Regions: Galilee, Samaria & Judea

Geographical Features:

When Jesus was born in When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem east arrived in Jerusalem (Mt 2:1)(Mt 2:1)

He went and dwelt in a He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so town called Nazareth, so that what had been that what had been spoken through the spoken through the prophets might be prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean.“ (Mt called a Nazorean.“ (Mt 2:23)2:23)

He departed from there and came He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching. (Mk 6:1-6)the vicinity teaching. (Mk 6:1-6)

As he passed by the Sea As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew and his brother Andrew casting their nets into casting their nets into the sea; they were the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, them, "Come after me, and I will make you and I will make you fishers of men." (Mk fishers of men." (Mk 1:16-17)1:16-17)

Therefore, the Jews began to Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath. But Jesus this on a sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is at answered them, "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work until now, so I am at work." For this reason the Jews work." For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, "Amen, amen, and said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do for what he does, his son will do also. For the Father loves his also. For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than show him greater works than these, so that you may be these, so that you may be amazed. (Jn 5:16-20)amazed. (Jn 5:16-20)

Then they came to Then they came to Capernaum, and on the Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. synagogue and taught. The people were The people were astonished at his astonished at his teaching, for he taught teaching, for he taught them as one having them as one having authority and not as the authority and not as the scribes… (Mk 1:21-45)scribes… (Mk 1:21-45)

Then Jesus came from Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by Jordan to be baptized by him.. (Mt 3:13)him.. (Mt 3:13)

While he was in While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to Passover, many began to believe in his name when believe in his name when they saw the signs he they saw the signs he was doing. (Jn 2:23)was doing. (Jn 2:23)

He had to pass through He had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there. Jesus, well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, tired from his journey, sat down there at the sat down there at the well. It was about noon. well. It was about noon. (Jn 4:4-6)(Jn 4:4-6)

A large crowd of people A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including followed Jesus, including many women who many women who mourned and lamented mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to him. Jesus turned to them and said, them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; do not weep for me; weep instead for weep instead for yourselves and for your yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the children, for indeed, the days are coming when days are coming when people will say, `Blessed people will say, `Blessed are the barren, the are the barren, the wombs that never bore wombs that never bore and the breasts that and the breasts that never nursed.‘ (Lk 23:27-never nursed.‘ (Lk 23:27-29)29)

Religious GroupsReligious Groups PhariseesPharisees

““separated ones”separated ones” Believed in the strict Believed in the strict

observance of the ritual observance of the ritual prescriptions of Judaismprescriptions of Judaism

Large group of middle Large group of middle class laymen who class laymen who actively pursued actively pursued holinessholiness

Criticized those who Criticized those who didn’t observe the lawdidn’t observe the law

Jesus was closest to Jesus was closest to them in belief & them in belief & spiritual practices …spiritual practices …

But he was in conflict But he was in conflict with them over what he with them over what he perceived to be perceived to be hypocritical practiceshypocritical practices

Religious GroupsReligious Groups

SadduceesSadducees Aristocrats & priests Aristocrats & priests

responsible for the responsible for the official worship at the official worship at the TempleTemple

Collaborated with Collaborated with Romans to stay in powerRomans to stay in power

Disliked the Pharisees’ Disliked the Pharisees’ interpretation of the interpretation of the Torah & disagreed w/ Torah & disagreed w/ them about the them about the resurrection of the deadresurrection of the dead

Disappeared from the Disappeared from the Jewish scene when the Jewish scene when the Temple was destroyed in Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 A.D. 70

The TempleThe Temple

Religious GroupsReligious Groups

ScribesScribes Interpreted & taught the Interpreted & taught the

LawLaw Closely affiliated with Closely affiliated with

the Phariseesthe Pharisees Not a religious party but Not a religious party but

were the Jewish scholars were the Jewish scholars who assisted in writing who assisted in writing and telling the Jews of and telling the Jews of their traditionstheir traditions

Served at synagogue Served at synagogue services by reading & services by reading & explaining the Jewish S.explaining the Jewish S.

Enemies of Jesus bec. he Enemies of Jesus bec. he taught on his authoritytaught on his authority

The SynagogueThe Synagogue

Modern Day SynagogueModern Day Synagogue

The SanhedrinThe Sanhedrin

The Royal Stoa: This is where the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish governing body, met.

Religious GroupsReligious Groups

EssenesEssenes Withdrew completely Withdrew completely

from the world to from the world to prepare for the prepare for the imminent coming of imminent coming of GodGod

Avoided all contact with Avoided all contact with foreign cultures & foreign cultures & followed the Law to the followed the Law to the last detaillast detail

Believed Temple Believed Temple worship was impure & worship was impure & that Jews had become that Jews had become lax in living the Lawlax in living the Law

Religious GroupsReligious Groups

ZealotsZealots A rebellious movement A rebellious movement

of militant Jews who of militant Jews who yearned & battled for the yearned & battled for the recovery of Jewish recovery of Jewish independenceindependence

Considered the Considered the acceptance of foreign acceptance of foreign government and the government and the payment of taxes to payment of taxes to Rome blasphemy against Rome blasphemy against GodGod

Primarily responsible for Primarily responsible for outbreak of violence outbreak of violence against Rome from 66-70against Rome from 66-70

Political PowersPolitical Powers Palestine was controlled by Palestine was controlled by

the Roman Empire (the Roman Empire (Pax Pax RomanaRomana)) Augustus Caesar was Augustus Caesar was

emperor from 27 BCE to 14 emperor from 27 BCE to 14 CECE

Locally, Herod the Great Locally, Herod the Great ruled until his death in 4 ruled until his death in 4 BCEBCE Archelaus (Samaria, Idumea, Archelaus (Samaria, Idumea,

& Judea)& Judea) Herod Antipas (Perea Herod Antipas (Perea

&Galilee)&Galilee) Philip (Lands NE of Galilee)Philip (Lands NE of Galilee)

Pilate: a high-handed, stern Pilate: a high-handed, stern ruler who did nothing to ruler who did nothing to endear himself to the Jewsendear himself to the Jews

Social ClassesSocial ClassesClassificatiClassificati

onon Who are they?Who are they? ExampleExample

RulerRulerPeople of great power & influence in a large People of great power & influence in a large region, often obtaining power through war or region, often obtaining power through war or inheritanceinheritance

Julius CaesarJulius Caesar

GovernorGovernor Often appointed by the ruler to control a Often appointed by the ruler to control a smaller area, a province, or a citysmaller area, a province, or a city HerodHerod

MerchantMerchant People who traded goods from different regions, People who traded goods from different regions, as well as, the military & the bureaucracyas well as, the military & the bureaucracy ZacchaeusZacchaeus

PeasantPeasant

Farmers who worked the land & occasionally Farmers who worked the land & occasionally owned it, but frequently lost their land due to owned it, but frequently lost their land due to taxation. They often became tenant farmers & taxation. They often became tenant farmers & worked their own land for someone else.worked their own land for someone else.

Fishermen also fell into this classification.Fishermen also fell into this classification.

Simon PeterSimon Peter

ArtisanArtisan Bartered the goods they createdBartered the goods they created JosephJoseph

UncleanUnclean

Generally peasants or artisans who failed & Generally peasants or artisans who failed & attempted to make their living as beggars or attempted to make their living as beggars or bandits. Included in this group were the poorest bandits. Included in this group were the poorest people, often afflicted with medical conditions.people, often afflicted with medical conditions.

The LepersThe Lepers

Traditional Religious Traditional Religious PracticesPractices

Prayed 3x a DayPrayed 3x a Day Morning, 3 P.M., & Morning, 3 P.M., &

EveningEvening Shema (Creed)Shema (Creed)

SabbathSabbath Yom KippurYom Kippur PassoverPassover