1.2 the world of the first century and the significance of this context for the life and work of Jesus

Question 1

Who were the main religious groups in 1st century Palestine?

Answer 1

Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes and Samaritans

Question 2

Who were the Pharisees?

Answer 2

• a political-religious group
• aimed to make sure ordinary Jews followed the religious laws of Judaism + didn’t want Jews to assimilate to Roman culture
• followed the purity laws of Judaism outlined in the Torah
• mostly cooperated politically with the Romans

Question 3

Who were the Sadducees?

Answer 3

• generally upper middle class + ruled the Temple
• many were members of the Sanhedrin
• had considerable social + political power
• many didn’t oppose the Roman rule as they enjoyed the power they received - economically comfortable

Question 4

Who were the Zealots?

Answer 4

• focussed on reactionary resistance against the Romans
• formed in direct reaction to the censuses + taxes
• fought to the death with zeal

Question 5

Who were the Essenes?

Answer 5

• largely focussed on holiness and purity
• lived separate from society in celibate male communities
• awaited a priestly Messiah to restore purity of the Temple

Question 6

Who were the Samaritans?

Answer 6

• were not acceptes as true Jews as they intermarried with the Babylonians
• they didn’t recognise the Temple + only accepted the written law

Question 7

Who were the elders?

Answer 7

• the leaders of the people
• origin is probably from the Exile when the rich, educated families took control when their was no priesthood

Question 8

Who were the High Priests?

Answer 8

• Most eminent person of the nation, represented the people to the Romans in the absence of a King
• authorised to make atonement for the sins of the nation
• only people able to approach the Holy of Holies

Question 9

Who were the Sanhedrin?

Answer 9

• the supreme court/council in Jerusalem
• made up of 71 priests, scribes or elders
• Romans gave them power to pass sentences according to Jewish law but not pass the death sentence

Question 10

Who were the scribes?

Answer 10

• spent a large amount of time focusing on the Hebrew scriptures

Question 11

Who were the followers of John the Baptist?

Answer 11

• were baptised in supposed preparation for the coming of Christ
• didn’t oppose Jesus’ ministry

Question 12

Why did these groups oppose Jesus’ ministry?

Answer 12

Pharisees= didn’t like that Jesus challenged oral law
Sadducees= rejected life after death and therefore wouldn’t agree with Jesus
Zealots= would disagree with Jesus’ teachings of peace
Essenes=
High Priests= opposed Jesus equating himself with God

Question 13

What is hellenism?

Answer 13

hellenism = the cultural effect following the geographical political conquests of Alexander the Great
- Greek culture permeated Jewish Culture

Question 14

What are common beliefs in platonism?

Answer 14

the real world we live in is only a shadow of the true reality of the eternal world - the realm of the forms

Question 15

What are common beliefs in gnosticism?

Answer 15

human spirits had fallen from the upper world and those worthy would receive knowledge and return to the higher spirit world

Question 16

What is a common belief in stoicism?

Answer 16

the world was made and sustained by an all pervading energy

Question 17

How did the Roman occupation influence the world of the first century?

Answer 17

Jewish resentment of Roman rule led to increased messianic expectation -> people believed that the Messiah may come and liberate the Jews from Roman rule
- the Jewish authorities sill had a lot of control BUT during major Jewish festivals e.g. Passover, the prefect would move to Jerusalem

Question 18

How did the Roman occupation impact Jesus’ ministry?

Answer 18

• the construction of Roman roads made the ministry of Jesus easier as he could preach more widely
• crucifixion was characteristically a Roman punishment
• Jesus was perceived as a threat to the Romans as previous leaders of rebellions had come from Galilee

Question 19

Why was there ethical tension between the Roman Empire and the Jewish community?

Answer 19

Romans are polytheistic whereas Jews are monotheistic
- worshipping any other gods is explicitly forbidden in the Ten Commandments
- the resistance of Jews to adopt Roman gods became a source of ethical tension

Question 20

Did Herod Antipas try to hellenise?

Answer 20

• No, there is no indication that he tried to impose the Greek or Roman way of life on the people
• Jews maintained their Jewish way of life e.g. the Gospels refer to Jesus attending synagogues and keeping the pilgrim festivals

Question 21

What is the history of Israel?

Answer 21

• jews believed that God chose both the people and the land of Israel.
• The covenant in Genesis promos promised, the Jews, the land of Israel, and many descendants.
• The later revelation of the law to Moses showed the Jews how the covenant was to be kept.
• Through these covenants that unique and divine nature of both the people and the land were established

Question 22

Dating systems

Answer 22

BC means before Christ
A.D. means Anno Domini a latin phrase for ‘in the year of our Lord’
BCE stands for before the common era
CE stands for common era

Question 23

What happened in 1020 to 928 BCE?

Answer 23

• in the land of Canaan later called Israel, 12 tribes of Israel ruled by the judges.
  during this time David was king. The Davidic Kingship was known as the golden era in Jewish history, David established Jerusalem as the capital and his son Solomon built the first temple.

Question 24

The exile - 586-539 BCE

Answer 24

• One of the most significant times in Jewish history, the religion transformed from one of a nation centred on the temple to to a religion rooted in every day life.
• The origin of many of the beliefs and practices of Judaism can be attributed to this time. for example, the role of the synagogue and the hope that the kingdom of David would be reestablished.
• in 539 BCE, the Persians conquered Babylonia and allow the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the temple

Question 25

The Greek Empire 333-160 BCE

Answer 25

• during the next 400 years, the Jews were allowed to live relatively peacefully by the Persian and Greek rulers, the high priest council governed, but they were answerable to the imperial power.
• 175 BCE Antiochus IV came to power and forced hellenisation upon the Jews, the statue of Zeus was placed in the temple. Torah scrolls were burnt. Jews were forbidden to keep the sabbath and any who followed who failed to follow Antiochus’ edict was put to death.
• This led to the Maccabean revolt in 167 BCE, eventually the Jews succeeded, and a period of self rule followed.

Question 26

Roman occupation

Answer 26

jewish independence came to an end due to the struggle for power between two of the Jewish ruling families. They both appealed to the Roman general Pompey for support. He use this as an opportunity to invade Jerusalem. Once again the Jews were ruled by an imperial power and where it subjects.

Question 27

How was Palestine governed?

Answer 27

during the Roman occupation, Palestine was semi independent. The Romans appointed Jewish leaders, but allowed a certain amount of autonomy, how the country was ruled was quite complex and varied between districts and during different times.

Question 28

Who were the key people and what were the turning points for the life and work of Jesus?

Answer 28

• Pompey appointed Hyrcanus II as High Priest and he was seen as leader of the Jews
• Antipater was appointed as a type of governor -> appointed his sons as governors, one of them Herod was appointed to Galilee
• ## Herod fled to Rome and was appointed King of Judah

Question 29

What happened after Herod’s (the Great) death?

Answer 29

Augustus appointed his sons to govern Palestine:
– Archelaus, to Judaea, who was quickly deposed of and replaced by a Roman prefect punches pilot was the fifth prefect.
– Herod Antipas to Galilee, who govern from 4 BCE to 30 CE, he paid tribute to Rome, and cooperated with the Romans in return ran protected against invasion. He was a client king.

Question 30

Who was the supreme power in Rome and who were the key ones in Jesus’ life?

Answer 30

The supreme power in the Roman Empire was the Emperor, the key emperors for the life of Jesus were:
– Augustus (27 BCE to 14 CE) , a wise ruler, who brought a time of peace and stability. He made sure the provinces of the Empire had adjusted administration. Jesus was born during his brain.
– Tiberius (14 to 37CE) who was unpopular and lived a life of excess. He appointed Pontius Pilate as prefect.

Question 31

Who was Galilee under the rule of?

Answer 31

Herod Antipas – there is no indication that he tried to impose the Greek or Roman way of life. On the people. The Jews maintain their Jewish way of life. The gospels refer to Jesus attending synagogues and keeping the pilgrim festivals.

Question 32

Who was Judea governed by?

Answer 32

The Romans through a prefect – the prefect lived in Caesarea and didn’t interfere with the daily Jewish life on a day-to-day basis. The towns and villages were run by the elders. The Roman prefect, and his chutes would go to Jerusalem for the major festivals as these were known to be potentially troubles, sometimes only the prefect had power to sentence anyone to death.

Question 33

What heightened political tensions for the Jews?

Answer 33

The censuses, taxes and presence of the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem at festival times heighten tensions for some Jews. This led to people seeing Jesus as a political Messiah who would freed them from the Romans.

Question 34

What happened in 928 to 586 BCE?

Answer 34

during this time, the prophets were the ones who reminded the people of their covenantal relationship with God.

Question 35

-What happened in 586 BCE?

Answer 35

Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, and the temple was destroyed. The Jews went into Exile.