historical bg of jesus

Question 1

who could not support themselves and therefore had to depend on the charity of others.

Answer 1

poor

Question 2

poor worst suffering was caused by the _______

Answer 2

loss of human dignity.

Question 3

poorest of the poor

Answer 3

anawim

Question 4

most people thought that evil caused illness

Answer 4

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Question 5

Disabled persons, on the other hand, could hardly find jobs. The disabled were those with a physical handicap such as the blind and the deaf, the cripple and the lame. This group also included those suffering from any form of mental disability.
1
The disability to work or to find a job meant no income and this forced man to depend on his fellowmen.

Answer 5

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Question 6

Women and children did not enjoy too many rights and privileges in society. However, we must admit that the Jewish society was more favorable than other societies of that time in this aspect. The support of the family was still an exclusive duty of the father. But what if the father died? Society did not offer jobs to women. Thus, widows and orphans had no choice but to depend on the charity of others.

Answer 6

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Question 7

The unskilled day-laborers belonged to the poor. They were the ones who lacked the training and skills required for specific trades and professions. Although they were capable and willing to do manual labor, often their problem was where to find a job. Work opportunity for them was unsure and depended on the seasons of the year. At times their work was needed in the farms and vineyards; at other times they had no work, and thus no income.

Answer 7

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Question 8

The Greco-Roman society at the time of Jesus accepted slavery as an economic and social institution. Any free person had a right to own a slave. Usually, slaves were people captured in war or those who were unable to pay their debts. Slaves performed various tasks, including farming, domestic help, artisan work, and cooking.

Answer 8

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Question 9

the poor and oppressed

Answer 9

sick and disabled
widow and orphans
unskilled day-laborers
slaves

Question 10

considered a punishment for one’s sins

Answer 10

sickness

Question 11

, those who did not keep the law and traditions, were the outcast of the society

Answer 11

sinners

Question 12

Prostitutes, tax collectors, robbers, shepherds, usurers, and gamblers are qualified in this category. The inclusion of prostitutes, robbers, usurers, and gamblers is obvious. But what about the tax collectors and shepherds?

Answer 12

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Question 13

The Tax Collectors worked in the service of the Romans. They made a contract to submit to Rome a certain amount of taxes. They could freely determine how much tax each one had to pay. Many of them included a share for themselves and were surely dishonest.

Answer 13

read

Question 14

The shepherds took care of the flock of other people. They too were thought of as dishonest people. And indeed many of them would lead their flock to the pastureland of another, or butcher a lamb for their own consumption.

Answer 14

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Question 15

The scribes had made such a long list of prescriptions that it was impossible for the simple and uneducated people to know them all. Since they did not know all the prescriptions, they were likely to violate some of them, even unintentionally.
Some prescriptions of the law were too difficult to keep for the poor, such as the tithes (one tenth of their income) to the priests, the Sabbath rest as defined by the scribes, or the rules for ritual cleanliness. Some people had no choice but to be sinners. And in the sight of the Pharisees and Scribes, God hated such sinners.

Answer 15

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Question 16

THE SINNERS AND THE SOCIAL OUTCAST

Answer 16

unclean professions

• tax collectors
• shepherds

those incapable of virtue and piety

Question 17

The Gospel of Luke gives the shepherds a significant role at its beginning. They were the first to hear about the birth of Christ. (Lk 2: 8 – 18)
 Jesus even referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd. (Jn 10: 11)

Answer 17

Anawim, Unskilled Day-Laborers, and Shepherds

Question 18

Jesus associated with and ate with lepers. On one occasion, Jesus cured a leper by stretching out His hand and touching him. (Lk 5: 12 – 16)

Answer 18

sick and disabled

Question 19

Jesus recognized the dignity of women and the importance of their roles in caring for children and providing of the needs of their families. (Lk 7: 11 – 17)

Answer 19

widows and the orphans

Question 20

Jesus used parables to insist on a non-abusive relationship between masters and slaves. (Lk 7: 1 – 10)

Answer 20

slaves

Question 21

While Jesus spent time with sinners and prostitutes, He told them to sin no more. (Mt 21: 31)

Answer 21

prostitues

Question 22

Jesus invited Levi, a tax collector, to become one of his disciples. Jesus also told the tax collector Zaccchaeus that because he was generous, salvation had come to his house. (Lk 19: 9)

Answer 22

tax collectors

Question 23

Jews at the time of Jesus spoke of their beloved country as the __________

Answer 23

the Promised Land, the Land of Israel, the Land of Judah, or simply The Land.

Question 24

Greeks, on the other hand, referred to it as _______ after the Philistines, a seafaring group of pirates who lived in the northern coastal areas of the Land.

Answer 24

Palestine

Question 25

This land has always held a strategic place in the world history. It served as the crossroads for Egyptians, Syrians and Persian expansions. Later, it
became an attractive target for the political conquests of Greece and Rome.

Answer 25

Land of Israel

Question 26

three key regions of the Holy Land at the time of Jesus

Answer 26

Galilee
Samaria
Judea

Question 27

northern was a land of fertile, rolling hills watered by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.

Answer 27

Galilee

Question 28

Jesus was a Galilean, as were most of his apostles. He grew up in ______, a small town of about 1200 people.

Answer 28

Nazareth

Question 29

cities in Galilee were important in Jesus ministry including _______________

Answer 29

Capernaum, Cana and Bethsaida.

Question 30

_________; south of Galilee. The Samaritans numbered among their ancestors the foreigners who came into Palestine at the time of Assyrian conquest of their northern kingdom. The Samaritans accepted the Law of Moses and the belief in one God, though they rejected the writings of the prophets and the Wisdom writings. They also rejected the Temple in Jerusalem as the center, of Jewish worship. They constructed their own shrine on __________. For these reasons, the Jews looked on Samaritans worship as false.

Answer 30

Samaria;

Mount Gerizim

Question 31

Relations between the Samaritans and Jews were strained; Jews considered them heretical and hated them even more than pagans. Jesus’ loving attitude towards Samaritans upset many of his contemporaries.

Answer 31

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Question 32

_____________; south was a dry, barren, craggy land. Its main inhabitants were, the Jews who returned after the Babylonian Captivity. The leaders of the Jewish people had all settled here. In the center of Judea was ________ , the center of government, economy and religion. Most of the Judean population lived in this city and also in Jericho. Southern Judea and the Dead Sea were deserts. Jesus retreated here after his baptism. Other cities in Judea that is significant to Jesus’ story are ________________

Answer 32

Judea; Jerusalem

Bethlehem and Bethany.

Question 33

Peace of Rome was in effect, which meant that the entire region was united under a single role and was now taking place anywhere in the Empire.

Answer 33

Pax Romana

Question 34

benefits of pax romana

Answer 34

a. A common language – Latin b. An intricate system of roads c. A good system of justice
d. A strong military force

Question 35

Most Jews, however, hated Roman rule. For almost six centuries, Israel had been under foreign rulers: Assyrian, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks.

Answer 35

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Question 36

Finally, in 63 BCE, Rome permitted the Jews a limited self-rule under____________. He was a cunning, crafty, and in many ways cruel ruler. Matthew’s story about the slaughter of the innocents at the time of Jesus’ birth though not documented in other sources certainly fits ________ character.

He courted the favor of the Roman Emperor by constructing many buildings throughout his domain and then dedicating them to the emperor. He even erected pagan temples and supported emperor worship. This was an abomination to the Jews. Though “King of the Jews,” he was no Jewish King. He redeemed himself somewhat in the eyes of the Jewish subject by undertaking the construction of the magnificent ___________.

Answer 36

Herod the Great;

Temple of Jerusalem

Question 37

He gained most of Samaria, Idumea, and Judea.
 He was a blood thirsty ruler, killing three thousand of his subjects within months of gaining power.
 After 9 years of complaints, Rome removed _______ and in his place appointed a Roman Prefect.

Answer 37

Herod Archelaus

Question 38

He ruled Perea and Galilee, Jesus’ home and province.
 He was the one who executed John the Baptist because John criticized Antipas’ adulterous relationship with his half-brother Philip’s wife, Herodias.
 He played an instrumental past in arrest and trial of Jesus.

Answer 38

Herod Antipas

Question 39

He controlled the lands of Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis.
 He is described as an excellent ruler, who loved peace and was careful in maintaining justice.

Answer 39

Herod Philip

Question 40

a. Collect taxes
b. Confirm sentences imposed by the Jewish court
c. Keep peace, and report to Rome about the general state of affairs
d. Appoint and depose the Jewish priest
e. Command auxiliary forces in Judea

Answer 40

Roman Prefect

Question 41

_________ was a high-handed stern ruler who did nothing to endear himself to the Jews.
He had military standards bearing the emperor’s image erected in Jerusalem – an act that outranged pious Jews because Yahweh forbade graven images.
He robbed treasury and slaughtered many defenseless Jews. He was guilty of graft, insults, robberies, assault, constant executions without trial, wanton abuse and unending grievous cruelty.
Even though Rome allowed the Jews considerable freedom in practicing their religion, its rule was harsh and all Jews longed for the day when a Messiah would come to deliver them.

Answer 41

Pontius Pilate

Question 42

a holy place where they offered sacrifice to God and where they thought God dwelled in a special way.

Answer 42

Temple

Question 43

Only the _______ had a role in Temple worship, sacrificing animals to Yahweh on a daily basis.

Answer 43

priestly caste

Question 44

And only the ________ could enter the Holy of Hollies once a year, on _________, the Day of Atonement.

Answer 44

high priest;

Yom Kippur

Question 45

The Law required people to pay a Temple
tax and obligated Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the major religious feasts, although not all Jews could make it to the holy city for all the feasts.

Answer 45

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Question 46

most important feast was __________ which celebrated Jewish liberation from Egypt, the Exodus. Perhaps 200,000 pilgrims came to Jerusalem for this feat. Each year the Jewish people commemorate this event with a special meal called the Seder.

Answer 46

Passover

Question 47

which also meant assembly of gathered people – served three purposes:

1. It was a house of prayer and worship
2. Served as a place of discussion for legal settlement
3. It was the local school

Answer 47

synagogue

Question 48

Written down in the Pentateuch (the Old Testament books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), the ________ was much more than a dead letter. It was the heart of the Jewish religion. Jews believed that by living it they were responding to God’s incredible covenant of love. It influenced Jewish history, culture, morality, and worship. Jesus himself respected the Law and called on his followers to live it fully (Mt 5: 17 – 20). Even today it greatly influences Jewish life.

Answer 48

THE LAW OR TORAH

Question 49

Above all else, first-century Judaism was a messianic age. People waited for a king, an anointed one of God, who would usher in God’s promised kingdom. Expectations on how the _____ would come, though, differed widely. Zealots believed that a revolutionary military leader would impose God’s kingdom by violently overthrowing Israel’s enemies. The literature of the Essenes pointed out two different kinds of ______: a kingly _____ who would engage in battle against the forces of darkness, and a priestly ______ who would purge false worship in Jerusalem.
The Pharisees thought that if they kept to the letter of the Law, Yahweh would look favorable on the people and send the _____-king. Little did any of these groups expect that the ______ would be a humble carpenter who would emerge from a distant village far from Jerusalem – Jesus of Nazareth who associated with sinners and who taught his countrymen to love their enemies.

Answer 49

MESSIAH

Question 50

This religious sect got its name from Zadok, the priest whom Solomon appointed to take charge of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kgs 2:35). They were priests and aristocrats who supervised Temple practices and worship. As a result, they centered their activities in Jerusalem. They collaborated with the Romans to stay in power.
Theologically, the _______ accepted the Law (the Pentateuch) as inspired, but not the Prophets or other sacred writings such as the wisdom literature. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead or in angels. Many ________ , along with a few Pharisees, made up the seventy-one-member Sanhedrin, the major law-making body and Supreme Court of Judaism.

The _______ disappeared from the Jewish scene when the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. Without a Temple in which to center their power and influence, they lost both political and spiritual authority.

Answer 50

SADDUCEES

Question 51

Although numbering perhaps only six thousand during Jesus’ ministry, this Jewish sect had great influence. Jesus was probably closest to them in beliefs and spiritual practices. For example, both believed in the resurrection and divine judgment of the living and the dead. They also thought prayer, almsgiving, and fasting were essential spiritual practices.
The term Pharisee means “separated one.” _______ came into existence during the Hasmonean Dynasty (133 – 63 BCE) when they separated themselves from the ordinary religious practices of that day. They believed in strict observance of the Law, which kept them from sin and Gentile influence. This group of laymen, many from the middle class, actively pursued holiness. They criticized Jesus for associating with people who did not observe the Jewish Law. For example, tax collectors were considered to be notorious sinners. Most Jews hated any fellow Jew who would stoop so low as to work for the Romans. Moreover, the tax collectors, often tried to line their own pockets at the expense of their fellow Jews. Jesus, however, not only associated with these despised people but even called one of the them – Matthew (Levi) - to be an apostle.
There was much to admire in the _____. Their religious devotions were positive practices that inspired many of their fellow Jews. Some _____, though, were perhaps too eager to apply the Torah to daily life. They developed an elaborate system of oral interpretation, which they hold to be almost as sacred as the Law itself. These oral traditions, however, sometimes missed the spirit of the Law. Jesus held the Law sacred, but he freed his followers from the blind observance of laws that put human customs above the needs of people. He influenced people to do good without recourse to an elaborate system of minute observance of religious customs. Some _______ criticized Jesus for this.

Answer 51

PHARISEES

Question 52

The _____ , who interpreted and taught the Law, were most closely associated with the Pharisees, but they were also associated with the Sadducees. _______ were not a religious party; rather, they were the Jewish scholars who assisted in writing and telling Jews about their religious traditions. At that time, many people in the Mediterranean world were unable to read and write. _____ were responsible for writing and keeping records for the people. In addition, they may have served at synagogue services by reading and explaining the Jewish Scriptures.
Many Pharisees were _______, experts of the Jewish Law. The New Testament portrays _____ as enemies of Jesus, because he taught on his own unique authority. ______, on the other hand, cited the Law and scholarly interpretations of it as a sure way to holiness.

Jesus criticized some Pharisees because they thought they could earn heaven by keeping all their religious customs. Jesus taught that God’s love and the reign of God are pure gift, bestowed on saints and sinners alike. Conflict between the two approaches to God’s goodness was inevitable.
Although the Pharisees have a bad reputation in the New Testament, many of them were very good Jews. Some of them, like Paul, became staunch followers of Jesus.

Answer 52

SCRIBES

Question 53

According to Josephus, this group, founded by a man called the Teacher of Righteousness, believed that the Jerusalem priesthood and Temple worship was impure and that most Jews failed to live the Law. A result most of them withdrew to a desert community at Qumran near the Dead Sea. They lived a celibate life, shared goods in common and lived a life of ritual purity, cleansing themselves often throughout the day. We can see their ritual baths in the archaeological remains of the Qumran monastery.
Some scholars feel that John the Baptist may have been influenced by the ________. They believed God’s reign would be revealed through a dramatic, even catastrophic event, most likely a great battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The ______ carefully read and produced commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures hoping to find signs of the coming event. They lived strict lives, believing that they would be on Yahweh’s side when the great day came. Like the Sadducees, the ______ disappeared after the destruction of the Temple.

Answer 53

ESSENES

Question 54

The ______ despised the roman rule and believed in violence to overthrow their enemies. The _______ began as a group in Galilee to protests foreign taxation and occupation. They were active as Jesus grew up and during his public ministry one of his apostles, Simon, was a ______. After Jesus’ death, the _____ eventually started the revolt against the Romans.

Answer 54

ZEALOTS