The Development of Christianity
The story of the early church is a journey through shifting empires and enduring faith. It is a narrative of how diverse cultures and political landscapes converged to prepare the world for the message of the Messiah.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 The Beginning
Ore will never know why Yahweh—God—chose Abraham, then his son Isaac, then his grandson Jacob, and then his great-grandson Joseph as the bearers of Yahweh’s promises. If Yahweh was looking for a sinless individual, He missed the mark. From the start, sin followed. (Read the book of Genesis.) It is a perplexing question how Yahweh could trust a sinful race of people to revitalize the world. Yet He thankfully did.
Skip ahead four hundred years, and the sin filled lives of his chosen people continued. Moses and then Joshua tried to lead the Israelite people but idol worship and listening to foreigners—particularly women—led to Yahweh’s displeasure and rebuke time after time. Throughout the time of the prophets and then the kings, there were moments of complete trust in following Yahweh, but sin eventually led to more wickedness. Any attempts at spiritual change were short lived.
Eventually, the sins of the nation led to their annihilation. First the Assyrians conquered the northern part of Israel. Because of Assyrian cruelty, the history of these captives was lost. (Lost tribes of Israel.)
Less than one hundred fifty years later, the Babylonian empire conquered Judah, the southern part of Israel. (Biblical books of Judges through 2nd Chronicles.) The Babylonian rulers, however, treated the Jewish people favorably, and the Israelite population quickly grew. While in captivity, lessons were learned, and for some, a desire for a spiritual change occurred.
Restoring Their Jewish Heritage
Then the promises spoken by Yahweh years earlier for a fresh restart came about after the Persian nation overthrew the Babylonians. The Persian King Cyrus issued a decree that allowed the Hebrew people to return to their former land of Israel. “Cyrus allowed Zerubbabel (also known as Sheshbazzar), a descendant of David, to lead the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, back to Judah somewhere between 538 and 520 BC.” (source: Hebrewnations.com).
For those who chose to move back to Israel, life was difficult. The small Jewish community was heavily influenced by their non-Israelites neighbors, and the people fell away from following the Sabbath and began to intermarry. Their identity to God was once once again fading.
Yet Yahweh did not give up. Seventy-five years after the first group had returned, Ezra was allowed by the Persian King Artaxerxes to travel with a second group back to Palestine (Israel). Shortly thereafter, Nehemiah also returned. While Ezra led in a spiritual renewal of the people, Nehemiah was instrumental in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Between the two, a strong Jewish culture was being rebuilt.
Millions of other Jewish adherents chose not to make the change. While living in Persia, most Israelites had settled into a comfortable life under their rulers. The Hebrew people had become well accepted in the community and were actively involved in trades and commerce. Moving back to Palestine, was not worth the risk.
Even more important, the Jewish adherents enjoyed great freedom to travel. They formed their own separate communities in other areas of the known world, and those areas quickly grew. Recorded records show that around the time of Christ over 1 million Jews lived in Alexandria (Egypt). Large populations of Jewish exiles were also found in Rome, Samaria, Ethiopia, Cyrene (now part of Libya), Antioch (Syria), the Italian peninsula, and Turkey. The Greek geographer Strabo said, “You could not go anywhere in the civilized world without encountering a Jew.” (Source: Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah).
While their homeland was comprised of less than a million residents at the time of Christ, millions of Jewish followers lived in other parts of the world. In each of these Jewish communities, there was a common bond that held the Jewish society together: a common creed, a common way of life, a common center of worship, and a common hope for the future. The Jewish population, wherever they settled, observed laws related to food, followed Sabbath rules, and celebrated the Jewish holy holidays. Through it all, though, was their love for Jerusalem, and the hope of eventually returning to their homeland under the rule of the Messiah.
The Messianic hope though only came about because of that small group that chose to reestablish the nation of Israel. These courageous followers made many sacrifices. Homes needed to be rebuilt, fortifications against enemies established, and it was necessary to relearn how to plant, grow, and harvest crops.
Although change was not easy, those in Palestine persisted. It was into this world that our Messiah would be born, live, and die—all for our benefit.
All believers should be grateful for these Hebrew change agents. Because of them, the coming of the Messiah was one step closer.
Chapter 2
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMON FOLK BIBLE
You are on Jeopardy and the topic is “Famous Individuals of Christianity.” You should be able to answer question one on Jesus’s mother or even the $400 question—Jesus's most beloved disciple (John). Most could even guess at questions about Martin Luther (Justification by faith alone) or John Wycliffe (translated the scriptures into English) but the stumper would be the $1000 question about Ptolemy. Though not a Christian, nor a Jewish convert, Ptolemy’s role in Biblical history cannot be overlooked.
PREPARTION
The Persian empire ruled until conquered by Alexander the Great. During his thirteen years of rule, religious freedom continued to be given to the dispersed Jewish communities. Having an even bigger impact on the world was Alexander the Great’s demand that the Greek culture, often called Hellenism, be promoted in his conquered territory. This was a change that affected the entire world and continued well after Alexander’s death.
After his death, the empire was divided into four territories. Alexander’s general, Ptolemy was awarded control of northern Africa and portions of the Middle East, including Palestine. Despite regional wars, Ptolemy remained in power over his given territory for the next forty years. (source: (historicaleve.com) During the next three hundred years, the influence of the Greek culture grew. Hellenism embraced all aspects of life: art, philosophy, science, architecture, and intellectual development.
IMPACT OF HELLENISM ON THE JEWISH RACE
Like the rest of the Middle East, Palestine also was impacted by Hellenism. Positively, many trade routes were established and Israel’s place as a connection between the east and west developed. At the same time, the polytheistic beliefs of the Greek empire were counter to the monotheism of the Hebrew nation.
To counteract the forces of Hellenism, the Jewish religious leaders developed a rigid religious belief system. Attention to the law, observing traditional customs, and an emphasis on the Hebrew educational system remained essential elements of Hebrew life. (source: livestransforming.com) These practices, along with the insistence of using the Hebrew language in religious circles, were important in keeping the dispersed Israelites, along with the homeland, monotheistic until the time of Christ.
Judaism also continued to flourish outside of Palestine. The openness of Ptolemy for intellectual and religious freedom allowed the city of Alexandria, Egypt to become an enclave for Jewish adherents. The Jewish population of Alexandria were given their own section of the city to live in so that their beliefs and customs could be practiced without influence from outsiders. The one break from a strict Hebrew lifestyle was the acceptance of the Greek language which had become the universal language of all business activities. Since the Greek language was the language used by everyday Judahites, they longed for the books of the Pentateuch and Prophets to be translated into Greek.
FIRST ATTEMPTS
Today, the super-rich buys 12,000 square foot homes or competes to have the biggest yacht. The Ptolemy rulers saw life differently. While a fabulous palace was important, they valued intellectual pursuits as well. Ptolemy, the first was known as a great patron of learning, and the library in Alexandria was a centerpiece of his work. His successors Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III continued to spend huge sums of money sending advisors throughout the world to secure rare books and valuable art.
The first attempts to put the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek language were done by hundreds of slaves who wrote into the Greek language what was orally dictated to them. Unfortunately, this led to errors in translation because the slave used their own judgement of what a particular phrase meant. This, though, does produce a Greek version of the Old Testament that was sold cheaply and became known as the “People’s Bible.”
If one wanted to buy a scholarly copy of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) or the books of the Prophets in the Hebrew language, the purchase was expensive. The copy could only be done by Jewish scholars who painstakingly copied the Word of God into another set of writings. If even a small error was made, the entire copy was destroyed. The painstaking process began again.
PTOLEMY’S SUCCESS
A spiritual life-changing event was to occur in Alexandria, Egypt. All because of the generosity of Ptolemy’s reign.
Demetrious Phalereus became the chief advisor for the library. He wanted a true copy of the Hebrew Books of Moses translated into the Greek language. Phalereus sent Eleazar the High-Priest at Jerusalem a huge financial gift to select seventy-two translators of the highest regard to work on a proper translation. Each translator received an authentic manuscript and were sent to the island of Pharos, (an island in the Nile River), spending seventy-two days individually translating the Hebrew manuscript into the Greek language. After comparisons and evaluation, the Jewish Sanhedrin at Alexandria—the Jewish ruling body of that area--formally approved the acceptance of the Greek version of the Pentateuch. It was given the title, Septuagint. (source: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah) The translation of the books of the Prophets and Jewish History followed. The Greek translation was widely accepted and used at the time of Christ.
IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
In the early 1600’s, English scholars used both the Greek Bible and the Hebrew Bible to develop the King James Bible, the only authorized English version for over 300 years.
God’s wisdom is infinite and His planning impeccable. Throughout history, God’s desire was that world accept Him as their God. He chose the Jewish people from the beginning to be His ambassadors. A Christian’s goal today is the same—be a worthy ambassador.
Chapter 3
POWER SHIFTS
THE LEAD UP
Political futures have not changed much in the last 2000 years. There is always a world power that is striving to maintain its position and even gain more authority. About 150 years before the birth of Christ, the Ptolemy reign was the superpower, but the Seleucid empire fought to be the dominant force. The battle for power began after Alexander the Great’s death. The Ptolemy empire was given control of Egypt and Palestine; the Seleucid family controlled the land mass around Palestine. The Seleucid’s regime’s only goal was more power, more land.
After generations of small skirmishes against the Ptolemy empire, Antiochus III became ruler of the Seleucid empire. Within a few years, he attacked both Egypt and Palestine. While he could not conquer Egypt, he added Palestine to his empire. With him in control, there were a few years of peace and then despair flooded the nation because of his son.
Antiochus IV was a despot out for power regardless of the consequences. Although he ruled for only nine years, the impact of his decrees affected every aspect of Jewish life. Antiochus IV or sometimes called Antiochus, Epiphones, sought the complete Hellenization of Palestine. In his brief period ruling Palestine, he outlawed major Jewish practices and traditions. Possession of the Pentateuch, observance of the Sabbath, or the circumcision of a Jewish male resulted in death.
HANUKKAH
Antiochus's opposition to Jewish religious practices sparked a guerrilla movement in Palestine. Within three years, the Maccabees seized Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple, an event commemorated annually as Hanukkah. After two more decades of sporadic conflict, the Seleucids signed a peace treaty with Jewish leaders, granting them autonomy over Judah. The Hasmoneans (formerly the Maccabees) continued to contend with the Seleucids for dominance until internal decline within the Seleucid empire allowed Israel to ally with the rising Roman power.
NEW RULER—SAME DOMINATION
Believing the Roman ruler Pompey would allow greater religious freedom, the nation sought their military help. Instead in 63BC, Pompey invaded Jerusalem and took personal control of Judah. Pompey ruled with a heavy hand over Palestine until he lost power to Caesar. Caesar appointed Herod the Great as the ruler of Palestine.
Herod the Great believed in only one set of rules—that which kept him in power. Rebellions arose against Roman rule but were quickly put down. Anti-Roman hatred filled Israel, but Herod prevailed. In his sick mind, any perceived threat led to death.
Trying to appease the Jewish population, Herod invested tax money in the renovation of the Temple and the Temple Mount, the acreage surrounding the Temple. Because of his family’s gifts, the religious area grew from a small temple to over thirty-five acres and could hold over one million people for its yearly festivals.
While Herod financially supported the Temple’s construction, he also defied Jewish authorities by building heathen pagan temples and building a large amphitheater that housed games honoring the Roman rulers. Shortly before Herod the Great's death, he used the military to kill every Jewish male under the age of two in the vicinity of Bethlehem after the visiting Magi spoke about the birth of a Jewish king. (Matthew chapter 2).
In the final year of his life, in defiance of all that the Jewish nation believed in, he placed a golden eagle at the gate of the Temple to honor the Roman ruler, Augustus. Herod’s life ended in excruciating pain. The historian Josephus recorded that the pain was so unbearable that Herod tried unsuccessfully to commit suicide. His punishment and death shortly after trying to kill the baby Jesus in Bethlehem was a fitting end to this despotic rule. After the death of Herod, the Great, his children took control of Palestine.
Herod’s son, Archelaus, ruled Judea for nine years. Archelaus continued Herod the Great’s cruelty. In revenge for the religious leaders’ defiance of Rome, Archelaus had a large group of Jews arrested and burned to death as a sacrifice to Caesar.
The Jewish hatred of Roman rule only grew. Archelaus tried to make amends by lowering the taxes and freeing the remaining political prisoners, but the Jewish faithful were not to be appeased. When the Jewish leaders demanded those responsible for the burnings be punished, Archelaus refused. The Jewish nation revolted. In fury, Archelaus killed over three thousand more Jews.
His cruelty led to him being deposed. After nine years of Herod Archelaus’ reign of terror, Rome took direct control of Judea and appointed Pontius Pilate as governor. Rome only required that peace in Judea be maintained.
Into this world, the Messiah was born. The same Pontius Pilate would thirty years later order the crucifixion of Jesus, the Christ.
Chapter 4
THE RELIGIOUS ELITE
Influencers is a new category of famous individuals. Some have hundreds of thousands following their every word, buying their endorsed products, accepting their messages as truth. Influencers live for your adulation and making their excessive lifestyle possible. The category, as a profession might be new, but influencers also had an important impact on the nation of Israel.
In a population of two to three million, 99% of Israelites were ordinary citizens. Less than 1% had any influence, including about 10,000 Levites that were appointed as God's ministers; another 1,000–2,000 scribes, trained in the intricacies of religious law. Four other religious sects: the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, and Essenes also influenced religious life.
Category 1: Levites
The Levites were appointed by Yahweh (God) to be responsible for worship and maintaining the Temple and local synagogues. As set forth in the books of Moses, (first five books of our present Bible), the Jewish patriarch, Jacob had twelve sons. When they were freed from Egyptian enslavement, the descendants of Jacob’s son Levi were set aside to lead the worship and maintenance of the Temple.
A small group of the Levites, Aaron’s descendants, were specifically named as priests. It was their joy to oversee all services and sacrifices at both the Temple and local synagogues. The other Levites served in a custodial role, as assistants to the priests.
Category 2: Scribes
Regardless of who ruled the Hebrew people, it was essential that their own monotheistic religious beliefs be practiced. The nation’s guides were the Scribes. Scribes, from the Hebrew word, Soferim, people who write, existed for thousands of years before the birth of Christ. They originally served as the officials for recording the ruler’s messages and kept records of the Israelite people’s history. Within the passing generations, their responsibilities dramatically increased. By the time of Jesus, the Scribes were viewed as the learned and were highly respected within the community. Their decrees (and opinions) were accepted as from God. The work of a scribe can be placed into three distinct categories: copying and preserving texts, drafting legal documents, and serving as interpreter of the Judaic law.
It took years of study at a Rabbinical school to become a Scribe. Besides the ability to write fluently, they became fluent in understanding the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) and the teachings of the prophets. Their work as a student also immersed them in understanding the Halakah, the laws and ordinances developed through the years to govern Jewish observances and daily life.
The Scribes also had the responsibility of copying letter by letter Hebrew writings and Biblical texts. When finished, the entire work was examined. It had to be so exact that the number of words in a text needed to match, along with an exact match of the number of letters. If there were even one error, the entire parchment would be destroyed.
In the New Testament, Scribes are mentioned often as one of the groups questioning the teachings of Jesus. Since there is no evidence that Jesus ever attended a Rabbinical school, the Scribes did not view Jesus as having the proper credentials for expositing the Word of God. Jesus, the Christ, often offered beliefs that ran counter to the teachings of the Scribes. (You have heard it said,….but I say). To the Scribes, Jesus was not only unlearned but also to be opposed for questioning their belief system.
Category 3: Ruling bodies
The Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling governmental body consisted of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Pharisees
The Pharisees, the party of the common people, opposed Roman rule. Consisting of around 6000 members, they prided themselves on strictly following both the written and oral law and strictly observing all Levitical and religious observances. For them, religious practices were to be argued, refined, and then become absolutes in life. While the Temple was still the center for Jewish holy days, the synagogue served as a local center for worship. The Pharisees religiously tithed every aspect of life—goods bought, goods sold, money, and time. Following these dictates became the unspoken religion of the Pharisees.
Jesus, the Christ’s, constantly opposed the Pharisees rigid belief system. Through the years, the oral traditions, such as how to maintain purity in handwashing, became as important as the original law. Jesus sought to return to the original purpose of commandments, connecting people to Yahweh. Zealously attacking the Pharisees practices made Him their enemy.
Sadducees
The Sadducees differed with the Pharisees on four major points. First, the Sadducees were supportive of the Roman government. They collected taxes for the government and served as an intermediary with the Roman rulers. Secondly, the Sadducees consisted primarily of the wealthy members of society. Worship centered around the Temple, with less importance on the local synagogue. Finally, the Mosaic written law was the basis for all religious life. There was no strict following of oral laws, as practiced by the Pharisees. The Sadducees sect numbered less than 2,000.
Two Other Minor Groups
Zealots
The few hundred members of the Zealot party had only one goal-- overthrow of the Roman empire and the complete expulsion of Romans from Israel. For them, the only ruler and Lord to be followed was Yahweh himself. They were so committed to their cause that a splinter group of Zealots were said to secretly carry daggers to assassinate those friendly to Rome.
One member of the Zealot party, Simon the Zealot, became a known disciple of Jesus the Christ and others believe that the disciple Judas Iscariot was also a member of the Zealot party. While the early appearance of Jesus the Christ might have given Zealots a hope for the future, they came to be disappointed by His nonviolent stance.
Essenes
While not mentioned in the New Testament, the Essenes were a small group living a sheltered life near the Dead Sea. This group separated themselves from society and lived in communities that were governed by their own local officials. All items of the group were owned by the community—property, money, and personal effects. They were known for their allegiance to living a life of austerity. They saw religion as having become corrupt, so participation in the activities of the Temple was forbidden. The Essenes rigorously followed Mosaic Law and practiced strict observance of the Sabbath and religious holidays. There are some scholars that believe that John the Baptist’s parents might have died, and he was then raised by the Essenes community.
Come, Messiah, Come
Each of the major sects longed for the day of the Messiah, but their understanding of how this was to be accomplished differed sharply from the actual life of Christ. The Jewish scribes taught that the Messiah was following the same role as Moses. Just as Moses was raised in the Egyptian world, the Messiah was now living quietly in Rome learning the ways of Israel's enemies. Just as Moses brought about a national restoration of the people, the Messiah would lead to a revolt overpowering the Roman government. The Messiah would restore the corporate nation and punish the Gentiles. His reign would again bring national glory to the nation. The idea of the Messiah coming as a servant was a foreign concept. (Source: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.)
Concluding Thoughts
The religious elite and Christ often butted heads. The teachings of Jesus Christ, focused on an inward personal relationship with the Heavenly Father, rather than external behavior. When Christ spoke out against the lifestyle of the leaders, their authority was questioned. How could this unlearned man, who never attended Rabbinical school, even begin to question them?
The ninety-nine percent of the nation that were the common folks respected the various leaders, particularly the priests. Still, they were ready for a more satisfying spiritual life. The massive crowds recognized Jesus as Yahweh’s gift to them. Influencers might ferociously reject Jesus; to the common people, Jesus was their hope.
Chapter 5
BIBLICAL ISRAEL
INTRODUCTION
Never forget, you are someone’s gift. God has searched for a person like you to be His eyes and ears. God is counting on you. Be the someone another needs. Set an example. Don’t let the ways of the world cloud your vision.
Instead of singular individuals, God wanted a homerun. The Israelites were His homerun; His representatives to the world.
Called by God, Moses led the Hebrew people to “a land flowing with milk and honey.” In Palestine (Greek for Israel) the land produced rich crops, livestock happily grazed, and fishing filled many tummies.
Yet Yahweh also had a futuristic reason for choosing this land: travel. Major trading routes from throughout the world conversed through Palestine. Trade brought people to interact with the Israelites. If the nation stayed faithful to Yahweh, Yahweh’s message of hope and liberty could be carried by travelers back to their home bases. This tiny land area, about 10, 000 square miles (about the size of Massachusetts) had all the qualities Yahweh needed to evangelize the world. Unfortunately, with the continual forsaking of Yahweh’s best, the spread of the gospel did not take place until after the resurrection of Christ.
ISRAEL’S DIVERSE LAND
In the first century, the land of Israel was around 160 miles from north to south and around 85 miles from east to west at the widest portion and averaged around 50 miles wide. The main regions of Israel in the first century were Galilee to the north, Samaria in the middle, and Judea to the south. In addition, the Gentile areas of Decapolis and Perea were east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.
For the Israelites, Galilee and Judea were their homebases. Although united in worship practices, significant differences existed between living in northern Galilee and southern Judea. Those living in Judea considered the Galileans as the unlearned, and the religious opportunities inferior: the Temple was in Judea; the academies for higher religious studies were in Judea; the great theologians lived in Judea. The unimportant lived in Galilee. “What good can come from Galilee?” (John 1:46).
GALILEE
Galilee also differed from Judea in many aspects of daily life. The rich soil of Galilee made agriculture an important staple of their lives. Olive and fruit trees were plentiful. Wheat, barley, and vegetable plants produced rich crops. The harvesting of grapes for wine consumption was a money crop. Because of their ability to supply much of their food needs, the cost of living was less than that of the Judeans.
Galilee also had many job opportunities. Beside day laborers for the fields, Galilee also manufactured pottery, had dyeworks, and produced glassware. Fishing was a profitable business. Since a major trade route traversed through Galilee, small businesses catering to the travelers were found along the route. Galilean men were also workers for the Roman expansion of the Roman city of Sephora. (source: Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah).
Galilee had two major cities: Tiberius and Sephora, both housing tens of thousands of residents. A few towns, such as Capernaum, had a thousand residents, but most of the hundreds of small villages were a few hundred people in size.
While Galilee had families of wealth with more substantial homes, smaller, two-three room homes were more common. An average home was built stone upon stone with plastered walls. Small windows were covered with lattice. The typical home had a front room and a back room for sleeping. The roof was paved with a hard substance and had an outer railing and an outside staircase for safety. The roof was used for sleeping in pleasant weather and drying food throughout the year. The roof, or upper room, sometimes had a covered section that could house a guest. Homes also shared an inner courtyard that had a cooking area, a well, and a spit for grinding corn.
SAMARIA
At the time of Christ, Galilee and Judea were separated by the region of Samaria. After the Assyrian invasion of northern Isreal, (2nd Kings), Assyria moved large groups of non-Israelites into the region. The few Hebrews left after the invasion, melded with the Assyrian captives into a religious mixture of beliefs and practices that aligned poorly with Hebrew teachings. Even 700 years later, in the first century, animosity was so strong that Israelites walked an additional 2-3 days to avoid Samaritan land when traveling from Galilee to Judea.
JUDEA
To the south of Samaria and east of the Jordan River, was Judea, the religious capital of Israel. Jerusalem served as the nation’s political capital and home of the Temple. Many medium size cities surrounded Jerusalem and were important in Biblical events. Among them were Bethsaida, Bethany, Bethlehem, and Jericho. The Dead Sea was on the western border of Judea.
If you were wealthy and made a bucket list of places to visit, you might list the pyramids of Egypt, the spectacular city of Rome, or a vacation on the Adriatic seashore. For Jewish adherents, their only wonder of the world was Jerusalem, the majestic Temple, and its services.
The city of Jerusalem, occupying over three hundred acres, was home to over 200,000 residents. The influential occupied the upper city. The High-Priest's palace was in this area along with the palace of the Maccabees, which now housed members of the Roman ruling class. In the upper section of the city were the Xystos, an open gymnasium, and a large garden area. The center of Hebrew world, the Temple, had grown to over 35 acres in size. Around it, life developed.
Also, part of the nation of Judah in Biblical days, was the Negev Desert. An extremely large southern portion that served as a barrier between Judah proper and Egypt. This area was sparsely populated. In an area averaging less than 8 inches of rain per year, wild animals were still able to survive. “Wandering the desert are gazelles, ibexes, oryxes, hyenas, wolves, jackals, and even hedgehogs. In antiquity, the region was also home to a large number of Arabian and Asiatic animals, including ostriches, lions, and cheetahs. Until only a few years ago, leopards could still be found in the region.” (Source: biblicalarchaeology.org)
GENTILE REGIONS INFLUENCED BY JESUS
Finally, both Decapolis and Perea, west of Galilee and Judah, were regions controlled by Herod the Great’s son, Philip. These two were primary areas where Jesus ministered to the worldly Romans. Famous events such as the healing of the demon possessed man, feeding of the 4000, along with healing of the deaf and mute occurred.
CONCLUSION
Israel, in Biblical days, shared similar characteristics to today’s world. Political unrest occupied everyday life. The distrust of their leaders was evident. The religious elites were centered on protecting their domain.
Yet the everyday men and women were active community members, valuing relationships with family and friends above all else. The simplicity, and struggles, of meeting their own needs overrided other obligations. They understood that life was best lived enjoying everyday adventures.