relig test ;; palestine + sects + other things idk man

Understand/Relate the places in First Century Palestine that were significant to Jesus’ ministry

  • Bethlehem: Jesus born here in a stable, prophesized by Micah

  • Dead Sea: South of Jordan River, used for transportation, food, water

  • Jerusalem: Jesus was arrested + crucified + resurrected

  • Jordan River: Jesus was baptised

  • Judea/Samaria Area: Jesus was born, started His ministry, performed miracles, died and Resurrected. Considered Holy Land/Land of the Jews

  • Mediterranean Sea: Important trade rout

  • Nazareth: Small town in Galilee where Jesus grew up, invited to preach at synagogue (not received well by people, attempted to push off cliff)

  • Samaria: Jesus speaks with Samaritan woman by well, announcing self as Messiah

  • Sea of Galilee: Salt water lake, fed 5k ppl w/bread + fish, healed a deaf + mute man, calmed storm, walked on water.

  • Identify the tension between Jesus and the following First Century Palestine Jewish sects: Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Zealots

Pharisees:

  • Hypocrites not practicing what they preach]

  • Pressuring Gentiles to convert to Judaism

  • Strict adherence to oral law [as averse to Jesus’ mssg of spirit > rules]

    • Shamed Jesus for ‘working’ (doing miracles) on the Sabbath

  • Had superiority complex [were against Jesus’ acceptance of everyone, including sinners + tax collectors]

  • Questioned Jesus’ authority, felt threatened by Him

    • Fit into social hierarchy [rather than Jesus being a servant Lord]

  • Differing beliefs about Kingdom of God

Sadducees: largely aristocratic + made up of priests

  • Only followed written Torah [1st 5 books of the Bible]

  • Did not believe in afterlife/resurrection

  • Held political power

  • Questioned Jesus’ status/authority as the Messiah, demanded proof of this

    • Also viewed Him as a threat to their authority

Scribes:

  • Responsible for teaching Biblical Law

  • Questioned Jesus’ authority and ability to teach

  • Jesus cared for less fortunate, Scribes uncaring of poor/oppressed

  • Scribes part of leadership

Zealots:

  • Violently resisted Roman Rule

    • Jesus pref. spiritual transformation > revolution

  • Wanted to restore Jewish kingdom w/o Romans [vv nationalist]

  • Jesus more for resisting authority, Zealots wanted to violently resist/riot

Describe the Jewish expectations of the “messiah” before Jesus’ coming (example: The Prophecies)

  • Expecting a warrior king, someone who brings them/Israel deliverance/restoration/redemption

    • Slightly diff. vers. of this but all vaguely the same mssg

      • Also diff timelines of His arrival, mission, etc.

  • Instead got Jesus

    • Fulfilled many prophecies (eg. brought salvation) but much more humble/passive than expected to be

Explain how Jesus’ countercultural message challenged the established authority and society in First Century Palestine

  • Including/accepting of all people regardless of social standing, religion, etc.

    • Ate w/ sinners + tax collectors, spoke to Samaritans, Gentiles, etc. treated everyone w/ respect

  • Brought new ideas of spirituality rather than strict adherence to laws

  • Considered a threat to high-ranking sects/groups of ppl (eg. Scribes, Sadducees), challenged their authority in society + religiously

Identify key similarities and or differences between First Century Palestine vs. Modern Day (worksheet):

  • Employment

Women:

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • Did domestic work/were housewives

    • Retrieved water from wells

    • Cooked food/kept fire going

    • Made clothes

    • Cared for children

  • Able to pursue any field of work desired

    • Largely working in corporate jobs/doing office work

  • Could be a ‘traditional women’ if desired

  • Living in capitalist society, rarely making own food/clothes/furniture/etc.

Men:

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • Largely agricultural work

    • Farming/Growing crops

    • Raising animals

    • Fishing

  • Generally provided for family

  • Likely to do manual labour (w/ help of animals)

  • Many worked as tenant farmers b/c land = unaffordable

  • Some ppl worked for government/were craftsmen

  • Able to pursue any field of work desired

    • Largely working in corporate jobs/doing office work

  • Still able to do jobs including manual labour + work for gov/be craftsmen (fishing, farming, etc.)

    • Many things easier w/ help of machines

  • Lots of ppl still have to rent homes b/c of housing crisis yippee

  • Technology & Machines

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • No electricity

    • No lights, refrigeration, aircon/heating, washers/dryers

  • Easier life w/ electricity/appliances

    • Buying things made by overseas machines rather than handmade/local items

  • SImpler living (less manual labour, no need to worry about smaller things)

  • Communication by words of mouth/courrier

  • Communication largely online through emails/texts/social media

    • Letters still used for official/serious things (eg. bank notes, jury duty, etc.)

  • Word of mouth still common but online communication somewhat dominant

  • High illiteracy rates

  • Most of Western population = literate

    • Good(ish) education systems available regardless of gender and (somewhat) social standing

  • Lack of indoor plumbing/running water

  • Less manual labour

  • More hygiene

  • Patriarchal Society

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • Men held all political power

  • Women hold ability to be in government

  • Men held all economic power

  • Men solely responsible for finances

  • Women permitted to own things

  • Women capable of providing for household

  • Men controlled all religious power

  • Dependent on religion, most do not allow women to hold religious positions

  • Men made all important decisions for families

  • Typically group decisions between husband/wife

  • Unmarried women lived with parents

  • Widowed women returned to parents or married husband’s family member or became beggars

  • Unmarried/widowed women permitted to live by themselves + capable of supporting selves

    • No longer treated as property of men

  • Women forbidden to speak with men in public

  • Forbidden from interacting with any unrelated man

  • Freedom to interact with anyone regardless of gender/relation or lack of such

  • Cultural Priorities

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • Most families lived in the same village

    • People lived close to family, intermediate + immediate

  • Immigration popular

  • Able to move away for whatever reason

  • Considered uncommon to live close to intermediate family

  • Would never do anything family would disapprove/be embarrassed by

  • Less focus on familial ideals

    • Ability to make own decisions

  • Social Class

1st Century Palestine

Modern Day

  • Poor lived in homes built of stone/dried mud/straw

  • Often sold selves as indentured servants

  • Live in modern homes w/ poor structure/infestation

    • Or homeless

  • Illegal to sell self

    • Beg or work multiple jobs

  • Rich owned large, beautiful homes w/ indoor plumbing

  • Owned majority of land (leased out to tenant farmers)

  • Ate/drank expensive food/wine

  • Heavily taxed poor + gave low wages

  • Generally the same

  • Indoor plumbing built into every home

  • Only older ppl/rich own land/houses

Professions / inner workings of society (youtube documentary on First Century Palestine)

  • Jobs: money change, water treadmill guy, working in garm factories, potters, fishers (often rich, fished at night), shepherds, bakers, farmers, tax collectors, weavers (carted wool, worked on looms, dying wool), carpenters (builders/stonemasons), merchants (spice, fish, perfume, etc.), priests

  • Child labour common (male children worked for family as soon as able)

  • Food: Bread (eaten almost every meal), fish, vegetables, barley, fish sauce (garm), lentils, wheat

  • Wells considered a place for socialization + flirtation

  • Clothes made from wool, woven

    • Often washed in wine

    • Higher ranking people/rich wore white

  • Men went to work, women stayed at home

    • Most time spent outdoors farming/fishing/trading

    • Women cooked + kept fire going in homes

      • Woke early to cook breakfast for husbands

    • Women got water from wells

  • Frankincense considered medicinal

  • Punishments: execution/crucifixion, jail, land loss

Explain the gender roles and responsibilities during Jesus’ time.

  • Women: Took care of household, generally just the very traditional roles of cooking, weaving, raised children, etc.

  • Men: Bread winners, worked to provide for family, started work as early as possible

How did Jesus fulfill the Law?

Moral/Spiritual/Prophetic/Covenantal/Sacrificial Fulfillment

  • Jesus focused on spiritual aspects of Christianity > adhering to laws

  • Embodiment of the purpose of the laws [loving God w/ heart + soul + mind and people]

    • Life/teachings/death seen as fulfilling Old Test. law by Christians

  • Morally fulfills law by teaching/sharing moral principles (love God + be merciful + compassionate) in Old Test. law

  • Brought deeper understanding of the law

    • Spiritually fulfilling law > following it

    • Righteousness coming from heart > adherence to rules

  • Fulfills Old Test. prophecies abt coming of a Messiah

    • Eg. Messiah born from a virgin in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, rejected by ppl, betrayed by a friend, crucified + resurrected

  • Fulfills sacrificial system of Mosaic law

    • Provides redemption/atonement for sin

  • Covenantally fulfills law w/ new covenant between God/humanity, replacing Mosaic Law w/ Israel

    • New cov. based on faith > strict adherence to laws

Define the political sects we went over in class (Powerpoint)

Scribes:

  • Responsible for copying/preserving Torah + drafted legal documents (eg. contracts for marriage)

  • Defended Judaism against opponents like Jesus

  • Few believed Jesus was Messiah/Son of God

  • Strongly denounced by Jesus

  • The beliefs of scribes aligned w/ mainstream Jewish theology:

    • One God of Israel

    • Adherence to the Torah

    • Expectation of a Messiah

  • Shamed them for their hypocrisy by Jesus

  • Opposed to Jesus’ viewpoints + practices

Gentiles: Any non-Jewish nation

  • Many were polytheistic

  • Some in a God greater than the rest

  • Jesus’s teachings directed to Jews

  • Jesus crucified by Romans

Essenes:

  • Emerged in the 2nd century BCE

  • Had apocalyptic worldview

  • Lived communally

  • Writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls

  • Not mentioned in Bible

  • Society viewed as corrupted people

  • Lived + established community in Qumran (region in northwest Jordan)

  • Copied books of Jewish Scriptures

  • Wrote commentaries on the Books of the Prophets

  • Believed in + emphasized ritual purity

  • Core beliefs: predestination + coming of Messiah to reestablish true priesthood + kingship of David

  • Believed in Divine punishment of sin

  • Believed in immortality of soul

  • Believed in justice [removed selves from general society]

  • Followed Moses’ laws

  • Practiced Sabbath + ritual purification

Sadducees:

  • High priests, aristocrat families, and merchants (wealthy ppl)

  • In conflict w/ Pharisees

  • Had conservative view of Judaism

  • Lived in temple

  • Focus Torah’s authority + priestly responsibilities

  • Crucified Jesus

  • Organized 3 major Jewish pilgrimages (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot)

  • Collected taxes, equipped + led armies

  • Heavily involved with political affairs

  • Didn’t believe Jesus’ oneness w/ God

    • Threatened Sadducees’ authority in temple

  • Didn’t believe in angels

  • Only temple rituals necessary for salvation

  • No resurrection or afterlife

  • Didn’t believe in anything beyond written Torah

Prophets:

  • Religious figures chosen by God

  • Role models for holiness, scholarship, closeness to god

  • God spoke to them in prophecies, dreams, visions

  • Preached judgment, hope, repentance

  • Warned ppl of impending doom + supported ppl during hard times

  • Often regarded with ridicule, hostility, mistreatment or were exiled

Pharisees:

  • Believed in strict laws + oral traditions taught by Moses.

  • Believed in resurrection of dead + purification.

    • Rituals about purity vv mportant, often related to water

  • Believed that Jewish scriptures could be interpreted in any way

  • Believed that a Messiah was coming (not Jesus tho)

  • Thought that Jesus was disobeying Mosaic Law

  • Considered hypocrites

  • Only preached w/out following own teachings.

Zealots:

  • Political movement in 1st century Judaism

  • Jewish ppl that believed in traditional Jewish God

  • Against Roman rule

    • Believed Romans were occupiers of their land + looked down on polytheism

  • Believed there is only one God + only Torah

Samaritans:

  • Grp of ppl living in Samaria.

  • Had own religious beliefs/practices

  • Believed in one God

  • Believe that God unites everyone through his creation

  • Claimed to be related to Israelites of ancient Samaria by blood

  • Called selves Bene Yisrael (Children of Israel) or Shamerim (Observant ones)

  • Samaritans desecrated Temple w/ human bones during Passover.

  • Rejected Jesus bc he was going to Jerusalem

    • Was a strong feud between Jews and Samaritans