Keeping Track Of My Period Calender

22a. session. Historical and cultural environment of the New Testament



I. DOCTRINAL OBJECTIVE:
study the historical and cultural environment of the New Testament.
II. LIVING OBJECTIVE: venture into the New Testament with the lens of faith, to meet the new story of the Father: This is my beloved Son: hear him.

III. THESIS:
The events narrated in the New Testament are from the birth of Jesus until the year 60-65. The New Testament books were written from the year 51 (letter of Paul to the Thessalonians) until 90-100 (Revelation and Hebrews). The New Testament writings are born within the first organized Christian groups in communities that emerged in the main cities of the Roman Empire, especially in the Roman provinces from Rome to the East: Italy, Macedonia, Achaia, Asia, Galatia, Cilicia and Syria that is, in a Hellenistic culture whose language was the common Greek

(96)
, language that are written all the books of the New Testament.


IV. EXPLANATION OF THE THESIS:
1. Historic environment in Jesus' time

The life of Jesus and the Apostles took place in Palestine, we know their parts: Judea, south, Samaria, center, and Galilee in the north. whole region was in those years under the domination of the Roman Empire. We saw in the Old Testament how the land had been pillaged and conquered (by the Assyrians by the Babylonians, the Persians, Greeks, etc.).. The Romans ruled the occupied territories at some length, let freedom of religion, provided they were saved the interests of Rome and the money came from taxes. Also let local authorities, in our case, the High Priest and the Sanhedrin, to exercise their control and live with their laws, yes, under the supervision of a manager of Rome.
What Palestinian leaders had then?

a) The family of Herod, Herod the Great [b]
(97) , and their three children (98)

[/ b]: Archelaus, Herod Antipas and Philip. The more connected with the events of the Gospel is Herod Antipas.

b) The corrupt government of the "Herod" Rome did change its policy in Palestine and Syria. The Roman emperor, who lived in Rome, appointed an imperial official with the title of Attorney, in charge of governing the province of Judea and Samaria. The most famous was the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, who ruled from 26 to 36. In the north, in Galilee, Herod Agrippa ruled a favorite of the Roman emperors until the year 44. Persecuted the Christian Church (cf. Acts 12, 1-19) and winning the sympathy of the Jews, replaced Roman procurators.

In 66 the Jews, armed struggle, proclaimed the independence of the Jewish state. Rome Vespasian commissioned the young, future Emperor, to put down the uprising in AD 67. The military campaign lasted three years. Meanwhile Vespasian went to Rome, Nero's death (year 69) and left his son Titus over in Palestine. Tito, during the Passover of 70, set in Jerusalem in a state of siege. Five months resisted the Jews holed up in the Holy City. On August 10, 1970 was fatal: Jerusalem was destroyed, completely destroyed the Temple, as the Gospel tells us: "No stone will remain unturned" (Mk 13: 1-2). The people were deported and sold as slaves. The Sanhedrin was abolished, the Temple had ceased to exist and could no longer celebrate the national worship, was the catastrophe of Judaism. However, Jews were allowed to abate, there was still a spark of rebellion, which was kept burning for two years, in the fortress of Massada, Dead Sea to the south. Moreover, Judaism as a religion persisted throughout the Diaspora. They were together with each other, with your organization, keeping intact its laws and religious customs. From that time until today, the Jewish people has always been a nation without a country, respected by some, hunted by others. Only in 1948 the Jews in Palestine succeeded in restoring the State of Israel. What

while the Christians did? And in 70 Christianity had broken the barrier of race and of the Jewish nation and was projected to Greco-Roman world. Christ had come for everyone involved all his salvation.


2. Cultural and religious environment


had three worlds existing in Palestine at the time of Jesus: a) Roman Culture:
was opposed to the Jewish mentality. Moreover, the fact that the Romans were the rulers made the Jewish people rejected root everything that came from Rome. Between Rome and Israel was a cultural and religious chasm too great. Rome was the center of a civilization materialistic, supported by army discipline and controlled by managers and banks. Its true god was the "State." He was, yes, a moral, but not a specific religion. He had "the temple of God," but a "Pantheon", ie the temple of all gods, and were open to welcome other gods.

b) Greek Culture:
Greek culture conquered the known world and its influence came to Palestine. The early Christian communities founded by St. Paul were Greek, Hellenistic minded, this mentality and culture is reflected in the New Testament. This was based on Greek culture an ideal conception of man, nature and freedom. It was characterized by a taste for things of the spirit. And found its expression in art, literature, philosophy and religion. The New Testament was born in this environment, it was written in Greek and was common in his writings many influences of the customs and cultures that came from Greece.


c) Jewish Culture: All laws were based on the "Torah". The Jew was deeply religious. His life was developing at the pace of weekly celebrations in the synagogue, the temple worship, and personal and family prayer