This document provides an overview of the historical and cultural context of the New Testament world. It discusses the diversity of cultures and viewpoints that existed at the time. A brief history is given of the political domination of the region by Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. Jewish social life and religious groups like the Pharisees are also summarized. The document aims to situate the reader in the strange new world of the New Testament to better understand its meaning.

1. Introduction to the New Testament
Week 2
The World of the New Testament
“When we open the pages of the Bible, we enter a strange new world” – Karl Barth
“The Bible [is] not about our religion or morality or history, but about the Kingdom of God. This biblical reality can be
understood only by inhabiting it.”1
Factors affecting our understanding of the New Testament
• Language
– Embodies culture
• Culture
– Defines who we are
• Worldview
– Shaped by our culture
– Our „reality‟
Diversity of New Testament World
• Point of view
– Every person is an interpreter
– NT is an interpretation (therefore outsiders suspicious)
• Pax Romana
– Pax if your Roman, not so pax if you‟re not
• NT Puzzle
– We only have part of the reality of NT world
– Diverse
– NT materials “actualise the NT world” – each document is a slice of the reality
– Josephus & Philo contribute to the slice of life
– Hope was in the air
A Brief History of the World
• 586BC – Babylon conquers Judah
• 539BC – Persian‟s conquer Babylon
– Cyrus decrees Jewish liberation
– First returnees under Shezbazzar 538BC
– Second group under Zerubbabel
– Temple completed – 515BC
– Religious and civil reformation under Ezra and Nehemiah – 500-450BC
• 334BC – Rise of Alexander the Great
– Conquers the Persian Empire
– Alexander‟s exploits initiated a period of intense globalisation (then called Hellenization)
– 323BC - Alexander dies
– Alexander‟s empire was divided between four generals
• Ptolemy got Egypt (including Judah)
• Seleucus got Asia and Syria (got greedy and took over Judah)
• Lysimachus got Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedonia.,
• Antigonus got Macedonia
• 198BC – Antiochus III (the great) gains control of Palestine
– Jewish upper class adopt Hellenism
– Jerusalem transformed into type of Greek city-state
– Rich wanted to be Greek
– The poor saw only corruption; poverty became associated with purity
• 175-167BC – Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– Banned Judaism
– Violently dealt with resistance
– Setup altar to Zeus in Jerusalem Temple
1
http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/mwt/dictionary/mwt_themes_750_barth.htm
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A Member Institution of the SCD and Teaching its Awards
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2. Introduction to the New Testament
– December 168BC sacrificed pig on the altar
• 167BC – Maccabean Revolt
– Priest Mattathias – refuses pagan sacrifice
– Judas the Maccabee succeeded Mattathias
– Guerrilla tactics
– Jerusalem liberated 164BC
• First Jewish independence since 586BC
• Hanukkah - Festival of dedication, Dec 164BC
• 134-63BC – Hasmonean Dynasty
– Simon benMattathias (Maccabeus)
– John Hyrcanus expanded borders, destroyed Samaritan temple on Mt Gerazim
– 63BC internal power struggle within Hasmonean family invited Roman empire to intervene and occupy
Palestine.
Roman Rule in Palestine
• From republic to empire
– Julius Caesar
• Rome valued multiculturalism
– Many languages of the emipre – Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, many other ethnic languages
• Roads
– military asset
– Boosted trade across the empire
– Allowed ideas to travel easily
• Taxes
– Apparently flat rate
Herodian Dynasty
• Antipater II made procurator of Judah for assisting Romans
– Herod the Great‟s father
• 72 BC - Herod the Great
– “King of the Jews”: ruled Judea, Idumea, Perea, Galilee
– Part Jew, Part Idumean, mostly Hellenistic
– Roman puppet
– Passionate builder
– Died +/- 4BC; three sons inherited kingdom
• Archelaus – Judea, Idumea, Samaria
• Antipas – Galilee and Perea
• Philip – East of Jordan
Jewish Social Life
• Changes after Exile:
– Identified as Judah (Yehudites or Jews) rather than 12 tribes
– Preserved sacred writings
– Adopted Aramaic language
– Trended to commercial life rather than agricultural
– Organised small group assemblies to read and study Torah and pray
– Jerusalem became pilgrimage centre
• Exile despite return
– Prophets ideal unfulfilled
• Messianic expectation
– To end “exile”
• Liberation from oppression (Political independence)
• Restoration of the Land (Social reform)
• Proper rebuilding of the temple (Spiritual renewal)
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A Member Institution of the SCD and Teaching its Awards
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3. Introduction to the New Testament
Kingdom of God
• Hope expressed as two eras
– The present age (exile)
– The age to come (end of exile or salvation)
– Salvation thought of in REAL terms, not pie in the sky…
• “Kingdom of God” = YHWH‟s actual rule of Israel (and the world) and the destruction of evil that controls the
whole world
Jewish Society
• Pharisees
• Sadducees
• Essenes
• “fourth philosophy”
– Nationalists?
• The “masses”
– Am ha aretz
Common elements of various Judaisms
• Shema (Dt 6:7)
• Israel was YHWH‟s people to do YHWH‟s will
• Israel was to respond to God by living by Torah
• Primacy of the temple
Rural vs Urban
• Village more conservative
– Opposed to Hellenism
– Peasants -> subsistence living
• City more “progressive”
– More open to pragmatism and compromise
– Tiberius and Sepphoris, 24 000 people
• Classism
• Where does Jesus fit?
Institutional context
• Behaviour
– “programmed” by social expectation
– Supported by organisation
• Individual vs institution
• Institutions can take on a life of their own, assuming more power than individuals give them
• Institutions reinforce status quo as “God given”
Power and Authority
• Temple – holiness and purity
• Scriptures
• Relationships
• Status and Honour
To this world Christianity says…
“…in Christ Jesus
you are all children of God
through faith…
There is no longer Jew or Greek,
there is no longer slave or free,
there is no longer male and female;
for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26, 28
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A Member Institution of the SCD and Teaching its Awards
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