The World Jesus Lived In
• Palestine
• Galilee - north
• Samaria - south
• Judea - south
• Nazareth – city Jesus grew up
• Capernaum - city near Sea of
Galilee
• His public ministry
• Bethlehem – birth
• Jerusalem - death
Galilee
• Mountainous and beautiful
• Sea of Galilee (Lake
Gennesareth)
• Rural
• Major trade route
• Greek and Roman culture
• Many Galileans were gentiles
• Judeans looked down on
Galileans
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most famous reg
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most famous r
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most famous
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most famou
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most famo
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most fam
Roughly speaking everything north and east of the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most fa
In ancient times, as now, it was Israel's lushest region,
known for its sunny, temperate climate
its spring-watered lands.
Each spring the valleys and slopes became an ocean
of wildflowers and blossoming trees.
Beginning
in March
the area was
covered
by a of
vast
Roughly
speaking
everything
north
and east
the modern city of Haifa was known as Galilee and this most fa
blanket of green.
The fertile land was a texture of vineyards and fruit
orchards. Grapes, figs, olives, pomegranates, oranges and other
fruits flourished in its pleasant, subtropical climate.
Samaria
• Samaria – south of Galilee
• Avoided by Jews when they
traveled
• Viewed as heretics
• Intermarried with gentiles
• Worshipped in own temples on
Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem
Judea
• Judea – south of Samaria
•
•
•
•
Dry hot
Dead Sea to the east
Wilderness to the south
Jerusalem
•
•
•
•
Capital
Israel’s kings lived
Holy City b/c of Temple
Sacred to Jews, Christians and
Muslims
Jerusalem today
Mediterranean Sea
• Mediterranean Sea
• All of the known world
• West of Palestine
• Jordan River
• Flows south through Sea
of Galilee and into the
Dead Sea
Town in Palestine during the time of Jesus
• Surrounded by walls
• Gates locked at night
• Guards posted to keep watch
• Market places outside of the
walls
• Food
• Crafts
• Conversation – news from
travelers
Political Scene during the time of Jesus
• Palestine
• Occupied by Rome
• Roman Emperors:
• Augustus Caesar
• Tiberius Caesar
• Herod – King of Palestine until
after Jesus’ birth
• Great Builder – rebuilt the Temple
• Very cruel
• Killed family b/c afraid of being
overthrown
Sons of Herod the Great
Archelaus – ruled Judea and
Samaria
- replaced with Roman
procurators (Pontius Pilate)
Herod Antipas – ruled Galilee
Jesus called him “the fox”
Philip – ruled region east of
Galilee
Herod the Great
Pontius Pilate
Roman occupation
• Rome
• Respected Jewish religious
practice
• Jewish men did not have to serve
in the Roman army
• b/c they could not mix with gentiles
• Jews resented Romans
•
•
•
•
Taxes
Laws
Troops
Tax collectors – Jewish men collected
taxes and kept some money
Religious groups
• Pharisees
•
•
•
•
Large middle class Jews
Loved Torah, law
Added 613 rules to the law
Believed in resurrection and
angels
• Jesus scolded them for stressing
outward acts rather than the spirit
of love.
• Most of the people were Pharisees
• Scribes: copied the Scriptures
Sadducees
• Wealthy and powerful leaders
• Most priests
• Worked with Rome
• Did not believe in resurrection
• Did not want to add any more
laws
• Sanhedrin
•
•
•
•
71 Jewish men
Supreme council
Chief high preiest presided over it
Spiritual leader and almost a
king
• Caiaphas - high priest at time of
Jesus
• Annas – helped Caiaphas
zealots
• Freedom fighters
• Used violence to overthrow
Rome
• Barabbas was a zealot
Essenes
• Men not happy with the way
Jewish religion was lived
• Seeks a pure life
• Lived in desert
• Doing penance
• Waiting for the coming of God
• Jesus was thought to be an Essene
Jesus’ religion
• Prayer
• Jews prayed many times in a day
• Before and after eating
• Morning and evening
• Shema –
• Hear, O Israel, The Lord is our God,
the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall
love the Lord, your God,with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your strength.
• Mezuzah
• Small case on the right post of a
doorway
• Held a copy of the Shema
• Phylacteries
• small boxes placed on the heads
of Jewish men
• Contained the word of God
• Shalom
• Greeting
• Peace
Temple
• Pilgrimages to Temple:
• Passover
• Pentecost
• Tabernacles
• Temple:
•
•
•
•
Only place where sacrifices were offered
20 men needed to open one of its 13 gates
20,000 people work there
Herod the Great ordered an expansion during Jesus’
time
• Rome attacked the temple and destroyed it
• Outer western wall all that remains even to today
• Western Wall
• Jewish people pray
• leave prayer requests in cracks in
the temple wall.
• Sabbath
• The Lord’s Day
• Strict day of rest
• Synagogues – buildings such as
“churches”
•
•
•
•
•
Services said
Center of prayer
Center of education
Center of social life in towns
Scrolls – kept here and read
• The Law
• Stated what made someone
unclean or unfit for worshipping
• Required a special washing or
reading of Scripture
• Touching a sick person
• Touching a dead person
• Dealing with Gentiles