LOC Section 1: Religious Background

Section 1: Introduction to the Life of Christ
Background to the religious options available in the 1st century AD

Thursday, 11 July 13 1
Major locations in the life of Jesus
Thursday, 11 July 13
Religious background of the time of Jesus

- Religion permeated almost every area of life - Many different religions - Judaism was diverse at this time Blomberg suggests all the religious options of the 1st century have a parallel in the 21st century, only the names have changed.
Hellenistic religion
The Greco-Roman world was in a state of change new ideas were encountered and old considered outdated - new cults, movements of peoples, and differing truth claims created a form of pluralism which was intolerant of exclusive religions like Judaism or Christianity.
Gods of Traditional Greek Mythology

...peaked in the 4/5th centuries BC - prominent examples; Zeus (the king of the gods), Hermes (the messenger), Aphrodite and Artemis (love and fertility) - the right god had to be prayed to in order to receive the wanted blessing (safe travel, good harvest, family etc.) Such belief was in decline at the time of Christ geographic limits, impotence and mingling of cultures aided their decline.
Families in general paid lip service to these gods - eg in offering food and drink sacrifices at the fireplace in the centre of the home. They did remain strong in: - rural areas (Acts 14) - when consulted at shrines, where healing, prophecy and recreation would be included - an ancient type of health spa - seasonal and annual festivals and rituals persisted often bringing socioeconomic benefit to a locality (Acts 19:23ff)
Greco-Roman Philosophies
Philosophy and religion were linked philosophers addressed correct behaviour and belief. Much was built upon the foundation of Socrates and Plato. Platonism developed a dualism between matter (body) and spirit. Stoicism - developed by Zeno (who taught in porches stoa) all matter is infused with a world-soul called reason or logos. It is a form of pantheism (God is everything) and panentheism (God is a part of everything) - God here is very immanent
Epicureanism - the world is formed of tiny invisible particles - Gods were made of the same matter as the world and so were removed and unknowable, conscious existence ended at death - key was to maximise pleasure, minimize pain however they did not promote hedonism but valued friendship and culture. (Acts 17:18, 23-24)
Cynicism - the supreme virtue was a simple unconventional life in rejection of the popular pursuits of comfort, affluence and social prestige - one Cynic summed it up as Take care of your soul, but take care of your body only to the degree that necessity requires - they rejected wealth and relied on begging to survive cf commands of Jesus in Mk 6:7-13, Lk 10:1-8.
Skepticism - challenged the claim that absolute truth could be known - the agnostics of the ancient world - indifferent or apathetic to causes, suspending judgement, practiced peace and gentleness. Neo-Pythagorianism Pythagoras 6th century BC communal groups who studied and investigated together emphasised harmony, resolution of opposites and the discovery of the divine in yourself.
Mystery religions
Arguably this is most characteristic of the Hellenistic period mythology was on the wane and philosophies were for the elite. A wide variety of unrelated cults and groups - they wanted communion with the god - they promised conscious eternal life with the gods - offered equality in society - held out hope for transformation of life in a life of arbitrary terrors.
Some features: - some had public pageants - common private meetings for members - sacramental meals, participation rules, and initiation rites - practices could range from meditating on an ear of corn, a fellowship meal, or a blood baptism (the priest stood below a latticework over which a bull was sacrificed so the blood ran down over him) - initiates into these religions were not to learn something, but to experience something
In post NT times Mithraism (Mithras was a god who sprang from the earth and slew a bull as the groundwork for the creation of the human race) amalgamated with Roman worship of Sol Invictus(the unconquerable sun) with a festival to Sol held every 25th December. Christians took advantage of this to protest and celebrate the birth of Jesus instead. After Christianity became the religion of the empire then this festival date was turned into Christmas.
Magic
- Combines many form of belief and ritual - attempting to manipulate god through spells, incantations, techniques etc. - coercion not petition eg spells have been found attempting someone to fall in love with a suitor or to curse a person, horoscopes, star gazing - in their most sinister form they are witches, sorcerers and white magic workers, workers of the occult practices - Acts 19:19
Gnosticism
Based on Platonism dualism of matter and spirit - concludes matter is inherently evil, only the spirit is potentially good. Could lead to hedonism but more often to asceticism (denial of bodily appetites) Possibly both types at Corinth - 1 Cor 6, 7? Salvation was viewed as enabling the fetters of the body to be escaped and the divine spark within to be liberated.
Salvation became possible through gnosis (knowledge) was not intellectual but of a secret revelation given to a Gnostic sect. This knowledge involved understanding ones divine origin, ones current state of slavery and the redemptive possibilities of the future. So resurrection could be attained in this life - death simply brought full liberation from the material world. Possibly 2 Thess 2;2 is Paul combatting such thinking.
The Nag Hammadi Library (found just after WWII) containing 60+ gnostic documents has provided far greater understanding - dates from mid 2nd cent to 5th cent AD. They include other gospels, including of Mary and Judas, discourses from Jesus after his resurrection, and the Gospel of Thomas (which is 114 sayings of Jesus with no narrative framework). There appears to be non-Christian and Jewish forms of gnosticism before the time of Christ - hence Paul combats them in some of the epistles.
Emperor Worship
By mid 1st cent. most Greeks and Romans paid lip service to emperor worship - though in the western part of the empire it might not have been more than a token gesture for many, in the east (where rulers had been deified for centuries) it was more serious. Julius Caesar (after his death) in 27BC was acclaimed as a god by Augustus - Tiberius followed suit acclaiming Augustus a god when he died in 14AD.
Gaius Caligula (37-41AD) was the first emperor to declare himself a god whilst he was alive - many thought he went mad as he made extravagant claims. Nero (54-68AD) followed suit towards the end of his reign, and in part this as part of his persecution of Christians in and around Rome. Many Christians refused to call the emperor Lord and God and to offer a pinch of incense to him. Jews were excluded from this as Judaism was religio licita until the war with Rome in the 60s AD.
Non-Christian religious options in the 1st century
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Judaism
There is far more information for studying Judaism than for Hellenistic religions, hence it becomes more complex: - Josephus - the apocrypha - the pseudepigrapha - vast sources of rabbinic writings (post AD70) - Dead Sea Scrolls (200BC-70AD) - Philo of Alexandria, (pictured a Hellenistic Jew who combined Judaism with Hellenistic philosophy)
Rabbinic Literature
The Talmud Text Mishnah Tosefta Text Gemara
Targums
Aramaic paraphrases of the Bible
Midrashim
Commentaries on biblical books
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One example: The Mishnah - the first writing of the oral laws that had developed over centuries. It is slightly thicker than the Bible by Rabbi Judah Ha-Nasi AD200. Divisions include: seeds, feasts, women, damages, hallowed things, sisters-in-law, marriage deeds... - 63 sections in total. Most of the sections are rulings by unnamed rabbis over specific legal disputes. We do not have time here to go into what is covered in the Tosefta or Gemara - or the specifics.
The Talmud (first codified in Palestine in 400AD) was the encyclopedia which brought together all of these sections.
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General Characteristics
...of pre 70AD Judaistic writings (covering the intertestamental period) and which help in considering Jesus and the gospels. 1. Angels, demons and life after death became more commonly talked about than in OT. 2. Lots of poetry and wisdom literature was written These 2 brought about a possibility of talking about god in a way that included beings other than Yahweh (Judaism remained monotheistic)
3. An increasingly +ve view of human nature, with less of original sin, was developing. One view of merit theology developed where good deeds would be weighed against bad in the judgment and eternal destiny determined from them. 4. Prayer and good works were viewed as a substitute for animal sacrifice. See temple destroyed, synagogue, diaspora, Hos 6:6, Ps 51:16 5. Apocalyptic themes proliferated and the idea that the KOG /Messianic age would be brought about by supernatural intervention.
6. Worship and study in the synagogue developed a pattern followed by the early church. Prayers and hymns (start and close) Reading of Torah, Prophets and Psalms (became a lectionary) Targum and homily based upon the texts for the day Synagogue was also the centre for education for boys aged 5-12/13 7. Scribes became experts/teachers of the law (not mere copyists). Found in any sect but mainly Pharisees.
ESVSB: This illustration is based on the excavation of the Gamla synagogue, one of the oldest in Israel. The city of Gamla was 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was destroyed by the Romans in a.d.67, early in the Jewish Revolt.
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8. The Sanhedrin became increasingly important in Jewish life - it was the supreme court and legislative body - made of 71 people, inc. High priest, sadducees (proRome and usu. dominant due to Roman support) and pharisees. 9. Judaism was becoming an option for Gentiles. For a man to be approved of in the community Judaism presented three almost inviolable practices: Dietary laws - a kosher table Observing the Sabbath Circumcision
For the nation three symbols represented them: The temple - religious, political and economic significance all came from here, along with ongoing sacrifice/worship/pilgrimage. The land - the desire to live free of foreign oppression in the land God had promised them. The Torah / Law - obedience to the truth contained within this was vital
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People Groups
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1. The People of the Land

The ordinary people who were not aligned to any particular group or sect - fishermen, craftsmen, merchants etc. Believed in God, followed OT laws but not concerned about all the rest of it. Faithful, ordinary people who probably were most of Jesus early followers. However four special groups made up around 5% of the population.
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2. Pharisees
Arose opposing the combined kingly and priestly power of the Hasmonean rulers. Name probably means separatists. Usually opposed the Sadducees. A generally popular and prominent group of laymen who sought to apply the Torah to every area of life They developed the oral laws (traditions of the elders) which became the Mishnah - they simply wanted to protect and explain the Torah.
2. Pharisees
Not popular with upper classes who feared their power to sway the masses. Anti-Roman and anti-violence thought obedience to the Law would mean God would send a saviour. Denounced by Jesus for hypocrisy. Luke show more +vely 7:36, 11:37 - and Nicodemus was one (Jn 3:1).
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A fairly diverse group, Blomberg, Pharisees were the upstanding conservative evangelical pastors of their day, strongly convinced of the inerrancy of Scripture and its sufficiency for guidance in every area of life, if only it could be properly interpreted. Yet it is precisely such an environment in which a healthy perspective on the bible can easily give way into legalism. Even the Mishnah and Talmud, reflecting back from a later era on the diversity of types of Pharisees, admit more bad types than good.
3. Sadducees
- Small group of aristocrats and social elite who supported the Hasmoneans - Mainly from priestly families (name might come from Zadokites, 2 Sam 8:17) - Little evidence in general about them - In the time of Caiaphas they had great wealth and were corrupt in their use of it in administering the temple -Rejected oral law and only doctrine found in the Pentateuch was binding, they did accept all OT as Gods Law
3. Sadducees
- Did not protest Roman occupation of Israel (they profited greatly from it) - Denied immortality, resurrection, angels and demons - strong emphasise on freedom of the human will and living as Gods people in this life - So tied into the temple and its cult that they did not survive its destruction in 70AD - Jesus often criticised them with none of the balances associated with the Pharisees eg Mk 12:18-27
4. Essenes
Do not appear in the NT but thought to be around from mid 2nd century BC to fall of Jerusalem. Present on the shore of the Dead Sea, in 1/4 of Jerusalem and in other major cities - so Jesus et al probably interacted with them. Essence comes from the Aramaic for pious or holy. Their lifestyle is thought to be a radical protest at the Hellenization and Romanization of Israel.
- Apocalyptically orientated - Founded by the teacher of righteousness - Believed Jerusalem and the temple was hopelessly corrupt, opposing those who taught the Law as seekers of smooth things - Society was corrupt, the end was at hand, only social withdrawal and intense trust in God would bring in the KOG (when God came with his armies) - Strong emphasis on Gods sovereignty and predestination
Qumran is the only completely monastic site of the Essenes and is often used to give examples of Essence lifestyle - though in some places Essenes married, had children and lived in part of the main city. 1. Communal lifestyle - prayers, work, study and ritual (daily) bathings/baptism to wash away sins 2. Up to 3 years probation before membership - strict rules for excommunication 3. A belief they were fulfilling biblical prophecy
4. The Qumran community looked for 2 messiahs - one priestly, one kingly (as each would come from different tribes) 5. Had communal meals which foreshadowed the messianic banquet of Isa 25:6 6. Very interested in Melchizedek as a kind of archangel cf Hebrews 7. Had an entire scroll with a blueprint for a new temple - but no sacrifices before it was constructed 8. The Copper scroll talks of a vast hoard of wealth buried in the desert (never discovered)
The Dead Sea Scrolls are of special interest - containing manuals for discipline and organisation of the community, hymns, psalms, prayers, liturgical texts, calendars, OT commentaries, apocalyptic literature. Most of these have been translated - none are damaging to Christianity, and none refer to Jesus or Christianity. New translation work is ongoing - with possible reference to Messiah as Son of God and beatitude type teachings.
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5. Zealots
A loosely knit collection who are thought of as a party only around the time of the rebellion in the 60s AD. Precursors: uprising of Judas of Galilee in AD6 - various rebels, bandits or terrorists arose and commanded a following for a time, Acts 5:36, 21:38. Simon the Canaanite aka Zealot Lk 6:15, Acts 1:13 In the 50/60s AD the dagger men sicarii emerged, and by stealth killed prominent Jews who cooperated with Rome.
1st century Judaism contained a mixture of groups who offered a diverse range of answers to the theological problem of living under Roman oppression in a land promised to them by God. Pharisees looked for internal reform. Sadducees benefited from the status quo and opposed change. Essenes saw no hope and withdrew looking for a fresh start. Zealots looked to overthrow by might. The people of the land looked for survival but many hoped for a deliverer of sorts.
The NT world at this time offered great possibilities to pick and mix your beliefs (syncretism). Emperor worship, traditional myths, philosophy and mystery cult could all be practiced by one person without feeling the contradiction - you could add what you liked when you liked. The level of morality was abysmal and often morals were divorced from ethical living homosexuality, adultery, divorce, abortion, infanticide, slavery etc. Were commonly accepted.
In Conclusion
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The NT world at this time offered great possibilities to pick and mix your beliefs (syncretism). Emperor worship, traditional myths, philosophy and mystery cult could all be practiced by one person without feeling the contradiction - you could add what you liked when you liked. The level of morality was abysmal and often morals were divorced from ethical living homosexuality, adultery, divorce, abortion, infanticide, slavery etc. Were commonly accepted.
A monotheistic worldview like Judaism and Christianity was in great contrast to such syncretism and the general attitude of adding gods to the pantheon of Roman gods (pluralism). Intolerance for polytheism was surprising in such a world. The idea of Jesus being the only way took this intransigence even further.
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The End
The End

LOC Section 1: Religious Background

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LOC Section 1: Religious Background

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Section 1: Introduction to the Life of Christ

Background to the religious options available in the 1st century AD

Major locations in the life of Jesus

Religious background of the time of Jesus

Gods of Traditional Greek Mythology

Non-Christian religious options in the 1st century

The Talmud Text Mishnah Tosefta Text Gemara

1. The People of the Land

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