Through The Bible

Session #30

New Testament Introduction

 

October 1, 2003

 

 

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The map above [1] is basically how Palestine would have been divided up politically during the days of Jesus.

 

Palestine has 3 principal geographical features:

 

1. Starting from the Mediterranean Sea, there’s a north-south coastal plain.
2. In the middle of Palestine, there’s a north-south chain of mountains.
3. On the eastern side of the mountains, there’s a valley that contains the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley, and the Dead Sea.

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You can see those topographical features in the map from your HarperCollins Study Bible.

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Political Background of the Period

 

Your workbook divides the 400 year period between Malachi and Jesus into six periods.

 

1. The Persian Period (538 BC)
2. The Greek Period (333 BC)
3. The Egyptian Period (323 BC)
4. The Syrian Period (204 BC)
5. The Maccabean Period (165 BC)
6. The Roman Period (63 BC)

 

Summaries are given in the workbook for each period. 

 

 

Features of the Greco-Roman World

 

1. Slaves
1. Numerous slaves – as much as 40%-50% of the population.
2. No legal rights, no protection, no freedom of movement for the slaves.
3. Work for slaves included: mining, administrative work, janitorial work, farming, medical care, and babysitting.

 

2. Daily Life
1. Diet – mostly vegetarian (barley meal, wine, olives, red meat on holidays, and fish – fish often used as a relish).
2. Romans could ‘cleanse’ their stomachs by going to the vomitorium.
3. Taxes were assigned by the governor.  They were especially heavy and commonly ran in the 30%-40% range.
4. Papyrus (reeds stuck together in sheets) was the ‘paper’ and commonly was around 10 inches square.
5. Education – most boys learned a trade from their fathers; girls learned from their mothers.  Schooling was voluntary and began at age 7.  Higher education was only for the upper classes.

 

3. Family Life
1. The extended family was part of the family unit.
2. Men got married usually around age 30; women were girls when they got married – 12-15 years old.
3. Girls still remained part of her father’s family after marriage. 
4. Greco-Roman weddings didn’t involve a betrothal period – the Jewish wedding did.
5. Prostitution very common – especially among upper classes; Lower classes had more marital fidelity.
6. The one-child family was common.  Infanticide not uncommon – the unwanted child was abandoned and left to die (Acts 7:19-20).

 

4. Worship
1. Most 1^st century people were very religious compared to people today – they would be considered ‘overly religious’ today.
2. Several gods would be worshipped.  Sometimes, they would combine their worship of gods.
3. Strong belief in demons and the need to have power to protect yourself from demons. 
4. Fate a key player in how things unfolded.  Even the demons and the numerous gods were subject to fate.
5. The purpose of religion was not to guarantee an afterlife, but to gain the favor of the gods for daily life.

 

The Theological Core of the New Testament

 

Judaism was re-shaped when Jesus came on the scene.  Core beliefs about Judaism…

• By the 1^st century, Judaism was more about practice (ortho-practcy) than about contemplation (orthodoxy).
• Judaism believes in one God (monotheism).
• Judaism believes in one God for all nations of the world, yet God has a chosen people – Jews.
• Judaism believes in one covenant between God and the people. 
• The Kingdom of God will be coming.

 

Jesus, and the New Testament writings modify traditional Judaism in the following ways…

• The New Testament emphasizes relationship with God over practice.
• There’s still just one God (1^st Corinthians 8:5-6).
• There’s still one people (Romans 8:28-30) but God’s chosen people also include Gentiles now.
• There’s still one covenant, though the Jewish covenant is now modified through the work of Christ.  Self-sacrifice has replaced animal sacrifice (Mark 14:24).
• The Kingdom of God is not just in the future; it’s already here yet not fully (Mark 1:15).

Breakdown of the New Testament:[2]

 

• 27 Books
• 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
• 1 Narrative (Acts)
• 13 Pauline Epistles (Romans, 1^st & 2^nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1^st & 2^nd Thessalonians, 1^st & 2^nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon)
• 8 General Epistles (Hebrews, James, 1^st & 2^nd Peter, 1-3 John, Jude)
• 1 Apocalypse (Revelation)

 

• Who wrote how much of the New Testament?
• Luke 28%
• Paul 24%
• John 20%
• Peter 10%
• Others 18%

 

• Time period in which New Testament written: after Jesus death in AD 30 and before the death of John in AD 100.  (Side note: AD stands for anno domini which means ‘in the year of our Lord.’  You say, AD __before the number.)

 

• Consciousness of sacred writings…
• By the time of Jesus, passing on religious thought and traditions was beginning to move from oral tradition to written word.
• Remember that “Scripture” for the Jewish people were: 1^st 5 books of Old Testament (Law), the Prophetical writings, and some wisdom literature (e.g., Psalms).

 

• Some have said Christians were ‘slow’ in writing their own books.  Why?
• Jesus (Christianity’s leader) did not produce a single writing.
• Christians were largely eschatological – they believed the ‘last times’ were very close at hand (1^st Corinthians 16:22; Revelation 22:20).  Such anticipation did not encourage Christians to write for future generations – who would be around to read the books!?

• Probable order of writings…

 

• Letters – think about the nature of a letter: usually addresses a particular problem in specific situation. 

 

-         In the 50’s Paul produced earliest surviving Christian documents: 1^st Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians, and Romans.

 

-         By the 60’s, many of those who knew Jesus personally were getting old or dying.  More letters were written: 2^nd Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, 1^st & 2^nd Timothy, and Titus.

 

-         In the 70’s and post 70’s, General Epistles written that were for churches everywhere: 1^st & 2^nd Peter, James, Jude, 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd John.

 

• Gospels

 

-         Gospels: Mark written in 60’s or 70’s, Matthew and Luke written 10-20 years after Mark, John written around 90-100.

 

• Acts, Revelation, and other genres –

 

-         Acts: written after Gospel of Luke by same author.

 

-         Revelation: written post 70.