Chapter 4:Daily Life in Jesus’

Time

Jesus: Born in a Particular Time and PlaceJesus’ full immersion in the world of first century Palestine enabled him to speak to his fellow Jews using images they understood and situations they could identify with. Jesus’ experiences are woven into his messages/speeches in the gospels:• The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus to show them a sign from

heaven to prove he was the Messiah. Jesus responded, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:2-3). Forecasting weather was part of the culture.

• Scribes challenged Jesus because of his dinner companions: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16). Jesus said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17). To understand this you need to know the importance of meals in the life of the Jewish people.• Jesus’ first disciples heard his call to follow him while they were

working as fishermen by the Lake of Gennesaret. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10).

• Jesus was a carpenter and the vocabulary of his trade found its way into his teaching: “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).

Palestine: Great Variety in a Small LandA Land the People Knew Intimately:• The homeland of Jesus is commonly known as the Holy Land.• In Jesus’ time it was called the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the

land of Israel or the land of Judah. It was called Palestine by the Greeks.

A Land of Beauty and Diversity • People travelled and were great walkers. They would think nothing of

walking somewhere that would take them 2 days.• Land was geographically diverse from lush green areas around the Sea

of Galilee to the barren desert of the Dead Sea. • Climate varied from 22°C to 50°C• Water was scarce. Water was precious. Many wells were dug and

many rules were enforced on the use of water.• Trees and fruit were abundant. Trees (olive, fig, juniper, oak)• Fruit of the vine = grapes = wine• Wheat was common along with oats and barley. Bread was an

essential food and sometimes was an entire meal.

Water: A Precious Resource• In this context of scarce water, think of the imagery used by Jesus

when, in talking to a Samaritan woman by a well, he referred to himself as living water – John 4

Animals• Wild animals – boars, foxes, porcupine, hyenas, wolves, leopards,

bears and lions• Domestic animals – sheep, oxen, donkeys, cows, pigs, roosters, hens,

geese, camels (rare), horses (soldiers). No cats and dogs were wild.• Fish and birds were plentiful• Pigs were considered unclean

The Food and Meals of the Jews • Sharing meals was a sacred act - Breaking bread was an outward sign of

unity and friendship• Meat was considered a luxury. • Most common food was bread and fish. People dried and salted fish to

preserve it• Fruit and nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios)• Wine was abundant and stored in wineskins made of goatskin or in large

jars• Meals were often eaten in the open air and at flexible times of the day.

People would recline and eat with their hands

• The typical house was a one room home shared with their animals. Most homes were built into the side of the hill so part of it was a cave and were made of clay or baked into bricks. Roofs were removable and made of wattling, consisting of poles bound by reeds and grass and covered with earth. They were white washed.

Homes Continued • Homes of the rich were made of stone. • Homes of the rich would contain wood burning stoves otherwise

people would go to a communal oven.• Furniture was simple: a chest for storage, a bushel basket or wood

container used for measuring grain and turned over for a table, small lamps fueled by olive oil, people slept on mats that were rolled up during the day and used wood or stone for pillows.

• People wore cloaks during the day made out of camel or goat hair and used them for warmth at night too. • Jewish family life was sacred.

Common Occupations• Farmers, shepherds, laborers, fishermen, carpenters, tent makers.• Jesus chose fishermen as his disciples because they were men of

patience, courage, had hearty spirits, and trust in the goodness of God.• Much of Jewish family life revolved around religion

Family Life • People married early in life (Men no later than 20 and women as soon

as they were able to bear children – 12 ½ years). They were betrothed or engaged for about a year prior to marriage.• Marriages were arranged by parents. Women became property of

the men when they were betrothed. If a woman was found guilty of adultery she would be stoned to death. Adultery by a man was only a crime if involved a married or betrothed woman.• Weddings were great events that lasted a week

Family Life Continued • The husband was considered the head of the family. Son and

daughters became his property and he could sell them into slavery or kill them if they committed a crime or disobeyed.• Polygamy was practiced but by the time of Jesus most people

recognized monogamy as the ideal.• Women were considered inferior to men. They did not eat with men

but ate while serving their husbands; they walked behind them on the streets and were restricted to certain areas of the temple.• Children became adults at the age of 13.

Social Classes • There was either rich or poor – no middle class.• Slavery among Jews was not common. Jewish slaves fell under Jewish

Law that demanded that all Jewish slaves be freed after 7 years of service making them less popular than pagan slaves for the Greeks and Romans.• Jobs that individuals held in higher esteem were: Sandal makers and

wood workers were higher than tanners (smelled bad) and perfume salesmen (in contact with prostitutes)

Social Society • Social outcasts were those who were unclean (lepers), the extremely

poor, the sick, and women• Jesus condemned his own social society on every level as: society

rejected the poor and weak but Jesus made these people the center of his message; Jewish people hated the Samaritans as they were “Lesser Jews” but Jesus preaches about the good Samaritans and the selfish Jewish Priest; society tolerated women but Jesus associated with them and accepted them; people rejected the unclean and sick and Jesus embraced and had compassion for them.

The Temple • For Jewish people, political history and religious history were intertwined. Political

events were understood as religious events, and political and religious leaders were often the same.• Jerusalem was the Holy City. Jerusalem would be a city of 150,000 people and

would be 500,000 people during the religious feasts.• Herod the Great started to rebuild the Temple Solomon had built about 15 years

before Jesus’ birth and the temple would be finished about 35 years after Jesus’ death. • The Temple was grand and took 20 men to open the Nicanor Gate. It could hold

tens of thousands of people. It was the center of the lives of the People of God. Temple was for prayers, sacrifices, major feasts, and governing. It was where the Great Sanhedrin met.

Synagogues

• Synagogues were central places of worship and prayer. They were smaller, precious scrolls of the Scriptures of Judaism were kept there and was open 3 times a day for prayer along with the Sabbath worship.• Judaism became ‘religion of the word”.• Faithful Jews were expected to live a life of personal prayer at home

and each dawn and nightfall they recited the Shema prayer. A truly faithful Jew set aside three other times for prayer each day: morning, afternoon and evening.

• The Sabbath is a weekly day of rest and prayer for the Jews. A day for Jews begins at sunset so the Jewish Sabbath actually lasts from Friday evening to all daylight hours of Saturday. The Sabbath was the only day that had a name of its own. Other days were referred to as the day before the Sabbath or two days following the Sabbath.• Strict rules governed the observance of the Sabbath: No housework

or cooking could be done by the woman, no labour of any kind. It was unlawful to light a fire so people had Sabbath Lamps. After the Friday evening meal, people could not eat until after the Saturday morning synagogue service and then special prayers accompanied each meal during the remainder of the Sabbath.

• Pentecost – (the Feast of Weeks) which celebrates Yahweh’s giving of the Law to Moses. Pentecost is the Greek word for 50th and reflects that it was 50 days after leaving Egypt that Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. It is celebrated at harvest time, a time to express deep gratitude for the wonderful gifts from God.

• The Day of Atonement – celebrated in Autumn, where 3 feasts follow in quick succession (the Feast of the Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashanah; the Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur; and the Feast of Tabernacles) The Day of Atonement is of such central importance that Jews simple refer to it as ‘the Day’. It is a time to repent of all their sins. It involves moving ceremonies, fasting, prayer, and ritual bathings.

• Passover – Of all the feasts of the year, this is the holiest and most celebrated. It commemorates the miraculous liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. It lasts a week and marks the beginning of the Jewish religious year. Traditionally it included the Temple sacrifice of lambs (paschal lamb). It is a very cheerful feast.

3 Feasts:

Religious Titles:• The Priestly Caste – Priests were a go-between God and the people.

They offered sacrifices in the Temple and were considered guardians of worship. Were chosen by the Great Sanhedrin and lost reputation as they were usually chosen because of wealth or social prestige so became hated by the common people.• The High Priest – Head of the Priestly Caste and lived in a lavish palace,

dressed in colorful clothing. The appointment of the High Priest was made by political masters. The High Priest had so much influence that the politicians wanted to stay on his good side. These individuals were in a position of importance and influence among the Jewish people.

Factions:• Sadducees – Members of the priestly class who were more concerned

about politics than religion. This group lost power when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE• Pharisees – Rivals of the Sadducees. This group was greatly respected

by the by common people and were more concerned about religion than politics.• Zealots – Group dedicated to achieving Jewish independence from the

Roman Empire through a military overthrow.

• Tax collectors or publicans– Jews were expected to pay tax to help pay off the Romans, pay another Temple tax to their own leaders amounting to about 40% of their income so agents were asked to collect their quota of taxes and anything extra they could keep. They were despised.• The Great Sanhedrin – means assembly or senate and was the

governing body of the Jews. They acted like a Supreme Court.• Scribes were writers and jurists or interpreters of the Law. They studied

the law and passed judgment on those who broke it. Scribes in the position of teaching were call Rabbi meaning master or teacher.