Jesus’ WorldJesus’ World

ContentsContentsThe LandThe Land

Daily LifeDaily Life

Farming and AgricultureFarming and Agriculture

Roman OccupationRoman Occupation

King HerodKing Herod

Do you know where Jesus lived?

Look for a longitude of between 34o and 38 o East and a latitude of between 28 o and 34 o North in your Atlas.

If it seems difficult to find it may be because the land of Jesus’ birth is small compared to many other countries of the world.

Compare the size of Israel with your own country.

The LandThe Land

When we examine a map of the Holy Land one feature stands out. A large valley cuts its way through the landscape from Lake Huleh in the north past the Dead Sea in the south. This is called the Rift Valley.

Along the floor of the Rift Valley winds the River Jordan.

The River Jordan begins its journey from Lake Huleh. From there it flows with a great current to the Sea of Galilee.

From the Sea of Galilee the River Jordan continues south until it reaches the Dead Sea  

River JordanRiver Jordan

“It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John.”

Mark 1:9

“He went back again to the far side of the Jordan where John had been baptising. Many people came to him there said, “John gave no signs but all that he said about this man is true”; and many of them believed in him.”

John 10:40-42

The Sea of Galilee in Jesus’ time was of great importance.

The Lake provided a living for its fishermen and was a source of irrigation for agriculture.

The surrounding areas were very fertile. The nearby valleys were rich in crops such as grain and often ablaze with flowers.

It was in Galilee that Jesus began his public ministry.

The Dead Sea is about 15km wide and 80km long. As the name suggests nothing much grows in the area because it is so barren, hot and dry.

The Dead Sea is thought to be the lowest point of the earth. Its waters are very salty because of the high rate of evaporation.

Jesus lived in Nazareth. The town sat on a sheltered hill which overlooked the valley of Jezreel. Nazareth was a rural village which was typical place of habitation.

The countryside in Galilee has rich soils, a variety of trees and an abundance of agriculture.

The people who lived here came from a diverse range of cultures, there were Syrians, Greeks and Romans besides the Jews.

The most common dialect spoken in this region was called Aramaic.

Give us our daily breadGive us our daily breadIn Jesus’ time the people who lived in his region ate a wide variety of foods. The local dishes would have reflected the availability of different foods.

The religious laws of the Jews placed certain restrictions on the kind of food people ate.

The Romans probably ate dishes which reflected their own culture. We know people spiced their dishes in order to give them more flavor.

Here are some of the most common foods that were available.

Fruit and Vegetables.

Grapes Apricots Dates

Walnuts Pomegranates

Lentils Wheat Barley

Onions Cucumber Broad Beans

Olives Garlic

Dairy Products.

Goat’s Milk Curds Butter

Cheese

Also.

Bread Eggs Wine

ChickenBeef Mutton

Honey

The Laborers in the The Laborers in the Vineyard.Vineyard.

Builders Brick layers Carpenters

Stone Masons Architects.

Physicians Scribes Lawyers

Administrators SoldiersSailors

Wharf workers Importers Exporters

Retailers Craftspeople Artisans

Weavers Butchers Greengrocers

Day laborers Farmers Jewelers

From the city to the countryside people in Jesus’ day were employed in many different kinds of work.

Here is a list of some the different occupations. Do you recognize these jobs today?

The FarmerThe FarmerPeople in the countryside lived a simple lifestyle.

Farm work occupied most people’s time during the course of the year

In the district of Galilee many of the farms were small, barely supporting those who farmed them. Life was probably tough at times.

Jesus himself used a lot of imagery from agriculture in his teachings. It would be reasonable to assume that he was quite knowledgeable about farming. Perhaps he even worked on one.

In the region of Galilee the soil was good, suitable for crops and stock.

On a typical farm there often crops of barley and wheat.

Trees such as figs, dates, almonds and olives.

Grape vines flourished. (Galilee had a reputation for producing good wines.)

Animals such as sheep, goats, oxen or donkeys were kept as well as a few chicken and other fowls.

Jesus himself used a lot of imagery from agriculture in his teachings. It would be reasonable to assume that he was quite knowledgeable about farming. Perhaps he even worked on a farm.

““This is what the Kingdom of God is like. This is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of the growing; how, he does not know. Of the its own accord the land produces first its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because harvest has come.”reap because harvest has come.”

Mark 4: 26-29Mark 4: 26-29

Pompey the Great

In 67 B.C. Palestine was plunged into a civil war between two brothers Aristobus and Hyrcanus.

The Roman general Pompey was in Syria at the time with his army. He saw the war as an opportunity to extend Rome’s empire.

Initially he supported Aristobus but later changed to Hyrcanus. The resistance of some of Aristobus’ supporters gave Pompey the excuse to attack Jerusalem.

After a siege of 3 months the city fell. Hyrcanus was installed by Pompey as High Priest and ruler. The year was 63 B.C.

The Romans and HerodThe Romans and Herod

A common practice of Rome was to control a region through client kings.

Antipater the father of Herod was made a Roman citizen and chief minister of Judea by Julius Caesar. Herod his son was given the governorship of Galilee.

Herod upset many by his methods. He was summoned by the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem to appear on a charge of murder. The end result was his leaving for Syria.

In Syria he so impressed the Roman governor that he was given the governorship of Samaria and Coele-Syria as well as being reconfirmed in Galilee.

In 40 B.C. the region was invaded by the Parthians. Herod was able to escape to Rome.

When he arrived he was met by the Egyptian queen Cleopatra who wished to make him a general.

He also became aquainted with Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar’s heir Octavian.

When the Parthians were defeated Herod was the obvious choice to be ruler.

Octavian, later Caesar Augustus.

A statue of the Emperor Augustus

At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire…..

Luke 2:1

During the time Herod was king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah….

Luke 1:5

Herod became an important client king of Rome. During his reign he was determined to make his kingdom great through a grand building program.

New cities were built, old ones were restored.

Palaces and fortresses were built such as Herodium and his palace at Jericho.

Aqueducts were built for carrying water.

A new temple in Jerusalem was constructed.

Herod’s Temple.Herod’s Temple.

Roman AqueductRoman Aqueduct

When Herod died Palestine was divided between his three sons:

Herod Archelaus – Samaria and Judea

Philip – Land to the north-east of Galilee

Herod Antipas – Galilee and Peraea

Herod Archelaus was a bad ruler and was replaced by a procurator sent from Rome.

It was Herod Antipas who had John the Baptist murdered.

The Jews hated the sons of Herod as well as the Roman procurator.

GalileeGalilee

SamariaSamaria

JudeaJudea

PeraeaPeraea

In 26 A.D. the Emperor Tiberius appointed Pontius Pilate as prefect of Judea.

Pilate did not like the Jews. He had a reputation of being a cruel and callous ruler.

While many of the Jews resented Roman rule the Romans did allow freedom of religion.

33rdrd Century Roman relief of Century Roman relief of Pontius Pilate washing his Pontius Pilate washing his hands.hands.

The Roman Capital was the sea port of Caesarea. This is about a ½ hour from Haifa.

Many prospered in Palestine, as Roman rule allowed for many economic opportunities.

Roman Theatre, Caesaria.Roman Theatre, Caesaria.

COPYRIGHTCOPYRIGHT

The EndThe End

You are more than welcome You are more than welcome to use this presentation to use this presentation within your school or in your within your school or in your parish. Please respect the parish. Please respect the hard work that has gone into hard work that has gone into making it by purchasing only making it by purchasing only authorized copies from the authorized copies from the author.author.

Kevin Havell.Kevin Havell.

kevinhavell@xtra.co.nzkevinhavell@xtra.co.nz