Life and Society in First-Century Palestine

Palestine: Geography and Demographics

Palestine was a small country located in the easternmost part of the Mediterranean region. It is estimated that it had about 700,000 inhabitants during the time of Jesus. Its capital was Jerusalem.

The Jordan River divides Palestine into two large regions:

• West Bank (Cisjordan): Consisting of Galilee, Samaria, Judea, and Iturea.
• Transjordan: Formed by the regions of Decapolis and Perea.

Political Rulers During Jesus' Ministry

• In Galilee and Perea, the tetrarch Herod Antipas reigned.
• In Judea and Samaria, the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate reigned.

Economy and Trade

The economy primarily depended on agriculture and livestock farming. Industry was limited to small artisanal activities. Trade was mainly internal. The political and economic center of the region was Jerusalem.

Jewish Faith and Religious Practices

The Jewish people maintained their faith and belief in Yahweh, hoped for the arrival of a Messiah, and emphasized compliance with the Law of Moses.

Key religious practices included:

• Daily prayer.
• Almsgiving and fasting.
• Observing the Sabbath (Saturday) as a day of rest.

Major Jewish Feasts

The primary annual festivals were:

• Passover (Pesach): Celebrated in commemoration of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt (the Exodus).
• Pentecost (Shavuot): Commemorated the covenant with God and the delivery of the Law to Moses.
• Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): Remembered the forty-year pilgrimage through the deserts.
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): The annual festival of forgiveness.

Major Socio-Religious Groups

Sadducees:

Generally wealthy aristocrats who interpreted the written Law verbatim. They often tolerated the Roman presence to maintain their status.

Pharisees:

Formed the middle class. They strictly fulfilled the Law (both written and oral) and generally shunned interaction with the Romans.

Zealots:

Religious fanatics dedicated to overthrowing Roman rule through armed resistance; they were fierce enemies of the Romans.

Essenes:

Lived communally, often in isolated settlements like the caves of Qumran. They focused on studying the Scriptures and common prayer.

The Talmud

The Talmud is a collection of writings that reflects the teachings of the rabbis and the doctors of the Law.

Structure of the New Testament

1. The Four Gospels

   These books collect the works and words of Jesus, detailing his life, death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.

2. The Book of Acts of the Apostles

   Written by Luke or one of his disciples, this book describes the coming of the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the Apostles, and the life of the early Christians following Jesus' resurrection.

3. The Twenty-One Epistles (Letters)

   These letters were written by Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude to various Christian communities and cities they had visited.

4. The Book of Revelation

   This book announces the Second Coming of Christ using allegorical language and symbolism.

The Evangelists and Canonical Gospels

The four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gospels are not intended as strict biographies of Jesus, but rather as testimonies of faith in Jesus, who died and rose again.

• Gospels admitted by the Church are called Canonical.
• Writings about Jesus not recognized by the Church as divinely inspired are called Apocryphal.

The Synoptic Gospels

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptics due to their similar structure and content.

Mark:

The earliest Gospel written. Mark based his Gospel on the teachings of Saint Peter.

Matthew:

Apostle of Jesus. His Gospel primarily targets Jewish audiences.

Luke:

Author who addressed the Greek and Gentile world. He was a disciple of Saint Paul.

John:

Apostle of Jesus. His Gospel was the last written and presents Jesus specifically as the Son of God and Savior of the world.