Why A Chronological Study?
Chronology implies historical reality. It means that the things that we are reading
really happened, and that they happened in a certain order. Hopefully knowing
the order in which they happened will reveal a greater degree of understanding
regarding God’s will for our lives.
Why an Introduction?
The Gospel is not a modern novel, it was a testimony set down for people that were already familiar with the figures,
places, and events that took place within the narrative. This introduction presents some background information that may
make this Gospel study easier for non-first-century readers.
The Place
Judea, a province of the great Roman Empire. The name Judea comes from a tribe of Hebrews called Judah,
and these two words are where we get the term Jew today. In centuries past, Judea had been part of a larger
independent kingdom called Israel and worshipped a single god. Piece by piece the kingdom of Israel had fallen
to various conquerors. During the dismantling, prophets of the one true god foretold of a Messiah or Savior that
would return and restore the fallen kingdom. This seemed to occur during the rule of Judah Maccabee, but the
Maccabees were soon overthrown by corruption and competing empires.
The Time
The Roman Republic has recently fallen, and the Roman Empire has risen in its place. It is a time of change all
across the world—and Judea is no exception. Dissatisfied with Roman rule, bandits and warlords multiply,
rebellions brew, and revolutionaries whisper. Rome, after all, is an empire of cities and a vast wilderness exists
between the feeble bastions of civilization. Judea is more primed for revolution than most, drawing upon an
ancient history and unique religion to bolster their cause.
The People
Roman Citizens enjoy special privileges across the empire. These privileges range
from free food to special legal hearings. Romans are a very secular and
practical minded people suited for engineering and military operations. They
are not highly regarded for their imagination.
Roman Soldiers are professional fighting men that have sworn a portion of their
life to the Roman Empire in exchange for payment, wealth, and the prospect
of citizenship. In the Roman Republic each Roman was required to spend
some time as a soldier, but as the Republic became wealthier, this custom
was gradually discarded. In this period, most Roman soldiers are not Roman at all, but foreigners
striving to make a living and to gain their Imperial Citizenship. The language of Roman Citizens and
Soldiers is Latin.
Greeks are a civilized people closely related to the Romans in terms of culture, but are
still considered to be a conquered people. Greeks are given to abstract thought
and philosophy, and are considered to the fanciful and decadent by the more
serious-minded Romans. In Judea the most dominant language and culture is
Greek as a result of Greek conquests under Alexander the Great in the
preceding centuries.
The Jews are members of the Hebrew tribe of Judah. By the time of the New Testament nearly
all of the other Hebrew tribes had been severely compromised ethnically, culturally,
and religiously by a succession of conquerors. There are three factions of Jews
mentioned in the Gospel.
The Sadducees are a group of culturally Greek Jews trying to preserve the “core” of
Jewish religious practices. In their view only the written word of God (Torah) is
acceptable and authoritative, and all other oral rabbinic traditions ought to be discarded in
favor of Greek culture. The Sadducees do not believe in any form of resurrection or afterlife since no
such thing is referred to in the scriptures. Their religious practices focus exclusively on Herod’s Temple
in Jerusalem. They are favored by their Roman overlords and high priests tend to be selected by the
Roman governor from among their number.
The Pharisees are a group of Jews that strive to maintain their cultural purity. Because the Sadducees are
compromised by embracing Greek culture but still retain control of the Temple, Pharisees create a
system of belief known as “A Nation of Priests.” In essence, every Jewish home becomes a temple,
and each father presides as priest. Priesthood is attained by academic achievement rather than blood
inheritance, and strictures that traditionally were interpreted as applying only to priests and the temple
are expanded to include all Jews everywhere at all times. In effect, Pharisees were attempting to purify
the world by bringing the purity of the temple to everyday life. The traditions practiced by the Pharisees
included the Talmud, an oral tradition passed from Rabbi to Rabbi intended to accompany the Torah
supposedly beginning with Moses himself.
The Zealots are the least influential of the three Jewish factions in the Gospel. Sometimes indistinguishable
from common bandits and robbers, the Zealots are cultural extremists that reject Roman rule and
Greek corruption. They seek a violent
rebirth of the state of Israel and will stop at
nothing to see this come about. The Zealots
actively seek the prophesied Messiah.
The Prophets
As the confusion grows, men claiming to be prophets of God emerge
in Judea. Some even claim to be the long awaited Messiah.
Honi the Circledrawer is revered by many for seeming to be able to
have requests for rain answered directly by God. He earns
his name by refusing to leave a drawn circle until God delivers
the rain he requires.
Hanina ben Dosa is regarded by the Jews as having saintly behavior
and miracle-working powers. He teaches regarding works
that endure and the moral character of the Jewish people.
Jochanan the Immerser is an apocalyptic ascetic that immerses
Jews to restore their spirits and encourage them to hold fast
for the coming of the Messiah.
Walker Perkins
