The Society in Jesus Time

THE HISTORICAL JESUS

Focus of Discussion
How would the Country of Jesus be described in terms of
land, people, economy, political and religious cultural?
How the ever-increasing taxation to Rome and Temple
affect to the economic life of the common Jew?
What Social Strata has been developed out of the Economic
System of Palestine?
Why the Wealthy Sector are only few and the Poor and
Outcast became greater in percentage in the population of
Palestine?
In the given social stratification vis--vis with the Gospel
narrative, what strata of society did Jesus belong?
Geographical: Palestine - the Country of Jesus

Source: http://www.thenazareneway.com/map_of_ancient_palestine.htm
Geography of Palestine
63 B.C.E., the Roman general, Pompey incorporated Palestine into the
Roman Province of Syria.
63 -67 B.C.E. saw the definitive establishment of the Roman Power in
Palestine.
Jesus was born in Palestine when it was under the rule of the Roman
Empire.
Palestine - a small land in the Southwest Asia immediately behind the
Southeastern seaboard of the Mediterranean,
Major Biblical period occurred from Joshua to Herod and on through the
Apostolic Age. Palestine is the late name given to the place known as Israel
in the Biblical history which ancient name was Canaan.
PALESTINE is originally derived from Israels enemies, the Philistine, from
Hebrew word PELISTHIM, meaning, the land of Philistines.
Greeks and Romans named the areas as SYRIA PALESTINA since it
belonged to the province of Syria.
Natural Borders of Palestine
Mediterranean or the Great Sea as the Jews referred to it on the
west
The Egyptian Desert on the South,
The Syrian Desert on the east
The mountain area of Hermon on the north.
Size of Palestine as a small region with the total area of almost
10,000 square miles (The New Jerome Bible Handbook ).
150 miles - The length from Dan to Beersheba
30 miles - the width from Mediterranean to the Jordan Valley
50 miles from the north down to the level of the Dead Sea.

Physical Features of Palestine:
Palestine has valleys, mountains, plains and bodies of water.
The two bodies of water : The first is Lake Genesareth (also called
the Sea of Galilee or Lake Tiberias) and the second is the Dead Sea.
Sea of Galilee has 13 miles long and 7 miles wide.
Capernaum, one of Jesus favorite towns, is situated on its shores.
The Dead Sea (also known as the Salt Sea) has 47 miles long and 10
miles wide.
The sea is 1,292 feet below sea level. All deposits of the land found
its home in the depths of this sea.
Some archaeologists believe that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
were submerged under its waters. John the Baptist preached in this
area. Jesus walked along its shores.

Jordan River
There is its most important river, the Jordan,
flows from the North to South and cuts the
country into two. The Jordan is an outlet of
the Lake Genesareth and empties into the
Dead Sea.



The Climate of Palestine:
The climate of Palestine varies according to the main
natural features of the land: the coast, the
mountains, and the Rift of Jordan valley. Basically,
there are two seasons Jesus had experienced: the
hot, dry summer and cool, wet winter. Summer
season brings hot sunny days and cool nights. On
days when the desert burning wind (sirocco or
Khamsin) sweeps from Arabia, the heat is intense
and will cause drought, or El Nio.
When the wind blows from the seacoast
reaching cities like Jerusalem, it is very
comfortable. The winter is wet, especially
during the months of October, November,
March and April. The rest eight months of the
year is summer season and is remarkably loss
of rain in June, July, August and September
but there is sufficient water.
The Provinces of Palestine
1. Judea: (Judaea)
Judea is the Greaco-Roman equivalent of the Old Kingdom of
Judah. It is the southern most part of Palestine. It is known
as the throne of Israels one enduring dynasty and the site
of the Jews Temple and most of the entire place where their
most important prophets spoke. Its area was never more
than 2,000 sq. m. The region had three maritime plains and
low land. It has important towns, Jerusalem, Bethlehem,
Jericho, Bethel, Emmaus and other.
The naked, stony hill of Judean wilderness are dotted with
grazing flocks, even now Judea is still a land of Shepherds. Its
slopes are terraced with stone-walled vineyards and olives
groves as well as palm gardens. Judea is the center of Jewish
civilization after their return from Exile.


2. Samaria :
Samaria derived its name from that of the capital city or the geographical
center of Palestine during the olden times. In Jesus time, Samaria was
one of the political divisions of Palestine which at the will of Herod the
Great had partitioned. It was ruled over by Archelaus after Herods death.
Augustus Caesar made Archelaus as tetrarch of Palestine until he should
become worthy of the Royal Title, but the political unrest of the nation
deposed Archelaus and Augustus gave Samaria into the custody of the
Roman procurator.
The common Jews avoided Samaria because of its Hellenistic culture, its
worldly materialism and its lack of concern for spiritual progress. Jesus
used Samaria as footpaths along the Jordan to go from Galilee to Judea.
Jesus cut the Gordian knot of dispute between Jews and Samaritans as
mentioned in the Gospel.

3. Galilee:
Galilee is the Province in the northern of Palestine, as Catholic
Encyclopedia described. The land was fertile that is why many
villages and town rose up in Galilee. It is called the Flower Garden
of Palestine and one might apply to it the description from
Canticles of Canticles a paradise of pomegranates with one fruit
of the Orchards, expresses with spike head and saffron. (4:13-15)
The people in Galilee were like the earth, rough and uncultured,
and less educated in the written law but relied so much on the Oral
Law but less rigid in its observance. They are sturdy folks, open and
sociable and fundamentally lovers of freedom. For these reasons,
Galileans were object of jest in Judea. Additional to it is that they
were mocked of their provincial origin and accent. It is in this
region that Jesus spent great part of His ministry; He drew almost
all of His disciples there and performed great number of miracles.



The Economic System of Palestine
The Economic system of Palestine is best understood
when it is viewed in relation with the international set-
up of the invading countries during the time of Jesus.
Throughout the various countries around
Mediterranean under the domain of the Roman
Empire, the economic conditions were identical.
The majority of the population was objectively poor
and made even poorer by the ever-increasing taxes and
servitude. The ruling elite, composed of military
officers and nobles, was not only extremely rich, but
also intolerably abusive. They owned numerous slaves
who would do all the work for them. The ruling elite
were also the big landowners and the big businessman.
National Economic Situation of
Palestine
Jerusalem was the capital city of Palestine and its
temple was the center of the religious and
business life of its people and the important
residents, the big landlords, tax leaders and
retired state officials spent their lives in the city.
But how did people survive? How did they live
and what was the flow of their economy? Like
any other countries in the world, Palestine has
resources enough to sustain the living of the
people.


Bethsaida
Nazareth
Caesarea
Samaria
Joppa
Jericho
Jerusalem
Hebron
Gaza
Sea of Galilee
Dead Sea
J
o
r
d
a
n

R
i
v
e
r

NASA PHOTO EBibleTeacher.com
Caesarea
Philippi
Sidon
Tyre
Capernaum
New Testament Israel
Palestines sources of wealth and its
distribution
The sources if wealth are the following:
Agriculture. The country of Jesus was dependent on the products which the land
can give and considered it as the base-level economy. The property was in
abstract. This means that land was collectively owned but it was in fact worked by
individuals and could be inherited. The land outside the village was communal
land. The peasants in the village communities were small landowners and they
had to pay a tribute to the state. There was an extensive area of production in the
form of large estates (big lands). These were worked either by hired day-workers
or by slaves. The stewards or managers quite often organized the work in behalf
of the owner who lived in the city or even of a tenant farmer. Wheat and other
grains were grown in big lands as well as small lands. Galilee, Samaria and Trans-
Jordan were known agricultural areas of Palestine. Most of the big lands were also
found in these areas. The methods of cultivation were empirical (wheel-less
plows, scythes.) As part of Agriculture, Wood and Fruits are major products of the
livelihood. Judea was less favorable to large scale-cultivation and the farmers
went in for wine, fruits, olives, vegetables and cereals. Some parts of the area
were wooded, hence lumber industry flourished to sore extent.

Fishing. Galilee was noted for its industry. Fishing also took
place along the Jordan River. Fish were dried and packed for
exports throughout the Roman Empire. The most popular
method was the use of large nets of about 500 meters long
involving several boats and terms of 6-8 fishermen.
Animal-raising. Big stock farm for cattleraising were
located in Galilee and Transjordan. Goat and sheep were
raised in Judea. The peasants in the village raised a few
animals around their houses, while big stock farm owners
hired shepherds to take care of their vast flocks.
Construction. The state hired thousands of workers who were
employed in construction such as rebuilding of Temple,
building of Herods palace, monuments, aqueducts and city
walls. Workers were also employed as to the wood workers
sculptors, goldsmiths and mosaic workers.


Trade. The artisans manufactured wares and
products such as clothing (wood, flux); food
(cheese and baked products); luxury items and
souvenirs, carpentry products; pottery; and
tents. Small merchants did the distribution of
these goods or the wholesalers transacted
grains, gold, silver, metal and slaves. In the
rural areas economic transaction was mixed;
barter and cash. In the urban areas, business
transaction involved cash.


Temple (Financial Center). The Temple was the
economic and financial center of Palestine. Vast of
their income was generated from: gifts from Diaspora
Jews, taxes assigned by the law (double-drachma),
trade in sacrificial victims, fulfillment of vows,
deliveries of wood and revenues from real state.
Originally, during the time of the Leviticus, the temple
tax was intended for the widows, orphans, the poor
and the strangers (Lev. 27:30-32). At the time of Jesus,
the Temple authorities spent the amount to the
following: rebuilding of the Temple, salaries of high
priest and Chief Priests and salaries of lower echelons
of priests who served as temple staff.
Roman Taxes. Taxes collected by Roman
occupiers were draining off a good deal of Jewish
surplus to the profit of Rome. Judea had to pay a
quota of 600 talents per year to Rome. This 600
talents of the Roman Empire is equivalent to 6
million dinarii of Palestine. The Romans collected
three types of taxes from Palestine, namely:
Tribute = a land tax or personal tax, Annona =
tax on the yearly produce (taxes to sustain the
Roman Garrison) and Public tax = duties and
indirect taxes on goods.



Socio-Cultural: The Social Stratification
The Wealthy Sector
The Chief Priests. The Chief Priests were composed primarily of four families
(Annas, Boethus, Phiabi and Kameth) from whom the procurator chooses the High
Priest. They shared large incomes that came from the various sacrifices (ex.
Animal hides were valuable). They received salaries from the Temple Treasury.
They profited from trading and commerce connected with the temple, thus
partnerships with merchants and traders. They allocated prime commercial space
in the Temple to their relatives. They also owned big lands.

Big Merchant. They engaged in the wholesale Trading (ex. Grains, slaves, gold and
silver). Though they lived in the city, often they also owned large estates in the
rural areas.

High Officials. They were salaried officials of the state like the big tax collectors.

Big Landlords. They were the owners of large estates in the agricultural regions of
Palestine. Stewards or managers organized the work in these big lands. The
landowners were either from the rich priestly families or the big merchant
themselves.

The Middle Sector

Small Merchants. Most of the artisans sold their own products, thus they were at
the same time small merchants themselves. Most of them were engaged in small
trading and retail. In the rural areas, they bartered goods. In the urban areas,
they used cash.

Scribes/Priests/Levites. They were priests in the lower echelons who carried out
the day to day work in the Temple. They received some portions of the tithes for
their pay.

Artisans. They were self-employed handicraft workers. Most of them dealt with
clothing, food production, and construction (ex. carpentry and smithing job). They
were mostly concentrated in urban areas although some artisans were doing
simple crafts in the rural areas. Many of the Pharisees were artisans. Examples of
the artisans were the potters, water carriers, and makers of ointment, spices and
perfumes, makers of luxury items, goldsmith, seal makers, copyists.


The Poor Sector
The poor sector composed the large percentage of Jesus
society. They lived on the brink of poverty. The poor classes
were the following:
Small Peasants. They owned parcels of land that were
unprofitable. They paid taxes to the Temple, Romans and
Herodian King. They lived on the edge of poverty.
Shepherds. They tended the flocks of sheep of the big stock-
farm owners. They owned a few animals around their houses.
They were poor.
Small Fisherman. Most of the small fishermen were from
Galilee. They were engaged in simple fishing methods with
the catch being equally shared.


Workers. They were paid one dinarius a day. In the rural areas,
they were agricultural workers. In the city, they were employed in
the construction. It is estimated that there are 18,000 workers in
Jerusalem in 60 A.D.
Slaves. Slavery in a strict sense did not exist in Judea and Galilee
but a form of adventured servitude embraced voluntarily by
individuals. Jews who had no means of paying off their debits
frequently sold themselves to persons of wealth and paid off what
they owned through labor in fields, service households, etc.; and
was attractive alternative to life of destitution.
Beggars. The people who lived off begging. Presence of beggars in
a nation indicates economic struggles among the populace. This
became a great number in a nation under imperialist rule because
the meager income of the poor has been drained off for the
increasing taxation.

The Marginalized and Outcast Sector

The outcasts and marginalized of society were
caused by racial discrimination, religious taboos,
strict observance of the law and gender issues which
they inherited during the clannic period. They are
the following:
Mentally ill, Lepers, Prostitutes: These people were
considered as Transgressors of the Law. They cannot
fully observe the Law because of their condition. In
one way or the other the y were regarded as
sinners. This qualification was generally transitory
but demonstrated a sanction of religious legalistic
type.



Impure Jews: The illegitimate Jews also fell under this
category. The character of legitimacy was assured by
purity of race. Thus they were classified as 75% or 50%
Jew. Those with strong illegitimacy (impurity) were
excluded from all social participation. Most of them
were found in Galilee and Samaria.

Women, Widows and Orphans: They held subordinate
position in both family and public life. They were
subject to the jurisdiction of their husbands and
fathers. They had no right to divorcement paper by
their husbands. They could not remarry.