That the World May Know

The Province of Asia MinorThe remains of the towns and villages of Galilee give evidence to the simple lifestyle of the Jewish people of the first century. Few were wealthy but most were hardworking people living comfortable lives as extended fami...

Rabbi and Talmidim

Rabbi and TalmidimThe people of Galilee were the most religious Jews in the world in the time of Jesus. This is quite contrary to the common view that the Galileans were simple, uneducated peasants from an isolated area. This perspective is probab...

Religious Movements of Jesus Time

Four views of JudaismIn Jesus' day, there were varying philosophies within the Jewish faith. While some Jews embraced the Roman rulers, others resisted with violence. And whereas some Jewish believers lived a simple, isolated lifestyle, others enj...

Sons of Light

Sons of LightIn Jesus' time, there were four major religious groups (or "philosophies," as Josephus, the Jewish historian of the time, called them). They were the Zealots, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes. It is impossible t...

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Encyclopedia

People around the Sea

People Around the Sea Galilee was heavily populated in the first century, especially around the sea. The remains of the area indicate that several villages and towns had populations of more than 5,000 people. Perhaps that is one of the reasons Jes...

Roman Statue

The second commandment forbade making images. Hellenistic culture glorified the human form. These two world views clashed in the days of Herod as he tried (and largely succeeded) to mold his kingdom into a Hellenistic one. He imported great number...

Sardis Definition

- Sardis stood in the middle of the Hermus River Valley, just over fifty miles east of the Mediterranean Sea in what is now the country of Turkey. The main east-west trade route came through this valley.- On a spur of Mount Tmolus, on the north si...

Sepphoris

Just three miles from the small town of Nazareth where Jesus grew up, archeologists are unearthing the sophisticated city of Sepphoris, the city Herod Antipas constructed as his administrative capital.Crowned by Herod's elaborate palace, Sepphoris...

Shepherds

Shepherding was a way of life for biblical people. Abraham, the father of the Jews, was a shepherd, as was Moses, the great lawgiver (Ex. 3:1), and David, the king who established Israel's national identity (1 Sam. 17:28).As the land was settled, ...

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Glossary

Ptolemies Definition

Descendants of Ptolemy I (one of the generals of Alexander the Great) who ruled over Egypt from 323 BC until 198 BC. Israel was under their control during this time. Generally, they were benevolent rulers, though they sought to spread the influenc...

Samaritan Definition

A person from the country of Samaria (part of Palestine). The Samaritans were hated by the Jews because they had married non-Jews. They also worshiped God differently from the Jews. But Jesus showed his love for the Samaritans by going to them and...

Septuagint Definition

<p>Means "70." Greek translation of the Old Testament made during the rule of the Ptolemies over the Jews. Frequently quoted by the authors of the New Testament.</p>

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