Lesson 7: The Land of Jesus

Answer the following briefly and directly:

1. Using table list down and briefly describe the PALESTINIAN territories by the time of
Jesus Christ.

Example:
Palestinian territory Brief description Ruler
1.Chalcis and the Roman province of procurator
Abilene Syria
2. Palestine small but varied land, Caesarea
often harsh in character
and with a long and
complicated history
3. Decapolis semi-independent in Alexander the Great
modern northern Jordan,
was a roughly defined
area that included within
its boundaries, most of
the federated "Ten
Cities"
4. Samaria When Israel in the north Judea
ceased to exist in c 721
BC, part of the area later
became Samaria
5. Iturea including Panias and Galilee
Ulatha, and Trachonitis
with Batanaea,
Gaulanitis (the modern
Golan Heights) and
Auranitis, all in south
eastern Syria

2. What was Judah like in the period leading up to the coming Of Jesus? Define the
following terms:

Pharisees - Pharisees have traditionally had a bad press as hypocrites and whited
sepulchres (Mt. 24:14), but this needs to be put into perspective. They were certainly
devout, descended from the Hassidim, who had been a force of national resistance
during the persecutions. They had adopted an attitude of hostile reserve towards the
Hasmoneans, and had distanced themselves somewhat, hence receiving the name
Pharisees ("separate").
 Saducees - The Sadducees were lovers of security, very strict in applying the
Law; patriots, but with a desire not to rock the boat and so suspicious of any too
vigorous resistance to the powers that be. In religious matters they were close to the
priests, and favoured ritual and tradition. The Law, and nothing but the Law! Later
dogmatic developments (i.e., after the Torah) were suspect to them; worse still,
speculations bearing on the after life and the resurrection of the dead.
Herodians - they were the followers of the policies of Herod and his dynasty. They
were favourable to the Roman occupation from which they benefited. That they should
have been in league with the Pharisees to trap Our Lord is extraordinary (cf. Mt. 22:15-
21)

Zealots - The most curious grouping in doctrine, but in politics much more violent.
The term was used originally to designate those Jews who were zealous observers of
the Law and enemies of foreign domination. Later, by the time of Christ, it was used to
describe a revolutionary political faction whose main feature was open resistance to the
Romans (Acts 5:37) Flavius Josephus tells us they were also called sicarii, because
they used to carry a little sicca (=dagger). As revolutionaries, they opposed the
established powers, acknowledging no master but God; as terrorists they had no
hesitation to kill those whom they considered traitors to the Jewish cause. They were in
large part responsible for the Roman backlash that led to the destruction of the Temple
in AD 70.

Essenes - were a more religious grouping, resembling a religious order, with

superiors, vows -including celibacy, "noviciate", sharing goods in common, living in
communities. They surpassed the Pharisees in rigour, keeping the Sabbath in a
total fashion and multiplying their ablutions. In doctrine too they differed from official
Judaism: e.g., they practised no animal sacrifice, inner religion being the one thing
necessary.

Procurators - Roman province administrators or governors

Ethnarchs - Rulers

Tetrarchs - rulers of a fourth part of a province.

3. What was life under the Romans Like in the time of Jesus? What are the ten Greek
cities Mentioned of Matthew 4:25; Mk 5:20). Differentiate the language of Jesus and his
followers from the people.
- Much of the influence of the Greeks remained. Greek was the language which
united the subjects of the Empire in the East. In Transjordania there were out and
out Greek cities. The ten Greek cities are: Scythopolis (modern Bet Sheʾan,
Israel), Hippos, Gadara, Raphana, Dion (or Dium), Pella, Gerasa, Philadelphia
(modern Amman, Jordan), Canatha, and Damascus (capital of modern Syria).
The language of Jesus was Aramaic, a Galilean dialect and his followers from
the people were Hebrew.
4. What was the political and social situation of Palestine at the time of Herod’s death?

- As for the general political situation at the time: all Palestine was under the
control of the Romans. King Herod the Great ruled Judea from 37 BC to AD 4. In fact he
was not a Jew himself, but of Idumaean stock ,descended from Esau. Through political
astuteness he got himself made absolute monarch (under the Romans) of Judea and, at
its high point, his rule extended over most of the territory of the ancient kingdom of
David. After him Palestine was divided under three governors who reported directly to
Rome. All three were his sons: Archelaus was ethnarch of Judea and Samaria, until he
was deposed by the Emperor Augustus in AD 6, and Judea became a Roman province
controlled by a procurator appointed by Rome. Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee
and Peraea, and Philip tetrarch of Gaulinitis, Trachonitis and Ituraea. These last two
held power for a long time.

5. What insights and learning have you gained in this topic?

- The learning I had in this topic is that the land of Jesus had characters with
different traits and characteristics one should learn from and avoid to. And how truly
Jesus great is.