The Impact of Jesus in First- Century Palestine Textual and Archaeological Evidence for Long- standing Discontent

Description

Although the archaeological evidence indicates a prosperous and thriving Galilee in the early fi rst century ce , the Gospel texts suggest a society under stress, where the rich were fl ourishing at the expense of the poor. In this multidisciplinary study, Rosemary Margaret Luff contributes to current debates concerning the pressures on early fi rstcentury Palestinian Jews, particularly with reference to socio- economic and religious issues. She examines Jesus within his Jewish environment in order to understand why he rose to prominence when he did, and what motivated him to persevere with his mission. Luff’s study includes six carefully constructed essays that examine early Christian texts against the wider background of late Second Temple Judaic literature, together with the material evidence of Galilee and Judea (Jerusalem). Synthesizing a wide range of archaeological and textual data for the fi rst time, she offers new insights into the depth of social discontent and its role in the rise of Christianity. List of Illustrations page ix Preface xi Introduction 1 Part I Memories of Jesus: The Textual Evidence 1 Discontent in Early First- Century Galilee and Judea 9 Introduction: The Historical Background 9 The Messiah 14 Jesus’ Eschatology: The Kingdom of God 22 Summary 31 2 Jesus, the Temple, and the Chief Priests 32 Introduction 32 Jesus’ Action in the Temple and Sayings Relating to the Temple 37 The Infl uence of the High Priesthood in Jesus’ Arrest and Trial 44 Summary 51 3 The Character and Legacy of Jesus 53 Introduction 53 Forgiveness of Sin and Healing Miracles 58 Jesus’ Spiritual Life 63 The Aftermath of the Crucifi xion 70 Summary 74 Part II Jesus in Context: The Archaeological Evidence 4 Jewish Identities and the Distribution of Ethnic Indicators 77 Introduction 77 Stepped Plastered Pools – Miqweh (Singular) Miqwa’ot (Plural) 78 Stone Vessels (Herodian Stoneware) 86 Ossuaries 91 Pig versus Wild Boar Bones 100 Household Judaism 102 Summary 103 Connection with Textual Materials of Chapter 2 104 5 Health Hazards in First- Century Palestine 114 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 114 Leprosy and Tuberculosis 115 Malaria and Anaemia 120 The Dog Tapeworm ( Echinococcus granulosus ) 126 Patterns of Death in Palestinian Rock- Cut Tombs 127 Interpersonal Violence in the Early First Century 134 Summary 136 Connection with Textual Materials of Chapter 3 137 6 Status, Power, and Wealth 145 Introduction 145 Comparing and Contrasting the Wealthy in First- Century Palestine 149 Galilee 149 Judea 158 The Generation of Wealth 164 Meat as a Status Symbol 170 Summary 179 Connection with Textual Materials of Chapter 1 180 Conclusion 187 Bibliography 199 Index 243