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Lecture 4: Jesus's Social World

Jul 23, 2024

Lecture 4: Jesus's Social World

Introduction

  • Understanding historical figures requires understanding their social context.
  • Key context for Jesus: Jesus was Jewish.
  • Common mistake: Ignoring Jesus's Jewishness, viewing him as proto-Christian.
  • Jesus followed Jewish laws, customs, and celebrated Jewish holidays.

Jesus’s Jewish Identity

  • Jesus's Jewish practices:
    • Ate kosher.
    • Followed Jewish law (Torah).
    • Celebrated Jewish festivals and made sacrifices in the temple.
  • Disputes with Pharisees were about interpreting the law, not rejecting it.
  • Expected disciples to continue Jewish practices.
  • Had no intention of starting a new religion.

The Covenant and Jewish Identity

  • The concept of the covenant between God and Israel.
  • Responsibilities of Jews through temple rituals and sacrifices.
  • Roman annexation of Palestine in 63 BCE created issues with the covenant.

The Roman Occupation

  • Roman occupation and client kingship (e.g., Herod the Great).
  • Temple authorities seen as defiled due to collaboration with Rome.

Marcus Borg’s Description

  • Social context described as a "tributary commercial agricultural domination system."

Domination System

  • Society heavily stratified: 1-2% wealthy elite and 97-98% living in poverty.
  • Class distinctions among peasants: agrarian farmers, tenant farmers/sharecroppers, day laborers, and the unclean.

Roman Governance

  • Roman interest: peace (no revolt) and tribute (taxes).
  • Roman governance through local collaborators (e.g., Herod the Great).
  • Transition from subsistence to commercial farming leading to food insecurity and debt.

Economic and Social Impacts

  • Commercial farming's impact: seasonal work, financial instability, and increased debt.
  • Many peasants lost land and became day laborers, like Jesus and Joseph (tektĹŤn).

Jewish Responses to Roman Occupation

  1. Sadducees: Collaboration with Rome, maintain temple worship.
  2. Zealots: Violent revolutionaries, aim to overthrow Romans.
  3. Essenes: Withdraw from society, live in isolated purity (e.g., Qumran community).
  4. Pharisees: Non-violent, focus on societal purity and strict Torah adherence.

Jesus's Unique Position

  • Critique of the temple and its authorities, leading to his arrest and execution.
  • Not fitting neatly into any established responses (Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes, or Pharisees).
  • Appears interested in societal and religious reform but presents a new approach.

Conclusion

  • Importance of understanding Jesus's social context for historical analysis.
  • Future lectures: Building a picture of Jesus of Nazareth based on this context.

Full transcript