Historical Background Historical Background 1 History Politics Dates

Historical Background

Historical Background 1. History: Politics, Dates, Individuals 2. Culture: Social Customs and traditions 3. Geography: Topography, weather, flora, fauna. This would include: Dress, food, homes, weddings, funerals, dance, mourning, tools, literature, war, etiquette, agriculture, employment, taxation, religion, holidays, economics, etc.

Why be concerned about this? 1. A passage can’t mean what it never meant. 2. Christianity is historically based. 3. It helps you appreciate the Bible and its characters. 4. You can’t understand the NT without understanding the OT.

Paul’s Culture Shock Today Relationships between men and women: Egalitarianism, communication, sexual openness. Politics: Democratic, freedom, capitalism Popular Culture: Dichotomized; entertainment; time; money; individualism, shame/honor.

Two ways of investigating: 1. Internal: Allowing the Bible to become a commentary on the Bible. 2. External: Using sources other than the Bible such as other ancient historians and modern references. Investigative Questions: Who, what, where, when, why, how.

Internal Historical Investigation: 1. Listen carefully to your text through repeated readings. 2. Read the OT until it is second nature. 3. Notice marginal readings and references. Examples: Weddings, shepherding, feasts, war, birth, legal proceedings, worship, etc.

External Historical Investigation 1. Atlases (e. g. Acts 18: 18 -22; Acts 27). 2. Historians: Josephus (37 -95 A. D. ), Tacitus (55117 A. D. ), Plutarch, (46 -120 A. D. ) 3. Philosophers: Seneca, Epictetus, Philo. 4. Talmud and Mishna 5. Early Church Fathers 6. Apocrypha 7. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, commentaries

External Historical Investigation Josephus, Antiquities, 18. 63 -64 Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

External Historical Investigation b. Berakoth 61 b When R. Akiba was taken out for execution, it was the hour for the recital of the Shema and while they combed his flesh with iron combs, he was accepting upon himself the kingship of heaven…. A Bath kol went forth and proclaimed Happy art thou, Akiba, that thy soul has departed with the world ehad! The ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be he. (cf. Matt 5: 10)

External Historical Investigation m. Gittin 9. 10 The House of Shammai say, “A man should divorce his wife only because he has found grounds for it in unchastity, since it is said, Because he has found in her indecency in anything (Deut 24: 1). ” And the House of Hillel say, “Even if she spoiled his dish, since it is said, Because he has found in her indecency in anything. ” R. Aqiba says, “Even if he found someone else prettier than she, since it is said, and it shall be if she find no favor in his eyes (Duet 24: 4). Cf. Matthew 19: 1 -12

External Historical Investigation Suetonius (70 -130 c. e. , Lives 2. 51) He records the disturbance of “Chrestus” during the reign of Claudius : “Judaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit”). Due to the disturbance over Chrestus, the Jews were expelled from Rome. This is almost assuredly a misspelling of Christ and the cause of Priscilla and Aquila being in Corinth (Acts 18: 1 -2).

External Historical Investigation 4 Q 521 2. 1 -4 Earth will listen to his Messiah, … For he will honor the devout upon the throne of eternal royalty, freeing prisoners, giving sight to the blind, straightening out the twisted … for he will heal the badly wounded and will make the dead live, he will proclaim good news to the meek give lavishly to the needy, lead the exiled and enrich the hungry.

External Historical Investigation Targum on Isaiah 53: 5, “And he was wounded by our transgressions, he was crushed by our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed. ” Targum, “And he will build the sanctuary which was profaned for our sins, handed over for our iniquities; and by his teaching his peace will increase upon us, and in that we attach ourselves to his words our sins will be forgiven us. ”