Environment of the New Testament. Jesus and Judaism, the Greco-Roman Society and Insights from Archaeology (PDF)

Academic Paper from the year 2021 in the subject Theology - Biblical Theology, grade: 90, Nations University, course: The New Testament Environment, language: English, abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present a comparative analysis of Jesus teachings and the Judaism practices at the time. It also seeks to understand the contribution of Greco-Roman society to the application of the Gospel in modern contexts and to draw lessons from Ephesus to find the limits and contributions of the science of archaeology.

Since the Bible was written to people familiar with the world order, its writers had only occasional reason to include "background" notations. However, for those of us who live centuries later, the need for in-depth study is obvious. It is believed that in-depth studies can lead to a better understanding of the biblical text, but studying the environment of the New Testament is not an end in itself. They can broaden one's perspective, allow for more rigorous study of the biblical text, and excite one who is driven by curiosity.

All societies have their predecessors and all build on the foundations of earlier laws, customs, and inventions. This is also relevant for the world of the New Testament, which emerged from an integrated, firm, and complex world. The Gospel witnessed in the New Testament was presented to a monotheistic and polytheistic, rich, and poor, Hellenistic, and traditional Jewish world. However, the Gospel was so universal in scope that it offered a message of redemption for all and yet enabled the redeemed to function as responsible citizens in a pagan society.