The Roman Empire and Palestine

The Roman Empire

• The Romans originated from Rome, Italy
• The Roman Empire was headed by an Emperor
• The Empire's duration exceeded 500 years
• The Roman army's superior fighting tactics contributed to its long-lasting power
• The Romans gained control over the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea
• The Empire expanded into Europe and North Africa
• Palestine was under Roman rule when Jesus was born
• Palestine's strategic position was at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia
• The Romans recognized that controlling Palestine meant controlling access to the region's roads
• In 63 BC The Romans invaded Palestine and took control of Jerusalem then the whole country
• Governors were appointed by Romans to ensure Jewish people followed Roman laws and paid taxes
• In exchange the Jewish people could retain their customs and religion
• The Jews did not accept Roman rule, they believed Palestine was given to them by God

Tax Collectors

• People in Palestine lived simple lives during Jesus' time
• They earned just enough money for basic needs
• Heavy taxes were imposed, and they were used to support the Roman army in Palestine
• Tax collectors were Jewish people who collected the taxes
• Most Jews disliked tax collectors because they worked for the Romans
• Some tax collectors were dishonest and enriched themselves by keeping part of the collected money

Political & Religious Structures in the Time of Jesus

• Jesus was born into the Jewish faith
• The Jewish faith originated from God's relationship with Abraham and Moses
• God called Abraham from Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) to Canaan
• God made a covenant with Abraham, and his descendents would be chosen people of God if they obeyed God's laws
• Abraham's descendants settled in Canaan, later moving to Egypt, where they were enslaved
• Moses, freed the Israelites from slavery leading them to the Promised Land

Political Structures in the Time of Jesus

• The Israelites were initially ruled by prophets called Judges, then Kings, starting with Saul, David, and Solomon
• After Solomon’s death, the land divided into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judaea
• By 63 BC, the Romans conquered the land and renamed it Palestine
• In 40 BC, Herod was appointed as king
• Herod was not Jewish, so he wasn't accepted by the Jewish population
• Palestine, known as the Holy Land, was part of the Roman Empire during Jesus’ time
• Roman laws and customs were imposed on the Jewish people, which caused great tension
• Caesar, the Roman Emperor, allowed Herod to be a token leader, but appointed governors to take care of Roman interests
• Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor (procurator) from AD 26 to 36 and maintained law, order and tax collection in Palestine
• The Romans were polytheistic while the Jews were monotheistic, believing in one God called Yahweh
• Romans allowed the Jewish people to practice their religion to maintain peace and governance

The Sanhedrin

• The Sanhedrin was the religious governing body and highest court of Jewish law in Jerusalem, Palestine
• It consisted of Sadducees and Pharisees, two religious groups with differing views, and was presided over by the High Priest
• Romans granted the Sanhedrin the power to act as a law court, punish Jews for breaking Jewish law, and maintain its own guards to keep order
• Romans strategically enabled a situation where the two main Jewish groups conflicted with each other

Temple and Synagogue

• During Jesus' time, Jews worshiped at the Temple in Jerusalem and in Synagogues in towns and villages

The Temple

• The most sacred building for the Jewish people was the Temple in Jerusalem
• It was a cream colored stone building covered in gold and very large
• Jews visited at least once a year during a Jewish festival
• They would come with their families to pray and offer sacrifices
• The Temple included the Court of Gentiles, where Roman money was exchanged for temple money, and birds and animals could be purchased for sacrifices
• Temple priests performed sacrifices on the altar in the Court of Priests
• Only priests were allowed into the Court of Priests
• The Holy of Holies was the most sacred part of the Temple, it could only be entered by the High Priest once a year
• The High Priest would offer sacrifice and pray for God's forgiveness
• Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, with only a wall remaining

The Synagogue

• In Jesus' time every town and village in Palestine had a synagogue
• Synagogues were meeting places for the Jewish community
• Jews attended weekly Sabbath services to pray and listen to the scriptures
• Synagogues were plain two-story buildings holding 50-100 people
• They had a porch and two doors with Women in a gallery and men and boys downstairs
• Sabbath services included prayers, hymns, and readings from Jewish scripture by a rabbi who then gave a talk about the readings
• The scrolls were kept in a special area called the Ark which was treated with great respect
• A curtain was drawn in front of the Ark, and a light burned near it representing God was with them
• A special candle holder called a menorah held seven candles
• The Sabbath service concluded after an hour with a blessing

Religious Groups in the Time of Jesus

• Pharisees were holy men who studied God's law
• Pharisees were not priests, but ordinary family men
• Pharisees lived in the towns and villages of Palestine
• They led local synagogues, and taught people how to adhere to God's law by teaching hundreds of small rules
• Pharisees followed the rules and avoided those who didn't
• The Pharisees concentrated on religious practice and didn't cooperate with the Romans, hoping for Jewish liberation from Roman rule
• Sadducees were religious leaders and priests from rich Jewish families who led the Temple in Jerusalem
• The high priest in the Temple was always a Sadducee
• The Romans allowed the Jews to practice their religion and judge their own people
• The Sanhedrin, based in the Temple, was the Jewish court of law
• Most members of the Sanhedrin during Jesus' time were Sadducees
• Sadducees cooperated with the Romans to maintain their position in the Temple
• Zealots were nationalists who hated the Roman conquerors because they believed Palestine was God's gift to the Jewish people
• Zealots did not cooperate with the Romans and resorted to violence to force them out of Palestine
• Romans considered them terrorists, while many Jews considered them freedom fighters
• Essenes lived strict religious lives in the desert
• Essenes sought to keep the Jewish religion pure, believing themselves the true people of God
• Scrolls, possibly from their library, were found in Qumran, north of the Dead Sea, in 1948

The Messiah

• Old Testament prophets foretold that God would send a great leader
• This leader was known by the Jews as the Messiah, meaning "anointed one"
• The anointment of leaders with oil signified they were blessed and chosen by God to do good work
• Opinions varied on the Messiah's identity
• Some thought the Messiah would be a mighty King David descendant bringing prosperity and liberation
• Others thought it would be a great warrior using force to drive the Romans out of Palestine
• Christians today believe that Jesus is the Messiah
• Jews believe the Messiah has yet to come