It was during the time known as the Pax Romana – Roman Peace – established by Caesar Augustus.
Jerusalem had been under Roman rule since the fall of the Seleucids and the final end of the former Greek empire established by Alexander the Great.
The Roman Senate appointed Herod as king over Jerusalem in 37 BC until his death. While Herod was a brutal man who killed a great many rabbis and suppressed all dissention with violence, he was also responsible for large-scale building projects, including the re-building of the Temple. The former temple has been desecrated and plundered. The Temple became the focus of Israelite life once again. This new, larger temple was not only the place for the Jewish worship of God, but also the place where the Holy Scriptures and other national literature were kept. Within its gates the Sanhedrin, the highest court of Jewish law, met.
After Herod’s death, Roman governors were appointed over Jerusalem. Judaism was recognized by the Roman government as an approved religion and the Jews were free to practice their beliefs. While no one could argue life was a picnic under Roman rule, things had calmed down and the city prospered.
Into this relative peace came the son of a priest and his wife. Born of a mother and father well advanced in years, he came out of the wilderness wearing the clothes of a prophet proclaiming the time of the promised messiah was at hand. John the Baptist, or John the Immerser as I like to call him, was preparing the people for Jesus.
Things were about to get very interesting. The world was about to be shaken up.
It just didn’t know it, yet.
(to be continued…)
© 2012 George Stewart
Jerusalem had been under Roman rule since the fall of the Seleucids and the final end of the former Greek empire established by Alexander the Great.
The Roman Senate appointed Herod as king over Jerusalem in 37 BC until his death. While Herod was a brutal man who killed a great many rabbis and suppressed all dissention with violence, he was also responsible for large-scale building projects, including the re-building of the Temple. The former temple has been desecrated and plundered. The Temple became the focus of Israelite life once again. This new, larger temple was not only the place for the Jewish worship of God, but also the place where the Holy Scriptures and other national literature were kept. Within its gates the Sanhedrin, the highest court of Jewish law, met.
After Herod’s death, Roman governors were appointed over Jerusalem. Judaism was recognized by the Roman government as an approved religion and the Jews were free to practice their beliefs. While no one could argue life was a picnic under Roman rule, things had calmed down and the city prospered.
Into this relative peace came the son of a priest and his wife. Born of a mother and father well advanced in years, he came out of the wilderness wearing the clothes of a prophet proclaiming the time of the promised messiah was at hand. John the Baptist, or John the Immerser as I like to call him, was preparing the people for Jesus.
Things were about to get very interesting. The world was about to be shaken up.
It just didn’t know it, yet.
(to be continued…)
© 2012 George Stewart