Turbulent political times during the life of Christ

[Bob Crowley]

There was an article in the local ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) recently which gave some background to the turbulent political history leading up to and during the early years of Christ's life. It's easy to see why the Essenes developed apocalyptic literature and why it was a feature of the times.

It's also easy to understand why the Jews wanted and expected a messiah, and why Pilate gave in to the Jewish leaders to avoid falling out of favour with the Roman authorities.

A most violent year: The world into which Jesus was born - ABC Religion & Ethics

Jesus’s birth occurred at a volatile moment in the history of what was already a troubled and turbulent land — and memories of the violent events that occurred shaped perceptions and politics for decades to come, including during Jesus’s lifetime.

www.abc.net.au

 

[stevevw]

There was an article in the local ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) recently which gave some background to the turbulent political history leading up to and during the early years of Christ's life. It's easy to see why the Essenes developed apocalyptic literature and why it was a feature of the times.

It's also easy to understand why the Jews wanted and expected a messiah, and why Pilate gave in to the Jewish leaders to avoid falling out of favour with the Roman authorities.

A most violent year: The world into which Jesus was born - ABC Religion & Ethics

Jesus’s birth occurred at a volatile moment in the history of what was already a troubled and turbulent land — and memories of the violent events that occurred shaped perceptions and politics for decades to come, including during Jesus’s lifetime.

www.abc.net.au

I think of paralelles with King David before he was annointed by Samuel. The tribal heads and especially the between King Saul and the Benjamite leaders who disputed who should lead them.

There always seemed to be an uprising from those who thought they were mighty and deserving of leadership. Only to setup the scene of someone who is least expected among them emerging as true King. As with King David and Jeus who was the least expected even to the poiunt that the leaders had Him crucified because He was a threat to their idea of what represented a King and fullfillment of the prophesies.

 

[mindlight]

There was an article in the local ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) recently which gave some background to the turbulent political history leading up to and during the early years of Christ's life. It's easy to see why the Essenes developed apocalyptic literature and why it was a feature of the times.

It's also easy to understand why the Jews wanted and expected a messiah, and why Pilate gave in to the Jewish leaders to avoid falling out of favour with the Roman authorities.

A most violent year: The world into which Jesus was born - ABC Religion & Ethics

Jesus’s birth occurred at a volatile moment in the history of what was already a troubled and turbulent land — and memories of the violent events that occurred shaped perceptions and politics for decades to come, including during Jesus’s lifetime.

www.abc.net.au

Pilate was a bodyguard of the Emperor Tiberius. He was given Judea to govern, but no legions to do the job. So he had to raise his cohorts himself using taxes on the locals to do it. The jews were a troublesome lot prone to rebellion, so it was no small task. Keeping the peace was his objective. Setting a zealot like Barabbas free when Jesus had committed no insurrection against Rome was deeply ironic. But maybe Pilate was more threatened by the credible claim that Jesus was a King rather than just another Jewish malcontent like Barabbas. He went with the baying mob because he did not care or stand for anything except his loyalty to the Emperor. The times were more peaceful than many other moments in Jewish history. It is they that turned it apocalyptic when they rebelled against Rome and were slaughtered by Vespasian's legions. The Essenes were like modern fundamentalists, isolationists suspicious of foreign influence, interpreting the dominance and oppression of a global empire like Rome as the beginning of the end. But actually, it was only the end of the 'little Israel' idea about the world. Jesus and Caesar together burst their bubble and Gentile Rome became the heart of the Christian world for the next two millennia.