First Century Palestine Research Papers (original) (raw)

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https://doi.org/10.33929/sherm.2019.vol1.no1.02
In light of Ken Howard's recent "religion singularity" phenomenon, this article attempts to ascertain the nature of Christian diversity during the last seventy years of the first century (roughly 30 to 100 CE). It offers an examination of the two largest Christian movements that existed before the second century, as well as when those movements may have begun and the locations they most likely flourished. The article argues that the earliest Christian tradition was the one persecuted by the Apostle Paul and that later, two breakaway movements splintered off from this tradition: the Pauline and Ebionite movements. The paper concludes that during the first century, of these two splinter movements, the Pauline movement likely preceded that of the Ebionite movement, though they both flourished in many of the same locations. Of interest is the finding that all three Christian movements (the pre-Pauline tradition, Pauline, and Ebionite) flourished in Asia Minor, a cosmopolitan sub-continent which appears to have served as a geographic information nucleus through which diverse ideas easily proliferated.

- by and +1
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- Religion, Christianity, New Religious Movements, History of Religion

Recent scholars describe the seeming paradoxes found in the Epistle of James, 20th in the New Testament canon and first of the catholic (general) epistles. Representative opinions comment on it as "among the most neglected books of the New Testament canon" yet a "complementary check and balance" to Paul's writings, an "oddity" of the Christian canon while at the same time "the most consistently ethical document in the New Testament." Yet part of the canon it is, preserved and attested by the early church, and thus part of God's witness to the church of every age.
In order to begin to understand its message to the church today, this paper turns first to the historical setting of the Ancient Near East (ANE) in the first century A.D., followed by an examination of the epistle's more immediate historical and literary context and genre, social and cultural features, along with critical and theological issues.

- by Debbie Piper
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- New Testament, Early Church, General Epistles, New Testament Studies

Overview of the Second Temple Period in Jewish History and the effects of Hellenization on first century Jews and Christianity

One of the critical issues when pursuing historical Jesus research has been to distinguish the ‘voice print’ of one man (Jesus) from the larger crowd (Second Temple Judaism) at the time. Historians always find it easier to describe movements than individuals, places rather than events, technologies rather than artifacts. For that reason, searching for the historical Nazareth may be an easier task than the quest for the historical Jesus.

- by Gregory Jenks
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- Biblical Archaeology, Historical Jesus, Nazareth, First Century Palestine
- by Paul N Anderson
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- Critical Theory, History, Ancient History, German Studies

A summary of this essay was first presented at the “Jesus and Archaeology: The Millennium Celebration in the Holy Land” conference at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem (August 2000) organized by James Charlesworth. It was then expanded and published as "Aspects of Historicity in John: Implications for Archaeological and Jesus Studies,” in Jesus and Archaeology, ed. by James Charlesworth, ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), 587-618. This essay will also be central to a book I am writing for Eerdmans: Jesus in Johannine Perspective: A Fourth Quest for Jesus.

- by Paul N Anderson
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Archaeology

A number of jokes & puns have been noted within the New Testament; many of them are "running" inside jokes. The "lump" represented more than one thing; but mainly, how the Romans had given "dung-bread" to the starving Jews within the... more

- by Roman Piso
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- Religion, Christianity, Comparative Religion, History

Here I have laid out the textual work for establishing Josephus' vocabulary of angels and daemons. Much of the analytical work is admittedly not yet done. This seminar paper was designed to provide a basis, but has not done the requisite comparative work to come to what will eventually be the most helpful conclusions about Josephus deployment and definition of angels/daemons. Note that, as a seminar paper, there are a few issues that need addressing that came out of the 2016 Austin Enoch Seminar. These include the problematic (i.e. modern) assumptions behind the idea of "supernatural." This is certainly an etic term. I appreciate comments, questions, and critiques.

- by Carson Bay
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- Greek Literature, Greek History, New Testament, Second Temple Judaism

ABSTRACT The Flavian transfer of the revenues from the Jewish Temple Tax to the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter became an instrument of identity and oppression, particularly under Domitian. His aggressive enforcement of a Roman designated “Jewish Identity” put severe pressure on the nascent Christian Church. The accession of Nerva changed the dynamic and provided a new hope for the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. This paper will propose a new rationale for the fiscus judaicus and suggest how the impact of this tax is reflected in the late NT literature, particularly in Hebrews and the first letter of John.

- by Thomas Davis
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- Roman History, First Century Palestine, New Testament and Archaeology

The appearance of the Book of Wisdom of Solomon at the time of the birth of Christianity seems to be a hinge point of civilization: the old world with its concepts of goddesses as well as gods of female divine power as balance, is in transition. The terminus it will meet is a total monotheism aligned on male concepts, but its journey is in a terrain that still contains the deities that have been important to humans for many thousands of years (CDBL: 60-61).

- by Eahr Joan
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- Hellenistic period, Torah, First Century Palestine, Wisdom Book of Solomon (BWS)
- by G. Scott Gleaves
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- Languages and Linguistics, Aramaic, Deuteronomistic History, Prophets
- by Tessa Rajak
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- Classics, Greek Literature, Hellenistic Literature, Jewish Studies

In the Textus Receptus of the Gospel of John there are a handful of apparent references to a location called Bethany. It is generally assumed that this is a village near or on the side of the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. This essay argues that all of these references are specious, and that in Jesus’s time there was no more a community called Bethany than there was one called Nazareth. Here below the main references to “Bethany” are analyzed.

This is a translation of the Hebrew text of the Josippon concerning the martyrdom of Zekharyahu (Zacharias), who was put to death prior to the Jewish war against Rome and the destruction of Jerusalem. This text evinces many similarities to other extant and missing historical accounts regarding the period, notably including accounts of James the Just, who was the brother of Jesus.

ΑΠΟ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΙΚΟ ΤΟΜΟ Σ. Δεσπότης και Α. Κονταλή, 1821 - Επανάσταση και Ανάσταση του Γένους. Αθήνα: Έννοια 2021.

סיכום של שבע עונות חפירה בשרידיה של יודפת העתיקה. חשיפת מבנים פרטיים החל מהתקופה ההלניסטית ועד המאה הראשונה לספירה, מתקני מלאכה כמו בית בד, כבשני יוצרים ומשקולות נולי אריגה. חשיפת ביצורי העיר מימי החשמונאים וההכנות למרד הגדול. עדות לקרב... more

- by Mordechai aviam
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- Second Temple Judaism, Roman Army, Pottery Production, First Jewish Revolt

- by Gregory Jenks
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- History, Biblical Archaeology, Historical Jesus, Nazareth
- by Brian J. Wright
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- New Testament, Early Christianity, Reading, Church History
- by Carson Bay
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- Military History, Roman History, Jewish Studies, New Testament

Since the work of E. P. Sanders in 1977 theologians have wrestled with the "New Perspective on Paul." Yet, Paul's work seems to still be interpreted through the lens of Luther and Calvin. Is it time that Paul should be interpreted back... more

- by Bobby Cohoon
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- Christianity, Theology, New Testament, Reformation Studies

Tracing of the Forum of the ancient Roman city of Neapolis, through AnNasr Plaza (Bab AsSaha) in Nablus, Palestine

- by Tessa Rajak
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- Christianity, Ancient History, Classics, Jewish Studies
- by Tessa Rajak
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- Classics, Greek Literature, Roman History, Roman Historiography