The Life of Jesus
An APSE Ministry Bible Study
(AskPrayStudyEmbrace)
James Spangler
Course material/Workbook
Contents
Part 2
Chapter 7 Was Jesus a poor carpenter? 23
Chapter 8 Was Jesus married? 24
Chapter 9 Jesus was a layman 27
Chapter 10 Understanding Jesus in the
Historical Setting of the Roman Empire 28
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7. Was Jesus a poor carpenter?
It is extremely important to understand society and the concentration of wealth in the time of Jesus. It profoundly impacts the messages in Jesus’ teachings.
Did he, as the presumed eldest son, follow the trade of Joseph? Was he a “carpenter” who built things? Wood houses did not exist. Houses were mud brick, small windows if any. Some carpenters made plows, etc., but most were “woodworkers.”
Or did he do masonry, brickmaking, that type of construction?
Did Jesus’ family farm at all? They were poor. They were at the mercy of the economy as in every society. Did they need to supplement their food supply? Highly likely.
At Jesus' time only the top 2/1000th of 1% (1 out of 50,0000 people) were extremely rich (senatorial class). Only the top 1% were rich (the Knights). There was no real middle class like we have today, just peasants. The top being craftsmen, business people, and freehold farmers. They all were subject to government AND religious taxes. Life was risky. Farming was extremely risky. Crop failure. Drought.
But it was better than a day laborer, a hired servant, a traveling craftsman, or a failed farmer with no option left but banditry.
At the bottom of the list was a slave. A person with nothing.
Despite the financial inequity, the HUGE concentration of wealth, the time of Herod was relatively prosperous and peaceful. Still tensions boiled beneath the surface.
Note: Some have postulated that Joseph and son Jesus had a thriving traveling woodworking business. IF Jesus was from a relatively well to do family and he preached “giving up your wealth,” it was a WILDLY radical idea. And if he was telling the wealthy to give up their earthly possessions, he was speaking to a VERY small audience. A “high society” that would not be too enamored with him. Certainly a RABBLE-ROUSER and someone who could be seen as a trouble making risk for stirring up the crowds.
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8. Was Jesus married?
Author William Phipps maintains that, at some time, Jesus was married and possibly had children. Jews saw sexuality and marriage as a blessing to humanity by a gracious creator. Celibacy for a religious Jew, and especially for a teacher or a rabbi, would have been unthinkable in the time of Jesus. Christ as celibate was a product of later Christian theology according to Phipps.
BUT…
An aside: What has been lost in translation, rewriting, and editing of the Bible to fit what the story the church has wanted to tell is unknown.
A theory. A stretch at best… The Gospel of John. At the beginning of the Book Jesus performs his first miracle, turning water into wine. Hints are dropped that the bride is Mary Magdalene. The end of the Book reports Mary Magdalene visiting Jesus’ tomb, a full circle cryptically indicating a marriage relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
Then we have the apocrypha. The following are two articles on apocryphal books that address the issue of the marriage of Jesus. GotQuestions.org is a great resource that gives an overview on a plethora of Biblical subjects. I use the site frequently to get a basic understanding of a specific topic. More often than not it leads to more digging and research.
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The Gospel of Philip
GotQuestions.org
Similar to the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip is a collection of sayings, supposedly of Jesus. The Gospel of Philip focuses a great deal on the “sacrament of marriage” as a “sacred mystery.” The Gospel of Philip does not claim to have been written by Jesus’ disciple Philip. It is titled “The Gospel According to Philip” due to Philip being the only disciple of Jesus who is named in it (73:8).
The most complete manuscript of the Gospel of Philip was discovered in the Nag Hammadi library in Egypt in 1945. It is written in the Coptic language and is dated to approximately the 4th century AD. The Gospel of Philip is a Gnostic gospel, presenting a Gnostic viewpoint of Jesus and His teachings. While there are a few verses in the Gospel of Philip that resemble the four biblical Gospels, a reading of the Gospel of Philip will reveal many irreconcilable differences and a completely different message regarding who Jesus was and what He came to do.
Of most interest in the Gospel of Philip is what it has to say about Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene. In his popular book The Da Vinci Code, author Dan Brown points to the Gospel of Philip as evidence of Jesus’ marriage/relationship with Mary Magdalene. However, the Gospel of Philip nowhere states that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. It does not even state that Jesus was romantically involved with Mary. The one section that deals with this issue is heavily damaged, with several portions unreadable. Here is what the Gospel of Philip states, with “…” representing missing portions: “and the companion of the … Mary Magdalene … more than … the disciples … kiss her … on her … the rest of the disciples … they said to him … why do you love her more than all of us?” Even if we assume that Jesus was kissing Mary Magdalene, the text does not imply anything other than a friendly relationship. A single man kissing a single woman on the cheek, while rare in that culture, is by no means indicative of a romantic relationship.
Whatever the case, even if the Gospel of Philip explicitly stated that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, that would not make the idea true. The Gospel of Philip was not written by the Apostle Philip or anyone who had ever met Jesus. The original writing of the Gospel of Philip is dated to the 3rd century AD at the earliest, at least 200 years after Jesus’ death. The only value in studying the Gospel of Philip is in learning what heresies existed in the early centuries of the Christian church.
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The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)
GotQuestions.org
The Gospel of Mary was discovered in the Akhmim Codex in Cairo, Egypt, in 1896. It was not made public until 1955, when it was published due to the popularity of the Nag Hammadi library. Written in Greek and Coptic, the Gospel of Mary codex is dated to the 3rd (Greek) and 5th (Coptic) centuries AD. The Gospel of Mary is mentioned in the writings of some of the early church fathers as early as the 3rd century AD. In the only known copy of the text, ten entire pages are missing, including the first six pages. As a result, it is difficult to arrive at a coherent and consistent overall message.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene would better be titled “the Gospel of Mary,” due to the fact that the Mary the gospel mentions is nowhere specified as Mary Magdalene. In the New Testament, there are six women named Mary, with three of them being prominent in the life of Jesus: Mary, Jesus’ mother; Mary Magdalene; and Mary of Bethany. It is only tradition that the Mary the Gospel of Mary refers to is Mary Magdalene. For the sake of clarity, we will assume that Mary Magdalene is the Mary of the Gospel of Mary.
Conspiracy theorists have contrived a conflict between patriarchal Christianity (exemplified by Peter) and “true” Christianity (exemplified by Mary). The Da Vinci Code takes this conspiracy theory to new heights by portraying the Christian church as covering up Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene and denying His appointment of Mary as the leader of the church. The problem with this conspiracy theory is that there is absolutely no evidence for it, not even in the Gospel of Mary. The Gospel of Mary nowhere states that Jesus appointed Mary as the leader of the Christian church. The Gospel of Mary nowhere states that Jesus and Mary were romantically involved.
The Gospel of Mary was not written by Mary Magdalene or any other Mary of the Bible. The Gnostic teachings found in the Gospel of Mary date it to the late 2nd century AD at the earliest. As a result, there is no validity to its teachings. Similar to the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Judas, the Gospel of Mary is a Gnostic forgery, using the name of a biblical character in an attempt to give validity to heretical teachings. The only value in studying the Gospel of Mary is in learning what heresies existed in the early centuries of the Christian church.
Finally…The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife A 4th century fragment of text has been found with hints of a Jesus - Mary Magdalene marriage. It has been dubbed The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife. Debate is ongoing.
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9. Jesus was a layman
Historical evidence strongly supports the life of Jesus, a Jew believed of Davidic descent. Certainly not a Levite. Certainly not of the priestly group. He was a layman.
Simply by being a layman from an obscure town in Lower Galilee, Jesus was already MARGINAL to the holders of religious power in Jerusalem. The synoptic gospels present Jesus in frequent conflict with the scribes and Pharisees, but they do talk to each other. They do discuss, debate, challenge each other, albeit almost hostile at times. Some Pharisees actually saw Jesus as favorable and some neutral.
Jesus confronts the Sadducees but one time, arguing about resurrection which the Sadducees rejected. They tried to trick Jesus with a question of who is the husband of the woman who married 7 times because her husbands kept dying in Mark 12:18-27.
Christians think of Jesus as a great high priest. He was not. He was a layman.
The Book of Hebrews states Jesus was a high priest on the order of Melchizedek, but that means he is a high priest IN HEAVEN after his resurrection, not during his time on earth.
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10. Understanding Jesus in the Historical Setting of the Roman Empire
Now we know about Jesus. Some snippets from his ministry. A little bit of the political and religious landscape. But we know much more. And it is all important. So let’s dig in . The source for this material will be Politics of Jesus and other titles by Obery Hendricks, Jr. unless otherwise referenced.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS THIS FACT IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST?
The Roman Empire was built on slave labor, the Jews being the source of that labor in Palestine.
(Page 54) The Roman Occupation’s Effect on Jesus’ ministry.
For a better insight into Legionnaires See APSE Article Why decimation was the most unfair punishment in the Roman Army. Life of Jesus Articles page 10,
Legionnaires were everywhere. They had all the authority. If they directed someone to carry something for them, the person was obligated to do just that - for up to one mile. An example was Simon the Cyrene: “Hey get over here and carry His (Jesus’) cross.” Jesus referred to this Roman authority: “If you must carry one mile, carry two.” (Matthew 5:41)
An aside: I can just imagine the reaction of the people: You want me to carry that TWO miles? Yea right, Jesus, why don’t you jump in a lake! And Jesus responded: “How bout I just walk on the water instead?”
How did relations with the Roman Army reflect on Jesus’ healing of the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10)? RESENTMENT from the fellow Jews? Heal this man’s servant? Why would Jesus give the time of day to one of these “oppressors?”
Mark 15:17-20 Recall how the legionnaires treated Jesus. The purple cloak, the crown of thorns, the spitting, the flogging. Jesus knew what was coming, yet he healed the legionnaire’s servant anyways. Love your enemy.
AN IMPORTANT OBSERVATION: Note the commonality of all of Jesus’ healings: The woman with blood flow, the lame, the demon possessed, the self-destructive Gerasene man who lived among the tombs, the paralyzed. THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF VICTIMS OF PSYCHOSES FROM OPPRESSIVE DISORDERS! Again, the exact illnesses are significant. Oppression. Jews were oppressed and it was getting worse.
NOTE: The man possessed with the collective demons was aptly named LEGION - the legionnaires! Jesus drove the demons from the man into pigs who ran and drowned in the river. Drowned. Like Pharaoh’s men drowned in the Red Sea. Code. God will take care of these Roman oppressors like he took care of Pharaoh's oppressors in Egypt. All these clues will come together as we explore Jesus’ divine mission on earth.
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CONCLUSION: Jesus was a colonial subject, an oppressed Jew under Roman oppression. The Jewish priests and temple leaders were in perfect lockstep with the Romans. It affected His entire ministry including His crucifixion. Our victory over this and all other oppression is in the resurrection of Christ.
SOME HISTORY SETS THE BACKGROUND:
SEE APSE Article : The Kings Herod for a more in depth understanding of how they came to power. Life of Jesus Articles page 12.
The family tree explaining relationships is on page 20 of this study.
Here are some highlights.
Pg 56 Herod the Great was a skilled politician and a prodigious builder. He was a “converted Jew” who trusted no one. His presumed paranoia worsened as he aged. He killed one of his wives (Miriam I) and two (or three) sons (Alexander, Aristobulus, and perhaps a third) he had with her, and also authorized the “slaughter of the innocents” in the story of the Magi at Christ’s birth.
Herod was a Jew BY CONVERSION. Herod the Great was grandson of Antipas, the original convert to Judaism. His “Jewishness” was always in question.
Discussion: So it seems those who persecute Jews consider only a few drops of Jewish blood in a person is significant enough to make them Jewish. ON THE OTHER HAND, Jews seem to feel the same way. Without any evidence of Jewish blood in a person Jews really discourage people from converting to Judaism. Oh, one can do it, but acceptance is not necessarily a given. CERTAINLY THESE ARE NOT HARD AND FAST RULES. Many Jews (MOST?) believe others have their own way to heaven. They have theirs, you figure out yours.
An aside: In the 1896 Supreme Court case of Plessy vs. Ferguson, Plessy wanted to ride in the “Whites only” rail car. He was arrested. He was ⅞ caucasian, ⅛ black. ⅛ was enough. By a 7-1 decision Plessy was sent back to the “blacks only” car. (Is ⅛ enough to be ACCEPTED in the black only car? Was Plessy wanted in either car?)
Herod the Great served as a puppet ruler for Rome. He died in 4 BC, his rule divided among his 3 sons. Archelaus, Philip, and the most powerful, Antipas. Antipas beheaded John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29) and wanted Jesus killed (Luke 13:3 and Luke 23:6-12).
Antipas didn’t know what to think. Reportedly he didn’t want to kill John the Baptist. His wife, Herodias, did because he called her an adulterer. Her daughter, Salome, requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter as payment for her “Dance.”
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Later, Antipas couldn’t figure Jesus out. He performed miracles. Who was he, John the Baptist reincarnated? Was he dangerous? Should we kill him? Will he come back and haunt us if we do kill him? In Luke 23:7-15 Pilate sent Jesus to Herod who was in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ trial. Serious, curious, or mockingly, Herod wanted to see a miracle or two. Jesus remained silent, so Antipas ridiculed and mocked him (no reference to beating), put an elegant robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. Antipas had his chance. He passed on it.
(Page 57) The priests. Sadducees and Pharisees.
Jesus was tough on the Jewish leaders, priests and scribes. Did His criticism extend to the Jewish commoner as well? Have Christians used these harsh comments by Jesus to extend to and justify persecution of all the Jews over the years? Maybe a stretch, but if so, Jesus would have been terribly disheartened. Jesus loved and represented his fellow Jew and was a champion for the common man. A major part of his message was addressing the ungodliness of greed, abuse of power, and failure to take care of the masses and the poor and disabled. It was a failure of Jewish leadership, not a failure of the Jewish people.
So who were these priests?
There were 4 groups of Jewish Priests - The Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Zealots (also known as the 4th Philosophy).
Sadducees came from Zadokim, descendants of the high priest Zadok who served during the reigns of David and Solomon (~1000 to 900 BC). The Hasmoneans replaced the Zadokites with Pharisaic priests in 143 BC.
See Article: Timeline of Leadership and Events in Judah/Israel 198 B.C. - 73 A.D.
Life of Jesus Articles page 14.
DISCUSSION: WHO WERE THE HASMONEANS? Hasmoneans descended from the Maccabees, a successful revolt that restored Jewish rule for a short time. The Books of the Maccabees are not in Protestant Bibles but ARE in Catholic Bibles. Jewish Holy Books do not include them despite them containing reference to Hanukkah, a major Jewish event. Some sources say the Maccabees were not added to Jewish holy books because they reflect the Hasmonean era which Jewish leaders were not fond of. Perhaps because of the heavy GREEK - Hellenistic influence? Perhaps because they forcibly removed the Zadokite line of priests and replaced them with Pharisees? SHOULD WE CANCEL HANUKKAH? Seems funny because they didn’t ignore other negative events such as the stain of evil Kings in 1 and 2 Kings of the Old Testament, so is this a valid argument? Maybe because the Maccabees weren’t written in Hebrew? But then maybe they were? Daniel was in Arabic but it made the Jewish canon. Conventional wisdom says Jews won’t recognize The Books of the Maccabees because the Roman Catholics did. I’ll leave that up to you.
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See APSE Article: The History That Gave Us Caesar Augustus and King Herod in Luke 2 and the Birth of Jesus. Life of Jesus Articles page 20.
Herod the Great then restored the Zadokites in 34 BC They were RICH. Social and political conservatives. Of course they were. They had the money and they wanted to keep it that way. They were extensions of the Roman Government, appointed by Herod himself. Herod’s favorite High Priest? A man named Annas. Annas’ son in law? A man named Caiaphas.
These names should ring a bell. Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. “Good Caiaphas, the council waits for you, The Pharisees and priests are here for you… He is dangerous… Caiaphas replies: One thing I’ll say for him - Jesus is COOL!” (apologies Jesus Christ Superstar)
Since Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, they were more materialistic than most 1st century Jews. Wealth. Store up our riches for heaven? Heck, no, there isn’t any heaven. We want it HERE! Sort of the J G Wentworth of their time. It’s our money and we want it NOW!
Sadducees were appointed to the Sanhedrin and replaced often, presumably if they became more pious and less concerned with wealth.
Pharisees, on the other hand, were devout MEN (of course they were MEN) who scrupulously obeyed “the laws” and followed ritual purity, FAR more than the Sadducees did. Not that they did not experience wealth beyond the average Jew of the day. Their status gave them favored social status and ready access to money. They were strict observers of the Sabbath and dietary laws, emphasizing ritual over human need.
Keep this in mind when considering Jesus’ words about the Pharisees. Or observant Jews today. Or ourselves today. What churches emphasize church ritual over human need? We’ll get to it.
Hereditary priests were an aristocratic class whose fortunes had been tied to the political oppressors of each regime ever since the repatriation of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem under the Persian Empire. (See below.) In Roman times the priests made A DAILY SACRIFICE TO CAESAR as an allegiance to Rome DESPITE THE HARSH TREATMENT OF ROME TO ITS VERY OWN PEOPLE! In return, Rome protected the priests, their wealth, and their temple, brutally disposing of ANYONE identified as threatening their status and power. One of those was obviously JESUS.
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To Digress: Does the sacrifice to Caesar violate the Commandments? Commandment 1: Thou shalt have no other Gods BEFORE Me. Or is it no other Gods BUT Me? Any Gods other than Yahweh ALONE? Or no other Gods BEFORE Yahweh?
Commandment 2: No graven images. SO… meaning anything carved that is worshiped - an IDOL - is forbidden? OR… is it anything you worship more than God is a “graven image.”
Speaking of graven images… no artwork of the almighty. No artwork of Jesus - the original position of the Orthodox church, changed at the second council of Nicea. They decided pictures are not WORSHIPED, they are VENERATED. As is the Virgin Mary. Is that just spin??
Note: Artwork was important. With low literacy rates Bible lessons were conveyed with artwork. Even stained glass windows.
Speaking of the 10 Commandments, should they be posted in public buildings? In schools? What grade? Is the image of the 10 Commandments ITSELF a graven image - an “IDOL?” Should we post the ENTIRE Exodus verbage or our abbreviated version?
What is an idol? Could it possibly be your CHURCH? See APSE Articles: The 10 Commandments and 7 Ways to Test if Your Church Has Become Your Idol. Life of Jesus Articles pages 22-28.
Random thoughts on other commandments:
The 5th Commandment: Honor your father and mother. And if they were abusive? When and how did we start taking care of abused children? We must have been more humane than throughout history when a disabled, abused, or deformed child was frequently tossed out with the trash - that would have been the fiery garbage dumps of gehenna in old Jerusalem (“hell”). Evidence says we weren’t much better. Are we better now? See Article: Treatment of the Disabled in America’s Schools and Jails.
Commandment 6: Is it Thou shalt not KILL? Or Thou Shalt not MURDER? Does it make a difference?See Article : “Thou shalt not kill vs. Thou shalt not murder.”
Commandment 7: Adultery. Thou shalt not commit it. Do we really need to warn 3rd graders about adultery?
Back to the priests:
Priests were chosen by Herod and his successors purely on the basis of loyalty to Rome.
The use of priests by the ruling government of the time dates back to the Persian conquest of the Babylonian Empire and the ending of the Jewish exile there. The Persians returned the priests to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple (discussed in the Book of Ezra) NOT out of any pious generosity. They wanted “friends in high places,” priests beholden to Persia to represent them in the political affairs that would arise. Roman control of the Sanhedrin in Jesus’ time was just more of the same policy that had continued since Persia rebuilt the temple in ~515 BC
The Persians: Sure we will rebuild the temple for you. And we will remind you of it year after year after year after year. We suggest you remember what we did. Especially when a fellow named Herod the Great shows up.
Leadership changed like the seasons…
High priests were changed frequently. John wrote sarcastically in John 11:49 and John 18:13: Oh THAT year, yeah, Caiaphas was high priest THAT year… As in there was a new priest the next year, and the next year, etc.
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The people may have opposed the signs bearing the emperor’s image in the temple, but the priests never did. They knew how their bread was buttered…
Not to mention memory of Herod’s purge in 37 BC New priests were named to replace those who found an unfortunate sudden death. Sort of “Herod’s version of Putin’s tendency to have opponents fall out of 10th floor windows…”
A real dilemma. How do the commoners respond? Anti-Rome meant also being against the priesthood of their own faith. Yet how faithful were the priests to their God? Not very. John 19:15 The priests protested to Pilate: We have no king but Caesar.
Discussion: How about our church leaders today? Synods, Conferences, Bishops, Popes, whatever else they are called? Who is their “KING?”
For more information See APSE Article: Pharisees and Sadducees. Life of Jesus Articles page 29.
Essenes were a separate sect of devout Jews emphasizing purity, frequent washing, and celibacy. At least celibacy - to a point. Rare sex was OK in order to procreate, otherwise they would - and sometimes did - die out. Strict cleansing - and often. dietary restrictions.
John the Baptist was thought to be an Essene. Which sort of doesn’t fit. Honey and grasshopper diet. Plus he never shaved and was reportedly unkept. Still he baptized others and was in water “cleansing” all the time. How much washed off?
Some also consider Jesus as an Essene. But Jesus was a wine drinker. The gospels portray him as fond of parties and festivals if not exactly a disco idol. Far from an Essene.
The Essenes are thought responsible for hiding the Dead Sea scrolls in Qumran when the temple and Jerusalem were doomed.
The Zealots (the 4th Philosophy) were born of the 6 AD revolt against Rome. They produced several self-proclaimed “Messiahs” who sought to free Palestine from the
Romans including the 66 AD Jewish-Roman war that ended with destruction of the temple.
(Page 61) The economy of Israel in Jesus’ time consisted of the very RICH (5% of the people including Roman bureaucrats, the aristocratic priests, the rich landowners, and successful TAX COLLECTORS.) and the very poor (the rest). A middle class didn’t really exist, certainly not what we have in the U.S.
Israel was a conquered land. Conquered means you were pretty much a slave.
Unemployment was evidently rampant. Hunger was a common plight. Peasants had to work a job AND work their own farm. Obeying the Sabbath (taking a day off) may have been the last straw that put them into starvation or, equally bad, debt. Debt was the first step to losing their land and family and life to the land barons.
Hunger was rampant, the minimum calories to maintain body weight was always in question. If one had to feed the kids as well and food was scarce did you even bother with the mentally or physically challenged ones? Were they Expendable?
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Historical Jesus by Crossan: The lowest class, about 5-10%, were EXPENDABLES. Exactly as the name suggests. Despite the high rates of infant mortality (25% of children died as infants, about 50% died by the age of 12), sporadic infanticide (of girl babies especially, although also those with birth defects), those who died from war, famine, disease, there was STILL a surplus of people greater THAN DOMINANT PEOPLE FOUND WORTHWHILE TO EMPLOY. Hence: EXPENDABLE. Crossan lists 9 classes of people - a bit more generous in suggesting maybe 15% had a decent life as opposed to the top 5% others postulate.
When Jesus spoke to - and fed - the 5000 he was speaking to the poor, poor no matter how hardworking they were. The system was rigged against them. If a land baron could put the squeeze on and usurp a family’s land, they did it. The family became slaves. If they died, so be it. The parables about the lame, the demon possessed, the lepers - they were all Expendable. But God loves them, and they will be first in his kingdom. Should we love them? Do we love them?
Tax collectors. Land barons. The government. AND THE PRIESTS! They were all in on the scam. Are Jesus’ teachings starting to make more sense to you now?
Example 1: Luke 16:19-31 THE PARABLE OF LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN. Lazarus represented the suffering Jewish people, covered with sores, longing for the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man’s table. The Rich Man represented the priests. The Rich Man KNEW Lazarus’ name - the priests knew the poor people even by name. The very people God had entrusted these priests to serve. But they didn’t give a hoot about them. At all. Not even a crumb. The poor? The diseased? Well, they were EXPENDABLE.
Herein lies the importance of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Those who gathered to hear of God’s kingdom. “Blessed are you who are poor. The Kingdom of Heaven is YOURS. In Heaven YOU will be first.”
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Having daily bread was NOT A GIVEN for 85 to 95% of the people. It seems that the concept of “ask only for daily bread” lest one become complacent or greedy may be a bit off the mark. People were literally starving.
More on income distribution from Crossan pg 277. The wealthiest person was by far the Emperor. Next, to be included in the Senatorial class one needed to have wealth and property 250,000 times the laborer’s daily wage. The next class, the equites, needed to have a net worth of 100,000 to 125,000 times the going daily wage.
A final snippet from Crossan: From discovered writings from 1 BC From Hilarion to his sister, Alis, and his lady Berous… “I urge you and entreat you, be concerned about the (soon to be born) child and if I should receive my wages soon I will send them to you. If by chance you bear a son, if it is a boy, let it be. If it is a girl, cast it out to die.” (From Year 29 of the reign of Caesar Augustus.)
And today? See APSE Article : We’re Having Another Girl. My Husband Just Asked Me to Do the Unthinkable. Life of Jesus Articles page 34.
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Discussion: That term “Expendable” again. Lepers. Cripples. Mentally ill. Elderly. Prostitutes. FEMALES. Not worth saving. God gave responsibility to the “priests” to see that these people were taken care of, not to run a scam to enrich themselves. Are there any analogies or similarities today? Mega-churches? Prosperity Gospel? Anyone expendable today? Immigrants? Undocumented? The poor? The mentally ill? Female babies in China, India, Pakistan? There are 100 million fewer women in Asia today than would be expected. Why?
Another example: THE PARABLE OF THE WIDOW’S OFFERING - Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
What does this mean? She gave everything? Was that smart? What about my cousin Elmer? He gave more than he could afford. The church loved it. Did they know he lived without heat? Running water? He mooched off the man he didn’t approve of?
Should we give EVERYTHING? Are we required to?
Is this story merely an allegory of Jesus? JESUS is the one who will give EVERYTHING - for us. Jesus gave all so we don’t have to. Or…
Here is a new take. Jesus is slamming the priests. They are living a high and mighty lifestyle, buddies with Rome, Herod, Pilate, the oppressors. The priests are supposed to be taking care of the “widows and orphans,” but instead they are demanding and squeezing every last penny out of them. The Jewish people are cold, alone, and starving. Down to their last penny. No help from the priests, the ones who take their life from them. DO THEY EVEN CARE IF SHE LIVES OR DIES? Is she EXPENDABLE?
They certainly won’t care if a man who threatens their lifestyle of luxury dies. Jesus.
Closer to home. How do we spend our money? Look at the massive cathedrals. Huge. Beautiful. And expensive to maintain. Does it honor God? Does it honor Jesus? Is this what the humble Jesus taught us to do?
Big buildings? Sing paises - does that justify an expensive organ?
Could we? Should we do with less? How much do we spend on missions? Should it be more? What do we spend on evangelism? Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every nation. Does that mean CONVERT THEM? Or does that mean go and serve them with compassion by SHARING what we have?
I have told our church’s Pathfinders committee that we spend plenty on funding mission projects but little on evangelism. How does one PREACH to every nation? By serving their needs or by trying to get them to join our “CLUB?” I was saying we need to get them to join our club. IS IT POSSIBLE I WAS WRONG?
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Here’s another question: Is it possible for churches to meet the needs of the poor adequately? Should it be churches? Are churches BIG enough to handle the task? Should it be the responsibility of Big Government? (shudder) William Paul Coffin: “Isn’t it ironic to think of the number of people in the U.S. who pray for the poor and needy on Sunday yet spend the rest of the week complaining about the government trying to do something about it.”
Here are some interesting facts. Total Wealth Equality: The estimated total wealth in the U.S. is $135 trillion. If that wealth was distributed to every ADULT American it would equal $523,255 or a family net worth of $1,046,511 per couple. Every household of couples would be millionaires. (But for how long?) Since Reagan in 1981 to Biden in 2021 $50 Trillion has moved from the bottom 90% to the top 1% of Americans.
If all the wealth in the world was distributed equally the worth would be $34,113 per PERSON. The Top 1% of the world own 50% of the world’s assets. The poorest HALF of the world own only .75% of the world’s assets. The top 1% of the world has acquired nearly twice as much of “new money” as the bottom 99% of people. 60% to 40% roughly? WOULD JESUS BE PLEASED?
The poor you will always have with you because you will always have GREED with you? Is greed the problem? The ONLY problem? Physical gifts? Mental gifts?
See APSE Articles: The Poor You Will Always Have with You - What did Jesus Mean? and Should I give Money to Beggars? Life of Jesus Articles page 35 and page 37.
(Page 63 Taxation) Roman provincial governors saw their territories as cash cows to be milked to amass the greatest possible fortunes in the shortest amount of time. Valerius Gratus (15-26 AD) and Pontius Pilate (26-36 AD) robbed Israel blind. The temple tax still stood at 10%. When combined with Rome’s tax, it ate up 40% of a peasant’s subsistence.
Pilate was a crook and people knew it. Insurrection was ALWAYS a concern to him, even the peaceful Jesus and his merry band of misfits. Especially if he fed a group of 5000 hungry men and their families. He would have taken Jesus very seriously especially at Passover when Jerusalem swelled with Jews.
(Page 64 Debt) One bad crop, one illness, one injury, one catastrophe, and debt ballooned. The farm had to be leased out. Sharecropping. With outrageous interest rates. Payments were missed. Land was taken. Men, women, sold into slavery. Children were even sold as slaves. And tortured. Matthew 18:21-34 is correctly translated as “a lender seized his indebted worker and delivered him to the torturers (hasanistas) til he should pay all his debt.” “In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed (NIV).”
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A lender could seize the wife, children, the extended family, and all their possessions. An ENTIRE village could be emptied by a lender. They all could become slaves or head to the hills. To banditry maybe? So much for slavery being different in Jesus’ time compared to slavery - or more appropriately DEBT PEONAGE - in America’s history.
Jesus taught us to pray (correctly interpreted from Greek) release us from our DEBTS, not trespasses. The problem was the DEBT spiraling out of control in Israel. People were being robbed of their lives by the OPPRESSION of DEBT. The rich were very few, and they were coming into money by power and oppression. And many of these wealthy landowners were PRIESTS.
Discussion: SEE APSE Article: Tallapoosa Peonage Case (Were Negroes better off as slaves?)
Life of Jesus Articles page 41.
While we are at it, See APSE Article: Louisiana and Alabama Literacy Tests for Voting.
Life of Jesus Articles page 44.
Page 66 Social Factors: Crime (Speaking of bandits…)
Petty theft was rampant, but so was BANDITRY, where bands of landless poor robbed and often killed those they encountered.
Discussion: A desperate population always turns to crime - seen as the ONLY means of survival? What would you do if you had no means of providing for yourself let alone your family? Is the crime rate proportional to the desperation of a population?
There were 2 types of bandits. The poor trying to survive, and better educated SOCIAL BANDITS who took advantage of the situation to promote their political agenda. The early Greek texts used the word LESTAIS, which means not only BANDIT, but INSURGENT.
The social bandits used disruption of the economy to achieve their political goal. Banditry was so widespread Roman Law considered it a natural disaster on par with storms, earthquakes, fires, sickness, and natural death. Bandits were running the countryside with an effect equal to WAR.
The Bible uses LESTARI 3 times: 1) The bandit who accosts the man in the parable of The Good Samaritan. He was a traditional “robber.” (Why would he be called “lestari?” Was he more than a petty thief? Was it because he was so violent? Is there a hidden message here?) 2) Barabbas, a true insurgent who was (supposedly) released in Jesus’ place by Pilate at Jesus’ trial, was labeled lestais, 3) Lestais was also used to refer to the two men crucified by Christ, both true “insurgents.”
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An aside: There is no way Roman authorities would have released a true insurrectionist… See APSE Article: Pilate Released Barabbas, Really? By Dr. Bart Ehrman.) Life of Jesus Articles page 45.
One thing is for sure. Banditry was SO rampant in Jesus’ time there is no question they could relate to the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Banditry / Historical Jesus / Crossan pg 168 Social banditry is one of the most universal and uniform social phenomena known to history. Found wherever societies are based on agriculture (including pastoral) and consist largely of peasants and non-landowning laborers who were ruled, oppressed, and exploited by someone else - lords, towns, governments, lawyers, banks (creditors).
Social bandits come in one of 3 forms 1) the “noble” robber (Robin Hood types) 2) the primitive resistance fighter or guerilla units 3) the terror-bringing avenger.
A social bandit, at least at first, does not rebel against the oppressors. They rebel against POVERTY, simply trying to find a way to get out of poverty.
Don’t forget how David lived when Saul did not embrace him and tried to kill him. David retired to the caves with 400 men and they became, essentially, a band of bandits.
(Page 68) Social Factors: Priestly Elitism, City vs Country - Even in Jesus’ time!
City (baffling, arrogant, extortionists) vs. Country (clumsy, brutish, ignorant, uncivilized). Where was Jesus from? Nazareth. Rural. Where did this country bumpkin get his knowledge?
They were amazed Luke 4:22 Isn’t this Joseph’s son? How could a rural laborer know all this stuff? Vs 24 …no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Jesus got a little too critical - ok VERY critical - of the priests in Nazareth (or Nazareth area) so “they got up and drove him out of town.” The priests were ignoring the plight of their people and Jesus called them on it. But why listen to him? After all, “he’s just Joseph’s son.”
City dwellers (Jerusalem) considered themselves superior because they lived “near the temple.” Jesus avoided cities except for pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
The “rural people” were people of the land and originally referred to ALL Israel; but rural now represented a derogatory term that came to mean those who did not tithe - maybe by choice, maybe because they had no money. Regardless, they were “robbing God.” Or maybe they were not doing their part to support the rich clergy and their lifestyles?
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The rural Jew was called the am ha-aretz, a term used similar to the “n-word.” Hence, Jesus was, essentially, a “n-word” trying to tell the temple priests what they were doing wrong in the eyes of God. (source: Hendricks, Jr.)
Bottom line: Jesus represented these poor rural folks: The last shall be first the first shall be last… Jesus was a champion for the “oppressed.” Remember that.
Historical Jesus by Crossan presents a different possibility. Nazareth was close to Sepphoris (3.5 miles), a MAJOR Roman city. Jesus and his disciples may not have been the country bumpkins Hendricks portrays. In fact with a 3.5 mile walk Jesus may have been exposed to some motivated Rabbi that helped to teach or tutor him in the Torah.
Biblical references provide support for Hendricks' position over Crossan’s: John 7:16 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man (Jesus) get such learning without having been taught?” And in Acts 4:13 it says: When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Recall an Earlier Discussion: Did Jesus need to learn? Being God and all? Or perhaps Jesus’ genius was noted and someone - a learned priest - took Him under his wing. Perhaps this was just the blend of rural and city influence that provided an educated advocate for those who had no voice - the oppressed. The voice for the voiceless.
Crossan again: Jesus represented these poor rural folks: The last shall be first the first shall be last… He was a champion for the “oppressed.” The “Messiah.”
But was He the last or even the first to claim “Messiah?” In the period between Roman control (47 BC) through Jesus’ crucifixion (~30 AD) and the 1st Roman-Jewish War of 66-70 Crossan lists 11 cases of bandits, 10 cases of prophecy, 5 instances of “Messiahs” (Simon in Perea - a slave of Herod (revolt of 4 BC), Athronges in Judea (revolt of 4 BC), Judas of Galilee who along with Zadok the Pharisee formed the 4th Philosophy by revolting against a census called by Quirinius - sound familiar? (revolt of 6 AD), Jesus of Galilee, and one unnamed, (perhaps Simon bar Kokhba who led the 132 AD revolt), and 7 instances of protestors.
Note: Recall Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. The trek to Bethlehem for the census called by Quirinius. So there WAS a census called by Quirinius. But in 6 AD, long after Herod the Great had died. Something in the story is amiss.
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Josephus wrote of Athronges, ironically a shepherd. He had 4 brothers who instituted a revolt against Archelaus in 4 BC The 5 were all reported strong men with fighting skills. Initially they had some success, but eventually were defeated. This uprising led to the aforementioned crucifixion of 2000 men.
Other sources name Judas of Galilee, who was possibly a robber, a teacher, or a “social bandit,” and a royal slave named Simon as leaders in the rebellion against Rome. Did Athronges, Judas, and Simon claim “Messiahship?” Josephus and Crossan both think so. See Article: The Jewish Revolts
There are 5 stages of reaching the desperation point where full out REBELLION is the ONLY option (Crossan pgg.212-213). 1) Economic reform. 2) Political revolution. 3) Social revolution. 4) Reign of Terror. 5) Dictatorship.
All of the other self-proclaimed “messiahs” advocated for violence.
Jesus stood for the oppressed. He offered the PEACEFUL solution.
He knew it would be rejected. As rights were taken away. Taxes were increased (Crossan hints at even 50 to 66%). Lands were absconded when debts were not repaid. The 6th and 7th years came when NO MONEY would be loaned since in the next year or two the loans would have to be forgiven (Jewish Law of loan forgiveness).
In the Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy 15:1-2 states that debts must be canceled every seven years. This practice, called "The Lord's Release" (remissionis Domini in Latin), is part of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah. It applies to Israelites living in the Promised Land, but not to foreigners. The creditor is not to require payment from their fellow Israelite or brother, but they may require payment from a foreigner.
Crossan sums this up with a statement from Martin Goodman: “Judean society rotted from within BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL IMBALANCE OF EXCESSIVE WEALTH ATTRACTED DURING THE PAX ROMANA ERA into the holy city of Jerusalem.”
Excessive wealth that was shared by the Jewish leaders (Saduccees and Pharisees) as long as they cozied to their Roman “partners.” Jesus saw it. Jesus criticized the practice and the leaders. Jesus warned of what would happen if the problem was not addressed - a problem the VERY RELIGION THEY REPRESENTED DEMANDED THEY ADDRESS.
The priests, instead, tried to kill the message by KILLING THE MESSENGER - JESUS CHRIST.
Just as Jesus predicted, 66 AD was the year for REBELLION. War began. The Jews lost. The physical temple was destroyed. The Sadducees and the Pharisees were no more. Enter the Jewish Age of the Rabbi, an age still existing today, by the way. AND ALSO entered in a new age of the New Covenant - what became the worldwide religion of Christianity.
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One final thought: By feeding the 5000 was Jesus showing the people they could feed themselves? They could BYPASS the Roman economy? They did not need to participate in the taxation scams and land grab schemes of the money lenders and land barons? Barter. Share. Care for one another. Love your neighbor as thyself…
Is that insurrection? Is that a crime against the government? A crime against the temple?
SHOULD WE GIVE TO A CHURCH THAT DOES NOT DO MISSION WORK BUT SPENDS ALL THE MONEY ON THEMSELVES?
The danger here is to label Jesus more of a labor leader or revolutionary for the people. Yes he fulfilled those roles. Many recognize this and STOP. Such people ascribe to gnosticism. Jesus was a great man. A wise man. A social advocate. Jesus was so much more than that. For all Hendricks' emphasis on Jesus’ teaching on social change and advocacy for the poor, he never hints that Jesus is not the Son of God who came to earth to save sinners by GRACE through FAITH.
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