Page 12 - Life of Christ - textbook (3)

Jewish culture in a world that had radically endorsed Greek thought and culture. The population at the
time of Christ probably was less than 1000. They spoke Aramaic (derivative of Hebrew) and most boys
were taught to read and study the Torah in the Synagogue.

Jesus’ home was the little village of Nazareth, off
the main road, over the hill but still within walking
distance of the city of Sepphoris (3.7 miles) or
Zippori. The peasant families who lived there eked
out a living, paid their taxes, and tried to live in
peace. They were observant Jews, so they
circumcised their sons, celebrated Passover, did not
work on the Sabbath, travelled as pilgrims to
Jerusalem, and valued the traditions of Moses and
the prophets. Herod stationed a garrison of Roman
troops in Sepphoris. After Herod’s death, his son,
Herod Antipas was made tetrarch and he
proclaimed Sepphoris as the “Ornament of the
Galilee”. It was constructed as a show-case city in
the northern Galilee region. It perhaps was the site
where Jesus and Joseph worked as carpenters and
stone cutters during the time Jesus grew up.

Locate Nazareth on the map to the right (hint: look
up by the Sea of Galilee, to the left)

Bethlehem.

The city of Bethlehem is located about six miles
southwest of Jerusalem. Bethlehem means “house
of bread” and was known as the City of David. It was there in young David’s hometown that the prophet
Samuel anointed him as king over Israel (I Samuel 16:1-13). It sits about 2,600 feet above the
Mediterranean Sea. The distance between Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 80 miles or it takes about
four eight-hour days to walk.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem was a small village. The hills around it were terraced and clothed
with vines, fig trees, and almonds and the surrounding valleys yielded full harvests of grain. At the time
of Christ’s birth, there were probably less than 200 people living in Bethlehem and probably not more
than 15 to 20 male children under the age of 2. The shepherds had their animals out in the fields all
year round, so the presence of shepherds does not give us a date for Christ’s birth.

Locate Bethlehem on the map. (Hint: It is to the left of the top of the Dead Sea, south of Jerusalem.)

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