Page 155 - Biblical Backgrounds

Jewish Backgrounds in Acts and the Epistles.

Connect…

We must understand that the Jewish background in which Christianity developed is vital for
understanding the New Testament. At some time or another, Christians all wonder whether baptism is
necessary to be saved eternally. The real question is what baptism was in that culture and how it was
understood. We also wonder why the Jewish culture in Palestine was convinced that the exile had not
truly ended yet. Why did the Jewish people consider themselves in exile, though some still lived in their
homeland? If we know why, it will help us to understand what the culture was trying to accomplish as it
attempted to bring about the return from exile. Understanding what the goal of ending exile entailed
will help us understand the various sects present in Judaism during the time of Jesus and the early
church. It will explain why various socially significant groups gained influence.

What were the major social groups that defined the culture of that time? Jewish life and background
were not limited to the land of Israel (called Judea by the Romans). As we have already seen, many Jews
were scattered throughout the empire. What about their lives? Many different views of the coming
Messiah were dominant throughout Jewish thought at the time. What was the messianic hope of the
Jews? Another major issue from biblical interpretation is what discipleship was like in that time. How
does that understanding inform our reading of the Gospels, Acts, and the epistles? All of these subjects
are vital snapshots of the world in which the New Testament was written. They open our eyes to see the
meaning of the text of Scripture as the readers would have likely understood it. One of the most vital
things to understand is the honor-shame culture of Israel. In this section, we will address each of these
issues.

The Lesson ...

Jewish Backgrounds in Acts and the Epistles

At some time or another, Christians wonder whether baptism is necessary to be saved eternally. The
real question is, what was baptism in that culture, and how was it understood? We also wonder why the
Jewish culture in Palestine was convinced that the exile had not truly ended yet. Why did the Jewish
people consider themselves in exile, though some still lived in their homeland? If we know why, it will
help us to understand what the culture was trying to accomplish as it attempted to bring about the
return from exile. Understanding what the goal of ending exile entailed will help us understand the
various sects present in Judaism during the time of Jesus and the early church. It will explain why various
socially significant groups gained influence. What were the major social groups that defined the culture
of that time? Jewish life and background were not limited to the land of Israel (called Judea by the
Romans). As we have already seen, many Jews were scattered throughout the empire. What about their
lives? Many different views of the coming Messiah were dominant throughout Jewish thought at the
time. What was the messianic hope of the Jews? Another major issue from biblical interpretation is
what discipleship was like at that time. How does that understanding inform our reading of the Gospels,
Acts, and the epistles? All of these subjects are vital snapshots of the world in which the New Testament

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