Book Review - Daily Life in the New Testament by James W. Ermatinger
Category Book Review James W. Ermatinger
When reading any book that is outside of your particular culture or time period, it helps to understand exactly what the society was like at that time and place. Nowhere is this more important than when reading the Bible. Daily Life in the New Testament by James W. Ermatinger goes back those days surrounding the birth of Jesus to explain the social, economic, and political settings that shaped the environment of the New Testament.
Contents:
Geographical and Historical Overview; Daily Life of Geographical Groups in Palestine; Nonreligious Influences - Language, Art, and Hellenistic Culture; Pre-Messianic Judaism - Worship and Temple Practices; Expectations of the Messiah; Trades and Professions; Rural Life and Urban Life; Family Life and Living Conditions; Roman Occupation; Conclusion; Glossary; Bibliography; Index
One of the problems I have when reading Biblical accounts is not being able to accurately fill in the background. What was the prevailing mood of the people in relation to their government? How much of a role did religion play in the daily lives of the people? What sort of jobs were common and/or looked down upon? Daily Life helps me make that leap from plain words to words in context. For instance, we view Jesus's role of Messiah through the context of hindsight and 2000 years of history. But back then, it was all happening real-time with no indication of how it would all turn out. Knowing that different groups (Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, Essenes) all had a different view of what a messiah would be, helps to understand why Jesus was not necessarily viewed with favor among the various religious and political factions. Some wanted a military Messiah who would vanquish their oppressors. Others wanted a religious Messiah who would purify the Jewish religion. When Jesus didn't meet either of those extreme views, people got confused...
It's best to approach this as a reference book, not a narrative along the lines of "a day in the life of..." While the reading isn't exactly riveting narrative, it does present facts and ideas in a fairly concise manner. I'd consider it one of those titles you should have on hand if you're trying to add some color and context to a difficult Biblical passage...
When reading any book that is outside of your particular culture or time period, it helps to understand exactly what the society was like at that time and place. Nowhere is this more important than when reading the Bible. Daily Life in the New Testament by James W. Ermatinger goes back those days surrounding the birth of Jesus to explain the social, economic, and political settings that shaped the environment of the New Testament.
Contents:
Geographical and Historical Overview; Daily Life of Geographical Groups in Palestine; Nonreligious Influences - Language, Art, and Hellenistic Culture; Pre-Messianic Judaism - Worship and Temple Practices; Expectations of the Messiah; Trades and Professions; Rural Life and Urban Life; Family Life and Living Conditions; Roman Occupation; Conclusion; Glossary; Bibliography; Index
One of the problems I have when reading Biblical accounts is not being able to accurately fill in the background. What was the prevailing mood of the people in relation to their government? How much of a role did religion play in the daily lives of the people? What sort of jobs were common and/or looked down upon? Daily Life helps me make that leap from plain words to words in context. For instance, we view Jesus's role of Messiah through the context of hindsight and 2000 years of history. But back then, it was all happening real-time with no indication of how it would all turn out. Knowing that different groups (Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, Essenes) all had a different view of what a messiah would be, helps to understand why Jesus was not necessarily viewed with favor among the various religious and political factions. Some wanted a military Messiah who would vanquish their oppressors. Others wanted a religious Messiah who would purify the Jewish religion. When Jesus didn't meet either of those extreme views, people got confused...
It's best to approach this as a reference book, not a narrative along the lines of "a day in the life of..." While the reading isn't exactly riveting narrative, it does present facts and ideas in a fairly concise manner. I'd consider it one of those titles you should have on hand if you're trying to add some color and context to a difficult Biblical passage...
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Posted by Chris Whisonant At 08:05:01 On 04/08/2008 | - Website - |