Christianity page 2

 Christianity page 2 by ric gustafson

When Jesus Christ came on the scene, the Roman republic encompassed the entire Mediterranean theatre. Roman law could be brutal and relentless. Roman law was quiet until there was unrest, complaints or riots. Then there was warnings. If these warnings went unheeded, Roman law was swift and through until silence occured.

Rome was tolerant toward Hellenism and Judaism. The world was ready for Christianity. It was waiting for God. But which God were the people going to serve?. There were Gods from Babylon, Persia, Egypt. There were tribal and national cults. These deities changed their names and aligned with each other.  By the time of Jesus, there were hundreds of thousands of these cults. At this time, a new form of religious community started. It was a voluntary group of people coming together as individuals before their God. 

Now there was a tendency toward monotheism. There was no stability. The religious scene was moving and progressing. 

The Jewish people had a god. It was thee God. Judaism was an interior religion which pressed closely and heavily on the individual. The people were burdened with injunctions and prohibitions. The Jewish state did succumb to empires but its religious expression survived. Judaism was greater than the sum of it's parts. In the book of Daniel were the writings of the Maccabean brothers. In 165 BC, the brothers seized Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple of Greek impurities. The book of Daniel foretells the fall of empires through the agency of God not man. After the Maccabean revolt, the Jews had kings who were also high priests. 

research help: ' A History of Christianity' by Paul Johnson

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric