For the average Jew in first century Israel life was not piece
of cake. We commonly think of a tithe being only ten percent of our income, but
for these Jews tithes for all of the different events could end up costing them
almost fifty percent of their resources.[1] Roman
people in general did not have to worry so much about their finances because their
idols did not call for such obligations.
In those times another great
distinction that took place had to deal with the types of homes people lived
in; you had those who lived in the desert dwelling in tents, most Jews would
reside in houses made of stucco or sun-dried bricks, and most Romans lived in
houses of brick or concrete.[2]
The houses in Palestine for the lower class were often not much more than a
single room without a window, the houses often had flat roofs with fences
around them (to prevent people from falling off). [3] Those
with the means could afford more affluent mansions; whose remnants can be found
by archeologist.[4]
For the Roman upper class you would almost have a hard time distinguishing it
from a modern home they had central heating, baths, and plumbing, and using oil
lamps as a source of light.[5]
We are not given much information
about the way Romans ate, we can assume that they must have eaten better than
the average Jew depending upon their place on the social scale. However, most
Jews lived on a diet of fruit, vegetables and especially bread; while some Jews
in northern Palestine would eat fish.[6]
Every family in Palestine was in charge or teaching their children about the
law, while the communities did provide schools[7]
and gave the males in particular their general education. Most females were
only trained in the domestic duties of the home, except for the rare few. For
the boys their career in school would usually end by the time he was twelve or
thirteen years old, which at that point he would begin learning a trade to
support himself and his family.[8]
For a Jew one of the most important
things they owned, for some possibly the only thing they could call their own
was their tunic. A tunic was a garment that would be worn year round, and
generally went from the shoulder to either the knees or ankles.[9] In
regards to how the people of this time got around there was an extensive road
way built but travel especially for commerce was more likely to take place over
the water.[10]
When dealing with entertainment the
Jews enjoyed much of what we enjoy in our time, hanging out with music, and
playing board games.[11]Whereas
the Romans for enjoyment would take people and throw them in the ring with
animal or one another and watch them die. It has been surprising that the Romans
were so advanced in some ways with the way they lived while seeming barbaric in
others. Then the way the Jews chose to relax almost feels like that is the way
we as people were created to enjoy life.
[1] J. Julius Scott Jr.,
Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,
1995)238.
[2] Thomas D.Lea, and
David Alan Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message. (Nashville:
B&H Academic, 2003)32.
[3]
Ibid, 33-34.
[4]
Ibid., 34.
[5]
Ibid, 34.
[6]
Ibid, 34.
[7]
Scott, Jewish Backgrounds, 257.
[8]
Ibid, 258.
[9]
Lea, New Testament, 35.
[10]
Ibid, 39.
[11]
Ibid, 40.
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