Chapter 2 The mundane settings of the new testament

What is Aramaic

A sister language to the traditional Hebrew during the exile that was picked up

What public conveniences was Alexandria known for?

A well developed school system as well as a city library (contained over a half a million of volumes)

What public conveniences was Antioch Syria known for?

Antioch had two and a half miles of streets paved with marble and night lighting. Sewage systems and bathouses were also in Syria

What is Ostraca?

Broken bits of pottery for writing

What social structure existed in the New Testament time?

Classes were stratified in pagan society; There were the wealthy landowners, politicians, government contractors. Middle class didn't exist. Slaves did most of the work creating a lack of the middle class

What was voluntary association?

Early forms of labor unions

What was the science and medicine culture like?

Eratosthenes, librarian of Alexandria taught that the earth was spherical and calculated its stize at 24000 miles in circumference in 300 bc. Also calculated that the earth's distance from the sun was 92 million miles

What was honor viewed as?

Honor was obtained through marriage and enhancing family honor. Honor exceed wealth. Shame was the concern of one's honor. Honor was the status of society (ancestry, gender, locality, heroism, athletic victories, political/religious advancements) Honor was obtained by financing public buildings, pavement, sporting events being held all for the purpose of acquiring honor. WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT OF YOU COUNTED MORE THAN WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF YOURSELF

What was the birth rate in Palestine?

Large families were common. Boys brought joy, girls brought disappointment.

Describe exposing

Leaving a new born child for death or servitude

What was the Jewish Social Structure?

Leveling influence of Judaism tended to reduce a stark stratification in Jewish Society. The religious and political elite concentrated in Jerusalem (Upper Class) Majority of the population was farmers, artisans, small business owners

What was the birth rates like for a Greco roman family?

Low, larger families were encouraged. Special concessions to parents with three or more children were given. Bachelors were taxed.

What was the language that the Jews in Palestine spoke?

Not only Greek but mostl Aramaic and some Hebrew

What is a dyadic personality?

One determined largely by others rather than individual views of your own person. Boasting was perceived as normal

What was the Roman dietary routine?

Romans ate four meals a day which consisted of bread, porridge, lentil soup, goat's milk, fish and diluted wine.

What was the social climate like for Jewish women?

Severe restrictions existed (largely uneducated). Males dominated them. Children lived under the unlimited authority of their fathers

What was the climate for slaery?

Slavery wasn't racially based In some cities slaves equaled the number of free people. Jews tended not to enslave other Jews, there were slaves in Christian households

What was the business climate like?

Small businesses were prevalent. Agriculture was advanced. Banks mirrored how they operate today. networking was prevalent

What is Sacral Manumission?

The act of a slave buying his or her own freedom in the name of a god of the temple where they had banked their savings Some bought their way into slavery so they could be supported

What role did the family play in society?

The family formed the basic unit. Nuclear families were not the norm, extended families were. The most senior male acted as head of the family. Kinship was very strong, first cousin marriage was preferred (anything closer was incest)

What did the Jewish dietary routine consist of?

The jews ate twice a day, once at noon, and once in the late afternoon, early evening. The Jewish diet consisted of bread, fruits, vegetables. Meat was usually reserved for festivals

What career was the most hated?

The tax collectors (publicans) They handled the currency with blasphemous pagan inscriptions

What was Endogamy?

The technical term for marriage between relatives which kept property and other forms of wealth within the clan Romance seldom played a part. Brides were purchased and weddings featured a celebration without religious rite.

What is a broker?

a person who brought in patrons and clients for mutual benefit

What is a patron?

a person who would provide the goods, funds, services

what is a client?

people in need