Conclusion
It is probably very hard to conceive Jerusalem during the time of Jesus without
its many Gentile inhabitants. No doubt they were many foreigners performing in
the great theater, conducting business in the many marketplaces, organizing the
main events in the hippodrome, and serving in Herod's personal court as his
bodyguard.
After Archelaus was exiled in 6 A.D. the number of foreigners in the city
greatly increased with the presence of the Roman army. Yet the city of Jerusalem
was almost exclusively Jewish, and if we were to paint a picture of the
foreigners we should probably paint them as specialists in various fields.
As for the Jews the variety of people was immense for Jews "from every nation
under heaven" would gather for the feasts, and many of them actually lived in
the city as residents. If we were to walk through the streets of ancient
Jerusalem we would find every degree of religion devotion, as well as the great
many who were set in their Hellenistic ways and not practicing the keeping of
the Law.
Jerusalem, nevertheless was a predominantly Jewish city, but it's beautiful
character belonged to the fact that is magnificent Temple was not only admired
by the local Jews, but actually belonged to every Jew throughout the world. A
great portion of religious devotion could only be performed in the Temple at
Jerusalem, and the great Jerusalem Council, the "Sanhedrin", was the only
central reference point in the entire world for the interpretation of the Torah.
It is very interesting and ironic that even this body of rulers should have been
called by a Greek name, because "Sanhedrin" is simply a rendering of synedrion,
the Greek word for council.
This central status of Jerusalem for international Jewry had many financial
benefits. Unlike any of the cities in Syria it received annual Temple dues from
a large and organized "Dispersion", and unlike other cities, it received an
immense cash flow. It is very unlikely that this cash was held in safekeeping
within the Temple vaults. The Temple no doubt served as a bank, and put the cash
back into circulation by lending, and financing businesses. As a matter of fact,
we learned from Josephus that Pontius Pilate caused a disturbance by "spending
of the sacred fund called Corbonus on a water supply" (War 2:175). This action
provoked a monstrous demonstration against his authority. It is interesting that
the complaint was not because he had somehow managed to obtain money given to
the Temple authorities, but that he had received money from the wrong fund.
Nevertheless, the water supply probably doubled the population within Jerusalem,
from around 35,000 to 70,000, throughout the reign of Herod the Great. This
estimate is simply a likely guess. It is also important to know that there were
an estimated 2 million people who worshipped at Jerusalem during the Passover.
It is probably very underestimated just how many non-Jewish admirers had come to
Jerusalem as proselytes to worship at the Temple of the One and True God.
Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He ministered the love and mercy of God.
People could see this by the look in His eyes, and by the tone of His voice. No
one with an open hard could mistake the genuine love of God that was in Christ.
He turned away no one, including the foreigners whose very presence was
considered unclean to the Jews. This was not only an offense to the Jewish
religious authorities, but one of the main reasons why they plotted His death.
When Jesus had finally set His face to go to Jerusalem, the religious leaders
were hostile, and there is no doubt that by this time they had committed to His
murder and dared Him to show His face openly in public. Jesus not only came to
Jerusalem and showed His face, but he came riding into Jerusalem through the
eastern gate, even the Golden gate, on a donkey. This was in direct fulfillment
to several Old Testament prophecies, including Zechariah 9:9. The people began
waving palm branches and shouting "hosanna" which means "save now" and called
Him "the son of David" which was a common expression among the Jews for
"Messiah".
When Jesus entered the Temple of Jerusalem, He passed by Solomon's porch in the
Court of the gentiles where He saw the money changers and those selling
sacrifices, and he drove them out of the Temple, saying that they had made His
Father' House into a den of thieves. The common people, including the
foreigners, had every right to seek God and not be treated with contempt, and
taken advantage of. Jerusalem, the faithful city, had become a harlot. At the
end of Jesus ministry, He uttered the horrifying statement about the Temple to
his disciples, "not one stone will be left on top of another, which will not be
thrown down."
Jesus gave his final indictment to the faithless city:
Matt 23:37-39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' "
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Table of Contents
Main Menu
- Ancient Assyrian Social Structure
- Ancient Babylonia
- Ancient Canaan During the Time of Joshua
- Ancient History Timeline
- Ancient Oil Lamps
- Antonia Fortress
- Archaeology of Ancient Assyria
- Assyria and Bible Prophecy
- Augustus Caesar
- Background Bible Study
- Bible
- Biblical Geography
- Fallen Empires - Archaeological Discoveries and the Bible
- First Century Jerusalem
- Glossary of Latin Words
- Herod Agrippa I
- Herod Antipas
- Herod the Great
- Herod's Temple
- High Priest's in New Testament Times
- Jewish Literature in New Testament Times
- Library collection
- Map of David's Kingdom
- Map of the Divided Kingdom - Israel and Judah
- Map of the Ministry of Jesus
- Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
- Messianic Prophecy
- Nero Caesar Emperor
- Online Bible Maps
- Paul's First Missionary Journey
- Paul's Second Missionary Journey
- Paul's Third Missionary Journey
- Pontius Pilate
- Questions About the Ancient World
- Tabernacle of Ancient Israel
- Tax Collectors in New Testament Times
- The Babylonian Captivity
- The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser
- The Books of the New Testament
- The Court of the Gentiles
- The Court of the Women in the Temple
- The Destruction of Israel
- The Fall of Judah with Map
- The History Of Rome
- The Incredible Bible
- The Jewish Calendar in Ancient Hebrew History
- The Life of Jesus in Chronological Order
- The Life of Jesus in Harmony
- The Names of God
- The New Testament
- The Old Testament
- The Passion of the Christ
- The Pharisees
- The Sacred Year of Israel in New Testament Times
- The Samaritans
- The Scribes
Ancient Questions
- How did the ancient Greeks and Romans practice medicine and treat illnesses?
- What were the major contributions of ancient Babylon to mathematics and astronomy?
- How did the ancient Persians create and administer their vast empire?
- What were the cultural and artistic achievements of ancient India, particularly during the Gupta Empire?
- How did ancient civilizations like the Incas and Aztecs build their remarkable cities and structures?
- What were the major trade routes and trading practices of the ancient world?
- What was the role of slavery in ancient societies like Rome and Greece?
- How did the ancient Mayans develop their sophisticated calendar system?
- What were the key events and significance of the Battle of Thermopylae in ancient Greece?
- What was life like for women in ancient Rome?
Bible Study Questions
- What does biblical archaeologist said about hieroglyphics?
- Where is the Negev where Abram went to in Genesis?
- What is the name of Ramallah in the Bible?
- How do we approach and study the historical and cultural context of biblical passages?
- What is the significance of the Psalms in personal and corporate worship?
- How do we discern and apply biblical principles to contemporary ethical issues?
- What is the biblical perspective on the nature of God's love and mercy?
- How do we interpret and understand apocalyptic literature in the Bible?
- What are the different covenants in the Bible and their significance?
- How do we grow in spiritual maturity and develop a deeper understanding of the Word?
About
Welcome to Free Bible: Unearthing the Past, Illuminating the Present! Step into a world where ancient history and biblical narratives intertwine, inviting you to explore the rich tapestry of human civilization.
Discover the captivating stories of forgotten empires, delve into the customs and cultures of our ancestors, and witness the remarkable findings unearthed by dedicated archaeologists.
Immerse yourself in a treasure trove of knowledge, where the past comes alive and illuminates our understanding of the present.
Join us on this extraordinary journey through time, where curiosity is rewarded and ancient mysteries await your exploration.
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