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| G | eography in the Time of Jesus |
The
Land
That Jesus Loved
When Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem in the hill country near Jerusalem, the whole land from the desert of Judea all the way far past the Sea of Galilee in the North was known as the kingdom of Herod the Great. The Western boundary was the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern boundaries were the trans-Jordanian mountains east of the Jordan River. The entire kingdom of Herod extended about 160 miles from north to south, and no larger than 80 miles from east to west.
The Land that Herod wanted to make Great
Herod won great favor with Rome and was considered a friend, yet he was proud, self-serving, and greedy. His architectural endeavors were truly magnificent, and no one could deny that he was among the best in the ancient world. The harbor at Caesarea was also truly magnificent, because Herod had used some crafty engineering to impress the Roman world. His engineers created an artificial harbor using immense cut blocks of concrete and stone. He also beautified the barren coastline with Roman temples and amphitheaters, including a hippodrome for chariot races that exist even to the present day. Yet his kingdom was very insignificant in the grand scheme of Rome's domination. When Herod died his kingdom was incorporated into the Roman Empire.
The Land of the Jews
During the time when Jesus was born about one out of every 10 people in the entire Roman empire were Jews. Every major city in the Roman Empire had large Jewish populations. What is interesting to note is that not many Jews actually lived in their homeland, the land of Israel. In actuality there were probably only half a million Jews at most living in the "promised land."
The "Holy" Land
Most of the Jewish people that were scattered throughout the Roman Empire made regular pilgrimages to Jerusalem throughout the year, especially Passover. The Jews were very dedicated to their religion and they looked to Jerusalem for spiritual guidance from the Mosaic law. The scribes and the teachers of the law within Jerusalem were revered throughout the world. In fact Jerusalem was so respected that the wealth that poured into the temple treasury from around the world was immense beyond imagination. The Temple in Jerusalem was one of the wonders of the world, and was so spectacular that it acquired world fame even among the Gentiles, although the Gentiles could never enter in beyond the partition wall of the Temple precincts.
The Common Jews and the Land
The simpleminded Jews that lived in the land of Israel at the time of Jesus were very insignificant in comparison to the priestly elite, scribes and the wealthy Sadducees and the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin and the Levites and all who "served" the Lord following the law of Moses in every detail in one way or another. Yet the average person found it difficult to earn enough money for his family. They were farmers and artisans who worked with their hands, baker's of bread, pottery workers, and metal smiths who paid their taxes while the wealthy found a way to escape from the tax collectors grasp. The common person's possessions were small and their homes were small. Yet in the common person's heart was a genuine love for the Land of Israel and the promises of God. They yearned for the Lord and his promises to be fulfilled, and when Jesus came his words appealed to them more than any other. The words of Jesus gave them hope and they knew that God was with them and loved them, and they knew that the promises made to their fathers were given to them. Yet the priestly elite were righteous in their own way, they lived by the letter of the law, and they acted out righteousness in every way that brought self gratification and the glory of men. Their self-righteousness made the common people feel inferior and distant from the Lord, yet the people had a yearning for God and when Jesus came they flocked to him.
Picture Study Bible - Matthew 2:1
