glory to glory

By laughawaycare —

google search: jesus mean after john the baptist killed

After John the Baptist was killed, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place in grief, but was followed by crowds; He showed compassion by teaching and miraculously feeding thousands, seeing John's death as a signal that His own ministry of preaching and healing should intensify, and that the "kingdom of heaven suffers violence" from eager seekers, signifying the start of a new era where people forcefully sought the Messiah.

Jesus's Actions & Emotions

Grief & Solitude: Jesus experienced deep sadness and sought privacy to grieve, withdrawing by boat to a desert place to pray.

Compassion: Despite His own sorrow, Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes who followed Him, teaching and feeding them.

Intensified Ministry: John's execution, by God's enemies, signaled to Jesus that His own messianic work, including preaching and healing, needed to accelerate.

Biblical Interpretation & Significance

Signal for His Ministry: Jesus saw John's arrest and death as a prophetic sign that the time for His own public ministry to begin in earnest had come.

"Kingdom Suffers Violence": Jesus's statement about the kingdom suffering violence (Matthew 11:12) refers to the intense enthusiasm and eagerness of people pressing to enter the kingdom, a fervor amplified by John's prophetic work and Jesus's arrival.

Continuity: John was seen as more than a prophet, a forerunner whose death marked the transition from the Old Testament era to the new Messianic age, linking to the spirit of Elijah.

Public Perception
Some people, including King Herod, believed Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, reflecting the great impact John had and the messianic expectations of the time.

google search: were gentiles richer than jews at the time of jesus

Based on historical analysis of 1st-century Judea and the Roman Empire, economic wealth was not strictly determined by religious identity (Jewish vs. Gentile) but rather by social class, proximity to Roman power, and urban versus rural location.

  • Roman/Gentile Elite: The highest economic echelon consisted of Roman officials and, in some cities, Greek-speaking Gentile elites who benefited from Roman administration and tax collection [1].
  • Wealthy Jews: There was a wealthy, urban Jewish elite, particularly in Jerusalem, which included the high priestly families, aristocratic landowners, and merchants involved in trade [1, 2].
  • General Population: The majority of both Jewish and Gentile populations in the region were farmers, artisans, and laborers living at a subsistence level [1].

Key Economic Dynamics:

  • The Temple Tax: The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem accumulated vast amounts of wealth, making the priestly aristocracy extremely wealthy [2].
  • Roman Taxation: High taxes imposed by Rome burdened the general population (both Jewish and Gentile), leading to significant economic disparity [1].
  • Urban vs. Rural: Wealth was concentrated in urban centers (like Jerusalem, Caesarea, or Sepphoris), while rural areas (like Galilee) were generally poorer [1].

In summary, it cannot be generalized that Gentiles were universally richer than Jews. Rather, a small class of elite—both Jewish and Gentile—held the majority of the wealth, while the average Jewish and Gentile, rural population faced similar economic hardships.

Yes, generally speaking, the Gentile (specifically Roman) population in the 1st-century Mediterranean was wealthier and held more structural power than the Jews in Judea and Galilee, who were largely subsistence farmers living under Roman economic oppression.

While a tiny, elite class of Jews (priestly families, Herodians) were wealthy, the vast majority of the Jewish population lived near or below the subsistence level.

Key Factors Influencing Wealth Disparity

  • Roman Exploitation: The Roman Empire imposed heavy taxation on subjects, with 9 out of 10 people in the region living close to subsistence level.
  • Land Ownership: Wealth was primarily based on land ownership, which was controlled by a small number of elite families (both Jewish and Roman), while most Jews were tenant farmers or peasants.
  • "Roman Rich" vs. Local Rich: The "rich" in Galilee were not considered "Roman rich" (those in the leisure class), as they often still had to work, whereas Roman officials and landowners enjoyed the true wealth and luxury of the empire.
  • City vs. Village: While some Jews lived in cities and worked as craftsmen or merchants, the majority were in rural areas. The Romans dominated the major, wealthier administrative centers.
  • Economic Tension: Galilee was divided by tensions between the Jewish/Gentile, ruler/ruled, and rich/poor, with the Roman administration often favoring the Gentile population or elite, leading to a high tax burden and forced labor for the Jewish majority.

Nuance on Wealth Roles
Some analyses suggest that in the 1st century, the Jews were not necessarily poorer than other rural populations in the Roman East, but they lacked the immense, accumulated wealth of the Roman elite in urban centers. Additionally, some scholars argue that early Christians, often drawn from the lower, impoverished strata of Jewish society in Palestine, were particularly destitute compared to the broader Roman world.

Why did Jesus treat the Cannonite woman in such a way if He is sinless and loving?
by u/Tornado_Storm_2614 in ChristianUniversalism

https://www.npr.org/2014/04/07/300246095/if-jesus-never-called-himself-god-how-did-he-become-one