Teachers: the objective of this lesson: increase awareness of the religious complexity of the first century world. Most people in the Roman empire worshipped idols. Comparatively few were committed to Judaism or Christianity. In the last half of the first century, most converts to Christ were converted from some form of idol worship. To stress that point, you might note that all of Paul's letters to the churches were written to congregations with a significant number of Christians who were not Jews. Converts from idolatrous religions had little or no background in Jewish history, Jewish law, Jewish worship, or the Jewish prophets. Using our terminology, they came from nonchristian backgrounds and had no knowledge of scripture. Before becoming Christians, they knew little or nothing about the living God. Many circumstances unrelated to Judaism affected the development and maturing of the church.
Among Christians, this was a past common view: the first century world was simple and uncomplicated. In this view, because the Jewish people were the primary people in the Old Testament, they were assumed to be "major players" in the first century world. According to this view, the complex transition confronting Christianity was the transition from Jewish law to the authority of Christ. Other transitions were comparatively "minor."
In the past, Christian studies placed little emphasis on the problems produced for Christian individuals and congregations by idolatrous views of deity, idolatrous views of the world, and idolatrous views of people or situations. In our present complex age, Christians need to realize Christianity began in a complex age.
The Jewish people were not "major players" in the first century Roman world. In the New Testament, they were a conquered people who were part of the Roman empire. They lived under Roman rule. While they enjoyed large measures of independence in numerous internal matters, in some matters they were completely dependent on the rulings of local Roman authorities. Jewish people did not occupy all the territory of the Old Testament's united kingdom. The first century Jews in Palestine lived in Judea and Galilee. The majority refused to visit or travel in Samaria [formerly a part of the united kingdom's territory].
Jewish people were scattered throughout the first century world. Through their synagogue system, they had significant religious influence. However, they were only one of many religious influences. They certainly were not the only nor the primary religious influence in the early first century world.
If we consider territory, Israel's most extensive Old Testament borders [in their united kingdom] were a little over one hundred miles north to south and a little over fifty miles [at the widest point] east to west. In Israel's most powerful ages, that nation dominated several small countries. However, Israel did not regard these countries' territory as their tribal territory. Many of our American states are larger than their Old Testament nation!
The Jews were a small population who came from a small country. Use some local destinations to illustrate how small an area one hundred ten miles by fifty-five miles is.
As noted in previous lessons, the Jewish religious situation was complex. The religious situation in the Mediterranean world of the Roman empire was more complex. We tend to lump this complexity together as "idolatry" and assume all non-Jewish religious systems were basically alike. That was not the case. As complex as the Jewish situation was, the Mediterranean world was more complex. That complexity produced enormous pressures on Christianity. The early church existed in a world filled with varied, competing religions. While these religions were commonly tolerant of each other, their views and emphases differed.
As Christians, we view the Jewish religious situation as complicated: Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Zealots, Essenes, Samaritans, the Diaspora Jews. These were not "Jewish denominations." They were groups who viewed devotion to God, the law, and worship from different perspectives. Judaism collectively and those groups individually were radically different from the religions in sectors of the non-Jewish, nonchristian Roman empire.
The following is given to illustrate the religious diversity in that world. There were state religions. These religions were impersonal, ritualistic, and political. There were Greek and Eastern mystery religions. These appealed to whose who wanted intimate contact with the gods. They focused on an intimate faith that satisfied personal cravings. Alexander the Great introduced forms of these religions to the Mediterranean world.
State religions allowed people to affirm political loyalty. Mystery religions allowed people to address personal needs and crises by appealing to the gods.
There was the popular cult of Serapis that originated from Egypt. Serapis was identified with the sun-god, was focused on nature, and offered protection. It was a religion that expected exclusive devotion to its god.
Those merely begin the list. There were the Greek and Roman deities, Egyptian deities, Phoenician deities, the cult of Atargis [Syrian in origin], the cult of Mitra, astrology, and gnosticism, each with a widespread presence. Add to these large numbers of local deities. Add yet again popular concepts of fate and magic.
The point of the lesson is to make Christians aware of the multitude of religions in the first century world. While a study of first century idolatry and religions has merit, it is not the intent of this lesson to focus on such a study.
Religiously, it was a complex world. [For an introduction to religions in the first century world, two beginning sources are Merrill C. Tenny's New Testament Times (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, Michigan) 1975, and Everett Ferguson's Second Edition: Backgrounds of Early Christianity (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, Michigan) 1993.
Idolatry exerted a significant pressure on Christians. Idol worshippers frequently regarded Christians to be atheists. In many religions in that world, a person could [and should] worship many gods. Only a few religions excluded other gods. Judaism was exclusive: a Jew worshipped one God and rejected all others. Christianity was also exclusive: Christians, too, worshipped one God and rejected all others. Commonly, forms of idolatry were not exclusive (see Acts 17:16-23).
When much of the world worshipped many gods and your religious body worshipped only one God, you must be explained. Often the explanations attached to you are uncomplimentary. When your faith excludes something fundamental found in popular religions [what is more fundamental than the existence of the god you worship?], your religion "must be" flawed and defective.
Acts 17:22-33, Paul's speech to the Areopagus in Athens:
Paul noticed their numerous objects of worship. He introduced his lesson by noting their altar erected to "an unknown god." The people he addressed did not wish to offend any god, even if they had no knowledge of that god's existence.
The living God he introduced to them was the God who created. He holds position of Lord (authority, ruler) over heaven [therefore other spiritual beings and their activities] and earth [therefore over humans and their activities]. The living God does not live in temples. He is not in any way dependent on humans. He is the origin of life and existence. His design is for all people of all nations to exist as a common humanity. He is and has been involved in basic human affairs.
People were to seek for and find the living God who is near everyone. It was [and is] possible for everyone to find Him. People should seek for and find Him because He is our origin and sustainer. He determined our nature. We do not determine His.
People should not reduce the "Divine Nature" to an art form of objects made of precious metals or to a human concept.
In the past God overlooked human ignorance. Now God declares all people should repent. God has appointed a time to judge the inhabitants of the world by the righteousness revealed through an appointed man whom God resurrected.
Romans 1:18-32, Paul's letter to Roman Christians living in the capitol city of the empire wherein many religions were practiced.
Things that suggest Paul was not [in this context] writing about righteous Jews or Christians: these people used unrighteousness to suppress the truth; their expectations were futile; their hearts existed in darkness; they were fools who declared themselves wise; they reduced the incorruptible God to idols [images of earthly creatures].
They practiced homosexual acts; they were filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; they were addicted to envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, and slander; they were hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, and disobedient to parents; they were without understanding, were untrustworthy, were unloving, and were unmerciful; instead of considering the consequence of their behavior, they sought only to justify their behavior and to give encouragement to those who practiced such behavior.
Reflect on some of the problems in the church located in Corinth (1 Corinthians): rejection of the idea that deity could be executed on a cross (1:18); the desire to substitute a "wisdom" emphasis for the emphasis on crucifixion (1:20-24); criteria for determining foolishness (1:13-14); sexual immorality (5); attitudes toward pagan courts (6:1-11); attitudes toward prostitution (6:12-20); worship practices and attire (7); and sacrifices to idols (8). These problems reflect concerns of converts who were not Jews. Corinth was a major port city on a major sailing route to Rome [a significant world market]. That world's religious influences passed through the ports located near Corinth.
The book of 1 Corinthians provides evidences of numerous stresses produced on Christianity by idolatrous views.
Churches in much of the first century world existed in religiously complex environments, and that environment created stresses. The New Testament should be read and understood with that awareness.
Link to Student Guide
Quarter 1, Lesson 8