Judea at the time of birth 

Over the past several weeks we took a look at what was going on during the build up to the birth of Jesus. The majority of the information is historical in nature yet Biblical references have been used to help reinforce the life in Judea just prior to the birth of Jesus. 

In Judea two weeks before Jesus’ birth, life was marked by Roman occupation, heavy taxation, social inequality, and deep religious expectation of a coming Messiah. Most people lived modestly as farmers or craftsmen, while elites and temple authorities held wealth and power. 

The political landscape was quite oppressive and led one to think at the time prior to Jesus’s birth that the Messiah was the only way to escape the cruelty of it Roman master. What did this political landscape look like. 

Roman Rule: Judea had been under Roman control since 63 BCE. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Herod the Great ruled as a client king, loyal to Rome but notorious for cruelty and paranoia.