Where Did Christmas Come From? Constantine and the Origins of Christmas

 December 25th...Christmas! The day boys and girls the world over most look forward to. It's a time of celebration, of gatherings, of specially prepared foods, decorated trees, and, of course, of presents! There are often special events like parades, the occasional carolers, theme related plays, movies, and television programs (and let's not forget football games too!). 

Of course, it's also the day when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, the centerpiece of their religion and immovable cornerstone of their faith. But did you know that December 25th was more or less randomly chosen?

Although its core was centered in Roman occupied Judea and the Galilee (today's Israel), it's primary areas of growth were the far reaches of the Roman Empire, thanks primarily to the missionary efforts of Paul of Tarsus, along with others, who operated principally in Greece, Western Turkey, Syria, and, of course, Rome itself.

The early Christian movement was essentially a messianic Jewish sect, one of many at the time, and came about during a particularly tremulous period of simmering political and social tension as conquered peoples throughout the empire struggled under the yoke of Roman occupation.

Christianity, thus, incorporated fragments of other religions and philosophies; most notably Greco-Roman, which was dominate at the time, as were the teachings of the Jewish sage, Hillel. As such, it shares similarities with other sects like the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the cult of Mithras, which was especially popular among the military class, as was the cult of the sun --- Sol Invictus, also associated with Mithras (collectively these were known as "mystery cults).

Not long after the execution of Jesus in around the Year 33, Judaism in all its forms underwent a profound change when Rome, tired of constant revolts and rebellion, sacked Jerusalem and leveled the Temple complex, and in doing so, destroyed the priestly caste.

This new messianic sect, however, survived thanks in part to their wide dispersal around the empire. However, their survival was a mixed blessing. While they avoided the fate of Sadducees and Pharisees (and perhaps the Essenes), their refusal to acknowledge the divine sovereignty of the emperor, made them a "enemy of the state" for which they would pay a very high price.

They were often harassed or persecuted. They paid additional taxes, they constantly faced possible arrest and imprisonment, or were sold as slaves. Some emperors went so far as to include them as part of the "entertainment" for the Coliseum games, which literally included "feeding them to the lions" (and the tigers and bears...oh my!).

Emperor Nero was known to have them tied to poles, doused with oil and lit them on fire, thus serving as human candles during his nightly parties. Nevertheless, the sect continued to grow, albeit in secret. Meetings were held in secret in people's homes, forests, or in caves and catacombs among the dead.

Finally, in 312 AD, there came Constantine (later known as "Constantine the Great)  and everything changed. Around October 28, 312, then General Constantine was engaged in a battle with Maxentius, the son of the dead Emperor Maximinus and heir apparent, over the control of the empire. It was another of Rome's infamous civil wars signifying a dying empire.  The battle was at the Milvian Bridge (now Ponte Milvio), which spanned the Tiber River, and it would decide the fate of Rome. 

While the troop strength was roughly equal, the odds seemed to favor Maxentius as some of the leading generals, such as Severus, the co-ruler of the empire, defected to Maxentius. Maxentius also had the support of the Rome's senate However, Constantine had the support of Galerius, the emperor of the eastern portion of the empire. So, what happened?

The story that's come down from history is almost assuredly exaggerated, if not just a myth. It says that on the evening before the decisive battle, Constantine, turned his attention to the heavens and begged for divine support (or at least a sign). Accordingly, it was said that he saw a celestial cross in the sky and heard a voice whisper to him "in this sign you shall conquer".

Other stories have this as a dream and still others say that he was looking at the setting sun the day before the battle and saw a cross (this is often called a "sun halo" or a "sun dog"). Also, instead of hearing a voice saying "in this sign....", the voice said "through this sign you shall conquer". Did any of it really happen? Maybe. He did, no doubt, know that many of his officers and soldiers were secretly Christian and he desperately needed their support. Thus, it was said that he ordered a cross to be painted on all the shields, and if he won, he would convert to this new religion.

It's worth noting too that the cross was not then commonly associated with Jesus or Christianity, nor was it a particularly good omen since crucifixion  was still in use.  The more commonly accepted symbol for Christians was the fish (or ichthus). It should be mentioned that at this time Constantine wasn't a Christian. He was a follower of the Sol Invictus---the Invincible Sun.

But regardless of what Constantine saw or heard, he was victorious. Most of Maxentius' men fled. Maxentius drowned in the Tiber River, brought down by his heavy armor as he fell off his horse and into the swift river trying to flee with his troops.  Assuming the sign as being responsible for his victory, all persecution of Christians stopped. Christianity now became the defacto official religion of Rome, which he made official with the signing of the Edict of Milan in 313, just one year after his victory.

The new emperor immediately set about instituting massive reforms throughout the empire. Everything was reorganizing the government, fiscal and other economic reforms, and changes in the military.  However, Constantine is perhaps best known for his organization and consolation of Christianity. 

In 314, Emperor Constantine summoned a council of key Christian leaders or "bishops" to Arles in Gaul (modern southern France). Technically, the meeting was to address the Donatists, a growing Christian sect based in Carthage (Rome's old enemy) and largely outside the control of Constantine. Their intent was to basically destroy this so-called "splinter" group before a irreparable schism could divide the emerging faith. However, the meeting was also to test Constantine's control over the bishops as well as establish precedent in dealing with other "heretical" sects (most notably the Arian and Gnostics).

A few years later, in 325, came the best known and most significant of the meetings, the Council of Nicaea.  This meeting set about formally hammering out Christian doctrine, the organization of the church (which was loosely modeled on the Roman military), deciding on which biblical texts were "canon" and which weren't (and what parts of various texts were to be deleted or changed).

As an aside, Constantine declared the Sabbath would no longer be Friday/Saturday. The Sabbath would now be Sunday in honor of Sol Invictus and would applied to all religions per his decree on March 7, 321.As Christianity grew in popularity, it eventually replaced the other religions and Sunday became its own.  

The Council of Nicaea also sought to clarify the nature of Jesus and establish whether he was divine, semi-divine, or simply an enlightened moral. They also dealt with other issues such as his birth (and thus Mary and her relationship vis-a-vis Jesus), his siblings, Joseph, God, and, of course, the various apostles, the role of women, the nature of sin, and so forth. The human Jesus was to be replaced by the immortal Christ as one of the delegates (an Arian) stated.

Needless to say, those present were not just the best and brightest in Christendom present, but the best and brightest throughout the empire. There was a great deal of disagreement among these distinguished individuals (okay, even some heated yelling matches, shoving, and even a fistfight between St. Nicholas--aka "Santa Claus"--and St. Arius). In the end, the Council of Nicaea laid the foundation for Christianity as an institution and created the core statement of faith known as the "Nicene Creed" (the "Apostle's Creed" would later evolve out of it).

So what does all this have to do with Christmas? Just this. The Council of Nicaea, under the direction of Emperor Constantine, set forth the two central events for all Christians---Easter and Christmas. Easter, which symbolizes the belief in the resurrection of Jesus following his execution, as well as the nature and date of his birth. So, if you ever wanted to know when Christmas (or "Christ Mass") first started, this is it!  

At the time of Nicaea, there were several differing Christian sects. Each had its own religious texts and traditions, which could vary widely. Some had certain books or texts than others didn't which included various stories about Jesus. For instance, some included stories of his birth. Some didn't. A few, but not all, mentioned his brothers and sisters.  Some detailed more of his teachings. Others didn't, and so forth.

 As an aside, the teaching of many of these "non-canonical" or unapproved texts would later be ordered to be discontinued while others were edited or considered as "apocryphal" and "pseudo-apocryphal" books. And yet other texts would be seized and destroyed. In fact, many of the smaller Gnostic sects would be burned as "heretics" along with their books. As a result, many of these sects hide or buried their sacred texts until, hopefully, safer times arrived.

Many of these early Christian sects which had a birth narrative that assumed Jesus was born in the Spring based on lines  like "tending flocks in the field". Thus, March 28th was generally accepted as his birthday or at least, nativity. However, if Christianity was to be the "official" state religion, Constantine would still need to contend with the very popular pagan cults of Isis, Mithras, and Sol Invictus.

The three pagan cults held that the winter and spring solstices were the most sacred (in fact, most pagan religions in general still hold these as sacred). Therefore, Constantine decided these should be merged and celebrated as a way to bring the four religions together (besides, as a follower of Sol Invictus, Constantine, was well aware that the "birthday" of Sol (the sun) was December 25th, the Winter Solstice).

The Spring Solstice, which was celebrated a symbol of the nature's rebirth and fertility, fell conveniently in line to be the date of the resurrection. It was also close to the Jewish day of Passover, which was mentioned in the majority of various Christian texts pertaining to the crucifixion. Other events could (and eventually were) incorporated around these two central pillars of Christianity.  Thus, Constantine brought the four main religions of the Rome Empire together, which he hoped would ease some of the mistrust and competition between them.

Note too that "Christmas" was, strictly speaking, a solemn day of worship. It simply meant "Christ Mass" or Mass of/for Christ". There was no tree or gift giving. The evergreen tree was incorporated from ancient Germanic pagan practices and first introduced in the 1500's. Legend holds that religious reformer (and one of my ancestors), Martin Luther, first placed candles on the trees after a walk in the forest where he saw stars peering through the limbs of snow covered evergreen trees.

The notion of gift giving dates back to ancient Celtic, Germanic, and Roman practices during the winter solstice celebrations. Typically these were inexpensive items such as combs, yarn, and flint. Expensive objects were actually frowned upon. It was believed that simple and practical were in keeping with the spirit of the season. By the late 300s, converted Christians had carried over the practice into their new found faith, which was supported by the gifts brought from the east by the three Magi.

As for Constantine himself and whether he kept his promise to convert to the new religion of Christianity which had secured his victory, that's a matter of debate. Some historians and theologians say that he did immediately after his victory. Others say it was while he was on his deathbed that he fulfilled his promise, and then there are those who say that his "conversion" occurred  shortly after his passing since apparently the bishops attending him could do such things. Regardless, Christmas...and Christianity...all began with Emperor Constantine.  

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Christmas

Sol Invictus

Mithraism

Paul And The Greco-Roman Mystery Cults

The Jewish--Roman War

Constantine the Great and Christianity

The First Council of Nicaea

Apocrypha

 

New Testament Apocrypha

History of Christianity

Origins of Christianity

History of Christmas Trees

Why do we give gifts at Christmas?

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Merging Religion and Politics or Stop Letting Your Dogma Chase My Karma

"Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains." (Mark 13: 6-8). This passage is from the Christian New Testament. Most would consider it to be a dark and foreboding passage, while others---the "true believers"---consider it a warning with an ultimately happy ending...of sorts. It's about the so-called "End Times" which is a popular theme among the three Abrahamic religions; namely Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Groups like ISIS/ISIL/DASH, Al-Qaeda, Boku Harem, and other such terrorist organizations openly proclaim that it is their "divine mission" to provoke not just the West, but any and all nation which isn't under Sharia law in order to "hasten" the coming of the 12th Iman, which is their equivalent of the Messiah. Some even claim that that individual already exists but is waiting for the right moment to appear. This individual will be seen as the Prophet Muhammad reborn. Along with him will come Jesus, who is seen as a lesser prophet, whose job is to convert all non-believing Christians. After their successful victory, there will be a divinely inspired Caliphate to rule the world for eternity.

In Judaism, they await the coming of their two (or three) messiahs. Specifically, a return of the ancient prophet Elijah who will precede the Messiah ben Joseph, who is sometimes called Messiah ben Ephraim. This individual will be followed by the long awaited Messiah ben David. However, before any of these individuals can appear, certain conditions must first be meet. First, the Jews must return to their ancient homeland, Israel. Next, they must rebuild their ancient temple (for the third time) and reestablish the priesthood, both of which were destroyed by the Roman in 70 CE under the command of future emperor, Titus. Of course, there are numerous sub-plots which have to take place such as a great persecution of the Jews, the birth of "pure" white bull (that is, one without any physical flaws or marks) and so forth.

Ben Joseph will do battle with an evil ruler from the North named "Armilus", who is born of "a woman of marble" in Rome, will ultimately kill ben Joseph and leave his body in the streets of Jerusalem. Armilus and his minions will then descend on the nation of Israel and will be defeated by its new leader, ben David. Ben Joseph is brought back to life, along with all the "devout" Jews who've died down through the centuries, thanks to Elijah, along the world and its "true believers" will enter a new "Messianic Age", said to last 1000 years.

Christians have a different take, however. They believe that Jesus, their messiah, will return after the rise of two really nasty and evilly possessed individuals, the "Anti-Christ" and the "False Prophet" (some interpretations claim they are actually one individual). The "Anti-Christ" will come to power over a reconstituted Roman Empire with the "False Prophet" acting as his PR man. Together, they will seduce the world and force everyone to accept his personal brand or stamp---666---or the "Mark of the Beast". Those that refuse will be unable to conduit any financial transactions, buy food, etc. As an aside, the number is sometimes written as "616". Either way, it was intended to be symbolic of the then current reigning emperor, Nero Caesar.

A some point, Christians will be singled out for persecution (some Christian theologians claim this will include Jews as well). Meanwhile, things will go to "hell in a hand-basket". There will be all sorts of natural (or not-so-natural) disasters like in increase in volcanic eruptions, extreme changes in the weather and earthquakes, rampant diseases, starvation, and, as alluded to in the opening paragraph, wars and rumors of war. Eventually, Israel will be left standing alone with small pockets of Christian "true believers", and just when it looks like all is hopelessly lost, the dark and ominous clouds (these seem to be required in any apocalyptic story) will open and Jesus will coming riding down on his white horse (naturally) surrounded by an army of angels. A horrific battle in the heavens between the demon armies of Satan and Jesus and those on the ground will ensure; centering in a valley called Megiddo (hence the term Armageddon).

Ultimately, the Anti-Christ and his PR guy, the "False Prophet", are defeated, bound, and thrown into a lake (or pit) of fire for a 1000 years along with any remaining demons; his evil earthly minions follow him into the pit shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, any non-believing Jews remaining will convert on the spot, and a new divinely led or inspired era will ensue; one which includes a "New Jerusalem" and a divine kingship.

Now, I admit that I've given the abbreviated version of events. To spell out the apocalyptic visions of all three of the Abrahamic faiths in detail would take way to long: there are literally dozens of texts which deal with each religion, and hundreds of additional books examining each point, not to mention the dozens of books excluded from officially sanctioned scripture. However, I wanted to point out the difference and similarities of each of the three religions, which share a common origin, starting with their mutual founder, Abraham, who is credited with being the literal father of Judaism and Islam through Sarah and their son Issac and Hagar and Ishmael respectively.

All three believe there will be mounting violence and destruction. Some of it will be natural, while parts will be either divine retribution for straying from the "righteous path", while some demonic power reins over the balance of it in the form of wars, disease, pestilence, and their derivatives such as famine, a lack of fresh water, toxic pollution, and so forth. In the case of Islam, they believe they must act to help bring about the arrival of the 12th Iman, which includes destroying all those who are non-believers.

Judaism, on the other hand, believes it has a divine right to restore its former glory, especially the restoration of its temple complex on its original site and priesthood. The only problem, however, is that the site of the original temple is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which were built between 692-693 by the Umayyad Caliph, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, which was about 55 years after the capture of Jerusalem by the invading Muslim armies. As an aside, some Islamic scholars believe that al Malik purposely built the site as an alternative hajj (a mandatory religious pilgrimage) to Mecca and its "Ka'bah", considered the most sacred structure in Islam, since at the time Mecca was under the control of competing sect led by an individual named Ibn al-Zubayi.

Nevertheless, many Jewish theologians and scholars hold that the temple complex must be completed for restoration of Israel's former glory (some scholars don't believe in a literal return, but more of a "Messianic Age" or a second "golden age" for Israel. However, they also recognize that to do so meaning removing---likely by force--the existing mosque, which will be like throwing a firecracker into a hornet's nest.

Christians tied their end-of-days story closely to the Jewish tale, with an obviously emphasis on themselves as previously described. They believe pretty much everything that the Jews do, except they are the intended victims, or at least as much as the Jews are. Their biggest difference is that their messiah returns a second time, from heaven, while the Jews believe theirs will come for the first time, and will be divinely inspired, but not a god or demigod; just a purely mortal human being.

What's interesting about all three interpretations is that for each, the other one's "messiah" is their demonic bad guy. So, for the Muslims, the Jewish reborn Elijah and Messiahs ben Joseph and ben David, are the "Spawns of the Devil". Jesus is actually a Muslim and a sidekick to the 12th Iman. His role is to convert or destroy non-believing Christians. Meanwhile, the 12th Iman and his forces are the evildoers of Judaism and Christianity. Now the really scary part of all this is that each believe with absolutely certainty that they are correct; there is no debate and definitely no questioning. This means that each is on a deliberate path to mutual self-destruction in order to see their particular vision come to pass.

An interesting side note to all is that is that neither Buddhism, Hinduism, nor Shintoism and any of the Shamanic religions contain this type of doomsday scenario, which is at the core of the three Abrahamic faiths. For the Buddhists, it's more of a natural, cosmic event. Think of it as the Big Bang in reverse followed by a simultaneous new Big Bang and the cycle of creation repeats. In Hinduism, which also follows a cyclical philosophy, the god Vishu returns in the final comic cycle (known as a "kalpus") as the god or avatar "Kulki", on a white horse carrying a flaming sword resembling a comet with a long tail, and destroys the forces of evil which has come to destroy all those seeking enlightenment. Interestingly, this final, fourth, cycle is known as the "Kali Yuga", which so happens to be our present one. Once this destruction takes place, the cycle of creation repeats.

The majority of shamanic or "natural" religions such as Wicca, paganism, Native American, Tengri, and so forth, all have their take on how things end, but they tend to believe that Mankind in general is blame, not any specific individual or entity is the cause. Mankind loses its connection to the Earth and to Nature. As a result, we destroy ourselves out of our own willful ignorance, arrogance, and old fashion greed. In a sense, Nature fights back to rid itself of what is "making it sick" as some of these religions believe. The Mayans predicted that we will (and have) enter a final cycle whereby there will be great change. However, it will not make an "end" has some have tried to predict. Just the end of one cycle and the beginning of another, and with all ends and new beginnings, there is change, often major change. It reminds me of a line from Frank Herbert's novel Dune in describing religion and politics, "the religion and politics ride in the same cart, the whirlwind follows".

So, just what does all of this have to do with politics? Actually a lot. There was time, not very long ago historically, where religion and politics were one in the same; different sides of the same coin. In some societies, such as exist in Islam, it still is. However, there seems to be a unconscious belief in the other two Abrahamic religions which hasn't fully divorced itself from the political secular and the private religious. At the same time, the native or natural religions may be on to something. We have, as a species, lost our way. Violence has dramatically increased, especially over matters of religion. Instead of allowing each other the right to believe or not believe as we decide, we're seeing an dramatic increase by some that all must comply or die.

That's wrong any way you look at it in my opinion. Whatever choice we make is ours and ours alone. If there is a Hereafter or some Divine Justice, then that's between us as individuals and that entity, not some person who claims to know the Divine Mind and what's best for us. It was just a few weeks ago that two Scandinavians girls were murdered; beheaded by a group of "men" who thought that by lobbing off the heads of these two innocent girls, they were appeasing their god! Throughout Europe, and increasingly in the US, Australia, and elsewhere, we see the same group demanding that all must "submit" or face death (of course, if we pay a tax and forfeit our natural rights, we get to live at their discretion). That ideology is fundamentally opposed to both Western and Eastern Thought. It seeks to deny us as individuals the right of free choice. It imposes a tyranny which is nothing less than enslavement.

However, every religion, philosophy, government, or political ideology which attempts to prohibit independent thought, the questioning of its so-called "authority", or our blind obedience to it is nothing less enslavement by other means. This "disease"--- for lack of a better term---is spreading across the world like one of those apocalyptic black clouds. If it's allowed to go unchecked, it will lead to either the shackling of the Human Spirit or to its destruction. Ultimately, we are our own deliverers; our own "messiahs". We are the ones who've fashioned the shackles and we are the ones who have the keys to unlock those shackles and our potential as a species. We can have faith, but it will be us as individuals and together, who must save Humanity.



Dome of the Rock Shrine

Buddhist Theories About the End of the World

Hindu Eschatology

Apocalypse Prophecies: Native End of the World Teachings

Christmas Time in 2018: Some Lessons To Consider

Well, Christmas time is upon us once again, and once more we hear the refrain of "Peace of Earth and good well to all", yet when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts, we're hardly very "peaceful". It seems that it's all about grabbing what you can, including elbowing, punching, scratching, and outright knock downs and drag outs over some toy, piece of technology, or item of clothing which will be obsolete in a matter of months. People have complained for decades about how commercial and materialistic Christmas has become with all its glitz and glamour, around the clock advertising, and mindless buying sprees.

There are currently some 26 wars or conflicts being waged around the world as I write this with Ten of them have the potential to escalate, and none of them have anything to do with Donald Trump being the President. In fact, the majority of them involve religious extremism led by a militant version of Islam versus everyone else (as an example, two young girls on vacation in Turkey were recently murdered---beheaded---by extremist). The next biggest cause resulted from the usual economic reasons, which is control of resources including the Civil War in Syria, the growing situations in East China Sea and the Crimea and the political/economic instability in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere , followed by ethnic violence.

Often these situations overlap with religion, economics, politics, and ethnic or sectarian violence all playing a factor in varying degrees. There is the increasing likelihood of violence in other places, which are currently simmering, such as Europe due to the increasing violence and strain on the social infrastructure caused by the mostly under educated and poorly skilled "migrants"; many of whom having embraced a radicalized Islam.

In today's America, we are facing increasing problems with our decaying infrastructure,an antiquated tax system, and some would argue, even our social system as "Identify Politics" continues to grow, pitting groups and individuals against each other along every conceivable line. Income inequality is growing. Internationally, we are facing challenges not just from old enemies, but from new ones as well.

The old adage, "Peace on Earth and good well to all" seems far more appropriate today than ever before. It seems that not only is America spinning apart, but so too is the whole world. Perhaps we should remember that Christmas celebrates the symbolic birth of Jesus approximately 2000 years ago (scholars will tell you that the actual birth likely took place in the Spring. Early Christians celebrated the nativity on March 28th before the adoption of December 25th). This was a time when Judea was an occupied country, militarily, politically, and religiously by the Romans military along with a puppet government (in those days politics and religion were merely different sides of the same drachma), a corrupt and collaborating religious elite, a pervasive Greco-Roman religious pantheon, and by Greek philosophy.

There was social chaos, uprisings, protests, and violent reprisals, especially in the northern area of the Galilee, known for being a hotbed of troublemakers. Just 9 months prior to his birth, there had been a serious uprising against Roman authority just a short sling shot's throw away, in nearby Sepphoris (Sepphoris, which is largely forgotten today by all but a few biblical historians and archaeologists, was the major Greco-Roman city in region and considered a bustling "modern" city of its time where there was able work to be had).

The short lived revolt was led by a certain Judas ben Ezekias just shortly after Herod the Great died, and when Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have been about 13 or 14 years old. Part of the revolt included attacking the royal palace and its armory. The initial success of ben Ezekias' revolt resulted in other protests and revolts breaking out all over the country. The Roman governor of Syria, who oversaw the Galilee, a nasty individual by the name of Publius Quintilius Varas, led three Roman legions and auxiliary troops, mostly from Greece, to crush the uprising in typical Roman fashion; that is to say, with utter ruthlessness.

As an aside, women, or rather young girls were typically married off within a month of having their first period. Boys were deemed men, and thus subject to marriage on their 13th birthday. Marriages were almost always arranged by their parents; usually within the same village or at most, the next adjacent community. In some cases, if there were no available children of marrying age, an agreement would be negotiated (along with fee or down payment) with any women in the village who happened to be pregnant that if their child was healthy and of the suitable gender, they would be "promised" upon reaching the age of maturity. As a result, most villages were heavily interconnected through marriage.

Sepphoris, which had fallen into rebel hands, was burnt to the ground on orders from Varas and thousands of Romans and auxiliary troops laid waste to almost all of the Galilee, including neighboring Nazareth (which likely had under 30 families living there at the time) with the usual Roman efficiency and zeal , which naturally included executions, beatings, and rape (since this was viewed as a revolt against Roman authority, anyone found or even suspected of being guilty was subject to the Roman punishment for treason par excellence, crucifixion.

Men and even some women would be nailed to a crossbeam and hoisted onto a fixed post all along the main roads and left to die, which could take up to a week, after which their bodies were ordered to be left to rot where they would be devoured by birds and wild animals (as an aside, because wood was so scarce, the crosses would be repeatedly reused; often removed and transported to where they were needed except in Jerusalem, where there was a fixed point for execution of those convicted of treason). The point of this form of punishment was to both inflict a slow painful death and to serve as a warning to all to might think about defying the power of Roman. So, in effect, it was to inspire terror). The trauma of Varas' brutal response left the entire region in shock and fear of the Romans for years to come...as intended. Those rebels not killed in the fighting or later executed were sold into slavery with many going to the mines in Spain or Britain, which was as good as a death sentence.

It was into this particular world that Jesus, or Yeshua as he was actually known, was born (the fact that he survived childhood was itself something of a miracle given the extremely high rate of infant mortality and death of the mother). Life in occupied Judea was never easy. In addition to be a political/religious hot spot, it was also one of the more poorer areas where there was few private ownership of land except by rich estate holders. Many worked for these individuals, working their fields on the few arable tracts of land which was available or tending to the grape or olive orchards (wine and olive oil were major commodities).

Others earned a living fishing and selling their catches in the local marketplaces while others, who tended to be on the lowest end of social totem pole just above beggars, were the tradesmen. Common belief was that Jesus, like his father, Joseph, was a carpenter. However, that's not accurate. Wood was a rare commodity and usually only used by the well to do. Thus, most tradesmen were engaged in some sort of stonework, though they were by necessity, jack-of-all-trades (the term used to describe Joseph's occupation is "tekton" which actually means simply a builder and typically applied to someone who built with stone, which was the most common building material available. By the way, unlike today, children started helping out almost as soon as they could walk. In fact, everyone contributed in some way as a matter of survival. Women would tend to the children as well as weave if they were able, or make and/or paint pottery, help their husband sell their wares or catches in the marketplace, and whatever else they could do.

Life was a daily struggle, and under the yoke of Roman rule, it could be especially hard especially when it came to taxation, which could take the form of coinage or produce (by weight). In addition, religion was not something optional; something you did one day a week. It was a daily thing. Practically everything act was governed by some religious law, which is one reason many younger or particularly ambitious Jews decided to embrace the Greco-Roman influence of their occupiers. Greco-Roman philosophy and especially its religion still involved a certain amount of religious "duty", but far less than required under strict Judaic law. However, there were certain obligations that even the most lax Jew tended to follow, and that included donations to the Temple during High Holidays such as Passover, which was hard especially for the poor, which, no doubt, Jesus' family was.

For example, when Jesus was born, his parents were required to participate in practice called "Redemption of the First Born". In theory, the first born child or animal had to be "redeemed" based on a passage in the Bible which said that the first born child or animal belonged to God (Numbers 8:17). Obviously no one was going to sacrifice their first born child, so they were required to buy them back. The costs was five silver shekels. In lieu of cash, a lamb could be offered. Well, if you were wealthy, that wasn't a problem, but if not, that became an issue. Heck, you may not even own a lamb or know anyone in your village who owned a lamb! But there was an out. The Torah stipulated that in case of dire poverty, the parents could offer either two doves or two pigeons as a burnt offering (Leviticus 12:8).

Is this what Jesus' parent's did? Well, they were likely poor enough to qualify. Well, in the Book of Luke (Luke 2:24), that's exactly what we're told they did. Both Joseph, Mary, and Jesus make a trip to the Temple in Jerusalem (which was no easy day trip. They likely had to travel the 65 or so miles on foot, which could also be dangerous, and likely spend the night beside the road if they were unable to complete the journey during the day. Once there, they likely made the Temple their first stop. While there, they may have stayed with relatives in order to save money, which they didn't have much of to begin with. They may have done some sightseeing, as long as it was free, and headed back as soon as possible. I can imagine Joseph seeking a day job in order to earn extra money to feed his family. After all, this wasn't a vacation. If they weren't working, they weren't eating.

Education was a luxury which only a very small handful of individuals could afford, and those were mostly the elites such as the political and religion class, and certain individuals in the upper echelons on the military and perhaps a few well-to-do merchants. In Jesus' case, it's extremely doubtful that he was literate, at least not fully. He would have been taught a passage or two for his Bar Mitzvah. Whether or not he was able to read the passage or simply memorized it is open to debate. If he did learn any more than that, he was indeed a lucky child because that meant that he lived close enough for someone educated to teach him (for free, which was rare in itself) and that his family could afford for him take time away from work (highly unlikely), but there were some extremely rare exceptions.

Most learning took place after work and the evening meal, and was primarily oral (the day started just before sunrise and ended when there was just light enough to walk home, which was about 45 minutes to an hour from Sepphoris to Nazareth). Learning by listening and memorizing stories was the most common form of education, especially among the poor. Even in Greece, known for its higher learning, the use of oral traditions was still common. Children would either listen to stories told by their parents, or other parents and the village elders (if there was an actual reading taught, this would have been the time and place).

It would have been a difficult childhood for anyone of this place and period. Life under Roman occupation could be brutal, especially in a place known for its active opposition as the Galilee was. However, the Romans did tend to be tolerant of most religions, including Judaism. By and large, most religions had no problem with the Romans when it came to religion. As a general rule, subject peoples were usually denied the right to practice their religion by a conquering power. A conquered people were typically required to destroy their old gods and adopt the new ones. Temples or other places of worship were either destroyed or "purified" with fire to make temple fit for the new religion. In the case of the Romans, they allowed their subject peoples to believe as they saw fit provided they paid at least a nominal homage to the Emperor, usually in the form of a statue in the main temple. Normally, this wouldn't have been a problem, except for the Jews of Judea. Their religion explicitly prevented them from doing so (Exodus 20:1 -17). Specifically, it was the Second and Third Commandments which were the problem.

The Second Command read "Thou Shall Not Have Any Other Gods Before me". The Third Commandment, which followed along the same lines, said "Thou Shall Not Make Unto Thee Any Graven Image(s)". Plus, we have to recall that the Temple was considered sacred in the extreme, and while local Roman appointed governors might contribute money and labor to its repair or building, there was simply no crossing the line when it came to placing a statue of the Emperor or Imperial eagle or any other symbols on or near the Temple. Ultimately, this was to the result in being the biggest source of opposition by the Jews, and to their downfall.

We can try and imagine what this moment in history must have been like, but truthfully it's difficult at best. It's almost as if we trying to look at an alien society. It was one which, on one hand, was devoted to the Torah and to its religious institutions and priestly class, which it followed to the letter. On the other hand, it had become unwieldy and corrupt. It's most powerful religious leader, the High Priest, was appointed by the Roman governor, who also made the recommendations for the Sanhedrin who were then appointed by the High Priest. In short, Roman controlled the religious life of the people.

Roman also controlled its social and economic life through taxation and the issuance of licenses (which usually came with a nice kickback). Judea also face the encroachment of a fundamentally different religion, along with a system of philosophy which attracted its young people (some males went as far to reverse the procedure of circumcision, which was extremely painful, just to fit in with the sons of Greeks and Romans). It was increasingly common for young Jewish men not just to abandon the faith of the fathers, but to even adopt the customs of the Greeks and Romans; of going to public baths and exercising in the nude, which was forbidden under Jewish religious law. They stopped learning the Torah and started learning Greek or Latin, and studying the works of Greek authors (many of those Jews who could afford an education usually sought out a Greek one instead of a religious based one). Thus, it was feared by the more traditional that Judaism and Jewish Identity may fade away along with the nation itself.

This was the world into which Jesus was born. Perhaps by knowing a little more about the reality of it, we may come to appreciate ours a little bit better, and that just might help us strive a bit harder to find "Peace on Earth and good well to all".




10 Conflicts to Watch in 2018



CFR: 26 Global Conflicts