Early Christian Life and Thought in Social Context A Reader [Paperback]

Early Christian Life and Thought in Social Context fills a vacuum in current scholarship. While there exist a number of anthologies of sources for students of the New Testament and early Judaism, this book integrates concise explanatory comment on various aspects of the historical and social situation of the early Christians with substantial extracts from early Christian, early Jewish, and Graeco-Roman sources.

1.The Political Landscape:The Persian,Hellenistic,and Roman Empires
The Rise of Persia The Persian Empire Phillip II of Macedon Alexander the Great Alexander 's Achievement Alexander 's Successors (the diadochoi) Early Rome Acquires an Empire Late Republican Roman Politics Augustus The Roman Empire in Early Imperial Times Augustus 'Successors (14-136 CE)

2.The Jews under Persians,Greeks and Romans:539 BCE-135 CE
The Jews under Persian Rule Judaea under Greek Rule (336-175 BCE) Judaism and Hellenism in Judaea Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Priestly Politics in Judaea The Maccabaean Revolt (167-164 BCE)and its Aftermath The Hasmonaeans and the Coming of the Romans Herod 's Early Career Palestine under Herod the Great and Archelaus (37 BCE-6 CE) Roman Rule in Judaea (6-37 CE) Herod Antipas Agrippa I and II Judaea and Galilee (44-66 CE) The First Jewish Revolt Palestine 70-135 CE The Revolts of 115-117 CE The Second Jewish Revolt 132-135 CE

3.Graeco-Roman Literature
History Biography Letters Poetry Moral Treatises The Novel

4.Early Jewish and Christian Literature
Apocalypses Testaments Expanded and Rewritten Bible Wisdom Literature Hymns and Prayers Jewish Historiography Gospels The Content of the Gospels in their Literary Setting

5.Graeco-Roman Religion
The Religion of the Greeks and Romans Ruler Cults Mystery Religions and Eastern Cults Oracles,Astrology,Magic and the Occult

6.Philosophy
Epicureanism Stoicism The Academy Philosophical Itinerants Philo

7.Graeco-Roman lÓr