And Galilee, the fourth and northernmost area of Palestine? Well, that has been a matter of debate. To be sure, the population there was Jewish, for Jesus is well-known for his mission among the Galilean Jews. But where did those Jews come from?
Many people may wonder why this is a question. Have not Jews been in Galilee since the Twelve Tribes settled there in the thirteenth century BC? Actually, no.
Certainly Galilee was settled by the tribes of Zebulon, Naphtali, Issachar and Asher. Later it belonged to David’s kingdom and then to the northern nation of Israel. But the Assyrian Emperor Tiglath-Pileser III conquered Israel in 733 BCE and the surviving rump state was obliterated by his successor Shalmaneser V in 722. All the population was relocated to other areas of the empire.
At this moment, Galilee drops out of history for the next 600 years. To be sure, 2 Kings 17 tells of the resettlement of Samaria, but Galilee is not mentioned.
Archaeological research now reveals this was not just an oversight of the Biblical writers. Surface surveys indicate no human occupation of the Galilee during the sixth and seventh centuries BCE. A few scattered, small settlements began to appear in following centuries, mostly military outposts and a few small farming communities which sent their harvests to the coastal cities. The same conclusions can be drawn from the excavations of major sites as well. So Galilee remains essentially empty for more than half a millennium following the Assyrian invasions.
The archaeological evidence reveals a sudden change about the start of the first century BC. Over a period of a couple decades, dozens of new villages appear. This indicates that a new, rather large, population comes into Galilee. The trend continues for the next half century or so, with many new settlements appearing and then growing larger.
Who were these new inhabitants? These new archaeological findings indicate that they were transplanted Judeans. The ancient historian Josephus relates how Alexander Jannaeus, the King of Israel from 102 to 76 BC, extended the northern boundary of his Judean-centered country into Galilee during his reign using military means.
Unfortunately, Josephus says nothing about Jannaeus’ management of the country once it came under his control. For a long time, scholars have held that he simply converted the people he found there, the Itureans, to Judaism. Since there was no large population in Galilee at the time, we now know this incorrect.
The archaeology instead reveals that the new inhabitants were Judeans. First, the currency of the region is now that of the Judean Janneaus and his successors; it is not that of the coastal cities or of Damascus further north in Syria. Second, excavated village areas reveal the same interest in religious purity common among Judeans, with ritual baths cut out of the bedrock and houses that contained stone bowls, cups and plates that were impervious to impurity. Third, the Galileans followed a Judean diet in that they did not eat pork; no pig bones are found in the garbage dumps.
So the archaeological research of recent decades now shows that the Galilean population of Jesus’ time were descendants of Judean immigrants of a century or so earlier.
It’s just the Jewish name for him alright. You learn something new each day. Don’t make a big deal. I don’t use “god” because there are so many gods. They all have different names.
Clearly the comment had been made by two (2) members. You should not be posting your real name on here but Im assuming its not your real name. Whatever.
There is a theory that Jesus traveled to the Far East to study the teachings of eastern mystics and Buddhist monks in the Himalayas. This seems quite believable because the preponderance of what Jesus espoused was taken directly form this theology. I’m surprised you have never heard about any of this? I will tell you more but only if you are actually interested.
The Masoretic Text that was formed during the 7th-11th centuries is the actual text that underlies the Old Testament of the most circulated Holy Bible of the Christian world, the King James Version. Modern observant Jews no longer voice the name aloud.
I am using the Hebrew name of god.
So in other words, you are saying that Jesus never denounced the words of his father Yahweh?
If that were indeed the case, you should have no trouble refuting me? Yet it hasn’t exactly worked out that way has it?
I am Terrible sorry 'Miss Perfect'......I do a have slight Disability problem with which is called 'Dyslectic'....please forgive me,oh 'Gracious One'.......And again 'Miss Perfect' have a great and happy day.........
Two people mentioned it sir and it was for your own safety that it was being brought up. No reason for you to become enraged or rude.
You can not allow for any recognition of a religious doctrine in PUBLIC schools that are funded by tax dollars. That is completely ludicrous. If you allow for the observance of Christian prayer then what of the Jewish students? The Islamic? The Wiccans? The Satanist? Where does it end?
I never have stated that I dislike Jesus or I have a problem with the teachings of Jesus. Clearly, if he existed, he denounced the word of Yahweh in favor of the kinder and gentler eastern mystics of which he traveled and visited.
That is a load of crap. Prove that the biblical god of the OT was different from the god of the NT. It’s not as if the NT is problem free either. Do you want to tackle Paul head on? Or you don’t care because you are a man?
Treat others the way you would like to be treated – with respect - be polite, considerate, with no personal attacks, name calling, harassment, bad language. This is a place for discussion, debate, even disagreements – but not arguments just for the sake of arguing or aggravation.
Me? Angry? Okay if you say so. My creator was my mother, sir as was your creator. Why not giving some credit where credit is due? And now you are denying that these men who wrote the bible were divinely inspired? I bet you are going to hell over that one.
So in other words, you doubt the word of your "divine creator" because he clearly was an a**hole. You instead feel it fit to re-interpret everything that these people were trying to communicate? That’s a lot of foolishness.
I don’t understand why you Christians want to attempt to “commandeer” Albert Einstein all of a sudden if he was clearly an atheist scientist. You do realize his Special Theory of Relativity made the point that a large amount of energy could be released from a small amount of matter. This was expressed by the equation E=mc2 (energy = mass times the speed of light squared). The atomic bomb would clearly illustrate this principle.
I received your letter of June 10th. I have never talked to a Jesuit priest in my life and I am astonished by the audacity to tell such lies about me. From the viewpoint of a Jesuit priest I am, of course, and have always been an atheist.
- Albert Einstein, letter to Guy H. Raner Jr, July 2, 1945, responding to a rumor that a Jesuit priest had caused Einstein to convert from atheism; quoted by Michael R. Gilmore in Skeptic, Vol. 5, No. 2
Well until you can give me one reason why then you are simply projecting your own interpretation onto these passages in which case every single Christian alive does that as well. That’s probably why we have more denominations of Christianity than we do world religions. Its sheer lunacy. You can not denounce half the bible because it stinks.
Einstein was not a Christian. He sort of went back and forth between Atheism and theism throughout his life which is not uncommon for scientists. Stop misrepresenting historical figures.
So what makes that horrible god any different from the Greek or Roman pantheon? Why is that one more believable? And how can you pick and choose? Are you a designer Christian? Do you just pick out what sounds good like going to a salad bar?
RE: Law and Grace, Old Covenant and New Covenant
This is interesting.And Galilee, the fourth and northernmost area of Palestine? Well, that has been a matter of debate. To be sure, the population there was Jewish, for Jesus is well-known for his mission among the Galilean Jews. But where did those Jews come from?
Many people may wonder why this is a question. Have not Jews been in Galilee since the Twelve Tribes settled there in the thirteenth century BC? Actually, no.
Certainly Galilee was settled by the tribes of Zebulon, Naphtali, Issachar and Asher. Later it belonged to David’s kingdom and then to the northern nation of Israel. But the Assyrian Emperor Tiglath-Pileser III conquered Israel in 733 BCE and the surviving rump state was obliterated by his successor Shalmaneser V in 722. All the population was relocated to other areas of the empire.
At this moment, Galilee drops out of history for the next 600 years. To be sure, 2 Kings 17 tells of the resettlement of Samaria, but Galilee is not mentioned.
Archaeological research now reveals this was not just an oversight of the Biblical writers. Surface surveys indicate no human occupation of the Galilee during the sixth and seventh centuries BCE. A few scattered, small settlements began to appear in following centuries, mostly military outposts and a few small farming communities which sent their harvests to the coastal cities. The same conclusions can be drawn from the excavations of major sites as well. So Galilee remains essentially empty for more than half a millennium following the Assyrian invasions.
The archaeological evidence reveals a sudden change about the start of the first century BC. Over a period of a couple decades, dozens of new villages appear. This indicates that a new, rather large, population comes into Galilee. The trend continues for the next half century or so, with many new settlements appearing and then growing larger.
Who were these new inhabitants? These new archaeological findings indicate that they were transplanted Judeans. The ancient historian Josephus relates how Alexander Jannaeus, the King of Israel from 102 to 76 BC, extended the northern boundary of his Judean-centered country into Galilee during his reign using military means.
Unfortunately, Josephus says nothing about Jannaeus’ management of the country once it came under his control. For a long time, scholars have held that he simply converted the people he found there, the Itureans, to Judaism. Since there was no large population in Galilee at the time, we now know this incorrect.
The archaeology instead reveals that the new inhabitants were Judeans. First, the currency of the region is now that of the Judean Janneaus and his successors; it is not that of the coastal cities or of Damascus further north in Syria. Second, excavated village areas reveal the same interest in religious purity common among Judeans, with ritual baths cut out of the bedrock and houses that contained stone bowls, cups and plates that were impervious to impurity. Third, the Galileans followed a Judean diet in that they did not eat pork; no pig bones are found in the garbage dumps.
So the archaeological research of recent decades now shows that the Galilean population of Jesus’ time were descendants of Judean immigrants of a century or so earlier.