Expert: Brenda Martin - 8/30/2004

Question
Thanks so much with the help so far. I need help geting started then I'm ok from there.  My question concering John is... (1) Briefly trace the historical background of John 4:1-42

For this question I have quite of bit of information... But I need to put it together... the right way... I would like to have your thoghts on the question..  I need information connecting the time period of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles with the corresponding period of time in the secular history of the Roman empire's domination of the Jewish homeland. If you can, I need you to include the religious, political, and military conditions that had bearing on the life and ministry of Jesus, and the establishment of the New Testament church following the Pentecost.  I know this is asking for a whole lot...  What ever information would be great... thanks..  

Answer
1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF JOHN 4:1-42

Deep animosity existed between Jews and Samaritans. On one occasion, Jesus sent messengers to make preparations for him in a certain Samaritan village. But those Samaritans “did not receive him, because his face was set for going to Jerusalem.” This upset James and John to the point that they wanted to call down fire from heaven and annihilate them. But Jesus rebuked the two disciples, and all of them went to a different village.—Luke 9:51-56.

Did Jesus share the feeling of animosity existing between Jews and Samaritans? Well, notice what happened on another occasion. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Judea to Galilee and had to pass through Samaria. Tired out from the journey, Jesus sat down beside Jacob's fountain to rest while his disciples went to the city of Sychar to buy food. Meanwhile, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Now, Jesus himself had on another occasion classified Samaritans as being “of another race.” (Luke 17:16-18, The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) But he said to her: “Give me a drink.” Since Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, the surprised woman replied: “How is it that you, despite being a Jew, ask me for a drink, when I am a Samaritan woman?”—John 4:1-9.

But Jesus ignored the woman's objection. Instead, he seized the opportunity to give her a witness, even acknowledging that he was the Messiah! (John 4:10-26) The amazed woman left her water jar at the fountain, ran back to the city, and began telling others what had happened. Although she had lived an immoral life, she revealed her interest in spiritual matters by saying: “This is not perhaps the Christ, is it?” What was the final result? Many of the local people put faith in Jesus on account of the fine witness the woman had given. (John 4:27-42)

Interestingly, in his book A Biblical Perspective on the Race Problem,

Congregational theologian Thomas O. Figart made this comment: “If our Lord thought it important enough to supersede an errant racial tradition with a gracious gesture, then we should take heed that we are not swallowed up in the river of racism today.”

2.THE TIME PERIOD OF THE GOSPELS AND ACTS OF THE APOSTLES WITH THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SECULAR HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE'S DOMINATION OF THE JEWISH HOMELAND.

Writer: Matthew
Place Written: Palestine
Writing Completed: c. 41 C.E.

Writer: Apostle John
Place Written: Ephesus or near
Writing Completed: c. 98 C.E.

Writer: Mark
Place Written: Rome
Writing Completed: c. 60–65 C.E.

Writer: Luke
Place Written: Caesarea
Writing Completed: c. 56–58 C.E.

Matthew—with the completion of the Hebrew Scriptures, the hope in the Messiah was firmly established among the Jews. In the meantime the world scene had been changing. God had maneuvered the nations in preparation for Messiah's appearance, and the circumstances were ideal for spreading the news of that event far and wide. The fifth world power, Greece, had provided a common language, a universal means of communication among the nations. Rome, the sixth world power, had welded its subject nations into one world empire and had provided roads to make all parts of the empire accessible. Many Jews had been scattered throughout this empire, so that others had learned of the Jews' expectation of a coming Messiah.

The first to put the good news about the Christ into writing was Matthew. Before becoming a disciple of Jesus, Matthew was a tax collector, an occupation the Jews thoroughly loathed, since it was a constant reminder to them that they were not free but under the domination of imperial Rome.

Acts--When and Where Written. The book covers a period of approximately 28 years, from Jesus' ascension in 33 C.E. to the end of the second year of Paul's imprisonment in Rome about 61 C.E. During this period four Roman emperors ruled in succession: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Since it relates events through the second year of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, it could not have been completed earlier. Had the account been written later, it is reasonable to expect that Luke would have provided more information about Paul; if written after the year 64 C.E., mention surely would have been made of Nero's violent persecution that began then; and if written after 70 C.E., as some contend, we would expect to find Jerusalem's destruction recorded.

Before I do anymore in this section, is this what you are looking for, or is it something else?


3.THE RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, AND MILITARY CONDITIONS THAT HAD BEARING ON THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS.

Religious conditions—You had the Jewish religious leaders who had added to the written Word many verbal traditions that they viewed as indispensable to true worship. They were descendants of Abraham too, so they thought this was all that was needed to be acceptable to God, Jesus taught different and so they became his biggest opposers.

the people at that time were waiting for Jerusalem's deliverance. The Jewish Encyclopedia observes: “They yearned for the promised deliverer of the house of David, who would free them from the yoke of the hated foreign usurper, would put an end to the impious Roman rule, and would establish His own reign of peace.” (1976, Vol. VIII, p. 508) They tried to make him an earthly king. (Joh 6:15) When he would not fulfill their expectations, they rejected him.

Political--The political party evidently included members of the religious Sadducees. Ordinarily, this political party and the Pharisees are openly opposed to each other, but they are solidly united in their opposition to Jesus. Matthew 12:9-14;

4. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH FOLLOWING THE PENTECOST.

on the day of Pentecost the holy spirit was poured out by Jesus Christ on the group of about 120 disciples in the upper room at Jerusalem in the year 33 C.E. (Ac 1:13-15)

Jesus had announced the new covenant to his disciples on the evening of his last Passover and, just before his ascension, had instructed them to wait at Jerusalem for the promised holy spirit.  (Lu 22:20; Ac 2:33) The presence of God's spirit was manifested in that some 120 disciples were miraculously speaking in different tongues. By this means, the multitudes of Jews and proselytes from all parts of the Roman Empire could hear with intelligibility “the magnificent things of God.” (Ac 2:7-11) First at this time, by means of Peter, baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and holy spirit was preached, as Jesus had commanded at Matthew 28:19. (Ac 2:21, 36, 38, 39) Having gone into the heavens with the value of his sacrifice, Jesus was able to bring his followers into the new covenant.—Heb 9:15-26.These followers, then, with the 3,000 added that day (Ac 2:41) and others later, were the makings of the first century congregation.

Congregations were formed, and they functioned under the direction of a governing body made up of apostles and older men. (Acts 15:22-31)

While Christian congregations of God were established in various places, they did not function independently of one another. Instead, they all recognized the authority of the Christian governing body at Jerusalem. This governing body was comprised of the apostles and older men of the Jerusalem congregation, there being no rival bodies elsewhere seeking to supervise the congregation. It was to the faithful Christian governing body of the first century C.E. that the issue of circumcision was submitted for consideration. When the governing body made its decision, as directed by the holy spirit, that decision was accepted and became binding upon all Christian congregations, these willingly submitting to it.—Ac 15:22-31.

All the best
Brenda