4-week CBBC Teaching Series
Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30pm at CBBC
with Dr Stephen Spence
Feb 21, Feb 28, Mar 7, Mar 14
The Gospel accounts of Jesus use genealogies, “Scripture fulfilment,” Jewish rituals, and references to geography and to political elites, with the intention to locate Jesus in a particular time, in a particular place, and among a particular people and culture. The birth of Jesus is clearly not the beginning of the Story; Jesus’ story is located in a historical time and place. By being better informed about the context(s) of Jesus, we will enrich our understanding of and response to the Gospel stories.
This four-part series will colour in the outline of what you might already know about the history, the self-understanding, and the religious practices of Jesus’ fellow Israelites living under Roman occupation.
Study One. The Self-Understanding of Israelites was shaped by their story of God choosing his covenant people (February 21)
Study Two. The Religion of Second Temple Israel depends upon the grace of God (February 28)
Study Three. The Distinctive Groups and Characters in Jesus’ World – with a focus on Pharisees and Sinners (March 7)
Study Four. Social-Cultural Assumptions and Worldviews shared by the Gospel writers and their readers/hearers (March 14)
“If you want to understand the book of the New Testament more clearly and more fully, clothe yourself in the person of those to whom they were first delivered by the apostles for reading.”
J. J. Wettstein (1693-1754)