The Life and Times of First-Century Palestine

2010 by Saint Mary s Press Living in Christ Series Document #: TX001246 The Life and Times of First-Century Palestine Family The family was the central social institution of biblical Times . Family ties shaped economic relations: a son would typically take the trade of his father; a few wealthy families often owned the majority of land in a given society. Family ties were central to religion: priests could be drawn from Levitical families only, and high priests from certain elite families only. Families strongly influenced politics. Sons followed their fathers as kings, and the Roman Senate was open to a few powerful, aristocratic families only.

what sociologists call a “fictive kin” group. In this new family, traditional hierarchical authority was redefined: “Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all” (Mark 10:44). Blending Patriarchal and Kingdom Values Later New Testament writings show that Christian groups did accept the basic patriarchal hierarchical

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  First, Time, Christian, Traditional, Century, Palestine, Times of first century palestine

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