were subject to the rulers appointed over them by Rome The icts and struggles of the Jews of that day were mainly of the heart, and the darkness and sin were overwhelming This is James Stalker’s description of the Jewish world to which Jesus came: A nation enslaved; the upper classes devoting themselves to sel shness, courtiership, and skepticism; the teachers and chief professors of religion lost in mere shows of ceremonialism, and boasting themselves the favorites of God, while their souls were honeycombed with self-deception and vice; the body of the people misled by false ideals; and seething at the bottom of society, a neglected mass of unblushing and unrestrained sin.15 When Jesus was born (5 B.C.) the political situation was generally stable, but opposition to the Messiah’s coming was quickly demonstrated by King Herod’s reactions and decree (Read Matthew 2:118.) Exercise: Read all of Matthew and make a note of different things that are part of the New Testament setting that you have studied so far Review all you have learned about the Hebrew Background of the New Testament In the next pages you will be studying the important Greek Background Greek Background The Greek background of the New Testament is chie y cultural, including such things as language and philosophical perspective Many of the in uences of that Hellenistic culture were very important, because they paved the way for the world-wide proclamation of God’s message of salvation in New Testament times a The Greek Bible As noted earlier, the need for a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek arose because Greek had become the new vernacular of the Jews in Egypt In fact Greek was by then the lingua franca of the world, as a result of the world conquests of Alexander the Great Alexandrian scholars translated the rst ve books of the Law (Pentateuch) by 280 B.C., and by 180 B.C all the books had been translated Over the next two centuries that “modern version” (later called the Septuagint) of the Old Testament was circulated around the Greek empire, so that by the time of Jesus and the apostles it was widely used.16 The Hebrew Old Testament was still cherished by Jews as God’s Holy Scriptures, and rightly so Fix these things in your mind as you study the accompanying Chart ... earlier, the need for a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek arose because Greek had become the new vernacular of the Jews in Egypt In fact Greek was by then the lingua franca of the. .. version” (later called the Septuagint) of the Old Testament was circulated around the Greek empire, so that by the time of Jesus and the apostles it was widely used.16 The Hebrew Old Testament was still... Many of the in uences of that Hellenistic culture were very important, because they paved the way for the world-wide proclamation of God’s message of salvation in New Testament times a The Greek