1. Chapter 3 – The World of Jesus
Jesus has to be seen as a devout Jew of
His day
Jesus must be seen in the context of the
local synagogue, the Temple, the role of
the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the
Roman occupation of Israel
The importance of learning in Judaism
The Jewish sense of destiny dating back to
God’s covenant with Abraham

2. How Jesus saw himself The local Synagogue as the center of Jewish life
See sample in picture on page 50
Read Jesus recitation of Isaiah on page 49
Read questions on page 50 to better understand the role of faith in Jesus life
Jesus dated his lineage back to Abram – whose belief in the One God earned him a special covenant with God and the new name Abraham
Prior to Abraham, the Jews were part of a group of tribes known as the Hebrews
God’s covenant with Abraham occurred about BCE

3. The Covenant with Abraham
God promised Abraham and his successors a land of safety and well being
These ‘Jews” were in turn to be loyal to God and to love Him
Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac, and God tested Abraham’s faith by telling him to sacrifice Isaac – which He stopped at the last moment
Isaac and Rebekah had a son Jacob
God renewed His covenant with Jacob

4. A New Name & A New Race
Jacob received a new name, Israel, as a sign of his special relationship with God
Jacob fathered 12 sons ,each of whom went on to lead one of the twelve tribes of Israel
Is other sons were jealous of his favorite son, Joseph, and sold im into slavery in Egypt
Joseph eventually became Prime Minister of Egypt and saved the country from famine
The same famine caused him to invite his father and brothers to leave Canaan and go to Egypt where they prospered