Student Learning Journal [TEMPLATE]

Name: Genesis Tomas

Module Title: New Testament Survey (WISL)

Programme (if applicable):

Start Date: 21 September, 2019 End Date:

Use this template for your entries (cut and paste more copies from these examples)

Date: Unit: Unit 1

Activity / Topic / Classroom 1.2
Question:Look up the
following references and
identify the insight these
give into and the
implications of being under
Roman and Herodian rule:

• Luke 2:1-2; 3:1;

• Matthew 22:17-31
• Matthew 8:5; Luke
3:14
• Luke 3:19-20
• Matthew 27:1-2;
Luke 23:6; John
18:31
• Mark 6:14-28; Luke
3:18-20, 13:31-32,
23:6-18
2a. Write one or two
sentences for each text.

2b. How might you have

felt living under these
groups of rulers if:

• You were wealthy,

living in
Jerusalem;
• You were poor
and existed at a
subsistence level
living in Galilee?
Response:

2a. Luke 2:1-2;3:1 — The Jews were subject to Roman laws and decrees as when Caesar
Augustus decreed that all citizens need to participate in the census.

Matthew 22:17-31 — The Jews pay tax to Rome. This is in addition to the temple tax that
Judaism demands to the people since Rome allowed the Jews to practice their religion.

Matthew 8:5;Luke 3:14 — Roman soldiers were stationed in Palestine to enforce Roman
decrees. Although the Jews hate the Roman occupation and zealots existed to try to overcome
Rome, Roman army is too strong to the nation.

Luke 23:6; John 18:31 — Rome have placed several governors, tetrarchs in ancient
Palestine to rule the land for Rome. They can be replaced by the emperor anytime so it is
important that they make him happy. One reason Pilate wanted the Jews to try Jesus in their
own system (even giving them the nod to stone him to death, though Rome had taken away
their right execute capital punishment) is that he knew Jesus was innocent and as a judge
could not lawfully prosecute.

Mark 6:14-28; Luke 3:18-20, 13:31-32, 23:6-18 — The governors and tetrarchs that Rome
placed in several regions of ancient Palestine has been given the full authority by Rome to
execute Rome’s laws. They have the power to arrest and release the Jews for Rome’s sake even
for their own personal sake.

2b. If I were wealthy living in Jerusalem…

Being wealthy at time time n Jerusalem, I would align myself to the Pharisees, the Saducees
and the Herodians to protect my wealth and gain favour from Rome. I would probably have
subscribed to the theology of the Pharisees and see myself as approved by God because I was
blessed materially. I would be righteous in everyone’s eyes including myself because I would
have been able to keep the sacrificial requirements of the law and keep the external letters of
the law. The Pharisees, the Saducees and the Herodians would want to associate with me for my
wealth. When Jesus would have come I, together with the religious elite would have been
shocked at Jesus’ practice of associating himself with the common folks.

If I were poor and existed in subsistence level…

I would be hard pressed, paying taxes both to Rome and to Judaism. Hope would have come
when John the Baptist arrived and preached a “baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins.”
(Mark 1:4). I would have interpreted that as a preparation of the coming of the kingdom. I
would be one of those who would come to him for baptism. When Jesus came I would have
interpreted his message of the kingdom as a political one, that Rome would soon be overthrown
that God’s kingdom will soon be established in Israel. I would probably be among the crowds
who would follow Jesus mostly to be healed by some form of illness. I would be intrigued by his
teaching and would be surprised at how he would have treated the religious elites and their
teachings.