The events leading up to the writing of the first Christian gospel, probably during the last year of the Jewish war or the year it ended. Josephus, a Jewish historian, wrote in detail about the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, including the horrors of the famine induced by Roman blockades. The Roman soldiers tortured people, even old people and children, for stealing food. The Romans looted the treasury, seized its priceless gold furniture, the golden trumpets, and the massive seven-branched lampstand. They set the Temple afire and watched it burn. Later that night, they hailed Titus's victory and in triumph desecrated the Temple precincts by sacrificing there to their own gods. The author of the gospel of Mark was well aware of the war and took sides in the conflicts it aroused, both among Jewish groups and between Jews and Romans. Pagels believes that we cannot fully understand the New Testament gospels until we recognize that they are a product of the time and context in which they were written... The secret discovered...
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $20. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.