What was Palestine like in the time of Jesus?

Answer 1

Not at all similar to today - not a very pleasant place to live the politics were very different. The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea were larger - global warming and silting up of the Dead Sea has shrunk these bodies of water over recent years. The Sea of Galilee was prone to storms as it is today, but more so as it was larger. Climate was as it is today - hot during the daytime, and extreme cold - especially in the desert areas, at night. Rainfall was infrequent - but when it came, it was torrential.

Politically although the Jews had their own 'king' (Herod), he was no more than a 'puppet' ruler, under the thumb of the Roman Empire. The governor of that area in Jesus's time - especially at the time of the crucifixion, was Pontius Pilate. Pilate would not have been particularly well respected by the Roman Emperor, as Palestine, more specifically the area of Judea, was thought of as a trouble spot because of religious insurgence and prone to riots. It was a little like Afghanistan with respect to the USA, or Northern Ireland in the heights of the 'troubles' with respect to the UK. Thus anyone having to take over as governor of Judea as did Pilate, would have been seen as in some way being punished for something.

The Jews resented the Romans occupying and governing ther country, and many groups of insurgents sprung up to resist them. The resentment was partly due to the fact that the Romans worshipped many 'gods' and also worshipped the Emperor as 'divine', much to the disgust of the Jews who worshipped the one, true God. One such group of insurgents was the Zealots, one of whom, Simon the Zealot, became a disciple of Jesus.

It was in this climate that Jesus lived and undertook his mission. When he arrived in Jerusalem on a donkey, he was hailed as the 'King of the Jews', as a prophesy in the Old Testament foretold the promised Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a warrior's horse. However, because Jesus' sights were set heavenward, his 'kingdom' was not of this world - and he was not the 'knight in shining armour' who would deliver the Jews from the Romans by military force as many expected the Messiah to be. He was someone far more important that that - a deliverer from our own sin for the whole world, and not just for the Jews. No wonder that the Jewish authorities easily persuaded the gullible people to turn against him and to demand his execution just a few days later.

Answer 2

Children in the time of Christ played with very similar toys a child in America would play with if he were left to his imagination with no toys from Toys r us. Aball afew stones and sticks, ifthe town had a blacksmith then maybe a hoop of some size.