The Impact of Jesus in First- Century Palestine Textual and Archaeological Evidence for Long- standing Discontent

Although the archaeological evidence indicates a prosperous and
thriving Galilee in the early fi rst century ce , the Gospel texts suggest
a society under stress, where the rich were fl ourishing at the expense
of the poor. In this multidisciplinary study, Rosemary Margaret Luff
contributes to current debates concerning the pressures on early fi rstcentury
Palestinian Jews, particularly with reference to socio- economic
and religious issues. She examines Jesus within his Jewish environment
in order to understand why he rose to prominence when he did, and
what motivated him to persevere with his mission. Luff’s study includes
six carefully constructed essays that examine early Christian texts
against the wider background of late Second Temple Judaic literature,
together with the material evidence of Galilee and Judea (Jerusalem).
Synthesizing a wide range of archaeological and textual data for the
fi rst time, she offers new insights into the depth of social discontent and
its role in the rise of Christianity.