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A Man from Galilee
Jesus was known to be a Galilean, that is, a person who hailed from the northern province of Palestine. All Jesus’ apostles, with the possible exception of Judas, were also from Galilee. Since this province was not under the direct rule of Rome, Galileans were known for their strong sense of independence. Galilee's distance from Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious authority, placed Galileans out of reach of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling body. Furthermore, the province was rich in farm products, lumber, fruit, wool, figs, olives, and fish; and Galilee's access to the key trade routes in the north provided its citizens with ample opportunities for commerce. Galileans had a reputation for being cocky and rebellious, and this province was at times the flash point for revolutionary activities. Many of its residents had lost their lands during the Roman occupation, and were now required to forfeit large portions of their harvest to the landowners and to pay exorbitant taxes. Although Jesus lived during a rather peaceful period, he would have witnessed some incidents of rebellion. Around the time of Jesus’ birth, a rebel called Judah the Galilean broke into the arsenal in Sepphoris, the capital of Galilee, stole weapons, and led an uprising. The Romans retaliated by burning much of Sepphoris, and either crucified or great uprising against Rome in 66 CE. The Romans slaughtered the Jewish rebels and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 CE. Early in the second century Rome put down one final rebellion. Some scholars today describe Jesus the Galilean as a rebel. Though Jesus’ strategies were nonviolent, still he was confrontational and aggressive in his criticism of oppression and injustice. In the gospels, Jesus carries him- self as one who is independent, critical-minded, and a strong advocate for the down-and-out. His firm commitment to a “kingdom” of justice, particularly for the poor and downtrodden, no doubt made him many enemies and was partly responsible for his execution. He seems to have led a nonviolent revolution that threatened both Jewish and Roman authorities committed to violence, and disappointed those who longed for a warrior leader who would restore the glory of Israel. Since many Calileans lived in rural areas, they often had the reputation of being “hicks” or “country types and Jesus has been traditionally portrayed as being from a poor peasant background. Most Galileans lived in ghettos as poor tenant farmers or shepherds. Many had been relocated by the Romans from the coastal areas and had lived in their own homeland as refugees and tenant farmers. Jesus the Galilean probably shared in the anger and resentment that was widespread among his oppressed people.
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