Sketches of Jewish Social Life: Updated Edition

Rating:
Summary: What was Paul doing on the roof top?
Review: If an American was writing a book meant to be read by today's Americans, he would routinely use phrases such as "they went through a drive in" or "9 to 5" without giving it a second thought. He'd be confident that every reader would know what was meant by those words and wouldn't fill his pages with lengthy explanations of every day items. The early writers of the New Testament also assumed that the readers of their writings would know what words Christ prayed over the cup at the Last Supper, why a bunch of virgins were waiting for hours outside the bridal door and what Paul would be doing sitting around on his roof when he has the vision. However, many of us in the modern world have wondered about these "curosities". Edersheim clears them up with his extensive research and thorough examination of the Jewish life in the time of Christ. This is the world the New Testament was originally written for and Edersheim fills in the gaps the early writers left in the "common knowledge" of the day. The book, while rich in theology, is easy and entertaining to read. It sheds light on the Bible and brings to life the scriptures. It will enlighten and enrich every Christian from the oldest scholar to the newest convert.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Intro for Understanding the Times of Christ
Review: If you're looking for a good introduction to the period of time surrounding Jesus Christ, this book will do nicely. It gives enough detail so as not to leave the reader hanging, but does not overwhelm the reader with complex issues, which is why it is referred to as sketches in the title. However, if you're looking for an in depth study of this period, there are other resources that would provide much more detail although not necessarily in one text. This author does a nice job of pulling together various mainstream resources for his work like the Mishnah and the Talmud, although the Talumud was compliled much later. The most important teaching I could see was the exposition on the various sects and political forces that exerted influence during this quasi-theocratic state regardless of their tributary status under the Romans. Considering the time of writing, late 19th century, I doubt you can find anything better geared toward a Christian audience. For most Christians, this book will help fill a void that exists and continues to hinder a proper understanding of the contextual issues surrounding New Testament studies.

Rating:
Summary: Read Acts 10 if you think Paul was on the roof.
Review: SKETCHES OF JEWISH SOCIAL LIFE and other classic works by Alfred Edersheim have gone out of copyright and are available for free online if you can't afford to buy here.