The First Century Context of Acts with Chad Bird (Episode 405)

·31 min·3 clips

Why was the New Testament written in Greek when the first Christians were mostly Jewish?

The episode begins with hosts Daniel Emery Price and Erick Sorensen introducing Chad Bird as a guest to provide Old Testament insights for studying Acts. Bird starts by addressing the linguistic shift: the New Testament was written in Greek, not Hebrew, because Greek had become the common language due to Hellenization after Alexander the Great's conquests. He explains that Jews in the diaspora spoke Greek and used the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The discussion moves to cultural impacts, noting how Jews reacted differently to Greek culture, with some embracing it and others resisting, as seen in the Maccabean revolt. Bird highlights that these internal conflicts continued into the first century, affecting Jewish responses to Jesus and early Christianity. He details how Jewish groups like the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Jesus for varying reasons, with Sadducees motivated by economic interests tied to Rome. The conversation covers the role of synagogues, which spread throughout the Roman Empire and served as gathering places for Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, becoming key venues for Paul's missionary work. Bird describes how Paul faced opposition when trying to convert synagogues, leading to persecution. The hosts and guest reflect on providential factors like the Pax Romana, Roman roads, and a common language that facilitated the gospel's spread. Bird concludes by discussing the state of Judaism in the first century, including messianic expectations and confusion over Jesus' mission, which differed from political liberation hopes. The episode ends with a summary of how this context informs reading Acts.

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