Call Me Back - with Dan Senor 1 A.D. in Jerusalem - with Benjamin Birely
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Dec 25, 2025 
Benjamin Birely, an American-Israeli PhD candidate specializing in ancient historical texts, takes us on a journey to 1 A.D. Jerusalem. He discusses the Jewish context of Jesus' birth, detailing the political and religious tensions of the time. Birely explores the factionalism stemming from the Maccabean era and contrasts the roles of the Sadducees and Pharisees. He also covers the complexities of Hasmonean rule, the impact of Hellenization, and the rise of messianic movements amid societal upheaval, providing a vivid backdrop for the historical Jesus.
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Jewish Judea In A Roman World
- Jesus was born into a deeply Jewish Judea that was also embedded in a Roman and wider Hellenistic world.
- Judea sat on the fault line between the Roman West and Parthian East, shaping its politics and tensions.
Temple Power Created Political Factions
- Division between Sadducees and Pharisees grew from post-Hasmonean state-building.
- Political control of the temple by Hasmoneans politicized religious disputes into factional conflict.
Different Roots: Temple Versus Torah
- Sadducees managed temple ritual, economy, and bureaucracy while Pharisees curated Torah and oral tradition.
- The Pharisees were more embedded with everyday Jews; Sadducees guarded institutional wealth and rituals.
