Samuel L. Adams

Social and Economic Life in Second Temple Judea Samuel L. Adams

This book looks at the socioeconomic landscape of Second Temple Judea (532 BCE - 70 CE) with close attention to the daily life of ordinary people. Adams uses the Hebrew Bible and other historical resources to examine work and economic exchange, marriage and the complexities of family life--including the roles of women and children--and the burdensome taxation policies under imperial Rome. He culminates with a rich analysis of the ethics of wealth and poverty found in various texts, including the Hebrew Bible, pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, Q, and the New Testament. This study of socioeconomic and theological issues provides students with a helpful context for understanding religious beliefs and practices in the time of early Judaism and emerging Christianity.