Jesus, Patrons, and Benefactors: Roman Palestine and the Gospel of Luke

About this book

Did Jesus directly attack the Roman patronage system and promote himself as the benefactor par excellence? Studies in the historical Jesus frequently refer to categories of this sort of in their descriptions of Jesus and the Gospels. Jonathan Marshall critically examines these conclusions through historical inquiry. After surveying relevant archaeological and historical evidence pertinent to first-century Palestine, he examines Luke€™s presentation of Jesus in three representative passages (6:17€“38, 14:1€“24, 22:14€“34). Luke€™s wholesale neglect of patrocinium and limited use of benefaction to describe Jesus aligns well with the historical realia of Palestine as determined through primary sources.