Question

In your own words state why the Roman Empire provided a suitable setting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Answer 1

The Roman Empire cast a vast shadow over the world of the New Testament. In the past couple of decades, biblical scholars and theologians have rediscovered this fact. The ripple effects in the twenty-first century of this fresh focus on how imperialism shaped the writings of the New Testament cannot be overstated. Something is emerging in American Christianity. Many in the church were brought up to believe that the United States was given to us by divine right. We are not only “proud to be American,” but we will sing out “God bless America, land that I love.” Sitting in certain churches on Independence Day could leave one wondering if it is a worship service honoring the Christian God or the American flag. On the surface there is nothing wrong with liking a particular heritage or location, but what happens when you realize that the consumption of your so-called blessed nation may be fueling the oppression of many across the globe? What happens when the things that you grew up taking for granted are now the very things that perpetuate suffering? Our world is one in which over a billion people lack access to clean water, where every seven seconds a child dies of hunger, where a billion people live on less than a dollar a day, where one hundred million children are denied basic education, where forty percent of people in our world lack basic sanitation, and where Americans spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half of the world does on all goods.[1] This is the reality of empire. The empire creates the façade of peace and security, all the while perpetuating suffering for other parts of the world. The realization of many about the American empire has moved them to take a closer look at the historical context of the New Testament. Numerous students of the Bible are discovering that the Roman Empire had a major influence on the characters and writers of the gospels, Acts, the epistles, and the Apocalypse. In the Gospel of Luke in particular, there are some obvious references to the Roman Empire and its interaction with Jesus. Because both the authors of the New Testament and contemporary American Christians are faced with the task of living faithfully in the midst of empire, it will be our aim to examine the emergence of Roman Imperialism in the first century. Then our attention will shift to examining two key texts in the third gospel (the birth narrative of Jesus, and the question of tribute to Caesar) as they relate to the Lukan view of empire.

Answer 2

Answer: Through their actions they contributed to fulfill the prophecy of Christ's coming.

Explanation: When the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ comes, according to Christian terminology, it is thought of his first arrival, that is, his birth in Bethlehem and the preaching and healing the sick, in general, his work for which he came. His first arrival was when Israel and Judah were under the authority of Rome, an integral part of the Roman Empire. Also, according to the Christian belief, the coming of Christ, that is, the birth, life, and work on earth and death, are prophesied by many prophets of the Old Testament. According to these prophecies, Christ had to be born in Bethlehem not far from Jerusalem. As his parents lived in the distant Galilee, it was necessary something to happen which would fulfill the Old Testament prophecy. Thus, the Roman authorities are completely unaware of the significance of what will happen, they have ordered a population census. According to Jewish laws, the family originates from the place where the wife originated. Thus St. Mary and Joseph went on a journey to Bethlehem where she was originally, to enrol in the population census. As Mary was in a blessed state, she, as a result of the order of the Roman authorities, went to Bethlehem together with Joseph, and there she gave a birth to her son, Jesus Christ. Due to the great migration of people these days due to the census, all guest houses were full, so St. Mary and Joseph did not find the place, although Mary was in pain just before the birth. Thus Mary gave birth to Christ in the Bethlehem cave, just as it was foretold in the Old Testament. In those years, the Roman authorities unconsciously made many things that contributed to fulfill the prophecy concerning the life of the dead of Christ. For example, according to Roman laws, he was accused of being a criminal, and crucified, which was the Roman way of death, and was crucified among two other criminals, just as it is foretold in the Old Testament.

My opinion, when it comes to the coming of Christ, should take into account the eschatological character of a suitable environment and setting for his coming. Often, according to the Christian belief in God Promise, things happen in a way that is not predictable, and often by those who are not aware of their actions, and in fact contribute to this suitable setting, even if they were enemies.