The world that Jesus was born into

Around the era when Jesus was born, ...

• Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus.  Cassius succeeded Caesar as the next emperor of Rome (44 BC).
• Mark Antony and Octavian overthrows Cassius.  (42BC).
• Octavian wins over Mark Antony, changes his name to Augustus, and becomes the next emperor.  (31BC).

Around this time, a man called Herod the Great (74BC - 4BC) lived.  Herod:

•  sided with Cassius when he was in power, then Mark Antony, then changed sides to Octavian at the right times to be on the right side politically throughout his career years.
• had a brother-in-law put in a good word for him such that Augustus installed him as the Roman client-king over Judea.
• was bestowed the title "king of the Jews".  Consequently felt threatened when the Magi sought a different "king of the Jews".
• was a "Jew" in the sense that John Hyrcanus had previously forced Idumeans to convert to Judaism; although, in terms of race, Herod was really an Idumean or an Edomite.
• As "king of the Jews", Herod was to represent the Jews.  However, he also saw himself as a friend of the non-Jews, and allowed these people to have their temples in Jerusalem.  This is probably the right position politically, but it upset the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin since it was not enough Jewish representation for them.
• Herod was heavily into construction, building ports and cities - for strength, for protection, and for economic advantage.
• Married more than once; going for extra wives while previous wives were not yet dead or divorced.  (Adultery)
• Charged his wife with adultery and sentenced her to death when he suspected that she had desire to dethrone him.
• Wife's mother was executed without trial when she tried to retaliate.

Romans, at that time were:

• brutal enforcers of their law.
• tolerant of other people's religion.
• demanded high taxes.

It was to this world that Jesus was born.  It was to this world that He said that He is "the way, the truth and the life" and promised  to take us to a better place that He has prepared for us if we believe in Him.

I thought that there are many characteristics in the world in the time of Jesus that has not really changed ... and is still prevalent today.  Jesus' promise is relevant to us now, as it was to the people of Jesus' time.

Do you think so?  Does it upset your world to believe in Jesus?  How?  Why?  Would you do it?