Christianity in the Greco-Roman World
A Narrative Introduction
About
Hubbard begins each major section with a brief narrative featuring a fictional character in one of the great cities of that era. Then he elaborates on various aspects of the cultural setting related to each particular vignette, discussing the implications of those venues for understanding Paul's letters and applying their message to our lives today. Addressing a wide array of cultural and traditional issues, Hubbard discusses:
- Religion and superstition
- Education, philosophy, and oratory
- Urban society
- Households and family life in the Greco-Roman world
This work is based on the premise that the better one understands the historical and social context in which the New Testament (and Paul's letters) was written, the better one will understand the writings of the New Testament themselves. Passages become clearer, metaphors deciphered, and images sharpened. Teachers, students, and laypeople alike will appreciate Hubbard's unique, illuminating, and well-researched approach to the world of the early church.
Endorsements
"This is, quite simply, the most accessible, engaging, and helpful introduction to the wider world of the earliest Christians that is available. It is achieved through a mixture of imaginative narrative evocations, thoughtful sociocultural descriptions, and careful, nuanced interpretations of relevant biblical texts. The result is not just an excellent introduction to but also an immersion in the life and times of the earliest believers, one that brings the NT to life for our times as well."--Robert Banks, adjunct professor, ancient history, and associate, Centre for the Study of Christian History and Experience, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
"Hubbard has woven intriguing narratives with cultural and NT contexts to give readers a vivid picture of what the primitive 'Jesus movement' meant to the ancient world. The depth of his cultural research and the thoroughness of his scholarship on the topic of NT Christianity offer readers not just a glimpse but also a total immersion in Greco-Roman life. I commend this work of historical and intellectual importance."--Barry H. Corey, president, Biola University
"With his fine work illuminating the social and historical background of the writings of Paul, Hubbard has created an excellent tool that should be welcomed by those looking for a college or university textbook to teach the Greco-Roman cultural context behind the NT. Students will find the book very readable and informative. Hubbard has truly harnessed 'both the power of narrative and the efficiency of prose' to make the story of the spread of Christianity much more 'engaging, interesting, and educational.'"--Roger Gehring, author of House Church and Mission
The Author
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Biola University Moyer V. Hubbard
Moyer V. Hubbard (DPhil, University of Oxford) is professor of New Testament language and literature at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, in La Mirada, California. He is the author of New Creation in Paul's Letters and Thought,...
Continue reading about Moyer V. Hubbard
Reviews
"Hubbard uses imaginative stories to present various aspects of life in the Greco-Roman world, followed by discussion of key issues. Frequent side bars with quotes from primary sources are well done."--Ray Van Neste, Preaching
"[This volume] will be most welcome in collections serving students from high school through graduate studies; it offers instructors a good, fast review of the social issues. It will be valuable for public libraries and for library collections in Christian high schools, undergraduate institutions, and seminaries. . . . Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through graduate students; general readers."--R. A. Boisclair, Choice
"An excellent introduction to the Greco-Roman world that uses insights from the ancient Mediterranean cultural milieu to interpret the NT. . . . Christianity in the Greco-Roman World would be a good text to use in any introductory course on the NT and its social world, both on the undergraduate and graduate levels."--Gene L. Green, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"This volume is designed to serve as an introductory-level textbook on the Graeco-Roman background to the NT. . . . The author has a wide-ranging knowledge of the field, and this book includes several good features, such as the inclusion of numerous citations from a range of primary sources (both literary and non-literary). Given that many undergraduate students have very little familiarity with the Graeco-Roman world, the descriptions found here of important aspects of it . . . will be very illuminating, especially as these are connected directly to relevant NT passages."--Susan E. Docherty, Journal for the Study of the New Testament
"Throughout the book Hubbard has sidebar quotations from ancient writings to help students become familiar with the first-century Greco-Roman world. . . . While there is no substitute for reading primary source materials, Hubbard's work brings readers close to the originals. Suggestions are given at the end of every main section for further reading in primary and secondary source materials. Hubbard is to be commended for the extensive amount of research behind this work. Numerous quotations help give readers a glimpse of how people in the Greco-Roman world thought and lived, and the effect the gospel had on those social norms. . . . Blending narrative and prose keeps the readers' attention and it makes the Greco-Roman world come alive."--Luke Mathews with Joseph D. Fantin, Bibliotheca Sacra
"Much of the Christian world lacks sufficient awareness of the wider context in which the figures of the New Testament moved. Moyer Hubbard . . . addresses this need in his book . . . targeting undergraduate-level readers and working expositors. There is much to praise about Hubbard's effort. . . . This work is a well-written narrative, well organized and thoroughly indexed enough to remain a useful reference. The notes . . . are thorough and provide pointers to much of the available scholarly literature for those needing to research an issue more carefully. . . . On balance, this is a useful work."--David Greenwood, Expository Times
"[An] evocative work. . . . Hubbard begins each chapter with a fictional narrative based on a name found on an ancient inscription. . . . These sections will appeal to the postmodern penchant for story-telling and do provide a glimpse into a world completely foreign to the modern reader. . . . The vast array of inscriptions included throughout the pages of this work is invaluable. . . . This single feature makes this monograph useful to the undergraduate student looking for a general understanding of first-century life in the Greco-Roman world. The annotated bibliography at the end of each section provides a helpful selection of primary documents for the student interested in further research. . . . This book is a valuable tool for the student of the Bible or general interest reader who wishes to better understand the prevailing cultural influences as the church came into existence and began to grow in the first century."--Thomas E. Barker, Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism
"A very well conceived book, whose appearance shows that, when it comes to 'locating' early Christianity in the ancient milieu of the Graeco-Roman world--without oneself being lost in the process!--and forging links with the NT, methodological approach matters greatly. . . . A fascinating feature of Hubbard's book is its 'narrative introduction' pedagogical style. [He] uses a story of a key protagonist to introduce each major section. . . . Another strong feature of Hubbard's work is the numerous wide-ranging callouts printed on the margins; besides being good test material for students, they could facilitate further primary reading and research on the sub-topics treated. . . . Hubbard has put many of us in his debt by his creativity in re-envisioning how a manageable and accessible introduction to the NT world would be written."--Randee Ijatuyi-Morphé, Sapientia Logos
"Growing out of the author's classroom teaching, this book employs a distinctive narrative approach to the presentation of the social and historical background of the NT. . . . Each chapter begins with a fictional case study, or vignette, that embodies information related to the topic of that chapter. Set in first-century Corinth, the vignettes try to breathe life into what might otherwise be comparatively bare sets of data while also raising critical questions helpful for understanding key issues of NT interpretation. . . . [Hubbard] effectively demonstrates the relevance of background information for interpreting aspects of Paul's epistles and the Pauline travel narratives. Illustrative quotations from ancient texts occur throughout, often highlighted as sidebars to generate reader interest. . . . The book is best suited for beginning to intermediate Bible students in a college setting, especially in classes emphasizing Paul. . . . A welcome resource in college classrooms and the minister's study."--Jeff W. Childers, Restoration Quarterly
"[A] fairly popular but captivating introduction in the New Testament world."--Vigiliae Christianae
"A useful introduction to important aspects of Greco-Roman society as they relate to the NT. . . . The discussion of each topic is concise and well informed. The layout is attractive, with numerous pity sayings from literary texts and inscriptions set in the margins. These are consistently well chosen and often provocative. . . The material here is imaginative, thoughtful, well written, and accessible to undergraduates. Without doubt, all who read this book will significantly advance their understanding of the ordinary lives of ordinary people in the first century."--David L. Barr, Catholic Biblical Quarterly
"Each chapter follows the same structure, starting with a short, fictional narrative introduction. The narratives are full of NT allusions and are simply fun to read. This is not only a clever way to grasp the reader's attention but is also a very helpful way to prepare the reader to engage the biblical text with an eye to its historical backgrounds. . . . This is a remarkably readable book. Hubbard's prose is accessible, and his use of narrative to introduce each chapter is very effective. All Greek words are printed in transliteration. Hubbard uses endnotes rather than footnotes. All these features make it an easy and enjoyable read for a nontechnical readership. Hubbard covers a variety of topics in the book, and shows how the background information sheds light on various NT texts. . . . These explanations are of great help for students of the NT, and are organized and presented well. . . . [This book] is certainly recommended reading for seminarians, pastors, and anyone who is interested in the NT."--Kazuhiko Yamazaki-Ransom, Trinity Journal