Sefforis, Nazaret i nauczanie Jezusa

Abstract

The excavations led in the summer 1930 by the American team and then resumed from the year 1985 by new archaeological expeditions revealed a very big complex of ruins of the ancient Zippori about 6 km northwest from Nazareth. The Jewish (and Roman-Greek city as well) with the mixed culture, laid so near from the small Galilean village Nazareth, had undoubtedly big influence on the style of life and mentality of this local village. Had it influenced also the youth of Jesus? The life of the Holy Family? In what measure Jesus’ later teaching was connected with this big urban center? The purpose of this paper was to collect and to present different opinions which one can find in several articles and books treating about the ancient capital of Galilee – Sepphoris, and to give answer to these questions. The theme is presented in following parts: The topography and history of Zippori (1). The topography and history of Nazareth (2), and Connections and possible influences on Jesus’ teaching (3). Concise conclusions summarize the whole presentation. Sepphoris provides a new perspective for our understanding of the world, in which Jesus lived and worked. His understanding of urban life was more relevant than previously imagined. The realization that Jesus grew up in the shadow of Sepphoris, the Graeco-Roman big city, helps us to grasp the idea of the environment of Jesus’ teaching. It helps us also to realize how deep are connections between his words and the contemporaneous style of life, how deep his message of salvation was immersed in the everyday reality and how abundantly it has taken from it.