Resentful, intolerant, discriminative, unjust, dogmatic. Harsh words to describe a harsh, relentless society? The reality is that prejudice has universally existed, in one form or another, since sin entered the world, and will remain among us until we can overcome it. Its existence today is almost indistinguishable with its existence in Jesus' day because today prejudice is sub-divided into race and class, categories similar to the prejudice in the time of Jesus. Back then, there were four main groups of social outcasts. These were; the Romans, the Samaritans, the tax collectors and the sick. In all four cases, these groups were resented by the Jews but there is another common factor linking them together. It is the fact that in each case, the Jews' prejudice towards them is fed by fear, superstition, stereotyping and misunderstanding.

The Romans were resented because they introduced idolatry which deeply offended the Jews...