Chapters 14-15 Summary and Analysis

Chapter fourteen, "Contention and Opposition in Galilee," speaks of the conflicts Jesus may have faced regarding the laws in Galilee. Although it is recorded that Antipas wanted to kill Jesus, the historical truth suggests that Jesus kept a relatively low profile, at least compared to John the Baptist. However, one of the main issues surrounding Jesus' presence in Galilee was the law. Today, many of the conflicts may seem trivial. In the first century, those same conflicts were serious. This may be in part because the ruling law in the world at that time was divine law; therefore, anyone who opposed the law could be seen as a blasphemer or heretic. Opposing the law, whether or not it was correct or just, was the basis for major conflict, particularly between the government and its peoples. Sanders goes into great...