LECTURE OUTLINE: SOCRATES, JESUS, AND DEATH IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

I. SOCRATES (469-399 B.C.) AND HIS WORLD

A. THE CITY-STATE

1. THE MYTHOPOETIC GREEKS

2. DAILY LIFE:

                            AN ARISTOCRAT

                            SOCRATES

3. HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT SOCRATES?

                            THE HISTORIAN XENOPHON

                            THE PHILOSOPHER PLATO

B. THE DEATH OF SOCRATES…

THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN

II. JESUS AND HIS WORLD

A. THE ROMAN MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

B. THE HISTORICAL JESUS:

    1. JESUS THE JEW:

                2. JESUS AS VICTIM OF THE ROMANS:

                3. JESUS AS EXORCIST:

    4. JESUS THE STORYTELLER:

C. THE DEATH OF JESUS AND THE BIRTH OF THE SERVANT LEADER

Apology of Aristides (130 CE):

“And if there is among them any that is poor and needy, and if they have no spare food, they fast two or three days in order to supply to the needy their lack of food.”

Historian Michel Riquet:

“It has been calculated that at Rome in 250, under Pope Cornelius, ten thousand Christians obliged to fast could provide, from a hundred days' fasting, a million rations a year. These more or less regular offerings were supplemented by gifts made to the Church by rich converts.”

Pagan satirist Lucian (130-200 c.e.):

(mocked Christians for their charity):

“The earnestness with which the people of this religion help one another in their needs is incredible. They spare themselves nothing for this end. Their first lawgiver put it into their heads that they were all brethren.”

                Clement of Rome (1^st or 2^nd Century):

“Let the strong care for the weak and let the weak reverence the strong. Let the rich man bestow help on the poor and let the poor give thanks to God, that He gave him one to supply his needs.”

III. REVOLUTIONS IN THOUGHT AND DEED

Both put ideals over physical well-being, belief over ego.