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What happened when a child from the line of David grew up watching cities burn under Roman occupation? Joan Taylor, Professor Emerita of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King's College London, transports us back to the traumatic world of Jesus' childhood that shaped his revolutionary message.

Most of us picture Jesus growing up in peaceful Nazareth, but historical evidence reveals a radically different reality. Herod the Great had massacred men from Bethlehem before Jesus was born and built his imposing tomb within view of the town as a constant reminder of Roman power. The political chaos following Herod's death brought no relief—his son Archelaus slaughtered thousands in Jerusalem, and the Romans crucified 2,000 people outside the city. When Jesus' family settled in Nazareth, the nearby city of Sepphoris was burned in a Roman military action, a trauma the young Jesus likely witnessed firsthand.

Taylor helps us see how this context of collective trauma fundamentally shaped Jesus' ministry. His teachings about turning the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and special concern for the marginalized weren't abstract spiritual principles but radical responses to the violence and oppression his community experienced daily. When Satan tempted Jesus with power over all kingdoms, he was offering precisely what many expected of a Messiah—military victory over Rome. Jesus' rejection of this path represents a complete revolution in thinking about power, liberation, and what God's kingdom truly means.

This conversation will transform how you read the Gospels. By understanding Jesus as someone who experienced profound trauma and responded by creating an entirely new paradigm for confronting oppression, we discover the truly revolutionary nature of his message. His teachings weren't about passive acceptance but active resistance strategies designed to maintain dignity and humanity in the face of dehumanizing systems.

Have you ever wondered what Jesus' childhood was really like? Listen now and discover the historical Jesus you never knew.

Watch Joan Taylor and Helen Bond's documentary on Jesus' female disciples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17QWDhomle8

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