References to Sukkot in the Bible date from before the 4th century BCE, and then Jews do not have references again in preserved writings until 500 years later—in the Mishnah in the 2nd century CE. The 1st century CE was a time of great unhappiness. The Roman occupation of Israel at that time included high taxation, forced slavery, and the murder of many citizens.[1] To better understand what was happening in Jewish society at that time, we are fortunate to be able to turn to another set of preserved texts: the Christian Bible. 

[1] Fabio Moretti, “The First 100 Years of Roman Occupation” The Jerusalem Post, June 21, 2017. https://www.jpost.com/blogs/why-israel-belongs-to-the-jews/100-years-of-opppression-from-pompeii-to-the-death-of-christ-496410
 

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If you like this podcast, you might enjoy the book Biblical Origins: The Political Intent of the Bible's Writers, by renowned Bible scholar Dr. S. David Sperling.