“Readers and listeners of the Bible encounter the names of places, things, and customs that are only vaguely understood. Since many of them appear so often, Bibles may explain them in a footnote the first time they appear in a text, but then it becomes difficult for the reader to find the passage where the footnote first occurred. George Martin’s book provides a very handy reference to those common names and customs as an ongoing aid to every Bible reader.”
— Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
“This resource is an essential addition to the library of those beginning to delve into Scripture or looking to deepen their understanding. Written in accessible question-and-answer format and well-indexed, this helpful book provides the background needed to enter more fully into the world of the Bible and more clearly understand its saving message.”
— Mary Elizabeth Sperry, author of Bible Top Tens
“George Martin has done us all a great service by pulling together all the background information that adds color, sound, and depth to the reading of the New Testament. It’s clear, informative, and unrelentingly interesting! Now I have a single volume to recommend to Bible readers looking to flesh out their understanding of the Gospels.”
— Dr. John Bergsma, Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville
“George Martin has helped readers encounter Jesus through the Gospels and experience Scripture as God’s word for many decades. This new assembly of articles is as fresh and informative as ever. Bridging solid biblical scholarship and rich spiritual nourishment, this collection illumines the shadows in the world of Jesus to help readers better understand his message.”
— Stephen J. Binz, biblical scholar and award-winning author
Scripture Footnotes
The World of Jesus
Scripture Footnotes
The World of Jesus
George Martin
OurSundayVisitor
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
Huntington, Indiana 46750
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Quotations from papal and other Vatican-generated documents available on vatican.va are copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
This book contains material from the books Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life, Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, and Bringing the Gospel of John to Life, all copyright © George Martin, published by Our Sunday Visitor.
Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.
Copyright © 2017 by George Martin. Published 2017.
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All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts for critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission from the publisher. For more information, visit: www.osv.com/permissions.
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, IN 46750; 1-800-348-2440.
ISBN: 978-1-68192-116-7 (Inventory No. T1846)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-117-4
LCCN: 2017951882
Cover design: Lindsey Riesen
Cover image: Shutterstock
Royalties from the sale of this book go to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association to assist the Church in the Holy Land.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
About the Author
George Martin is the founding editor of God’s Word Today magazine. He has written numerous articles on Scripture as well as the books Reading God’s Word Today, Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life, Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, and Bringing the Gospel of John to Life, which won first place in the Scripture category in the Association of Catholic Publishers’ 2017 “Excellence in Publishing Awards.”
Contents
Abbreviations Used for Books of the Bible