A Roman centurion’s concern for his slave focuses our attention on the presence of non-Jews in the land of Israel in the first century. A modern Jewish authority on the history of the period provides the story’s background.
Pilgrimage in the Time of Jesus
During the Second Temple period pilgrimage was associated with the festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
The Role of Women in the Temple
According to Jewish religious law, women were allowed in every area of the Temple precincts in which men were allowed.