Lesson 1
Cultures in Collision: Israel vs. Greece and Rome

In their day, both Greece and Rome were world powers determined to assimilate ancient Israel into their respective empires. The Greeks valued culture and aesthetics: they brought to the world their versions of athletics, philosophy, poetry, art, and intellectual inquiry. The Romans esteemed organizational efficiency, technology, and brute power. Yet the Jews managed to stand apart, resisting the temptation to trade their faith for the attractions of an outside culture. In this lesson, we examine the source of their inner strength.