Analysis Of The Lost Letters Of Pergamum

In the fictional book, The Lost Letters of Pergamum, the reader is able to see what life is like during the Second Temple Period of Judaism from the eyes of a nobleman. The story takes place shortly after the death of Jesus. Throughout this book we see the development and evolution of a man named Antipas. As the main character corresponds with Luke, not only are his religious views changed, but his views of society as well as his role within it.

Upon introduction to Antipas we discover that he is a Roman nobleman who fully supports Roman traditions, customs, world view, and pagan religious practice. He believes originally that Christians should not be associated with and that their presence is disruptive to the societal status quo. Antipas …show more content…
The life of commoners was one of hardship and suffering. Those who were of humble or meager income were viewed as unclean and one’s reputation would be tarnished for associating with someone from this class. It was not uncommon for people in this economic class to sell their children into servitude or even see their children become prostitutes. If someone from this class committed a crime their punishment could mean death in a gruesome manner that was viewed as entertainment for others. However, for the upper class and elite, life was full of abundance. The wealthy often had so much food that during periods of hardship, the food that sustained the citizens came from the households of …show more content…
As Christians were viewed as outcasts and a danger to the Roman way of life they had to be very particular about the way they worshiped. One of the households in the book described its members maintaining Emperor Worship in public as required to maintain status in society as well as private worship and study of Christianity. Being a Christian during this time period meant that you had true faith in your religion. As Christians faced persecution for their beliefs one was faced with the question of whether or not they were willing to die for what they believed in.

In conclusion, I believe that this story paints an amazing picture of the Second Temple Period that coincides with the lectures and text readings of our New Testament History class. The reader gains a graphic understanding of what life was like for early believers of Christianity and makes one feel very fortunate for the opportunity to freely worship Christ in the society which we live in today. I can only hope to have my life’s works reflect the same devotion to God that the early Christians