Christianity in the Greco-Roman World: A Narrative Introduction

"An excellent introduction to the Greco-Roman world that uses insights from the ancient Mediterranean cultural milieu to interpret the NT.... A good text to use in any introductory course on the NT and its social world, both on the undergraduate and graduate levels."--Gene L. Green, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Background becomes foreground in Moyer Hubbard's creative introduction to the social and historical setting for the letters of the Apostle Paul to churches in Asia Minor and Europe.
Hubbard begins each major section with a brief narrative featuring a fictional character in one of the great cities of that era. Then he elaborates on various aspects of the cultural setting related to each particular vignette, discussing the implications of those venues for understanding Paul's letters and applying their message to our lives today. Addressing a wide array of cultural and traditional issues, Hubbard discusses:
Religion and superstition
Education, philosophy, and oratory
Urban society
Households and family life in the Greco-Roman world
This work is based on the premise that the better one understands the historical and social context in which the New Testament (and Paul's letters) was written, the better one will understand the writings of the New Testament themselves. Passages become clearer, metaphors deciphered, and images sharpened. Teachers, students, and laypeople alike will appreciate Hubbard's unique, illuminating, and well-researched approach to the world of the early church.