Abstract
Recent research has been reminding us of the extent of the Hellenisation of Galilee. This calls for a reassessment of the possible impact upon Jesus of life in a crosscultural context. The traditions about his sitting lightly towards certain aspects of the Torah should be seen against this background. We should also consider the possible influence of popular critiques of religion. The latter may well have had an impact on Paul's thought as he grappled with the role of Torah. The origins of Christianity need to be seen in the context of such major cultural shifts and discussions of the particular and the universal in religion.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.