Conditions were just right for the birth of Christ:
- * In Jewish theology
a) Apocalyptic literature was in full swing with its prophetic message
b) Messianic expectations were in the air. Professor Geza Vermes has listed several:- The Messiah will be victor over the Gentiles, a saviour and restorer of Israel
- The Messiiah will appear in trappings of royalty
- The Messiah is associated with the image of the Priest-King
- The Messiah will be a Prophet-Messiah – another Moses but with an added Messianic dimension
- The Messiah will be slain as an unsuccessful commander-in-chief
(c) There was a feeling within Judaism that there was a new phase needed in its development
- Synagogues existed in many cities of the Roman Empire – awaiting the early Christian missionaries
- Within the Roman Empire buoyant trade was responsible for the development of an elobarate network of well built roads and a system of shipping. Bandits had been driven away from most of the overland routes and piracy had practically been brought to an end. All was set for the expansion of the Gospel
- The Greeks had developed education. It had influenced the Wisdom literature of the NT, Most of the populace at the time of Christ could speak, read and write Greek; some could speak Latin as well. The OT was already in Greek
- What of China and India? These played no part in the early years of the Faith.
Then as now they are in the timeless mists of Hinduism/Buddhism/ natural religion
awaiting widespread evangelism.
Addendum: The period in world history in which Jesus was born was enormously creative from a spiritual, moral and intellectual point of view. Dr. John Hick has pointed out that Gautama (the founder of Buddhism), Mahavira (the founder of Jainism), Confucius, the great Hebrew points (especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, Pythagoras, Aristotle ….all lived in the period roughly from 800 BC to 200 AD. From that point of view human progress had reached a stage here civilisations were eager to take on board new spiritual and moral developments.