Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, published in 2008, offers great studies of Jesus’ life with emphasis on the way it was all seen in the context of time and place. As constitutional scholars would say, “an originalist” view.
Two examples: In Luke 19:4, Zacchaeus, the tax collector “ran on ahead.” Middle Eastern adults do not run in public. To do so is to expose oneself to shame. And they do not climb a tree as Zacchaeus did. We gain new insights into his character and motivation.
In Luke 7:36-50 we see the story of the woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Simon ignored the actions expected in receiving a teacher: omitting the traditional kiss and the failure to bring water and oil for washing. The woman, on the other hand, honored Jesus by her actions.
Bailey also stresses the presence of the prophetic rhetorical template used in many of the accounts. Most Western church sermons skip over this important literature device.
