ABSTRACT
Jerusalem was, and indeed still is, a city both cosmopolitan and parochial. In the days of James, the Roman administration had high visibility, while the Greek language could be heard in some circles. A range of local pagan ethnicities was in evidence. And yet Jerusalem, the focal point of Judaea and the site of the Temple, was above all profoundly Jewish. As a contrast to the formalism and precision of the priestly ritual, came the sounds and blood and mess of the animal sacrifices, and the tumult of the crowds of locals, visitors, and, for the three foot festivals, pilgrims from far and wide. For Second Temple Judaism offers a profusion of images, often highly visual, as a lens through which to view the priests in their final flush. The Hasmonean family established themselves as Judaea's ruling dynasty, and Jonathan, brother of Judas, was appointed to the post by Alexander Balas.
