Monotheism

Years after they had settled in Palestine they began to realise that the gods of the other nations were not gods at all.  They were but lifeless pieces of wood and stone.  “For all the gods of the peoples are idols”, wrote the Psalmist, “but the Lord made the heavens” (NRSV, 96:5).  So they learnt that there was only one God, who made the sun and moon and stars, and that he was God, not only of the Jews, but also of all the nations of the earth.

Thus it happened that at the time of Jesus, the Jews were the only nation which had learnt that there is only one God, the Living God, and they took great care never to forget it.  Every Jew used to recite twice a day a verse called the Shema from the Book of Deuteronomy.  ‘Shem’ means ‘Hear’ for the verse begins, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord” (6:4).  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (NRSV, 6:5).

They also had the verse written down on pieces of parchment.  One of these pieces was kept near their front door in a wooden or metal tube which they touched, as Jews do today, on going in and out to remind them of the Shema.  In addition, they wore a leather case containing the Shema on their left arm and another was bound to their forehead.  If we look at verses 8 and 9 of Deuteronomy we shall see why they did this: “Bind them (these words) as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (NRSV, 6:8,9).