In this issue Smith looks at the most basic components of everyday existence—food, clothing and shelter—in the daily life of first-century Judea. "Sociologists seeking to grasp our culture are probably doomed without some knowledge of hamburgers, jeans and patios. Likewise, we cannot know Jesus very well without some acquaintance with barley bread, mantle/cloaks and dirt floors," writes Smith. This informative Scripture From Scratch helps us understand the world of Jesus and gives us insights into his parables and ministry. Smith tells us about the life-style discrepancies between the hard-working majority and the affluent minority in diet, possessions and housing in first-century Judea.