A QUICK LOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TIME OF THE GENTILES

1. God’s Universal Dealing: Creation Fall Flood Tower of Babel The Patriarchal Period: Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph (430 Years) 2100 – 1800 BC A QUICK LOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TIME OF THE GENTILES

2. 40 Years before entering the land Within 7 years the land is divided/tribe (12) THE EXODUS

3. TRIBAL TERRITORY, THE DIVISION OF THE NEW LAND

4. Intermarriage and Idolatry ushers in the era of the Judges Samuel, the last Judge anoints the first king. Altar of Canaanite human sacrifice in Megiddo

5. Saul 40 Years David 40 Years Solomon 40 Years THE KINGDOM IS DIVIDED AFTER THE DEATH OF SOLOMON The Kings of Israel

6. Northern kingdom captured in 722 BC. • Southern kingdom captured in 586. • 70 Years later the people begin to return. • The City Wall is Rebuilt • The Old Testament period soon ends. Golden Gate

7. THE GOLDEN GATE

8. GOD IS SILENT FOR 400 YEARS The silence is broken in the Temple when an angel of God announces to Zacharias of the coming birth of his son to be called John the Baptist (Luke 1:11)

9. Israel is under Roman Control. Internal rule under Roman control is allowed. Israel is governed by five religious sects.

10. The Roman Empire at the time of Christ

11. Pharisees Conservative – ritualistic – anti-foreign They kept entirely separate from all others Hypocrites

12. SADDUCEES • Priestly party • Rationalized all things but only believed • that what they believed was rational • They denied the oral law, resurrection, future punishment and rewards

13. ESSENES • Lived a monk like existence near the dead • sea. • They are the source of the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran

14. HERODIANS • Supporters of Herod. • Bitter enemies of the Pharisees. • Yet conspired with them to kill Jesus. • The Herodium believed to be where Herod is buried

15. ZEALOTS • Aggressiveseekers of self-rule. • Wanted to fight the Romans. • Barabbas and maybe even Judas were Zealots.

16. SANHEDREN The ruling body consisting of representatives of each religious sect totaling 70. Pharisees were the dominate sect.

17. WHY IS THIS THE BEST TIME FOR THE BIRTH OF CHRIST? • The world is at peace. • Greek is the universal language. • The 722 dispersion of the Jews had caused the common knowledge of God to spread. • Roman roads made safe travel possible • People were growing skeptical of pagan Gods.

18. GOD ORCHESTRATED ALL OF TIME TO COME TO THIS EXACTPLACE IN PREPARATION FOR THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR!!! AND, HE IS DOING THE SAME RIGHT NOW FOR HIS RETURN !!!!!

19. Palestine In New Testament Times

20. A QUICK TIMELINE • Jesus is born in Bethlehem. • 30 years later He begins His ministry. • 3 years later He gives His life on the cross. • About 17 years later Mark writes his gospel. • Within 10+ years 2 more are written.

21. WHY 4 GOSPELS? They provide 4 different pictures of Christ which: • Emphasize His life. • Show there is more than enough in Christ to attract people. • Show how He fulfilled prophecy.

22. THE SYNOPTICS Three gospels are called synoptic: Matthew, Mark and Luke

23. SYN =TOGETHER

24. OPSIS = SEEING (or VIEW)

25. A COMPARASION OF THE GOSPELS

26. MARK - Background • John Mark; John is Johanan = Hebrew, Mark is Marcus = Latin. • Cousin of Barnabus , a wealthy Greek speaking Jew of a Levitical family from Cyprus. • His mother is Mary (sister of Barnabus) a widow who opened her home for the earlyJerusalem church. (Acts 12:12) • It is believed her house is the site of the last supper’s upper room (14:15).

27. Mark - Background • Converted by Peter (1Peter 5:13), and was with Peter for 12 years. • Mark was not an apostle • He failed his first missionary journey with Paul and Barnabus Acts 13:13 & 15:38 and ended the journey early by going home • He recovered and returned to Paul’s good graces becoming a valued worker, Col. 4:10, 11 & Philemon 24, 2Tim. 4:11. • Mark was raised in a Godly home and lived his life surrounded by Godly men.

28. Mark - Background • The synoptic gospels were all written between the 50s and 60s AD. • Mark is believed to be the first, written sometime in the early 50s. • The gospel was written to gentiles and specifically to Romans. • It was probably written in Rome.

29. Mark - Background • Peter is the apostolic authority behind the gospel and because it is his teachings or remembrances, it is not in chronological order.

30. Mark - Background • Theme: Christ the Servant. • Key verse: 10:45 For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. • The gospel is divided into two parts: 1:1 – 10:52 covers the service of the servant 11:1 – 16:20 covers the sacrifice of the servant. • The birth and childhood are not mentioned in Mark.

31. Mark - Background • There is no genealogy and little mention of Jewish matters. • 63 quotes or allusions from the OT. (128 in Matthew) • The gospel emphasizes what Jesus DID rather then what He said. • It is a book of action with immediatelyappearing 40 times.

32. Mark - Background • It is believed that Mark received the majority of the information he wrote from Peter recording his memories and or his teachings. • It is not in chronological order. • Eusebuis quoted the apostle John as stating that Mark was very accurate in his recording of the events Peter discussed.

33. Mark - Background • The real author is God. In this case, we believe that God spoke through Peter and John Mark faithfully recorded what Peter said.