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THE INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD

THE INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD. 400 Years of History in Ten Minutes. LIFE UNDER THE GREEKS. Alexander the Great dies in 323 BC His empire is divided among his general Israel is caught between Ptolemy in the south (Egypt) Seleucids in the north (Syria)

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THE INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD

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  1. THE INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD 400 Years of History in Ten Minutes

  2. LIFE UNDER THE GREEKS • Alexander the Great dies in 323 BC • His empire is divided among his general • Israel is caught between • Ptolemy in the south (Egypt) • Seleucids in the north (Syria) • Greek culture has powerful influence, leading to translation of OT into Greek • The Septuagint (LXX)

  3. LIFE UNDER THE GREEKS • 198 BC, the Seleucids defeated the Ptolemies and gained control of Judah, but not Egypt. • The Seleucids were determined to “civilize” the people of Judah.

  4. ANITIOCHUS IV • 175 B. C., Antiochus IV, Epiphanies(the illustrious one). • The Jews called him “Epimanes” (the madman). • Antiochus looked upon orthodox Judaism as an obstacle to the unification of his empire.

  5. ANITIOCHUS IV • He looked upon the office of high priest as a political office. • A Benjaminite named Melanus pays money to become High Priest. • The orthodox Jews were infuriated. • Antiochus attacks Egypt. • Almost won, but was defeated by the Romans.

  6. ANITIOCHUS IV • Antiochus takes his anger out on Israel. • He sent his army to attack the orthodox Jews on the Sabbath. • He decreed that Greek deities were to be worshipped. • He put a statue of Zeus in the Temple and sacrificed a pig on the altar. • He held drunken orgies to the god Bacchus and forced attendance.

  7. ANITIOCHUS IV • Antiochus takes his anger out on Israel. • He forbid the Jews to practice circumcision on the threat of death. • The Sabbath was forbidden. • The observance of Jewish feasts was forbidden. • Copies of the Scriptures were burned.

  8. THE MACCABEES • 165 BC, An aged priest, named Mattathias, was commanded to offer a sacrifice to Zeus at the town of Modin. • He refused and killed the next man who tried. • Together with his five sons, he destroyed the altar and ran for the hills.

  9. THE MACCABEES • For the next few years, they fought a guerrilla war against the Seleucids. • After having several killed on the Sabbath, when they would not fight, Mattathias decreed that fighting in self-defense on the Sabbath was allowed.

  10. JUDAH THE MACCABEE(the Hammer) • He continued the raids and guerrilla warfare. • Antiochus had battles in other parts of his kingdom and couldn’t focus on them.

  11. JUDAH THE MACCABEE(the Hammer) • Eventually, the Maccabees took Jerusalem, entered the Temple and removed all signs of paganism that they found there. • They tore down the altar to Zeus and built a new altar to the Lord. • One day of oil burned for eight. • This is the Festival of Lights or “Hanukkah.”

  12. JUDAH THE MACCABEE(the Hammer) • Judah’s victory was short-lived. • Antiochus sent his army against him, promising religious freedom if they surrendered. • The people chose to surrender and Judah ran away. • He did not stop fighting, however, and died in battle.

  13. JONATHAN, JUDAH’S BROTHER • Won by diplomacy. • Jonathan sought to become high priest, even though he was not of the right lineage. • The Syrians later murdered him.

  14. SIMON,ANOTHER BROTHER • Became both military commander and high priest. • Expelled the Syrians from the land. • The offices of priest, field commander, and ruler were all given to him by the people and made hereditary. • Began the Hasomanean dynasty.

  15. THE HASOMANEAN DYNASTY • The parties of the Pharisees and the Sadducees began • After about 75 years, the Hasomeaneans fell to fighting each other. • The Roman general, Pompey, offered to mediate. • He conquered the land and ended the arguments. • In 63 BC, Israel came under Roman domination.

  16. THE ROMANS • Jews generally fared well; Romans gave a lot of independence • Still, longed for freedom • Herod the Great • Began ruling in 37 BC • Rebuilt several cities and six fortresses • In 20 BC, began building Temple; finished in 68 AD

  17. THE NEW TESTAMENT ENVIRONMENT

  18. GRECO-ROMAN WORLD • Genuine belief in the gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome had given way to a general agnosticism. • Growth in superstition and astrology

  19. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDPhilosophies • Platonism • Taught that true reality is not found in the objects of sense, but in the idea or form which lies behind each object. • By grasping and participating in the eternal forms, the soul is lifted and attains true well-being. • The soul’s real home is the world beyond the senses. • The body is a prison for the soul. • This release takes place at death.

  20. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDPhilosophies • Cynics • Believed “simple pleasures are the best” and taught an extreme frugality. • Salvation lies in returning to nature. • Cynics took their beliefs to the people. • Cynics’ style called the “diatribe” which consisted of questions and answers.

  21. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDPhilosophies • Epicureans • Rejected Plato • How you feel should be the standard of truth. • Wisdom consists in the pursuit of happiness and enjoying life, but not to excess. • There is no afterlife, so you best enjoy life now while you can. • The gods, if they do exist, have nothing to do with us. • At death, the body dissolves. • This tended to bring about atheism and self-indulgence.

  22. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDPhilosophies • Stoics • Encouraged the development of a moral fiber. • Divine Reason pervades the universe and it is our duty to live in accord with Reason. • Ethical living was very important to the Stoics. • Interpreted the Roman myths allegorically. • The soul is the divine spark of Reason trapped within the human body. • We have the ability to rise above our circumstances and face them with dignity.

  23. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDMystery Religions • Most of these started in the east and were brought to Rome later. • Believed everyone worshiped the same god or gods, just used different names. • They are called “mystery religions” because the members were not supposed to tell non-members what was going on. • Generally, anyone could join.

  24. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDMystery Religions • Eleusians • Founded at the Eleusis a small town near Athens. • Based on the myth of Persephone and Pluto. • As she was searching for Persephone, Demeter came to Eleusis. • She was so well treated by the people that she initiated the king into the sacred mysteries. • The worshippers would re-enact the mythic story, thus brining the people into the reality of the tale.

  25. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDMystery Religions • Mithraism • We have more information on this group than just about any other cult. • Very popular among the military. • Restricted to men.

  26. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDMystery Religions • Mithraism • In the worship area, there was a statue of Mithra slaying a bull. • His left knee is astride the bull, which is forced to its knees. • His left hand pulls back the nose of the bull and the right hand plunges in a dagger. • From the wound comes three stalks of grain. • The picture is the light of Mithras in victory over the wild life of the bull.

  27. GRECO-ROMAN WORLDMystery Religions • Mithraism • Ethics were very important for this group. • There were seven degrees of membership, with costumes and head pieces for each level. • The final level was a baptism in the blood of a bull which was supposed to give eternal life.

  28. JUDAISM AND ITS DIVISIONS • Synagogues • “Synagogue” means “meeting place”. • Not sure when they began, probably during the Babylonian Captivity. • The synagogues were places for the reading of Scripture and prayer.

  29. JUDAISM AND ITS DIVISIONS • Synagogues • There was a synagogue in virtually every village in Israel • One rule for the establishment of a synagogue: there had to be ten men. • Men and women sat in different sections of the building. • The “God-fearers” stood along the back wall.

  30. THE TEMPLE

  31. THE TEMPLE

  32. THE TEMPLE

  33. VARIOUS GROUPS AND HOPES

  34. JEWISH MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS

  35. JEWISH MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS • The Spirit of God would return to-the covenant land. • God would send the Messiah to free His covenant people and the covenant land from the Romans • Of Davidic line • Man, not divine, but empowered by God's Spirit sad kept righteous • He would be righteous and just in His rule, serving as God's Messianic agent.

  36. JEWISH MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS • The Messiah's victory would be marked by Judgment • Non-Jews and all wicked Jews destroyed --Tax-collectors, prostitutes, other public sinners • The covenant people would be set free and empowered to live totally as God’s people.

  37. JEWISH MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS • An age of "heaven on earth" • Imagery of the year of Jubilee • An abundance of food with little work and toil • No more sorrow, sickness and death • No more oppression ant unrighteousness • Non-Jews would, sometime in the future, stream to Jerusalem to become part of the covenant people. • The coming of a "new heaven and a new earth"

  38. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEMQ AND SOURCE THEORYOTHER CRITICAL THEORIES

  39. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • What is the relationship among the three Synoptic Gospels? • The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark and Luke • A historical question, does not necessarily impinge upon authorship and inspiration.

  40. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • That there is a relationship is obvious • The general scheme of the three Gospels is the same. • Not only do Jesus’ words match, but also the narrative events.

  41. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • Where there is a difference • Matthew and Mark agree the most often. • Sometimes Luke and Mark agree. • Rarely, Matthew and Luke agree.

  42. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • There are passages that Matthew and Luke have that Mark does not. • Some stuff in Matthew and Luke is similar, but not identical. • Each Gospel has its own material.

  43. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • What is the relationship? • St. Augustine • Matthew wrote first. • Luke used Matthew. • Mark wrote a Reader’s Digest version of them.

  44. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • Early Church • Matthew wrote first. • Mark wrote his Gospel independently, using Peter as his source. • Luke used Matthew to write his Gospel.

  45. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • Current Scholarship • Mark was the first Gospel written. • Matthew and Luke used Mark and an unknown source called “Q.” • From the German Quelle meaning “source.”

  46. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • Why do scholars think that Mark is the first Gospel? • The amount of Mark found in the other Gospels. • Generally, Mark’s order of events used. • Sometimes, Matthew and Mark have a different order than Luke. • Sometimes Luke and Mark differ from Matthew. • But Matthew and Luke never differ from Mark. • Historical candor • Style

  47. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM • Biggest problem with Markan priority • Early church witness states that Matthew was the first Gospel written. • There is no external evidence to back up this claim. • Still, most scholars think this scheme answers more questions that it gives.

  48. Q AND SOURCE THEORY • Q = Information that is common to Luke and Matthew, but not in Mark • About 250 verses, mostly sayings with very little narrative material s. • Eusebius quotes a man named Papias who wrote early in the second century. • Papias states that Matthew wrote down the “logia” (sayings, oracles) of Jesus in the “Hebrew dialect.” • Many think that this might have been a type of Q document.

  49. Q AND SOURCE THEORY • Except for the temptation of Jesus, most of this material is in different locations in each Gospel. • This means one of two things: • Jesus taught the same thing more than once • That one or the other edited the material and put it where he wanted. • Most scholars think Luke has the “original” order.

  50. Q AND SOURCE THEORY • Q Problems • There is no hard evidence of its existence. • There is absolutely no parallel type of literature in that era.

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