I The End of The Persian Empire

1. I The End of The Persian Empire • Artaxerxes II. His brother (Cyrus the younger) plotted against him, raised an army (including 10,000 Greeks), and almost won. Cyrus was killed • Egypt declared its independence at the accession of Artaxerxes and had never been re-conquered. Cyprus, Phoenicia and Syria also took advantage of this weakness to revolt. The western satrapies left Persian rule

2. After Artaxerxes III, Darius III (336 BC) • That same year, Alexander (age 20) ascended the throne with a commission from his father to fight Persia (336-323) • Alexander the Great, a Macedonian by nationality, was a Greek in culture; educated by Aristotle

3. Darius III did not take Alexander seriously • He ordered Alexander seized and brought to Susa • Alexander defeated the Persians • Again (in fall of 333 B.C.) Alexander met a Persian army; size estimated between 100,000 to 300,000 men • Alexander won the battle of Issus by superior tactics • Dn.8:…5, 20-21; 11:…3

4. Alexander’s Mortality • After conquering Tyre, he entered Egypt where he was welcomed as a liberator • Jewish traditions show Alexander in a friendly light • Josephus: “And when the Book of Daniel was showed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended” • [Dn.7:6; 8:3-8, 20-22; 11:3; Mt.24:15] • On his deathbed (June, 323 BC, age 32) when asked who should inherit the throne, he said, “the strongest”

5. IIThe Ptolemies of Egypt • The Ptolemies permitted Jews to live in peace and to continue their religious and cultural traditions • They paid tribute to the Egyptian governments, but High Priests administered local affairs; they had been entrusted with responsibility for the government of the Jews since Persian times

6. IIIThe Jews Under The Seleucids • When Antiochus III invaded Greece, Roman forces moved into Greece, defeated him, and forced his retreat to Asia Minor • His younger son, later known as Antiochus Epiphanes, was taken to Rome for 12 years as hostage (insurance) • This gave him a healthy respect for Roman power and procedures

7. Antiochus IV Ephiphanes • Antiochus IV wore the surname Epiphanes (“the illustrious”) • Jews nicknamed him Epimanes (“the madman”) • Popilius Laenus, a Roman ambassador, ordered him not to attack Egypt • He returned home through Palestine and took out his frustration on Jews

8. The Hellenization of Palestine • Antiochus set up a bearded image of Jupiter on the temple altar • Greek soldiers and their lovers performed licentious heathen rites in temple courts • They sacrificed swine on the altar • The drunken orgy associated with Bacchus worship became compulsory

9. Jews were forbidden, under penalty of death: • To practice circumcision • Observe Sabbath, or feasts • To read Scriptures. Copies were destroyed • 2 Maccabees 6:18-31 – Hb.11:35 • 2 Maccabees 7 – Hb.11:36-37 [1 Mac.1:53; 2 Mac.5:27] • But, the Hellenizers had gone too far

10. IVThe Maccabees 1. Mattathias, aged priest of Modin • An officer of Antiochus erected a pagan altar at Modin, asked Jews to show their loyalty to the government by sacrificing at the pagan altar • Mattathias, was asked to set a good example for the others. He refused • When a timid Jew approached the altar to sacrifice, Mattathias slew both him and the officer

11. The resistance movement begins • Mattathias and his five sons (John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, Jonathan) destroyed the altar and fled to the hills. Others joined them • At first, the Syrians attacked the Jews on the Sabbath, knowing they would not fight • In early days, Jews practiced guerilla warfare • Soon afterward, Mattathias died

12. 2. Judas Maccabaeus (“hammer”) • In the early days of the revolt, the Syrians thought the revolt was a minor skirmish, and sent inferior generals and small detachments into the field • The Maccabees defeated one after another • Antiochus fought a two-front war (Palestine, Parthia) • Antiochus left his general, Lysias, in charge of Judea

13. Lysias • Judas easily defeated Lysias in a night attack, then moved his army toward Jerusalem • They entered the temple and removed all the signs of paganism • They ground the statue of Zeus-Antiochus to dust • Beginning with the 25th of Kislev (December, 165 BC) they observed an eight-day Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah: Festival of Lights). Jn.10:22

14. 3. Jonathan (tricked by Trypho) 4. Simon (a period of peace) • During this time, leaders in Israel named Simon leader and High Priest • This act legitimized a new dynasty known in history as the Hasmoneans • Simon was the last of the sons of Mattathias • Under him, the concept of a hereditary high priesthood was accepted

15. 5. John Hyrcanus, son of Simon • 134 B.C., an ambitious son-in-law murdered Simon and two of his sons. A third son, John Hyrcanus, escaped • John Hyrcanus succeeded his father as hereditary head of the Jewish state • Syria recognized Hyrcanus with conditions (subjection; military aid)

16. The Hellenistic party • The ideals of the Hellenistic party lived on in the party of the Sadducees; the Hasidim, in Pharisees • The High Priesthood during this time became a secular office • Hyrcanus died in 104 BC • His personal life was above reproach • His children had grown up in a palace, considered themselves aristocrats, were trained in Greek thought, and disdained Pharisees

17. Posidonius, ancient historian • The people of these cities are relieved by the fertility of their soil from a laborious struggle for existence. Life is a continuous series of social festivities. Their gymnasiums they use as baths where they anoint themselves w. costly oils and myrrhs. In the grammateia (such is the name they give to the public eating-halls) they practically live, filling themselves there for the better part of the day w. rich foods and wine; much that they cannot eat they carry away home. They feast to the prevailing music of strings. The cities are filled from end to end w. the noise of harp-playing. [Amos 6:1, 3-6!]

18. 6. Aristobulus • Starved three of his brothers to death in prison. He reigned one yr. 7. Jannaeus, the one surviving brother, used foreign mercenaries to keep Pharisees in subjection • Civil war broke out (six years) • Pharisees invited king of Syria to help them

19. 8. Alexandra, widow of Aristobulus and Jannaeus • Sought peace between the factions • During her reign, Pharisees sought revenge against Sadducees • Hyrcanus II (brother of Aristobulus II) • Aristobulus II –Antipater persuaded Hyrcanus II to let Nabatean Arabs into Jerusalem to help him regain his throne from Aristobulus II

20. Three parties in Palestine • Supporters of Hyrcanus II • Supporters of Aristobulus II • Third party wanted to abolish the monarchy • These battles gave Rome the opportunity to intervene • Pompey (Roman general), entered Palestine, slaughtered 12,000 Jews, entered the Holy of Holies, made Jerusalem tributary to the Romans

21. Judah’s independent reign was over • Since Judah could not govern itself, Rome made Antipater its procurator • In 40 BC, Parthia invaded Palestine. • Antipater’s son, Herod, went to Rome, received an army, defeated an exhausted Parthian army (37 BC) • Herod became “King of the Jews” (see Mt.2:2)

22. Herod and Mariamne, daughter of Alexandra • Herod married a Hasmonean (Alexandra’s daughter) to gain credibility • He felt threatened by Aristobulus • Herod had him drowned • After Anthony died in the battle of Actium (Sept. 2, 31 BC), Herod met Octavian and promised him the same loyalty he had shown Anthony

23. Herod’s sons and hogs • His sons by Mariamne, Alexander and Aristobulus, were educated in Rome • They boasted of what they would do to the former enemies of their mother • Herod tried them, had them strangled • Antipater, another son by his wife Doris, was later condemned for attempting to poison Herod • “I’d rather be Herod’s hog (hus) than his son (huios)!” – Augustus

24. Herod’s death, April 1, 4 BC • He knew that no one would mourn his death • He ordered the imprisonment and death of several leaders of the Jews that there might be mourning throughout the land • The order was never carried out

25. VThe Septuagint • Probably made at the urging of Alexandrian Jews who wanted their Greek-speaking children to be able to read the scriptures • The Septuagint served as a means of acquainting non-Jews with OT • NT mentions many “God-fearers” among the Gentiles

26. VISects of The Jews 1. Pharisees • The word means “separated ones,” probably because of their zeal for the law which involved separation from the influences of Hellenism • In this sense they were the heirs of the Hasidim

27. 2. Sadducees • The party of the Jerusalem aristocracy and the high priesthood • They had made their peace with the political rulers and attained positions of wealth and influence • The Sadducees held themselves aloof from the masses and were unpopular • Only members of the high priestly and aristocratic families of Jerusalem could be Sadducees

28. 3. Essenes • Essenes (and Pharisees) continued the philosophy of the Hasidim • They seem to have lived for the most part in monastic communities, such as the one headquartered at Qumran • They adopted young boys to perpetuate their ideals • Josephus mentions an order of marrying Essenes

29. 4. Herodians • Herodians believed that the best interests of Judaism lay in cooperation with the Romans • Their name was taken from Herod the Great, who sought to Romanize the Palestine of his day • They were a political party

30. 5. Zealots • Most Jews hated Roman rule • Pharisees viewed Roman rule as punishment visited upon Israel because of its sins • Zealots refused to pay taxes • Zealots considered it a sin to acknowledge loyalty to Caesar • They ultimately won many converts • Their defiance brought the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70)