The Greek Legacy 50-170 CE

1. The Greek Legacy 50-170 CE The distinction between the Jewish and Greek legacies is somewhat artificial

2. What is the Hellenistic Period? • Age ushered in by Alexander the Great from 332 BCE onward • Spreading from India to Spain, Alexander’s empire makes possible the universalization of Greek culture • Extending into Roman times: Augustus hellenizes the most important regions and makes the Romans the patrons of Greek culture

3. Palestine • 1st century evidence of a trilingual culture: Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek • Revolt of the Maccabees (168-74) against cultural and religious assimilation has little lasting effect on the process of Hellenization • The “seven” of Acts 6 and Paul are examples of Hellenist Jews. Many now believe that Jesus himself spoke some Greek and was influenced by the Hellenism of such centres as Sepphoris

4. Breaking With Hellenism • Judaism much more concerned with highlighting its own separate identity after wars of 66 and 135, but Greek culture continues to influence even Rabbinic literature • Christianity does not follow Judaism in publicly breaking with Hellenism • Rise of Christianity leaves little lasting effect on Judaism but Christianity and Hellenism are both influenced by their encounter with each other

5. Hellenism and Early Christian Expansion • Common Greek culture and Hellenistic influences on Jews help early Christian expansion • 1st century figures display limited contact with “higher” education • Paul of hellenized Tarsus, educated by the Pharisee Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3), training in rhetoric, pharisaic exegesis, and probably only philosophy in a popular form

6. Schools of Philosophy • With focus on virtue and vice, true happiness, and human condition, ancient philosophical schools had a considerable amount in common with early Christianity • Cynics: philosophical anecdotes, focus on simplicity, and personal decision. Frequently compared to teaching style of Jesus. Challenge to conventional society

7. Schools of Philosophy • Stoicism: Focus on ethics and self-mastery. Divine reality and providence at work in the world • Epicureans: highly organized communities (collegia). Freedom from illusory anxieties and false needs • Middle Platonism: Viewed as true interpretation of Plato, includes some teaching from Aristotle and other philosophical schools. Dominant conglomerate in first and second centuries CE • In early stages sometimes considered a rival of sorts

8. Openness to Philosophy • Admiration prevails, then eventually emulation • Philosophical school becomes one of the models for emerging Christianity: Clement of Alexandria proclaims Christianity to be the best school • Philosophical approach allows Christian message to reach more elite classes • Interest in morality among philosophers makes philosophical school appear more compatible than religious cults viewed as ruled by demons

9. Justin Martyr (100-165) • Born into a Greek-speaking non-Jewish family at Flavia Neapolis (Schechem) in Samaria • Converted to Platonism in his late teens or early twenties • Witnessed Christian bravery and became a convert to Christianity. In writings of Jewish prophets and Church finds the “true philosophy” • Christ is the universal logos: portions of it are found in the Jewish prophets and Greek philosophers