The Intertestamental Period: From
Babylon To The Birth Of Christ
Overview
Intertestamental Period
Week
Date
Topic
1
01 Mar 17 Overview
2
08 Mar 17 Babylonian Period (605-539 BC)
3
15 Mar 17 Persian Period (539-332 BC)
4
22 Mar 17 Greek Period (332-323 BC)
5
29 Mar 17 Ptolemaic (323-198 BC)
6
05 Apr 17 Seleucid (198-168 BC)
7
12 Apr 17 Maccabean Part 1 (168-153 BC)
8
19 Apr 17 Maccabean Part 2 (153-139 BC)
9
26 Apr 17 Independence (139-63 BC)
10
03 May 17 Rome Intervenes (63 – 37 BC)
11
10 May 17 Herod (37 BC – 4 BC)
12
17 May 17 The IT Period and Christianity (4 BC – 70 AD)
13
24 May 17 Review
Today’s Objectives
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Review the lesson plan
Review references
Review overall study objectives
Learn why understanding the
Intertestamental (IT) Period is critical to
understanding New Testament (NT) text
• Learn about the extent of the Old
Testament (OT) Canon
• Study highlights
Overall Class Objectives
• Better understanding of the connection
between the Old Testament (OT) and the New
Testament (NT)
• Learn more about the world Christ is born into
• Learn about the political, social, economic,
cultural, and religious issues during the IT
period and its’ influence upon Israel, Judaism,
and Christianity
• Learn about various nations that ruled over
Judea
• Learn about religious/political parties existing
within Judaism
Reference Material
• KJV (w/ Apocrypha)
– 1st and 2nd Maccabbees
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Josephus – The Complete Works
Herodotus – The History
Intertestamental History – Mark Moore
Ancient Rome – Simon Baker
Harding University – BNEW 112 Course
Notes – Dr. Thompson
Content and Extent of the Old Testament Canon
• The word “canon” is from a Greek word
that means a “rule” or “standard”
• Revealed truth
• Luke 24:44 – teachings of Christ
• Luke 11:50-51 – more teachings of Christ
• Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms
• Even Judas Maccabaeus knew
• 1546 Council of Trent
Rulers of Judea
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Babylonian
Persian
Greek
Ptolemaic
Syrian
Maccabean
Independence
Rome
Babylonian
• 612 BC – Babylon captures the Assyrian capital
of Nineveh
• 605 BC – Nebuchadnezzar reigns over the
Babylonian empire and begins Jewish
deportation to Babylon
• 604 BC – Nebuchadnezzar’s dream – Daniel 2
– Inferior kingdom will replace Babylon
– A third kingdom will rise, of bronze
– A fourth kingdom will rise, of iron
• Prophets are Habakkuk, Ezekiel, Daniel
• 539 BC - Persia, under Cyrus, captures Babylon
Persian
• 538-537 BC – Cyrus decrees return of the Jews
from captivity (Ezra 1:1-4)
• 536 BC – 70 year captivity ends (Ezra 1:5-11),
temple construction begins
• 516 BC – 2nd temple completed in Jerusalem
• Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Malachi,
Esther
• 480 BC - Greek victories over Persia (Dan 11:2)
• 331 BC – Alexander gains complete control of
the Persian empire
Greek
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331-324 BC – Extension of Greek territory
Extends into Asia
323 BC – Alexander dies
316 BC – Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties (Dan
11:4)
• 300 BC – Greek empire divided between four
Generals (Dan 8:5-8, 11:3-4)
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Cassander
Lysimachus
Sleucus
Ptolemy
Ptolemaic and Seleucid
• 280 BC (prophecy in Dan 11)
• Seleucids
– Babylonia
– Asia Minor
– Northern Syria
• Ptolemaic
– Southern Syria
– Egypt
• 260 BC – Rome controls all of Italy
• 250 BC – Greek translation of OT begins
Maccabean/Independence
• 198 BC – Ptolemies lose control of Palestine to
the Seleucids
• 175 BC - Antiochus IV Epiphanies seizes the
Seleucid throne
• Antiochus IV punishes Jerusalem for their
rebellion
• 167-143 BC - Maccabean revolt
• 164 BC – Temple retaken and cleansed
• 150 BC – Rome destroys Carthage
• 142 BC – Judea gains political independence
• 130 BC – Dead Sea Scrolls
• 66 BC – Rome occupies Jerusalem
Roman
• 63-40 BC – High Priest is under Roman Control
• 44 BC – Caesar assassinated
• 37-4 BC – Herod the Great is king over Judea
(Roman control)
• 19 BC – Construction of Herod’s temple
• 4 BC – Birth of Christ and death of Herod
• 6 AD – Judea becomes a Roman province
• 28 AD – Pontius Pilate appointed procurator of
Judea
• 30 AD – Christ is crucified, birth of the church
• 66-73 AD – Jewish revolt against Rome,
destruction of Jerusalem, end of Judaism
The IT period and Christianity
• Roots of many Judean political and religious
movements impacting Christian thought
• Many of Jesus’ teachings can find origin in the IT
period
• Intricately linked to Jewish religion and society of
the IT period
• Impact of Hellenism on first century Christians
• Earliest interpretations of OT literature began in
the IT period
• Answers questions not readily available in OT
literature
Today’s Objectives
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•
•
•
Reviewed the lesson plan
Reviewed references
Reviewed overall study objectives
Learned why understanding the
Intertestamental (IT) Period is critical to
understanding New Testament (NT) text
• Learned about the extent of the Old
Testament (OT) Canon
• Provided study highlights
• Next week – Babylonian Empire