Fall II
Old Testament History Exile, Return, Inter-­‐testamental Period 14 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder ****Read handout - Grand Narrative. That will get you up to speed on where this handout picks up.
Here’s what we are covering:
1. Exile
2. Return
3. Inter-testamental Period
Exile: people of God are punished for their idolatry. Punishment means loss of some of their
lives, loss of home, freedom, religious identity and temple.
2 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder When exile and return happen, here is a diagram of which prophets spoke to which kingdom
during what time period.
Israel’s End – 722BC – Northern Kingdom (Israel) is given over to the Assyrians as a
punishment for their putrid abandonment of God. Most, but not all, of Israel’s people are
removed from the land. Assyria exports the Israelites and imports foreigners from Cutha, Ava,
Hamath, and Sepharvaim.
3 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Judah’s Exile
Babylonian and Persian Periods
Babylonian Period 606-539BC
606/5 BC
Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judea
586 BC
Jerusalem temple destroyed; Judah goes into exile, synagogues
come
539 BC
Babylon Falls to Persia (Cyrus the Great) ; exiles allowed to return
to Jerusalem
Persian Period 539-331BC
515BC
Second Temple dedicated (Zerubbabel, Haggai, Zechariah)
ESV Study Bible
4 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Judah follows in the footsteps of the Northern Kingdom. They were warned but ignore the
prophets who predicted the downfall. They are punished and deported to Babylon. The year is
605 BC. Who got deported? Daniel was among the first deportees. Also, notables, royal
officials, craftsmen and smiths, upper class, important people were taken. The removal of people
was conducted over three, separate deportations. How many people removed? Answers vary,
but most likely around 10 thousand. How many left behind? Perhaps around 120,000. These
were the poor, lower class, unskilled, farmers, and the nobody’s. They were left behind in a
county ransacked, burned and ruined.
ESV Study Bible
5 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder The deportation came as a shock despite the fact that Jeremiah had predicted this. There were
plenty of false prophets giving messages of comfort and reassurance. Those messages were far
more palatable to the Israelites ears than that of Jeremiah’s. Thus the reaction of some exiles
was anger. God was supposed to be their unfailing protector of those in covenant relationship
(despite the fact that they never upheld their part of the covenant.) Although they had been
warned, they simply failed to believe God would ever relinquish them. And when He did, they
felt abandoned by God. Was God still their protector? Did He still love them?
Still, there were some exiles that understood their own sin caused this deportation.
They
understood this was punishment. They saw the need to receive this punishment as an impetus to
repent.
So what was it like in Babylon? For the Israelites it was like moving from the “projects” to the
country club.
Open plains, fertile soil, opulent buildings, and a prosperous economy.
Yeah.......this was sweet -------- but also ---- a stinging reminder of how their land and kingdom
once was. Babylon was encircled with city walls with 250 towers, waterways, canals and a
magnificent palace for Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the Donald Trump of his day.
Building projects were his thing. And these building projects were what Nebuchadnezzar needed
craftsmen and laborers for. The skilled but lower class Israelites were placed into slave labor.
The higher-ranking Israelites were given choices about their employment. Opportunity for
career growth, acquiring prominence and assuming responsibility were there for the taking. This
is why we read of Daniel and Nehemiah in positions of high authority. Still, the exiles could not
forget – they were exiles. Jeremiah wrote and reminded them that God had delivered them into
the hands of the Babylonians as a punishment and that if they were faithful, they would be
restored one day.
While in captivity, God’s people lose their land, temple, and monarchy. The temple was no
longer available to them (it was destroyed) and therefore ceremonial worship was no longer an
option.
Gone are the days of animal sacrifice.
So they improvised.
They now meet in
“synagogues” and focus on prayer, confession and instruction of the law. More on “synagogues”
at the end of this document.
6 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Circumcision and food defilement standards become very important as a way to
designate/distinguish themselves as Israelites. This breeds a superiority complex over their
Babylonian captors. They become known as the Jews. Polytheism is gone.
FYI.............With the decline of the Babylonian Empire, the return to Palestine
became a distinct possibility. Persia is the new conquering empire on the block.
As some Jews begin to think about their exile possibly ending, expectations arise expectations of restoration for God’s kingdom and God’s people. The prophet
Daniel tells them in chapter 9 – not so. God’s kingdom would not arrive after
exile but after another period of time, a period of time where four kingdoms will
rise and fall. Then and only then God’s kingdom comes and reigns forever. This
period of time is the time known as the inter-testamental period or the period
between the old testament and the new testament.
Return
Sadly (not really) Nebuchadnezzar dies. There are a series of murders that take place – one right
after another related to who was going to be king of Babylon. Eventually though King Cyrus of
Persia conquers the Babylonian empire! The year is 539 BC.
Change is in the air. Persia is the new empire on the block.
7 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder ESV Study Bible
Cyrus ran things a bit different than Nebuchadnezzar. He established his policy of rule through
benevolence. He allowed conquered people to remain in their lands and retain local customs and
religions. Therefore he sanctions the return of all the Jews to Palestine allowing them to rebuild
the temple.
As the Jews are released from Persian exile, internal conflicts arise. Remember, some Jews “got
it good” in Babylon (which is now Persian territory). The economy is good, the land is fertile,
and employment has allowed some to acquire wealth and possessions. And some Jews elect to
stay. Some elect to forfeit their land, their temple, their people, and perhaps (in this foreign land)
– their God. The more materially minded Jews who had acquired wealth had no desire to leave
comfort and their pimped out “cribs” for a desolate wasteland; a wasteland that would require
them to become pioneers much like the pilgrims were in settling America.
8 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder These people who stayed in Persia became colonists in foreign land. By the first century AD,
Jews were all over the Mediterranean. The majority of Jews lived outside of Jerusalem during
the latter intertestamental period.
Diaspora – Greek word meaning
“scattered.” A group of people who
living outside the area in which they
had lived for a long time or in which
their ancestors lived. There were
numerous Jewish “diasporas”
1. Northern kingdom gets conquered
and Israelites are taken into another
land. (Assyria)
2. Southern Kingdom gets conquered
and Israelites are taken into another
land. (Babylon)
3. Greece deports a large population of
Jews into Egypt.
4. Rome conquers Jerusalem in AD 70
and destroys it – largest Jewish
diaspora.
But some Jews did return to Israel. The pilgrimage back to the Promised Land took place over 3
waves of returns. First order of business? Rebuild the temple. 516 BC. This is temple #2.
Priest led ceremonial worship was re-established in Jerusalem.
Though the Jewish people retained both the ceremonial pillar of their response to
God and the moral-ethical pillar as well, the primary emphasis shifted away from
the ceremonial to the moral-ethical. But to obey the law, one needed to know its
content, which required study. As a result, the center of worship was no longer
exclusively the temple with its liturgy but also the place of learning, the assembly,
the local synagogue. The major religious leader was no longer only the priest but
also the teacher-rabbi. Such adjustments required careful, detailed study. This
resulted in new and different forms of interpretation and the birth of traditions,
often additional laws, which supposedly expanded and clarified the written Torah.
During the NT period these additional laws were taught and passed on both orally
and in written form (note the frequent mention of “scribes” in the NT). Many
people regarded these rabbinic traditions as having a divine origin, equal to the
9 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder laws in the written Scriptures, but Jesus pronounced them “the tradition of men”
(Mark 7:1–23, esp. v. 8).1
While rebuilding the temple, there were some peeps in the “hood” that wanted to help with the
rebuilding – the Samaritans. Think back a minute – remember when the Northern kingdom was
overtaken? The people were removed, and hauled off to far away cities. But not all the people.
Some were left behind. And the land was backfilled with foreigners – Assyrians.
The “left behinds” of the Northern kingdom and the foreigners married. The result? Halfbreeds. Half Jewish, half foreigners. You know them as “Samaritans.”
The returning Jews rebuffed them – big time. The Samaritans were insulted and the relationship
between them deteriorated even more. This is why Jews don’t travel through Samaria. They
hate Samaritans. Samaritans were considered a waste of a human being by Jews.
This is why Jesus in John 4 shocks the Samaritan woman by
1. Being in Samaria at all
2. Talking to her
.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are about rebuilding the temple; the challenges Jews faced
reintegrating into the promised land (poor economy, mixed marriages, threats of idolatry again)
and the need for (and completion of) the walls of Jerusalem. Even here in this part of history
Samaritans and Jews continue to have skirmishes and volatile relations that widen the chasm
between these two people groups.
Now that they are back, there are no kings. There are governors but not kings. The priesthood
takes a central role among the people.
1
ESV Study Bible 10 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Inter-testamental Period –
IT MAY BE SILENT BUT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT QUIET.2
Period
Time Frame
Babylonian Period
606-539BC
Persian Period
539-331BC
Greek Period
331-167BC
•
Alexander the Great
331-320BC
•
Ptolemaic Period
320-198BC
•
Syrian Period
198-167BC
Jewish Self Rule
167-63BC
•
Maccabean Period
167-142BC
•
Hasmonean Period
142063BC
Roman Period
63BC-70AD
.
Eventually the Persian Empire is conquered. Greece is on the rise under Alexander the Great!
Alexander The Great inherited a kingdom that had already been conquered. He came in peace,
entered cities, and desired to have other cities join him in Hellenizing the city. If you didn’t join
him in his desire to Hellenize the city, he would kill everyone. No pressure.
Alexander the Great organizes his empire around culture. He imposes Greek culture
everywhere he conquers. This isn’t quite the “live as you like” philosophy of Persia’s King
Cyrus.
2
Kostenberger, Andreas. The Cradle, the Cross and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. 2009. B&H Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. 11 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Greek becomes the lingua franca - A “medium” of communication between peoples of different
languages. Hellenism dominates the Persian Empire. Hellenism - The civilization and culture
of ancient Greece. Adoption of Greek ideas, style, or culture.
Hellenism spreads into Jewish life.
Alexander the Great dies at 33. His empire is divided up between his 4 generals.
•
Cassander •
Lysimachus •
Seleucus – controlled Babylonia •
Ptolemy – He is a Greek but becomes a Pharaoh because he gets control of Egypt. It looks like this:
12 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder ESV Study Bible
Two of these generals fight to gain control of Palestine: Ptolemy and Seleucus. These two
generals founded dynasties.
•
The Ptolemies empire in Egypt.
•
The Seleucids in Syria.
Two of the generals fight it out over the years for control of Palestine.
ESV Study Bible
320 – 198 BC Ptolemies were in control of Palestine they were sensitive to Jewish religion.
The OT is translated into Greek. It is called the Septuagint. That is the Latin word for 70.
The Roman numeral for 70 is LXX. Sometimes the Septuagint is referred to as LXX. It
13 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder would be difficult to overestimate its influence. It made the scriptures available to Jews
who no longer spoke their ancestral language AND to the Greek-speaking world. I say it
again: it would be difficult to overestimate its influence.
Within the Ptolemy dynasty a large Jewish population (120,000) is deported to
Alexandria, Egypt. This is why we read of Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt when Herod
threatened to kill all children 2 and under. Joseph and Mary knew – there’s a Jewish
population in Egypt where they could assimilate.
198 BC Selucids take control of Palestine. Seleucid Empire gets control of Jews for 31 years.
Selucids are NOT sensitive to Jewish religion. They attempt to spread Hellenism throughout the
empire. They are not open to discussion on this. The Jews were forbidden, on pain of death, to
practice their traditional way of life, including their religion. The Jerusalem temple was turned
into a pagan shrine, and persecution became prevalent. (ESV Study Bible)
A person named Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to ban Judaism.
He banned
circumcision, ended temple sacrifices and deliberately defiled the temple. He dedicated
the temple in Jerusalem to Zeus, a Greek god, erected a statue of him and sacrificed a pig
in the Jerusalem temple. The temple is desecrated and the Jews OUTRAGED!
Those families who resisted and clung to Judaism were horribly treated. Men and women were
beaten with rods. Mothers who circumcised their children were crucified with their babies hung
around their necks and the sacred books confiscated and those holding them were executed.
3
A war is started.
3
Kostenberger, Andreas. The Cradle, the Cross and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. 2009. B&H Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. 14 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Mattathias, an aged priest, along with his five sons, led a revolt. After Mattathias’s death,
leadership fell to one of his sons, Judas (called “Maccabeus”). Judas and his successors
eventually won independence. In 164 B.C. the temple was cleansed, and the daily burnt offering
and other religious ceremonies resumed. The event is still commemorated by Jews each
December as Hanukkah, the “Feast of Lights.” 4
164–63 B.C. Maccabean Period: This war against Seleucid Empire is called the Maccabean
Period. This is the period known as Jewish Independence.
During the Maccabean period all rulers were from the same family of Jewish priests (also
called the “Hasmonean” family after the Hebrew name of Simon, an early Maccabean
leader). Nine rulers followed Judas Maccabeus to the throne, including two of his
brothers. From the second generation onward, the Maccabean rulers became
progressively dictatorial, corrupt, immoral, and even pagan. Internal strife led Jewish
leaders to ask the Roman general Pompey to come and restore order. Pompey did so, but
he also brought Roman rule, which began in 63 B.C. and lasted into the fourth
century A.D.5
This Hasmonian Empire ends in 63BC and Rome takes over the empire.
Five Major Crises of the Jews of the 2nd Temple Period
1. Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the temple
2. Collapse of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great (Greece)
3. Persecution by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
4. Domination by Rome
5. Roman destruction of the Jewish state and 2nd temple (70AD)
4
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ESV Study Bible Notes 15 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Roman Period
The Romans (under Pompey) take control of Jerusalem and even enter the Holy of Holies. (This
is a big No-No) Animosity between Romans and Jews is the backdrop to the entire NT. Within
their own homeland, the Jews are no longer independently ruled.
They haven’t been
independently ruled since that brief 100-year period after the Maccabean revolt.
Augustus is the first Roman Emperor. During part of his reign was a time of "Pax Romana,"
which literally means "Roman peace," from 31 B.C.E. to 180 C.E. in the Roman Empire.
Rulers of Rome
•
Augustus 31BC – 14AD
•
Tiberius 14AD – 37AD
•
Caligula 37AD- 41AD
•
Claudius 41AD – 54AD
•
Nero 54AD- 68AD
This 200-year period saw unprecedented peace and economic prosperity throughout the Empire.
The Pax Romana saw many advances and accomplishments, particularly in engineering and the
arts. To help maintain their sprawling empire, the Romans built an extensive system of roads.
These durable roads facilitated the movement of troops and communication. The Romans built
aqueducts to carry water overland to cities and farms. When Paul comes on the scene after the
resurrection, he made good use of these roads and infrastructures to advance the kingdom.
The Jews were allowed freedom to worship and be free from polytheism. But still.......they were
under the rule of someone else – and sometimes – Rome threatened and offended their Judaism.
Whatever freedoms the Jews had and cherished never removed a yearning to be free from
Rome’s yoke.
Ø Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prayed for a salvation that combined
deliverance “from our enemies” with increased religious fervor, “that we might … serve
16 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder him [the Lord] without fear, in holiness and righteousness” (Luke 1:70–75). One Jewish
group, the Zealots, sought violent, armed rebellion for religious reasons.6
The Roman Senate named Herod the Great “King of Judea”. 37 BC – 4 BC.
He was crazy. Seriously. But he liked to build. Building programs was his thing. He expanded
the 2nd temple in 20 BC – big-time. It was considered to be one of the eight wonders of the
ancient world. Nevertheless, he was crazy. He murdered his own kids and one of his wives
because he thought they were plotting against him. Eventually he dies (applause) and leaves his
kingdom to his three sons.
Herod the Great
* Died in 4 BC
* Effective administrator, cruel, supported by Rome
* Visited by wise men, killed Bethlehem babies
* Greatest builder the ancient Near East ever knew
* Had 10 wives, including Cleopatra, Miriam, and Malthace
Sons of Herod The Great
Philip – Tetrarch (ruler of
a fourth of a kingdom)
Antipas – Known as Herod Archelaus – Ethnarch (ruler of half a
or Herod the Tetrarch
kingdom)
Son of Herod the Great and
Cleopatra
Son of Herod the Great and
Malthace
Son of Herod the Great and Malthace
Poor ruler, deposed by Romans
Effective ruler, popular king Ruled Galilee and Perea
Ruled north and east of
Galilee – Iturea, Trachonitis
Built Caesarea Philippi
See Luke 3:1
Killed John the Baptist
Ruled Judea, Samaria, Idumea –
banished after 10 years of rule
Tried Jesus before
crucifixion
He is succeeded by “governors”. You
know one of them as Pontius Pilate.
See Matt. 14:1-12; Luke
3:19; 9:7-9; 13:32; 23:7-12
Mary and Joseph settled in Nazareth to
avoid him
See Matt. 2:22
6
ESV Study Bible 17 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder It looked like this:
18 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder People Groups Formed during Exile/Inter-testamental Period
Pharisees (meaning separated ones) - numbering about 600 - first show up during after the exile
but before the NT period. They controlled the synagogues and exerted much influence over the
people.
They were lay leaders.
They were separating themselves from Hellenism.
The
Pharisees didn’t want to be called Pharisees. They wanted to be called “Friends.” They were
hard workers and had jobs during the day. They gave their spare time to the study of God and
the things of God. They strove to reinterpret the law and build a hedge about it such that the
Jews could live righteously before God. They separated from worldly Greek influences to law
of Moses and study of scripture. They were of the laboring class. They are not aristocrats but
hard working businessmen. Manual labor was noble. They respected learning, wisdom and
character over seeking wealth or political advantage. Pharisees had little interest in politics.
Pharisees focused on externals - outward demonstrations of piety. Hedge about the law!!!
Focused on rituals such as tithing, public prayer, and chief seats in synagogues, robes, and long
formal greetings with their titles spoken for everyone to hear.
Pharisees had the most influence on the general public.
The Jewish Sanhedrin, or Council (a combination civil-religious body), predated the coming of
the Romans. It retained broad authority, but always under the watchful eye of Rome. The high
priest was the head of these 70 (or 72), but rulers under the Romans removed and appointed
high priests at will (in spite of the OT provision that the high priesthood was for life). 7
7
ESV Study Bible 19 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Sadducees – Wealthy. Aristocrats. Priestly lineage. They wielded political power and controlled
the high priesthood. Not popular with the people. Only accepted the Pentateuch. Did not
believe in afterlife or angels/demons.
Scribes.
They maintained their language despite Greek becoming the universal language.
Became known as experts in the law - often interpreting the law and amassing authority. They
really were seen as teachers of the faithful Jews. Scribes are always seen in NT hanging with
Pharisees. Scribes were originally people who reproduced scripture- copying by hand. Over
time they came to be professional interpreters of the law. That’s why the Pharisees hang with
them. They would answer the Pharisees minutiae questions on the law.
Synagogue means “a gathering place.” Developed during exile. It is a Greek word that the Jews
picked up. You could not have a synagogue without 10 elderly Jewish men present. In exile
they lost the temple and the ability to sacrifice animals. They focused on the Torah and built
services around the law and prayer. When they returned from exile, Judaism could be practiced
anywhere that they could carry the Torah.
The temple, on the other hand, was the place where public and private sacrifice took place under
the direction of the priesthood. As it is destroyed in 70AD, the synagogue becomes extremely
important to the Jews. It’s all they have now.
20 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder SO WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER?
Fullness of Time: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of
woman, born under the law," - Galatians 4:4 ESV
From the time of the Babylonian captivity to destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in
the year 70AD, the Jewish nation was subject to a series of occupational forces with
only a brief interlude of self-rule during the Maccabean era. When Jesus was born and
later began his public ministry, messianic expectations were widespread, and the
Jewish hope of liberation – though construed primarily in political and nationalistic
terms – was at fever pitch.8
So, when Jesus comes - he comes at a time with Messianic expectation, albeit a political one.
As you can see the history we just learned “Tee’d up” the arrival of Christ and prepared the
world to receive the Gospel.
•
Greek Language – enabled communication of the gospel. I.E. Universal language in
which to speak and write the gospel. Remember the OT is now in Greek. The NT gets
written in Greek.
•
Roman Peace – enabled the spread of the gospel
•
Roman Roads – enabled transportation for the gospel.
•
Jewish Messianic Expectations – Expectation of the gospel – in the form of a person. A
king. A political savior. Although this is not why Jesus came, the people of God were
waiting for Him.
8
Kostenberger, Andreas. The Cradle, the Cross and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. 2009. B&H Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Pg. 78 21 WEW II Fall 2014 C. Snyder Sadly, when He came, they missed it. Royally.
Growth of Christianity During 1st and 2nd Century
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