History Between the Exile and Jesus History : Persian Period Cyrus [ca. 539 BC(E)] –Sheshbazzar...
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Transcript of History Between the Exile and Jesus History : Persian Period Cyrus [ca. 539 BC(E)] –Sheshbazzar...
History
Between the Exile and Jesus
History : Persian Period• Cyrus [ca. 539 BC(E)]
– Sheshbazzar
• Darius [ca. 520]– Joshua and Zerubbabel
– Haggai and Zechariah
• Artaxerxes– I 465-425
– II 404-359
– Ezra, Nehemiah
History: Hellenistic [Greek] Period
• Alexander the Great– Ca. 333
• Ptolemaic Rule– Ca. 312-200
• Seleucid Rule– Ca. 200-166
Map of the Kingdoms
Brief History: Maccabean and Roman
• Maccabean Age– Antiochus IV
Epiphanes• 175-164
– Judas Maccabeus• 166-160
• Roman Rule (beginning 63 BCE)– Judean War (66-74
CE/AD)
– Jewish Revolt outside Judah (115-117)
– Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135)
Maccabees (1&2)
Chronology• 200 BC(E) Seleucids take Palestine
– 223-187 Antiochus III– 187-175 Seleucus IV
• 175-163 Antiochus IV– 168 Suppression of Jewish Worship
• 166-160 Judas Maccabaeus• 160-142 Jonathan, high priest • 142-135 Simon, high priest . . . .
Initial Comparison
• 1 Maccabees– Hebrew
– Original
– Covers 175-135
– Hasmonean Dynasty
• 2 Maccabees– Greek
– Abridgement (Jason)
– Covers 180-161
– Judas and Temple
Brief Outline: 1 Maccabees
• The historical context [chapter 1]
• The revolt of Mattathias [chapter 2]
• Judas the Maccabee [3:1-9:22]
• Jonathan [9:23-12:53]
• Simon [13:1-16:17]
• John [16:18-24]
Readings
• 1 Maccabees 1:44-50, 54-61– Religious suppression
• 1 Maccabees 2:1-5, 15-26– The zeal of Mattathias
• 1 Maccabees 4:34-37, 41-47, 52-56– Temple dedication
Reasons for Persecution
• Character of Antiochus– [cf Polybius 26.1]
• Goal of conversion of Jews– [Tacitus Histories 5.8]
• Gentile arrogance – [1 Maccabees 1:21]
• Israel’s sins – [2 Maccabees 5:17-20; 6:12-16]
Brief Outline: 2 Maccabees
• Letters to Egyptian Jews [1:1-2:18]• Preface [2:19-32]• Protection of temple [chapter 3]• Punishment of Jerusalem [4-7]• Deliverance and dedication [8:1-10:9]• Victories of Judas [10:10-13:26]• Defeat of Nicanor [14:1-15:36]• Epilogue [15:37-39]
Readings
• The perpetual fire and the ark– 2 Macc 1:19-23,30-34; 2:1-7
• Creatio ex nihil(o) [Creation from Nothing]– 2 Macc 7:28
• Resurrection of the dead and Prayer for the dead– 2 Macc 7-8; 12:39-45
It ain’t over 'til it’s over
1. Rededication of temple? [1 Macc 4:34-59] (164)
2. Defeat of Nicanor and control of Jerusalem? [2 Macc] (161, Judas)
3. Establishment of Hasmonean dynasty? [1 Macc] (134, John Hyrcanus)
Judith
Setting
•Structure of book
–International setting 1-7
–Judean struggle 8-16
Characters• Nebuchadnezzar
– Evil king [cf real Nebuchadnezzar and Antiochus]
• Holofernes– General [named after Persian general]
• Achior– Ammonite
• Judith – Cf. Maccabee, Miriam, Deborah, Jael, others
Readings
• Judith 5:17-21; 6:10-13– Achior: witness and “punishment”
• Judith 9:11-14– Judith’s theme
• Judith 12:13-13:10– The deed is done
• Judith 16:1-12– Triumph song
Other Historical Stories
• 3 Maccabees [not in Latin Bible]– Set under Ptolemy IV (222-204)
– combination of persecution of Egyptian Jews and threat to Jerusalem temple
• Tobit– before the fall of Assyria to the Medes – about individual sufferings and setbacks
[Tobit's and Sara's]
Next Week
• Wisdom– Sirach [Ecclesiasticus]– Wisdom of Solomon
• Hope– 2 Esdras