Religions of theMiddle East

Religions of theMiddle East

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Monarchy, Captivity, Diaspora, Job, Afterlife, Rabbinic & Modern Judaism

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Monarchy, Captivity, Diaspora, Job, Afterlife, Rabbinic & Modern Judaism

First Midterm ExamFirst Midterm Exam

Tu 10/21 at 3pm to Tu 10/28 at 7pm CEN 456 lab, Cottage Grove Center or

approved proctor See syllabus for further details

Tu 10/21 at 3pm to Tu 10/28 at 7pm CEN 456 lab, Cottage Grove Center or

approved proctor See syllabus for further details

The MonarchyThe Monarchy

Under Judges Israel was a loose confederation of tribes

Secular explanation: no united military defense, no standing army

Religious explanation: God was punishing them for worshiping idols

Under Judges Israel was a loose confederation of tribes

Secular explanation: no united military defense, no standing army

Religious explanation: God was punishing them for worshiping idols

SaulSaul

First King - tall, charismatic, good commander, but insubordinate

Makes a sacrifice reserved for Levites (Priests)

Botches the Amalekite genocide Resorts to necromancy Commits suicide, body mutilated, cremated

First King - tall, charismatic, good commander, but insubordinate

Makes a sacrifice reserved for Levites (Priests)

Botches the Amalekite genocide Resorts to necromancy Commits suicide, body mutilated, cremated

DavidDavid

Good King, makes Saul look like a false start

Promised an everlasting Kingdom, model for the Messiah

Sin with Bathsheba results in personal and political consequences

Samuel’s parable of the pet lamb

Good King, makes Saul look like a false start

Promised an everlasting Kingdom, model for the Messiah

Sin with Bathsheba results in personal and political consequences

Samuel’s parable of the pet lamb

SolomonSolomon

Asks God for wisdom, given riches as well Weakness for foreign women, builds

temples to their gods Because of his Father, retains Kingdom, but

his son loses it 922 B.C. Israel split into Northern and

Southern Kingdoms

Asks God for wisdom, given riches as well Weakness for foreign women, builds

temples to their gods Because of his Father, retains Kingdom, but

his son loses it 922 B.C. Israel split into Northern and

Southern Kingdoms

The Divided KingdomThe Divided Kingdom

Secular explanation: Reheboam’s rash threats, regional conflicts and resentment over Solomon’s building projects

“My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!”

Religious explanation for split: God is punishing Solomon for idolatry

Secular explanation: Reheboam’s rash threats, regional conflicts and resentment over Solomon’s building projects

“My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!”

Religious explanation for split: God is punishing Solomon for idolatry

Successive ConquestSuccessive Conquest

The Split of the Kingdom into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms in 922 B.C.

Israel falls to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Judah falls to the Babylonians in 587 B.C. The Babylonian Captivity

The Split of the Kingdom into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms in 922 B.C.

Israel falls to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Judah falls to the Babylonians in 587 B.C. The Babylonian Captivity

Successive ConquestSuccessive Conquest

The Babylonian Captivity Temple system and sacrifice less important Emphasis on study of scripture and prayer on

Sabbath at local house of worship (synagogue) Importance of Teacher schooled in Scripture &

Tradition (Rabbi)

The Babylonian Captivity Temple system and sacrifice less important Emphasis on study of scripture and prayer on

Sabbath at local house of worship (synagogue) Importance of Teacher schooled in Scripture &

Tradition (Rabbi)

Successive ConquestSuccessive Conquest

The Persians Defeat the Babylonians, Jews return to Judah, rebuild Jerusalem

The Greek Conquest and Maccabean Revolt Hanukkah Roman Rule Rebellion and the Diaspora 70, 130 A.D. The Holocaust and Restoration of Israel in

1948

The Persians Defeat the Babylonians, Jews return to Judah, rebuild Jerusalem

The Greek Conquest and Maccabean Revolt Hanukkah Roman Rule Rebellion and the Diaspora 70, 130 A.D. The Holocaust and Restoration of Israel in

1948

Did God keep his promise to David and Solomon?

Did God keep his promise to David and Solomon?

Promised an “everlasting” kingdom Conditional promise? Later Jews (and Christians) came to believe

the promise would be fulfilled by a descendent of David who would restore a united Kingdom of Israel (the Messiah)

Promised an “everlasting” kingdom Conditional promise? Later Jews (and Christians) came to believe

the promise would be fulfilled by a descendent of David who would restore a united Kingdom of Israel (the Messiah)

The MessiahThe Messiah

Hebrew for “annointed one”, sign of being chosen by God, of God’s spirit, royalty

Military leader like the Judges who would deliver Israel from their enemies and establish an everlasting Kingdom

Developed over time as empire after empire conquered Israel

Hebrew for “annointed one”, sign of being chosen by God, of God’s spirit, royalty

Military leader like the Judges who would deliver Israel from their enemies and establish an everlasting Kingdom

Developed over time as empire after empire conquered Israel

The Babylonian Captivity(587-538 BC)

The Babylonian Captivity(587-538 BC)

No Temple, so no animal sacrifices (afterwards less important)

Worship in private homes centered around study of scriptures and prayer (become Synagogue system)

Rising importance of a Rabbi (“teacher”) to interpret scripture

Talmud Begins

No Temple, so no animal sacrifices (afterwards less important)

Worship in private homes centered around study of scriptures and prayer (become Synagogue system)

Rising importance of a Rabbi (“teacher”) to interpret scripture

Talmud Begins

The Afterlife in Early Judaism (2000 BC - 538? BC)

The Afterlife in Early Judaism (2000 BC - 538? BC)

The dead go to Sheol (“the grave”) No conscious experience good or bad Eternal rest unless you break God’s law and

conduct a séance (necromancy)

The dead go to Sheol (“the grave”) No conscious experience good or bad Eternal rest unless you break God’s law and

conduct a séance (necromancy)

Later Judaism538? BC to Present

Later Judaism538? BC to Present

Bodily Resurrection Persian Zoroastrian Influence Ezekiel’s Vision - Valley of Dry Bones Questions about God’s Justice Daniel 12:2 ONLY unambiguous reference

in entire Tanakh

Bodily Resurrection Persian Zoroastrian Influence Ezekiel’s Vision - Valley of Dry Bones Questions about God’s Justice Daniel 12:2 ONLY unambiguous reference

in entire Tanakh

JobJob

Early view: Punishment for sin Later view: Test from God, Satan

Early view: Punishment for sin Later view: Test from God, Satan

JobJob Why do bad things happen to good people? Wager between God and Satan Satan borrowed from Persians? Only TWO other references in Tanakh

1 Chronicles 21:1, (cf. 2 Sam 24:1) Zechariah 3:1-2 Is. 14:12-22 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 refer to the

Kings of Babylon and Tyre, not Satan

Why do bad things happen to good people? Wager between God and Satan Satan borrowed from Persians? Only TWO other references in Tanakh

1 Chronicles 21:1, (cf. 2 Sam 24:1) Zechariah 3:1-2 Is. 14:12-22 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 refer to the

Kings of Babylon and Tyre, not Satan

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Why do bad things happen to good people?

A test of our faith from Satan We can’t hope to understand God’s ways;

we should just trust and obey No corporate responsibility Rejection of misfortune as a manifestation

of divine wrath? (Deuteronomy 28)

A test of our faith from Satan We can’t hope to understand God’s ways;

we should just trust and obey No corporate responsibility Rejection of misfortune as a manifestation

of divine wrath? (Deuteronomy 28)

The HolocaustThe Holocaust

The theme of Job writ large 6 million Jews killed, most in gas chambers Garnered international sympathy Israel made a nation after WW II without it?

The theme of Job writ large 6 million Jews killed, most in gas chambers Garnered international sympathy Israel made a nation after WW II without it?

JudaismJudaism

Meaning in History God works through the Nation of Israel and the

Jewish people Human problem = sin (willful disobedience to

God’s commands) Solution: Concentrate on one group of people,

give commands and enforce them. Animal sacrifices early on, later repentance only

Meaning in History God works through the Nation of Israel and the

Jewish people Human problem = sin (willful disobedience to

God’s commands) Solution: Concentrate on one group of people,

give commands and enforce them. Animal sacrifices early on, later repentance only

Major festivalsMajor festivals Passover (Exodus celebration) Shavuot (Pentacost - Law given 50th day after

Passover) Sukkot (Wilderness Wandering - Tablernacles) Purim (Saved from Persians by Esther) Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Hanukkah (Festival of Lights, independence from

Greeks/Seleucids)

Passover (Exodus celebration) Shavuot (Pentacost - Law given 50th day after

Passover) Sukkot (Wilderness Wandering - Tablernacles) Purim (Saved from Persians by Esther) Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Hanukkah (Festival of Lights, independence from

Greeks/Seleucids)

The TalmudThe Talmud Commentary on The Law Theology, Demonology, Practical

Application (e.g. how to keep Sabbath) Opinions of Rabbis from the Babylonian

Captivity on Authoritative but not inspired

Commentary on The Law Theology, Demonology, Practical

Application (e.g. how to keep Sabbath) Opinions of Rabbis from the Babylonian

Captivity on Authoritative but not inspired

Four Branches of JudaismFour Branches of Judaism

Orthodox Conservative Reformed Reconstructionist

Orthodox Conservative Reformed Reconstructionist