The Journey Leads to the Time of Jesus and Beyond

CHAPTER TEN

After the Babylonians, the Jews lived in Palestine under a succession of rulers:

Introduction

Persian Empire Alexander the Great

PtolmiesSeleucids

Roman Empire

- Although there were dangers with being a minority people, if the people remained faithful to God, survival was possible

1.) Nationalistic perspective: Wanted to throw off foreign rule

2.) Nonviolent resistance

Foreign Rule

Foreign RuleDaniel 1-6:

- Cooperation with civil authorities combined with faithful prayer and obedience to God’s law will protect the Jews and allow them to survive even under foreign rule

Tobit:

- Emphasizes benefits of traditional forms of Jewish piety

- Message is that God will never abandon his people as long as they remain faithful to him

Foreign Rule

Esther:

- Says it is better for the Jews to negotiate with foreign kings and function under foreign rule than oppose them with military force

Judith:

- Actively stands up for her faith on behalf of God’s people

- Proactive response

Foreign Rule

Jewish History

- Persian period lasted over 200 years

- Ezra and Nehemiah (most significant sources) tell little about the general living conditions

- Official Persian religion was Zoroastrianism

Jewish History

The Beginning of Hellenization:

- Alexander the Great introduced Greek ideals,language, learning, and customs

- Koine became the official language of the Near East

• The Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures and the entire NT were written in Greek

Jewish History

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~ancientpersia/images/empire.gif

The Persian Empire

Jewish HistoryPtolemies:

- Known for retaining strong, centralized economic control of territories

- Laid heavy tax on occupied people

- Jews divided into factions over the issue of Greek influence

Seleucid Rule:

- Roman Empire became a forbidding presence in religion

- Internal turmoil among Jewish community

-Lack of observing traditional Jewish practices

Jewish History

Antiochus IV:

- Believed the Jews were the cause of many of his problems

- Forbid study of the Law, observance of the Sabbath, circumcision, and sacrifice

-Reiteration of Hellenization

Jewish History

Best Course for Jews

- Cooperation with Foreign Rule

• Adopting conqueror’s values, lifestyle, and religious views

• Choice of Modernists (Hellenists)

• No literature represents the position of total compromise

Best Course for Jews

Best Course for Jews- Political and Military Resistance

• Adopted by Maccabean revolt and Hasmonean rulers

• Militant belief in the coming of a messiah was connected to the desire to recover Jewish independence as a nation

Best Course for Jews- Spiritual Resistance

• Maintain strong religious commitment despite political challenges

• Jews preferred death over defilement in the hope God would witness their suffering and rescue them

What happened?

- Rabbis rework Temple rituals

- Jews spread to other regions

- Synagogues were constructed as: 1. House of Prayer

2. House of Study

3. House of Assembly

- State of Israel established in 1948

What happened?

- Zoroastrianism

- Koine

- Septuagint

- Ptolemies

- Dynasty

Vocabulary- Dead Sea Scrolls

- Hasidim

- Pharisees

- Essenes

-Hasmonean

-Sadduc

-Synagogue

-Rabbi

-Zealots