W6 Dis
Chronology
- 313. Edict of Milan. Legalize of Christianity. Eastern is Dominant power.
- 325. Council of Nicaea. Trinity (marginalizes Arian movement_ Gpd cannot have any
equal. Constantine does not convert right away, he does it on the deathbed.
- 400. Augustine writes Confessions. Basis for the theology of the Latin Church
- 451. Council of CHalcedon. 100% human 100% divine. Hypostatic Union
- 1054. The Great Schism. Realy not a big of a deal.
- 1517. Martin Luther writes the 95 Theses. Latin Germany.
--AUGUSTINE OF HOPPOPOTAMUS (d.430 ce)
- Latin/Chatholic interchangable. Term not adpoted yet.
--W6 D2
Division of Europe. The map.
CHRISTENDOM AND THE LATE ROMA/EARLY MEDIEVAL POLITICAL ORDER.
Europe gets caught into differnet territories, all kind of mess. Theme is that as these new
countries establish, barbarian kinships convert christianity slowly or rapidly and the church is
what holds it together. Unitary byzantine emoire hold the east. Difference is that.
--SUMARY OF COUNSILS
Several important … byzantine resides over.
NICAEA says that the God exists in 3 person (son/father holy spirit). It was three in one from the
beginning, no question of subordinating Jesus the god to his father. ARians hung out several
centuries, but basically dies out. So all questions believe 3 in one.
CHALCEDON
Council comes about cuz the virgin mary bothers them. Theotocos (she who gives birth to god).
NEstorians says when jesus is born he was human but in somehow he becomes god its not
clear when. The idea is that the moral woman giving to god is weird.
CHalcedon is Catholic and orthodox positon.
When mortal woman gives birth to god of some way.
How the catholics says it is the hypostatic union.
Which is jesus is human, and have god, they are distinct , they are united but they maintain the
separateness.
Contrast is:
- Chalcedon is the dominant form of christianity.
- Informs catholicism.
- Not everybody agrees.
- Rejection by Communities in the Byzantine, opartially theologically, also cuz constantine
(noble) sain them what to do.
- We believe in the JEsus longer, who are they to tell me what to believe.
-
Prolonged theological argument between constantinople and the christian communities.
--CHALCEDON AND ITS AFTERMATH
- Outside of constantinople adopt different view
- Myaphysite (byatine)
- Ppl who are loyal to constantinople are orthodox
- Oriental groups meaning irac armenia etc adopt little bit different.
- THeological argument creates a different culture and authority/partnership
- Vernacular (local language).
- Const- tended to be accepted by Greek language.
- Syria/Aramaic etc local churches defined by their vernacular traditions and they have
little different views
- Commonwealth - culturally united with a little difference
- Romanitas means romannes, allegiance to constantinople, even though there is a
difference, there is unity.
--DIFFERENCES:
- God/Human in Jesus is distinct but together. Orthodox.
- They are one but . Miaphysites.
- Assyrians( Nestorians): Very small minority. Few of them are ISIS. Their Christianity is
different more distinct. Reject idea of human woman giving birth to god. Possesses
Jesus or puts Jesus on as a mask. Refers to Jesus royal garment of the king (Ouside
Byzantium- Iraw and Further east (central Asia and China)
- Medieval China: Christ is the Nestorian.
- Relationship of west/east is kind of defined through by Islam, not exactly geologically.
--SCHISM OF 1054
- Set of rly prolonged annoying trials between pope and constantinople
- Pope/Bishop in Rome. Chruch holds west europe.
- East remains rather unified.
- Pope claims the supreme authority because Peter is the chief and Jesus said upon this
rock he will build my kingdom? (rock) Inherent the kingdom
- Latin (east)/ West(greek)
- Controversy over alteration of word and creed.
- They split.
--THE POST-ROMAN ORDER IN EUROPE, THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE OF THE FRANKS
- In western territory, 90% polytheists or traditional forms of european religions norse odin
zeus etc. Adopt Christianity as a cultural lifting up.
- A lot of conversion by force.
- Frankish Empire is expanding.
--THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY THROUGH VIOLENCE
-
Converted by force 4500 and massacred Saxons.
Pagan people started viking stuff against western christians
(Monks were focal point of violence in Rome?)
Mob of Christian murdered Hypatia? Philosopher. Teacher. Skinned alive, but also seen
as martyr of truth, altho murdered by Christians and was Pagan.
--JEWISH DIASPORA, EAST AND WEST
- All of the important places had Jewish population - Iraq, Iran, as far as China.
- There is no Jewish church, what binds them is the common culture in rabbinic tradition:
learning and studying.
- Send promising young students to Rabbinic academies, have them come back etc cultural continuity culture. Like plaswestine, iraq, north africa, spain (scholarly networks (
responsa) & trade)
--CHRISTIAN ANTI_JUDAISM
- Tradition of Christian.Anti-judaism becomes acute
- Rabbinic Judaism/Christianity survived the destruction of Temple.
- Mark talks about groups vs. Jesus (sadducees, scribes, pharisees etc). And then later
John - Jesus vs Jews collectively. However nuanced the JOhn’s position is,
- Jews persecuting Jesus, Jews are the enemy, which gets filtered into the Christianity.
Over time, Jews meant the opposite of Christianity. Especially western Christian.
- They referred them as JEws as Crucifiers. Although Rome was responsible (kind of
ambiguous in Gospels, but later unrestrained hostility) Demonization
- Over time (Anti-semitism) ethnic problem.
--THE LATIN/CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1000-1600)
- Medieval era. Luther?
- Christian dominates stuff. Economic. Laiety (lay ppl, because they can get laid).
Quasi-monastics, ideally celibate priesthood Clergy. Laiety are more like common folk
- Clergy do not have attachment tothis world.
- Sin sufferin,g judgment emphasis.
- Medieval custom that imitates Jesus because you can’t go to Jerusalem. Pilgrimage
sites, catholic school.
--LUTHER
- Monk at a time. Church has overrun with corrupt practices as Luther sees it.
- M.Church- church is the only means of salvation, gotta be baptized and confess ur sins
etc. Eucharist etc. Which means ppl pay to get saved.
- Indulgences: sponsoring masses for deceased loved ones special dispensations for
crusaders, fees for remission of sins
- Use of relics for revenue
- Luther;’s 95 thesis, wittenburg, cathedral, 1517 challenges church/papal authority.
- Reformers are really mad about these practices. (?)
--LUTHERAN DOCTRINE AND THE CRITIQUE OF THE CHURCH
- Luther throws off the monastic identity, he believes the individual sincere believer doesnt
need the church. He/she needs the bible instead (sola scriptura)
- Just like Augestine, paul, just pray to Jesus, have faith, and be saved. No mass or Pope.
- Faith over works - compare paul and augustine on grace.
- Transformation of sacrament: the eucharist and rites of forgiveness purelt symbolic
W6 D1
The roman empire under the tetrarchy (constantius chlorus and diocletian)
Shared power thus adding stability to roman empire.
Split the empires up (4 rulers tetrarchy)
Constantine's father is one of the tet
He assumes tet when his father dies. Senior one junior for each west and east.
Would have witnessed the diocletian.
Christians are heavily concentrated in where?
He sees it as broken and that one emperor should be const.
--CONSTANTINE
- Battle of the milvian bridge 312
- In this sign conquer… (labarum and chi-rho = xpistos)
- Kairo? P and X together. Jesus initials. Very associated with Christians.
- Edict of Milan 313
- Council of Nicaea 325 (his death?)
Comment: Constantine had a vision that he will win if he has this sign. Eventually the empire
becomes Christian.
--The eastern roman empire (byzantium) new city
In the time of constantine (4th c. ce)
- Greek half of the empire, centered on constantinople
- Relocation of capital; condominium (owning or ruling together) between church and state
--Fall of Rome
Long period of decline, during which time the thrust of empire shifted east.
This is what leads to Europe. Europe came from the ruins of Romans.
West was being taken by barbarians (new tribal populations) and stuff who mainly were
Christians.
Economically and Politically powerful in the east, Byzantium, Byzantine Empire, Eastern Rome.
Christians became good at taking themselves out of the state structure.
Where they built their own social structures, communal circles, an alternate society which is
more stable than the larger the society being weaker and weaker.
Bishops started acting like local governors, like a government.
When it was accepted, it becomes national infrastructure of the state. Condominium, sharing
power between state and church. Which is why church also survived the West. Feudalism?
Catacomb -> underground churches.
--Certain kind of image dominates in Christianity. A lot of emphasis on the Jesus’ suffering.
Not the image that is dominant in early Church. Jesus’ mother venerated so intensely, as she
was virtually divine.
- Theotokos -> Gives birth to god, Virgin Mary
- Salus-> salvation. Greek/Romans god named Salus.
---Jesus and God looked similar.
- Jesus also depicted as (second coming) coming as victorious king. It’s as if the Jesus
victorious god.
- Constantine’s best option was Christianity, which is how Christianity became ruler
friendly altho it was anti ruler before.
--Jesus is seen as source of human authority.
- Roger II of Sicily crowned by Christ (12th c); Christ as ROman emperor (5th -6th)
- Depicted as a Warrior emperor. Imagined as a Roman Emperor.
- “I am the way the truth and the life”
--SUMMARY OF COUNCILS AND CHRISTOLOGICAL CONTROVERSIES
- Christians are interested in doctrine, official teachings of the Church.
- A lot of them focus on Jesus’ identity.
- Arguments with the educated philosophers.
- Disagreement becomes 2 main way of Church.
- John seem to have supported NICAEA
- Judaism and … critique this idea of father/son.
- The problem of Jesus being born human and becoming divine is that it can be sth to put
on.
- Chalcedon-> Neighbours?
- Chalcedon-> Ruler constantine, but the miaphysites are outside churches. Power.
NICAEA, 325 (Constantine)
- Establishes the doctrine of the ​Trinity​: God is manifest in three “Persons,” Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit; each equally divine
- Jesus is authentically God: the son is “one in being with the Father”
- Marginalizes ​Arian​ movement (Jesus/​Logos​ as created being)
CHALCEDON, 451
- Establishes the doctrine of the​ INCARNATION​: Jesus is 100% divine AND 100% human
at the same time (​HYPOSTATIC UNION​)
- Establishes “Orthodox” theology of both Latin west(modern catholics) and Eastern
Orthodox churches
-
Rejected by many Christian communities of the Near East: “Oriental
Orthodox”/Miaphysites(who believe in 1 nature, both there, and 1 nature) (Armenians,
Syrians, Ethiopians, Copts, etc) and “Church of the East” (Assyrian Church of Iraq)
--Eastern Religious division.
- Orthodox position (distinct, emph 2), and Miaphysites (less distinct, emph 1).
- Why Doctrine?
- Imperial center vs. provincial churches )also vs. Latin or Catholic CHurch)
- Theology as vehicle for political control or resistance
- Establishes the byzantine…
--JUDAISM
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS”: CLASSICAL CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM
SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM (God, Scripture, Eschatology (after death), Messiah)
- Christian Church “Verus Israel”
- The Jewish Community “Israel”
- Individual salvation through faith in jesus
- Collective redemption through Halakhah,
thus fulfilling of the covenant
- Guidance of Clergy liturgy and sacraments - Guidance of Ravvis interpretation of law
- Imperial religion or provincial alternatives (4-7 ce - Compilation of talmuds &
Foundation of Rabbinic Academies (4-7ce)
--Appropriating Israel’s History
- Typology/allegory
- Jesus and Isaac
- Prophecy
- The Suffering Servant (ls. 53)
- Salvation History
- Seen as continuous story.
Typology is how they are related.
--Christians decorated their consumer goods by the Old Testaments because they saw it as their
own.
--The Terminology of Monasticism
- Monastic: Monas, “Alone” (Monk, Greek word)
- Hermit: eremos, “Solitary” (vs. Cenobite, from Koine, community)
- Ascetic: askesis, “struggle” (Jihad, Arabic)
- Compare with John the Baptist, Qumran, Jesus in the wilderness, ​Pirke Avot
People who reject the idea of same religion for everyone, and do normal things and be still
Christian. Rabbi rejected monas. Although Monks being effective due to their ability of
resistance.
--Augustine of Hippo (d. 430)
Confessions (c 400)
Foundational Figure in the Western Church. Catholic church is strongly based on Augustine
views.
- Augustine’s account of his youthful doubts and conversion to Christianity
- Attempts to figure out God, evil, spirit, morality, Jesus
- Initial attraction to Manichaeism
- Conversion as a sudden, Epiphanic movement from a state of sin to a state of grace
(compare Paul) (You can’t force yourself to believe sth)
- Humanity mired in sin; elaboration of the doctrine of original sin
- Adam’s fall as exemplary (Paul) vs. causal (Augustine) (original sin)
Intrinsic disposition of Sin, like Paul he sees it as it coming from Adam, but more so embedded
in us.
W5 Dis
Gospel of Thomas -> Gnostic, esoteric, elitist
Romans:
52-58 CE
Addressed to the believers of the Roman church
- Tensions: some members of the community are Jews, others are Gentiles.
- Christianity is not a distinct movement at this point; it is a denomination of
judaism
Topics addressed
Comments: Paul: Law makes people aware of sin, guidelines that are not perfectly possible to
read. Inclusion
--1 Corinthians
50ce
Corinth is a Greco-Roman city
- The letter reflects the ethical challenges faced by converts rooted in Greco-Roman
polytheism and signals intense experimentation with their new social identity
The letter addresses a schism in the Corinthian church
- One group declared themselves followers of Paul
- The other group declared themselves followers of Apollos
Outlines a code of ethics of sorts for the early church community
Rejection of idolatry, avoidance of conflicts, kindness in personal conduct
--The revelation
Capstone. The Paul elaborates on. Continuation of Daniel. Jews Christians imagining the same
thing. Those with sinned.
End of time?
---
W5 Dis (Reading)
Paul’s letter’s
54-68CE
1-8 Complex and sustained argument although it was address to the Christians he never met. A
reflection on and a summary of the gospel of salvation in Christ. Intended to persuade the
faithful in Rome to support Paul's intended mission to Spain,
God nevertheless justifies human beings through faith bringing freedom from sin law and death
1.18-32. Indictment of Human wickedness and insutec.
2.1-16. All are accountable before God for their works.
2.17-29. Does being a Jew relieve one from accountability to God.
3.1-3.9 God’s integrity in the covenant with Israel.
3. The universality of God’s judgments.
3.21. The revelation of god's justice.
4. Abraham as ancestor.
4. Inclusion in the heritage of abraham’s gaoth.
5. The nature of justification in christ.
Adam and christ.
6.1 Life in christ requires obedience.
7. Defense of the law.
Sins poisonous interaction with the law
Even the disobedience acknowledge the rightness of the law verdict
8. Life in the spirit. Law is weakened by the flesh
Suffering and hope in god's promise
W5 D1
Mark’s Jesus makes jesus reluctant to tell people that he is the messiah. This is known as the
messianic secret.
Mark 8 jesus says don’t tell anyone that he is the messiah and in Mark 10 there is something
redemptive about Jesus’s death “the son of man came to give his life as a ransom for many”.
Mark meant temple will be destroyed and rebuilt in 3 days, while John’s note says it’s the temple
meant his body.
John's version of jesus is someone that anyone could believe in and achieve salvation. Very
different from Mark.
Maybe it’s the evil figure that created the world who is often portrayed as having a lions hand.
This God’s name might have been arimanius, like Ahriman which was the evil god thing in
Zoroastrianism
Foreshadowing to next class: many gnostic groups believe that yaldabaoth/arimanius, the evil
god, is the god of Israel, Yahweh.
Paul’s letters are the word of the diaspora. Paul starts wondering the world and goes to different
communities and starts preaching jesus intently and he establishes these little jesus follower
communities that are now the oldest surviving Christian groups ever. Paul's letter writing
campaign is when he’s getting back in touch with these communities that he established and
then these letters are canonize.
Jesus in the first decades after the crucifixion. After crucifixion jesus began rapidly involving into
Christianity. Faith in jesus among people who believed in jesus who are not Jewish. There are
people who do believed in jesus as being the Jewish messiah, but if you aren’t a jew then we
don’t care about the covenant or Davidic messiah. So Paul is saying is that Judaism doesn’t
really matter and god sent us this person to create this salvation because we believe in jesus
and jesus has saved us. Redemption means all of us redeemed from sin. This is when
Christianity becomes Christianity and not just a bunch of Jews following jesus.
Christianity focuses on things like sin and Judaism focuses on redemption and the law.
Paul is a Pharisee and is persecuting jesus followers but then he has this crazy experience
where he is blinded until he sees the truth of jesus and jesus is the messiah. Paul is one of the
first great stories of conversion. In paul's letters he emphasizes that this law for Jews and
Christians but all of it doesn’t matter what laws you follow or originating religion was it doesn’t
matter, jesus can unite everyone and you just have to believe in him. Paul says just because
you are a jew doesn’t mean you are truly Israel and vice versa someone doesn’t have to be
Jewish to be Israel. Paul is trying to make sense of jesus for people who are not interested in
Judaism. Trying to explain that this jesus who is god/ son of god and was crucified and suffered
for all of humanity. Jewish messiah is trying to save Jews from foreign oppression but people
who weren’t Jewish were then like well why do I need a messiah? Paul is a Pharisee and
devoted to Halacha and devoted to torah, but he tries to communicate that that isn’t necessary
for Jews and it’s definitely not necessarily for gentiles. Paul's message is that believing in jesus
grants resurrection. You believe that belief in jesus grants resurrection. If you have faith that
jesus is the son of god and he died for our sins, then you yourself are redeemed. Paul has a
strong sense that there is something wrong between relationship of god and humanity. God
gave Jews all of these rules but it is impossible to follow every single rule perfectly. So there will
always be some stain in our relationship with god. That’s what Paul means when he says the
law kills. I will never be able to live up to god's expectations.
Paul says ya know we got off to a crap start. The first dude sinned. This just marks human
nature where we just can't get it together by ourselves and we always sin. We just need a little
help. So why bother? Why believe and have faith in jesus? Paul says because jesus is the only
power in the world that can save you from sin.
Judaism is about the redemption of Israel as a collective but Paul is all about the individual
redemption of a person because they believe in jesus. This idea was something that
romans/non jews could understand. Paul is a transformative figure for this reason because he
takes the jewish ideas and tradition and then he makes it understandable and even attractive to
non jews.
There is also a very strong sense of love in Christianity that there isn’t really in Judaism. Love
that people should have for each other and love for jesus. Agape is chesed in Greek. Love and
god and humanity and of Christians for each other. There is a shit ton of this love and agape in
Paul which is kind of paradoxical because there’s a lot about love and about sin and
punishments. This idea begins with Paul.
Paul tries to communicate to non jews from diff religious backgrounds and taking a Jewish code
of ethics and Christianize it. Paul wants Christians to not engage in fornication he’s taking
jewish sexual ethics and impose them on non jews. In paul's concept a good Christian
community was one where everyone cooperates and loves each other in the same way that god
loves humanity. So in Paul there is this strong love side and we can be resurrected and saved
from sin but also don’t worship idols or fornicate and all we do is sin and everything is sin. So
two sides.
W4 Dis
Mark:
Virgin birth is not there in ​Mark I.
Jesus was from low class, delegitimizing the Romans making him the true son of God. No
implication of birth.
70-90 of the CE.
He claimed he was there.
--Josh - start by anti-authorities. Jewish ones were collaborators with ROme. Jesus was
revolutionary in their Gospel, but watered down in recent days, e.g he said I do not bring peace,
I bring sword. Completely different representation of Jesus.
--Synoptic Problem: Mark and Luke had a
--Plot device: they are there to look stupid. Mark represents as bumbling idiots. Not written in high
Greek.
Matthew is offering interpretation.
Luke: it assumes the reader can understand what it meant. It reads like an objective historian.
Thomas: Jesus said, and more secretive. No explanations.
W4 D2
Christian Old Testament = Jewish Tanakh = Hebrew Bible
Bible of Jesus and first followers= Jewish Tanakh
Proto-canon c. 3rd - 1st c.bce
(Hebrew & Aramaic)
Christian Bible adds the New Testament (Greek) by 3rd c, ce
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Epistles or letters of Paul to diaspora communities
Revelation or Apocalypse of John of Patmos
Some minor variation in Christian Bibles in books of both Old Testament and New Testament
considered canonical
--30
Jesus Crucified
-> Q (sayings source)
40-65
70
70-90?
90?
90-120?
40-250?
Paul’s Mission
Temple Destroyed
Mark
Luke, Matthew
John
Thomas
-> Epistles
Mark 13: The Temple
Relies on both Mark and Q
Rylands Papyrus P52
Late Reliance on Q?
What is a gospel
-> Godspelll -> euangelion ( Good News)
Comment:
Jesus not could have known the temple would be destroyed
Jesus’ time the redemption of Israel: Good news.
Christian’s think of it as redemption of the world
--JESUS: THE BASICS
- Born in Nazareth in Galilee (northern Israel)
- Christos = Davidic Messiah
- Crucified by Roman government in Jerusalem c.30 ce
- INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum - sarcasm)
- Significant movement after death in Palestine and Jewish diaspora
- By 2nd - 3rd c.ce, revered as Son of God/God
- Not as Jesus as Jewish Messiah.
- Unusual claim to make if you are Jewish
- Initiation, redemption, salvation
- Basically immortality religion. Not Jesus’ message originally.
--Core: Historical Facts:
- Galilee; Messiah; Crucifixion
- From the northern Israel, not Judea.
--- Josephus: The three “schools” - debate over fate and predestination?
- Pharisees: Torah centrism; ethics; obedience to covenant through the Law;
anti-establishment; resurrection
- Sadducees: Temple; establishment; denied resurrection
- Essenes: the Qumran community?”
- Zealots: political party - revival of maccabean project
- Samaritans: non-Jewish Israelites
- Jesus movement: ethics; obedience to covenant through the Law; messianism; passive
resistance to Rome
- Commonalities: God- temple- torah-covenant
Comments: Obscuring Jesus’ Jewish past, the Jewish teacher. Context of 2nd temple.
Josephus: sees it as philosophical? Scribes: Professional transcribers.
Similar: Ethical approach to the law/ humane interpretation.
---
The Roman Empire in the Augustan Age
--Roman imperial theology: piety, service to gods, good order
- Perceive themselves as doing a service to gods.
Emperor as high priest and/or god.
Situation becomes more acute.
--Jesus in the Gospel of Mark
Prologue (1)
- John the Baptists; confrontation with Satan.
Public Ministry in Galilee (1-9)
- Healing, exorcism, teaching to multitudes
Journey to Jerusalem(10-13)
- Teaching to disciples, statements about messiahship, triumpha; entry into Jerusalem
Betrayal, trial, execution, death, resurrection (14-16)
Comments: Crucifixion is not the end of the story (ending with AND)
--The Parable of the Sower
He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A
sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and
--The Growth of the Gospel Tradition: the Synoptic Problem
Synoptic gospels: mark, matthew, luke
Sayings of Jesus compiled after death = Q(quelle, source)
Oral teachings: Core.
--Comments: Jesus arguing with Pharisees. Mark gives hints what Jesus thinks important. (Called
Rabbi, my teacher by peers). 1. The Lord is one, respect. 2. You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. Gospel who knows the temple will be destroyed says neighbor is important. Almost as
if Mark knows.
Jewish Tradition.Helal, one of founder Pharisee, rabbinic Judaism. Israel government.
Helal? 3 sayings. If not now, when. Love thy neighb… everything else is secondary.
--The Anti-Imperial Message of the Ministry of Jesus
- Anticipated messianic redemption or deliverance
- Opposition to Temple hierarchy and governing elite as agents of Rome
- Jesus as savior (soter) vs. imperial claim
- Exorcism - demonic possession as symptom of foreign domination
- Mark5: Legion
-
Jesus comes to a guy who is possessed. Figure for political corruption. Forces
the demon to say his name. Literal body of Roman soldiers.
- Mark 12: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s..”
- Roman high priest or God. Coin itself is idolatrous. Not a suggestion to pay ur
taxes and stuff
Comments: Gospel wanna tell u Pharisees and Jesus are different. Mark is writing after 70 we
know from Jesus arguing in the temple
--Jesus vs. The Devil
- Mark 1: temptation as part of initiation
- = 60 references to demonic powers in NT
- Compare Qumran library- engagement with Rome.
- Forces of evil are metaphorical figure of Rome. Keep the nature secret that he is secret.
- In the book of John, constantly saying Jesus.
--Jesus is Messiah
- Redeem Israel and restore the kingdom. The promised one if how he crucified.
- Mark is still figuring out in his day.
========================================================================
W3 Dis
Messiah - Anointed one. Evolve in 2nd temple period.
W1 D2
Sacrifice of Abraham’s Son:
Isaac or Ishmael
Jerusalem or Mecca
Hajj Eid Al-adha
Reconstruction of Jerusalem Temple
Own tradition: Not Jer, but Semaritans -> biblical
Jews look back at Israel
Christians believe that Jesus was god’s incarnation.
Negus (Emperor) Haile Selassi, who resisted colonialism known as a hero to black people.
Ras Tafari (Prince Tafari), which emerged in Jamaica, movement sees Haile as reincarnation.
Often marginalized and seen as a cult. But description.
Absolute submission of humans before the transcendence of god -> Islam
Quran is the absolute realization of human?
Messaia? Menachem Mendel Schneerson Seveneth ​Lubavitcher​ ​rebbe ​-> many doesn’t
believe in the idea that he reincarnated as it is basically Christianity?
The Prophet’s NIght Journey and Ascension, Muhammad
Muslims not allowed to depict Muhammad-> but not was the case in the past, difference of
opinions. Sometimes people draw on it or clear it. Shiites for example can depict.
Some even people god has a wife.
Judaism -> Moses -> for some reason he wasn’t mentioned in Haggadah, ​the text recited at the
Seder on the first two nights of the Jewish Passover, including a narrative of the Exodus.
Israelites around (1000)
Solomon
970-930
David
1000-970
Saul
1030-1000
Then splits into northern and southern states-> Kingdom of Israel and Judah.
Israel was collective term for all but also a kingdom.
Jews call themselves Judahist
BIBLE BASICS (Hebrew Bible)
Christians bibles (kind of different in some detail)
Christians believe in Old Testament = Jewish Tanakh (all same)= Hebrew Bible
It is a library of separate but interrelated books, not a singulat composition
Chronology is little bit wonky., about a thousand years in Hebrew and Aramaic
Three main segments:
COMMON CONCEPTIONS OF GOD
Henotheism -> belief that there is many gods, but believe in one (e.g. Hinduism)
Mono (sole, alone)
Monotheism bs. Polytheism (paganism/idolatry) (Abraham was Polytheist at first, Bible)
Anthropomorphism vs. transcendence
incorporeal/invisible
omniscient/omnipotent/omnipresent
Most ancient israelites believed god have a body that is selectively visible.
GENESIS 1: narratives of beginnings
Laying out order and sequence of days where first human is created Adam specifically.
God’s depiction is Jesus
Orderly creation on a structured timeline
Solitary
All-encompassing
Top to bottom (big stuff, earthly, and humanity)
Ex nihilo (from nothing?)
Fiat lux (but sabbath?)
First two Days of Creation
GENESIS 2:
Second time the humanity is created and talks bout the story in detail?
Etiology: how things came to be the way they are
Jewish Christian Muslim all see prophets, so we alternate.
Canon-> rule or list? In Greek. Jewish canon is uniform; different christian communities vary
both the content and order of canonical
Babylonian Empire
Marduk and Tiamat
Tiamat is personification of the world in babylonian myth. (Enuma Elish)
W1 Dis
Pentateuch (Greek)
Marduk
Patreon god of city state Babylon.
Tohubohu
Annunaki
Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, and Babylonians
Tanninim
Sea Monster.
TaNaKh
Torah - 5 first books of Moses:
Nevi’im - The book of Joshua - Esther
Ketuvim - Writings
Tiamat
Pretty much the face of the waters - also chaos
W2 D1
Jewish Christians Muslims
Bible-god-israel
Foundation document
Mythic origins
Historical record/trajectory
Orderly creation on a scructured timline
Solitary
All-encompassing
Top to bottom (or top to bottom to top?)
Ex nihilo (from nothing )
Fiat luc (let there be light)
Marduk and tiamat (cylinder seal, Assyrian 8th c.bce)
Babylonian 2300 bce
Enuma Elish: compose c. 2000 BCE; main version c. 1000 bce)
--Marduk and mushhushshu (pet dragon?)
Enuma Elish vs. Genesis 1
Polytheistic vs monotheistic
Creation through struggle vs divine fiat
The luminaries; the Anunnaki
Tiamat: “he split her body like a shellfish”
But:
Tohubohu “formless void” (gen 1:2m before Fiat lux)
Tanninim “great sea monsters” (Gen. 1:21, Fifth Day)
Enthronement: Esagila; Jerusalem (Israelites believe God was enthroned in Jerusalem)
--Gen 2-3: Adam and Eve
The fall, disaster: Christians, the concept of original sin. Not what Israelites believe:
Accountability, punishment, reconciliation
Absolute distinction between humanity and god
Maturation
God lives in a garden?
Original Sin?
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ISRAELITE ORIGINS: (From the Patriarchs to the United Monarchy)
2000bc
Abraham: Iraq/Mesopotmia to Canaan.
Moses: Egypt to Canaan
David and Solomon
Canaan/Kingdom of Israel
Israelites saw their origins as crossing over (Hewa? Hebrews) borders, migration, in the
movement. One who crosses over.
--Abraham:
- Wandering of the first Hebrews - from iraq/ Mesopotamia t oCanaan (Founder of Israel:
notional community of Israelites, Kingdom of Israel in the north, Juda in the south, all of
them collectively. As this is political/culturula, religious) Abram
- Covenant: Arbitrary election; chosenness (political, stronger and weaker) Sometimes,
Jewish and Christians believe he was chosen because of his faith.
- Image of God: proximate and imminent (vs. cosmic deity of Gen 1, who seem to have a
body in that) Abraham knows him as tangible.
- Descent and inheritance - the promise of progeny
- Hagar (handmaiden?) and Ishmael (the master of arrows?); Isaac (he will laugh?)
- Hagar and Ishmael gets kicked out. But God saves them.
--Beth Alpha Synagogue mosaic, Israel, early 6th c.
- Offer Isaac to sacrifice. All think Isaac was old, but israelites believed he was a child.
- Ram.
--Jews call the Aqedah(Binding) or Sacrifice: The (near) Sacrifice of Abraham’s son
Moriah? (place, the Isr word for fear and seeing)
Equation of Moriah and Zion (Mount, hill where the temple is built): etiology for Temple sacrifice.
--MOSES:
Redemption from Egypt - rescue from slavery and oppression (around great grandchild of
Abraham area)
Revelation of the Name: YHWH Elohim (“THE LORD God”)
The Law: the decalogue/Torah ( When Moses
God’s dwelling: the Ark and the Tabernacle
--God faces Moses as The Burning Bush - set of fire, but not consumed (the Golden Haggadah)
--Formally called Decalogue .vs Torah
- Christians think the main commandments on the Torah. 10 commandements.
- Jews think it was there miraculously?
Aniconism: no form (eidolon)
Rules for Israel - covenantal conditions …
--Elohim/God = El Shaddai “God Almighty” Only Moses/ not Abraham.
YHWH = Yahweh “Lord” or “Adonai”
Jews feel it’s tabooed to pronounce the God’s name.
--Cross the red sea, part of the waters.
The Tabernacle (Mishkan) (contemporary depiction) - portable temple.
Inside is the Ark of the Covenant. Makes them Invulnerable. If god had a body He would sit on
it.
(Moses may or may not have existed though)
--When Moses was gone, the people built the Holy Cow, which is thought to be a false cow, and
idol. Wrong way to worship god. Gets punished.
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W2 D2
Hebrew - the team, people. None of them call themselves Hebrews (lang).
Historical Israel: The United Monarchy
--Saul c.1030-1000 bce
David c.1000-970 bce (Not Saul’s heir)
Solomon c. 970 - 930 bce
Saul: Tribe of Benjamin - Gibeah
Jonathan
David: tribe of Judah - Bethlehem, Lachish, Jerusalem settlements
Division of Kingdom 930 bce
--HISTORICAL ISRAEL: THE DIVIDED MONARCHU
C.930 - 722 bce Northern Kingdom of Israel
Capital at Samaria - major shrines at BETHEL and DAN Northern trives (practice own)
C.930 - 586 bce Southern Kingdom of Judah
Capital at JERUSALEM - major shrine the Temple of Solomon Southern tribes (Judah
and Ephraim)
722bce Destruction of the northern kingdom by the assyrians
586bce Destruction of the southern kingdom by the babylonians
Babylonian Exile. 2 Generation. They come back at 538. They destroyed the temple of
Solomon. Happens in 3 stages?
538bce The persian period - cyrus II (Persians sent the Judites back).
Not long but incredibly transformative
515bce Second temple established.
--The Problem of Origins
Scripture as foundation myth
Post-monarchy origins of biblical books
Diverse origins of biblical books, Israelite community
Persuasion through myth of national origins: unitary lineage, unitary origins, unitary deity,
unitary regime - Bible as Jerusalemite/Judahite ideology
Mer-ne-ptah Stele, c. 1200. First dateable reference to Israel “YSRIR” as ethnic group vs.
territorial state. This means before the monarchs, there were people called themselves Israel.
2 Different accounts of Creations of Humanity. Diversity of Opinion and perspective and origin.
Different origins come to a common ancestor - Abraham.
--The Amarna Letters
Egyptian diplomatic correspondence on Akkadian cuneiform tablets c.1350-1330c bce Hapiru:
used as “raider” or ”bandits” “nomads” (Some relations with Hebrew. Maybe Warlords, like a
class of people).
--Historical Origins of Israel
Lack of Evidence for Exodus, conquests
Alternative “Peasant rebellion” or “gradual emergence” model
Canaanite migration upland
Hapiru settlement
Material evidence: Watershed 12th-11th c.
“House of Joseph”: northern, El/Elohim, Egyptian origins
“Shasu of Yahweh”:southern,YHWH, Midianite/Edomite
Transjordan/Mesopotamia: Abraham
Fusion of Traditions: tribes all descended from common ancestors
(Abraham-Isaac-Jacob/Israel) “LORD God” (YHWH Elohim)
--The United Monarchy: David and Solomon
With the death of Solomon things fell apart.
--The Divided Kingdoms: Israel and Judah
Death of Solomon c. 930
Revolt of the northern tribes: JEROBOAM
Rival kingdoms: marginalization of Judah, flourishing of Israel under regime at SAMARIA
Bias of biblical texts: Omri, Ahab and Jezebel (9th c.) - “foreign” gods
BETHEL and DAN - northern worship of YHWH Elohim *etiologies?
--Ishtar, Queen of Heaven. A god standing on two goats.
Cult stand from Taanach, 10th c. bce. Ceramic object/shrine in house. Physical manifestatio nof
religious devotion, consisting of horses, Israelite God, Egyptian symbol of God etc.
--The Assyrian Conquest: The Destruction of Samaria (722 bce)
The Prophets: Samuel - Nathan-Elijah-Isaiah (claims to speak for God)
Criticizing Israelites. Northern kingdom is destroyed because of their sin.
Theodicy: “rewards and punishment theology”
Destruction of Northern Kingdom 722 bce; attack on Southern Kingdom 701 - LACHISH (2nd
biggest in Judah)
Assyrians - sometimes, known as the one who depicted homicide.
--Kings in Judah making treaties with Babylonia.
Biblical depict it as sin because only one master.
--The Babylonian Conquest: Deportation of Judah’s Elite (586 bce)
*2 kings 24-25; Isaiah 40, 52 -53
- Judah as vassal of the Babylonian Empire: rebellions of Jehoiakim, Zedekiah
- 2 Kings 24:20: “Jerusalem and Judah so angered THE LORD that he expelled them from
His presence”
- Messages of divine sovereignty and consolation: Isaiah (Deutero-Isaiah)
- YHWH as Lord and Creator: compare Isaiah 40 and Genesis 1
- The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 52-53
- Suffering, being punished, deserving, but God will redeem us
--W2D Dis
The relationship between God and Moses - why it is important
Pentateuch - Torah
22 When David conquers Jerusalem, established united monarchy, and Solomon builds the
temple.
W3 D1
Acropolis of Athens, Greece (5th c. bce)
--THE ASSYRIAN CONQUEST: THE DESTRUCTION OF SAMARIA (722 bce)
The prophets: Samuel - Nathan - Elijah - Isaiah
Theodicy: “reward and punishment theology”
Destruction of Northern Kingdom 722
--Literary vs Historical evidence “anachronism”
The Moabite stele, c. 840 bce: Refers to “House of Omri” (Israel) and “House of David” (Judah)
Historically objectifiable (external source). Bible is
literary source, written by Israelites themselves,
Written over a long period of time. subjective
Obelisk of Shalmaneser III,Assyrian king, c.850 bce: Depicts submission of “Jehu of the people
of the land of Omri, king of the northern kingdom” (what other people call Israelites.
2000bc camels were not domesticated, but in 1000bc they did.
--THE BABYLONIAN CONQUEST: DEPORTATION OF JUDAH’S ELITE. (586 bce)
- 2 kings 23-25; Isaiah 40, 52-53
- Judah as vassal of the Babylonian Empire: rebellions of Jehoiakin, Zedekiah
- 2 kings 24:20: “Jerusalem and Judah so angered THE LORD that he expelled them from
His presence”
- Messages of divine sovereignty and consolation: Isaiah (Deutero- Isaiah)
- YHWH as Lord and Creator: compare Isaiah 40 and Genesis 1
- The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 52 - 53
--THE BABYLONAIN EXILE: THE GOLAH (exile, people who are exiled, community) (586 538bce)
- Psalms 18, 22, 23, 104, 137; Ezekiel 1-2
- Dating Psalms - pre-Exilic and Exilic
- Psalms “of David”: Psalm 18,22, 23
- Messages of divine sovereignty and consolation - YHWH as Lord and Creator: Psalm
104
- DIrect experience of Exile: Ps. 137 (gets violent from lament)
- Some of the songs are authentically old, vastly about priests and god
- Some songs go back to David and Solomon, when the first temple was around.
-
Ezekiel 1-2: the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) in Babylon (Judah expelled from His
presence?)
--The Presence Followed to Babylonian in Exile.
--THE SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD (539 bce - 70 ce)
539 bce
Persian overthrow of Babylonian Empire
538-333
Persian Period: YEHUD (*Esther, repatriated, Persian call this, JUDEA, is
Judaism
333-63 bce
Hellenistic/Greek Period
63bce Roman Rule over Judea
66-70 ce
First Jewish War- DEstruction of the Temple
132-136 ce
Bar Kokhba Rebellion - Expulsion of Jews
Comments:
Temple has not been there for thousand years, replaced by different empires,
Persian->Greek->Roman
--REPATRIATION AND RESTORATION: THE PERSIAN PERIOD (539 - 333bce)
Judaism is not same as Israelites??? In terms of religion
Isaiah 45; Ezra 103p Nehemiah 8-10
(Evangelical group believes from 45th president, D.T is the anointed)
- Cyrus II as “anointed one” (Messiah): ISaiah 45
- Singling respect and prestige in ancient world, oiling. Special favor. Instrument of
God’s will. I wanna send the Judah back to its promised land.
- Repatriation of the Golah (538 bce): YEHUD
- Community is reestablished in Jerusalem.
- Zerubavel - rededication of the Temple (520 bce)
- Really the start of the 2nd temple foundation.
- Nehemiah’s mission (445 bce): Nehemiah 8-10
- Israelites who live in Babylon, Nehemiah and his friend Ezra. They are sent to
speed things up. Attempts by the Persian to build Jerusalem back up.
- Ezra’s reading of the Torah (398 bce): Ezra 1-2
- Process of sealing collecting themselves
--The Cyrus Cylinder, c539 bce
Pious Restoration of Mesopotamian Cities and Temples.
Cyrus is Persian. He calls God Marduk, although Persian god is different.
--THE GREEK AND ROMAN PERIODS (539 -333 bce)
333 bce
Battle of ISSUS: ALEXANDER - HELLENISM
167 bce
JEWISH revolt against Seleucids - Maccabees
Considered: Great national heroes during 2nd period?
164-116 bce Hasmonean rule under Seleucids
Hasmo-plagued with problems and stuff
116-63 bce
Hasmonean Autonomy
63 bce
Roman Rule over Judea
Independent kingdom is dismantled.
Comments:
Old Testament says: Eye for an Eye.
Hellenism. Greek conquered almost most known world. Which created uniform
culture.
Entire 2nd Temple period is marked by foreign domination.
Babylonian->Exile->Juda-ins brought by to be dominated by foreigners.
Israelites: tradition of Israelites. Judaism: How to be faithful under these poorer
Conditions.
--Major Trensformations of the second Temple Period: From Israelites to Jews
Ideology of Community: “Judahism” -> Judaism
Depiction of Menorah from a synagogue flott mosaic Jericho, 6th c CE
- Ancient Israel bs. The Golah
- Yehudi/loudaios/ludaeus
- Specifically being Judahi. The ones that exiled proclaimed they are the ones who
kept true to themselves. Definitive things is keeping faith even exiled.
- Temple, covenant, Torah
- Greek-style ethnos
- Insiders/outsiders-endogamy
- Experience of exile vs. connection to the land
--Greek and Roman Empires:
Judahists throughout the East Mediterranean.
--CONCEPTS OF GOD FROM EXILE TO REPATRIATION
Ahura Mazda; Ahriman(beast); coin from Persian Yehud (“Zeus YHWH?”)
- Changes in concepts of god: monotheism, aniconism
- Yhwh elohim as universal creator: genesis 1 and enuma elish
- dualism: ahriman and satan
Comments:
- God gets super big and powerful. During and After Exile.
- GENESIS 1 is late. Maybe after Exile.
- Coin from YAHUD, only interpret as ZEUS YHWH. (sitting on Merkaba, the chariot)
-