CHAPTER TEN
The Journey Leads to the Time of
Jesus and Beyond
Introduction
After the Babylonians, the Jews lived in
Palestine under a succession of rulers:
Persian Empire
Seleucids
Roman Empire
Alexander the
Great
Ptolmies
Foreign Rule
- 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
Daniel 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
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
Jewish History
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
The Persian Empire
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~ancientpersia/images/empire.gif
Jewish History
Ptolemies:
- 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
Jewish History
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
Best Course for Jews
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
- 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?
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
Vocabulary
- Dead Sea Scrolls - Zoroastrianism
-Sadduc
- Hasidim
- Koine
-Synagogue
- Pharisees
- Septuagint
-Rabbi
- Essenes
- Ptolemies
-Zealots
-Hasmonean
- Dynasty