“Life of Messiah”- Arnold Fruchtenbaum“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” - Alfred Edersheim“Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian “Era - C.F.Moore“The Jewish People and Jesus Christ” – Jacob Jocz“The Foundations of Judaism and Christianity” – J. Parkes“The Jewish People in the Time of Jesus” – Emil Schurer

The Jewish Dispersion

The Diaspora Banishment by the judgment of God Outward Suffering Religious Sorrow (400 silent years) (I Peter 1:1)

“No nation in the world which had not among their part of the Jewish people” Josephus

The Jewish people were, “widely dispersed over all the world among its inhabitants” (Josephus) yet they never found a home

The Jew in the East and West

West – Hellenists To conform to the language and manners of the Greeks Called: “The dispersion of the Greeks” (John 7:35) “Hellenists,” or “Grecians” (Acts 6:1; 9:29; 11:20) Engulfed in Gentile surroundings High regard placed on winning converts and making proselytes

Integrated Greek philosophy with biblical revelation: (Philo of Alexandria) Developed the Apocrypha Developed the LXX Used an allegorical method of interpretation

East – Called “Hebrews” Those dispersed East had open contempt for for the Hellenists - The land to the east was once king David’s territory - Boasted a synagogue built by king Jeconiah with stones from the Temple - Large wealthy Jewish population

East - 63 BC Jews in the east resisted Rome and Rome ceases to provoke their hostility in AD 40 - In the east the Mishnah (2nd law) originates - Study of Mishnah results in Midrash or investigation of Scripture

Jewish Sects

The Scribes are not a party

He is known as the “lawyer”He is the ultimate authority on all questions of faith and practiceHe is the “exegete of laws,” “teacher of the law”He was a judge in ecclesiastical tribunalsHis was a position of status, the holding of an officeHis early task was to establish the contents of the written Torah: 613 commandments

“Hasidim” – “God’s loyal ones”Name first appears in the context of the early Hasmonean kingsAlways a minority group – 6,000 during the time time of Herod (Josephus)Bitter relationship with the common peopleThey believed the Babylonian exile was caused by Israel’s failure to keep the TorahThey built a “hedge” around the law

“Hedge” – to interpret and supplement the law so that there would be no possibility of breaking them either by accident or ignorance

All of these developments formed the “oral law” the full development of it does not occur until after the 1st centuryBeing convinced they had the right interpretation of the law they claimed these “traditions of the elders” (Mk. 7:13) came from God through Moses

The origins of this name are disputedPerhaps derived from Zadok, Solomon’s contemporary whose descendants were regarded as the pure priestly line – Ezk. 44:15ffNearly all Sadducees were priestsDominated the Sanhedrin during the Herods of RomeDied out with the destruction of the TempleDenied the permanent validity of any but the written law

Denied belief in the soul, after-life, resurrection, rewards and retribution, angels, and demonsThey believed in free-choice and denied the idea of “fate,” or the sovereignty of God

Flourished 1st century BC – 1st century ADPhilo writes of them in his discussion that only the truly good man is truly freeHe states they numbered 4,000He says they paid scrupulous attention to ceremonial purityHe says: they hold all property in common abstain from animal sacrifices they practice celibacy

They keep no slaves Make provision for those in their company who cannot work due to sickness or age They swear no oaths Take no part in military or commercial activities They in general cultivate all the virtues

Pliny the Elder says of the Essenes: They lived on the west side of the Dead Sea above En-gedi He says they were there for countless generations He says many regularly joined their ranks out of shear weariness of ordinary life

Founded by Judas the Galilaean, who led revolt against Rome in AD 6They opposed the payment of Israel to a pagan emperor Called Zealots because they followed the example of Mattathias and his followers who manifested “zeal for the laws of God during the Maccabean revolt; and Phineas (Num. 25:11; Ps. 106:30 )

The Zealots engaged the Romans throughout the the Jewish revolt of AD 66-73The last Zealot stronghold to fall was at Masada in May AD 73One of Yeshua’s 12 disciples was an ex-zealot: Simon the Zealot (Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13)

A Common Hope

All regarded the uniqueness of Israel & Jerusalem (Ps. 137:6)Jerusalem was their common center - John 4:20 - Daniel always prayed facing west toward Israel and Jerusalem - The Hebrew Scriptures close with the cry, “Let us go up.”

An even stronger belief was in the hope of Messiah’s coming 1. Restoration of Israel’s kingdom 2. Return of the dispersed 3. Reign of Israel’s kingCommon Prayer:“Proclaim by thy loud trumpet of deliverance, and raise up a banner to gather our dispersed, and gather us together from the four corners of the earth. Blessed art thou, O Lord! Who gathers the outcasts of thy people.”

All the different views of Messiah and his coming agree to the following: Deliverance of Israel Israel’s Restoration Israel’s Future Preeminent Glory The Coming of Messiah to bring this about

These beliefs provided Israel:

Meaning in their worshipPatience in sufferingWith the means of being kept distinct from the nationsWith the basis for fixing their hearts on Jerusalem

Geography of Israel

Galilee – NorthSamaria – CenterJudea – SouthIdumean – Far SouthPeraea – EastDecapolis – EastIturea – North EastTrachonitis – North EastNabataea – South East

The Sources of Knowledge(Luke’s Prologue)

Para. 1

1. Approaching the Study of the Life of Messiah

Often the life of Messiah is studied from an Hellenistic background rather than from a Jewish perspective

Greek background is helpful for the latter part of Acts, Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, etc…

Life of Yeshua works it’s way out in 1st century Jewish culture – Jewish frame of reference and background

Knowledge of the Jewish background was always available, but largely ignored by the early church beginning in the 4th century onward

2. Two Ways to Approach the Life of Messiah

Geographical Approach Galilean Ministry Later Judean Ministry Later Perean Ministry (etc…)

Thematic Approach: Yeshua the Messianic King

3. How the Gospels were Written

Jn. 21:25 – All books could not contain all things Yeshua did All things Yeshua did

Events

A B C

Matthew: “Yeshua King of the Jews” Events: A & C

Mark: “Yeshua the Servant of the Lord” Events: B & C

Thus, the writers can choose what events to record. And if they record the events they might record them differently, but they never contradict each other

Themes of the Gospels:

Matthew: Yeshua the Messiah, the King of the JewsWritten to the JewsActs 7 – Stoning of Steven Jewish believers scattered and Matthew provides authoritative source of the life of the Messiah for the Jews

Purposes of Matthew:

To show Yeshua is the MessiahTo explain how it is that Yeshua is the Messiah though the kingdom was not set upTo explain the kingdom programHe writes in light of the impending judgment of 70 AD. It thus serves as a warning of this judgment

Mark: Yeshua the Messiah, the Servant of the LordWritten for Romans – ¾ of all Roman citizens the were slavesSlaves were given a command and were expected to immediately fulfill itYeshua is presented as the ideal Servant who receives a commission and quickly carries it outOver 40 x’s Mark uses the Greek word translated, “straitaway,” “immediately,” or “forthwith”

It presents a sense of urgency to get the mission doneYet, he does have a Jewish viewpoint – appealing to the “servant of the Lord” passages found in the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53)Isaiah’s favorite title of Messiah – “Servant of the Lord

Luke – Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of ManWrites for the GreeksGreeks famous for two things: 1. History – Egyptian history largely dependent on Greek records Concerned with chronological sequence of historical events 2. The Ideal Man – self-disciplined, mentally and physically

Luke 1:1-4 1. Luke not an eye witness – came to faith during Paul’s ministry 2. Narratives of the life of Yeshua were already out which were eyewitness accounts Why then did Luke want to write another account? 3. Luke’s account was to provide a chronological account – “order” = “chronological order”

We then are to prioritize Luke when attempting to understand the chronological order of events in the life of Yeshua

Luke does appeal to eyewitness accounts: He was in Israel for 2 years with Paul During that time he was able to interview eye- witnesses like Mary for example

Luke shows concern for three areas: 1. Concern for Jerusalem Teachings of Yeshua about Jerusalem not reached by the other Gospel writers 2. Concern for Gentiles Came to faith by Paul, and served with Paul in his ministry among the Gentiles 3. Concern for Women Role in the life of Yeshua not revealed by the other Gospel writers

John – Yeshua the Messiah the Son of God Luke – emphasized the humanity of Yeshua John – emphasized the deity of Yeshua Written for all people – believers at largeEvangelistic emphasis reaching the lost 1. Shows believers all that Yeshua taught 2. Reveals the signs of YeshuaWritten AD 95 – After Matthew, Mark, Luke John recalls things these Gospels left out

John – concerned with what Yeshua said and taught (sermons, messages not covered by the others)Mark – concerned with what Yeshua didJohn’s main theme is: Yeshua the Son of GodSub themes: Conflict of light & darkness Came for the purpose of teaching about the Father to humanityJohn then focuses on teachings rather than on the things He has done(“Show us the Father…” John 14:9ff

John works around the number 7: 7 Discourses 7 Signs 7 “I am” statements

The Branch of the Lord Motif

Matthew – Yeshua the Messiah the King of the JewsMark – Yeshua the Messiah the Servant of the LordLuke – Yeshua the Messiah the Son of ManJohn – Yeshua the Messiah the Son of God

The Branch of the Lord Motif

Isaiah 4:2-6 – The Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious a. The Land of Israel will be blessed b. The remnant of Israel will be holy c. This will come about through tribulation d. The Shekinah will return

The Branch of the Lord Motif

Jeremiah 23:5 – The Branch of the Lord a King, the Son of DavidZechariah 3:8 – The Branch of the Lord the Servant of the LordZechariah 6:12 – The Branch of the Lord who is a ManJeremiah 23:6 – The Branch of the Lord who is God

The Pre-existence of the Messiah(John’s Prologue)

The word “Word” = “Logos” (Greek)Often understood in the context of Greek philosophyGreek philosophers connected two concepts to the term “Word”: 1. Reason = Focus is on the idea of God 2. Speech = Focus is on the expression of God

Logos = Word ____________│____________ │ │ Reason Speech │ │ Idea of God Expression of God

John was not a Greek philosopher. He was a Jewish fisherman

The Rabbinic Understanding of the “Word”Greek: Logos

Hebrew: דבר = The “Word” was personified; The “Word” = commissioned to carry out a missionGen. 15:1 – Agent of revelationPsalm 33:4-6 – Agent of creationPsalm 147:15 – The “Word” moves swiftlyIsaiah 9:8 – The “Word” is sent

The Rabbinic Understanding of the “Word”

Isaiah 55:10-11 – The “Word” comes and goesIsaiah 45:23 – The “Word” goes out in righteousnessEzekiel 1:3 – The “Word” came expressly to the prophet

The Rabbinic Understanding of the “Word

ממרה= דבר = logos = word

became the theological term the ממרהrabbis used

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה1. Something distinct from God; something identified as God – Jn. 1:1 (John will enlarge on this later)

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

2. Agent of creation – Jn. 1:33. Agent of salvation – Jn. 1:124. Means by which God takes on physical form: a. Christian theology = theophany b. Rabbinic theology = Shechinah (the visible manifestation of God in a given location

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

Shechinah = visible, localized presence was the Shechinah of God. Appeared as: light, fire, cloud – in combination of these three thingsNow he became man, or humanGreek “word” in vs. 14 – not the usual Greek word for “to dwell”

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

The “sh” sound exists in Hebrew with one letter,

the letter ש, the Greek does not have any way of making this sound

Hebrew: הושיעה נא (“save now”) = the Greek

“hosanna” Greek word used in Jn. 1:14 = “skeinei” “to tabernacle”

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרהExodus 40 – the origin of the term שכנה – the

glory of God tabernacled with Israel until Ezk.

8-11 when the שכנה departed

Now for the first time since Ezekiel’s day the

has returned – but not as a cloud but שכנה as a person

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

The physical body of Messiah veiled his glory – but one time the light came through at what is often referred to as the “transfiguration” recorded in Matthew 17John saw this manifestation – “we” beheld his glory” – John and 2 others (Peter and James)Peter another eye witness of the transfiguration makes a similar statement ( II Peter 1:16-18)

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

5. The means by which God ratified his covenants 8 covenants in the Hebrew Scriptures 3 – with humanity in general Edenic Covenant Adamic Covenant Noahic Covenant

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

5 – with Israel in particular Abrahamic Covenant Land Covenant Davidic Covenant New Covenant Mosaic Covenant

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרהAll 8 covenants conferred by the ממרה - signed and sealedEx. 24:1-11 – Mosaic LawJn. 1:17 – New Covenant Messiah will sign and seal by his death, burial, and resurrection (Heb. 8-10)

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

6. Agent of revelation – “The word of the Lord came to…” Jn. 1:18 – “declared him,” or “revealed him” sub-theme: to declare the Father (Heb. 1:1-3)

Rabbis taught 6 things about the ממרה

Summary of what John states here:1. The “memra,” the “logos,” “the word,” came in visible form2. The world in general did not recognize him3. His own Jewish people did not recognize him4. Those individual Jews and Gentiles who did recognize him became the children of God and received their salvation from the one who is the agent of salvation