The Historical Setting of the New Testament

The Exile (Babylonian Period, 605-538 B.C.)

The Post-exilic period (Persian Period, 539-332 BC)

Inter-testamental Period (332-63BC)

Alexander the Great of Macedon

Ptolemaic Rule

Seleucid Rule

Maccabean War

The Hasmonean Dynasty

The Rise of Romans

The Exilic and Post-Exilic Periods

The Persian Empire

The Persian Period (539-332 BC)

At the end of 70 year Babylonian captivity, God’s people returned to Jerusalem.

There three returns from exile

First return: time of Cyrus the Great (539 B.C.); led by Sheshbassar; they began rebuilding the temple and God sent Haggai and Zechariah to boost the morale of the people; Zerubbabel was appointed as governor while Joshua as high priest.

Second return: time of Artaxerxes I (457 B.C.); led by Ezra; main goal is to rebuild the city of Jerusalem; he also led a reform against inter-marriage.

Third return: time of Artaxerxes I (444 B.C.); led by Nehemiah; his task is to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; he was appointed as governor; Malachi was sent to assist the reformation in the land.

Samaritans who were occupying the Jerusalem at the of post-exilic settlement were cast out of the city and occupied Samaria; they built a temple in Mt. Gerezim(cf. John 4).

Judah during the Persian rule:

Judea became one of the Persian provinces.

The Jews enjoyed freedom of religion and peace during the Persian rule.

Some of the Jews were in the diaspora but were still united by the temple, the Law, and Yahweh.

No appointed king in Judah after exile; the high-priest became an important position from this time on.

Prophecy ceased the fact that God did not call a prophet.

Malachi is the last prophet called by God in the OT.

The Greek Empire

Alexander the Great: extent of empire

The Rule of Alexander the Great

Son of Phillip II of Macedon.

He was taught by Aristotle that everything is moving toward a goal and destiny.

He wanted to create an empire united in custom, language, and civilization.

Became king at the age of twenty and started to conquer the world after uniting the Greek city-states and defeating the Persian armies.

By 333 B.C. he was able to free the Asia Minor from the Persian rule; by 331 the Mesopotamian region; by 326 B.C., he reach Indus Valley

He died in 323 B.C. at the age of 32 on the way to Mesopotamia from India.

Alexander’s Hellenization

he tried to unite the East and West by having a common language, political system, and currency.

He encouraged his soldiers to marry local wives.

He established several Alexandrias.

Several Greek cities were founded in Palestine that strongly influenced Jewish lives.

Judea on the Influence of Alexander’s Hellenism

Only on Judea where there was strong opposition against Alexander’s religious and cultural syncretism.

A common language made the rapid spread of Christianity and made the OT readable at this period (Septuagint).

Hellenism can be considered as the major factor in the formation of the sects Pharisees and Sadducees.

Alexander’s emphasis on literacy and education paved the way for the reading of the Scriptures (OT).

Trade and commerce became ways for the expansion of the gospel in the 1st century A.D.

Great political changes in Europe and Asia

◦ From the rule of Persia to Greece to Rome

◦ Alexander integrates East and West through language (Greek) and culture (hellenism)

◦ The control of Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms

New civilizations

◦ Hellenism prevails in education and culture

◦ Roman law creates pax romana

Important Developments during Intertestamental Period

The language changes

For example in Palestine, from Hebrew to Aramaic; later the Jews (diaspora) used Greek as well

New body of literature emerged

Apocrypha

Pseudepigrapha

LXX

Qumran sectarian literature

The works of Philo (Allegorical/Philosophical)

Jewish Sects developed (e.g. Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and etc.)

Ptolemaic Rule After the death of Alexander the Great, Greek

empire was divided into his generals.

Ptolemy, one of the generals and an old friend of Alexander was given Egypt and Palestinian region.

He subjugated Jerusalem by surprise on Sabbath and took 100,000 Jews as captives to Egypt.

He lost control of Palestine to Antigonus in 315 B.C. but later reclaimed it in 313 B.C.

He was a Macedonian but sympathetic to Egyptian culture; therefore he was declared as pharaoh of Egypt.

He built Museum in Alexandria which became the seat of intellect as well as Aristotelian philosophy; this became the world’s first university.

The library in Alexandria, Egypt is another contribution of Ptolemy.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus ordered the translation of the Hebrew OT to Greek, known as the Septuagint (LXX).

Ptolemy IV Philopater tried to enter the Most Holy Place, but he was prevented.

The strength of the Ptolemaic kingdom began to decline at the time of Ptolemy IV, and as a result, Ptolemy V Epiphanes was defeated by a Seleucid king.

To offer peace, he gave his daughter in a diplomatic marriage and lost control of Phoenicia and Palestine (198 B.C.)

Ptolemaic kingdom lasted from 323-117 B.C.

Jews during Ptolemaic RulePtolemies rule may be considered a time

of peace and freedom for the Jews in Egypt and Palestine.

They did not use governor like the Persian empire. Therefore, the high-priest became the most influential leader.

The Seleucid RuleSeleucus I Nicator, one of the generals of

Alexander the Great and the founder of Seleucid kingdom.

He controlled the regions of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Asia Minor after Antigonus was killed in the battle (301 B.C.)

Antioch in Syria was founded as the capital of Seleucus; it became the center of Hellenistic cultures.

The Seleucid dynasty lasted until 65 B.C. when the Romans destroyed them.

Jews under Seleucid Rule Under Antiochus III (the Great), Palestine was

transferred to Seleucid rule.

He gave many privileges to the Jews such as citizenship, religious freedom, freedom from taxation, and the official sanction of Jewish laws.

Many Jews settled in Hellenistic cities as influenced by Antiochus, thus, Jews in the diaspora grew.

However, these freedom of the Jews did not last long.

He was defeated by the Roman soldiers and was replaced by Seleucus, then his brother Antiochus IV Epiphanes . He continued the oppressive nature of his predecessors.

He forced the Jews to worship him as Olympian Zeus.

His program of Hellenization was generally successful except in Judea.

There were two parties among Jews in Jerusalem: conservative and the Hellenizers who were mostly priestly aristocrats.

Rivalry between the house of Tobias (Hellenizers) and Onias (Orthodox) aroused even before Antiochus’ hellenization.

Hellenization of Antiochus Epiphanes IV

Joshua (Jason, Hellenized name), brother of Onias III, bribed to take the high-priesthood from his brother.

Then, another brother named Menaleus bribed larger with the help of the Tobiads to ensure the high-priesthood.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes ransacked the Jerusalem temple and took the golden altar and most items of value.

He levied heavy taxes on the Jews to maintain his standard of living; if unwilling/unable to pay, the Jews were sold into slavery.

The Jews were required to conform to Syrian laws and prohibited to practice Jewish customs like circumcision, Sabbath observance, avoiding unclean food, and temple sacrifices on the pain of death.

Books of Torah were destroyed.

An altar dedicated to Zeus was erected on the altar of burnt offerings;

A herd of swine was sacrificed on the altar dedicated to Zeus and the temple vessels were desecrated by sprinkling them with broth made of swine’s flesh.

Ptolemaic kingdom was relatively lax in their

rule to God’s people;

It was mostly a period of peace; there was freedom for the Jews both in Egypt and

Palestine.

However, as for the rule of the Seleucids, they

were more rigid in their “hellenization.”

The time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes marks the

time of great trial for the Jews.

He forced people to be “hellenized.”

The Ptolemaic and Seleucid Rule Compared

Mattathias, priest of Modin; father of Judas Maccabeus) led the revolt.

Judas Maccabeus and his brothers (John, Eliezer, Simon, Jonathan) together with the Hasidim fought against the Syrian armies.

They were forced even to fight on the Sabbath, lest they will all perished in the hands of their enemies.

After the death of Mattathias, Judas Macabeusled the revolt and they were successful in fighting against “hellenism.”

The Maccabean Revolt

Cleansing of Jerusalem temple took place on 164 B.C.; it is celebrated every year during the time of Hannukah, (“Feast of Lights”).

Judas Maccabeus was successful in his campaign against the Syrian armies.

However, he died in the battle against the Syrians in 160 B.C.

After his death Jonathan the Cunning(youngest brother) assumed the leadership who was not strong in subduing the Syrians like his brother.

Jonathan can be considered as statesman while his brother Judas was a warrior.

He died in the hands of Trypho (Syrian general) who has the same character with him.

Trypho made him prisoner and Simon (the last brother alive) sent him ransom. However, he did not release Jonathan and had him killed.

After the death of Jonathan, his brother Simon(ca. 142-134), became the leader.

He made a treaty with the Syrian king (Demetrius II) who granted him political independence and paying from taxes.

He was conferred by the Jews as governor and high-priest.

It was relatively a time of peace during his leadership.

He minted his own coins.

One of his great accomplishments in the unification of three parties in Judaism: the Hellenists, the Hasidim, and the Maccabees.

He was killed in a banquet prepared by his son-in law.

His death marked the end of the Maccabean period.

The Hasmonean Dynasty John Hyrcanus is the first leader of the

Hasmonean dynasty.

He is the son of Simon; he was away when his father and two brothers were assassinated.

John prospered for 30 years; he subdued the Samaritans and destroyed their temple in Mt. Gerizim which added further the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans.

John Hyrkanus failed to appreciate the Hasidim played in the earlier revolt against the Syrians.

This resulted to internal tension.

The existence of the three sects can be dated at this time: Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes.

He sided with the Pharisees.

After his death, Salome, his wife took the lead and his on Aristobulus I became the high-priest.

Aristobulus I seized the throne from his mother; starved her to death and imprisoned his brother Jonathan (Alexander Jannaeus).

After only a year of reign, he died and his wife Alexandra became his successor.

She freed Alexander Jannaeus; married him and appointed him as high-priest.

He was a liberal leader and welcomed hellenization.

When the Pharisees revolted against Jannaeus, he killed 6,000 of them and even crucified hundreds of them in another time.

Alexander Jannaeus’ reign is marked with cruelty and civil war (6-year war against the Pharisees).

At his deathbed, he advised his wife to quit alliance with the Sadducees and make peace with the Pharisees.

Then, his wife Alexandra rule after the death of Alexander Jannaeus.

She is the first woman to rule over the Jews.

She favored the Pharisees and at this time, the Sanhedrin increased in power and prestige.

Her 9-year rule marked with peace and prosperity.

Hyrkanus II and Aristobulus II became her successors.

The descendants of Mattathias were not conservative as their noble progenitors;

They went back to “hellenism”;

The nation rarely had much peace because of internal (civil war) and external strife.

Reflection on the Hasmonean Period

Rome became powerful and conquered the nations around them including the Seleucid kingdom;

Before it became an empire, it was a republic ruled by consuls and a senate;

Pompey and Julius Caesar led in subjugating their enemies including the Hasmonean family;

Caesar Augustus was the first man to declare himself as emperor;

Antipater, father of Herod the Great, became the governor of Judea while Herod was appointed as tetrarch of Galilee.

The Roman Period

Appointed ruler of Judea (37 B.C.-4 A.D.);

a great builder (e.g. Samaria, Caesaria, Masada, Jerusalem temple, etc.);

seen by the Jews a “blood-thirsty tyrant”; he killed some members of the Sanedrin, Aristobulus(brother-in-law), Mariamne (his wife), Alexandra (mother-in-law), sons by Mariamne (Aristobulus IV and Alexander), and ordered the deaths of the Bethlehem infants.

Supported hellenization.

Herod the Great

Herod’s kingdom was divided into his three sons:

◦ Archaeleus (province of Judea cf. Matt 2:20,22), brutal like his father; Scandalized Jews by marrying his brother’s widow and deposing two high priests; removed, and sent into exile (A.D.6)

◦ Herod Antipas (Galilee and Perea), like his father, he had massive building projects like Sepphoris (4mi from Nazareth) and Tiberias by the lake of Galilee and named it after the

After the Time of Herod the Great

Roman emperor Tiberius; Antipas was the one who executed John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29) and involved in the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:7-12)

Philip (Caesaria), he founded the town of Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mt. Hermon.

There were seven procurators from A.D. 6 to 41;

They were appointed by the emperor to control the finances, assisting in the collecting of taxes; they had power also to pass death sentence and could appoint and depose high priest;

Pontius Pilate can be considered as the most famous because of his connection to Christ’s trial (cf. Matt 27:11-26; Mark 15:15; Luke 22:66-23:25; John 18:28-19:16)

The Roman Procurators

Judea during the Roman period was dominated by the Herodian dynasty;

Romans required taxes, but allowed considerable freedom for the Jews;

Herod the Great was cruel and despicable in his personal life but he was known for his building projects.

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