The Intertestamental Period: From Babylon To The Birth Of Christ

The Intertestamental Period and the Rise of Christianity

Announcements

Intertestamental PeriodWeek Date Topic

1 05 Mar 14 Overview

2 12 Mar 14 Babylonian Period (605-539 BC)

3 19 Mar 14 Persian Period (539-332 BC)

4 26 Mar 14 Greek Period (332-323 BC)

5 02 Apr 14 Ptolemaic (323-198 BC)

6 09 Apr 14 Syrian (198-168 BC)

7 16 Apr 14 Maccabean Part 1 (168-153 BC)

8 23 Apr 14 Maccabean Part 2 (153-139 BC)

9 30 Apr 14 Independence (139-63 BC)

10 07 May 14 Rome Intervenes (63 – 37 BC)

11 14 May 14 Herod (37 BC – 4 BC)

12 21 May 14 The IT Period and Christianity (4 BC – 70 AD)

13 28 May 14 Review

Today’s Objectives• Review last week’s lesson• Learn about the division of Herod’s kingdom• Learn about Herod’s three sons who become

leaders• Learn about the Procurators of Rome who

administer Judea– Pontius Pilate

• Learn about the Roman interaction with Christ• Learn about the conflict between the Jews

and Romans

Reference Material

• KJV (w/ Apocrypha)– 1st and 2nd Maccabbees

• Josephus – The Complete Works• Herodotus – The History• Intertestamental History – Mark Moore• Ancient Rome – Simon Baker• Harding University – BNEW 112 Course Notes –

Dr. Thompson• Intertestamental Period – John Battle

Where we left off….• Review last week’s lesson• Learned about the conflict between Octavian

and Antony and its’ effect on Judea• Learned about Octavian as Caesar Augustus• Learned about the origins of the Herodian

family• Learned about Herod’s rule

– Efforts as king

– Intervention with the birth of Christ

– Death and division of the kingdom

Herod’s Death• Herod grows more suspicious and cruel

• Had lost the confidence and favor of the Romans– Order a tax registration in 8 BC

• Contracts a disease, possibly a cancer– Herod orders key Jewish leaders to be jailed– Orders their execution when he dies– Order not carried out

• Herod’s kingdom is divided– Three younger sons inherit the kingdom

Division of the Herod’s Kingdom• Archelaus

– 4 BC – 6 AD– Became ruler of the Jews– Territory included Judea, Idumea, and Samaria

• Herod Antipas– 4 BC – 39 AD– Became a subordinate rule below the rank of a

king, most often mentioned in the NT– Territory included Galilee and Perea

• Philip the Tetrarch– 4 BC – 34 AD– Northeast of Galillee, Iturea, Trachonitis

LG – ArchelausP – AntipasO – PhillipGR – SalomeDG – Roman ProvinceY – Autonomous cities

Division of Herod’s Kingdom

Archelaus• 4 BC – 6 AD• Gained the most important part of Herod’s

kingdom including Judea, Idumea, and Samaria.• Incompetent and cruel ruler (Read Matt 2:19-23)• In 6 AD, a delegation of Jews and Samaritans

travel to Rome to complain• Augustus deposed • Instead of appointing another Governor, reduced

his territory to an imperial province under the rule of a Roman procurators

• Procurators could be of the equestrian class, the second highest class in Roman society

• Most infamous prefect was the fifth one, Pontius Pilate (A.D. 26-36).

Herod Antipas• 4 BC – 39 AD• Antipas was granted the title of tetrarch, “ruler of a

fourth part” of a district• He was given the family title “Herod” by the

Romans • Both Antipas and his brother Philip held the title of

Herod • Bible sometimes uses the word “king” for Herod

Antipas as a popular designation (Matt 14:9; Mark 6:14-26).

• Antipas was given the territories of Galilee and Perea

• Antipas is the “Herod” mentioned in the Gospels (except in the birth narratives, when Herod the Great is mentioned)

• Jesus belonged to Herod Antipas’ jurisdiction (Luke 23:7)

• Remembered for beheading John the Baptist in Perea– While Herod was visiting in Rome, he was attracted to Herodias,

the wife of his brother Philip (not Philip the Tetrarch)– She forsook her husband, and with her daughter Salome she went

with Herod back to Galilee– John the Baptist declared that Herod was guilty of grave sin– For this reason Herod imprisoned John and later executed him

(Matt 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29).

• When Jesus was warned to flee from Herod’s territory of Perea, Jesus took his time in leaving, and called Herod a “fox” (Luke 13:31-32)

• During his trial, Jesus refused to speak at all to Herod Antipas (Luke 23:1-12)

Herod Antipas cont.

Philip the Tetrarch • 4 BC – 34 AD• Received the least important section of the

kingdom• Philip is mentioned in the NT only in Luke 3:1• Appears to have been a good ruler• He married Salome, who had danced for his

brother Herod Antipas• Jesus visited Caesarea Philippi, a city in Philip’s

territory which Philip had built up and named for himself

• While Jesus was there, Peter gave his great confession (Matt 16:13-20).

• Nearby Mt. Hermon may have been the site of Christ’s transfiguration (Matt 17:1-2).

Procurators• Roman citizens of wealth who were not

magistrates or members of the senate• Roscian Law set the minimum wealth at

400K Sesterces (about $380K today)• Highest class were called prefectures• There were 14 procurators in Judaea from 6

AD to 66 AD – the time of the Great Revolt• Pontius Pilate is perhaps the most famous

– Served from 26-35 AD– Fifth Procurator of Judea– The judge at Jesus' trial and the man who

authorized his crucifixion

Pontius Pilate• Referred to as the "Prefect of Judea“

• Described as inflexible, merciless, and obstinate

• Responsible for imperial tax collections in Judea

• John 18:28-40 describes the interaction between Jesus and Pilate

• Rule was brought to an end through trouble which arose in Samaria– Revolving around a sacred vessel thought to

belong to Moses and his attempts to secure

Roman Empire• Early empire 14 AD to 180 AD

• First four emperors were from Augustus’ family– Tiberius– Caligula– Claudius– Nero

• Nero – Evil– Killed anyone in his way including mother and wife– Good emperors include Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian,

Antonius Pius, & Marcus Aurelius

Rome and the Jews• Judaea was a Roman province

• Political parties– Sadducees cooperated with the Romans– Essenes Rome and awaited the Messiah– Zealots advocated overthrowing Roman rule

• Revolt began in 66 was crushed by the Romans

• Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem

• Jesus began to teach during the midst of the conflict

The Great Revolt• 66-73 AD, time of Nero, then Vespasian

• First of three revolts by the Jews against the Romans

• Initially started over religious tensions between Jews and Greeks

• Grew with anti-taxation protests and attacks upon Roman citizens

• Ended when legions under Titus destroyed rebel resistance in Jerusalem, and defeated the remaining Jewish strongholds (Masada)

Rise of Christianity• Jesus taught that inner transformation was

most important, humility, charity, and love for others

• Judeans turned Jesus over to the Romans because they thought he might cause people to revolt against Romans

• Pontius Pilate ordered his crucifixion

• Followers of Jesus believed that he overcame death and was the Messiah

• Simon Peter and the disciples taught that Jesus was the Savior and Son of God

Christ• Born around 4 BC in Bethlehem• Worshipped God and followed Jewish law• At the age of 30 began preaching to villagers,

using short stories with simple moral lessons to communicate his ideas (parables)

• Recruited 12 disciples to help Him spread His ideas, called apostles, in Jerusalem

• Some Jews in Jerusalem welcomed Christ, many of the priests felt he threatened their leadership

• Roman authorities felt Christ would lead the Jews in a revolt against their rule

Review• Reviewed last week’s lesson• Learned about the division of Herod’s

kingdom• Learned about Herod’s three sons who

become leaders• Learned about the Procurators of Rome who

administer Judea, especially Pilate• Learned about the Roman interaction with

Christ• Learned about the conflict between the Jews

and Romans