Intertestamental History

Four Hundred Silent Years

Setting

Following the seventy years of the Babylonian exile, the postcaptivity era is called the Intertestamental Period

It is sometimes called the “four hundred silent years”

There was no oral or written revelation communicated directly by God- Prediction of Elijah’s coming (Malachi 4:5)

- The Angelic announcement of the birth of John the Baptist (Like 1:11-20)

God was preparing the world for the advent of His Son

Many significant political and religious developments occurred

Babylon (626 – 539 BC)

After the conquest of the northern kingdom (Israel) by Assyria (722 BC), Judah eventually was conquered by Babylon

Daniel came to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar

The wealth of the temple was carried away and along with a young priest named Ezekiel

The temple was eventually burned, and the rest of the population was led away in a third deportation (586 BC) – 2 Kings 25:1-21

The Jewish Kingdom that began with Saul was over

The Seventy Years of exile was beginning (605 – 535 BC)

Babylon (626 – 539 BC)

The exile gave rise to a new orthodox Judaism which congregated into assemblies or synagogues which sprouted up throughout the world- Worship of God

- Study of the Old Testament

- Fellowship

When the apostles began to preach and teach, the synagogues became strategic preaching centers

The captivity also saw the rise of the scribe- Serious study and copying of the Scriptures

- The more they copied, the more they learned

- Became the theologians of orthodox Judaism

Babylon (626 – 539 BC)

The exile produced the Diaspora

After the exile, many of the Jews chose to remain in Babylon

This began the beginning of Jewish residence outside the land of Palestine

Idolatry, the chief cause of divine judgment, came to an abrupt end

Chastisement produced this worthy fruit of repentance

Persia (539 – 331 BC)

Cyrus conquered Babylon (539 BC) – Daniel 5:30

The Jews found Cyrus to be a kind benefactor

Cyrus issued a decree permitting the exiles to return to Palestine to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1 – 4)

Cyrus was eventually succeeded by Darius I

During this time, God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to convict the returned exiled to complete the work

The temple was then completed by 516 BC

The temple was later enlarged and renovated by Herod the Great (John 2:20) and stood for the next five centuries

Persia (539 – 331 BC)

Darius I was succeeded by Xerxes ho began to move against the Greek city states and was able to take Athens (486 BC)

In Biblical history, Xerxes is known as Ahasuerus, Esther’s husband

His successor, Artaxerxes I, permitted Ezra the scribe to return to Palestine to teach the law (Ezra 7 – 10)

Shortly after, Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls

The Covenant was signed, pledging the obedience of the people of God in the instruction of their children and the keeping of the Sabbath (Nehemiah 8 – 10)

The recorded history of the Old Testament ends

Greece (331 – 323 BC)

Philip of Macedon laid the foundation for the Greek empire

He was able to unite the Greek city states under a single ruler

When he died, he was succeeded by his son, Alexander

Alexander defeated the Persians and opened up the entire region of Asia Minor (331 BC)

Alexander’s main contribution was in spreading the Greek culture and language to the Near East (Hellenization)

For the next 600 years, the Greek became the lingua franca (common language) of the Mediterranean world.

This became the perfect medium in which the New Testament could be written

Greece (331 – 323 BC)

This period became known as the Koine period (the Greek word “koine” means “common”)

When Alexander died, he left no heir old enough to take over the kingdom

After seven years of struggle, the territory was divided among four generals

This struggle continued until two general became predominant and took the empire- General Seleucus – became the Seleucids

- General Ptolemy – became the Ptolemies

Ptolemies (323 – 198 BC)

The Jews prospered under the Ptolemaic empire

The Hebrew Old Testament was translated into the Greek language at Alexandria, Egypt

This was known as the Septuagint (LXX) or “the seventy”

It became the Bible for the Diaspora Jews and was used in the synagogues

When the early church began meeting, they already had the authoritative text of the Old Testament in the language they could read

This became the Bible of the young church

Seleucids (198 – 166 BC)

The Seleucids gained full control of Palestine

Under the Seleucids, the Jews were severely persecuted because they refused to submit to pagan, Hellenization practices

Seleucus was eventually replaced as head of the empire by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Epiphanes means “manifestation”)

Antiochus invaded Egypt but was intervened by Rome

He took out his rage upon the Jews in Jerusalem; the Jews called him “Epimanes” (the “madman”)- He killed many of them

- He prevented them from observing religious rites (the Sabbath and circumcision)

- He erected and altar to Zeus in the Temple

- He offered the blood sacrifice of a pig on the Jewish altar

Seleucids (198 – 166 BC)

These things stimulated a spirit of nationalism among the Jews, which led them to prayer

This determination dominated Jewish thought, and began to develop a longing for a political Messiah

This Messiah would smash the Gentiles and take over the kingdoms

Antioch in Syria became the capital of the Seleucid empire

By the time of Jesus, Antioch had become the third largest city in the Roman empire and the site of the first major outreach (Acts 11:19-26)

Maccabees (166 – 135 BC)

A Syrian official tried to get a priest to offer a sacrifice, but the priest refused and fled into the wilderness with his sons

The priest became a national hero, but eventually died

The family was joined by other zealots, and began to form a guerilla army

Leadership of the revolt passed to Judas who was nicknamed Maccabeus (“the hammer”)

The guerillas defeated the Syrian army and liberated Jerusalem

The victory became memorialized in the Feast of Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights

A hereditary priesthood was formed which became known as the Hasmoneans

Political power was passed on to the priests

Hasmoneans (135 – 63 BC)

The next 100 years of political freedom were marred by jealousy, greed, and suspicion

During the reign of John Hyrcanus, two religious-political parties emerged- The Hasidim: represented the conservative wing who wished to retain Jewish

religious and national liberty and resist the influence of Greek culture

- The Sadducees: the Hellenizers who were willing to surrender some of their Jewish distinctives to gain some desired qualities of the Greek way of life

Hasidim Sadducees

PhariseesMiddle classOral lawTalmud – oral traditionBelief in afterlifeSynagogue Worship

HellenisticUpper classRejected the oral lawWritten Law onlyBelief in no afterlifeTemple Worship

Roman Influence (63 – 4 BC)

The constant jealousy of the Hasmonean priests and the struggle between the Pharisees and the Sadducees caused much unrest

They longed for a Messiah to lead them to peace and freedom

An advisor of Hyrcanus was named Antipater, an Idumean convert who would become the father of Herod the Great

The unrest in Jerusalem led to the entrance of Rome into Jewish life, one of the major turning points in Jewish history.

In the year 64 BC, Pompey appeared in Damascus and arrived in Jerusalem in 63 BC

The Romans massacred some 12,000 Jews who were defending the temple

Roman Influence (63 – 4 BC)

Judea was now under Roman domination.

Before he left, Pompey had the walls of Jerusalem leveled, making it defenseless.

He also imposed harsh taxes.

Six years later, in 57 BC, Pompey appointed a governor in Syria who would have ultimate control of the affairs in Judea.

Under the Roman domination an Idumean chieftain appointed to be a local king over the Jews – Herod the Great (40 BC)

The Jewish people still longed for freedom and the day their Messiah would appear as a military ruler to free them from Roman domination.