BIB 114 UNIT #1 SESSIONS 3 & 4
#3. Historical Background
#4. The Jewish Religious System
UNIT # 1
SESSION
#3
OT HISTORY
Assyria conquers N.
Kingdom (Israel) 722
bc
Babylon conquers S.
Kingdom (Judah)
586 bc King
Nebuchadnezzar
Medes & Persians
conquer Babylon
539 bc Cyrus the
Great
Assyrian captivity (722bc)= cruel, forced interracial marriages to
destroy ethnic lines –creating the Samaritans, remember Goyim
(Gentiles) meaning “subhuman”
Babylonian captivity (586bc)= Prophesied during Moses’
leadership, prophesied as the 70-year captivity
Medes and Persian captivity (539bc)= Cyrus’ name mentioned
in the book of Isaiah over 125 years before his rule. This led him
to allow and pay for Jews to return home and rebuild their wall,
city, and the Temple.
SIGNIFICANT AND TRANSITIONAL HISTORY
Intertestamental Period = years between Malachi and Matthew,
approximately 400 years
331bc = Alexander the Great conquers Babylon and gains control of
Palestine, etc
Greeks rule favored: education (math, philosophy, language,
politics, art, literature, and culture). Greek became the predominate
‘world language’ making it easier to preach the gospel later.
Hellenists/Hellenistic rooted in culture.
Antiochus Epiphanes – Grk Emperor in 168bc (Daniel 12:11’s
prophesy seen in Mark) cause the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ killing
over 8,000 Jews in three days and sacrificed a huge pig on the
Temple altar causing the Maccabean Revolt
Maccabean Revolt = (167-160 bc) Hasmoneans (the Hammar)
ROMAN EMPIRE IN ISRAEL
74-73bc = Masada Revolt/Roman Siege –960 Jews killed
themselves to ‘live free’
70bc = Romans conquer Israel
63bc = Pompey conquers Jerusalem
47bc = Antipater (an Edomite) schemed with the Romans to
help take control of Jerusalem. He is the father of Herod the
Great. (Edomites – Esau’s family line -making him ‘kind of
Jewish’)
Roman Influences: Roads, Administration, legal and political
systems still linger
Session #3
Worksheet #5
VISUAL 8 & 9
UNIT #1
SESSION #4
THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS SYSTEM –SYNAGOGUES, PHARISEES, AND
SADDUCEES
PHARISEES = ‘R’ SADDUCEES = ‘D’
Synagogues –synagogues were the local churches. They were
responsible for providing education, spiritual and social support –
a place to ‘safeguard’ their teachings and faith. Any Jewish
Community with 10 or more men, could establish a synagogue,
smaller communities would combine their communities to have a
shared local synagogue.
The Temple –located in Jerusalem, the main place/center of
worship for the Jewish Nation
THE PHARISEES – ‘THE SEPARATED ONES’
Intertestamental Time –Hellenism started to
mix in with Judaism; becoming very
offensive to the orthodox (strict) Jews in
Palestine. The extreme Orthodox Jews were
often a part of the group Hasidic/Hasidim
(‘pious ones’) Jews
Their goal was to preserve the true and
pure Judaism, to protect and maintain the
purity of the Law of God… ‘Pharisee’ often
used to infer ‘self-righteous hypocrite’
Nicodemus and Paul were Pharisees
Sadducees cared mostly
about their own wealth –
making them less popular
than the Pharisees
Joseph of Arimathea was
a Sadducee
Jesus’ rebuke to the
Pharisee were mostly
about their attitudes –not
their theology! They knew
the truth but often did not
practice the truth…
ESSENES, ZEALOTS AND SCRIBES:
Essenes = Extreme Pharisees who separated themselves from
society, lived in isolated communities, John the Baptist had
Essene tendencies
Zealots = Israel’s ‘patriots’ – followed the tradition of Phinehas
(Num. 25: 1-13) a grandson of Aaron who dealt with sin in
honor of the Lord. Zealots, however, used violence to
achieve their political goals. Matt 22:15-22; and 26: 50-54.
Simon the Zealot was a Disciple (Matt 10:4)
Scribes = OT –more like secretaries or clerks. (Ezra 7:11) NT –
like lawyers, copying, preserving, and interpreting the Law –
very respected
THE SANHEDRIN
The highest governing council and local judicial council
dealing with Jewish religious and civil matters
‘Sanhedrin’ not found in the NT, however called ‘Council’ or
‘Court’ – Mark 14:55 is an example
Mostlikely from Num 11: 16-24 = established in the days of
Moses with 71 members
Nicodemus and
Joseph of
Arimathea both
served on the
Great Sanhedrin
or Supreme
Court
John 3:1; Mark
15: 42-46; Luke
23: 50-54; & John
19: 38 - 42
