Journey Through the Bible

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Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) Photo British
Museum
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Journey Through the Bible

• 3rd Cycle Years of Silence

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Silence
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• Overview Timeline
• 550-330 B.C. Persian Empire
• 331-65 B.C. Grecian Empire
• Macadonia til Alexander the Greats death. 323
  B.C.
• Battle between the Seleucids and Ptolemies
• 167 B.C. Maccabean revolt
• Early 100s? B.C. Development of Jewish parties
• From 63 B.C. Roman Empire
• 37 B.C. Herod the Great (and Herod dynasty)
  rules over the Jews.

Reference Years of Silence
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Silence
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• Persian Empire Timeline
• 559-530 Cyrus
• 530-522 Cambyses
• 522-486 Darius
• 486-465 Xerxes
• 464-423 Artaxerxes
• End of the O.T.
• 424-426 Xerxes II
• 426-404 Darius II. Darius III Codomannus
  (336-330)

Reference Years of Silence
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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• At the close of the Return from captivity in
  425 B.C.
• The Persian empire was secured as the greatest
  empire in the world.
• Daniels prophesy about the Medes and Persia was
  fulfilled. Dan. 820
• The ram in Daniels vision represented the kings
  of the Medes and Persians.
• Daniel prophesied this before when Babylon was
  the greatest power on earth.

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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• During the Persian rule the Tanakh took its final
  form
• Tanakh (acronym for the Hebrew Bible) naturally
  set by some of the last O.T. prophets.
• Torah The Law
• Neviim Prophets
• Ketuvim Writings
• Most of the Bible written in Hebrew
• Daniel 24 to 728 were written in Aramaic.
• Ezra 48 to 618 and 712-26 were written in
  Aramaic.
• O.T. translated into Aramaic sometime between
  400-200 B.C.

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• Weakening of the Persian Empire
• The fall about 100 years since Nehemiahs
  reforms
• Softened army
• Lost stronghold of Egypt.
• Not prepared for Greece.
• Sought by Alexander the Great in 330-331 B.C.
• Darius was actually killed by one of his own
  attendants.
• Alexander found him dead.

King Darius III of Persia 336-330 BC
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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• Background Alexander the Greats childhood
• Tutored by Aristotle.
• Influenced by Homer, Socrates, Plato
• Through his rapidly successive victories
  Hellenism spread throughout the known world.
• This was a more formal initiation of modern
  humanism.
• Such is what the Jews distasted greatly
  (eventually leading to their revolt)

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• Gods word being fulfilled through Greece
• Nebuchadnezzars dream Daniels interpretation
• Image (bronze) or 3rd empire. Dan. 230, 39
• Shaggy goat first king of Greece. Dan. 821-22
• Alexander the Great fulfilled this prophecy when
  he conquered the Persians in 330 B.C. cp. Dan.
  1020
• He died in 323 B.C. (age 33)

Alexander The Great (356 BC - 323 BC)
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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• 323 315 B.C. The four horns resulting the
  one. Dan. 821-22
• Immediately after Alexanders death, many of his
  generals struggled to seize control of the
  empire.
• Soon after the struggle began Alexanders wife
  gave birth to their son the next heir.
• Cassander killed both wife and child.

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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• The kingdom split among the top four generals
  over empire
• Seleucus Syria, Babylonia
• Ptolemy Egypt, Arabia
• Lysimachus Thrace, Asia Minor
• Cassander Macedonia

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• Alexandria, Egypt (how it affected the Jews)
• City founded by Alexander in 332 B.C.
• Ptolemy built the city into prominence of great
  importance was the library (one of the 7 wonders
  of the world)
• He wanted the library to contain all the books of
  the world.
• About 250 B.C. Ptolemy commmissioned 72
  Jewish scholars (6 from each tribe) the
  Septuagint version of the Bible.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus (282-246 B.C.)
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• Fall of the Persian Empire
• Rise of the Grecian Empire
• Splintering of the Grecian Empire
• The Seleucid battles the Ptolemaic kingdom for
  control of Palestine

• About 150 years (320-170 B.C.) of (relative)
  peace for the Jews
• During this time both Seleucid and Ptolemic
  kingdoms struggled for control with Palestine
  caught as the battleground.
• 320-198 Rule of Ptolemies (from Egypt)
• 197-167 Rule of Seleucids (from Syria)
• NOTE By now Rome is gaining strength

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• Antiochus III (rules 223-187)
• Gains control over Palestine in 200 B.C.
• Good relationship with Jews (he was sensitive to
  their religious practices/customs)
• A pro-Greek party arises among the Jews during
  this time.
• Loses humiliating defeat to Rome (at Magnesia)
  190 B.C.
• Forced to pay heavy taxes.
• In turn Jews suffered great burdens during this
  time.
• Seleucus IV (187-176)

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• Antiochus IV (175-164). cp. Dan. 823-25
• Forced the Hellenizing of the Jewsgoal
• He outlawed
• Owning/copying scriptures
• sacrifices to Jehovah
• circumcision
• Sabbath and festival observance.
• Penalty death
• Defiled the temple pagan altar in place of
  bronze altar sacrificed pigs.
• Tortured those who practiced Judaism or refused
  to participate in pagan rituals.

Jews referred to Antiochus Epiphanes as
"Epimanes" meaning "the madman"
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• Daniel 11
• Persia vss. 2-4
• Greece vss. 5-35 (Ptolemies and Seleucids)
• Fulfilled of Daniel continues Dan. 1131
• 1 Macc 120-22, "After Antiochus had defeated
  Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three
  (167BC), he returned and went up to Israel and to
  Jerusalem with a strong force. He insolently
  invaded the sanctuary ... and stripped off
  everything. V54 the king erected the horrible
  abomination upon the altar.
• cp. 2 Macc. 61-5

Jews referred to Antiochus Epiphanes as
"Epimanes" meaning "the madman"
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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Overview
• Mattathias (168-166)
• Judas The Hammer (166-161) regarded as one of
  Israels greatest military leaders.
• Jonathan (161-142) more diplomat than warrior.
• Simon (142-135)

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• 169 B.C. Antiochus decree against the Jews
• Acted out in 167 B.C. by Apollonius
• Killed Jews on the Sabbath (knowing they would
  not fight) Hasidim also killed.
• Setup a garrison in Acra
• Menalaus current high priest, replaced by another
  Hellenizing highpriest Jason (both hated by the
  faithful Jews).
• Temple treasure taken (to appease Romans)

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Mattathias (167-166)
• Priest from Modein with five sons.
• Revolt began
• In anger he killed the first Jew (Apelles) who
  went to the pagan altar to sacrifice.
• He also killed the royal officials who presided
  over the offering.
• Fled to the Judean hills
• Fled with his five sons and a small band of
  rebels.
• Joined forces w/ Hasidim.
• Willing to fight on the Sabbath.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Mattathias (167-166)
• Waged a guerrilla war against the Syrians.
• Small band of rebels (6,000 men)
• The Hasidim agree to fight with Hasmoneans on the
  Sabbath.
• Killed the following year (166 B.C.).

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Judas (Maccabeus aka Hammer) 166-161 B.C.
• Turned their gorilla tactics into a full-scale
  battles.
• His small army grew to 6,000
• Their small band would continuously beat the
  large Seleucid army.
• Noted victories
• Recaptured Jerusalem.
• 164 B.C. (Re)dedicated (Hanukkah) the temple
  (on 25 Kislev Nov.-Dec.)

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Judas 164 B.C.
• Antiochus Epiphanes IV dies later in the year.
• Religious rebellion turned into a battle for
  political independence.
• By this time the Hasidim no longer supported the
  Hasmoneans (because the war turned from religious
  to political).
• The Hasmoneans believed that the Jews would never
  be able to practice their religion free from the
  shadow of oppression by the Seleucids unless they
  gained independence.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Judas final years 163-161
• Would war against Gentile neighbors and annex the
  land under Jewish control.
• Rescued many Jews who were being massacred.
• Defeated Seleucid general (Nicanor) in 161.
• Died at Alana in a battle against Bacchides.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Jonathan (161-142)
• Independence finally realized under Jonathan, but
  at the expense of Roman involvement.
• Officially regarded as the first Hasmonean high
  priest
• Priesthood continued within the Hasmonean family
  (163 37 B.C.)
• Independence continued from 163 63 B.C.)
• Treaty was made with Rome (regarded as the
  greatest power)

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Hasidim (Pious) About 180 B.C.
• This group crystallized as a direct opposition to
  the Hellenizing among the Jews.
• They had no tolerance for apostasy
• Destroyed Hellenistic altars.
• Forcibly circumcised males.
• Burned towns that gave into Hellenism.
• Killed apostates.
• It is commonly believed that through the Hasidim
  came the following sects.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Background to Sects
• The origins are not explicitly known, but
  somewhere between 163-63 these sects had their
  beginnings.
• First direct mention of sects Pharisees,
  Sadducees was Flavius Josephus (1st cent.
  historian) in 145 B.C.1
• Josephus writings seem to be biased toward the
  Pharisees against the Sadducees.
• It has been suggested that these parties
  solidified soon after the revolt began.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Essenes
• Known to exist by 145 B.C.
• Much information comes via Dead Sea Scrolls
  (DSS).
• lived throughout Palestine w/ large settlement in
  Qumran.
• Their beliefs
• Believed in life after death.
• Worked the day in simple labor prayed at night.
• Waited for the Messiah.
• Biblical ramifications Not mentioned in the
  scriptures yet more extra biblical info written
  about them than Pharisees or Sadducees.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Pharisees
• Some (usually Jews) believe this group to have
  evolved from the Hasidim.
• Pharisees tended to be middle class.
• General views more liberal toward the scriptures
• Open to religious innovation
• Oral legal traditions equal to or greater than
  scriptures.
• Some core beliefs Life after death, angels.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Sadducees
• Mainly from the conservative and aristocratic
  priestly class.
• Beliefs (seemingly a polar opposite of whatever
  the Pharisees believed)
• Strict interpretation of the of the Law of Moses.
• Rather than being separatists like the
  Pharisees they believed to mingle.
• They loved to debate and contradict what the
  Pharisees taught.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Roman Empire Background
• In 161 B.C. the Roman Senate and Hasmoneans made
  a friendly treaty defense against the Seleucids.
• By 63 B.C. general Pompey conquers Syria
  (Seleucids) the end of the Greek Empire.
• Daniels prophesies continues to be fulfilled.
  Dan. 240-43, 44-45

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• Jewish civil war. 64 B.C.
• Hyrcanus and Aristobulus II struggle for power
• Pharisees supported Hyrcanus
• Sadducees supported Aristulus II
• Antipater (father of Herod the Great) helps
  Hyrcanus (Idumean who served the Hasmonean
  dynasty)
• Both brothers appealed to Roman general (Pompey)
• Pompey sided with Hyracanus

• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

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• Pompey captures Jerusalem in 63 B.C.
• Aristobulus II resists Pompeys decision and is
  exiled (with his family) to Rome.
• His son (Alexander) escaped
• Returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. 57
  B.C
• Killed by Mark Anthony in battle near Jerusalem.
• Aristobulus and his other son Antigonus later
  escaped
• They raised an army against Rome but defeated.
• Antigonus allied himself with the Parthians
  (modern Iran) and regained Jerusalem.

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• Jewish parties
• This formally ended the Hasmonean dynasty and
  began Romes rulership over Judea
• Hasmoneans still rule, but under Roman oversight.
• This continues on till 37 B.C.
• Octavian and Antony fight for ultimate power
• Octavian finally defeats Antony (w/ Cleopatra).
  31 B.C.
• Octavian honored with title Augustus

• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

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• Roman Influence on N.T.
• The Roman Peace brought about safe borders
  within the empire, allowing travel and commerce
  to flow freely.
• Through Gods divine providence this was the
  perfect time to bring about the Messiah and His
  kingdom. cp. Gal. 44

• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Herods background
• Was an Idumean (Greek for Edomite)
• Strong supporter of Rome (Mark Antony/Cleopatra).
• No doubt, Jews believed he was unfit to rule over
  them.
• To gain Jewish support he divorced his Idumean
  wife (Doris) and married a Hasmonian princess
  (Mariamne) strategy failed.
• Regarded as one of the greatest builders in the
  ancient world fortified and beautified Jerusalem.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Rome Appoints Herod king over Judea. 40 B.C.
• Herod captures Jerusalem in 37 B.C.
• Kills Antigonus (Aristobulus IIs son) and
  Sadducees.
• Rules Judea, Samaria, Idumea, Galilee, Perea
• Prepares to rebuild temple in 19 B.C.
• Temple rebuilding begins in 18 B.C.
• Temple dedicated (although not completely rebuilt
  in 63 A.D.) in 10 B.C.

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• Maccabean revolt
• Development of parties Pharisees, Sadducees,
  Essenes
• Roman Empire rules
• Herod the Great given the kingdom of Judea

• Herods death
• Plagued by the thought of potential conspirators
  against his life.
• Killed members of his own family out of suspicion
  or influence.
• His paranoia fits in with the scriptures when he
  heard of a new king that was born. Matt. 213
• This concludes the Years of Silence

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