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Chapter 5
The Diverse World of FirstCentury Judaisms
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Key Topics/Themes
• The diversity of first-century Judaism
• Common beliefs of first-century Jews
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First-century Jewish Diversity
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The Sadducees
• Origins of the Sadducees
• The Sadducees and the Romans
• Characteristic beliefs of the Sadducees
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The Pharisees
• Antagonism toward the Pharisees in the
Gospels
• Strict Torah observance
• Hillel and Shammai
• Relationship between the views of
Jesus and the Pharisees
• Gamaliel
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The Academy of Jamnia
• The leadership of Yohanan ben Zakkai
• The development of Judaism at Jamnia
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The Samaritans
• The origin of the Samaritans
• Hostility between Samaritans and Jews
• Relationships between Samaritans and
early Christianity
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The Essenes and the Dead
Sea Scrolls
• Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
• The Essenes
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The Qumran Community
• Origins of the Qumran community
• Beliefs of the Qumran Essenes
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Qumran Community (cont’d.)
• Contents of the Qumran library (Dead
Sea Scrolls)
– Books of the Hebrew Bible
– Pseudepigraphical books
– Commentaries on biblical books
– Community documents
• Essenes and the New Testament
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The Zealots
• Origins of the Zealot movement
• The role of the Zealots in the Jewish
Revolt of 66 C.E.
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The Messiah: First-century
Expectations
• Jesus’ failure to meet Jewish messianic
expectations
• Early Christian attempts to counter
Jewish skepticism about Jesus’
messiahship
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Messiah (cont’d.)
• The Royal Covenant of King David
– Origins of Messiah theology in reigns of
Davidic kings
– Historical end of the Davidic dynasty
• Israel’s hopes for a new Davidic king
– Scriptural promises of a new dynasty
– The Messiah as political leader
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Messianic Claimants Before
and After Jesus
•
•
•
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Judas the Galilean
The Zealots and the Sicarii
Simon bar Giora
Simon bar Kochba
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Portrayal of the Messiah in
Psalm of Solomon 17
See, Lord, and raise up for them [Israel] their king, the
son of David [italics added] to rule over your servant
Israel in the time known to you, O God. . . .
There will be no unrighteousness among them in his
days, for all shall be holy, and their king shall be the
Lord Messiah [italics added].
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A Revisionist View of the
Messiah
• The incompleteness of Jesus’ earthly
mission
• The necessity of Jesus’ return as
supernatural king
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Summary
• The New Testament Jesus explained
using variety of Jewish traditions:
– Anointed monarch in tradition of David
– Lawgiver and prophet like Moses
– Suffering servant
– Heavenly sacrifice and eternal priest
– Image of the invisible God
– Christ (mashiah) as Jesus’ name, not a title
only
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