Download Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity

Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
2.1 Judaism p.40-46
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Early History
Between 2000BC and 1500BC a new people appeared in Southwest Asia. They
were called Hebrews. The Hebrew religion is called Judaism.
Beginnings in Canaan and Egypt
 Abraham leaves Mesopotamia and settles in Canaan on the Mediterranean
Sea.
 Hebrew go to Egypt perhaps due to a famine in Canaan.
 The pharaoh feared that the Hebrews might take over Egypt so he made the
Hebrews slaves.
 In 1200 BC God told Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.
o Moses went to the pharaoh and demanded he free the Hebrews.
o Pharaoh refused to let Hebrews leave.
o Soon a series of plagues, or disasters, struck Egypt. Frightened, the
pharaoh lets the Hebrews go.
o For years after their release, the Hebrews wandered around the desert
trying to return to Canaan.
o While on Mount Sinai God gives Moses two stone tablets, moral laws
called the Ten Commandments.
o Once Hebrews reached Canaan they had to fight to gain control of the
land. When Canaan was conquered the Hebrews became known as the
Israelites.
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
2.1 Judaism p.40-46
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Series of invasions
 Series of strong kings kept Israel together.
 Most famous king: David and his son Solomon – 965BC Solomon
builds great temple in Jerusalem.
o Grew rich through trade and expanded territory.
o Israelites built great temple to God in Jerusalem.
 Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel and Judah (the people of Judah became
known as Jews)
o 722BC – Israel fell to invaders
o Judah lasted until 586 BC when invaders captured Jerusalem and
destroyed Solomon’s temple.
o Jews sent out of Jerusalem as slaves. After invaders were conquered
some Jews returned to Jerusalem, others moved to other places in
Southwest Asia
 Some eventually returned and rebuilt Solomon’s Temple.
 Jews are conquered by Romans – who destroyed Solomon’s Temple again
and killed or enslaved Jewish people. Thousands fled to other parts of the
world.
Jewish Beliefs
 Much of Jewish culture is based directly upon Jewish beliefs.
o Central beliefs of Judaism are belief in one god, in justice and
righteousness.
 The belief in one and only one God is called monotheism
o Judaism believed to be world’s first monotheistic religion.
o Jews believe they were God’s chosen people.
 Belief in justice – means fair and kind in dealing with other people, even
strangers and criminals.
 Belief in righteousness – means doing what is right even if others around
them do not act properly.
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
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o For Jews, righteousness is more important than rituals, or
ceremonies.
 Belief in law – God gave them religious and moral laws to follow.
o Most important Jewish laws are the Ten Commandments – worship
only one God, don’t murder, steal, or lie.
o Mosaic laws guide many areas of Jews’ daily lives, such as how
people pay and observe holy days.
Jewish Texts
 Laws and principles of Judaism are described in several sacred texts – the
Torah, the Hebrew Bible, and the commentaries.
 The Hebrew Bible – Tanach – has 3 parts
o 1st part – The Torah – most sacred text of Judaism – 5 books – in
addition to laws, it includes the history of Jewish people until the death
of Moses.
o 2nd part – 8 books that describe the messages of Hebrew prophets.
Prophets – people said to receive messages from God to be told to
others.
o 3rd part – 11 books proverbs, songs, stories, lessons and history. Stories
are told by Jews to show the power of faith.
 Proverbs – short expressions of Hebrew wisdom.
 Psalms – collections of short and long sons of praise to God
 The Commentaries – rabbis or religious teachers, and scholars study the
Torah and Jewish laws. They write commentaries to explain the laws.
o Many explanations can be found in the Talmud – a set of laws,
commentaries, stories, and folklore.
o Written by scholars between AD200-600
Traditions and Holy Days
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
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 Their traditions and holy days help Jews connect with their past and
celebrate their history.
o Hanukkah – falls in December – according to legend only enough lamp
oil to light candles for one day at the temple but candles burned for 8
days.
 Today Jews celebrate by lighting 8 candles in a special
candleholder called a menorah.
o Passover – celebrated in March or April
 more important to Jews
 honors the Exodus, the journey of the Hebrews out of slavery
 seder – Passover meal – eat only matzo, a flat, unrisen bread
(Hebrews left Egypt so quickly, bread did not have time to rise)
o High Holy Days
 Rosh Hashanah – celebrates the start of a new year in the Jewish
calendar
 yom kippur – Jews ask God to forgive their sins – holiest day of
the year
 do not eat or drink all day
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
2.1 Judaism p.40-46
Name___________________________________________
2.2 Christianity p.48-55
The Big Idea: Christianity, a religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of
Nazareth spread throughout the Roman Empire.
Chrisitanity began in the 1st century AD during Roman occupation of Judea
Jesus of Nazareth
 The man many people believed was the messiah – a great leader the ancient
Jews predicted would come to restore the greatness of Israel.
 Jesus’s life and teachings from the basis of the religion called Christianity.
 Everything known about his life is contained in the Bibile, the holy book of
Christianity.
 Christian Bible made up of 2 parts
o Old Testament – 1st part, mostly the same as the Hebrew Bible.
o New Testament – an account of the life and teachings of Jesus and the
early history of Christianity.
Birth of Jesus
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Born in Bethlehem at the end of the 1st century BC
Mary – Jesus’s mother was married to a carpenter named Joseph
Grew up in Nazareth, studied the laws and teachings of Judaism.
Around the age of 30, Jesus began to travel around Judea.
o Stories about his teachings and actions from this time make up the
beginning of the New Testament (4 books)
The Crucifixion
 Jesus drew many followers with his ideas.
 His teachings challenged the authority of political and religious leaders.
 Around 30 AD Jesus was arrested in Jerusalem, tried and killed.
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
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 He was killed by crucifixion, a type of execution in which a person is nailed to
a cross.
 Crucifixion – Latin word for cross.
The Resurrection
 Christians believed that Jesus rose from the dead three days after he was
crucified.
 Christians believe that Jesus appeared to some groups of his disciples, or
followers.
o Teaching them and giving them instructions about how to pass on his
teachings
 Christians believe that the ressurestion was a sign that Jesus was the messiah
and the son of God
 Some people began calling him Jesus Christ
o Christos is the Greek word for Messiah. The words Christian and
Christianity come from this Greek word
Jesus’s Acts and Teachings
 Miracles: events that cannot be performed by a human.
o Healed the sick or injured
o Fed an entire crowd with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish
 Parables: stories that give lessons about how people should live; usually a
religious lesson
o Jesus linked his beliefs and teachings to people’s everyday lives.
Jesus’ Message
o Love all people, not just your friends and family. Love your neighbor.
o Be generous to the poor and sick.
o Salvation – the rescue of people from sin.
o People who were saved would enter the Kingdom of God when they died.
Chapter 2 Judaism and Christianity
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o Denominations – a group of peole who hold mostly the same beliefs. Despite
differences Chrisitans around the world share many of the same beliefs.
o Different interpretations of the bible have led to Christianity being divided
into Christian groups.
o Christian Holidays
o Easter – a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.
 attend church
 celebrate by dying eggs. eggs seen as a symbol of new life
o Christmas – celebration of Jesus’s birth
 celebrate with church service, exchange of gifts
 Some people reenact scenes of Jesus’s birth (live nativity).
Jesus’s Followers
o Apostles – 12 men whom Jesus chose to receive special teaching. The
apostles were sent out to spread his teachings.
o Peter – first main
o Gospels – Accounts of Jesus’s life and teachings. Written by some of Jesus’s
disciples – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
o Historians and religious scholars depend on these stories for
information about Jesus.
o Paul – most important person in the spread of Christianity after the death of
Jesus.
o Born