Download The Jewish Context- Persecution, Rebellion, and

The Jewish Context-
Persecution, Rebellion, and Division
RELS 3300: Early Christianity
Monday, January 23, 2017
Announcements
• First blog response due on Wednesday, January 25th by
MIDNIGHT (11:59pm)- The Roman Context, Lynch Ch. 3 +
Ehrman Ch. 3
• See list on WordPress for Ehrman chapter titles (under “supplementary”)
• Paper assignment discussion on Monday, January 30th
Where we left off…
• Solomon’s political, military, and economic
policies caused division with in the
kingdom of Israel.
• Upon Solomon’s death, the kingdom split
into two nations
• Israel, in the North
• Judea (Judah) in the South
After Solomon and the Divided Kingdom
• Israel conquered by Assyrians in (approx.) 722 BCE
• Judah conquered by Babylonians in 597 BCE
• King Nebachudnezzar
• Babylonian exile Babylonia, Egypt, Asia Minor
• Diaspora
• Persia invades, conquers Babylonians in 538 BCE
• Cyrus the Great
• Jewish people allowed to return, many did not
• Rebuilt and rededicated the Temple; the second Temple
Under Foreign Rule
• Persian rule (520-332 BCE)
• Hellenistic rule/ Greek (332-63 BCE)
• Roman rule (63 BCE- 395 CE)
Hellenistic/Greek Conquest
• Alexander the Great
• Judea was part of his conquest of Egypt and the Near East
• Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE)
• Hellenization (171-168 BCE)
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Spread of Greek culture and language
Overturned the Jewish priesthood
Placed statues of Greek gods within the Temple, forced worship
Forbade adherence to Jewish Law- no sacrifices, no circumcision, no kosher
Discussion Question
Why would Antiochus focus primarily on the elimination of
Jewish religious practices?
• Goal?
• Methods?
• Effectiveness?
Maccabean Rebellion (167-160 BCE; war until 142 BCE)
• Refusal to accept forced Hellenization
• Mattathias the Hasmonean
• Judas Maccabeus “The Hammer”
• Establishment of Hasmonean dynasty
• Small Jewish kingdom with Jerusalem at the center
• Lasted approximately eighty years (142-63 BCE)
Hasmonean Dynasty (142-63 BCE)
Backlash against Hellenization
1. Separation and sense of superiority intensified
2. Strict observance of Mosaic Law enforced
3. Mutual dislike grows among neighbors and non-Jews
4. Precedence for martyrdom
5. Proliferation of apocalyptic literature
This was not a great time; tensions inside and outside
Roman Conquest and Rule
• General Pompey, conquest of eastern Mediterranean shore, 63BCE
• Jewish kingdom left under Jewish rule until 40 BCE
• King Herod (“The Great”)
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37-4 BCE
Appointed by Roman Senate
Hated by Jewish people
Known for his building projects
Why don’t they
like me???
• Romans take direct control of Judea in 6 CE
The Second Temple
• Rebuilt after Babylonian exile in 516 BCE
• Herod did massive renovations to the
Temple in 20 BCE
• Role of the Temple
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Economic center
Daily religious rituals
Pilgrimage site
Strict designation of space (Jews and NonJews)
Synagogues
• “Houses of prayer”
• Served daily religious needs of Jews
living outside of Judea
• Discussion of law- scribes
• Charity, teaching, community
Judaism(s)- General Beliefs
• One true God
• Mosaic Covenant
• Observance of
Sabbath
• Mosaic Law
• Dietary
restrictions
• Temple as holiest
place
• Willingness to
die for religion
• throne of Yahweh
Judaism(s)- Sects
Orthopraxy vs. Orthodoxy
• Sadducees
• Pharisees
• Only the Torah
• Aristocratic leaders
• Rejected Messianic
concepts
• Worked closely with
Romans
• No Revolt
• Esenes
• Zealots
• Josephus
• Monastic, secret • Only God as
• Adaptable; used oral
society
king
and written law
• Separated,
• Rebellious;
• Working class
avoided Temple
militant
• Story Oriented
• Battle between
• No Revolt
children of light +
darkness
Judaism(s)- Others
• Proselytes
• Gentiles that converted to
Judaism
• “God-Fearers”
• Admirers of Judaism, but not
converts
Discussion Question
How do you think class
and social status
affected belief and
practice among the
different Jewish sects?
Diaspora
• Caused by Babylonian exile;
migration
• Dispersion of Jews outside of Judea
• Refers to a state of being, not a place
• Jews living outside of Judea; they still
consider Judea to be the homeland
and themselves to be Jews
Diaspora vs. Jerusalem
• Jews were given special allowances by the Roman
government
• Peace was easy to maintain in the Diaspora than in Judea
• Jews in Judea wanted direct rule of God, or through Jewish
leaders
• Tensions and rioting
• Pontius Pilate
• Caligula
Discussion Question
Why do you think Roman rule
was more easily maintained
among the Jewish Diaspora than
among Jews in Judea?
Jewish Wars- 66-73; 132-135 CE
• High taxes and rent
• Priests refused to sacrifice in the name of
the Emperor
• Titus attacks Jerusalem
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Five months of seige
Captured the city in 70 CE
Temple destroyed
Triumphal Arch of Titus
• 132-135 CE
• Second unsuccessful rebellion
Triumphal Arch of
Titus, built 82 CE
Results of Jewish Wars + Unsuccessful Rebellions
• Synagogues became centers of Jewish worship
• Without the Temple, movement toward text-based
religion with strict emphasis on the Law
• No converts
• Rejection of Hellenization
Discussion Question
How do you think the failed
rebellions between 66-135 CE
shaped early Christian ideas?
Looking Forward
• The Greco-Roman context of the Jesus Movement
• Roman social, political, and religious structure
• Making connections- how does this all fit together?
• The man, the mystery, the messiah(?)