The Life and Teaching of Christ
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THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF CHRIST HOW GOD PREPARED THE WORLD FOR CHRIST, 2 BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS: FROM MALACHI TO MATTHEW1 What happened between the end of the OT (approximately 428 B.C.) and the beginning of the NT (approximately 5 or 4 B.C.)? As the journey from Malachi to Luke 1:11 is made, numerous changes took place during this period of time. Observing these changes, makes us more aware of how that world into which Jesus came was shaped. Notice especially how God at this time prepared the world for the coming of Jesus. The Babylonian Empire (586 B.C.—539 B.C.) preceded the Persian Empire and formed a prelude for this larger period that transpired between the testaments. It was during the Persian Empire (536 B.C.—332 B.C.) that the voices of the prophets grew silent. The silence of these years was broken by the voice of the angel Gabriel as he announced to Zachariah that he would father a son who would prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. The third period of interest was the Greek Empire (330 B.C.—167 B.C.), which was founded by Alexander the Great. The influence of this empire, its spreading of the Greek culture and language, remained through the first century and beyond. When Alexander’s kingdom was divided up after his death, the fourth period brought an Egyptian rule to Palestine (315 B.C.—198 B.C.). The fifth period brought a Syrian rule over Palestine. THE FIFTH PERIOD: THE SYRIAN RULE OF PALESTINE (198 B.C. TO 83 B.C.) The Type of Rule The nation of the Jews had existed as a tributary to the kings of Egypt for about a hundred years. During the last sixty to eighty of these years, it enjoyed almost uninterrupted tranquility under the shadow of their power. However, it became subject, in the reign of Antiochus III (the Great), to the kings of Syria (B.C. 198), whose seat of government was at Antioch of Syria. The Syrians divided the land into five provinces; three of which were on the west side of Jordan, namely, Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, though the whole country was frequently called Judea after this time. Two provinces were on the eastern 1This title was used by G. T. Manley in his The New Bible Handbook (The Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship: Chicago and Toronto, 1949, p. 2760. 9 side, namely, Trachonitis and Perea. During this time the Jews were still allowed to be governed by their own laws, under the high-priest, and under the council of the nation. The Syrian kings ruled over Palestine during this period of time. These kings are designated “the kings of the north” in the great prophecy of Daniel 11. The following would be a list of them. Seleucus I (Nicator), 312 B.C. Antiochus I (Soter, “Deliverer”), 280 B.C. Antiochus II (Theos, “God”), 260 B.C. Seleucus II (Callinicus, “Victorious”), 246 B.C. Seleucus III (Ceraunus, “Thunderblot”), 225 B.C. Antiochus III (“The Great), 223 B.C. Seleucus IV (Philopator), 187 B.C. Antiochus IV (Epiphanes, “The Illustrious”), Great Persecution, 175 B.C. Antiochus V (Eupator), 164 B.C. Demetrius I (Soter), 162 B.C. Demetrius II (Nicator), 146 B.C. Antiochus VI (Trypho), a child Antiochus VII (Sidetes), 137 B.C. Demetrius II restored, 129 B.C. Antiochus VIII (Grypus), 125 B.C. Seleueus V (Epiphanes), 96 B.C. Tigranes, the Armenian, 83 B.C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes Upon Philopator’s (187 B.C.) death, “a king of fierce countenance’ (Daniel 8:23) succeeded him to the throne. This king’s name has become a byword for evil. He was Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, “the Illustrious one.” He was an aggressive Hellenizer, and was determined to bring his subjects together by enforcing Greek ways upon them. Through the intervention of Rome, Antiochus was robbed of the fruits of victory in a military campaign in Egypt, and this loss infuriated him to no end. Rome’s military power was now gradually extending eastwards and had intersected with him. After the defeat, Antiochus, deeply angered, started to his home. On his way, he stopped and vented his rage on Jerusalem. Trouble had been arising out of the practices of the high priest, and Antiochus became determined to stamp out Judaism once and for all. The temple was sacked, a statue of the Olympian Zeus was erected in the temple court, and a sow was offered upon the altar of burnt offering. This year of 167 B.C., the year of this desecration, will live in history perhaps until the end of time. THE SIXTH PERIOD: THE MACCABEAN REVOLT FOR NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE (167 B.C. TO 141 B.C.) 10 The Maccabean Revolt Two tendencies, at this point, became clearly at work in the land of Palestine. The Hellenizers, those who favored conformity to Grecian ideas and ways, grew very active. On the other hand, other people clung doggedly to the traditions of their fathers, and they believed strongly that separation from the Grecian culture was the only course to take. The Jewish hopes for the future would align themselves with the latter tendency, but a trumpet call was needed to rouse the party of the “godly” or “the pious ones” (the Hebrew word is Hasidim) to action. A war erupted when, in the town of Modein, northwest of Jerusalem, an agent of the Syrian government attempted to make a old priest named Mattathias offer a sacrifice on a pagan altar. Mattathias refused. When another Jew started to offer the sacrifice, Mattathias killed him as well as the Syrian agent. Then Mattathias, along with his five sons, fled to the mountains. Other zealous Jews joined them.2 This revolt that followed was led by the family of Mattathias, who were known as the Hasmoneans because they were of the “House of Hasmon.” They were also called the Maccabees because Mattathias’ son, Judas, was nicknamed “Maccabee,” which meant “the Hammer.” Judas Maccabeus When Mattathias died in 166 B.C., the leadership fell to his third son Judas Maccabeus, or Judas “the Hammer.” By a series of almost incredible victories he drove back the Syrians so that on the 25th of the Jewish month Chisleu, in 165 B.C., he was able to cleanse the defiled temple and restore the daily sacrifices at Jerusalem. The great event was afterwards remembered in the Feast of the Dedication, a national festival which appeared at that time for the first time in Israel’s history. A reference is made to this feast in John 10:22. Judas Maccabeus’ name came to be applied to the family, to the revolt, and to the era that followed. Freedom of religion satisfied the Hasidim, who were content with the privilege of appointing a high priest from the tribe of Levi; but it was not enough for Judas Maccabeus. He continued to fight for political independence until he was killed on the battlefield in 160 B.C. He was succeeded by his brother Jonathan, who was assisted by another brother, Simon. Ultimately, about 143 B.C., the Jews—more through negotiation than military action—were granted independence by Syria. Jonathan was killed; but in 142 B.C., Simon was recognized as high priest and ethnarch (both as the religious and civil leader) of an independent Jewish state. Further, Simon’s position was made hereditary for the duration of “the Hasmonean House.” An Appointed High Priest Only a few years previously, Jonathan had been a fugitive in the Judean hills. Now he was being offered the highest religious office in the land, an office that for nearly thirteen centuries had followed the Aaronic line. This succession was being set aside without so much as a protest from some quarters. 21 Maccabees 2:1–30. 11 However, many of the Hasidim were far from happy about this new development. They believed that Jonathan’s ideas about political independence went unnecessarily beyond the religious aims of the early days of the struggle. More than ever these people turned their thoughts to the past, to their lofty traditions, and to the glories of the Law. A gulf was growing between the priest and the scribe. This rift was to eventually grow into two distinct and hostile parties. Simon Maccabeus The otherwise astute Jonathan was put to death in 142 B.C. Now Simon, the last remaining of the five sons of Mattathias became the leader. He was a capable ruler, and his days were marked by the growing prosperity of his people. Although still nominally under Syrian control, Judea in his time enjoyed what amounted to a practical independence. The Syrian garrison, which throughout the years had held possession of the Acra, the temple-fortress, was now forced to surrender. Commerce developed through the passing of the port of Joppa into Simon’s control. The law was given an honored place in the land. Jonathan had been appointed high priest, and then, the position was regularized, and in 140 B.C. the hereditary high priesthood was formally vested in the Hasmonean family. Simon’s prosperous period of leadership came to an end when he was treacherously murdered by his son-in-law Ptolemy in 135 B.C. THE SEVENTH PERIOD: THE HASMONEAN PRIESTS (141 B.C. TO 63 B.C.) John Hyrcanus (135–105 B.C.) Jewish influence increased still further during the high priesthood of Simon’s son and successor, John Hyrcanus. Two events in particular had great influence. The first was the conflict that arose between the Jews and the Samaritans.