1st Century Judaism 1

First Century Judaism

Introduction to the New Testament

New Brunswick Theological Seminary Virginia Wiles

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Quick Overview

 The Jewish People

 Jewish Insitutions

 Jewish Expectations

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The Jewish People

 A Common Heritage

 Diverse Expressions

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A Common Heritage

 Common History

 Common Scriptures

 Common Rituals

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Sharing a History  Exodus

 ca. 1300 B.C.E.  Moses & Torah

 Monarchy  ca. 1000 B.C.E.  David  Divided Kingdom  Prophets

 Exile  ca. 587 B.C.E.  Monotheism

 Return  ca. 540-440 B.C.E.  Apocalypticism

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Judaism after the Return

 Alexander’s Death -- 323 B.C.E.

 The Maccabean Revolt -- 168-167 B.C.E.

 The Hasmonean Dynasty -- 164-63 B.C.E.

 Rome Takes Over -- 63 B.C.E.

 Governance of Palestine in the 1st Century

 The Destruction of the Temple -- 70 C.E.

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The Maccabean Revolt  175 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes”

  eccentric despot   sought to enforce Hellenization   co-opted the High Priest Office (Jason & Menalaus)

 167 “Abomination of Desolation”   see 1 Macc. 1:54; Dan. 11:31; 12:11

 Judas Maccabeus “The Hammer”   see 2 Macc. 9ff.

 164 Rededication of the Temple  Hannakah

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Roman Palestine  Herod Antipas

 Galilee and Peraea   “that fox”

 Archelaus   Judea, Samaria, and

Idumea  Removed by Romans in 6

C.E.   Thereafter ruled by

Procurators (=Pilate)  Philip

  extreme N and NE   built Caesarea Philippi

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The Temple Destroyed   Ruling Procurator

expropriated Temple treasury (66 C.E.)

  Jewish rebellion ensued

  Titus marched on Jerusalem in 70 C.E. and Destroyed the Temple

  Masada, the last Judean fortress, fell in 73

  Other rebellions   115-117 C.E.   132 C.E.

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Common Scriptures  Torah  Tanak  Torah -- LAW  Nebi’im -- PROPHETS  Kethubim -- WRITINGS

 The Scriptures in Translation  The Septuagint  The Targums

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Other Jewish Writings  The Apocrypha  Greek “additions” to the Septuagint  Key texts for study of Second Temple

Judaism  The Pseudepigrapha  Many apocalypses

 Jewish Midrash  A form of “story telling” among Jewish

thinkers. See, for example, 2 Cor 4

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Common Rituals

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Diverse Expressions  Pharisees  Sadducees  Zealots and Sicarii  Essenes  The Samaritans  The Therapeutae  Diaspora Judaism  Diversity in Literature

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The Pharisees

 Social Characteristics  pietist movement composed mostly of laity  mostly tradesmen, craftsmen, merchants,

farmers  Views:  Focused on the necessity of adapting Jewish

piety to the changed conditions of life in the “modern” world.

 Written and Oral Torah

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The Sadducees

 Unclear origins (= Zadokites)

 included great majority of chief priests

 great power in Jerusalem during Hasmonean and Herodian periods

 ?rejected oral law

 ?collaborated with Rome

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Chief Priests  Included: captains of the temple, temple

treasurers and overseers, directors of weekly courses of priests

 High Priest: president and convener of Sanhedrin

 Factors limiting power and influence  no longer inherited (from Herod the Great

on)  held office at pleasure of Romans

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Zealots and Sicarii

 Origins unclear

 Applies (broadly) to anyone who participated in revolutionary struggle against Rome

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The Essenes  Mentioned by Josephus (&Philo?)

 ?Perhaps related to Qumran community?

 Origins: Group of priests & levites left temple in Jerusalem to protest abuses under Hasmonean high priests

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Qumran

 “Teacher of Righteousness”

 Highly structured community with emphasis on purity

 Monastic

 Apocalyptic -- Good vs. Evil

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Qumran Discipline If any man has uttered the Venerable Name even

though frivolously, or as a result of shock, or for any other reason whatever, while reading the Book or praying, he shall be dismissed and shall return to the Council of the Community no more. If he has spoken in anger against one of the Priests…, he shall do penance for one year and shall be excluded for his soul’s sake from the pure Meal of the Congregation….

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Other Jewish Groups  The Samaritans

 Claimed to be authentic survivors of exiled Israelite nation  Mt. Gerazim   Samaritan Pentateuch

 The Therapeutae  mentioned by Philo   1st c. Egyptian Jewish   Female monastics

 Diaspora Judaism   Philo and Paul   Little information

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Diversity in Jewish Literature

 The Writings of Rabbinic Judaism

 Jewish Mysticism

 Jewish Apocalyptic Texts

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The Talmud  Oral Law = Mishnah

 Gemara (commentary on Mishnah)

 Talmud = Mishnah + Gemara  Palestinian  Bablylonian

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Jewish Mysticism

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Jewish Apocalyptic Texts

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Jewish Institutions

 The Temple

 The Synagogue

 The Sanhedrin

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The Second Temple  Built upon the return from the Exile

 Herod the Great began expansion in 20 BCE

 Served as the “Center” of Judaism

 Stunning work of architecture

 Social Arrangement of the Temple

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Model of the Second Temple

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Social Arrangement of Temple

 Holy of Holies

 Holy Place

 Court of Israel

 Women’s Court

 Court of the Gentiles

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Jewish Synagogues  Origins uncertain: Egypt? Babylon? Judea?  Council house and place of assembly  Place of prayer -- proseuche  Central Purpose: The Proclamation and

Exposition of the Law  Oriented toward the laity  Rectangular building facing toward Jerusalem  Board of Directors (3); Archisynagogus; 10

minimum  Service: Shema, prayer, and Torah  Meeting on Monday and Thursday as well as

Sabbath

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Synagogue at Capernaum

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Synagogue at Gamla

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The Sanhedrin  “sunedrion” = “seated together”  first mentioned ca. 55 BCE; lasts until 70 CE  Chief priests, elders, and scribes  71 Jewish elders, presided over by high priest

(=72)  Both legislative and judicial authority = “city

council”  In Palestine, both civil and religious authority;

in Diaspora, only religious

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Jewish Eschatology  Simple Eschatology

 Prophetic Eschatology

F P

F P

“Repent”

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Apocalyptic Eschatology

F P Crisis

“This evil age” “The Age to Come”

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The Language of Apocalyptic

 The Kingdom of God  The Messiah (The Son of God)  The Son of Man  This World -- The World to Come  “Life of the Ages” (=Eternal Life)  The Messianic Banquet  Resurrection and the People of God

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Summary  Jewish People:

Common Heritage -- Diverse Expressions

 Jewish Insitutions: Temple -- Synagogue -- Home

 Jewish Expectation: Apocalyptic