First Century Judaism

Introduction to the New Testament

New Brunswick Theological Seminary

Virginia Wiles

1st Century Judaism 1

 Quick Overview

The Jewish People

Jewish Insitutions

Jewish Expectations

1st Century Judaism 2

 The Jewish People

A Common Heritage

Diverse Expressions

1st Century Judaism 3

 A Common Heritage

Common History
Common Scriptures
Common Rituals

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 Sharing a History
 Exodus  Exile
 ca. 1300 B.C.E.  ca. 587 B.C.E.
 Moses & Torah  Monotheism
 Monarchy  Return
 ca. 1000 B.C.E.  ca. 540-440 B.C.E.
 David  Apocalypticism
 Divided Kingdom
 Prophets

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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
Day Hebrew Name Purpose Time of Year
Sabbath Shabut Rest and Worship Sundown Friday to
Sundown Saturday

Israelite Festivals

Passover Pesach Exodus from Egypt Spring

Pentecost (Weeks) Shavuoth Fruits of Harvest 50 days after
Passover
Tabernacles (Booths) Succoth Wilderness Fall

Later Jewish Festivals

New Year Rosh Hashanah New Year Fall

Day of Atonement Yom Kippur Forgiveness Fall
Dedication Hannukah Restoration of Temple December
Lots Purim Esther early Spring

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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 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

P F

 Prophetic Eschatology

P F

“Repent”

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 Apocalyptic Eschatology

Crisis

P F

“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

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