This document provides a brief overview of the historical context between 740 BCE to 135 CE surrounding the world of the New Testament. It discusses the major empires that ruled over Israel like the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. It also summarizes the content and intended audiences of the four gospels - Matthew for Jews, Mark for Romans, Luke for Gentiles, and John's theological emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God.
This document provides a brief overview of the historical context between 740 BCE to 135 CE surrounding the world of the New Testament. It discusses the major empires that ruled over Israel like the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. It also summarizes the content and intended audiences of the four gospels - Matthew for Jews, Mark for Romans, Luke for Gentiles, and John's theological emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God.
This document provides a brief overview of the historical context between 740 BCE to 135 CE surrounding the world of the New Testament. It discusses the major empires that ruled over Israel like the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. It also summarizes the content and intended audiences of the four gospels - Matthew for Jews, Mark for Romans, Luke for Gentiles, and John's theological emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God.
This document provides a brief overview of the historical context between 740 BCE to 135 CE surrounding the world of the New Testament. It discusses the major empires that ruled over Israel like the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. It also summarizes the content and intended audiences of the four gospels - Matthew for Jews, Mark for Romans, Luke for Gentiles, and John's theological emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God.
Between 740BCE to 135CE 740-720BCE Northern kingdom goes into Assyrian exile (2Kgs 17:5-6) (Assyrian) 701BCE God delivered the Southern kingdom from Assyrian invasion (2Chr 32 - under Hezekiah) 607BCE Babylon invades Judah, captivity - Daniel and his friends (Babylon) - beginning of 70-years of captivity (Jer 25:11) 586BCE 1st temple destroyed, fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, third invasion (2Chr 36, 2Kgs 25:8-10) 538-539BCE rise of Persian Empire, Cyrus - Jews return from exile (2Chr 36:22, Ezra 1), Cyrus captures Babylon (539BCE) - end of 70-years of captivity - rise of synagogues, focus on Torah 1st group returned under Zerubabbel (538-539BCE), appointed governor of Judah by Cyrus 521BCE reconstruction of temple restarted (Ezra) - began rebuilding temple (Ezra 3) 2nd group returned under Ezra (458BCE) 3rd group returned under Nehemiah (444BCE) - post-exilic prophets - Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
The world of the New Testament
Between 740BCE to 135CE 515BCE second temple completed, under Zerubabbels watch - disappointment compared to 1st temple (Hag 2:3,6-9) 332BCE Alexander the Greats conquest, Israel remained under Syrian-based Seleucid rulers (Greek) 323-142BCE Alexander died with no heir to throne. Ptolemaic and Seleucid overlords - Ptolemy Lagi, Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, Peterea. Assisted by Seleucus originally given Babylon - Antigonus, Syria, Babylon, Central Asia (defeated by Seleucus) - Cassander, Macedonia, Greece - Lysimachus, Thrace, Bythinia (eventually absorbed by Seleucus) - Palestine originally under Ptolemies until 198BCE. - from 198BCE, it came under Seleucid rule, king Antiochus III the Great, defeated by Romans 175BCE Antiochus IV murders Seleucus IV to take throne 167BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated temple (Dan 9:27, 11:31, 12:11, 1Macc 1:54) - set up altar to Zeus in the temple, offered pig
The world of the New Testament
Between 740BCE to 135CE 166BCE Jewish revolt, Maccabean - emergence of Pharisees as a distinct group shortly after Maccabean revolt - emergence of the Sadducees, wealthy aristocrat, governing class, land 164BCE 2nd temple purified, Hannukah (the re-dedication of the temple) 142-63BCE Hasmonean rule 129BCE collapse of Seleucid kingdom 100BCE Essenes, emerged from Pharisees. More separatist, ascetic, apocalyptic, used Isaiah 40:3 to describe themselves 76BCE Hyrcanus II becomes king - civil war between Hyrcanus II (supported by Pharisees) and his brother Aristobulus II (supported by Sadducees) 63BCE Roman general Pompey intervened, captured Jerusalem (Roman) 40BCE Matthathias Antigonus - defeat and death under Romans, end of Hasmonean rule
The world of the New Testament
Between 740BCE to 135CE 37BCE Herod, son-in-law of Hyrcanus II appointed king of Judea by Romans, unlimited autonomy 20BCE started work on upgrading the 2nd temple 4BCE Herods death - Judas ben Hezekiah - Simon of Pearea (slave of Herod) - Anthronges the shepherd 6CE Judea came under direct Roman rule, prefects - Judas the Galilean attempted revolt, Sepphoris 66CE full scale revolt against Romans 70CE Titus Flavius Vespasian razed Jerusalem to the ground 73CE last outpost of Masada fell 132CE Shimon bar Kochba 135CE Jerusalem decimated, Judea was renamed Palestina, Jerusalem renamed Aelia Capitolina
The world of the New Testament
Brief overview of the Gospels Matthew - aimed at a Jewish audience - evangelistic in nature, tries to show how Jesus fulfilled OT messianic prophecies and is thus the promised Messiah, Jesus as son of David (9x) - heavy reliance on OT scripture (about 50 direct quotations, 75 allusions to OT events) - escathological and imminent reign of Messiah (35 kingdom passages) - genealogy goes back to Abraham - discusses miracles of Jesus (20 instances, 3 unique to Matthew) - focus on Jesus words (Sermon on the Mount ch.5, Olivet discourse ch.24) - gentiles have hope (12:21), universal great commission
The world of the New Testament
Brief overview of the Gospels Mark - shortest, no nativity/infancy narrative, no resurrection narrative, focussed on main content, less context - long ending disputed - Markan priority - non-Jewish audience, explains Hebrew traditions (7:2-4, 11:13) - fewer OT reference (19x compared to Matthew) - written to encourage the persecuted (pre-70AD), persecution as cost of discipleship (10:30 cf. Mt 10:37-39, Lk 14:26) - only records one major sermon (13:3-37 Olivet discourse) - immediately (14x) - Jesus is the son of God, miracles testify to it - testimony of God (1:11, 9:7), Jesus himself (13:32, 14:61,62), demons (3:11, 5:7), Roman centurion (15:39) - disciples clueless - 40% devoted to Jesus final journey to Jerusalem and death - turning point 10:32ff - 18-miracles/signs/wonders
The world of the New Testament
Brief overview of the Gospels Luke - gentile writer, a physician (Col 4:14), travelled with Paul on 2nd missionary journey - also wrote Acts - addressed to Theophilus (lover of God) - like Mark, non-Jewish audience, probably European, explains geography (4:31, 8:26, 24:13) - Jesus was fully human, genealogy to Adam (mankind), complete nativity & infancy narrative, his humanity (wept 19:41), agonising in prayer (22:44) - virgin birth, indicator of divinity - Quirinius problem chronology - extra focus on women disciples
The world of the New Testament
Brief overview of the Gospels John - son of Zebedee, brother of James, inner circle and close to the Lord (13:23, 19:26,27) - non synoptic - purpose 20:30,31, that believing you may have life in His name - divine nature of Jesus, in the beginning , I and the Father are one (10:30), Thomas confession (20:28), no human genealogy but divine origin (Word) - Jesus is the lamb, passover, lamb that was slain - only covers about 30+-days of the (?)3.5-years of ministry - 36% involves a 24-hour period (7-chapters) - Jesus ministry characterised by signs and wonders - the many I am passages, bread of life, light of the world, the door, good shepherd, resurrection and the life, the way, truth and life, true vine, 8:58 - I AM, the Word/Logos - miracles of power
