Mysteries of the Messiah Preview by Bill Heinrich

MYSTERIES OF THE MESSIAH Bringing Understanding to the Life of Jesus With

This Easy-to-use Comprehensive Resource On the Historical, Cultural, and Jewish Issues that Shaped the Ministry Environment of Jesus By William H. Heinrich

JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE by Lillie A. Faris.

“It is good to be highly educated; it is better to be educated from on high; but it is best to be both.” - Author Unknown

NOTE: Search Engine in full e-book will be available by February 27, 2014. Latest Update: November 8, 2013 Heinrich, William H., 1947Mysteries of the Messiah / by William H. Heinrich © 1997 – 2013 by William H. Heinrich. All Rights Reserved Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: 1. First Century Judaism 2. Biblical History 3. Roman History 4. Theology 5. Hermeneutics and Apologetics 6. Ancient Middle East Cultural Studies 7. Includes biographical references and index.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means---electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other— without the prior permission of the publisher, except as follows: individuals may make a single copy of a section (i.e. 05.03.04) of a chapter (i.e. 05.03) from this website/book for the purposes of private study, scholarship, research, or classroom use only. Teachers may make multiple copies of a section from this website/book for classroom use only, not to exceed one copy per student in the class. Copies made for classroom use should provide the title of this website/book, author’s name, and the publisher’s name on each copy. Published by Evidence of Truth Ministries, Inc. P O Box 1 Witmer, PA 17585-0001 United States Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the HCSB ®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. HCSB ® is a federally registered trademark of Holman Bible Publishers. This e-book was written for a broad audience, especially for non-English speaking pastors and students who might have limited English skills so they can receive an excellent Western seminary-level education on the life and times of Jesus. Furthermore, this site will be continually updated as additional information is obtained. It is my hope that as you study, your knowledge and faith will grow in the King of kings and Lord of lords. – Rev. Dr. William H. “Bill” Heinrich

This Preview is a sample of the full manuscript which includes the following: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Explanations for more than 900 words and phrases found in the gospels An internal search engine in the full manuscript aids in your research More than 30 video mini-lectures by various leading scholars Hebraic style of poetry restored in appropriate passages Explanations for over 100 “biblical difficulties” and hard sayings More than 150 questions are answered concerning issues of the culture, Judaism, and the political environment, including some that students may have overlooked. Biblical passages appear in bold red font More than 500 ancient extra-biblical quotations appear in bold blue font, that add insight to the religious, cultural and political environment of Jesus. More than 250 photographs, many of which were taken by the author Nearly 100 maps and illustrations More than 1,800 single-spaced pages of text. More than 20 appendices. More than 3,000 footnotes, many with multiple references More than 600,000 words in the entire manuscript More than 500 listings in “Works Cited” More than 1,000 listings in six Tables of Content More than 24 “A Lesson in First Century Hermeneutics” explanations.

Six Tables of Content The six Tables of Content comprise about sixty pages. Since this Preview represents only a small portion of the complete e-book, only a few short segments are listed. Note: The following six tables are not hyperlinked. 01.03.01 General Table of Biblical Passages and Commentary 01.03.02 Table of Photographs and Illustrations 01.03.03 Table of Maps 01.03.04 Table of Hermeneutical Principals Used by First Century Jewish Writers 01.03.05 Table of Answers to Questions by Critics and Analytical Thinkers 01.03.06 Table of Video Mini-lectures by Archaeologists, Historians, Scholars, and Other Contributors.

01.03.01 General Table of Biblical Passages and Commentary Unit 01 Introduction to this Website

Note: The following two sections are not hyperlinked.

01.01 First Things First 01.01.01 Welcome 01.01.02 Why the Name Mysteries of the Messiah? 01.01.03 How to Use this Site 01.01.04 Tables of Content 01.01.05 Citation 01.01.06 Statement of Purpose 01.01.07 Preface 01.01.08 Acknowledgments 01.02 For Inquiring Minds 01.02.01 Why is this Study Important? 01.02.02 The Researcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Challenge 01.02.03 The Analysis of Ancient Writings 01.02.04 Priority of Writings

Unit 02 Cultural Background Studies In order to better understand the cultural environment of Jesus, it is important to obtain a basic understanding of twenty important people groups from Arabs to Zealots. Each had a different worldview â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some biblical, some pagan, some nationalistic, and others with a blended set of opinions. It has often been said that the Jewish world in Israel at the time of Jesus was a theological quagmire. The conflicting ethnic groups illustrate this rather well.

5 Below are several samples. Yes, the sections below are hyperlinked. 02.01 People Groups 02.01.01 Introduction 02.01.02 Arabs (see Idumeans) 02.01.13 Jews 02.01.14 Pharisees 02.01.18 School of Hillel 02.01.19 School of Shammai 02.01.22 Zealots 02.02 Biblical and Non-biblical Writings This study contains hundreds of quotations from twenty-nine ancient, non-biblical sources. These sources are briefly described below. Some, such as the Didache and Mishnah, are significant, while others, such as the Gnostic writings, obviously hold little or no weight. Below are several samples. 02.02.01 Introduction 02.02.02 Ante-Nicene Fathers 02.02.03 Apocrypha 02.02.06 Dead Sea Scrolls 02.02.12 Hebrew Bible 02.02.14 Josephus 02.03 Significant Cultural Elements Every culture has certain elements that are unique and significant to its people. If the reader previews the basic cultural elements of first century Judaism, their understanding of the times will be enhanced considerably. Below is one of these basic elements. 02.03.01 Introduction 02.03.04 Education 02.04 Differences between First Century Roman-Greek and Jewish Worldviews There were significant differences in thinking between the European Roman-Greeks and ancient Near Eastern (now called Middle East) Asiatic Jewish people. The Romans accepted the Greek lifestyle and, consequently, are often referred to as Roman-Greeks or Greco-Romans. Many today do not realize the vast degree of cultural and religious differences that existed between them and the Jews. Understanding these differences will not only bring insight to the Scriptures, but will also help us better understand how Jesus would respond to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post-modern

6 culture. Ten opposing philosophical and theological worldviews are described, three of which are listed in this Preview. 02.04.01 Introduction 02.04.04 Position of mankind, view of life 02.04.05 Individualism vs. Community 02.04.06 Sabbath Day Observances

Unit 03 Historical Background It is impossible to comprehend Messianic thoughts and opinions of the Jews without first highlighting important events and persons of the Old Testament and the Inter-Testament era. Some topics of conversations and actions by Jesus and His adversaries were deeply rooted in history. The chronological history overview presented below provides insight to this critical background that shaped the first century Jewish mindset and, therefore, the actions of Jesus. This section identifies in chronological order, historical events and significant persons that shaped the ministry environment of Jesus. Below is an abbreviated list of various persons and events that shaped the ministry environment of Jesus. Not all of them are discussed in the Preview. It is suggested the reader scan this small portion of the Table of Contents to identify any historical information topics that are of interest. This author personally thinks it is absolutely fascinating – and that is a totally unbiased opinion. 03.02 First Temple Period and Exile (1040 B.C. – 515 B.C.) 03.02.01 The United Monarchy 03.04 Inter-Testament Background (c. 400 B.C. – A.D. 30) 03.04.01 Introduction 03.04.17 176 – 164 B.C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes; King of Syria Controls Jerusalem 03.04.19 170 B.C. Messiah Predicted by Roman Poet Virgil 03.04.21 167 B.C. The Maccabean Revolt – 25 Years of Military Battles and Guerrilla War Begins 03.05 Jewish Sovereignty and Roman Conquest (c. 164 B.C. – A.D.70) 03.05.05 102 – 76 B.C. Rule of Alexander Jannaeus 03.05.06 90 – 88 B.C. Jewish Civil War; 800 Pharisees Crucified 03.05.11 63 B.C. Rome Conquers Judah; Hyrcanus II Installed as Ruler of Israel 03.05.20 40 – 39 B.C. Brief Parthian Invasion and Occupation of Jerusalem 03.05.21 37 – 4 B.C. Conquest and Rule by Herod the Great

Unit 04 – The Early Years of Jesus

7 Now begins one of the most fascinating studies – the study of the life of the most important Person who ever graced the face of the earth. 04.01 Introduction 04.01.01 Introduction: The World Stage is Set; John’s Prologue 04.01.02 Jn.1:1-18 The Word of God became the Person Jesus. 04.01.03 Lk. 1:1-4 Introduction by Luke 04.02 The Genealogies of Jesus 04.02.01 Introduction 04.02.02 Mt. 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus as Recorded by Matthew

Unit 07 – Opposition against Jesus Grows 07.01 Jesus Stuns the Jewish Leadership 07.01.02 Mt. 9:10-13; Mk. 2:15-17; Lk. 5:29-32 Eating with Sinners 07.01.03 Mt. 9:14-17; Mk. 2:18-22; Lk. 5:33-39 Disciples not Fasting 07.01.04 Jn. 5:1-3a, 3b-4, 5-15 Jerusalem; The Second Passover Sabbath Healing at Pool of Bethesda

Unit 09 – Turning Point in the Ministry of Jesus 09.01 Rejection of Jesus and His Message 09.01.01 Introduction 09.01.02 Mt. 12:22-24; Mk. 3:20, 22-27; Lk. 11:14-23 Capernaum; Jesus: Demon or Son of David? 09.01.03 Mt. 12:25-30; Lk. 11:20 The Divided Kingdom

Unit 13 – The Passion Week Begins 13.01 Preview of Events and the Triumphal Entry 13.01.01 Introduction 13.01.02 Summary of Events of the Passion Week 13.01.03 Jn. 12:12-13; Mk. 11:10 Jerusalem; The Triumphal Entry

01.03.02 Table of Photographs and Illustrations 02.02.00.A BARUCH WRITING JEREMIAH’S PROPHECIES Illustrated by Gustove Dore’, 1866. 02.02.03.A THE HELIODORUS STELE. 02.02.06.A YOUNG SCHOLARS EXAMINE AN “ANCIENT JAR.” 02.03.00.A CHILDREN IN A SYNAGOGUE SCHOOL. Illustration by Godfrey Durand.1896. 02.04.00.A SALOME’S EXOTIC DANCE by Armand Point (1860-1932). 03.02.00.A SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID by Godfrey Durand. 1986. 03.02.01.A THE “KING DAVID FRAGMENT.” 03.04.00.A A GREEK-SELEUCID WAR ELEPHANT IN BATTLE. 03.04.17.A COINS OF ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES. 03.04.21.A A BOWL WITH A PAINTED GREEK WAR ELEPHANT. Artist unknown. 03.05.00.A SEA-GOING SHIPS OF HASMONEAN DAYS by Jacob S. Golub. 1929. 03.05.05.A A MODEL OF A HASMONEAN MERCHANT SHIP. 03.05.21.A THE GENERATIONAL TREE OF THE MACCABEES. 03.05.21.B THE CAVES OF MOUNT ARBEL. 04.01.00.A THE CREATION OF LIGHT by Gustove Dore’, 1866. 04.02.00.A AN ANGEL VISITS THE VIRGIN MARY. Artwork by William Hole of the Royal Scottish Academy of Art, 1876. 07.01.00.A JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE. Artwork by Lillie A. Faris. 07.01.03.A AN OLD WINESKIN. 07.01.04.A RUINS OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 07.01.04.B THE INTERIOR OF THE RUINS OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 07.01.04.C ASCLEPIUS ARTIFACTS FROM THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 07.01.04.D COINS OF JOHN HYRCANUS II. 07.01.04.E STATUETTES OF HEALING GODS. 09.01.00.A JESUS WARNS THE JEWISH LEADERS. Illustration by Godfrey Durand, 1896. 09.01.03.A A PEACEFUL SEA OF GALILEE AT SUNSET.

13.01.00.A THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. Artwork by Heinrich Hoffmann. 13.01.02.A THE EASTERN (GOLDEN) GATE OF JERUSALEM.

01.03.03 Table of Maps Sorry, examples not available in the PREVIEW

01.03.04 Table of Hermeneutical Principals Used by First Century Jewish Writers Sorry, examples not available in the PREVIEW

01.03.05 Table of Answers to Questions by Critics and Analytical Thinkers 02.02.16.Q1 Why are some Jewish writings incredibly similar to New Testament teachings? 02.03.04.Q1 How did one become a rabbi or a disciple of a rabbi? 04.01.03.Q1 How can it be said that no one has ever seen God (Jn. 1:18) when other passages (i.e., Ex. 33:11) clearly indicate otherwise? 04.02.02.Q1 What was the purpose of a genealogical listing? 04.02.02.Q2 Is there a mistake in Matthew 1:11?

04.02.02.Q3 Concerning Matthew 1:9, was Uzziah really the father of Jothan? 04.02.02.Q4 Why did Matthew divide the list of names into three groups? 04.02.02.Q5 Do other biblical genealogies suggest a unique message? 04.02.02.Q6 Why did Matthew include four women of less than favorable character? 07.01.04.Q1 What is the significance of this invalid man having suffered for thirty-eight years?

07.01.04.Q2 Why did the invalid man at the Pool of Bethesda not need faith to be healed? 07.01.04.Q3 Did Jesus demonstrate His power over the Greek god Asclepius? 13.01.02.Q1 Why did Jesus need to ride a donkey that was untrained?

10 13.01.02.Q2 How is the apparent conflict of the number of donkeys explained?

01.03.06 Table of Video Mini-lectures by Archaeologists, Historians, Scholars, and Other Contributors. 01.01.01.V Welcome and introduction comments by the author, Dr. William H. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Billâ&#x20AC;? Heinrich. 02.02.06.V Dr. Bryant Wood discusses the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in terms of understanding the life and times of Jesus. 03.02.01.V An unassigned scholar will discuss how the first century Jewish people viewed the importance of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants. 04.01.03.V Rev. John Metzger discusses the Deity of Jesus in the Old Testament and in eternity past. 07.01.04.V1 Dr. Paul Wright discusses the angel of John 5:4, the Pool of Bethesda, and the natural limestone formation in the area. 07.01.04.V2 Professor Gordon Franz discusses the angel of John 5:4, the Pool of Bethesda, and the natural limestone formation in the area

Unit 01 Introduction to this Website Chapter 01 First Things First

Unit 01 Introduction to this Website 01.01.01 Welcome Welcome to one of the most comprehensive studies on the life and times of Christ. Discover the fascinating historical, cultural, and religious background that shaped the ministry environment of Jesus. This e-book was written in layman’s language. It goes deep into an overwhelming supply of ancient literary and archaeological evidence that not only sheds light on the subject, but also supports the historical accuracy of the biblical accounts. For believers, a deeper understanding of their own faith will be enriched and mysterious riddles will be explained. For those who have disagreed with the substance of this work, a far more enlightened understanding of Jesus and Christianity will be revealed. Therefore, both committed believers and committed skeptics will be in for a real treat.

Video Insert

01.01.01V Welcome and introduction comments by the author, Dr. William H. “Bill” Heinrich.

01.01.02 Why the name Mysteries of the Messiah? King Solomon once said that there is nothing new under the sun, so why the mysterious name of this website? That is a great question and I am so glad you asked. In addition, there is an old adage that says, “If new, it is untrue; If true, it is not new.” The term Mystery or Mysteries herein does not denote an unknowable thing, but what has been withheld or withdrawn from common knowledge and cannot be known without special manifestation of it. 1 There is nothing mystical about Jesus. The name was selected because, as one studies Jesus in His historical and cultural context, sudden clarity comes to passages that once were cloudy. A fresh revelation of life comes to His words and work. What may be mysterious to some has been known to a few throughout history. The author and those who worked on this project passionately advocate that the Bible is to be believed and trusted because it is the written word of the living God. This e-book/website is intended to bring greater understanding of the gospels by illuminating the cultural context in which Jesus lived and ministered. 1

. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament. 1:78.

01.01.03 How to Use this site Please see the link titled “How to Use this Site” on the Home page, upper right corner. It presents the following ways you will be able to find what you are looking for: 1. Look for the topic or biblical passage in the Table of Contents and type it in the search engine. 2. How to find the search engine: a. In the website preview or book, click on the phrase “Search Engine, click here” in the upper left side of the screen. b. Go to the right side and scroll down to “Search this Document.” Type the biblical reference you are looking for. Be sure to use only these abbreviations – two letters and a period – for the gospel books: Mt. = Matthew Mk. = Mark

Lk. = Luke Jn. = John

c. Using the abbreviated style, type the name of the gospel book and chapter number followed by a colon. In this manner, for example, Mt. 1: will be distinguished from Mt. 1 which will also give you Mt. 1:18. Avoid using verse numbers as your number may be within a range of numbers and, therefore, will not be found. For example, Mt. 5:5 is within Mt. 5:4-10 and consequently will not be found. Instead, look for Mt. 5: and scan through the document until you come to Mt. 5:4-10. Please note: Key words and phrases in the biblical text that are underlined have explanations in the paragraphs that follow. Below is an example taken from Luke 12:13-21, although only verse 13 is used for this illustration. Notice that the phrase, “divide the inheritance” is underlined. The underline means that this phrase is explained further down. Therefore, scroll down in the text until you find “Divide the inheritance” with commentary. In some cases, that explanation is down a page or two, in other cases it might be fifteen pages or so. 09.03.02 Lk. 12:13-21 FAITH OF THE FOOLISH RICH MAN

Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 13

Here is the commentary of the underlined biblical phrase: “Divide the inheritance.” It was not uncommon for people to take their problems and conflicts to a respected rabbi. On the other hand, it was a common practice for itinerant rabbis to travel from village to village where they would serve in a judicial capacity and render decisions on civil and religious matters. The Romans had given the Jews sufficient autonomy concerning judicial matters with the authority to enforce compliance to a decision if necessary. In this case, a man requested Jesus to act as judge in a family matter of inheritance. Jesus refused to render a decision, not because He was unqualified or unconcerned, but because He focused on those who have no right to judge.

01.01.04 Tables of Content The six Tables of Content consist of over sixty pages are as follows: 01.03.01 General Table of Biblical Passages and Commentary 01.03.02 Table of Photographs and Illustrations 01.03.03 Table of Maps 01.03.04 Table of First Century Hermeneutical Lessons 01.03.05 Table of Answers to Questions posed by Critics and Analytical Thinkers 01.03.06 Table of Video Mini-lectures by Archaeologists, Historians, Scholars, and Other Contributors.

01.01.05 Citation It is recommended that the following citation method be used: Website address, Unit number, Chapter number, Section number, followed by the biblical reference at that location. Note that each category is separated by a period. For example: Heinrich, William H. “Mysteries of the Messiah” www.mysteriesofthemessiah.com 04.01.03 Lk. 1:1-4 Date Retrieved. NOTE: The MLA style does not suggest Unit or Chapter numbers. However, due to the size of the e-book, it is recommended that writers who cite this work add Unit number, chapter number, and section number immediately after the website name. 01.01.06 Statement of Purpose

14 It is the purpose of this study to investigate the historical and cultural context of the life and times of Jesus. For those who may not be familiar with the historical, cultural, and religious background elements, some revelations may be challenging. Therefore, let’s follow the words of the prophet Isaiah (1:18) “Come now, let us reason together.” Allow the Spirit of God to move in your heart as you study this with an open mind. 01.01.07 Preface Christians today have little understanding of what daily life was like for Jesus and other Jewish peasants. People were held in economic slavery with limited religious freedom. Jesus was born at a time when rabbis and teachers throughout the ancient Middle East 2 believed that a Messiah would come and deliver them from foreign oppressors. The subject was actively debated among the rabbis, who held a wide variety of philosophies and theologies. In addition, Jewish scholar Philo was writing his Neo-Platonist philosophies while the Essenes wrote of an end-of-the-earth apocalypse in their Dead Sea Scrolls. It is not surprising then, that many false messiahs appeared at this time which gave the people reason to question Jesus. Add to the religious mix, the two most significant rabbis of the Second Temple Period, Rabbis Hillel and Shammai and their students were having constant theological debates and arguments concerning petty issues of life. At this same time there were also numerous riots initiated by nationalistic Jewish Zealots and the threat of full scale wars and famine. Roman taxation reduced Jewish peasants to economic slaves. This was the perfect storm that created the chaotic environment in which Jesus gave His message of hope, salvation and eternal life. Flavius Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, confirmed in his writings that it was a culture near the edge of chaos and which contributed to the social political tension of that time. Understanding Jesus in His context gives depth and understanding to His words and work. Those who claim the Bible is not relevant for today, in essence, acknowledge their lack of understanding of life in first century Israel (then called Judaea). Few realize that today’s Middle East tensions and conflicts are pale in comparison to the days of Jesus. Yet this ebook, with its various explanations, illustrations, and photographs, will only touch the tip of the proverbial iceberg in describing the challenging life and times of Jesus. 01.01.8 Acknowledgments I wish to say that it is impossible for anyone to complete a work of this magnitude without the assistance of friends, historians, archaeologists, and peers, who are scholars in their own academic disciplines. This work would not be what it is today, if it was confined to my limited talents. Therefore, I express joyful gratitude to the many fine associates and scholars who have provided significant input and support. Once upon a time, shortly after God created dirt, I was a student at Valley Forge Christian College. One day I happened to hear Professor Dr. Daniel McNaughton tell another student that he doubted that any more than two or three percent of biblical writers take time to research original sources. Rather, most will quote the opinion of another author. That ten2

. In this e-book, the term “ancient Middle East” is used for what is commonly referred to in other books as “ancient Near East.” The reason is that some students may not be acquainted with the term “Near East” as it appears to be out of date and can no long be found on any modern maps.

15 second sound bite changed my methodology of research. I was determined not to write an opinion of someone else’s opinion, but cite original quotations wherever possible. Therefore, when researching the events that surrounded the life of Jesus, I reviewed the writings of authors who lived and wrote close to the time and location of Jesus. I also examined their philosophies and biases. Because of the passing comment by Dr. McNaughton, this work contains hundreds of ancient extra-biblical quotations. Later, while in graduate school, I wrote a term paper that “went bad.” It was on the historical and cultural background of the infancy narratives of Jesus. I was absolutely captivated by it. The paper grew and grew and eventually became a master’s thesis. Learning the first century historical and cultural environment became my passion. In the process I was privileged to obtain the teaching notes, books, audio tapes, and/or videos from several prominent scholars. In addition, I was privileged to sit under the instruction of Drs. Bryant Wood and James McGahey of Lancaster Bible College. Dr. Wood was also the advisor for my master’s thesis, which is now rather pale compared to this work. I would be remiss if I did not say that Dr. Wood has decades of archaeological field experience in the Middle East. He authored many articles in academic journals such as Bible and Spade and Biblical Archaeological Review. Among his many credits are ninety articles in the prestigious Zondervan Archaeological Bible. Another archaeologist and scholar is my friend Professor Gordon Franz. Like Dr. Wood, he has authored dozens of academic journals and has years of field experience. Both scholars are affiliated with Associates for Biblical Research. For more information, please visit www.BibleArchaeology.org. I traveled many times to Israel where a number of excellent scholars, like Drs. Steve Notley and SeJin Kohl of Jerusalem University College, taught the land of the Bible as if it were the fifth gospel. While there, Israeli native and tour guide Arie bar David became my friend and personal tutor as we traveled together throughout the country. We visited the significant and interesting biblical sites, including some that are off the beaten path. Credit must be given to the scholarship of Dr. Dwight Pentecost of Dallas Theological Seminary, which was especially helpful in this research, as well as a set of audio tapes by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum. However, this e-book is available only because a dedicated team of editors who have spent hundreds of hours enriching the work. It did not take them very long to realize that English is this writer’s second language. My appreciation goes to Elana Beckett and Shirley Shenberger for their editorial comments, as well as to my dear cousin, Anita Hermann, who is a retired education professor from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Two scholars reviewed this e-book from “outside the box.” They presented questions and insights I had not considered. My friend Dr. Ed Kabakjian, who is a retired professor of education, shared his thoughts from an educator’s perspective and offered pragmatic suggestions and insights. He became so involved that once he traveled with my wife Paivi and me to Israel, just so he could better critique my work. His critical thinking and analysis is always insightful. I also appreciate the comments posed by Dr. Gil Peterson, retired professor, president, and chancellor of Lancaster Bible College. During his career he traveled to Israel some thirty-three times. He is not only a great scholar and teacher, but a dear

16 friend who spent many hours reviewing this beast of a manuscript. Today so much of the academic world is known for its skepticism and humanism. These fine scholars, however, stand on Scripture as the infallible, inerrant, inspired Word of God. No teacher is ever successful unless they have had some fine tutors, and I have been blessed with the best of the best. In the course of time, Mysteries of the Messiah, has grown to have a life of its own. As it progressed, an increasing number of scholars became available to share their insight and knowledge on video. Their mini-lectures add a whole new perspective to academic study, whether you are new to biblical studies or on the doctoral level. Only with the advent of the Internet has this become possible. Among them are Dr. Heldt from Hebrew University, Dr. Lowe from the University of the Holy Land, Dr. Paul Wright from Jerusalem University College and many more. I am grateful to everyone one of them. Each has their credits mentioned at the end of their video presentation. One reason I had so many editors is that every time one finished editing, I made the corrections and added another hundred and fifty pages. So finally, going down the home stretch to a finished â&#x20AC;&#x153;term paper,â&#x20AC;? I am grateful for Bonnie Krepp for her proofreading. This e-book has truly become a team project. All the contributions of so many who came by my side is now available for you because of two wonderful computer and Internet technicians, Austin Ginder and Jonathan D. Madeira. They too caught the vision of this project and have made it available on the world-wide-web. Whatever merits and deficiencies are found in this project, the former is greater and the latter are fewer because of the generous help and constructive suggestions of so many. My opinions are not necessarily those of the contributors. As was previously stated, few historians and writers have been privileged to receive the level of scholarship and expertise that has been afforded to me. Finally, I am grateful to my loving wife, Paivi. We met in Jerusalem while I was working on this and another research project. She was nearing the end of ten years of ministry to the poor and Holocaust victims. She has a heart of gold and is an encourager who gave up many hours while I was absorbed in books and glued to the computer. Yes, biblical research can have its unexpected blessings, such as a beautiful sunset wedding along the Sea of Galilee and a life-long partner in ministry. ď &#x160;

Unit 01 Introduction to this Website 01.02 For Inquiring Minds

01.02.01 Why is this Study Important?

17 A child was once asked to describe Jesus. He answered by saying that Jesus was the first Christian who went to Sunday school every Sunday. Unfortunately, there are many who have that same opinion today. This text will present the historical Jesus as He truly lived. Jesus was an orthodox Jew who also intermingled with the Gentile Greeks and Romans who lived in the Jewish land. Some of His actions had profound implications to them, which are not readily identifiable by word studies. A change of perception and understanding is required by the modern reader because we tend to interpret the words and miracles of Jesus from a Western-Christian point of view, but seldom think of them from a first century Jewish, Greek or Roman point of view. This e-book was written for someone who has some basic knowledge of the Bible, and the gospels in particular. Without that foundational knowledge, this e-book might be a bit overwhelming. For the student who has “the basics,” this will be an exciting resource. The established Bible teacher will find this e-book provides historical and cultural insights that are often missed in other texts. One might ask, “Why should one study the historical and cultural environment in which Jesus ministered?” There are several reasons outlined below. The reader will, 1. Learn the context of His words and actions. Understanding the context gives clarity and meaning of His instructions and their application to one’s life. 2. Get to know who Jesus was as a human and learn to know Him better on a personal basis. 3. Find their faith become stronger through knowing that all the activities surrounding Jesus’ life – including the things He did – had been predicted centuries earlier. 4. Learn to understand many of the allegories, parables, figures of speech, and other literary devices used by the gospel writers.3 5. Understand solutions to many problematic verses that have been labeled as “biblical difficulties.” The gospels were not written with difficulties. These arose in the course of time as man became more distant from the first century historical and cultural setting.

. An excellent resource for a comprehensive biblical study is Ethelbert W. Bullinger’s book, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker. 1898, reprint 1995.

18 Most commentaries are some blend of hermeneutical 4 and exegetical 5 explanations with the focus on word studies and figures of speech. The historical and cultural aspects all too often are not given sufficient attention. This study will clarify these points, resulting in a new and deeper understanding of the gospel narratives. This manuscript has lessons in hermeneutics identified as follows: “A Lesson in First Century Hermeneutics.” More than two dozen mini-lessons aid the reader in understanding how the gospel writers interpreted their own Hebrew Bible. The term hermeneutics, for the purpose of this manuscript, is the study of how a passage was understood by those with whom Jesus conversed and taught. 6 It is good to know what the gospels have to say, but it is even better to understand what they mean. Words have histories. Only on rare occasions can a word be tied down to an unchangeable meaning when considering all of the changes of culture and language. For example, consider the simple word “table.” In Greek this noun has a secondary sense “a banker’s table,” as in Matthew 25:27, where the “money exchangers” are literally, “the men who sit at tables.”7 One would have to know the cultural context to understand the meaning of the word. Could there be any possibility this is where the word “banker” originated? Could the temple aristocrats have been private bankers? Knowledge of the cultural practices will enhance the understanding of the words and actions of Jesus. 01.02.02 The Researcher’s Challenge Concerning the author: Writers, scholars, and researchers, try as they might, are seldom as objective as think they are. This seems to be especially true in politics and religion. In this case, the author asked several individuals to help him be objective. Furthermore, just as the author analyzed ancient writers for their philosophies and biases, he has his. Therefore, it is important to state that he is a Christian. But it is even worse than that – he is an evangelical Christian. At this point, a brief spiritual resume is in order. In 1973 he was healed instantly of an occasional but painful back problem. Twenty-one years later he was diagnosed with a huge 16 cm. (6+ inches) late stage 4 chondrosarcoma tumor in his left hip – a cancer with almost zero percent survival rate. The result of five surgeries, he lost his left hip, left leg, the upper lobe of one lung and several chunks of the other, but was given a second chance of life.

. The art and science of interpreting any text; It is from the Greek word hermeneuo, and is further defined as “the study and statement of the principles on which a text is to be understood. Bruce. “Hermeneutics.” 1:640. 5

. Exegesis is the critical and analytical explanation of any text.

. Bruce, “Hermeneutics.” 1:640.

7. Neill,

Interpretation. 81.

19 After all that, in the summer of 2001 he returned to Israel for additional research. When he came home, nodules were discovered again throughout both lungs and this time doctors said it was hopeless. After all, there is a limited amount of lung tissue that can be removed after which life is no longer viable. Friends at church prayed for him as they had done so many times before. When he returned to the medical center three months later, all the nodules were gone and there have been no additional signs chondrosarcoma. Hopefully you can understand that he may need a little help keeping his bias out of his writing. Concerning this study: Cultural customs varied among the Jewish people from area to area and even within ancient Israel (Judaea). This study became more difficult when considering that customs change, even if ever so slowly, from one century to another. For example, at the time of Jesus, boys were educated in Jerusalem, but in Galilee both boys and girls were educated. To add confusion to the cultural mix, not all Jewish sects agreed on this and, therefore, not all parents educated both boys and girls in Galilee. Consequently, if an ancient document would be found that states a certain position on educating children in Galilee, the researcher cannot assume that it represents the opinion of all the people. On another issue, in the process of reviewing hundreds of ancient extra-biblical (nonbiblical) writings, especially Jewish writings, the challenge was to avoid attributing a custom or belief to the time of Jesus if it did not belong to that time period. As Darrel Bock and Gregory Herrick said, “Because we cannot be sure that ideas from a later period were also present in an earlier period, information coming from these sources needs to be used with caution to avoid the danger of projecting concepts back into an earlier period.” 8 Learning the multifaceted environment of culture, politics, and religion has become as much of an art as a science – adds understanding to the definition of “hermeneutics.” For the purpose of this study, the ideal writer of yesteryear quoted herein was one who lived in the land of Jesus and at the time of Jesus. The further in time and geographical distance an ancient writer was from the life of Christ, the more suspect that writer’s manuscript becomes. However, that does not negate it – but it does raise the bar for discerning critique. Nearly all scholars discount writings after the sixth or seventh centuries because they are little more than fanciful legends. There are hundreds of ancient manuscripts in the possession of universities and museums pretending to provide additional detail to the life and ministry of Jesus. Remember, Jesus did say there would be false teachers. 01.02.03 The Analysis of Ancient Writings In this research, great care was taken to authenticate the reliability of sources. With both mythical and legendary information appearing real on the Internet, it is quite easy to arrive at conclusions that differ from historical truth.

. Bock and Herrick, Jesus in Context. 20.

20 For example, while researching Joseph of Arimathea, it was obvious that he was a member of the Sanhedrin and did not agree with the high court on the fate of Jesus. Information beyond what is presented in the Bible has been found to be highly speculative. One source says that he was the younger brother of the Virgin Mary. Another indicates that he had attained wealth by shipping tin from Great Britain to various Roman cities. Furthermore, he was instrumental in getting a church started in the British Isles somewhere between the years 37 and 62 or 63. In this research, many legends and myths were uncovered that are an attractive and tantalizing mixture of minimal truth and maximum fiction. Joseph of Arimatheaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with the Sanhedrin is true, but everything else is highly questionable. There are no early and reliable records that confirm his relationship to Mary and neither is there a reliable source for him having been a shipping tycoon. Furthermore, standard history has repeatedly demonstrated that Christianity did not come to Britain until centuries later. If this account were true, it would mean that the founding of the church in Britain predated the founding of the church in Rome. So where did this fanciful story originate? Historians believe that the connection between Joseph and Britain originated in the writings of the early church father Tertullian. However, and more importantly, those same scholars strongly believe the legends or myths probably were not made by Tertullian personally, but were inserted by a copyist or editor centuries later. Another challenge of this research has been the phenomenal amount of information that was processed. This data represents a wide variety of viewpoints and great care was taken to determine what information was truthful, reliable and acceptable, and what needed to be discarded. Several important factors need to be considered. 1. It was assumed that the gospel narratives were written with integrity and accuracy, as the authors were motivated to communicate the events of Jesus with both historical and theological accuracy. Amazingly, critical scholars believe biblical history was falsely created to present theological truths. Yet, archaeological and literary evidence confirms the historical accuracy and truth of the entire Bible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both Testaments. 2. Ancient writings, such as the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Josephus, Dead Sea Scrolls, other works and authors are considered as primary historical and cultural sources recognizing, however, their theological and/or political value could be tainted to reflect the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal doctrine and purpose. These extra-biblical sources are for literary, historical and cultural understanding, and even the historical accuracy is sometimes questioned.

3. Since the ancients obviously did not write for the modern inquiring and analytical mind, frequently there are gaps in history where no information is available. Therefore, when one gospel left a historical gap, we are dependent upon another gospel to provide the necessary information. 4. Finally, some scholars have been concerned with the gospels as “primary sources,” because, after two thousand years, the original manuscripts are lost. The same was said of many Old Testament books. However, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (discussed later) demonstrated that the Old Testament Scriptures were faithfully transmitted without errors, other than an ink stroke here or there. Therefore, it can be assumed that the New Testament books were also faithfully transmitted without errors. One of the major resources is the writing of the first century historian, Josephus. His work time and time again reflects accurate information, yet on occasion his bias appears, such as with exaggerated population estimates. However, if it were not for his writings, our knowledge of Jewish history - especially in the Greek and Roman Periods - would be drastically reduced. Much of what we know today of certain events and persons important to Jewish history was detailed for us by him and are not mentioned by any other source. Whatever his biases and exaggerations might be, these are minimal in the overall body of knowledge he recorded. Concerning rules of interpreting (known as “hermeneutics”) ancient works, both biblical and extra-biblical, it should be noted that the rules in the biblical period sometimes differ in some cases from what scholars use today. Examples of hermeneutics of the biblical era are illustrated throughout the book where explanations of related Scriptures are needed. A Lesson in First Century Hermeneutics: Here is an important note for today’s readers: While college text books have been written on the science and art of hermeneutics, three rules (one of which is negative) are listed below. 1. The first is related to a question often posed by Sunday school teachers, “What does the text say to me?” This question, as insightful as it may be, is hardly appropriate. While the intent is to gain spiritual meaning, it assumes the imposition of our understanding upon the text. The significant question to ask is “What did the text mean to the author?” In order to determine the biblical author’s meaning one must determine who is speaking (the subject); to whom (indirect object); and then answer the questions of when, how, and why; which will enhance meaning as it will include history and culture.

22 2. A rule of interpretation not to be used is known as the Rule of First Use. It assumes that the use of a word in the first place in the Bible applies to all subsequent applications. The fallacy is that this negates the context of the word every time thereafter - a horrific violation of hermeneutics. Each application must stand on its own merit. Therefore, “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isa.1:18). 3. Finally, another rule is to remember that words have meaning in context with other words. It has often been said that a verse taken out of context is a pretext and, therefore, can lead to errors in understanding. Note the following example: Major Premise: Minor Premise: Conclusion:

All Americans are fat John is fat John is an American

Obviously John could be from any country in the world. Improper mixing of verses out of context will always lead to erroneous conclusions. Many believe the entire Bible literally, when in fact, they accept its teachings literally. Some passages are figurative, others are intended to be factual and literal, but all are colored by the context, history, and culture, both pagan and Jewish. No word-for-word translation can be successful in presenting a “literal” translation because many nuances of the original language do not have corresponding words in other languages. Scholars often go to great lengths to determine the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words in the context but may understate the historical and cultural influences. New Testament studies cannot be fully understood without a foundational knowledge of the Old Testament and the first century Jewish culture. This work is an attempt to bring forth the full dynamics of the words and works of Jesus by placing them in the historical and religious context of His day. 01.02.04 Priority of Writings Various sources were acquired for this research. Generally writings closest to the life of Christ in time and distance were considered the most reliable. Therefore, for example, European commentaries of the Middle Ages cannot be considered even if in agreement with Scripture. The sources used are listed below from the most reliable to the least. 1. Bible 2. The Mishnah and related Jewish writings 3. Dead Sea Scrolls (Extra-Biblical Writings; 200 BC – AD70) 4. Old Testament Apocrypha (also known as Deuterocanonical Books) 5. Flavius Josephus (AD 47-100) 6. Philo of Alexandria (20 BC – AD 50) 7. Various Church Fathers

There is, however, an important point to consider in the prioritizing of resources. It is unfortunate that many Christian scholars believe that the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud do not reflect Jewish life at the time of Jesus. Amazingly, some Jewish scholars disagree. Note the following comments found on a Jewish website: 1. “The Talmud is, then, the written form of that which in the time of Jesus, was called the Traditions of the Elders,” by Rabbi Michael L. Rodkinson 2. “The Jewish religion as it is today traces its descent, without a break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees,” by the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. 9 More information is presented on this subject in Unit 02 at “02.02 Biblical And ExtraBiblical Writings.” See also Appendix 22 “Brief Description Of Extra-Biblical Books Cited.” A Final Comment on Writings Between the years 1997 and 2013 when this e-book was researched and written, this manuscript has survived a computer crash, two freeze-ups and a host of other challenges. This is a work of love and a calling, not for personal gain. The value of this e-book will provide you, the reader, with insights into the Jewish, cultural, and political world that shaped the ministry environment of Jesus. Hopefully, this in turn will enable you to think, pray and minister to others with a greater level of knowledge, insight and spiritual awareness as you do your part in building the Kingdom of God.

Unit 02 Cultural Background Studies Chapter 01 People Groups 02.01.01 Introduction - The Holy Land in the first century consisted of several Jewish subgroups, along with a few Gentile people groups. Tensions existed not only between Jewish factions, but also between them and their Greek and Roman neighbors, as well as with the Samaritans. Added to this were the tensions caused by Roman occupation and high taxation. Consequently, this land was a cauldron of hatred and social unrest. 9. http://www.come-and-hear.com/navigate.html. April 11, 2012.

The following definitions clarify people groups discussed in this e-book. They represent religious, cultural, and political bodies that influenced the first century Jewish culture and shaped the ministry environment of Jesus. Not all are mentioned in the gospels, but their influence was nonetheless present and sometimes quite powerful. 02.01.02 Arabs (see Idumeans) 02.01.13 Jews - In the Old Testament Period, particularly in the book of Esther, the name was associated with all Israelites, but it originally was applied to only those who came from Judea. A similar association is found in the older book of Daniel (3:8, 12). In the New Testament era, the name is one of cultural and religious identity. A Jew was one who was not a Samaritan (Jn. 4:9), nor a Gentile (Gal. 2:14; 3:28; Acts 14:1, 5), nor a proselyte (Acts 2:10). He had to be of the lineage of Abraham and, hence, his race, nationality, and religion were all equal components of his identity. 10 Jews considered themselves to be the “chosen people” and, therefore, by the time of Christ they thought of themselves as a privileged people. It is important to note that there were the various doctrines among the religious sects. For example, those living in Jerusalem were more legalistic and conservative than their Galilean counterpart, but they were also more appeasing to the Roman establishment. Those living in Galilee and Perea, on the other hand, were more lax in their theological viewpoints, but considerably more nationalistic, especially those in northern Galilee – the cradle of Roman anti-sentiment. Yet among the conservatives in Jerusalem lived some Hellenistic Jews, as well as all the Sadducees, who were quite friendly with the Romans. Outside the country of Judaea, Jewish people in the Diaspora held a wide range of viewpoints. In Babylon they were as conservative, if not more so, than those in Jerusalem. 02.01.14 Pharisees - The Pharisees were the predominant Jewish party that consisted of a number of religious sects, from the early second century B.C. until A.D. 70. They developed as a result of opposition and persecution by the Greek dictator Antiochus IV Epiphanes who was overthrown in the Maccabean Revolt in 165 B.C. (see 03.04.17 in e-book).11 Understandably, the name Pharisee comes from the Hebrew perusin or perusim meaning “separated” or “detached.” The first century religious group evolved from the previous Hassidean movement12 and was known for two major characteristics: 10. Gasque,

“Jew.” 2:1056.

11. Josephus, Antiquities

. 11.4.8; 13.10.5-6; Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 66a.

12. House, Chronological and Background. 73.

25 1. Separation. They considered themselves the “separated ones,” who emphasized strict adherence to the Mosaic laws pertaining to purity, Sabbath observance, prayer, tithing, and separation from anyone who was Hellenistic. 2. Legalism. Due to the encroachment of Hellenistic (Greek) cultural values into Jewish life, the Pharisees promoted strict observance of Jewish laws on both the national and personal level. 13 An example of their legalism was recorded by the first century historian, Josephus. He noted that once more than six thousand of them refused to take the oath of allegiance to Caesar or Herod. 14 They were willing to lay down their lives for the religious laws. It is uncertain how many other Pharisees, if any, did take the oath of loyalty. The Pharisees were usually synonymous with the teachers of the Law. 15 While most leading Pharisees considered themselves to be scribes, not all scribes considered themselves to be Pharisees.16 The scribes were scholars of the biblical text and law. 17 They are often referred to in this manuscript as the “leading Pharisees,” the “Pharisee elitists,” or “the aristocrats of the Pharisees,” as opposed to the common Pharisees, many of whom became followers of Jesus. While the aristocrats avoided contact with common Jewish peasants, the common Pharisees sided with them.18 These leading aristocratic Pharisees had become religiously and politically corrupt and were under constant rebuke by Jesus. They held their Oral Law in higher authority than the written Mosaic Law. It was to this group that Jesus most frequently applied the word hypocrite, meaning actor.19 Nearly all confrontations Jesus had with them were related to the halakhah, meaning the regulations that pertained to the daily life activities. 20

. Finkelstein, The Pharisees. 145.

14. Josephus, Antiquities. 17.2.4.

. Mt. 3:7; 15:1; Mk. 2: 16, 24; Lk. 11:38.

16. Moseley,

Yeshua. 93-94.

17. Bruce, War

“Josephus, Flavius.” 69-71; Major, Manson, and Wright, The Mission and Message of Jesus. 601-02; Josephus, s. 1.5.2; Mishnah, Aboth. 2:5.

18. Josephus, Antiquities 13.10.6.

. Herbert, “Hypocrite.” 109-10.

20. Bruce,

Jesus Past. 69-71; Lee, The Galilean Jewishness. 106-07.

26 But not all were against Jesus. There was Simon, who made a banquet for Jesus (Lk. 7:37), and others who warned Jesus of Herod’s attempt to kill Him (Lk. 13:31). The Pharisees were by no means a homogeneous group.

They believed in the supernatural, eternity, a resurrection of all souls, and that man has control of his decisions and actions, but that God ultimately controls all things. One rabbinic Pharisee went so far as to say that he believed a body would arise with the same clothing in which it was buried, but others argued against this point. 21 They accepted all the books of the Old Testament, which are commonly known as the Law, Prophets, and Writings, and they were the teachers in the synagogues throughout the country. By the time Jesus was in His ministry, the Sadducees controlled the temple, but the Pharisees, led by Rabbi Hillel, won the hearts of most of the people. Hence, most were aligned theologically with the disciples of Hillel, whose grandson Gamaliel was the tutor of the Apostle Paul. 22 The Pharisees were divided into two major theological schools of thought. The Bet Hillel (School of Hillel) and Bet Shammai (School of Shammai) frequently differed on how certain commandments were to be practiced. Their varied opinions are preserved in the Mishnah. The Pharisees, whom Jesus addressed, were the Oral Law traditionalists who had become aristocratic and powerfully similar to the Sadducees, whom they greatly disliked. The religious ideology of the Pharisees ranged widely as some were condemned by both Jesus and by some of their own leaders in the third century (AD). 23 Yet the Apostle Paul proudly maintained his status as a righteous Pharisee (Phil. 3:5; Acts 22) and, as a Pharisee, he was a messenger of God to the Gentiles (Gal. 1:16). It should be noted that among the Pharisees were those who were devoted to Jesus 24 as well as those who planned evil against Him. Both groups survived the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, while the Sadducees and Essenes

. Jerusalem Talmud, Kethuboth 35a; Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 749.

22. Wyatt, “Pharisee.” 3:822-29.

. Mishnah, Sotah. 3:4; Babylonian Talmud, Sotah. 22b.

. Jn. 3:1, 19:38-39, Acts 5:34, 23:6-8.

27 were annihilated. Consequently, all forms of Judaism today have their roots in the first century Pharisees.25

Essentially said, the Pharisees believed they had three obligations which they observed legalistically. These were, 1. Tithing, known as Neeman. 2. Observance of all Levitical laws, known as Chabber. 3. The practice of purity, which included separation from people considered to be “impure,” as defined by their Oral Law. In summary, the confrontation the leading Pharisees had with Jesus pertained to the fact that they had hearts of stone and cared little for the common people. Note, most Pharisees were kind to the people of their synagogues over which they presided. In summary, the Pharisees (compare to 02.01.16 “Sadducees”) were, 1. In strong opposition to Hellenism 2. Most belonged to the peasant class although the leadership was aristocratic 3. Theologically progressive but had diversity of opinions and sects 4. Believed in the entire Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) 5. Affirmed the resurrection of the soul 6. Believed in a final judgment, angels, etc. 7. Affiliated with the common people and sought converts (except for the leadership)

. Finkelstein, The Pharisees. 142-45.

28 8. Estimated to be over 6,000 in number26 9. Had a great disdain for the Romans except for the Hellenistic and aristocratic leaders. 02.01.18 School of Hillel – This school of biblical interpretation held to the orthodox form of Judaism. About three decades before the birth of Jesus, Hillel rose from the lowest ranks among the rabbis and became President of the Sanhedrin. He was known for his kindness, gentleness, and influences during the reign of Herod the Great (37 B.C. – 4 B.C.) and the childhood days of Jesus. He established an academy, which was known for its compassion toward fellow Jews and moral Gentiles. The grandson of Hillel, Gamaliel, trained the Apostle Paul, who was also a Pharisee.27 It appears that Jesus agreed much more with the teachings of the School of Hillel than with the opposing School of Shammai. 28 Since Hillel’s teachings are often similar to those of Jesus, some scholars have suggested that Jesus received His ideas of ethics and morality from him. Others believe Hillel was a significant element of “the fullness of time” phrase of Galatians 4:4b in that he brought many people in line with what Jesus would be teaching. After the destruction of the temple, his followers became the dominant influence in Jewish lives. Leaders of both the Schools of Hillel and Shammai claimed to have had the “voice from heaven,” even though on occasion they had strong contrasting interpretations of Scripture. It is difficult to classify either one as liberal or conservative. However, Hillel had a reputation for being kind and gentle while Shammai was impatient and abrasive.29 02.01.19 School of Shammai - This school of biblical interpretation became popular about 30 B.C. and took control of the Sanhedrin ten years later. Shammai, an aggressive man with a temper and rough personality, established an academy to promote his theology. Essentially, the school introduced some changes in the way the Mosaic Law was applied to the common people. The Jerusalem Talmud reports that one member of this group practiced polygamy, a severe change from the norm in first century Judaism. 30 The rabbis of this school placed restrictive rules upon the people, which were released by the rabbis of Hillel. When Jesus made harsh statements toward the Pharisees, it was generally to those of this group. Hence, 26

. Josephus. Antiquities. 17.2.4.

27. Falk,

Jesus the Pharisee. 48.

28. Pixner, With Jesus Through Galilee

29.

. 32.

Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 91; Babylonian Talmud, Shabbath 31a.

30. Falk,

Jesus the Pharisee. 54. Harvey Falk reports that a Rabbi Eliezer was married, and in his later years he also married his niece; but his first wife, whom he never divorced, outlived him. There is a well-documented case of first century polygamy in the religious establishment of the Pharisees, b ut it was not a common practice. See the Jerusalem Talmud, Yevamot 13.2 and Sanhedrin 68a.

29 there was not only conflict between them and Sadducees, but also between these two theological centers.31 About four decades later when the temple was destroyed, the School of Shammai was also destroyed along with the Sadducees.32 02.01.22 Zealots – (See also 02.01.21 Sicarii.) The name Zealot was taken from 1 Kings 19:10, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.” 33 They called themselves by the Hebrew term Ganna’im or Aramaic Qan anayya, which in Greek is Zelotai.34 Obviously the English word is derived from the latter. Zealots were freedom fighters who were extremely hostile to the Romans, Herodians, and to the wealthy aristocratic Pharisees and Sadducees. 35 Their rallying cry was “No king for Israel but God.” They believed it was a sin to be ruled by and pay taxes to a pagan overlord. They originated in the northern Galilee mountain region while Herod the Great was governor of the District of Galilee – before he became king of the entire Jewish nation. The center of the resistance movement was in Gamala, a city east of Galilee, where in A.D. 66 more than five thousand Zealot Jews chose to commit suicide rather than die by the Roman sword. 36 They were the most active freedom-fighting party at the time, convinced that God would help them only if they helped themselves. 37 Their concept of a messiah was one who would lead them to military victory over Roman oppression and re-establish the Davidic Empire. From this group came a disciple of Jesus by the name of Simon who was referred to later as “Simon the Zealot” to differentiate him from Simon Peter. 38 While these first century terrorists first became organized and fought against Herod the Great in the years 40-37 B.C., they did not become a political movement until Jesus was about eight or ten years old. By then the Zealot name became identified with those who participated in the uprising of A.D. 6 led by Judas of Gamala. This Judas, also known as 31.

Farrar, Life of Christ. 307.

. http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Tyndale/staff/Instone-Brewer/prepub/Sanhedrin%2043a%20censored.pdf. Retrieved May 26, 2013. 33. Pixner, With Jesus in Jerusalem. 126.

. Bruce, New Testament History. 88.

. Bruce, New Testament History. 94-95.

36. Pixner, With Jesus in Jerusalem

. 126.

. Golub, In the Days. 274.

38. Pixner, With Jesus in Jerusalem. 126.

30 Judas the Galilean in Acts 5:37, popularized their core belief – that Jews were a chosen people of God and, therefore, had no obligation to pay taxes to the Roman government. That is the background of Matthew 22:17 when Jesus was asked, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” While the revolt failed, a Pharisee by the name of Zadok joined Judas and together they formed a loosely knit religious political party that Josephus called the “fourth philosophy.”39 They were trained to fight to their death and to recognize no messiah except a messiah of the sword.40 Little wonder then that from the time the Romans entered the land in 63 B.C. until the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, there were thirteen revolts and many skirmishes. The greatest of these conflicts became known as the “First Revolt” (A.D. 66 - 73), which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The violent activities of the Sicarii / Zealots initiated the First Revolt. 41 The last of these freedom fighters died at Masada in A.D. 73, but their ideals and dreams of a restoration of a political dynasty equal to that of King David continued. Six decades later the Jews were at war again, in what has become known as the “Second Revolt” (A.D. 132-135). But it is more commonly known by its leader, the Simon Bar Kokhba Revolt, and resulted in the dispersion of all Jews and Christians from Jerusalem by the command of the Roman General Hadrian.42

39. Josephus, Antiquities. 18.1.6

40. Farrar,

and 20.8.10.

The Life of Christ. 442.

. For more information on the Zealot movement, see Josephus, Wars. 2.4.1 and 4.4.1.

42. Donaldson, 4:1175-79;

Crossan and Reed, Excavating Jesus. 190-92.

Unit 02 Cultural Background Studies Chapter 02 Biblical and Extra-biblical Writings

02.02.00.A BARUCH WRITING JEREMIAH’S PROPHECIES Illustrated by Gustove Dore’, 1866. The prophet Jeremiah wrote

32 prophecies, some of which were fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus while others will be fulfilled in His second coming. 02.02.01 Introduction - This study contains hundreds of quotations from ancient extrabiblical sources. The importance of these writings lies in the fact that they aid in the understanding of the problems of daily first century life, including theological discussions, major cultural, historical events, and the reaction of rulers and people to various problems. These writings are described so the reader will understand why some of them are more reliable and significant than others. For example, books such as the Didache and Mishnah are important while others, such as the Gnostic writings, obviously hold considerably less weight. As stated previously, for the purpose of this study, the ideal writer of yesteryear quoted herein was one who lived in the land of Jesus and at the time of Jesus. The further in time and geographical distance an ancient writer was from the life of Christ, the more suspect his manuscript becomes. However, that does not negate it – but it raises the bar for discerning critique. For the purpose of this study, nearly all writings after the sixth or seventh centuries were discounted. There are hundreds of old manuscripts in the possession of universities and museums pretending to provide additional detail to the life and ministry of Jesus. Nearly all of them are fanciful stories that should never have been written. 02.02.02 Ante-Nicene Fathers - The Ante-Nicene Fathers are those church leaders who were influential prior to the Church Council of Nicea in the year 325. They discussed a wide variety of theological and church issues. Since they lived within three centuries of Jesus, they present valuable insight into the cultural and background setting, as well as early interpretation of Scripture. Some writings of the Ante-Nicene fathers are quoted in this book. 02.02.03 Apocrypha – The Apocrypha is a collection of fourteen books 43 written, for the most part, during the Inter-Testamental Period and written in the Holy Land. 44 It was the intent of the authors to write a message to an inner circle of the faithful, which could not be understood by outsiders.45 Hence the Greek name apokryphos, meaning “hidden” or

43. The Apocrypha consists of the following books: (1) I Esdras, (2) II Esdras; (3) Tobit; (4) Judith; (5) Additions to the

Book of Esther; (6) The Wisdom of Solomon; (7) Ecclesiasticus, also known as The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or simply as Sirach; (8) Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah; (9) The Prayer of Azaraih and the Song of the Three Young Men; (10) Susanna; (11) Bel and the Dragon; (12) The Prayer of Manasseh; (13) I Maccabees and (14) II Maccabees. 44

. Golub, In the Days. 240-41.

. See Fritsch, “Apocrypha.” 1:161-66; Davies, “Apocrypha.” 1:161-65; Harrison, R. “Apocrypha.” 1:205-10; Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Vol. 1 and 2; Metzger, Bruce. ed., The Apocrypha of the Old Testament: Revised Standard Version.

33 “concealed.”46 The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches have accepted them as inspired Scriptures.47 Protestants, however, recognized them only for the historical values, as they believe these add nothing of theological value to the canonical Scripture. They enhance the understanding of the Greco-Roman-Jewish atmosphere and are a witness to the faith of the Jewish people living in the second century B.C. Hence, these books provide essential historical background for understanding the Judaism of Jesus’ day and the Jewish matrix of early Christianity.48 Each book must be evaluated for its worth and intended use in a particular study. For example, the book of Judith is essentially a book of fables common in the days of Jesus, whereas 1 and 2 Maccabees are both well-written, contemporaneous historical accounts of the second century B.C. It should be noted, the Apocrypha was a part of the Protestant Bible solely for its historical value until 1827. 49 Jewish people do not consider it inspired. Apocalyptic literature appears in both the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. The very nature of the word “apocalyptic” has the meaning of pending divine judgment and an end of the world.50 These authors were convinced of the following: 1. They were living in the proverbial end times, 2. The Messiah would soon come, 3. The age of humanity was quickly coming to a close, 4. The events they witnessed in their day were signs of the struggles between God and the Evil One, and 5. In a final armed conflict God would win and righteous people would likewise be brought into victory with God. 6. Then Satan and all Gentiles would be destroyed along with non-observant Jews. 51 46.

Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 23.

47. Davies, “Apocrypha.” 1:161-65; Bright, History of Israel. 455.

48. Foster and King, Binding and Loosening. 26.

. Davies, “Apocrypha.” 1:163.

50.

Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 16, 23, 779.

51. Bright, A

History of Israel. 454-56.

34 Two biblical books that are outstanding examples of apocalyptic literature are Daniel and the Revelation.52 Like the Pseudepigrapha (described below), some Apocrypha books were written in part to justify portions of Scripture that were embarrassing to the Jews. Since the Jews had elevated their patriarchs to near deity level, they could not accept the fact that they were men who had sinned and were extended forgiveness by the grace of God. This is reflected in the Pseudepigrapha books and is evidence to suggest that theological chaos existed in the first centuries B.C. and A.D. Jerome made this comment about these books in his Letter to Laeta. They are not written by those to whom they were ascribed ... many faulty elements have been introduced into them, and ... it requires infinite discretion to look for gold in the midst of dirt. Jerome, Letter to Laeta Finally, two historical books of the Apocrypha category, the first and second books of Maccabees, were challenged by a few critics. They questioned the reliability of these works, that was until the Heliodorus Stele was discovered. The inscribed stone preserves part of a letter of King Seleucus IV Philopator (218-175 B.C.) that was written to a Seleucid official, Heliodorus, who is believed to have been the assassin of the king. The account provides the historical context for the royal official Heliodorus named in the miraculous story in Second Maccabees 3. The communication was engraved in the stone stele for public display. In it the king discusses the proper care of temples in his domain, specifically Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, which included Judaea. 53 The king’s proclamation represents the beginning of royal policy of religious exploitation and interference that would lead to the Maccabean Revolt a decade later.

52. The book of Daniel was written by the prophet of the same name

, after he and many others were taken captive into Babylon in 605 B.C. However, critics maintain that since it is apocalyptic and prophetic in nature, it must have been written after 170 B.C as a historical description of the horrors unleashed by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The Revelation was written in A.D. 95 by John. 53. Resig, Dorothy D. “Volunteers and Missing Pieces to Looted Inscription.” 64-67.

02.02.03.A THE HELIODORUS STELE. The stele, dated to 178 B.C., is shown with the missing portions in place (LEFT), and with the portions discovered in 2005 and 2006 (RIGHT). It illustrates the background of the Second Book of Maccabees and demonstrates that the book is an authentic and independent information source on this historical period. The inscription marks the beginning of the Greek-Seleucid intervention of Jewish life that eventually led to the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BC. Heliodorus was

36 ordered by King Seleucus IV (reigned 189-175 BC) to remove the treasures from the Jewish temple. The king called for the appointment of overseers in various provinces, including Judea.

Of course the historical accuracy of 1 and 2 Maccabees does not imply that other books within the Apocrypha have the same historical accuracy. But it does show that appropriate academic skill is required to discern truthful documents from fanciful ones. 02.02.03.Q1 Did Jesus Quote the Apocrypha? Some critics say that Jesus quoted or referred to the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. This implies that He borrowed ideas, which in turn suggests that His teaching was not divinely inspired. The question is how to explain that these books, written years before the birth of Jesus, have references to concepts in the gospels? The answer lies in the fact that these books were written by righteous Jews who had knowledge of the Old Testament and, therefore, incorporated some Old Testament teachings in their writings. What Jesus taught was based upon this same instruction and, in fact, some themes were taught by rabbis prior to His coming. Furthermore, it must be realized that even in pagan communities there were some social principles that were godly. For example, the Chinese sage Confucius presented the Golden Rule54 in the negative form as did the Jewish sage Tobit, long before Jesus arrived in Bethlehem. This most certainly does not mean that Jesus derived His opinions from either source, as some would contend. But it does mean that these men were aware, to some degree, of divine principles. The fact that there is a similarity does not mean Jesus endorsed them or relied on them. He was, and is, God. His Words have existed for all eternity. Some scholars claim the two examples below prove that Jesus depended upon the Apocrypha in His teaching:55 Mt. 5:34-35 But I tell you, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throne; 35or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. This is parallel to:

54. Horne,

Jesus: The Master Teacher. 102.

55. Quotations from the Apocrypha found in the Bible: The New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha.

37 Ecclesiasticus 23:9 Do not accustom your mouth to oaths, nor habitually utter the name of the Holy One. The book of Ecclesiasticus is also known as the book of The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach and was written approximately 100-50 BC. It resembles the book of Proverbs. Another example is a passage found in the book of Tobit, which is amazingly similar to a verse in Matthew. Mt. 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for themâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is the Law and the Prophets. This is parallel to, but in reverse of: Tobit 4:15 And what you hate, do not do to anyone. These examples in Ecclesiasticus and Tobit are similar to the words of Jesus because He and other rabbis had a similar sense of righteousness based upon the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). It should not surprise the modern student that righteous Jews thought very much like Jesus. Finally, it should be noted that many myths and legends throughout the centuries are attributed to the Apocrypha. Creative writers and painters have attempted to enhance the holiness and miracles of Jesus. Several examples are as follows: Italian artists show that dragons bowed down to Jesus; that lions and leopards adored Him; that the roses of Jericho blossomed wherever He walked. Writers say that when the Holy Family entered Egypt, all the idols fell off their pedestals and that many lepers were healed when the family went by. Myths were created throughout history, but appear to have increased significantly in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is hardly a museum or library in Europe that does not have some apocryphal myths hidden somewhere in its archives. Nearly all point to the fulfillment of the prophetic words of Jesus in His Olivet Discourse (Mt. 24), when He warned that false teachers would arise. The redeeming quality of these writings is that, in contrast, they are astonishing proof that the biblical gospels were produced by authors who were guided by the Holy Spirit. It becomes obvious that no creative mind can enhance the sacred script without degrading and distorting it. While creative writers and painters attempted to honor Jesus, their stories tend to dishonor and misinterpret Him. 02.02.06 Dead Sea Scrolls - This is a collection of scrolls and scroll fragments written between the second century B.C. and A.D. 70 by the Essenes who lived in the village of

38 Qumran along the northwestern side of the Dead Sea. Some scholars have questioned whether the Essenes wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. However, technological evidence reveals that the Essenes were the authors of the Scrolls.56 The Scrolls were hidden when the Roman army was descending upon Qumran after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. From the time Judaea ceased being a semi-autonomous political state these scrolls remained hidden until 1947, a year prior to the creation of the state of Israel. After much negotiation, on the day of Israel’s independence the fledgling state purchased the first scroll discovered which, incidentally, was the book of Isaiah. This may have been by divine appointment since this book has two significant themes: First, the return of Jews to Israel and second, the coming of the Messiah. 02.02.06.Q1 Why is the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls so significant? These scrolls contain fragments of every book of the Hebrew Bible, except for the book of Esther. In some cases, entire books have been discovered on a single scroll (i.e., two copies of Isaiah). The scrolls of Isaiah are critical in the field of apologetics, because these writings negate the argument by critics that copyists had changed the Bible over the centuries. Until these were discovered, the oldest biblical texts were from the ninth century A.D., but these are a thousand years older, overwhelming evidence that the Old Testament was copied and transmitted throughout the centuries with a high degree of accuracy. 57 Another value of the Scrolls is that they help scholars understand Hebrew and Aramaic of the first century. One of every six extra-biblical scrolls was written in Aramaic, the common language in the time of Jesus. Since He spoke Aramaic and His words were later translated into Greek, scholars now have better understanding of the translation of words or phrases which previously were questionable. The Essene commentaries reveal how this group of ultra-orthodox Jews interpreted their Hebrew Bible. While certainly not all Jewish people interpreted Scripture in the same manner, it does present views that were under serious consideration and debate at the time of Jesus.58 The Scrolls also preserved a picture of daily life in the days of Jesus, without the influence of Christian thought or beliefs. However, there is also is evidence that, prior to the Roman destruction accounts of the gospel of Jesus had arrived at the Essene community. Two or 56

. For example, in 2010 a team of Italian physicists used a new scientific device known as a “XPIXE,” which is an acronym for “X-ray and Particle Induced X-ray Emission” It tested the chlorine and bromide residue found on the leather parchment on which the Temple Scroll was written. The physicists found that the ratio of the two elements to be the same as in Dead Sea water which is many times higher than in fresh water or sea water. The conclusion is that leather was tanned by the Essenes, and was not elsewhere by others, who some say, may have written this document. See “Temple Scroll Produced at Qumran.” Artifax. 25:4 (Autmun, 2010). 10; Discovery News. July 20, 2010. 57

. See also http://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/featured-scrolls. Retrieved December 19, 2012.

. Bruce, “Dead Sea Scrolls.” 1:372.

39 three very small fragments were found which some scholars believe are from the gospels, but the majority opinion of archaeologists believe this to be highly questionable.

Video Insert

02.02.06.V Dr. Bryant Wood discusses the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in terms of understanding the life and times of Jesus.

02.02.06.A YOUNG SCHOLARS EXAMINE AN “ANCIENT JAR.” The author’s grand-daughters Maggie (left) and Carlie Jo examine a certified reproduction of a clay jar identical to the ones in which some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden for 2,000 years. Photograph by a proud grandpa. A number of phrases in the New Testament are also in the Scrolls. Phrases such as “sons of light,” “sons of darkness,” “the elect,” “lake (river) of fire,” and “light and darkness,” were obviously well known before the advent of Jesus and the New Testament. Some critics have stated that these phrases were inserted in the New Testament by church fathers in the second and third centuries. However, the Scrolls put that argument to rest, especially the one

40 commonly known as The Manual of Discipline in which many of these appear. Furthermore, the Scrolls and New Testament indicate that the rite of induction into the church or Essene community by immersion (baptism) had no saving benefits. The communal fellowship that was encouraged for believers by Luke (Acts 4:32-37) was required by the Essenes. However, as stated previously, the most important significance is that they are the oldest manuscripts of the Bible and clearly indicate an accurate transmission of Scripture throughout the centuries. 02.02.12 Hebrew Bible - This is more commonly known as the Old Testament to Christians and as the Tanakh to Jewish people. The books are the same as in the Christian Old Testament, although it has three divisions, a different book order, and some minor variations in chapter and verse divisions. The divisions are as follows: 1. The Torah (“Teaching”): Known as the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). 2. The N’vi’im (“Prophets”): Includes the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings; the three major prophets of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; and the twelve minor prophets of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. 3. The K’tuvim (“Writings”): Includes the books not listed above – Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the “five scrolls” (of Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther) Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles. 59 02.02.14 Josephus – He was born as Josephus ben Mattathias, but by a series of unusual events he eventually retired in Rome as Flavius Josephus. He was of a priestly family which traced its descent from the Hasmoneans, a powerful family of the second and first centuries B.C. He was a brilliant scholar well versed in the writings of the Greeks and the Romans. While he was not a theologian, he remained faithful to the priestly ideals of the Jewish theocracy. He was, however, a military general in Galilee in the early days of the “First Revolt” (A.D. 66-70). When he realized the Jewish cause was hopeless, he encouraged his fellow Jews to make a truce with the Romans. He also predicted that Vespasian would eventually become emperor of Rome. While they refused to consider his wisdom, the Romans eventually rewarded him. After the fall of Jerusalem, he retired in Rome under the imperial patronage and wrote his major works pertaining to the Jewish people for a Roman audience. These included The Jewish Wars written from A.D. 75-79 and The Antiquities of the Jews written from A.D. 93-95 and a story of his life, titled The Life of Flavius Josephus.60 The 59. Spangler and Tverberg,

60. Martin,

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. 40-42.

L. Hellenistic Religions. 40-42.

41 book, Antiquities, was written to help the Romans understand the Jewish religion and way of life and is an apologetic work defending the Hebrew Bible. In it he recorded many interesting historical accounts that are related to, but not mentioned in the Old Testament narratives. Without his literary works, this valuable information would have been lost. Critics of his day, namely the Zealots, considered him to be a traitor because he did not fight the Romans when he was a commander in the First Revolt. Possibly his most outspoken critic was John of Giscala who personally financed a company of Zealot soldiers to fight the Romans. John stirred up antagonism against Josephus and some historians claim John even attempted to kill him. That may be the reason why Josephus was given a retirement in Rome rather than in the Holy Land.61 Josephus is frequently quoted by scholars because he presents detailed descriptions of places, peoples, events, festivals, and other cultural events, as well as the socio-political environment in the two centuries preceding Christ. In addition to having a successful military career, he was also a highly educated Pharisee, a religious affiliation he maintained all his life. He died shortly into the second century leaving a wealth of written information. No study can be complete without his comments.62 The significance of Josephus lies in two areas: 1. Just as the Dead Sea Scrolls reflect first-century Judaism unchanged by Christian belief, Josephus likewise has insights into the cultural, social, and political forces in which Jesus lived. 2. His writings, namely the Antiquities, clearly reflect his belief of the historical accuracy of the Old Testament, as it relates to secular historical accounts. His work also agrees with other ancient writers, especially of the Inter-Testamental and Roman periods. Therefore, it can be assumed that his descriptions of the first century are equally accurate. However, there is a note of caution for the serious research student: Recent scholars have observed, and this writer agrees, that Josephus is not without his biases. 1. It has been pointed out that his accounts of the population of various communities, distances between communities, and the agricultural production of the land are, on occasion, exaggerated.

. Golub, In the Days. 328-29.

62. Schreckenberg, “Josephus, Flavius

.” 2:1132-33; Stone, “Josephus, Flavius.” 3:696-97; Bruce, “Josephus, Flavius.” 2:816.

42 2. Also, he was careful not to blame the Romans for the uprising that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Why would he, since he was given a comfortable retirement and villa. Any reader must filter these biased opinions. Critics of Josephus, however, tend to overlook other ancient writers who agreed with him. For example, Marcus Terentius Varro (116 B.C. – 27 B.C.) was a wealthy Roman scholar who produced seventy-four literary works on numerous topics, including agriculture. In his work, Agriculture, he identified three areas in the Roman Empire where crop yields were one hundred fold. They are, 1. Sybaris in Italy, 2. Gadara in Syria, and 3. Byzacium in Africa. Varro mentioned Gadara as being in Syria because that region was under the governmental district of Syria, as was Galilee at that time. More specifically, he wrote that in this region the crop yield was “a hundred to one.” 63 This observation would certainly have made Josephus proud. As stated Josephus remains one of the most important sources of information concerning first century life in Judaea.64 His description of the Roman conquest of the ancient Zealot city of Gamla is another excellent example of his historical accuracy. The city fell in A.D. 66 and remained undisturbed until archaeologists began to excavate the site in the late 1970s. They found his descriptions, such as patched walls and filled-in buildings, precisely as he had described.65 Likewise, when he described the Roman conquest of Masada, his details of the fortress palace, including various rooms and destructive events that had occurred, have been found to be precise, even though he was not there. He obtained his information from a number of individuals who were there and personally witnessed the conquest. Therefore, while some of his opinions are biased, most of his observations are incredibly accurate.

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Varro/de_Re_Rustica/1*.html Retrieved July 9, 2011.

64. Lee,

B. The Galilean Jewishness. 98; Bruce, “Josephus, Flavius” 2:816; Schmalz and Fischer, Ancient Historians, 258. 65. Syon, “Gamla:” 30.

The Messianic Seal. 24; Grant, M

43 In his youthful years, he placed himself under the instruction of the major religious sects of Judaea. In his work Vita 2 (10-12) he claims to have studied with the Essenes, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and an individual by the name of Bannus, of whom little is known. Josephus had excellent reading and writing skills for his day, considering the magnitude of writings he produced. 66 While historians have seen him as a Jewish Pharisee, 67 a few others speculate that he may have quietly converted to Christianity. In fact, some believe that at the time of these writings, he had been an Ebionite Christian for many years. 68 This opinion however, remains a minority view. 02.02.16.Q1 Why are some Jewish writings incredibly similar to New Testament teachings? The answer is simple – both are rooted in the Old Testament, that is, the Hebrew Bible. Are all rabbinic writings reflective of the time of Jesus? Clearly the answer is no, and that makes discernment of those writings all the more challenging. Some scholars have often stated that the Mishnah and Talmud were written centuries after Jesus and, therefore, are not trustworthy sources for two reasons: 1. These writings idealize what first century Judaism should have been like. 2. Some beliefs of the Jews changed over time toward a Christian perspective. What the scholars fail to acknowledge is that many of the Jewish teachings in the Mishnah and Talmud were taught centuries before they were recorded. In fact, some originated long before the time of Jesus. Mary and Joseph were righteous not only when Jesus was born, but throughout their entire lives and they were faithful to Old Testament teachings. So were many others, including rabbis. Therefore, it should not be surprising that both New Testament and a number of Jewish writings are similar.

Unit 02 Cultural Background Studies Chapter 03 66. Schreckenberg, “Josephus, Flavius.” 2:1132-33.

67.

Josephus, The Life of Flavius Josephus. 3, 13, 15, 19, 21, 25.

68. Whiston, 9 - See footnote “k.”

Significant Cultural Elements

02.03.00.A CHILDREN IN A SYNAGOGUE SCHOOL. Illustration by Godfrey Durand.1896. Students normally sat on the floor “at the feet” of their teacher, not only in Israel, but in all cultures in the ancient Middle East. All reading was done “out-loud” because the skill of reading silently was unknown at this time. 02.03.01 Introduction - Every culture has certain elements that are unique and significant to its people. An overview of the significant Jewish cultural elements in first century Judaea is presented below. A basic knowledge of these elements will enhance the reader’s understanding of the gospels considerably. 02.03.04 Education - Only one kind of education was considered important in first century Judaea (sometimes called “Judaea”), and that was the study of theology, 69 although every boy also learned a trade. Repetition was the basic form of education. In fact, the Hebrew word “to repeat” (shanah) means also “to teach.” 70 Education became significant during the 69.

Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 578.

70. Metzger, New Testament

. 50.

45 Babylonian exile when Ezra established a new religious class known as “scribes,” whose principle responsibility was to study Scripture and teach. By the first century B.C. there were many itinerant rabbi-teachers wandering throughout the Jewish communities with their disciples, teaching as they went. This was the practice replicated by Jesus. Some scholars today believe that the formal education of children in the first century was limited to boys until they reached the age of thirteen. While it has been generally agreed that the educational process was primarily geared to boys, there is growing evidence that girls were included in the educational process as well. This was especially true in the Galilee region. In particular, the section that pertains to divorce in the Mishnah refers to a woman writing her own divorce document: All are required to write a bill of divorce, even a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor. A woman may write her own bill of divorce and a man may write his own a quittance since the validity of the writ depends on them that sign it. All are qualified to bring a bill of divorce excepting a deaf-mute, an imbecile, a minor, a blind man, or a gentile. Mishnah, Gittin 2.5 71 It is questionable if she wrote it personally or if she authorized it. Nonetheless, it demonstrates the rights of women, as she must have had some degree of literacy to know what she was signing. Literary scholars today have identified a number of writings that evidently were written and/or signed by non-professional scribes. 72 Evidently, this was considered important, as it was repeated in a later section as follows: Hence, you may conclude that a woman may write out her own bill of divorce and a man his own a quittance, for the validity of a document depends only on its signatories. Mishnah, Eduyoth 2.3 73 Josephus presented a first century case where a woman, Salome, divorced her quarrelsome husband Costobarus.74 This is additional evidence that some women of the first century 71.

See also Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 160-62.

. Millard “Literacy in the Time of Jesus.” 40-42.

73.

Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 425.

74. Josephus, Antiquities

. 14.7.10.

46 were educated and literate. In addition, he referred to a zealot named Joseph from the Jewish freedom-fighting village of Gamala who was the “son of a female physician.” 75 Obviously, the woman had advanced education to become a physician and Josephus made no other comments about her, such as indicating that this was an unusual occupation for a woman. Synagogues were community centers where all community events occurred, such as childhood education. However, it was the custom that during days of fair weather, rabbis taught their children under a fig tree. The tree produces some fruit during most of the year when students were in school. It was said that under the tree one “eats” the Word of God as one eats figs from the tree. The tree had become symbolic of the nation, the Torah, and eventually of the Jewish ordinances and traditions.76 Grape vines and fig trees were frequently planted near doors of homes or in the home courtyards of families so they could be seated beneath them and enjoy the fruit in season (Mic. 4:4). Fig trees were also planted along roadways so travelers could obtain some nourishment as they walked on their journey. 77 In fact, the Torah was compared to the fig tree because most trees, such as olives, dates, and pomegranates, have fruit that ripens at the same time. The fig tree, however, is harvested continuously because there are figs that ripen throughout most of the year. And so it is with the Torah, one learns a little today and a little more tomorrow and a little more the next day.78 The Jerusalem Talmud records that by the end of the second century B.C., the president of the Sanhedrin, Simeon ben Shetah, required compulsory education for all boys. 79 Nearly every town and village of significance had a “Beth Midrash” or “Beth Rabban,” although Nazareth was too small to qualify at that time. In communities with schools, the village rabbi held classes in the synagogue where the study of the Torah was central. The entire educational process in the villages can best be understood as a form of elementary school, at that time known as a bet sefer or “house of reading,” or the “house of study.” 80 It was there where they learned to read, write, and do basic arithmetic. Learning was rote oral memorization and repetitive. Jesus used this same method; as he did not write his teachings 75. Josephus,

76.

The Life of Flavius Josephus. 37.

Farrar, Life of Christ. 72, 338-39.

. Geikie, The Life and Words. 1:581.

. Breshit Rabba 46,1 as paraphrased from Beth Uval, ed. Self-Guided Tour Trail “C.” Neot Kedumim Ltd. Lod, Israel 1987. 15. 79.

Safrai, The Economy of Roman. 947.

80. Mishnah, Berakoth 4.2.

47 but constantly repeated them. In school the rabbi would read from the Torah and the boys would repeat his words while looking at the written text. According to a rabbinic tradition, by the age of ten a boy was ready to study the Mishnah or Oral Law of the Pharisaic tradition in the bet Talmud or “house of learning.”81 The tradition reflects the importance of biblical study in the ancient culture. He used to say: five years [is the age] for [the study of] Scripture, ten for [the study of] Mishnah, thirteen for [becoming subject to] commandments, fifteen for [the study of] Talmud, eighteen for the [bridal] canopy, twenty for pursuing, thirty for [full] strength, forty for understanding, fifty [for ability to give] counsel, sixty for mature age, seventy for a hoary head, eighty [is a sign of superadded] strength, ninety [is the age] for [a] bending [figure], at a hundred, one is as one that is dead, having passed and ceased from the world. Mishnah, Aboth 5.22 The Oral Law gives a prescription of life that is strictly observed. At the age of thirteen, a young teenager celebrates a bar or bat mitzvah and becomes a son or daughter of the Commandment. Further study is at the discretion of the family, but whenever a son completes this formal education, he is ready to learn a trade with his father. 82 Most boys learned a trade from their fathers, but there were exceptions. In larger cities, labor guilds, similar to modern labor unions were established. The guilds trained young men for careers, such as pottery making and metallurgy. 83 In Jerusalem the guilds were so well established that they had their own synagogues for the sole use of their members. 84 The origin of the school as well as the synagogue is rather obscure. It is strongly believed to have begun in the exilic period or shortly thereafter by the prophet Ezra. By the time Christ came on the scene, the educational process took on a significant importance to combat the growing pagan Greek influence that had taken a firm grip on the Jewish community. 85 Wherever the Jewish people lived, they established community centers within their synagogues. It was in the synagogue that children and adults were taught the Scriptures and 81. Mishnah, Abot 5.21;

82. Lee,

83.

Martin, Worship in the Early Church. 26.

U., The Life of Christ. 122-26.

Sirach 24:30-34, 33:16-18, and 34: 9-12.

84. Neusner and Green, Dictionary of Judaism. 620.

85. Culpepper,

“Education.” 2:23-27.

48 festivals were held there as well, unless, of course, people traveled to Jerusalem to observe the festival celebrations.86 The title rabbi at the time of Christ was a complimentary title, not an official office within Judaism, which is why some modern scholars refer to Jesus as a “sage,” rather than a rabbi. The use of the word rabbi changed after the destruction of the temple when the rabbinical schools were relocated to the Galilee area and the word became a recognized title. 87 It is an endearing term meaning “my master” or “my teacher.” 88 The purposes of a rabbi were twofold: 1. To be a role model of how to apply God’s written word to his life. Namely, to “Be holy because I the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2b). 2. To teach others to be become rabbis. There is another point to consider: the influence of Hellenism on the Jewish community. The study of philosophy was to the Greeks as the Scriptures were to the Hebrews. The Old Testament is actually theology and related systems and beliefs about God. The Jews looked upon their studies as a matter of how man and nature related to God who was central to all of life. To the philosophic Greek, man was central to all of life. 89 It was a conflict in which the Jews drew up a strong defense in the form of their educational system. Today there is the same conflict – a conflict between Christian values and God of Judeo-Christianity versus the humanistic culture to which the ancient Greek philosophy is foundational. A good student was a good listener. Information was constantly repeated to be permanently recorded in his mind. Writing devices were expensive and rare, although many students had a wax board and stylus that served as “paper and pencil.” The Mishnah described a good student as, “a whitewashed well, which did not leak a drop.” 90 This is what is meant by a whitewashed well. In Judaea (modern Israel) there is no rain for at least six months of every year. Therefore, every family had a cistern (called here a well) into which rainwater was collected in the rainy season for storage during the long, hot and dry summer. A large portion of the central mountain area of Israel has porous cretaceous limestone bedrock, which does not hold water. Hence, underground storage tanks carved in the soft limestone 86

. Golub, In the Days. 240.

87. Horsley,

Archaeology, History, and Society in Galilee. 40.

88. Spangler and Tverberg,

89. Brown,

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. 23, 27.

Philosophy. 7.

90. Mishnah, Aboth 2.1.

49 had to be plastered.91 A good whitewashed cistern was critical to the survival of the family and it did not leak a drop, just as a good student did not forget anything. By the first century all boys were required to spend the early years of childhood in school beginning at the age of five, and in Galilee the girls were also in school with the boys. Most certainly, Jesus attended such a school in his synagogue in Nazareth; He grew up as an average boy of His time. The question refers to higher rabbinic education that came after the boy had become a son of the Commandment at age thirteen. Jesus attended the local synagogue school that was required of all boys until the age of twelve. To these ancient Jews the only kind of advanced learning was theology, generally at a school of one of the famous rabbis. Jesus, however, did not attend any rabbinical school, yet He clearly spoke words that challenged the teachers of His day as if He had attended the premier schools of Hillel or Shammai. Furthermore, the fact that He was never a disciple of such recognized scholars made His critics wonder in amazement at His knowledge and understanding. The Pharisees realized that Jesus knew the Scriptures better than they did, even to the verb tenses. Note the following:

1. Jesus believed every word of the Old Testament, including the prophecies about Himself. 2. Jesus believed the Old Testament characters were historical persons who lived and functioned as portrayed in Scripture. Examples are: a. Noah and the flood (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-27) b. Abraham (Jn. 8:56-58) c. Isaac and Jacob (Mt. 8:11; Lk. 13:28) d. Sodom and Gomorrah (Mt. 10:15; 11:23-24; Lk. 10:12)

For more than a century there has been considerable debate concerning the characters and events written in the Old Testament, as well as those reported in the gospels. It is incumbent upon the believer that, if one claims to be a follower of Jesus, then one must hold a same view of Scripture as Jesus did. The Pharisees chose to follow their own laws rather than their written ones. The follower of Jesus must not do the same. 91

. To make plaster, the ancients burned limestone for 72 hours until it became a heavy dust. Then they added water and placed it on the walls with a trowel. Because limestone is about thirty percent water, the burning process required considerable fuel. The result was that during the Roman period many areas were deforested. SOURCE: Interview with Arie bar David, tour guide and lecturer. August 1999.

It has been suggested that the Jewish people had a much greater ability to read and write, especially to read, than has been assumed by modern scholarship. While full literacy is defined by having proficient skills in both reading and writing, various levels obviously exist, and did likewise in the first century. Many who have reading skills have a lower level of writings skills, which include spelling and grammar. For example, you, the reader may be able to read this book but may have difficulties spelling some words if you were asked to write what you read. This theory on literacy has several good arguments. 1. Archaeologists have uncovered numerous legal documents that were written by professional scribes. Their handwriting and signatures are neat and accurate. The other signers have signatures that look like graffiti, which is indicative that they were novices but had basic abilities to write. 2. A number of ossuaries were discovered with beautiful carvings, such as the one of Caiaphas (see 15.03.07A); reflecting a high level of craftsmanship of those who created them. However, the graffiti-like names of the deceased inscribed in the sides of the stone boxes appear to have been written by family members rather than professional scribes.92 3. Some women had sufficient writing skills to prepare their own divorce decrees, which is obviously reflective of a culture where women had basic literacy skills and knowledge of family law.93 In light of these considerations, is it possible that some of the words of Jesus could have been written down during His lifetime? 94 Most certainly the scribes and leading Pharisees took notes that were a type of shorthand that the Romans developed. While a negative answer has been assumed in the past, it may be time to reconsider this hypothesis. Writing materials such as papyrus were expensive, but broken pieces of pottery were commonplace. Is it possible that key words of phrases or parables were written on pottery pieces (called ostraca) by His listeners? This practice was so common that the pottery shards have their own name. 92

. Ossuaries were bone boxes, in which the bones of the deceased were placed about a year after the burial. Ossuaries were popular only for a brief time – from about 50 B.C. until the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. 93

. Mishnah, Nashim Gittin 2.5; Mishnah, Nashim Gittin 3.1; See the divorce decree written in Aramaic on papyrus at 08.02.03A. 94

. This interesting question is presented by Alan Millard in “Literacy in the Time of Jesus: Could His Words have been Recorded in His Lifetime?” (Biblical Archaeology Review. July-August 2003. 19:4. 37-45). Millard argues that some words of Jesus were probably written down by His listeners. See Alan Millard, “Words of Jesus Written Down as He Spoke?” Artifax. Summer, 2003, 18:3, 6.

51 Schools were located in synagogues that were filled with noise as students read aloud. Ancient texts were usually intended for public reading as private reading was almost unknown. Silent reading was not a skill known to man until the second or third century A.D. That is why Jesus said “Let those who have ears, listen.” He never said, “Let those who have eyes, read.” For the most part, letters and other documents were an extension of oral communication. St. Augustine, in his fourth-century Confessions, wrote that St. Ambrose was the most incredible man he had ever met because he could read without moving his lips or making a sound. To make the matter of reading more challenging, papyrus and ink were expensive and scribes were among the highest paid professionals in the land. Furthermore, Greek and Hebrew documents frequently had no separation of words, sentences, paragraphs, punctuation, etc. To read ancient texts required excellent reading skills, even by today’s standards.95 Finally, one of the distinct teaching styles that was common among rabbis was to answer a question with another question. The purpose was not to elude a response, but to have all involved in the discussion think through the details of the subject of discussion. People generally ask questions with a set of assumptions. There are two reasons for responding with another question: 1. You force someone to open up assumptions 2. You can determine how to answer Jesus followed the teaching practice of a typical rabbi as shown by the three examples below. Question: Good Master, what must I do to obtain eternal life? Response: Why do you call me good? Question: Are we to pay taxes to Rome? Response: Whose picture do you see? Question: Under whose authority are you doing this? Response: Under whose authority did John the Baptist minister?

02.03.04.Q1 How did one become a rabbi or a disciple of a rabbi? It would seem to the modern student that this question should be answered in the “religious Institutions” section. However, it is addressed here because throughout most of Jewish 95

. Witherington, Living Word. 173.

52 history, religion and eduction were one and the same. The word “rabbi” identified a man as being a teacher, but also carried the responsibilities of being a spiritual leader, as a pastor. The Jews used the title as an equivalent to the modern word “doctor.” The Hebrew word comes from a root word meaning “to increase.” Sometimes Jesus was addressed as “Rabban” or “rabboni” which are higher titles than “rabbi.” 96 When a boy decided he wanted to pursue biblical studies and become a rabbi, he did so by becoming a disciple of a rabbi. The boy and his family decided upon a rabbi and then asked the rabbi-teacher to accept the boy under his discipleship. For example, a well-known first century rabbi, Akiva, traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem to sit under the instruction of the rabbis of the School of Hillel. Other sages with disciples were Rabbi Ezra (not related to the biblical figure) who had five disciples, 97 Rabban Johanan ben Zakki had either five disciples 98 or possibly seven.99 Jesus had twelve.100 To become a disciple (or student) of a popular rabbi was difficult. Therefore, it was not uncommon for a “wanna-be” student-disciple to depend upon a third individual to provide an outstanding recommendation for the prospective student. Being accepted was a sign of prestige for the student, as well as his family. Therefore, when Jesus called upon selected individuals to follow him, he was definitely breaking from the cultural norm. Furthermore, Jesus selected individuals such as tax collectors and common fishermen, people who were not considered likely candidates. As His disciples eventually became proficient, Jesus sent them out on their own to test their knowledge and skills, but also to experience the power of God working through them. As a disciple (Greek: mathetes),101 he imitated his master; as an apostle (Greek: apostello) he was sent out, like an ambassador in that he represented his master.102 Student-disciples studied under and imitated the life of their master-teacher. When their rabbi went on a journey, they went with him and carried his personal belongings, prepared his food, and gave him a comfortable place to sleep in the evenings. Rabbinic writings indicate that whatever comforts any rabbi had were provided for him by his servant96

. Geikie, The Life and Words. 1:549.

. 2 Esdras 14:42.

. Mishnah, Berakoth 5:5.

. Midrash, Tanhuma Hayyei Sarah 6.

100

. An example of a “wanna-be” disciple who came to Jesus is found in John 1:25-51. See 05.04.02.

101

. Bauder, “Disciple, Follow, Imitate, After.” 1:480-81.

102

. Muller, “Apostle.” 1:126-27, 135-36.

53 disciples, as they observed his lifestyle and patterned their lives after his. 103 Furthermore, among some sages and rabbis, all property was held in a common fund from which food and other necessities were purchased. 104 The classroom was not in a formal setting, but in an open marketplace within the public temple area. It could be along a path, or under an olive or fig tree, where travelers could stop and participate in the discussions between the rabbi and his disciples.105 When men decided to sit and listen, the women would then have to take the children aside and could not be part of the conversation. When Jesus called children to himself, he was also inviting their mothers, implying that they were eligible to hear His word.

Unit 02 Cultural Background Studies

103. Keller,

“Jesus the teacher.” 21 with reference to Mishnah, Negaim 8:2; Babylon Talmud, Pasahim 36a.

104. Keller

, “Jesus the teacher.” 22 with reference to Babylonian Talmud, Erubin 73a.

105. Keller

, “Jesus the teacher.” 22 with reference to Babylonian Talmud, Berakoth 4:16; Jerusalem Talmud, Berakoth II.5c.

Chapter 04 Differences between First Century Roman-Greek and Jewish Worldviews

02.04.00.A SALOMEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EXOTIC DANCE by Armand Point (18601932). Salome dances exotically before her step-father, Herod Antipas. Displays of entertainment as this were common among Greeks, Romans, and Hellenized Jews, but were revolting to orthodox Jews. 02.04.01 Introduction As stated previously, there were significant differences in worldviews between the European Roman-Greeks and ancient Near Eastern (now called Middle East) Asiatic Jewish people.

55 The Romans accepted the Greek lifestyle and consequently, they are often referred to as Roman-Greeks or Greco-Romans. Modern students generally do not realize the vast degree of cultural and religious differences between them. Understanding these differences will not only bring insight to the Scriptures but will also bring interesting insights into modern Western culture. The brief description of ten opposing philosophical and theological differences presents a foundation of the opposing worldviews. But a good introduction to the differences of biblical Judaism and Western thought is this: If an American or European asks you what you believe, you will tell him. However, if a first century Jew wanted to know what you believe, he would have followed you for a month and then told you what you believe. So likewise, our perspective in understanding the gospels needs to be focused on the context to perceive the full message. 02.04.04 Position of Mankind, View of Life In all ancient cultures one was born into a class system or social order in which one was expected to live out his life. To the Romans, abortion and infanticide was acceptable and elderly people were expected to end their lives peacefully so as not to burden families. On occasion a prominent figure would object to the lack of value of human life, but such individuals were rare. The view of life was that human life was expendable, not sacred, and dedicated to the state. The human body was admired and worshiped. For this reason, athletic events were performed in the nude and statues of gods and goddesses were likewise nude. Sex was not restricted to marriage, but was thought best to be unlimited. Pleasure and sensuality were considered goals to be achieved. Which is why, for example, the Herodian dynasty was known for lavish and outrageous parties and celebrations. On the other hand, to insure ultimate punishment, when the Romans crucified anyone, the condemned person was completely nude. To the Jews, all men were created equal and in the image of God. Therefore, human life was sacred. Those Jews who lived in slavery did so for economic reasons, with a limit of seven years. Abortions and infanticide were strictly forbidden and elderly people were highly respected and admired for their wisdom. In the early days of the Enlightenment, European artists painted biblical scenes of various personalities. The fact that these artistic renderings were often either nude or scantily clothed is reflective of the Greco-Roman influence in the church, and not reflective of the Jewish roots of Christianity. 106 The human body was considered sacred as it was created by God Himself. Therefore, modesty in dress was stressed and nudity strictly forbidden. For example, Jewish fishermen fishing at night on the Sea of Galilee would wear only a small loin cloth to permit freedom 106

. The divine plan of salvation of the New Testament was taught by the Hebrew prophets, as outlined in Appendix 7.

56 while working the nets even though there were no women in the area. Sex was considered sacred and ordained to be only within marriage. 02.04.05 Individualism vs. Community At the time of Moses the cultural system of families, clans and tribes was strong. Some fifteen centuries later at the time of Christ this cultural characteristic was still strong among the Jews, but much weaker in some Gentile groups. Among the Gentile family and clans, loyalty was becoming secondary to a national identity. Gentile prayers were almost always individualistic. The Jews, however, did not see themselves as individualistic, but rather as part of a community of believers. Jewish prayers are nearly all prayed in the first person plural such as the well-known Lord’s Prayer. This was underscored when Jesus prayed His prayer of unity in the church (cf. Jn. 17:21). 02.04.06 Sabbath Day Observances In is almost impossible for anyone who has a Western mindset today to fully comprehend the importance of the Sabbath regulations in first century Jewish life. It was possibly the most important way they stood against the encroachment of Hellenism. The Romans and Greeks labored every day of the week. To them the concept of not working on one day in the week was considered as laziness. They could not comprehend why anyone would not work on a particular day of the week in order to worship a god they could not see. Therefore, observing the Sabbath Day was often a point of confrontation. 107 This was especially true for Jews who were slaves of Romans. Early Christians found themselves in the same predicament when they refused to work on the first day of the week. The leaders of the Pharisees were passionate about observing the Sabbath regulations because they believed that it was because their forefathers failed to observe the Law that their temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and they were sent to Babylon. They based their opinion on the following prophetic words by Jeremiah and Nehemiah: This is what the LORD said to me, “Go and stand at the People’s Gate, through which the kings of Judah enter and leave, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 Announce to them: Hear the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates. 21 This is what the LORD says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. 22 You must not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work, but you must consecrate the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors. 19

107

. During the Maccabean Revolt, since the Jews refused to fight on the Sabbath, the Greeks slaughtered more than a thousand men, women, and children. Thereafter they decided to defend themselves as not to be removed from the face of the earth (1 Macc. 2:31-38).

57 They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline. 23

“However, if you listen to Me, says the LORD, and do not bring loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day and consecrate the Sabbath day and do no work on it, 25 kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever. 26 Then people will come from the cities of Judah and from the area around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the Judean foothills, from the hill country and from the Negev bringing burnt offerings and sacrifice, grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the house of the LORD. 27 If you do not listen to Me to consecrate the Sabbath day by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, I will set fire to its gates, and it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem and not be extinguished.” 24

Jeremiah 17:19-27

At that time I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. 15

I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!” 17

When shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, 21 but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I’ll use force [c] against you.” After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. 22 Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. 19

Nehemiah 13:15-22a

58 Because the Jewish people did not observe the Sabbaths as stated above, they believed with the writer of 2 Chronicles that they were sent out of the Holy Land so the land could enjoy its Sabbath rest. This fulfilled the word of the LORD through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled. 21

2 Chronicles 36:21

Nehemiah 13:15 clearly states that violation was conducting business on the Sabbath day in the same way as it was done on any other day. Some four centuries later in the days of Jesus the leaders of the Pharisees took this to the extreme and argued that one could not carry a needle or walk with an artificial (wooden) leg. In essence, they took the words of Nehemiah and Jeremiah to the extreme â&#x20AC;&#x201C; far more than what was ever intended. And Jesus totally disagreed.108 While a number of Jewish writings are quoted within this e-book that reflect the rigid Pharisaic Sabbath rules, this may be a good place to introduce chapter 50 of the book of Jubilee. This book reflects the opinions in the Inter-Testamental Period, namely 150 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 100 B.C. It shows the strong attempt to return to Orthodox Judaism in light of the encroachment of Hellenism. The more the values of the Greek culture permeated Jewish society, the more legalistic the Jewish leaders became. At no time in Jewish history were Sabbath regulations as severe as they were during the time of Jesus. And behold the commandment regarding the Sabbaths, I have written (them) down for thee and all the judgments of its laws. 6.

Six days shalt thou labor, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it ye shall do no manner of work, ye and your sons, and your men- servants and your maid-servants, and all your cattle and the sojourner also who is with you. 7.

And the man that does any work on it shall die: whoever desecrates that day, whoever lies with (his) wife, or whoever says he will do something on it, that he will set out on a journey thereon in regard to any buying or selling: and whoever draws water thereon which he had not prepared for himself on the sixth day, and whoever takes up any burden to carry it out of his tent or out of his house shall die. 8.

You shall do no work whatever on the Sabbath day save what you have prepared for yourselves on the sixth day, so as to eat, and drink, and rest, and keep Sabbath from all work on that day, and to bless the Lord your God, who 9.

108

. See also 02.02.18 Oral Law and 02.02.20 Oral Tradition.

59 has given you a day of festival and a holy day: and a day of the holy kingdom for all Israel is this day among their days for ever. For great is the honor which the Lord has given to Israel that they should eat and drink and be satisfied on this festival day, and rest thereon from all labor which belongs to the labor of the children of men save burning frankincense and bringing oblations and sacrifices before the Lord for days and for Sabbaths. 10.

This work alone shall be done on the Sabbath-days in the sanctuary of the Lord your God; that they may atone for Israel with sacrifice continually from day to day for a memorial well-pleasing before the Lord, and that He may receive them always from day to day according as thou hast been commanded. 11.

And every man who does any work thereon, or goes a journey, or tills (his) farm, whether in his house or any other place, and whoever lights a fire, or rides on any beast, or travels by ship on the sea, and whoever strikes or kills anything, or slaughters a beast or a bird, or whoever catches an animal or a bird or a fish, or whoever fasts or makes war on the Sabbaths: 12.

The man who does any of these things on the Sabbath shall die, so that the children of Israel shall observe the Sabbaths according to the commandments regarding the Sabbaths of the land, as it is written in the tablets, which He gave into my hands that I should write out for thee the laws of the seasons, and the seasons according to the division of their days. 13.

Jubilee 50:6-13 Another example of the Jews not “working” on a holy day was when the Romans besieged Jerusalem in 63 B.C. After the Roman General Pompey captured Damascus, he traveled south to capture all of Judaea in only three months – the time it took to walk from one end of the country to the other and back. With mechanical engines, namely stone-throwing catapults, and battering rams shipped in from Tyre, the Romans battered the Jerusalem until victory was secured.109 Ironically, the Jews felt that since the attacked occurred on the Day of Atonement, that was a holy day and they should not fight as fighting was considered “working.” Consequently, Pompey’s army entered Jerusalem in a battle that cost the Jews 12,000 lives of men, women, and children. It was the one day of the year Jews thought God would forgive them of their sins, and instead they became servants to a pagan master. Additional details on the complex Sabbath Day issues are given in the appropriate places within this book.

109

. Josephus, Antiquities. 14.4.2.

Unit 03 Historical Background Chapter 02 First Temple Period and Exile (1040 B.C. – 515 B.C.)

03.02.00.A SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID by Godfrey Durand. 1986. King David was, without question, the most important person in Jewish history, second only to Moses. First century Jews in Israel believed that the messiah (small “m” because they did not consider him as deity) would be like

61 King David and restore the lost Davidic Empire. That perception made accepting Jesus as their “Anointed One” extremely difficult. 03.02.01 The United Monarchy The term “United Monarchy” refers to the reigns of Kings Saul (reigned 1049-1009 B.C.), David (reigned 1009-969 B.C.), and Solomon (reigned 969-929 B.C.). A few short years after Solomon’s reign, the empire was divided.110 King Saul The first king was Saul, who began to unite the twelve unfaithful, bickering, individualistic Israelite tribes into a single nation (1 Sam. 11:12-15). At the time the land was still filled with idol-worshiping Canaanites who practiced child sacrifice and other horrible acts. He and his armies were, in effect, instruments of God to bring justice upon those who destroyed young innocent lives and practiced idolatry. These included the Amorites, Amalekites, the nomadic Midianites, and several others, but the most powerful contenders were the Philistines who lived in the modern-day Gaza Strip. Saul strengthened the confederacy and defeated nearly all of them, but did not drive them out of the land. However, sometimes too much success breeds failure, and he soon found himself with some moral issues. As a result, God began to raise David as his replacement. When Saul became aware of this, a civil war broke out. At this time kings normally asked their prophets to inquire of God any directives they should follow. Ironically, while his name Sa ‘uli means ask insistently, as if asking Yahweh (God), he soon was asking counsel from the witch at Endor. Saul was a man whose life began with great promise and opportunity, but at the end was marked by a decline of his own spiritual and moral values, and finally, suicide. It is that David very frequently consulted God, but Saul rarely did. Their lives and the results of their leadership clearly reflect this. King David King Saul was followed by David. Neither one was a pillar of moral strength, but David did have a repentant heart for which God honored him. His name in Hebrew is Dawid that means doubtful.111 For whatever reason he was given that name, he certainly rose above it to become the champion of military commanders in Israel’s history. At a time when there was little or no change within a culture, he introduced radical changes. Under his leadership Judaea became so powerful that future generations, even in the time of Christ, would reflect upon its history. In four military phases, David transformed his people from a dozen squabbling tribes to an international superpower and empire. 1. The Israelites gave him loyalty and men for military strength and he combined all the tribes into a national kingdom. He also conquered the Jebusite citadel of 110

. Historians disagree slightly on the reigning dates, but each king reigned 40 years.

111

. Cullman, “David.” 1:364.

62 Jerusalem, made it his personal capital (1004 B.C.) and purchased the “threshing floor” where he constructed a sacrificial altar to honor God (1 Ch. 21:23). This was the same site where Abraham had offered his son to God centuries earlier. 2. He consolidated neighboring territories. Since his hostile neighbors were the Philistines and Canaanites, he made a treaty with the Phoenicians of Tyre who were the world sea power. 3. He defeated the tribes of Ammon, Moab, and Edom in the Trans-Jordan (western areas of modern Jordan). 4. He established a multi-national empire. As a result of his incredible victories, King David controlled all of the international trade that crossed his kingdom; a land bridge between the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. To the east was the great desert and to the west was the Mediterranean Sea. Caravans needed military escorts to protect them from roaming bandits. The major routes were the north-south route of the King’s Highway located east of the Jordan River; the Spice Route that went from Southern Arabia north along the eastern side of the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to David’s shipping fleet; and the Via Maris, also known as “The way of the land of the Philistines” (Ex. 13:17; Num. 20:17), that went from Damascus to Capernaum and on to Egypt. Those caravans paid huge taxes for the protection of their goods, camels, and men.

Video Insert

03.02.01.V An unassigned scholar will discuss how the first century Jewish people viewed the importance of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants.

Military success translated into economic success, not only for himself, but also for the entire nation. David transported copper from Egyptian mines, silver from the Taurus Mountains in Asia Minor, silver and gold from East Africa, spices from Arabia, and purple dyes from nearby Phoenicia. He utilized existing trade routes that had been established centuries before. The king simply conquered and took control of this existing wealthy enterprise.112 The kingship of David also resulted in exceptional cultural changes, freedom, and wealth for the Israelites. No longer did they have to pay taxes, or tribute, to any foreign pagan king. 112

. Keller, W. The Bible as History. 4.

63 Never in ancient history had a group experienced such a dramatic change within the short time frame of a single generation, as did the Israelites. Generally, sudden and dramatic social changes were extremely negative, usually resulting from a military conquest in which the defeated people were either killed or enslaved. Victors of any nation never accomplished what David created in a mere forty years. 113 More importantly, in the ancient Middle East dignity was a sacred honor. King David established dignity and honor for God’s Chosen People; no longer were they recipients of degrading jokes. The Jewish people of the first century, who were reduced to economic slavery, were expecting a Messiah who would to re-establish the David Empire as a wealthy international superpower and restore their dignity. In spite of the long accepted view of biblical history, in the past century or two a number of critics have argued that King David never existed; that he is a mythical figure of creative biblical writers. However, they were silenced in 1993 and 1994 when a ninth century B.C. stele was discovered with the king’s name inscribed on it.114

113

. Cullman, “David.” 1:364-69.

114

. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tel_dan_inscription.JPG, Retrieved October 27, 2012. See also Gary A. Byers. “The Tell Dan Stela.” 121.

03.02.01.A THE “KING DAVID FRAGMENT.” This inscription, also known as the “Tel Dan Stele,” mentions the House of David on line 9. It consists of three fragments (discovered in 1993 and 1994) that refer to an unnamed king who boasts of his victories over the king of Judaea and his ally, the king of the “House of David.” It is the first artifact to be found in Israel that mentions the name David. Photo by Wikipedia Commons.

Translation of the “King David Fragment” inscription is as follows: 1. [ ]...[ ] and cut [ ] 2. [ ] my father went up [ ] he fought at [...] 3. And my father lay down; he went to his [fathers]. Now the king of I[s]/rael had penetrated 4. into my father's land before. [But then] Hadad made me king, 5. And Hadad marched before me. So I went forth from [the] seven[...]/s 6. of my rule, and I killed [seve]nty kin[gs] who had harnessed thou[sands of cha]/riots 7. and thousands of cavalry. [And I killed ...]ram son of [...] 8. the king of Israel, and I killed [...]yahu son of [... the ki]/ng of 9. the House of David. And I made [their towns into ruins and turned]

65 10. their land into [a desolation ...] 11. others and [...Then...became ki]/ng 12. over Is[rael...And I laid] 13. siege against [...] The line-by-line translation by Lawrence J. Mykytiuk (published 1994). The name “Hadad” is a pagan deity. 115 It should be noted that not all boastings by kings reflected truthful events. However, this inscription discredits critics who have stated that King David was a mythical figure who never existed. David is known not only for his administrative skills in forging twelve semi-disassociated tribes into an empire, but also for his many Messianic Psalms. For example, in Psalm 2 and 89 he wrote of a “Messiah” who would be the subject of much discussion. This occurred as predicted. He also described the agonizing death of a crucifixion in Psalm 22:14-18. Note the repeating themes or ideas of poetic Hebrew parallelisms – the theme of the first line is repeated in the second, the third line is repeated in the fourth, etc. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength is dried up like baked clay; and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; You put me into the dust of death. 14

For dogs116 have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;117 They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones;118 people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divided my garments among themselves, 16

115

. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Dan_Stele. Retrieved October 27, 2012; See also Bryant G. Wood, “New Inscriptions Mentions House of David.” Bible and Spade. 119-21; and Avraham Biran and Joseph Naveh, “An Aramaic-Stele Fragment from Tel Dan.” Israel Exploration Journal. 43 (1993): 81-98. 116

. “Dongs” or “Dogs” was a Hebrew nickname for non-Jewish people. This theme is repeated on the next line. 117

. The psalm writer recorded the emotions of his life, no doubt totally unaware of the fact that he was recording prophetic words that would later be ascribed to Jesus. 118

. The agony of dying on a cross stretched the human body to the point that it felt as if the joints were coming apart.

66 and they cast lots for my clothing.119 Psalm 22:14-18 Among the many achievements of David are his psalms and odes. His literary works portray a man who rose from being a shepherd to a powerful monarch, yet one who experienced some horrific failures which were followed by the discovery of God’s love. He may not have realized that some of his words were “messianic.” In fact, not all of the messianic psalms were recognized in the first century as “messianic.” Some, such as the first line of Psalm 16:10 greatly perplexed the rabbis. Only after His resurrection did this passage find fulfillment and understanding. For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your Faithful One see decay. Psalm 16:10 The significance of King David to first century Jews and the identity of Jesus cannot be overstated. They were expecting the messianic Son of David to do all the great things King David had done to establish his empire. This was especially influential in first century Jewish thinking in light of the Davidic Covenant. 120 That covenant was similar to the Abrahamic Covenant, with the exception that it contained the additional clause of 2 Samuel 7:13-15, which promised dominion over alien people (2 Sam. 22:44-51; Ps. 2). 121 David was God’s anointed one (Ps. 2:2) and, as such, he was both priest and king (cf. Ps. 110); a foreshadowing of the function Jesus would hold in the future. 122 In essence, first century Jewish people expected a messiah, who would, 1. Overthrow the oppressive Roman Empire 2. Restore the Davidic Kingdom and make the Jewish nation an international superpower as King David had done.

119

. Exact description of what happened to Jesus. See Mt. 27:35.

120

. Cullman, “David.” 1:368-69.

121

. Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology. 629-33; Wiseman, “Abraham.” 1:6.

122. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests. 276; Terrien, The Elusive Presence. 295-96.

67 3. Although King David never performed miracles, in the course of time Jewish people came to believe that the messiah would perform three types of miracles known as “messianic miracles” (to be discussed later).123 4. Fulfill the Davidic Covenant, although there was considerable debate among various Jewish factions as to how that would materialize. His covenant featured four significant elements:124 a. House b. Throne c. Kingdom d. Descendants With four divine promises like these, no wonder that the Jews were anxious for a “son of David” to be like King David. The history of Israel was never as glorious as it was during the reign of its three major monarchs: Saul, David, and Solomon. King Saul forged the birth of a great nation, but David completed the task. David instilled a sense of nationalism and began the establishment of an empire which was completed by Solomon. So powerful was Israel in ancient history that future generations, even in the time of Christ, would reflect upon its history. Yet while the empire covered an enormous land mass, neither David nor Solomon encompassed all the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A few years before Jesus was born, the size of Herod the Great’s kingdom came close to the Davidic kingdom. As a result, speculation of the messiah’s coming increased significantly by the time Jesus was born.

123

. Messiah is spelled with a lower case “m” because the Jewish people had not applied deity to the name. Messiah with an upper case “M” is a reference to Jesus as God. For a description of the three messianic miracles, see the video link 06.03.08V. 124

. Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology. 632.

68 In the first century, the Jews carefully observed Jesus and attempted to reconcile Him with their preconceived ideas of the Messiah. They wondered if He was the long awaited son of David. Jesus obviously did not fit their preconceived ideas of a military-messiah and they certainly did not expect a Messiah would come to redeem them from their sins. King Solomon The third king of the united monarchy was David’s son, King Solomon, whose reign became known as the golden age of Israel. His was a time of great prosperity and peace. He is best remembered for building the temple in Jerusalem that carried his name (2 Chron. 3:1). He enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, a huge army and many building projects, all of which cost more than he earned from international trade and taxes from traveling caravans. He, therefore, imposed high taxes on his people and drove the nation into debt. That national debt would become the primary reason his nation would split into two independent sovereign states after his death. While the Lord had made him to be the man with the greatest wisdom, his decisions of high debt and multiple wives and concubines clearly indicate that he failed to use his wisdom. However, Jewish tradition states that God also gave him the skills to expel demons,125 which is why, centuries later, Jesus said that “someone greater than Solomon is here” (Mt. 12:27). King David transformed from a dozen independent tribes to a unified and wealthy empire – wealth that was expanded by King Solomon. Never in ancient world history did a people group enjoy such a radical and successful transformation in such a short time. However, it came with a heavy price tag. The massive building project required not only taxation, but s as well. Solomon, to protect his new found wealth, enlarged his military which required more taxes and increased his national debt. Any nation that follows this economic cycle soon fails, as did Solomon’s Empire. Like Saul, he too fell into a moral and spiritual free-fall; his life ended in apostacy and idolatry (1 Kg. 12:1-20). He was blessed with God-given wisdom, but near the end of his reign he failed to use it. His life ended in tragedy and soon his empire would collapse. Solomon’s influence in the days of Jesus was limited, unlike his popular father. Nonetheless, there are two points in the gospels that are worthy of consideration. 1. The first century rabbis taught their students under temple porches called “Solomon’s colonnade.” Legend said that these columns stood in the first temple, and the rabbis said that maybe some of Solomon’s wisdom might fall upon their students.

125

. Josephus, Antiquities. 8.2.5.

69 2. The rabbis also believed that Solomon’s power and wisdom could help them discern and expel demonic spirits. 126 This is why Jesus once said that “someone greater than Solomon is here” (Mt. 12:27).

03.02.02 931-586 B.C. The Divided Monarchy Shortly after Solomon’s death, civil war broke out that resulted in division of the nation. The ten northern tribes became an independent kingdom and maintained the name of Israel and, as previously mentioned, the tribes of Benjamin and Judah became the southern kingdom, known as Judea. Animosity grew between ….

(This section continues in the full manuscript)

Unit 03 126

. Josephus, Antiquities. 8.2.5.

Historical Background Chapter 04 Inter-Testament Background (c. 400 B.C. – A.D. 30)

03.04.00.A A GREEK-SELEUCID WAR ELEPHANT IN BATTLE. Artist unknown. At the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt, the Greeks attacked the Jewish farmers with a professional army of 50,000 soldiers and 32 war elephants. During the battle the Jewish leader “Eleazar … perceiving that one of the beasts (elephants) … was higher … and supposing that the king was upon him … crept under the elephant … and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and he died” (1 Macc. 6:43, 46). This was the last time there was a military conflict using elephants in Israel.

03.04.01 Introduction The Old Testament Period ends with the Persians ruling the Jewish land and the New Testament Period opens with the Romans controlling it. Sandwiched between the two was the Greek Empire and a century of Jewish rule. The Inter-Testamental Period was filled with wars, rumors of wars, social and religious conflicts, tension, and a brief period of horrific persecution. Times of peace and prosperity were rare and short-lived. In fact, descriptions of what modern evangelicals call the “signs of the last days,” also describe this era – an era that culminated with the birth of Jesus. This 400-year period is also called the silent Inter-Testamental Period. The term “silent” is used because there were no prophetic voices. However, this is not to say that God did not intervene in the affairs of His people. In this unit, two significant demonstrations of divine intervention were when: 1. Alexander the Great captured Jerusalem, but did not destroy it. 2. The Jewish farmers had an incredible military victory over the professional army of the Syrian-Greek dictator Antiochus IV Epiphanes, known as the Maccabean Revolt. As will be shown, the Hellenistic (Greek) influence was profound. But when the Jews finally won their independence, their new leaders were almost as wicked as those they had defeated. Then came the Romans who installed a descendant of Esau, Herod the Great (71 - 4 B.C.; reigned 37 - 4 B.C.), to be the “King of the Jews.” Alexander the Great would have been proud of how well Herod promoted the Greek culture in the Jewish land. Herod’s personal life was a continuous disaster and would have made any Hollywood movie look like a children’s book. He had many of his ten wives killed and only three of his sons survived his wrath to become rulers. Into this social, political, and chaotic environment, came Jesus. 03.04.17 176-164 B.C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, King of Syria Controls Jerusalem Since the time of Alexander the Great, the Greek kings had an unofficial policy of tolerance toward the Jews and their religion. All villages and communities throughout the Greek Empire had adopted the Hellenistic lifestyle with the exception of the Jews. However, that changed when Antiochus IV (215 – 164 B.C.), who changed his name to Antiochus IV Epiphanies (Epiphanies means the illustrious one as well as the manifest god), became king of the Syrian district. He changed the policy and was determined to make the little Jewish enclave conform to the rest of Greek society.

03.04.17.A COINS OF ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES. LEFT: A coin of Antiochus IV Epiphanes as a military victor and king of Syria. RIGHT: A different coin of him shown as “god manifest.” Antiochus was a man who desired absolute power and wealth. He controlled Judah as it was the land bridge with critical international highways that connected the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia. This provided him with an important source of revenue: taxation of traveling caravans. His greed inspired him to pass over the rightful successor to the throne, Seleucus Philopator, and ushered in an era of immense pain and suffering for the Jewish people in his attempt to destroy the Jewish faith and replace it with Hellenistic philosophy. He brought forth the “abomination of desolation” with nine major points that were recorded in the book of Maccabees:127 1. The temple in Jerusalem was dedicated to his god, Zeus Olympus (2 Macc. 6:2). 2. He erected an altar over the existing altar and offered a pig sacrifice to Zeus Olympus (1 Macc. 1:54, 59; 4:43-47). 3. He instituted a month-long celebration of his birthday (2 Macc. 6:7). 4. He instituted the worship of the god Dionysus with a processional march (2 Macc. 6:7). 5. He forbade the observance of the Sabbath and all Jewish festivals. 6. He forbade sacrifices and reading of any Scriptures.

127

. Grabbe, Judaism from Cyrus to Harian. 258.

73 7. Any Jews who violated his laws were sentenced to death or sold in slave market. His commander, Nicanor, advertised the sale of Jewish slaves throughout the Greek cities at the cheap rate of ninety “bodies” for only one talent. 128 8. The Sanhedrin was terminated.129 9. He sold the position of temple priesthood. Two apostate priests who competed against each other in various endeavors in the temple aided his evil schemes. 130 10. He imported temple prostitutes, used the temple facility as a brothel as part of pagan worship. 11. He stole all of the treasures in the temple, including the veils of fine linen so that the building was left bare. The Roman senator and author Publius Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 56 – 117) recorded an account of Antiochus and the chaotic political environment in his book titled, Histories.131 Tacitus said that after Antiochus, the Jewish leaders, later known as Sadducees, established their own “princes” who were nearly as brutal as some of their pagan monarchs. They certainly lacked the biblical qualities and values of leadership. When the Macedonians became supreme, King Antiochus strove to destroy the national superstition, and to introduce Greek civilization, but was prevented by his war with the Parthians from at all improving this vilest of nations; for at this time the revolt of Arsaces had taken place. The Macedonian power was now weak, while the Parthian had not yet reached its full strength, and, as the Romans were still far off, the Jews chose kings for themselves. Expelled by the fickle populace, and regaining their throne by force of arms, these princes, while they ventured on the wholesale banishment of their subjects, on the destruction of cities, on the murder of brothers, wives, and parents, and the other usual atrocities of despots, fostered the national superstition by appropriating the dignity of the priesthood as the support of their political power. 128

. Barrois, “Trade and Commerce.” 4:682.

129

. Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 67.

130

. Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 4.

131

. This book The Histories, is not to be confused with another historical work by Tacitus titled The Annals of Imperial Rome.

Tacitus, Histories 5.8 132 When Tacitus referred to the “national superstition” of the Jews, he meant the Jewish religion. Romans, Greeks and all other pagans could not understand how anyone could worship an invisible god. Furthermore, the non-Jews had difficulty with the Jewish people not working one day of the week as well as their dietary restrictions. To them, this religious lifestyle was clearly superstitious. Another writer of history, Polybius (200 B.C. – 117 B.C.), used a play on words in his description of him. Since Antiochus gave himself the last name, “Epiphanes,” meaning he was the bodily “manifestation of a god,” Polybius referred to him as “Epimanes” meaning “mad,” or “Antiochus the insane.” 133 Antiochus Epiphanes, nicknamed from his actions Epiphanes, “The Madman,” would sometimes steal from the court, avoiding his attendants and appear roaming wildly about in any chance part of the city with one or two companions. Polybius, The Histories of Polybius 26:1 Among the other evils this dictator invented was the creation of a myth known as “Blood Libel” that would haunt the Jews into the twentieth century. According to Flavius Josephus, Antiochus essentially said in order for the Jews to fulfill their required ritual laws, That they used to catch a Greek foreigner and fatten him thus up every year and then lead him to a certain wood pile, and kill him, and taste of his entrails, and make an oath upon this sacrificing a Greek, that they would ever be at enmity with the Greeks; and that they threw the remaining parts of the miserable wretch into a pit. Josephus, Against Apion 2.95 Variations of this myth caused persecutions and martyrdom for the Jews at the hands of socalled Christians throughout the Church Age. It was popular slander in Nazi Germany and is taught as historic fact in Islamic countries today. 132

. http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/tac/h05000.htm Retrieved February 17, 2012. While Josephus wrote of the priestly ideals of the Jewish theocracy, Tacitus wrote of the senatorial ideals of the Roman republic. Tacitus wrote of politics and imperial wars, and was not concerned about the social-economic conditions of the lower classes. 133

. Grabbe, Judaism from Cyrus to Harian. 248; Metzger, New Testament. 19.

Antiochus is credited for grouping various Greek cities into ten districts for administrative and taxing purposes. These became known as the “Decapolis cities” by the time of Jesus as the Greek name poleis meaning cities. They were Seleucia, Galaditis (Transjordan) and Beit She’an (Scythopolis) in northern Israel. The towns or cities east of the Jordan River are Damascus, Philadelphia (Amman), Rafna, Garada, Sussita (Hippos), Dion, Pelia (Pella), Jerash (Gerash), and Canatha. The historian Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D. 23 – 79), better known as Pliny the Elder, in his work titled Natural History, listed the ten as: Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dium, Pella, Canatha, and Gerasa. 134 However, another historian Claudius Ptolemy (A.D. 60-168), wrote in his book titled Geography, a different list of names.135 Clearly, the ancients had different opinions of what they considered to be a district, city or village. While the number of cities is uncertain, it is known that there were ten administrative districts for military and tax purposes, which were instituted by Pompey in 63 B.C.136 Jews in later generations were convinced that the Messiah would come after Antiochus, an interpretation they based on the prophecies of Daniel. But their difficulty with that interpretation was how to solve the “sevens” the prophet Daniel mentioned. The solution was that the Jews applied a figurative interpretation rather than a literal understanding. As time progressed following this wicked king, there was an increasing expectation that the Messiah would come. Therefore, the actions of the king and the divine intervention during the revolt that followed are significant in understanding the expectations of the Jews in the time of Christ. His lasting influence cannot be overstated, but unfortunately, is seldom studied. 03.04.19 170 B.C. Messiah Predicted by Roman Poet Virgil By the middle of the Inter-Testamental Period, nearly the entire Middle East was waiting for a messiah. In Italy, the Roman poet Virgil wrote in his Golden Age, that he predicted the coming of a messiah.137 The momentum of expectation by the first century was intense, as people were expecting him to free them from political and economic oppression.

03.04.21 167 B.C. The Maccabean Revolt – 25 Years of Military Battles and Guerrilla War Begins 134

. Gaius Plinius Secundus, Gerasa. Natural History 5, 74.

135

. Claudius Ptolemy. Geography 5, 14, 18.

136

. Pentecost, The Words and Word of Jesus Christ. (Video “E”).

137

. Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 121.

76 At this point it is important to clarify the name “Maccabean.” There are two traditions concerning its origin. One states that the leader of the revolt was given the nickname, “Maccabeus” or “Maccabee,” in Hebrew meaning “The Hammer.” 138 Hence, the revolt is frequently known as the Maccabean Revolt. The terms Hasmonean and Maccabean can be used interchangeably. However, the more popular origin of the name is that the priestly family raised a military standard with the initials of their motto that was derived from Genesis 15:11. The verse reads, “Who is like unto you among the gods, O Lord?” The Hebrew words are, Mi Camoka Baelim Jehovah; from which the letters M C B I were derived, creating the name “Macabi” or “Maccabee.” Whenever the name “Maccabee” was mentioned, the Jews were in essence reciting the passage of Moses. It eventually became the surname of the family.139 The people of Jerusalem fled to families and friends throughout the land to escape persecution. There is little question that one of the most significant events of the Inter-Testamental Period was the Maccabean Revolt – an incredible victory of Jewish farmers over a professionally trained Greek army with 32 war elephants. Discussions of war began when a few Jews decided they would rather die fighting for their religious freedom than continue to suffer the horrors of Antiochus, a tyrannical madman who thought he was a god. The revolt was started by a Hasmonean family by the name Mattathias, and was, in fact, a holy war in which the Jews miraculously managed to regain political independence. Antiochus had taken his cruel method of “conversion” to distant villages. When his generals arrived at the village of Modi’in, they discovered the people were ready to revolt. Nonetheless, the soldiers demanded the Jews sacrifice a pig to Zeus. When a Jewish priest named Mattathias refused to carry out the order, another Jew offered to perform the pagan act. Mattathias became so outraged he killed him, as well as the commanding officer. Thereupon he shouted to his fellow men, “Every one of you who is zealous for the Law and strives to maintain the Covenant, follow me” (1 Macc. 2:27). Those famous words began the Maccabean Revolt and the eventual defeat of Greek domination. A century and a half later when Jesus was in ministry, the descendants of the Hasmonean family were known as the Sadducees, who controlled the temple and were puppets of the Roman political system. Their corruption became legendary, worse than the Syrian-Greeks whom they replaced. A very interesting passage that reads is if it was from a newspaper of that time, is found in the first book of Maccabees: In those days Mattathias the son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modi’in. He had five sons, 138

. Metzger, New Testament. 20-21.

139

. Blaikie, A Manuel of Bible History. 395.

77 John surnamed Gaddi, Simon called Thassi, Judas called Maccabeus, Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus. He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, and said, “Alas, why was I born to see this? The ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, And to dwell there when it was given over to the enemy, The sanctuary given over to aliens? Her temple had become like a man without honor; Her glorious vessels have been carried into captivity. Her babes have been killed in the streets, her youths by the sword of the foe, What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils? All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave. And behold, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; The Gentiles have profaned it. Why should we live any longer? And Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned greatly. Then the king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modi’in to make them offer sacrifice. Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honored, and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers. Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.” But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. Far be it

78 from us to desert the Law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.” When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modi’in, according to the king’s command. When Mattathias saw it he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar. At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice and he tore down the altar. Thus, he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu. Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: “Let everyone who is zealous for the Law and supports the covenant come out with me!” And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all they had in the city. 1 Maccabees 2:1-28 When the Jews fled to the hills, the Syrian-Greeks pursued them and attempted to make them surrender, but they refused. However, the Syrian-Greeks knew that the Jews honored the Sabbath and would not work or fight on that day. Therefore, they attacked them on the Sabbath, and when the massacre was over, thousands lay dead.140 When Mattathias and his friends heard of this, they mourned greatly and convinced all of the others that it was better to fight on the Sabbath. Shortly thereafter, Mattathias placed his son Judas Maccabeus (the second name meaning “the Hammer”), in charge of the army which fought guerilla warfare against their Syrian Greek overlords. The Greeks countered with a professionally trained army. Accompanied by the Samaritans, they were on the march to destroy every Jew they could find. The narrative reflects unequal sides similar to the confrontation between the proverbial “David and Goliath” and the astounding victory God gave to the Jews. But Apollonius gathered together Gentiles and a large force from Samaria to fight against Israel. When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him and he defeated and killed him. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled. Then they seized their spoils; and Judas took the sword of Apollonius and used it in battle the rest of his life. 140. 1 Macc. 2:29-38.

1 Maccabees 2:10-12 This small, but important, victory gave great encouragement to the small band of rag-tag freedom fighters, some of whom only had plowshares for swords. When Seron, the commander of the Syrian army, heard this, he decided to challenge them with a company of thousands. Upon hearing this, Judas was questioned about accepting the challenge, since his men had no food. Judas replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by few. It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from heaven. They come against us in great pride and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to despoil us. But we fight for our lives and our laws. He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of them.â&#x20AC;? 1 Maccabees 3:18-22 The battle against Seron, the Syrian, was the first major victory for Judas. His name struck a chord of fear in the hearts of Antiochus and other Greeks. The enemy had a loss of eight hundred men and many more ran to hide in the hills. Upon hearing of the Jewish victories, Antiochus was greatly disturbed. He decided to pay his men a bonus of a year's salary, but discovered that, because of his mismanagement of the government, he had almost no funds.141 Again, the Greeks prepared for an attack. Antiochus established a huge army of forty thousand men and seven thousand cavalry. When Judas heard of the coming attack, he gathered the men of Israel together to call upon God for deliverance. The author of First Maccabees preserved for us the details: So they assembled and went to Mizpah, opposite of Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah. They fasted all that day, put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and rent their clothes. And they opened the book of the Law to inquire into those matters about which Gentiles were consulting the images of their idols. They also brought the garments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred 141.

1 Macc. 3:22-37.

80 up the Nazirites who had completed their days; and they cried aloud to heaven, saying: “What shall we do with these? Where shall we take them? Thy sanctuary is trampled down and profaned, and thy priests mourn in humiliation. And behold, the Gentiles are assembled against us to destroy us; thou knowest that they plot against us. How will we be able to withstand them, if thou dost not help us?” Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. After this Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. And he said to those who were building houses, or were betrothed, or were planting vineyards, or were fainthearted, that each should return to his home, according to the law. Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus. And Judas said, “Gird yourselves and be valiant. Be ready early in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. But as his will in heaven be, so he will do.” 1 Maccabees 3:46-60 As Judas and his homespun soldiers prepared for battle, he spoke words of a future echo of the Lord’s Prayer. He prayed, “But as His will in heaven be, so He will do ...” Jesus frequently used terms and phrases that were already in common use by the people, that is, first and always to honor God. As history unfolded, God answered the prayers of Judas. At daybreak, the Greeks appeared with five thousand infantry, a thousand cavalry, and thirty-two elephants accustomed to war, all with the finest armor, while Judas only had three thousand foot farmer-soldiers without sufficient armor and swords. They were so pathetically ill equipped that only a profound miracle could give them victory. When the enemy came into view, Judas said to his men:

Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. And now let us cry to heaven, to see whether He (God) will favor us and remember His covenant with our fathers and crush this army before us today. Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel. When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them, they went forth from their camp to battle. Then the men of Judah blew their trumpets and engaged in battle. The Gentiles were crushed and fled into the plain, and all those in the rear fell by the sword. 1 Maccabees 4:6-15

03.04.21.A A BOWL WITH A PAINTED GREEK WAR ELEPHANT. Artist unknown. South-Italian bowl decorated on the inside with the picture of a war-elephant, complete with turret, followed by a baby elephant. 2nd century BC. The Syrian Greek Seleucids used 32 war elephants and a professional army against the ill-equipped army of Jewish farmers at BethZur. In 164 B.C., God gave the Jews an incredible victory reminiscent of Old Testament battles. In the days of Jesus, the Jews expected the Messiah to give them a similar victory over the Romans.

Judas had become a key figure in the salvation of Judah, equal to many of the biblical figures. He had unified the nation as there was a deep passion for freedom and national independence. Men and women were willing to lay down their lives at his command because they knew God was with him. In the following year, however, the enemy was on the march again. But the next year he (the Syrian Greek commander Lysias) mustered sixty thousand picked infantrymen and five thousand cavalry to subdue them. They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-Zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men. When he saw that the army was strong, he prayed, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blessed art thou, O Savior of Israel, who did crush the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of thy servant David, and did give the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and the man who carried his armor. So do thou then in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and cavalry. Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength, let them tremble in their destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love thee, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.â&#x20AC;? 1 Maccabees 6:28-33 By now the Hellenistic Jews and Samaritans were fighting with the Seleucids against the Hasidim. Sixty thousand foot soldiers and five thousand cavalry definitely did not look good to the freedom fighting Hasidim. Yet miraculously, Lysias was defeated. He returned to Antioch in Syria, where he attempted to enlist foreign mercenaries and build a larger army. In the meantime, Judas took his little victorious army to the temple upon Mount Zion where they saw the destruction and lamented. After three years of bloodshed, the Maccabees recaptured the temple. They rebuilt the altar, cleansed the temple and instituted a blameless priest who was devoted to the Mosaic Law. Early on the morning of the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev, (December 14, 165 B.C.) they again offered sacrifices and celebrated the dedication of the temple for eight days. After three and a half years of severe persecution, this was a time of joyous freedom. They praised God for their incredible victory.142 This celebration has been commemorated as the Feast of Dedication 143 and was 142

. 1 Macc. 4:34-61.

83 celebrated by Jesus (Jn. 10:22-23). 144 Today it is known as Hanukkah. The temple had been cleansed and was operational again, but the war was still not over. Upon hearing that the Jews had rebuilt their altar and dedicated their temple, the Greeks became angry and decided to kill Jews who lived in nearby communities. They strengthened their forces when the Samaritans and Idumeans joined them. The Idumeans were the descendants of Esau, but later known as Arabs. They lived previously in Edom (known today at Petra). By the Inter-Testamental Period the Idumeans had relocated south of Jerusalem and Hebron in the Negev Desert area known as Idumea. They were determined to kill their Jewish cousins. But when Judas Maccabeus heard of this, he made war on them and dealt them heavy casualties. From this point on, Judas and his brothers spent approximately twenty years rooting out the Greek sympathizers throughout the land. In the meantime, Antiochus went to Babylon to gather funds to again try to kill the Jews. However, when he had heard that Lysias was defeated, he became very discouraged and depressed. Shortly thereafter, he died, and his son Antiochus II became the new king. 145 By the first century, the events of the 160s B.C. had established, to a large measure, the social and political tensions of Jewish life. The Romans with their military might had established peace throughout the entire empire but it was only little Judah where there was a constant point of contention with frequent revolts. It should be noted however, that Herod the Great was a descendant of Esau. As an Idumean, the Jews considered him at best a “half-Jew” and they had no more love for him than they had for the Samaritans. Little wonder then that there was so much disrespect and friction between the cultural groups at the time of Christ. When Judas attempted to root out the last of the enemy out of the citadel in Jerusalem, a number of Greeks and ungodly Israelites went to the young king and complained. They said that they had been faithful to his father and now were murdered and mistreated by their own brothers. When the king heard this, he became enraged and quickly organized his army. He had one hundred thousand foot soldiers including foreign mercenaries, twenty thousand cavalry, and thirty-two elephants accustomed to war. 1 Maccabees 6:28-30

143

. Barabas, “Feasts.” 6:690-92. This was not one of the seven Jewish feasts

144

. Franz, “Jesus Celebrates Hanukkah.” 116-19.

145. 1 Macc. 5 & 6.

Unit 03 Historical Background Chapter 05 Jewish Sovereignty and Roman Conquest (c. 164 B.C. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A.D. 70)

03.05.00.A SEA-GOING SHIPS OF HASMONEAN DAYS by Jacob S. Golub. 1929. The Jewish kings of the Inter-Testamental Period had seagoing vessels that were used for both military and freight transport. These ships dominated the eastern Mediterranean Sea until the rise of the Roman Empire.

03.05.05 102 – 76 B.C. Rule of Alexander Jannaeus Alexander Jannaeus continued his father’s policies, but with greater intensity. With his army which included foreign mercenaries, he successfully took control of northern cities and villages, including Mount Tabor.146 He then traveled east and conquered the Decapolis cities of which his father dreamed.147 Like his father, he had no mercy on the Gentiles living in Galilee as he told them either to accept Judaism or leave. He minted coins with his inscription as king and placed himself in the position of a high priest even though he was 146

. Golub, In the Days. 147; Jung, “Mount Tabor” 4:714; Josephus, Antiquities. 13.16.2.

147

. Golub, In the Days. 147; Barclay, “Mark.” 124-25.

86 not of the Davidic line.148 This angered orthodox Jews such as the Essenes, who had previously separated themselves from the temple. They wrote of the corrupted priesthood in what is now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Jannaeus could have brought unity between the Pharisees and Sadducees. But it is evident that he and other leaders were continually spiteful toward those who held a different religious viewpoint. On one occasion during the Feast of Tabernacles, when water was brought up from the Pool of Siloam to the temple, he poured the water on the floor beside the altar instead upon it. Instantly the attending priests, Pharisees, and others around him began to thrown citrons (a fruit used in the feast celebrations) at him. In response, Jannaeus called in his soldiers and several thousand worshippers were massacred that day. While this event took place more than a century earlier, the Pharisees did not forget this or any other events of persecution by the Sadducees at the time of Jesus.149 The intense hatred and animosity between Pharisees and Sadducees grew stronger every day. The fact that Alexander Jannaeus ruled over most of the territory that was once part of David’s Empire, greatly increased the speculation that the anointed “son of David” would soon come to re-establish the great Davidic Empire. Everyone believed that when the “anointed one” would come, he would restore order and justice in the land. (“Anointed one” and “he” are not capitalized because the people were not expecting God Himself to come.) By the time Jesus arrived more than a century later, many had become tired of waiting.

148

. Josephus, Antiquities. 20.10.1.

149

. Geikie, The Life and Words. 2:637-38.

03.05.05.A A MODEL OF A HASMONEAN MERCHANT SHIP. This model of a Hasmonean merchant ship was constructed from a tomb drawing in Jerusalem. It demonstrates the economic and military power of the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty in the first and second centuries B.C. Photographed by the author in 2000 at the Dagon Grain Museum, Haifa. With various areas under his domain, his international trade expanded and the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy grew. It was truly a time of prosperity seldom seen since the days of King David and Solomon. Now the Greeks of the Decapolis cities were paying taxes (tribute) to the Jews. While there was stability on the international scene, on the home-front there was conflict between the Pharisees and Sadducees. In fact, as a faithful Sadducee, his reign has been marked by the bitterest persecution of the Pharisees. 03.05.06 90 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 88 B.C. Jewish Civil War; 800 Pharisees Crucified Civil war broke out when the conservative religious Pharisees joined forces with Demetrius III, a descendant of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Together they fought against Alexander Jannaeus, a Sadducee. As Jannaeus was about to crush the rebellion, some 6,000 men of Demetrius defected and about 8,000 Pharisees did likewise, leaving many others to be either captured or killed in battle. Of those whom Jannaeus considered to be traitors or potential

88 enemies, 800 were crucified.150 As these Pharisees suffered in agony, Jannaeus had their wives and children slaughtered in front of them – husbands and fathers watched in horror, helpless, and dying on a cross. Of this barbaric account, Josephus wrote that while, He [Jannaeus] was feasting with his concubines, in the sight of all the city, he ordered about eight hundred of them (Pharisees) to be crucified; and while they were living, he ordered the throats of their children and wives to be cut before their eyes. This was indeed by way of revenge for the injuries they had done him; which punishment yet was of an inhuman nature. Josephus, Antiquities 13.14.2 (see also Wars 1.4.1, 6) 151

In Ashkelon, he crucified eighty women whom he suspected of being witches. He stripped them naked and, for the sake of modesty, nailed them facing the cross where they died. The Essenes wrote of this horrific event in their Dead Sea Scroll 4QpNah 16-8.152 As the gospels reveal, at the time of Jesus, there was no great love between the Sadducees and Pharisees. In fact, they hated each other, sometimes with a vengeance. The common belief was that since every person who died on a tree was cursed by God, whoever they crucified would therefore, likewise be cursed by God. Their reasoning was based on the following words of Moses, For anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. Deuteronomy 21:23b

150

. Avi-Yonah and Kraeling, Our Living Bible. 240-41.

151

. A parallel account was found in Dead Sea Scroll fragment 4QpNahum, but it is not as complete as the account recorded by Josephus. 152

. Elgvin, “The Messiah.” 36.

89 To add insult to injury, in 83 B.C., Tigranes of Armenia (modern Turkey) invaded Syria and northern Israel, captured many Jews and took them as slaves to Armenia to develop his country’s economy.153 Jannaeus, however, was too weak to protect his people.154 The Jews, who protested against the cruelty of their king, took advantage of the situation and a six-year civil war erupted. Jannaeus was killed and his widow, Alexandra Salome, ruled until her death in 67 B.C. She was without question the kindest and most righteous monarch the Jewish people had during the Inter-Testamental Period. Their great-granddaughter, Mariamne, became the favorite wife of Herod the Great. Even under Jewish rule, the Jews had no peace and they continued to ask God for a deliverer who would give them peace and security. There was no strong leadership and moral and political corruption remained a signature of Israel with only a brief exception, that being, the rulership of Jannaeus’s widow Alexandra Salome.

03.05.11 63 B.C. Romans Order Attempts To Kill Infant Boys Because Of Prophecy Of A New-Born King The expectation of a “super” king or messiah was not limited to the Jewish people. 155 Nearly all the people groups in the ancient Middle East were expecting an incredible personality who would bring peace and prosperity to everyone. The Parthians were expecting the birth of a world ruler, and a century earlier the Roman poet Virgil predicted a messianic figure (see 03.04.19). So strong was the common belief in the first century (B.C.), that the Roman historian Suetonius, in his Life of Augustus, quotes Julius Marathus from his Life of the Emperor. It should be noted that Marathus was a personal confidant of Augustus Caesar. Therefore, the account has a high degree of merit. Apparently, shortly before Marathus’s birth there was a prophecy in Rome that a king over the Roman people would soon be born. To obviate this danger to the Republic, the Roman Senate in the year 63 B.C. ordered all boy babies to be killed who were born in that year because prophetic dreams and astrological signs suggested that a “king of the Romans” was to be born. 156 In Roman society, unwanted infants were normally abandoned or exposed to the weather to die. However, several senators, whose wives were pregnant, took political action to prevent the ratification of the statute because each of them 153

. Neusner and Green, Dictionary of Judaism. 60.

154

. Neusner and Green, Dictionary of Judaism. 635.

155

. A lower case “m” us used for the word “messiah” because upper case “M” denotes deity, and no one expected God to come to earth in the form of a person. 156

. Lindsay, The Origins of Astrology. 6.

90 hoped that the prophecy might be in reference to their own child. 157 It is interesting that in the same year, a child was born on September 23, who later became the first emperor of the Romans – Emperor Augustus.158

03.05.20 40 - 39 B.C. Brief Parthian Invasion of Jerusalem; Herod (the Great) given Roman Military to Fight Parthians and Jewish Freedom Fighters The Parthians quickly captured Jerusalem and appointed Antigonus to be the ruling Hasmonean king and priest in Jerusalem after the Romans were defeated. He was supported by the Parthian King Barzaphranes who desired access to the Mediterranean Sea and, like the Romans, considered Israel as strategic because it was the obvious land bridge to Egypt and Europe. His constant battle with Hyrcanus and Phasael and their forces placed the entire land in civil war with daily skirmishes.159 In the meantime, John Hyrcanus II was deposed by his nephew Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus II, with the help of the Parthian army who came under the pretense to discuss peace with Hyrcanus and Phasael. 160 When the Parthians arrived, the two men were captured. Hyrcanus was carried off to Parthia and Phasael was placed in captivity where he committed suicide. Phasael’ s brother Herod, in the meantime, eluded the Parthians, escaped to Egypt, and went on to Rome where he promised the emperor revenge on the Parthians, Samaritans, and Jews. Since Rome was having its own difficulties in Europe and Carthage (in North Africa), they were more than delighted to have him bring the area under Roman domination. The Roman Senate gave him whatever military support he requested to remove the Parthians and crush the Jewish freedom fighters.

157

. Farrar, The Life of Christ. 21.

158

. http://www.askelm.com/star/star001.htm Retrieved September 29, 2012.

159

. Josephus, Antiquities. 14.13.3 and Wars. 1.13.2; Sandmel “Herod.” 2:588.

160

. Flusser, Jesus. 259.

91 Herod (71-4 B.C.; later called “the Great”), who was only 25 at the time, was the perfect candidate for the position. His brutality against various Jewish factions, as well as his family, would be remembered for generations. Since he was from the tribe of Esau (brother to Jacob) he did not qualify biblically to be king of the Jews, which is only one reason why they hated him. The Romans knew this and believed the Jews would not follow him into a revolt against them.161 They were right. Under Herod’s command, Roman soldiers defeated the Parthians in Jerusalem and slaughtered whatever Jewish freedom fighters they could find. Much to his surprise, Herod was also able to obtain soldiers and financial assistance from the Samaritans and Hellenized Jews. Consequently, the hostility between Jews and Samaritans at the time of Christ was explosive. Jesus could not have come at a time with more tension. Roman peace at this time was being established throughout the empire although the Jewish enclave was a continuous challenge. The Romans were just as interested in securing their eastern frontier as they were in expanding their empire. They had no desire to have their strength compromised by a Parthian threat,162 and Josephus again carefully recorded the events. Hyrcanus ruled, besides his first nine years (with his mother as queen), twenty-four years more, when Barzaphranes and Pacorus, the generals of the Parthians passed over the Euphrates and fought with Hyrcanus, and took him alive and made (his brother) Antigonus the son of Aristobulus king. Josephus, Antiquities 20.10.1 Finally, it took three years for persistent military actions to defeat the Parthians, Samaritans, and Jews. Therefore, one of the great lingering mysteries is why, in light of Parthian invasion and constant threats, was Herod so incredibly complacent when the magi arrived to see Jesus.

03.05.21 37 – 4 B.C. Conquest and Rule by Herod the Great

161

. Most sources record that the appointment and title were given to Herod by the Caesar Augustus and confirmed by the senate (i.e. Mackowski, Jerusalem: City of Jesus. 175); however, other scholars indicate that it was by Anthony and confirmed by the senate (i.e. Flusser, Jesus. 259). 162

. Rousseau and Arav, Jesus and His World. 40.

92 The Roman Senate gave him the official title of rex socius et amicus populi Romani, meaning Allied King and Friend of the Roman People. His rule originated with a decision by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C., who sent him back to the Holy Land with 30,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry. It took him three and a half years of military struggles to acquire control of his kingdom. During this time (40-37 B.C.), he fought the Parthians as well as the freedom fighters who desired to overthrow their Roman occupiers. He used some of the most gruesome tactics known to the ancient world as he personally led his army into battle on ten different occasions.163 He acquired the assistance of the Samaritans and that greatly increased Jewish-Samaritan tensions. He then ruled Judaea for 33 years with loyalty to Rome. Herod never enjoyed peace and tranquility because he was in constant fear thinking that a Jew would kill him and steal his throne. He even ordered his two favorite sons killed while they were in sevice for him, located in a fortress in Samaria. 164 His bodyguards were foreign mercenaries because he feared his own soldiers. In the closing months of his struggle, Herod defeated and killed Mattathias Antigonus who was the last of the Maccabean monarchs (reigned 40-37). After the fighting ended the Senate re-titled him as King of all of the Jews. The title greatly offended the Jews since he was not a Jew, but an Idumean – a descendant of Esau. He was the most loyal of all puppet monarchs in the Mare Nostrum, or Mediterranean provincial districts. Significant in this political mess is that He married Mariamne, the great-granddaughter of Alexander Jannaeus of the Hasmonean dynasty. Even though she was his favorite wife, as he was married ten times, that would not stop him from eventually killing her and several other family members.

03.05.21.A THE GENERATIONAL TREE OF THE MACCABEES. The generational tree from Mattathias (167 BC) to Herod the Great (d. 4 BC), illustrates that Herod the Great was not a Maccabee, but he married

163

. Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes. 57; Bruce, “Herod.” 1:642.

164

. An excellent resource on the life of Herod the Great, besides Flavius Josephus ( Antiquities) is Steward Perowne, The Life and Times of Herod the Great. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1957. .

93 into the Maccabean family. He was, in fact, an Idumean – a descendant of Esau, whose descendants today are part of the Arab people group. The Jews were again at war. They had no desire to be dominated by someone who was a descendant of Esau and an agent of Rome. After many conflicts, his final battle was the siege of Jerusalem. Josephus recorded the account. Now the Jews that were enclosed within the walls of the city fought against Herod with great alacrity and zeal (for the whole nation was gathered together); they also gave out many prophecies about the temple, and many things agreeable to the people, as if God would deliver them out of the dangers they were in.... The first that scaled the walls were twenty chosen men (of Herod’s army); next were Sossius’s (Herod’s general) centurions; for the first wall was taken in forty days, the second in fifteen more, when some of the cloisters that were about the temple were burnt, which Herod gave out to have been burnt by Antigonus, in order to expose him to the hatred of the Jews. And when the outer court of the temple, and the lower city, were taken, the Jews fled into the inner court of the temple and into the upper city; but now fearing lest the Romans should hinder them from offering their daily sacrifices to God, they sent an ambassador, and desired that they would permit them to bring in beasts for sacrifices, which Herod granted, hoping they were going to yield; but when he saw that they did nothing of what he supposed, but bitterly opposed him, in order to preserve the Kingdom of Antigonus, he made an assault upon the city, and took it by; and now all the parts were full of those that were slain, by the rage of the Romans at the long duration of the siege, and by the zeal of the Jews that were on Herod’s side, who were not willing to leave one of their adversaries alive. So they murdered continually in the narrow streets and in the houses by crowds, and as they were flying to the temple for shelter, and there was no pity taken of either infants or the aged, nor did they spare so much as the weaker sex ... but as if in the company of madmen, they fell upon persons of all ages, without distinction. This destruction befell upon the city of Jerusalem when Marcus Agrippa and Caninius Callus were consuls at Rome, on the hundred and eighty-fifth Olympiad, on the third month, on the solemnity of the fast, as if a periodical revolution of calamities had returned since that which befell the Jews under Pompey; for the Jews were taken by him on the same day, and this was after twenty-seven years’ time.

94 Josephus, Antiquities 14.16.2, 4 Herod’s brutality was demonstrated when he fought both bandits and freedom fighters in the caves of Mount Arbel. For years bandits attacked caravans along the famed Via Maris, the international highway that went from Egypt, through Capernaum, and on to Damascus.165 They hid in mountain caves, especially in the caves of Mount Arbel from where they could see distant caravans coming toward them.

03.05.21.B THE CAVES OF MOUNT ARBEL. Mount Arbel is along the western side of the Sea of Galilee and has cliffs that are more than a thousand feet in height. The cliff caves had been homes of freedom fighters and bandits for centuries, as armies could never capture the occupants until Herod the Great came to power. Arbel is also along the road where Jesus walked whenever He traveled from Nazareth to Capernaum. In this area, He performed many miracles and taught the principles of the Kingdom of God. Photograph by the author. To attack the bandits, he built fires at the entrances of the caves, depriving the occupants of oxygen and, consequently, they died. However, when it was impossible to use that technique on the side of a cliff, he lowered soldiers in iron baskets from the top of the mountain. As the baskets descended past the caves, the soldiers used long spears with hooks to impale their victims, pull them out of the shallow cave, and let them fall to the valley 165

. Also known as “the way of the land of the Philistines” (Ex. 13:17; Num. 20:17).

95 below. To avoid this agonizing death, many simply decided to jump to their deaths rather than let the Romans enjoy a sense of victory. The brutal nature of Herod was just what the Romans desired in their frontier with the Parthians. He finally began to reign in 37 B.C. One of his first decisions was to eliminate all possible challengers to his throne. Since the Sanhedrin had previously reprimanded him and supported Antigonus and the Parthians, he massacred every member of the high court except two as a celebration of his accession to the throne.166 The new Sanhedrin was obviously much more responsive to his desires and control. Nonetheless, he made two significant changes. 1. The Sanhedrin, which previously was both a legislative and judicial body, was stripped of its legislative role. 2. The Sanhedrin’s judicial authority was limited to Jerusalem and Judea and, therefore, had no jurisdiction in Galilee or other Jewish enclaves.167 For this reason, Jesus could minister in the Galilee area without worries of Caiaphas or the Sanhedrin challenging Him, although they did send out spies to observe Him. Whereas previous political leaders often functioned also as the high priest, Herod refused this position. Rather, he sold the position to those he deemed trustworthy – namely the House of Boethus. << PLEASE NOTE: This section continues in the e-book >>

Unit 04 166

. Wilkinson, Jerusalem as Jesus Knew It. 87; Josephus, Antiquities. 14.9.4; Mantey, “New Testament Backgrounds.” 6.

167

. Golub, In the Days. 195.

The Early Years of Jesus Chapter 01 Introduction

04.01.00.A THE CREATION OF LIGHT by Gustove Dore’, 1866. The gospel writer John began his gospel by identifying Jesus as the son of God and connecting Him with the creation of the world.

04.01.01 Introduction: The World Stage is Set; John’s Prologue

97 Galatians 4:4 states that in the fullness of time Jesus came. Yet the term “fullness” is understood only within the cultural context of the first century and the events that preceded it. There were four major areas of preparation that had to be completed before “fullness” could be achieved in preparing the world for coming of the “Anointed One.” 1. The Greeks: They provided a cultural milieu and language. See more at 03.05.08. 2. The Romans: They provided elements of law and order throughout the empire and improved transport. This was a profound accomplishment as the previous two centuries were filled with violence, political and religious chaos, persecution, and assassinations. 3. The people throughout the Roman Empire and in regions beyond were expecting a messianic figure or king of some kind. From the Roman senate to the common slave, there were expectations of the appearance of a very important person. For a brief description of those who expressed this anticipation long before the advent of Jesus, see 03.05.15, 03.05.11, and 03.04.19. 4. The Jewish people provided the religious background and foundation necessary for Jesus to come. The most important and anticipated life in history was born in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago. Yet John made a distinct point to demonstrate that the life of Jesus did not begin in a manger in Bethlehem, but that He existed from eternity past. The theme of his gospel is the deity of Jesus, Who was “from the beginning;” in essence, he sets forth both the divine and human nature of the Messiah. The purpose of His coming was to teach men about the Kingdom of God, as well as to pay the high cost to redeem a lost humanity. John’s point is that only God could have performed such a great task. John began his gospel by stating that Jesus was not a mere human, but was God who existed from the creation of the earth. In his first sentence for the word Word, John used the Greek word logos that included the Greek concept of reason and speech. 168 John was not a Greek philosopher, but desired to express the concept that Jesus was the idea and expression of God in human form and was, in fact, God. 04.01.02 Jn. 1:1-2 The Eternality of God (NIV 1984) A B C C’ 168

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

. Barclay, “John.” 1:7-9.

98 B’ A’

He was with God in the beginning.

04.01.03 Jn. 1:3-18 The Word of God Became the Person Jesus. (HCSB, continued) All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. 3

There was a man named John who was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 6

He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 10

The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’”) 16 Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son—the One who is at the Father’s side—He has revealed Him. 14

Literary style John’s gospel is in typical Hebraic style of poetry that echoes the first sentence of Genesis, yet his gospel was written for a Gentile audience. It is a genre of complimenting, repeating or contrasting ideas, rather than rhyming words. Verses 1 and 2 describe the eternal aspects of Jesus “from the beginning” (lines A and A’) of time with the focus on the Word (of God who was Jesus) being the eternal Deity (line C). The first lines were written with repeating or contrasting ideas, as noted by the similarities between lines A and A’, B and B’, etc. The focus of this short Hebraic poem is the center line – line C and C’, being Jesus – in human form was God on earth.

99 “In the beginning.” This phrase in the original Hebrew did not have the definite article “the.” In essence, the gospel writer is saying that “in beginning” there never was a beginning point, but was eternity past (cf. Jn. 17:5; Col. 1:17). This is a paradox to modern thinking, but understood by his first century audience. Hence, John reflected upon two writings of Moses in Genesis and in Psalm 90.169 After the summary account of creation, John discusses the condition of man. Man, who was and is the supreme creation in the image of God (Gen. 1:26), fell into sin and is now offered salvation by God through Christ Jesus. It was Adam who was defeated by Satan in the beautiful Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8), but Jesus came and had victory over Satan. Because of Jesus’ sinless life, sacrificial death, and resurrection, eternal life is now available to all men by the One Who was in the beginning. While the sacrifices of the Old Covenant covered sin, the work of Christ removed sin. 170 The New Covenant fulfilled the old one and completed the way of salvation for mankind.

Video Insert

04.01.03.V Rev. John Metzger discusses the Deity of Jesus in the Old Testament and in eternity past.

The climax of this gospel is the only true response one can give to Jesus: “My Lord and my God” (Jn. 20:28). John stated that Jesus was with the Father throughout eternity past (Prov. 8:22-31; Jn. 17:5, 24) and was the Creator of all things (Col. 1:16-17; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2). Furthermore, Jesus is both the light and the life of humanity (Jn. 5:26, 8:12, 9:5, 12:35, 46; I Jn. 5:11) and the darkness of this world could not extinguish Him. The gospel begins and ends with life. In fact, the word life is one of John’s key words. The pre-existence of “God” as Creator is also found in a Dead Sea Scroll document known as the Manuel of Discipline.171 The ancient Essene writer said,

For judgment is God’s and 169

. Moses authored Psalm 90 - 116.

170

. See Appendix 16 concerning Old Testament sacrifices and Jesus. For the New Testament plan of salvation revealed in the Old Testament, see Appendix 7. 171

. See 02.02 Biblical And Extra-Biblical Writings for more information.

100 from His hand is the way of blamelessness From His design everything received its origin, and from His design Everything that exists was prepared without Him nothing was made. Dead Sea Scrolls, 1QS XI:10 172

All that is and ever was comes from the God of knowledge, Before things came into existence He determined a plan for them, And when they fulfilled their appointed roles it is in accordance with His glorious design, That they discharge their functions Nothing can be changed. Dead Sea Scrolls, 1QS III:30 173 “The Word.” John did not speak of a “word” or “words” as spoken by Jesus, but rather, he spoke of “the Word” as being the essence of Jesus - the essential inner mind of Christ. If the question were asked, “What is in the heart of hearts of Jesus?” the answer is “His Word.” In order to understand the mind of Jesus, one must understand His speech, actions, ministry, and life. John essentially gave two significant points about the Messiah: 1. The Word was with God. 2. The Word was God. Knowing Jesus was not an either/or choice of these two points, but a combination of both.174 One cannot understand the Messiah’s Word without understanding His mind and heart. With this comes the understanding of the essence of the mind of God the Father (Jn. 14:23-24).175 Other New Testament writers referred to the essential inner mind of Jesus as being the logos, which is Greek meaning Word, of God. Paul said in Ephesians 4:12 that it was 172

. Santala, The Messiah in the New Testament. 65-66.

173

. Santala, The Messiah in the New Testament. 65-66.

174

. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary. 154.

175

. Major, Manson, and Wright, The Mission and Message of Jesus. 679-80.

101 sharper than a two-edged sword, meaning that it can cut to the soul to surgically expose sin. Luke, in his second writing, used it where the “Word” of God is understood to be the “Spirit” of God or the “revealed mind” of God (Acts 13:48; 18:5). John used logos again in his last work with the Word of God being Jesus Christ Himself (Rev. 19:13). Gnosticism and Docetism were two popular heresies within the Gentile world that confronted the apostles and other church leaders. These theories of knowledge and God confronted both Jews and Christians, and for that reason, the Apostle Paul made these two comments: For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 16

Colossians 1:16 Yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him and we exist through Him. 6

1 Corinthians 8:6 While the study of the influence of Gnosticism and various cultic beliefs is beyond the scope of this study, it must be briefly stated that John’s gospel is to a certain extent, an apologetic document that refutes these pagan ideas. The phrase “No one has ever seen God,” means that no one has ever seen the ultimate glory, majesty, and nature of God. According to Moses, God said “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live” (Ex. 33:20). This is due to mankind’s sinfulness. Yet according to the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), God (Adonai or Elohim) has made Himself known to selected individuals in a limited manner. Examples are: 1. To Abraham (Gen. 18) 2. To Jacob (Gen. 32:25-33) 3. To Moses (Ex. 3) 4. To Joshua (Jos. 5:13-6:5) 5. To the people (ten tribes) of Israel (Jud. 2:1-5) 6. To Gideon (Jud. 6:11-24)

102 7. To the parents of Samson (Jud. 13:2-23) 8. To Isaiah (Isa. 6:1) No one in the ancient world ever questioned the existence of God or gods. To the Greek mind, the universe and the world with all its peoples and gods have always existed. The Jews, however, had a radically different concept, one in which the earth had a specific beginning. John’s purpose is to convince Jews and Gentiles that Jesus was the expected Anointed One (Christ; Jn. 20:31), the predicted Messiah of the Hebrew prophecies.

“With God.” Throughout history, there have been a few who incorrectly taught that the original law read “with a god” and, thereby, denied the deity of Jesus. This theological discussion is beyond the scope of this work, yet is so significant that the reader is encouraged to study the Granville Sharp Rule 176 concerning this erroneous interpretation. In addition, for an excellent article on the humanity of Jesus, see Bruce A. Ware, as this subject is also beyond the scope of this study.177 “That light that shines in the darkness.” Light (Greek: phos)178 was associated with the knowledge of God, while darkness (Greek: skotos)179 was associated with ignorance (Greek: agnosia) 180 or rejection of God. The phrases associated with light and darkness, such as “sons of light,” and “sons of darkness,” were popularized by the Essenes who authored the

176. Wallace,

Greek Grammar. 270-90, 633, 735. The Granville Sharp Rule has become foundational in biblical studies and may also be found in systematic theology textbooks; See also Stanley E. Porter “Granville Sharp’s Rule: A Response to Dan Wallace, Or Why a Critical Book Review Should Be Left Alone.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Soceity. March, 2013. 56:1. 93-100; Daniel Wallace, “Granville Sharp’s Rule: A Rejoinder to Stan Porter.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Soceity. March, 2013. 101-106. 177.

For an excellent article on the humanity of Jesus, see Bruce A. Ware, in , “The Man Christ Jesus” page 5, as this subject is also beyond the scope of this study, 178

. Barclay, “Light.” Jesus. 264.

179

. Barclay, “Darkness.” Jesus. 264.

180

. Barclay, “Ignorance.” Jesus. 264.

103 Dead Sea Scrolls many decades before Jesus was born. Hence, they were in common usage when Jesus came to bring light to all mankind. “The true light.” The Greek word for true is alethes, which is closely related to alethinos, which means genuine or real. Jesus alone can bring light to mankind in a world of questionable shadows and illusions.181 John’s gospel is, to a certain degree, a defense against Gnosticism which stated that matter is essentially evil and anything spiritual is essentially good. See “Gnosticism” in Glossary. “He gave them the right to be children of God.” While the Old Testament states that one day the Gentiles would become saved, the Jewish leaders, for the most part, rejected that idea. John, however, placed all humanity on an equal plane before the Almighty God. This was stunning to the Jews, who felt they were selected because they were God’s chosen people. “The law was given through Moses.” A certain measure of grace accompanied the Law of Moses or else no man could have been saved under it. Yet the proper office of the law itself was not grace, but restraint and conviction of sin (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:19). On an important side note, the Church has adopted a Roman view of Law, in that it means restriction and therefore, bad, while the Hebrew Bible views Law as Instruction and freedom, and therefore good. “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us.” This statement is rather meaningless today, but in the first century it was a powerful statement because a heresy known as Docetism challenged the church. The word Docetism originates from the root word dokein, meaning to seem.182 It is a heresy that states that Jesus was not a human being, but He only seemed to be human. For that reason, John said that the Word became flesh (Jn. 1:14). In John’s first letter he underscored this message by saying that anyone who denies that Jesus came in the flesh is of the anti-Christ (1 Jn. 4:3). See Docetism in Glossary. However, there is another aspect to this statement: Greek poets and philosophers never ever considered that the word of any god could become human. To them, the human body was a place in which the soul was trapped and confined. The idea that the Word of God became human in the form of Jesus, that He entered the human race as a child, lived as a mortal man, taught and performed miracles so mankind could see into the eyes of God, was stunning and unbelieveable, yet believable to the Gentiles. Therefore, the very idea posed by critics who say that the essence of John 1 was borrowed from the Greeks is totally absurd.

181

. Barclay, “John.” 1:7-9; 54.

182

. Barclay, “John.” 1:13, 65.

104

04.01.03.Q1 How can it be said that no one has ever seen God (Jn. 1:18) when other passages (i.e., Ex. 33:11) clearly indicate otherwise? This question is obviously in response to the statement, “No one has ever seen God,” which appears in direct conflict with other biblical passages. For example, Exodus 33:11 states that “the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face,” but in verse 18, Moses asked God to “show me your glory.” At first God refused, but then conceded and made His “goodness to pass” in front of him (Ex. 33:19), because “you cannot see my face, for no one can see my face and live” (v. 20). This idea is repeated three verses later. Verse 20 then redefines the meaning of the phrase “face to face,” but it obviously was not in the sense of modern interpretation and, hence, there is no conflict with John 1:18. There are similar accounts that were written by Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. For example, previous to this episode, Moses and the leaders of the Israelite children “saw God, and they ate and drank” (Ex. 24:11b). While this verse affirms a visual appearance, it is in the context of 33:19-20. They may have seen God, but not His face. Centuries later Ezekiel was granted the unusual opportunity to get a glimpse that was only a vision in which he saw a form on a throne, not a clear image (Ezek. 1:26-28). Therefore, the apparent Old Testament references that seem to conflict with John are, in fact, clarified by Moses. Elsewhere, Isaiah saw God high and lifted up upon a throne (Isa. 6:1) and the seventy elders of Israel saw God (Ex. 24:9-11). Yet as stated above, Exodus 33:20 reads that no one can see God and live. This passage and John 1:18 mean that the ultimate glory and nature of God are hidden from sinful humanity. Finally, God was the author of the human body and soul of Jesus Christ. In Him the divine and human natures were united, so that “the Word,” who “was in the beginning with God” and “was God,” “was made flesh and lived among us.” It was on both accounts that Jesus was called “the Son of God.” Therefore, He was also said to be “God manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16).

105

Unit 04 The Early Years of Jesus Chapter 02 The Genealogies of Jesus

04.02.00.A AN ANGEL VISITS THE VIRGIN MARY. Artwork by William Hole of the Royal Scottish Academy of Art, 1876. Mary, who is accurately represented in ordinary attire of a Jewish peasant woman, is shown kneeling in prayer upon a mat or carpet, which also served as her bed.

106

04.02.01 Introduction It was extremely important for the Jews to know the ancestry of Jesus, as He had prophetic importance. The significance of the genealogies lies in the fact that God had given Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants the Abrahamic Covenant concerning the land (Gen. 12:23, 7; 13:14-17) and One who would be sent to bless them (Gen. 15:18; 17:6-8). This covenant was later reaffirmed to King David (2 Sam. 7:16; Ps. 89:1-4) and is known as the Davidic Covenant. Therefore, the genealogical record is a logical starting point to document that the messiahship of Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Davidic and Abrahamic Covenants.183 The record of genealogies,184 were presented to prove to the Jewish people that Jesus fulfilled all of the covenant requirements and all the prophecies. 04.02.02 Mt. 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus as Recorded by Matthew 1

The historical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Aram, 4 Aram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse, 6 and Jesse fathered King David. 2

Then David fathered Solomon by Uriahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, 7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asa, 8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah, 9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, 183

. For the historical trail of the Davidic Covenant from David to Jesus, see 03.02.01MU, 03.02.03MU, 03.02.06MU, 03.03.01MU, 04.02.02MU, and 13.04.05MU. 184

. Dalman, Jesus Christ in the Talmud. 31; Jerusalem Talmud, Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bamoth 49b.

107 Ahaz fathered Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah, 11 and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. Then after the exile to Babylon Jechoniah fathered Shealtiel, Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, Eliakim fathered Azor, 14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, Achim fathered Eliud, 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, Matthan fathered Jacob, 16 and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah. 12

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, fourteen generations. 17

04.02.02.Q1 What was the purpose of a genealogical listing? It was most important that the gospel writers inform their readers not only that Jesus was the Messiah, but also that He had the right to be the Messiah and His credentials (including the genealogy) were presented as evidence of this truth. At the time this gospel was written, the primitive church was enduring persecution from both Jews and Gentiles. The believers needed assurance. If they were going to die for their faith, they needed to know who Jesus was as a physical man and, hence, the genealogies. See 04.02.01 Introduction. The phrase, “A record of the genealogy,” could also be translated as reading, “the book of the generations of,” or “the book of origin,” and is similar to records found in Genesis 2:4, 5:1, 6:9, and 37:2.185 These records were important for three primary reasons:

185

. Gilbrant, “Matthew.” 19; Dalman, Jesus Christ in the Talmud. 31; Jerusalem Talmud, J’bamoth 49b.

108 1. They gave a clear identity of ancestral and tribal origins, which led to the second reason, 2. They were critically important for certain religious or political offices. 3. The genealogical record demonstrates the divine purpose for the restoration of man from the beginning of Adam. The promise of the Davidic Covenant was fulfilled by Jesus. He received His “blood right” to King David’s throne through Mary and His “legal right” to the throne through His adopted earthly father Joseph. Other examples of genealogy are as follows: 1. The historian Josephus preserved his genealogy for posterity (Life 1.3). 2. One ancient rabbi, with a desire that his son would marry only into the right family, traced the genealogy of a prospective daughter-in-law to King David.186 3. In Jewish history, when the Jews returned from Babylon, three families, Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai, claimed to be of priestly stock, but Nehemiah denied them that privilege of service because no record was found of them (Ezra 2:61-62). 4. Another returning group of 652 people—apparently gentiles—wanted to return to Jerusalem, but could not prove they were descendants of Israel (Ezra 2:59). They too were denied the opportunity be become Jewish. 5. The Apostle Paul reflected upon his genealogy when he claimed that he was of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:5). 187 One’s heritage was always important, not only in the Jewish world, but throughout all ancient cultures in this area. Lineage was reckoned through the father from whom the son received his heritage. It made no difference if a father was a biological father or a legal father through adoption or marriage. This is explained in the second century B.C. Apocrypha book of Sirach.

186

. Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 62b.

187

. Golub, In the Days. 41.

109 A covenant was also established with David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah: the heritage of the king is from son to son only; so the heritage of Aaron is for his descendants. Sirach 45:25 This ancient custom continues today among some Muslim leaders, who trace their record of ancestry from Muhammad. Likewise, the Samaritans claim to have their priestly genealogy recorded from Adam to the present day priests. Their genealogical record is known as the Adler Chronicle or Chronicle 7.188 Therefore, the genealogy presented by the gospel writers was perfectly in tune with the cultural requirements for anyone functioning in any religious office. “David, the Son of Abraham.” Abraham was the first to receive the messianic promise of salvation for his future nation (Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18) as part of his covenant with God. 189 Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience and mentioned both Abraham and David in his genealogy, because God had promised them an eternal throne (2 Sam. 7:16; Ps. 89:1-4). The Jews understood the significance of these covenants and the connection Matthew was making to relate them to Jesus (via the genealogy). The mention of Abraham and David meant far more than historic figures, it meant a promise of God that was now to be fulfilled. About three or four decades before the birth of Jesus, a book known as the Psalms of Solomon was written with the following verse that emphasizes the connection of David and the Messiah as a political figure (see also comments on Mt. 21). While the entire chapter paints a comprehensive picture of Jewish expectations, this verse is of particular interest as it illustrates the high level of expectation at the time of Jesus. See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, to rule over your servant Israel in the time known to you, O God.

Psalms of Solomon 17:21190 The definition of the phrase “Son” is important in understanding the full depth of Hebraic writings. The word meant any male offspring, past, present, or future. In Hebrew, there is no word for “grandson,” or “great-grandson.” For example, verse 1 indicates that Jesus was the “son” of King David, who was a “son” of the patriarch Abraham. Since Matthew wrote 188

. Information obtained during a personal interview with Hosney Kohen, a Samaritan priest in August of 1999; Neusner and Green, Dictionary of Judaism. 13. 189

. Gilbrant, “Matthew.” 19.

190

. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigraphia. 2:667.

110 his gospel to the Jews, it was critical to demonstrate that Joseph was a descendant of David as well as Abraham. Omitting several names was not an error. It merely demonstrated that the lineage from Abraham to Jesus is easily recognized. Old Testament prophets repeatedly foretold that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David, substantiating the genealogical integrity of Jesus. The phrase “son of David” was not only a matter of genealogy, but it also was a messianic title. Matthew’s first century readers clearly understood the message. The messianic title appeared first in the Psalms of Solomon 17:23 and 36 that was written in the first century B.C. Modern critics need to answer why the Pharisees and Sadducees never criticized His genealogy. It was because records of families, clans, and tribes were archived in the temple. The focus of Matthew is simply that Jesus, the Messiah, has a verifiable historical trail to Abraham, that He is a Davidic king, and that He is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.191 In fact, the terms Son of Man192 and Son of David became synonyms for Messiah by the first century.193 The expectations were that this “Son” would excel David’s triumphs.194 Furthermore, the expressions of “Son of Man” and “Son of God,” when used of Christ, do so to express His deity.195 But Luke wrote to a Gentile audience, who knew little of Abraham or David. Therefore, he traced the lineage through David and Adam, the father of humanity. Critics have called attention to the fact that the father of Joseph was Jacob according to Matthew (1:16), whereas Luke said he was the son of Heli (3:23). Again, this is hardly an error, for as the ancients called both their grandsons and great-grandsons “sons,” they did likewise with their sons-in-law. Heli was, in fact, the father of Mary and the father-in-law of Joseph. 196 During the Reformation Period, in the year 1490, the interpretation was popularized by Annius of Viterbo who stated that Luke’s genealogy connected Joseph as the son-in-law of Heli. 197 04.02.02.Q2 Is there a mistake in Matthew 1:11?

191

. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests. 186-87.

192

. The phrase Son of Man in the Book of Enoch is a figure, who is waiting in heaven until God sends him to earth where he would establish his kingdom and rule over it. This book was common knowledge to the Jewish people, so when Jesus used the phrase about Himself, it was clearly claiming to be the long-awaited Messiah. The phrase Son of Man was originally derived from Daniel 7:13. See Bruce, New Testament History. 167. 193

. Richardson, “David.” 59-60.

194

. Psalm of Solomon 17; Ecclesiasticus 47:11; 1 Macc. 2:57.

195

. Jn. 3:13; 5:27; 6:27; cf. Mt.26:63-64; Tenney, The Gospel of John. 105.

196

. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible. 7. Willmington has an excellent biblical study outline.

197

. Gilbrant, “Luke.” 105.

111 “Jeconiah and his brothers.” The biblical record of Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin) has given critics fodder for their arguments that the Bible contains errors. At issue is the verse where Matthew states that Salathiel (a/k/a Shealtiel) is the son of Jehoiachin while Luke ascribes him to be the son of Neria. Jeremiah 27:24-30 predicted that Jehoiachin would leave no heirs. Yet, it is altogether possible for him to have adopted the seven sons of Neria, as implied in Zechariah 12:12. Matthew made a special note of Jeconiah and his brothers because the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had all of them and their wives imprisoned. In April of 561 B.C., however, the Babylonians released them and gave Jehoiachin a lifetime pension. The first century Jews were convinced that the Messiah would come through the genealogy of Jehoiachin, which is precisely what happened.198 “Mary, who gave birth to Jesus.” The importance of this Greek phrase is that it is feminine, and obviously refers to Mary. The significance lies in the fact that in the Jewish culture, the birth of a child was always associated with the father. However, in this case the gospel writer used a feminine relative pronoun to break the pattern of the genealogy to emphasize that Joseph was not the father and that Mary was indeed a virgin when Jesus was born. The gender is lost in English translations, but the writer underscored the importance of her genealogy.199

“Who is called the Messiah.” The meaning of the word “Messiah” or “Christ” is “Anointed One.” The lack of a definite Greek article suggests that the word “Christ” may have been used as a name rather than a title. The phrase was later repeated by Pilate (Mt. 27:17, 22).200 Jesus was appointed and consecrated by God the Father to the anointed office of Redeemer, which in the Hebrew language took on the name “Messiah.” 04.02.02.Q3 Concerning Matthew 1:9, was Uzziah really the father of Jothan?

198

. Gilbrant, “Matthew.” 27.

199

. Wallace, Greek Grammar. 336-37; Young, Intermediate New Testament Greek. 76.

200

. Hagner, “Matthew 1-13.” 12.

112 The genealogical record is somewhat challenging because Jotham’s father is known as Azariah (2 Kg. 15:1-7, 1 Ch. 3:12), as well as Uzziah (2 Kg. 15:32, 34; 2 Ch. 26:1-23, 27:2; Isa. 1:1, 6:1; 7:1). The two names have been a favorite subject for critics. However, it is also known that people would occasionally change their name when there was a dramatic change in their life. There is no reason given for the name change or if the king maintained two names, but the fact that these refer to the same person has been well established. There are several other examples of name changes in both the Old and New Testaments, as well as in Jewish and surrounding cultures. 1. When Gideon destroyed the Canaanite altar to Baal at Ophrah (Jg. 6:32, 7:1), his name was changed to Jerubbaal. 2. Jehoahaz, who was the son of Josiah, had his name changed to Shallum (2 Kg. 23:21, 1 Ch. 3:15, Jer. 22:11). Name changes were not restricted to this period of history, as noted in the New Testament. 3. When the famous Saul became the Apostle Paul, he went from a Hebrew name to a Greek name. 4. Name changes were also common in other cultures, as exemplified by the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho, who changed the name of Eliakim to Jehoiakim (2 Kg. 23:34). 5. Evidently, a reason for the dual identity of Uzziah/Azariah was not considered significant by the biblical writers.

04.02.02.Q4 Why did Matthew divide the list of names into three groups? “Fourteen generations.” At this time there was no standardized numerical system of numbers, but rather, alphabet letters had numeric values. For example, students today are familiar with the system of Roman numerals. In this system, I = one, V = five, X= ten, etc. Letters are combined to create specific numbers, such as XXIV is 24. Likewise, the Jews had their system. When Matthew presented his genealogy, he wrote it in a manner so the Jews would recognize the Hebrew numeric value of the most important king in their history, King David. The name “David” spelled with three letters with their corresponding numeric value are as follows: Daleth (=4), waw (=6), and daleth (=4). The name of “David” is a simple arithmetic problem of 4+6+4=14. Therefore, to see the name “David” is also to see the

113 number 14.201 To Matthew, the numeric value was of greater importance than recording every historical name of the genealogy. So some names were skipped. The Hebrew term for this alphanumeric system is “gemetria” (see Appendix 13 for more information). The most emphatic way to say anything in Hebrew was to repeat it three times. In this case, the numerical value of King David was mathematically symmetrical, underscored three times to emphasize its importance, and was also a convenient learning technique that aids memory. The use of letters for numbers to create a cryptic meaning is known in Hebrew as a remez. Another example is the famous number of 666, which is a remez representing the Antichrist.202 The fact that Matthew has three groups of fourteen names was his instrument to underscore the importance of Jesus being a Son of David. The Jews knew this writing instrument with the word “holy” (i.e. Isa. 6:3) in Scripture is repeated three times. Later, when describing his vision of the horrible plagues that would come, John said, “woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth” (Rev. 8:13). There was no other way for a Jew to express an idea in the most significant way possible but to repeat it three times. Only a Jewish audience would have understood the numerical meaning of Matthew’s genealogy, as this literary device also implied “holiness” to Jesus.

However, in order to emphasize the name “David,” Matthew had to omit several names from his listing. This was possible because a grandson or great-grandson was also considered to be a “son.” This is a prime example of how important it is to understand the gospels in the biblical historical and cultural context. Therefore, there is no conflict in the Biblical text. As previously stated, the terms Son of Man and Son of David became synonyms for Messiah by the first century.203 The expectations were that this “Son” would excel David’s triumphs. 204 201

. Johnson, “Matthew.” 7:252; Hagner, “Matthew 1-13.” 7.

202

. Hansen, “The Star in the East.” 2:1,10.

203

. Richardson, “David.” 59-60.

204

. Psalm of Solomon 17; Ecclesiasticus 47:11; 1 Macc. 2:57.

114

04.02.02.Q5 Do other biblical genealogies suggest a unique message? Seldom. An orthodox rabbi may have a better answer. However, Genesis 4:17-18 lists six names of people following Adam. The number six representing mankind. Whereas Genesis 5 lists seven names following Seth, that number is one of perfection and wholeness. Jewish readers would have been aware of both the names and what the number of names implied.205 04.02.02.Q6 Why did Matthew include four women of less than favorable character? If Matthew wanted to highlight the noble character of women, he could have chosen Sarah, Rebekah, several other matriarchs. Instead, he chose four who were the shame of Judaism – women with an historic less than favorable reputation: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Genealogies seldom contained the names of women, unless they were significant heroines. However, these women were anything but heroines. Note the brief descriptions of each: 1. Tamar, according to Jubilee 41:1, was Aramean and not Jewish. After her first two Jewish husbands died, her father-in-law was supposed to provide a husband for her according to the Jewish law (Deut. 25:5-10). However, he abandoned her to poverty. Consequently, she cleverly disguised herself as a prostitute and invited her father-inlaw to sleep with her. She became pregnant and later delivered twins. Her father-inlaw eventually admitted to mistreating her. 2. Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute in Jericho where she provided protection for the Israelite spies. This occurred when Joshua sent two spies into Jericho prior to the Israelite invasion. When her neighbors searched for them, she provided protection and a means of their escape (Josh. 2). 3. Ruth was a pagan Moabite, ancient enemy of Israel. She slipped under the covers of a sleeping man who later married her. The Moabites eventually assimilated into the larger neighboring Arab tribes. Her great-grandson was King David. According to the Law of Moses, no Ammonite or Moabit was permitted to enter the assembly of the Lord (Deut. 23:3), yet she was included in this list – amazing. 4. Bathsheba committed adultery with King David. Since her deceased husband Uriah, was from the pagan Hittite tribe, there is good reason to believe that she was also of the same tribe. Later she gave birth to Solomon. 206

205

. See footnote to Genesis 4:17-18 in the New International Version Study Bible.

206

. Notice that Matthew refers to Bathsheba only as “the wife of Uriah,” and not by her name. He evidently had no appreciation for her yet included her in the geneaology when writing his gospel.

115 The focus of Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gospel is to demonstrate that Jesus had the credentials to bring salvation to humanity and break down ancient cultural and religious barriers; barriers between Jew and Gentile and barriers between male and female. Scholars have concluded the following possibilities of concerning the motive of Matthew to include these women: 1. These women became part of the written Hebrew Bible in spite of their actions or heritage. In that culture they would have suffered discrimination for what they did and who they were. So likewise, Mary, the mother of Jesus, would suffer discrimination by her neighbors in Bethlehem and Nazareth. Matthew demonstrated that Jesus came through and to the lowest, most despised people, as well as those of wealth and esteem. Sexual sin and being a Gentile placed one on the bottom of the ancient Jewish social ladder. This was a powerful statement of the forgiveness of God and revealed His messianic plans for the Jews and Gentiles. 2. As foreigners, these women were historic demonstrations of the love of God for the Gentile people. Rahab, Ruth, and possibly Bathsheba were of Gentile ancestry. 3. All these women were eventually vindicated, as would be Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Unit 07 Opposition against Jesus Grows Chapter 01 Jesus Stuns the Jewish Leadership

116

07.01.00.A JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE. Artwork by Lillie A. Faris. The Jewish people had pre-conceived ideas of what the Messiah would be like, but Jesus did not match any of their ideas. Rather, He performed miracles and taught the principles of the Kingdom of God, and consequently created an intense following and intense opposition. 07.01.02 Lk. 5:29-30; Mt. 9:12-13 (See also Mk. 2:15-17) EATING WITH SINNERS Lk. 29 Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?â&#x20AC;?

117 Mt. 12 But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Pharisees taught that ritual purity was essential in order to have a close relationship with God. This was taught from birth to the grave. Therefore, when Jesus came along and taught that the Kingdom of God was a condition of the heart, this idea ran contrary to their ritual law. Ironically, it was in agreement with the teachings of some contemporary rabbis, some of whom were also Pharisees. In addition, the Oral Law taught that “If three ate together, they must say Common Grace.” 207 His critics could not understand how it was possible for a righteous man to pray to the same God with unrighteous men, and then eat with them. “The Pharisees and their scribes.” Not all teachers of the law belonged to the Pharisees. The Sadducees, the Schools of Hillel and Shammai, as well as the Essenes and other groups were well known for having their own faculty. Their dedication to God ranged from nonexistent (i.e. Sadducees) to fully dedicated, righteous, and sincere. “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” It is interesting that the religious leaders asked this question to the disciples, because Matthew who was with Jesus was a former tax collector – one despised by same these leaders. Nonetheless, it was common practice to eat only with those who shared common values and appreciation. Therefore, everyone avoided eating with social outcasts such as tax collectors and sinners. Furthermore, the Jews believed the Messiah would never associate with such individuals, because the association would defile Him. It was rabbinic opinion that if Jesus, as the Messiah, had any righteousness at all, He would never eat or even converse with tax collectors. What they overlooked, however, was that every time Jesus ate with sinners, He revealed the Kingdom of God. The classic example is the prophet Daniel’s refusal to eat with the king of Babylon for two reasons: 1. Eating with someone carried a strong implication of an approval of their lifestyle and what that person believed. Dining was a form of fellowship. Denial of fellowship meant disagreement with someone. This was demonstrated by Daniel when he refused to eat with his king, even though he was a prisoner. Eating with the king meant Daniel was in agreement with him on a wide range of issues, including those of religious merit.

207

. Mishnah, Barakoth 7.1.

118 2. Eating the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food would have caused Daniel to defile himself (Dan. 1:8) because the food was not kosher. Daniel, obviously, remained strong to his Hebrew faith. While he studied and learned of the Babylonian ways, he did not accept or practice them. Jesus ate with sinners because it gave Him the opportunity to invite them to His Kingdom of God. It was not that He accepted their lifestyle, but rather, He was willing to forgive them. Therefore, He offered them the Kingdom of God. 208 This is vividly illustrated in Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revelation of Jesus, As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. 19

Revelation 3:19-20 The critics of Jesus had a similar mind-set as Daniel had centuries earlier. They criticized Him for what appeared as acceptance and approval of a sinful lifestyle. In their eyes, Jesus had defiled himself by eating with them. In reality, Jesus did not accept the sinful lifestyle, but He befriended the sinner to win him unto Himself and have him change his lifestyle. His legalistic critics, however, could not see, or refused to see, His intent. While most Christians today think of only one definition to the word sinner, the Jewish people of the first century had two definitions. 1. A person who broke the moral laws of the written Scriptures. Quite often the word is a euphemism for prostitutes and women who had their hair uncovered in public.209 2. A person who broke the Oral Laws, also known as the Traditions of the Elders (Mt. 15 1-2). To the leading Pharisees, one who committed adultery was just as much of a sinner as the person who failed to wash his hands in a particular fashion and for the required number of times prior to eating.

208

. Spangler and Tverberg, Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. 139-1142.

209

. Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes. 249-51; Compare with Josephus, Antiquities 4.8.23, and the complete section of Mishnah, Ketubbat, 6.6.

119 “I didn’t come to call the righteous.” Did Jesus really die for everyone, including these self-righteous Pharisees? Of course He did. This comment was one of sarcasm, because the righteousness of the Pharisees was entirely a human effort. 07.01.03 Lk. 5:33-39 (See also Mt. 9:14-17; Mk. 2:18-22) DISCIPLES NOT FASTING

Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” 33

Jesus said to them, “You can’t make the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them, can you? 35 But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them — then they will fast in those days.” 34

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. Otherwise, not only will he tear the new, but also the piece from the new garment will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, it will spill, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine should be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one, after drinking old wine, wants new, because he says, ‘The old is better.’” 36

Fasting was prescribed in the Torah (Lev. 23:27) for only one day in the year, the Day of Atonement. The Pharisees, however, prided themselves on fasting twice a week. 210 The issue of fasting illustrates the difference between the legalism of the Pharisaic leadership and the condition of the heart (motivation). Jesus did not preach against weekly fasting; only the evil attitude that went with it. For this reason, the practice of fasting two days a week continued in the primitive Jewish church. The Didache, an early church book of instruction, states that believers should not fast on Mondays and Tuesdays as do the hypocrites (Pharisees), but rather on Wednesdays and Fridays (Didache 8:1). The Jewish Christians did not want to be identified with their Pharisaic counterparts. This reveals that first century Christian worship was molded in the Jewish pattern. “The groom will be taken away from them.” This was the first mention Jesus made of His death. While Israel saw the Messiah as one who would destroy her enemies, restore her fortunes, and build her into an international superpower, Jesus had a different plan. He saw the deeper and more important need of the forgiveness of sin and the restoration of 210

. Earle, “Luke” 2:79.

120 humanity into the image of God as was initially created. Later, as the Passion Week approached, His words concerning His death would be more direct. “New garment . . . fresh (new) wineskins.” He did not challenge the Mosaic Laws, but challenged the traditions the religious leaders had placed as bondage upon the people. By the use of this metaphor of garments and wineskins, He gave a hint that He was about to usher in a new work, a New Covenant. A major failure of Christian scholars is their underestimation of the powerful influence of the Oral Law at this time. They have often stated, and continue to say, that the imagery of new garments and new wine is a reference to the New Covenant. However, Jesus said that one does not patch an old garment nor place new wine in an old wine skin. He was not referring to a New Covenant. Rather, he was stating he was not going to “fix” the Oral Law.211 Rabbis had an obsession to observing all of the Oral Laws. As stated previously, their oral traditions established “a fence” around the Written Law, to insure they would never break them and consequently, be thrown out of the country as happened between the years 605 and 586 B.C., when the Babylonians drove them into exile.

211

. For further studies on this important subject, see the literature produced by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum of Ariel Ministries in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Fruchtenbaum expands upon the Jewish roots of Christianity and the Jewish background of the gospels.

121

07.01.03.A AN OLD WINESKIN. Josiah, the author’s grandson, holds an old wineskin made from a sheep or goat that was typical of biblical times. After skins were used for fermenting grape juice into wine, they served as waterskins. They maintained the shape of the animal from which they were made. The leather stayed pliable as long as it contained a liquid, but once it dried, it developed small cracks and became useless like this one. Photograph by a proud grandpa. “The old (wine) is better.” When new grape juice was placed into a new wine skin, the skin would expand as much as it could during the fermentation process of the wine. However, if the old wine was replaced with new wine in the same old skin, the skin would burst as the fermentation process began. In Jewish thinking, the “old wine” symbolized the Written Law written by Moses and “new wine” was symbolic of the Oral Law or “traditions of the elders” (Mt. 15:1-2). Therefore, when Jesus said the old wine was better than the new, He meant that the Old Testament was better than the Oral Law. Hence, God’s Word was to remain intact. 212 The primary reason why Jewish leaders rejected Jesus was not because of His message of the Kingdom of God, but because He rejected the legalistic Oral Law that the leaders held in a position superior to the Hebrew Scriptures. As the cliché’ states, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. 212

. Young, “Old Wine is Better” 3:5, 3.

122

07.01.04 Jn. 5:1-15 Jerusalem. The Second Passover SABBATH HEALING AT POOL OF BETHESDA

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Hebrew, which has five colonnades. 3 Within these lay a large number of the sick — blind, lame, and paralyzed [— waiting for the moving of the water, 4 because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had]. 1

One man was there who had been sick for 38 years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” 5

“Sir,” the sick man answered, “I don’t have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” 7

“Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk!” 9 Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. 8

Now that day was the Sabbath, 10 so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It’s illegal for you to pick up your mat.” He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 11

“Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. 13 But the man who was cured did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 12

After this, Jesus found him in the temple complex and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” 15 The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 14

A Lesson in First Century Hermeneutics:

123

List of Characters of John 5:1-9 Man Five porches Thirty-eight years Stirring of the waters

= = = =

Israel Five books of the law Time spent wandering in the desert Baptism

Some scholars have suggested that this account is an allegory. 213 The problem with this interpretation is as follows: Not all miracles had the allegorical reflections as is this one. In fact, the problem with reading this as an allegorical story is that the reader may think it is simply a story and the event never occurred – and that is a major error. At times it is difficult to determine what has allegorical significance and what doesn’t. Clearly the crippled man and his thirty-eight years is reflective of Israel and her journey, but whether the five colonnades (porches) is reflective of the five books of the law is another matter of interpretation. Caution is recommended against reading anything into the text because this narrative has all the factual markings of an actual event. This miracle is the third of seven signs identified by John. Yet, this account has a unique mystery. Verses 3b-4 were omitted from the New International Version, probably because the translators did not understand the cultural context of the site. The reason these few words (verses 3b-4) are difficult to understand is because this contest to obtain a healing is out of character for God. Scholars and translators believe that God does not tease the afflicted, nor does He create a contest in which only the winner is healed. Therefore, they concluded these verses were not part of the original text. However, this writer believes that to correctly understand this passage, two other issues need to be addressed. They are, 1. The geological and climatic issues of the area, and 2. The well-established religious cultic context of this site. The geological reason the water was “stirred” is that Jerusalem was built upon a dolemite limestone mountain which does not retain water very well. 214 Since Israel has a rainy season (winter) and a dry season (summer), in the winter the limestone is saturated and in the summer it is dehydrated. When winter rains begin, the water that seeps through the dry aquifers pushes the air out and into the pool. Hence, the escaping air creates air bubbles and 213

. On March 9, 2013, Dr. James H. Charlesworth of Princeton Seminary, gave a report in Jerusalem in which he outlined some of the archaeological finds that support the historical reliability of the gospel of John. Essentially, he said that John knew the details of Jerusalem as it was prior to the A.D. 70 destruction, details that were unknown to archaeologists only a decade ago. SOURCE: “Gospel of John Backed by Archaeology.” Artifax. 28:3 (Summer, 2013), 11-12. 214

. Interview with Arie bar David, tour guide and lecturer in August, 1999.

124 the illusion of a “stirring of the waters.” 215 Similar bubbling pools were found in Babylon, where cuneiform inscriptions called them “holy wells.” 216 The idea that one could get healed when the waters were stirred originated with pagan religions. Those who laid in vain at the Pool of Bethesda were so desperate for a healing that they placed their faith in anything that might heal them.

The religious or cultic reason is this: The Greek religions became epidemic after the conquest by Alexander the Great. In the three centuries that preceded Jesus, no one promoted pagan religions more than did Antiochus IV Epiphanes during the years 167-164 B.C. His reign of paganism and terror led to the Maccabean Revolt (see 03.04.21). Even after the Jews won their freedom, those pagan religions were never completely eradicated from the land. While all signs of paganism were removed from within the Holy City and the temple, the Jews were rather lax about the removal of pagan shrines outside of the city walls, including the Pool of Bethesda. Note the words of an unknown second century B.C. writer. All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, to forbid burnt offerings in the sanctuary, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines to idols... I Maccabees 1:41-47 From the pen of Josephus is the historical account that affirms the widespread construction of pagan shrines and altars. He also compelled them to forsake their own God and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and made them (the Jews) build temples and raise idols in every city and village and offer swine upon them every day. 215

. Mackowski, Jerusalem City of Jesus. 83.

216

. Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 321, n8.

125 Josephus, Antiquities 12.6.4 (See also 12.5.1-4) As stated previously, the actions of Antiochus led to the Maccabean Revolt. After defeating the Greek tyrant, the Jews sanctified the temple but failed to purge the nation from its love of idols or eradicate all pagan sites outside of the Holy City. Later, Herod the Great, who was also a devout pagan, built a temple for emperor worship in Samaria and encouraged pagan worship outside Jerusalem for the sole purpose of strengthening his position with Rome. Therefore, there is an excellent case to be argued that the place where Jesus performed this miracle had a strong pagan history – and desperate people will consider desperate measures to obtain their healing.

There is also a theological explanation for this passage. 217 An angel stirring the water is out of character of God, based on the idea that God does not tease anyone to obtain a healing. The fact is, the biblical passage states that the invalid believed it was an angel of the Lord who stirred the waters, when, in fact, it was merely air bubbling out of the dolemite limestone rocks. He made reference to the “angel of the Lord.” However, in those days, all gods were called “Lord” or by their name.

07.01.04.A RUINS OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA. The Pool of Bethesda has been identified by the foundations of the pool and its close proximity to the Sheep Gate. Archaeologists uncovered the ruins of a sanctuary to the healing god Asclepius built by Hadrian (A.D. 132-135). Some scholars believe Hadrian constructed his sanctuary upon the ruins of a previous shrine built by Antiochus IV Epiphanies in 217

. Farrar, Life of Christ. 173.

126 the early 2nd century B.C. It is possible that the site had a legacy of healing at the time of Jesus. Photograph by the author. This writer suggests a different reason for the lame man expecting to obtain a healing at this pool. The invalid was waiting for an angel of an unknown god, maybe Asclepius, to heal him, but it was Jesus who healed him. Visitors today at the pool will see archaeological evidence and a sign indicating that this pool was at one time the Sanctuary of Asclepius (also spelled “Aesculapius”).218 In Greek cities, any place that was said to be a site of healing became a sanctuary to this god, and became a focal point for many invalids and tourists. For example, archaeologists in Corinth have uncovered a building complex dedicated to Asclepius with facilities for bathing, dining, exercise, and sleeping (for dreams). 219 Sick persons would come and a dedication of healing was prayed using a reproduced body part (such as an arm or leg), which was made from bronze, marble, or terra cotta. 220 Any healing that was received, even if by natural recovery, was accredited to Asclepius.221 Therefore, when Jesus healed the man, He demonstrated that He was greater than Asclepius - the Greek god of healing. Pagan worship and traditions instituted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the previous century continued, to a limited extent, into the days of Jesus. One of the major social issues between orthodox Jews and Hellenistic Jews was that the latter honored pagan gods and traditions. Epiphanies had directed his men “to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols and to sacrifice swine and unclean animals” (1 Macc. 1:47). 222 Ironically, the Pool of Bethesda was built about 200 B.C., just prior to the zenith of Greek paganism in Jerusalem, for the purpose of washing sheep that would be sacrificed in the temple. Yet air bubbles coming out of the limestone aquifers were credited to be the stirring of an angel of a pagan lord or deity.

218

. For additional information on the cult of Aesculapius, see Estee Dvorjetski,“Healing Waters.” 16-27, 60.

219

. Furnish, “Corinth in Paul’s Time: What can Archaeology Tell us?” 25.

220

. Stillwell, “Greece - The Birthplace of Science and Free Speech.” 250.

221

. Zondervan’s New International Version Archaeological Study Bible. 2005. 1674.

222

. Metzger, The New Testament. 223.

127

07.01.04.B THE INTERIOR OF THE RUINS OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA. The Pool of Bethesda today is a dry and dormant archaeological site, and rather deep. Over the centuries, due to the many destructions of Jerusalem, the elevation of the city has been raised creating the appearance that the pool was much deeper than it really was. During the second century B.C., hundreds of Hellenized Jews, Greeks, and Romans, came to the pool to receive a healing, caring little of which god or God healed them.

128

07.01.04.C ASCLEPIUS ARTIFACTS FROM THE POOL OF BETHESDA. Artifacts from the cult of Asclepius found at the Pool of Bethesda. History and archaeology suggest that the pool was a pagan site for the Greek god of healing, Asclepius. Photograph by the author. It is also a well-known fact that holy sites usually remained sacred when one people group replaced another. In this case, a holy site established by the Greeks remained a holy site after the Roman conquest. Archaeological discoveries reveal that the Romans came to this site for healing after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 135.223 Furthermore, emperors and rulers frequently claimed to be gods as a method to strengthen their control on the general population. Stories were created in which they claimed to have been born of a virgin or to have done miracles. Likewise, priests claimed people were healed to encourage offerings. For example, the following account is from a speech recorded in the second century (A.D.) regarding the healing powers of a water well at the Temple of Asclepius in Corinth. But the god also uses it in other ways like any other co-worker and the well has often assisted many people in obtaining from the god what they desired. For just as the sons of doctors and magicians have been trained to serve them and, while they aid them astound spectators and customers, so this well is the discovery and possession of the great magician who does everything for the safety of mankind. It aids him in everything and for many men is like a drug. For many, by bathing in it, have recovered their sight and many by drinking it 223

. Zondervanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New International Version Archaeological Study Bible. 2005. 1728.

129 have been cured of chest trouble and regained the breath of life. It has cured one man’s feet and another part of the body for someone else. Once someone drank it and spoke after being mute, just as those who drink the forbidden waters and have become prophetic. For some merely drawing up the water has been like a means of safety. And, thus, to the sick it is an antidote and a cure and for those in health, who reside nearby, it makes the employment of all other waters subject to blame. Aelius Aristides, “Regarding the Well in the Temple of Asclepius.” Speech 39:14-15224 This temple, like other temples associated with Asclepius, served as a hospital and had an enormous encampment of sick people waiting to be healed, while doctors practiced their craft.225 Another second century (A.D.) writer recorded the account of a false prophet by the name of Alexander, who evidently was rather deceptive. Alexander had secretly prepared a deception by depositing an egg, in which he had placed a small snake, at the base of the newly constructed temple, which he then “finds” and presents as the god Asclepius. Before doing this, he assembles a crowd and speaks of the imminent good fortune of the city that was about to receive the god in visible presence. The crowd - almost the whole city, including women, old men, and boys, had come running marveled, prayed, and made obeisance. Uttering a few meaningless words like Hebrew or Phoenician, he dazed the creatures, who did not know what he was saying save only that he everywhere brought in Apollo and Asclepius. Lucian of Samosata, Alexander the False Prophet 13 226 The writings of another healer, found in an inscription dated AD 484, preserved the belief that Asclepius was the healer of men. However, stories as this are much older than the inscription. The date of when the account originated is not as important as knowing that such belief systems were widespread in the ancient world (see comment on Mt. 8:28-34). The following account concerns a man with a stomach ulcer: While he slept, he had a dream (in which) 227 the god appeared to him and ordered his assistants to hold him so that the god could cut out the affected 224

. Boring, Berger, and Colpe, eds. Hellenistic Commentary to the New Testament. 266.

225

. For further study on the ancient descriptions of the cult of Asclepius, see Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.27.2; 10.32.8; 7.27.5; Aristophanes, Plutus 410:653ff; Wasps, 122; Strabo, Geography 14.1.44; Plautus, Curculio. 1.1.61; 2.1. 226

. Boring, Berger, and Colpe, eds. Hellenistic Commentary to the New Testament. 310.

130 part. The man tried to escape, but he was seized and fastened to the door. Asclepius then opened up his stomach, cut out the ulcer, sewed him up again, and finally released him. The man awoke cured but the floor was covered with blood. Inscription of Epidaurus 228 In the past century archaeologists uncovered nearly sixty inscriptions and papyri concerning the healing cult of Asclepius. Records were found which indicate physicians used their personal wealth to establish shrines and altars to the Greek god. 229 Luke, a Gentile physician, was incredibly detailed concerning the miracles he recorded, attributing them to the power of Jesus. In the study of John 5:1-15, it is easy to place the focus of attention on the healing or Sabbath violation. But the real focus is on the legalism of the Pharisees. The Jewish leaders were dead in their legalism, which is evident by their complete lack of compassion for anyone who was sick, lame, crippled, or had another affliction. These legalists were overtly self-righteous with a powerful, condemning attitude toward anyone who did not agree with them. Their religious imagery did not honor God. They exalted themselves with a demanding set of “do and don’t” regulations (cf. Rom. 6; Gal. 2:4). They could not begin to understand the grace and mercy that Jesus preached and demonstrated. In their thinking, grace and mercy were licenses to sin. Furthermore, the fact that the man was sick for years was proof to them that either he or his family had sinned; hence, there was no need for mercy for him. The idea that an accident or illness could be the natural result of a fallen world had never occurred to them. But when he was healed, instead of celebrating, they criticized him for violating their Sabbath regulations. Jesus then told him to carry his mat (a blanket), which was another Sabbath violation according to the Oral Law. Another example of the lingering influence of the Greek culture in the Jewish world is found in coins minted merely a half century before Jesus. 230 A coin of John Hyrcanus II, the high priest (63-40 B.C.) has the name Jehohanan on one side and a double cornucopia (horn of plenty) from Greek mythology on the reverse side. In Greek mythology, the cornucopia was said to involve the birth and nurturance of the infant god Zeus. According to the myth, Zeus was protected by a goat who functioned as a nurturing goddess, but accidently broke off a horn when feeding the infant milk. Hence, the horn has become known as the “horn of plenty.” 227

. Parenthesis for clarification are mine.

228

. Giannelli, The World of Classical Athens. 211.

229

. Horsley, New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity. 2:10-11, 21-23; Phillips, Man, Myth, and Magic. 5:1248.

230

. Ancient coins are cleaned and restored by a process known as the Deep Proton Activation Analysis.

131

07.01.04.D COINS OF JOHN HYRCANUS II. A coin of John Hyrcanus II, the Jewish high priest (served 63-40 B.C.), has a double cornucopia that was based upon Greek mythology. It is another illustration to show that Jewish leaders chose not to cleanse their land from Greek paganism. Photograph by Wikipedia Commons. “A Jewish festival.” The identity of this feast is not given, but scholars believe it was the Festival of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.231 There were no other feasts at this time of year. If this is correct, then John referred to four Passovers (2:13; 5:1-16; 5:4 and the Last Supper) making the length of the ministry between three and a half years and four and a half years. “By the Sheep Gate.” Technically, this phrase should read: “Now in Jerusalem, by the Sheep [Gate], there is a pool with a Hebrew name Bethesda.” 232 “In Jerusalem there is a pool.” The phrase reads is, not was, thereby clearly indicating the pool existed at the writing of this gospel. The pool was destroyed during the Roman siege in A.D. 66-70. Therefore, this again is clear evidence that this gospel was written within four decades after Jesus but before the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. “In Hebrew.” Some translators believe the word in this case was Aramaic. However, the more accurate translation is “Hebrew.” Nonetheless, Aramaic and Hebrew are sister languages, and this issue is of little or no significance because Aramaic was the language of the day, commonly used in business and other affairs of daily life among the Jews. Hebrew

231

. Since the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits were celebrated within an eight-day period, these were generally referred to by the most important of the three feasts, Passover. 232

. Mackowski, Jerusalem City of Jesus. 55.

132 was spoken in synagogues, religious events, and used in legal documents. Jewish scholars, however, often spoke only Hebrew as not to be associated with the common people. 233 This is confirmed in the Dead Sea Scrolls, various inscriptions, and other fragments written by the Jews which are seldom found to be in Aramaic, Greek, or Latin. At Masada, Hebrew writings were found on fourteen scrolls, 4,000 coins, and 700 ostraca (ink writings on broken pottery pieces; see Appendix 26). Hebrew writings were more common than Aramaic writings by a ratio of nine to one. 234 Hence, there is a growing opinion in scholarship that Hebrew was the common language in first century Israel. It appears that those who were orthodox in their faith definitely maintained the Hebrew language in worship and in social settings, a lifestyle not necessarily shared by Hellenistic Jews. “An angel would go down.” It has been generally assumed that this angel was an angel of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, the site had been a pagan shrine for centuries before and after the time of Jesus. Since all deities were respectfully honored with the title “Lord,” the phrase “an angel of the Lord” may not always refer to an angel of the God of Abraham. In this case, it probably was a demonic angel. 235 As previously stated, some Bibles translators eliminated verse 4 because scholars believe that God does not tease people, and this narrative clearly appears to be of a tease or lottery nature.236 Therefore, they have concluded that it was not in the original manuscript. However, they have not considered that in the ancient world, all deities were called “lord” and all deities had their angels. On the other hand, to mention that “an angel of the Lord” is not a reference to God appears to be totally out of character of the New Testament.

Video Insert

07.01.04.V1 Dr. Paul Wright discusses the angel of John 5:4, the Pool of Bethesda, and the natural limestone formation in the area.

233

. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. 292.

234

. Bivin and Blizzard, Understanding the Difficult Words. 37.

235

. Other biblical examples are found in Mt. 25:41; Jude 6; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; and Rev. 19:20.

236

. The 1984 edition of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible does not have this verse.

133

Video Insert

07.01.04.V2 Gordon Franz discusses the angel of John 5:4, the Pool of Bethesda, and the natural limestone formation in the area.

07.01.04.Q1 What is the significance of this invalid man having suffered for thirtyeight years? Many translators use the work “invalid” rather than “sick,” which suggests that his physical condition existed since birth. His life and the lives of others had been reduced to begging with no hope or purpose for which to live. There were many who were ill and it is unknown how many were healed. Most certainly all wanted to be healed and likewise Jesus, in love and compassion, met their needs. But among them was one who was “sick for 38 years.” The cause of this man’s illness is unknown. God had a purpose for him because, not only would he tell others of the love of Jesus, but his illness was a reflection upon the Israelite people who wandered in the wilderness from Kadesh-barnea to the Zered Brook for thirtyeight years. It was only after nearly four decades of life in the crippling hot desert that they entered into their Promised Land. The impotent man symbolized the impotent Jewish nation. It is Jesus who takes any person from a spiritual wilderness, regardless of why, how long, or what the situation was, into the full enrichment of life by faith in Him. He came to give life and to give it more abundantly to anyone who desires it (Jn. 10:10).

“Do you want to get well?” Why would Jesus ask this question? It seems to be rather unkind. The question was posed to determine if the man really desired good health or if he preferred to remain in his hopeless state and dwell in self-pity. “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk!” Jesus did more than heal the man; He instantly restored his ability to walk. After thirty-eight years of being an invalid, he was in no physical shape to walk, yet he had instant strength and balance when Jesus spoke.

134

The reaction of the religious leaders demonstrated they were passionately concerned about their laws and had no joy for the man who was just healed. The growing popularity of Jesus was seen as a threat by the Pharisees to their stability and religious power. Not only had Jesus healed on the Sabbath, but He also told the man to carry his mat and, in the process, humiliated the Pharisees. This was a two-point violation of their Oral Law. Some Oral Laws permitted caring for the sick on the Sabbath, 237 but the leading Pharisees chose to ignore them. Therefore, any so-called “violations” were merely those of their own choosing. The Jordan Valley has several unusual springs where sick people came for centuries hoping to receive a healing. The ancients believed that, since the hot water or moving water was so unusual, a divine healing power must be present to cause the unnatural phenomena. There were hot springs in Tiberius, only a couple of miles south of Capernaum. Another popular site was the Spring of Gihon in Jerusalem. For centuries foreigners came to these hot springs and to Jerusalem to be healed. Their travels were in vain, until the Healer came. There was an international traveling clientele of sick people to the Jewish homeland long before Jesus arrived. When He began His healing ministry, the news traveled far and wide. “This is the Sabbath!” It was the common opinion that failure to observe the Sabbath would cause the Jews to be exiled again, just as failure to keep the Sabbath in the past led to their exile in Babylon. Furthermore, it was believed that, if all Jews would honor the Sabbath only once, the messiah would come. Orthodox and ultra-orthodox Jews believe the same today; if they observe the Sabbath only once and keep it holy, their messiah (whoever he is) will come. 238 “It’s illegal for you to pick up your mat.” This law is not the written law of the Bible, but is one of the many Oral Laws that Jesus condemned and referred to as the “traditions of the elders” (Mt. 15:2). This is another case that reflects upon the previous passages concerning old and new/fresh wineskins. The rabbis had argued that any kind of menial activity was defined as work, which violated the term Sabbath that means rest. 239

07.01.04.Q2 Why did the invalid man at the Pool of Bethesda not need faith to be healed? 237

. Mishnah, Eduyoth 2.5; Mishnah, Sabbath 6.3; Mishnah, Mekilta Exodus. 22.2; 23.13.

238

. For more information, see “02.02.18 Oral Law,” “02.02.20 Oral Tradition,” and especially Jubilee 50:6-13 at 02.04.06. In fact, during the Maccabean Revolt, since the Jews refused to fight on the Sabbath, the Greeks slaughtered more than a thousand men, women, and children. Thereafter they decided to defend themselves as not be removed from the face of the earth (1 Macc. 2:31-38). 239 . Josephus, Antiquities. 1.1.1.

135 This question has been challenging throughout the centuries, especially since the healed man may have believed that his healing was the result of the stirring of the waters. There have been several possible reasons debated. 1. Jesus performed the miracle to demonstrate that He was, in fact, the One who heals diseases (Isa. 53). 2. Jesus challenged the Pharisees on their Sabbath regulations and 3. Before hundreds of witnesses, Jesus demonstrated His power was superior to the healing cult of Asclepius. 4. However, at this early point in His ministry He performed a number of miracles where no faith was required. This was because Jesus wanted to validate His ministry as a Healer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not only of the physical body, but of the entire person. These miracles established public awareness and an audience to whom He taught the principles of the kingdom of God â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the rule of God in their lives. Once He was accepted as a Healer and Teacher, then faith was required to receive a miracle.

07.01.04.Q3 Did Jesus demonstrate His power over the Greek god Asclepius? This writer believes there may be a correlation between the ten plagues of Egypt and the seven healings found in the Gospel of John. In the account of the plagues of Egypt, the God of Moses demonstrated His power over the gods of the Egyptians. In a similar manner, it appears that when John wrote his gospel, he implied that Jesus demonstrated His power, 1. To demonstrate His divine power and authority. 2. To demonstrate His superior healing power over the gods of the Greeks and Romans, 3. To demonstrate His superior healing power over the mystical and healing superstitions of the Jews. The influence of the Greek invasion during the Inter-Testamental Period was alive and well during the ministry time of Jesus. First century Judaism experienced a culture confrontation similar to, if not more intense than, what believers face in the world today. For more information, see 03.05.08, Summary Influence of Hellenistic Reform (331-63 B.C.)

136

07.01.04.E STATUETTES OF HEALING GODS. LEFT: Portion of a marble statuette of the god Asclepius (height 26 cm; Courtesy of the Sedot Yam Museum). RIGHT: Portion of a statuette of his daughter, the goddess Hygieia (height 24 cm. Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority). Both statuettes are of the first century and from Caesarea Maritima. It was common practice among many cultures, that when a person was sick or injured, he or she went to the temple to discuss the matter with a priest. The priest would either create a body part out of clay or other material, or get a body part from a storage room where such pieces were kept. The person in need of healing and the artificial body part were then anointed with prayer. This practice was not restricted to the Greeks. First Samuel 6 records the account of when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Lord from the Israelites, they became sick with tumors and rats invaded their land. In response the Philistines asked their priests and diviners what they should do. The answer was to return the Ark with models of rats and tumors made of gold (1 Sam. 6:5). They did and were healed.

137

Unit 09 Turning Point of the Ministry of Jesus Chapter 01 Rejection of Jesus and His Message

138

09.01.00.A JESUS WARNS THE JEWISH LEADERS. Illustration by Godfrey Durand, 1896. While the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus, those who knew Him from childhood also rejected Him. Others weighed carefully His words and actions in relation to the prophecies given in centuries past by the prophets.

09.01.01 Introduction Until this time, the Pharisees were extremely anxious about Jesus because He obviously did not fit into their preconceived ideas of their anticipated political-messiah. Furthermore, He frequently challenged their theological and doctrinal arguments which they constantly lost and caused them to look foolish to bystanders. If the trend continued, they knew it would be only a matter of time until their honor, social status, and affluent lifestyle would be lost. They probably wondered if He planned to take over one of their positions in the synagogues and temple. Furthermore, since He performed so many miracles, He had immense

139 popularity and obviously the power to do whatever He wanted to do. Therefore, they observed every move He made to determine how they could best eliminate Him. 09.01.02 Mk. 3:20; Mt. 12:22-24 (See also Lk. 11:14-23) Capernaum IS JESUS A DEMON OR SON OF DAVID? Mk. 20 Then He went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat. Mt. 22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. 23 And all the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David!” When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 24

Just as there are many denominations in Christianity today, so likewise there were a variety of sects in first century Judaism. Among the Pharisees there was a charismatic group known as the Hasidim, meaning, the godly people, who performed healings, and exorcisms (see Jn. 12:27; Ac. 19:13).240 It is believed that they used a variety of chants and verbal formulas that were amazingly similar to chants and verbal formulas of neighboring pagan cultures. 241 They had the gift of exorcism and they cast out demons “in the name of Yahweh” (Heb. “God”), or more commonly “in the name of Yahweh, and the seal of Solomon.” Jesus demonstrated He had superior power over all other sources, an act that, no doubt, challenged the Hasidim. “Could this be the Son of David?” They had just witnessed a “messianic miracle.” Therefore, they were asking if He could be the expectant “son of David,” because if He was, then he would be their messiah.”242 Jesus had previously healed a leper and now He performed a miracle that the Jews said was one of the “messianic miracles,” the healing of a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak. But they had a serious problem: Their preconception of the coming Son of David was as a military victor who would lead them to political independence and economic prosperity, and 240

. Bruce, New Testament History. 65-67.

241

. See Ex. 7:22; 8:7; Mt. 24:24; Jn. 12:27; Ac. 19:13.

242

. It must be noted that the Jewish people did not believe that their messiah was deity, therefore, in their thinking messiah is spelled with a lower case letter “m.” In terms of Jesus as Him functioning in His role, Messiah is spelled with an upper case letter “M.”

140 establish an international superpower, as King David had done a thousand years earlier. This was the description they read in the Psalms of Solomon, a recent first century B.C. book. But when the people saw Jesus heal the demon-possessed man, they realized this was not anything King David had done. In fact, the terms Son of Man,243 or Bar Enosh in Aramaic,244 and Son of David became synonyms for Messiah by the first century.245 The expectations were that this “Son” would excel David’s triumphs. 246 So they questioned if He really was from the house of David. It was not the mission of Jesus at this time to rebuild the Davidic Empire, but to bring deliverance and salvation to every soul afflicted by sin and, thereby, usher in the Kingdom of God into their life.

The leading Pharisees (not the Hasidim) believed that, if a demon had been cast out of a person, this could have been done only by a more powerful demon. More specifically, it could only have been accomplished by Beelzebub, the prince of demons who ordered one of his subjects out of this man. Therefore, they concluded that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub and, therefore, had to die. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, turned the issue around so they would have to realize that if He cast out the demon by the Spirit of God (and He did), then they had a problem of how to deal with the Kingdom of God which was now confronting them. But this conversation caused another problem: How could Jesus have known their thoughts unless He was a prophet of God? Demons do not have this gift. “Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” This phrase was well known and appears in the Testament of Solomon. Jewish writings had numerous references to exorcisms I am Beelzebul, the ruler of demons. 243

. Wijngaards, Handbook to the Gospels. 44.

245

. Richardson, “David.” 59-60.

246

. Psalm of Solomon 17; Ecclesiasticus 47:11; 1 Macc. 2:57.

141 Testment of Solomon 3:6 247 The ancients believed the Philistine god Beelzebul (2 Kg. 1:2), was the chief demon who lived in the Abyss that was located at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee. 248 This demon was also known as Baal-Zebul, Baal-Zubub, or Baal-Zebub. The name meant “Lord of the heavenly dwelling,” or “Lord of the royal palace,” in the ancient Philistine law. However, by a slight alteration of letters, the Jews changed the name to mean the “God of dung,” or the “God of flies.” In Syria, it meant “Lord of the manure pile.” 249 Word plays like this were common and it clearly reflects their offensive attitude toward their Gentile neighbors. 250 Baal-Zubub was also a god of the Phoenicians that Jesus identified as Satan when He said, “If Satan drives out Satan.” Satan was believed to have his evil work accomplished by subordinate demons. Please note: The directives related to exorcisms as established by King Solomon, as described by the first century historian Josephus (Antiquities 8.2.5), are quoted a few pages below at 09.01.05. The historian said that the methods written by Solomon were still being used by Jews in his day as witnessed by him. See also 10.01.06.

09.01.03 Mt. 12:25-28; Lk. 11:20; Mt. 12:29-32 THE UNPARDONABLE SIN Mt. 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Lk. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Mt. 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone 247

. Quoted by Block and Webb. Key Events in the Life of the Historical Jesus. 168 n38.

248. Or any sea, Jon. 2:2-3.

249. Gilbrant, “Luke.” 353.

250.

Major, Manson, and Wright, The Mission and Message of Jesus. 64.

142 who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters. Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. 31

The Pharisees did not deny that Jesus performed mighty miracles; rather, they concluded that He was using demonic powers to perform them. Therefore, He offered them three proofs to verify that His identity was not of a demonic nature: 1. His first argument was that if He was of Satan and used His power against the evil one, He would in effect be using His power against himself. Satan is obviously not suicidal. 2. The Jews had always recognized that certain individuals functioned with a divine gift to cast out demons. To this situation Jesus said that since He spoke of the Kingdom of God, then He too was functioning with the divine gift to cast out demons. Conversely, if Jesus really was of Satan, He would not be teaching and preaching the Kingdom of God. Therefore, He must be who He said He was. 3. Finally, Jesus presented an allegory of a robber who desires to rob someone of his possessions. Clearly the robber would have to first overpower the guard (strong man) and tie him up before he could begin his theft. The inference here is that Jesus entered the demonic domain and freed people who were under Satan’s bondage and control. Jesus is obviously stronger than Satan since Jesus described Himself as the robber who tied up the guard (Satan) and freed captured people. “If Satan drives out Satan.” Today there is a controversy by some theologians concerning the ability of non-Christians and non-Jews who performed exorcisms: How did they accomplish it without the power of Christ? Is it possible to cast out demons with an authority other than the power of Jesus? This is a theological issue that is beyond the scope of this writing. However, a brief response is that some non-believers think they have the power to cast out demonic forces. It has been suggested that in some cases, demons are not cast out, but they simply relocate or remain quiet, thereby giving the illusion of having been removed. Evil men giving the appearance of casting out demons will be among the “great signs and wonders” of Matthew 24:24. It is only by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that one can effectively and permanently deal with demonic forces. On the other hand, at the three temptations, Jesus had victory over Satan by citing only Old

143 Testament Scriptures. The question then is why Jewish exorcists not successful in casting out demons using only the name of God? “Who is it your sons drive them out by?” This question clearly indicates that Jesus knew the Pharisees were successful in their exorcisms. The Jewish procedure was to: 1. Communicate with the demon, 2. Determine his name, and 3. Cast him out of his victim. However, the source of power the Jews used is questionable. Jesus suggests that it was by the power of Beelzebul. Satanic miracles and healings were possible and led many astray (Ex. 7:22; 8:7; Mt. 24:24). “Finger of God.” The same phrase was used by Matthew as “the Spirit of God” in the parallel verse. Everyone was aware how weak a single finger is and Luke used this figure of speech to demonstrate the strength of God. He stated that God is so powerful that demons were expelled by His finger and, furthermore, the Kingdom of God was now in their presence meaning the Hebrew prophecies of the Messiah were being fulfilled in their presence. 251 “Kingdom of God.” This phrase is synonymous with “Kingdom of Heaven,” and both terms have three elements of definition. 1. A king reigns over the realm. 2. It is the people over which He reigns, as in Revelation 5:10 where the people are clearly the kingdom. In fact, in this passage, Luke 13:29 and Revelation 1:6 the people share the reign. 3. The actual reign itself is both in a present state and in one of the future. Jesus offered the kingdom first to national Judaea (Israel) because the Jewish people were the rightful heirs to the promises of God (Mt. 8:12). However, the religious leaders rejected Him and encouraged others to do likewise (Mt. 23:13). At the same time many Jews, including the destitute of society, accepted the words of Jesus and became the first century church. But the nation was doomed to destruction because

251

. Bilbrant, “Luke.” 357.

144 of the rejection of Jesus by her leaders and those who followed them. In a future sense, the kingdom will be introduced when Christ returns to reign over the world. 252 The phrase had come into common usage in the two centuries preceding Jesus as evident in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha.253 However, the popular Jewish understanding of this kingdom was different for Jesus’ idea, as the people and their rabbis believed the following, 1. The tiny nation of Israel would triumph over her enemies with the help of the Messiah, and 2. The kingdom was one of ethics and wisdom, clearly the influence of Hellenism in the latter part. 3. Finally, the understanding of the kingdom was one of universal expanse, not just control of the nation of Israel. The “Kingdom of God” issue was the most important teaching of Jesus, with an emphasis much greater in the gospels than in the Old Testament, extra-biblical books, or in the balance of the New Testament. The kingdom is often the subject of parables because Jesus not only had to teach what the kingdom was about, but He also had to teach what it wasn’t. He had to change their concept of His kingdom because He certainly was not going to overthrow the Roman Empire. This paradigmatic shift was accomplished, in part, by His demonstration of miracles, teaching, and explicit fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.254 Add to the theological chaotic mix the ideas promoted by those with a nationalistic passion, and the challenges Jesus faced become clearer. The revolutionary Zealots followed the Maccabean tradition and believed that the kingdom would come through their heroic endeavors and military might. They expected God to fight for them as He did during the Maccabean Revolt. They believed at some point during this freedom fight against Rome, the Messiah would appear and lead them to victory. On the other hand, there were the apocalyptists who believed the present age was about to end, they taught that the kingdom would come in accordance with God’s timing, and the Romans would be destroyed by thousands of angels and archangels (i.e. Book of Enoch). The Pharisees, Essenes, and Apocalyptic writers held to this position. Ironically, they did not believe the kingdom would 252

. Ladd, “Kingdom of God.” 9:1123-24. 253

. Quotations from the Apocrypha are from the New Revised Standard Version, Bruce M. Metzger, ed. Quotations from the Pseudepigrapha, James A. Charlesworth, ed. 254. Saucy, “Miracles and Jesus Proclamation of the Kingdom of God.” 285.

145 be won by human intervention, but by the son of man, that is, a “son of man” according to their definition of the phrase.255

09.01.03.A A PEACEFUL SEA OF GALILEE AT SUNSET. The natural lake was a major source for fish and fresh water throughout history. To ancient pagans it was also a mystical body of water because of the sudden storms. They believed that (1) only the gods could control the winds and waves, (2) that demons lived in its depths, and (3) the bottom of the lake was one of the three entrances to hell. Photograph by the author. “How can someone enter a strong man’s house?” This phrase is problematic to today’s readers because it suggests that Jesus approves the entering of someone’s home for the purpose of theft. He specifically said that one must overcome and tie up the owner, meaning the strong man, and only then can the theft be successful as stated in the next sentence. However, the context of this statement is that the owner, or “strong man,” is none other than Satan himself. All that the evil one has was stolen from others. Therefore, Jesus said that in spiritual warfare, one must “bind up” up Satan and then the stolen goods can be returned to their rightful owners.256

255

. It appears that the term “Son of Man,” was believed to be a heavenly being of some kind, but not necessarily a being associated with Deity. Therefore, the phrase is not capitalized. 256

. See additional comments on 10.01.29 “Bind on earth … loose on earth” and 11.02.09 on “Binding and Losing.”

146 “Anyone who is not with Me is against Me.” With Jesus, there is no middle ground. One must decide whether to follow Him. In the mind of Jesus, either one is totally committed to Him, or one is against Him, but there is no room for indifference to His message. Here Jesus called upon His listeners to make a decision to be either for or against Him. Those who rejected Him and chose to side with the Pharisees eventually suffered horrible consequences. They never changed their minds as to where Jesus obtained His power to cast out demons. They believed He was demonically possessed and, therefore, they rejected of the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. “But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit.” The word Holy Spirit, is derived from the Greek Paraclete, and Parakletos means someone who stands by to help.257 This is a classic example of where the passage must be understood in the Jewish cultural context, and not with a Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit (which is much broader). 1. The Holy Spirit enlightens mankind to God’s truth. 2. The Holy Spirit enables mankind to recognize and understand Divine truth. Therefore, the reason the words of Jesus were so powerfully condemning of the leading Pharisees and their cohorts, is that they clearly recognized and understood Jesus, His ministry, and His message. The Holy Spirit enlightened them, yet they rejected Him and the Kingdom of God. Until this time, the religious leaders had heard numerous sermons by Jesus; they interview a number of people who received miraculous healings; they witnessed many miracles and more importantly, they realized that Jesus was the Person described in the messianic prophecies of their Hebrew Bible. There comes a time, after multiple rejections of God’s calling to repentance, that God essentially says, “Enough is enough.” When a person reaches that point in life, repentance is impossible and God gives him whatever he desires – but the ultimate end is always death. As stated previously, the Pharisees willfully decided that Jesus was demonically possessed and, therefore, they rejected of the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. That was the unpardonable sin. However, generally speaking, throughout history all men and women have spoken out against God at some point in their lives. Yet God, in His divine grace and mercy, is patient with His human subjects until repentance comes by the call of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, there are many individuals who constantly reject that call and the day finally comes when God decides that they had sufficient opportunity to accept Jesus and that door of opportunity is closed. That final rejection is known as the “unpardonable sin.” It is the sin of refusing the gift of salvation so frequently that it is no longer offered. 257

. Barclay, “Luke.” 162.

147

Sometimes people ponder if they are guilty of this sin. The answer lies in the simple fact that they are worried about it. The fact that there is a concern for having committed the unpardonable sin is inherent proof that it was not committed. Once the Holy Spirit has been grieved numerous times and no longer invites one to salvation, all concern of committing sin is gone and the truly reprobate person feels no remorse. Those who desire forgiveness from God will always find it (Isa. 45:22; Mt. 11:28; Jn. 3:16). However, for those who reject the final calling of the Holy Spirit to come to Christ, there will be no forgiveness.258 They are the ones who have no concern for any kind of sin and God, who is gracious, will give them what they want – a life of sin – but the final consequence will be theirs as well.

Unit 13 The Passion Week Begins Chapter 01 258

. Jenney, “The Holy Spirit and Sanctification.” 413; Pentecost, The Words and Word of Jesus Christ. 207.

148

Preview of Events and the Triumphal Entry

13.01.00.A THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. Artwork by Heinrich Hoffmann. Jesus enters Jerusalem as the crowds wave palm branches before Him. The waving of branches before a monarch was an ancient â&#x20AC;&#x153;body languageâ&#x20AC;? whereby people expressed their acceptance and allegiance to their king. When the religious establishment saw this, they were horrified. 13.01.01 Introduction and Summary of the Passion Week Events The most important week in the history of humanity has become known as the Passion

149 Week when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The immense popularity He had with the common people can be clearly seen in sharp contrast to the immense hatred of His enemies for Him when they stood before Pilate. Tensions always ran high at Passover because it was believed that this festival was the most likely time for the messiah to rise and begin another revolt for national freedom. Therefore, extra soldiers were present to crush any self-proclaimed messiahs as well as a possible rebellion. At Qumran, the Essenes wrote of an expectant messiah and various false prophets also wrote of one in Pseudepigrapha literature. (See Appendix 24.) Since the Roman occupation began, several individuals who claimed to be the messiah came, and they were consequently killed or imprisoned by the Romans. 259 For this reason, Herod the Great upgraded the Hasmonean Antonio Fortress that was adjacent to the temple and stationed extra military units inside at every Passover. He wanted to be sure that if a messianic pretender did announce himself as king of the Jews, his soldiers would put a quick end to his life as they had done with the little boys in Bethlehem. However, the Old Testament prophets described a messiah who was to be different from popular first century expectations.

Into this political caldron entered Jesus, riding on a donkey, a humble resemblance of a king on parade entering one of his cities. The people loved Him. His reputation for healing and excellent teaching went beyond Israel. He never spoke a harsh word to anyone, except of course, to those hypocritical religious leaders who did not practice what they preached. He had even raised some people from the dead. As Jesus exposed the corruption of the religious elite, they began to plot their strategy. Their dirty work would have to be done at night when those who loved Him would be sleeping. Furthermore, if they could not get Him executed for religious reasons, then they would attempt a political accusation, such as accusing Him of being a messiah with anti-Roman 259

. Simon bar Kokhba was one of those who claimed to be the Messiah who would deliver the Jews from the Romans. He led an uprising in A.D. 132 which resulted in the utter destruction of Jerusalem three years later. Both Jews and Christians were expelled from the city and the victorious Roman general Hadrian renamed Israel, “Palestinia,” in honor of the ancient Philistine enemies. From this name that the modern name “Palestine” is derived.

150 political ambitions. At this point, it is important to provide an overview of the many events that transpired in the last week. There have been various attempts to calculate which year the crucifixion occurred. Suggested years range from A.D. 29 to A.D. 33. The latter has been often chosen because started His ministry when He was about 30 years of age (Lk. 3:23). 260 In the sixth century (A.D.), it was assumed that Jesus was born in year 1 and had a three and a half year ministry period. This obviously adds up to the year 33. However, as previously explained, He was born between the years 7 and 5 B.C. Furthermore, the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;about 30â&#x20AC;? years of age permits Him to have begun His ministry when He was a little older. Assuming a three and a half or possibly a four and a half year ministry period, the years add up to the year 30 with no difficulty. This is confirmed by Jewish writings that state a number of strange events occurred about four decades before the temple was destroyed, meaning, these occurred in the year A.D. 30. The date of the triumphal entry was a fulfillment of a prophecy given in Daniel 9:25. The prophet Daniel said that beginning of the time of restoration and the rebuilding of Jerusalem until the anointed comes would be sixty-nine sevens of years [Sabbatical years], or when adjusted to the modern calendar, 483 years. Scholars have debated what time this prophetic clock began and there are three possibilities. Most, however, agree that it was in 444 B.C. when the king of Persia decreed that Jerusalem should be rebuilt (Neh. 1 & 2). Daniel 9:26 states that the Anointed One would be cut off at the end of the seven sevens and sixty-two sevens of weeks, meaning at the end of the 483 years. It is significant to know that the word cut off also means executed. If that is correct, then the Triumphal Entry and death of Jesus occurred in A.D. 30. The second half of Daniel 9:26 states that after the Anointed One is cut off, the ruler of the people will come and destroy the city and sanctuary. That ruler was the Roman General Titus and his Roman Tenth Legion, as they not only destroyed the city, but destroyed and dismantled the temple and thousands upon thousands were slaughtered in the process. This clearly points to Jesus as being the Anointed One.261 Forty years after His crucifixion and resurrection, the temple was destroyed along with all of the records by which anyone could claim to be a descendant of King David.

260

. Maier, In the Fullness of Time. 345.

261

. Metzger, God in Eclipse. 151-52.

151 Jesus was the fulfillment of the sacrificial Lamb of God. Moses said in Exodus 12:3 that on the 10th day of the first month of Aviv/Nisan acquire a lamb and bring it into their homes. There they would observe it for any imperfections as it was not to have a proverbial â&#x20AC;&#x153;spot or blemish.â&#x20AC;? Of course during that time everyone, especially children, became affectionately close to the cute little thing. But then, four days later, the lamb was to be sacrificed. In fulfillment of the Hebrew prophecy, on the 10 th of Aviv/Nisan, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9) and in the following four days the Sadducees, Pharisees, Scribes, and even the Herodians examined him theologically. In the meantime, the people loved Him more than ever before. His popularity escalated. All who tried to find fault with Him became embarrassed or humiliated. Little wonder then, that they planned to kill Him.

While there are various viewpoints, the following outline is one to which most scholars agree.262 Saturday, Nisan 8, A.D. 30 (six days before the final Passover - Jn. 11:55) Jesus arrived at Bethany. Jesus was anointed at the house of Simon the leper (Mt. 26:6-13; Mk. 14:3-9; Jn. 12:1-8). Sunday, Nisan 9 A large crowd came to see Jesus at Bethany (Jn. 12:9-11). Monday, Nisan 10 (the next day - Jn. 12:12) Jews selected their lambs, which would live with them, be examined for purity between the 10th and the 14th day of Nisan, and be sacrificed on Passover (Ex.12:3-6). Triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the Paschal lamb (Mt. 21:1-9; Mk. 11:1-10; Lk. 19:28-40; Jn. 12:12-19). The Kingdom of God is no longer offered to the Jewish nation, but Jesus speaks of national judgment. Jesus visited the temple (Mt. 21:10-11; Mk. 11:11). Jesus returned to Bethany. 262

. Adapted from Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. 90-93.

152

Tuesday, Nisan 11 Return to Jerusalem, fig tree cursed (Mt. 21:18-19; Mk. 11:12-14). Temple cleansed (Mt. 21:12-13; Mk. 11:15-17; Lk. 19:45-46). Religious leaders plot to kill Jesus. Jesus left Jerusalem, probably to Bethany (Mk. 11:18-19; Lk. 19:47-48). Wednesday, Nisan 12 Return to Jerusalem, disciples saw the dead fig tree (Mt. 21:20-22; Mk. 11:2026). Debate with religious leaders at the temple (Mt. 21:23 - 23:39; Mk. 11:27 12:44; Lk. 20:1 - 21:4). Left the temple to give the Olivet Discourse on the Mount of Olives (Mt. 24:1 - 25:46; Mk. 13:1-37; Lk. 21:5-36). Jesus predicted His crucifixion in two days (Mt. 26:1-5; Mk. 14:1-2; Lk. 22:12). Judas planned to betray Jesus (Mt. 26:14-16; Mk. 14:10-11; Lk. 22:3-6). Thursday, Nisan 13 Jesus and disciples prepare the Passover lamb (Mt. 26:17-19; Mk. 12-16; Lk. 22:7-13). Passover celebrated in the Upper Room (Mt. 26:20-30; Mk. 14:17-26; Lk. 22:14-30; Jn. 13:1 - 14:31). They left the Upper Room. Jesus prays for His disciples (Mt. 26:30-35; Mk. 14:26-31; Lk. 22:31-39; Jn. 15:1 - 18:1). They arrive in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus in agony in the Garden (Mt. 26:36-46; Mk. 14:32-42; Lk. 22:39-46; Jn. 18:1). Jesus betrayed late night (Mt. 26:47-56; Mk. 14:43-52; Lk. 22:47-53; Jn. 18:212). First night trial by Annas, second night trial by Caiaphas (Mt. 26:57-75; Mk. 14:53-72; Lk. 22:54-65; Jn. 18:13-27).

Friday, Nisan 14 (reckoned to the Julian calendar: April 3, A.D. 30)263 Third trial by the Sanhedrin in early morning. Fourth trial by Pilate. Fifth trial by Herod Antipas. 263

. Pentecost, The Words and Word of Jesus Christ. 375.

153 Sixth trial by Pilate. (Mt. 27:1-30; Mk. 15:1-19; Lk. 22:66 - 23:25; Jn. 18:28 - 19:16). 9:00 a.m. Jesus crucified. 3:00 p.m. Jesus died (buried before sundown). (Mt. 27:31-60; Mk. 15:20-46; Lk. 23:26-54; Jn. 19:16-42) 3:00 p.m. Jews sacrificed their Passover lambs (Ex. 12:6; 1 Cor. 5:7). Saturday, Nisan 15 The body of Jesus lies in the tomb. Jews secured Roman guards at the tomb (Mt. 27:61-66; Mk. 15:47; Lk. 23:5556). Sunday, Nisan 16 Jesus resurrected from the dead (Mt. 28:1-15; Mk. 16:1-13; Lk. 24:1-35). Jesus is a type of offering of First Fruits which was offered the day after the Sabbath (Lev. 23:9-14; 1 Cor. 15:23). The crowds honored Jesus before He arrived at the city. As He approached the city gates their praises became increasingly intense. It had been only a few days since He raised Lazarus from the tomb and the news of this incredible event spread like wildfire. Everyone remembered His many miracles and now they wanted to make Him their king. At this point Jesus probably remembered Satanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temptation of kingship after His baptism. They probably thought that since Jesus performed such great wonders, He could conquer the Romans, clear the temple of its corrupt priesthood, re-establish the long awaited Davidic Kingdom and the Davidic Covenant.264 In the meantime, as the crowds praised the Miracle Worker, Caiaphas and his Roman friends were nervously waiting for what would become of this Jesus. The life of Jesus was filled with numerous prophetic fulfillments. Yet there is one that would not be recognized for another four decades. It is a prophetic word given by the prophet Daniel while in Babylon. After those 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the coming prince will destroy the city and the sanctuary. 26

Daniel 9:26a

264

. For a study of Jewish covenants from a messianic Jewish perspective, see Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology.

154 Only after the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, did Jewish and Gentile believers realize the significance of this prophecy. The destruction confirmed that Jesus was the expected messiah, because according to Daniel, He would to come before the temple would be destroyed.

He had spent His ministry years teaching about the Kingdom of God; that to know God was to know Him. This new kingdom is the new covenant, symbolically sealed with His blood for all Jews and Gentiles who would accept Him as their Messiah (Mt. 26:26-28). The triumphal entry was not only a fulfillment of prophecy, but was also the public presentation of Jesus to national Israel as the Messiah. He had spent several years in ministry and while He had a great following of common peasants, now was the last opportunity for the Jewish leadership, commonly referred to as “national Israel,” to accept or reject Him. They chose to reject Him. Throughout His last week of life, Jesus underscored His theme of the Kingdom of God for both Jews and Gentiles. His triumphal entry (Mt. 21:4-5) was the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9-10. In cleansing the temple Court of the Gentiles (Mk. 11:15-18) he quoted Isaiah 56:7, stating that His house would be a house of prayer for all nations. Since the Jewish leadership officially rejected Him and His message, He announced the official end of Israel’s stewardship of the Kingdom of God (Mt. 21:33-43). Instead, His gospel would now be preached to all nations (Mt. 26:13) by Gentiles and one day the entire world will be judged (Mt. 25:31-46).

13.01.02 Lk. 19:29-31; Mt. 21:4-7; Mk. 11:4-7 (See also Jn. 12:14-16) Bethpage and

155 Bethany JESUS SENDS FOR COLT Lk. 29 As He approached Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of the disciples 30 and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” Mt. 4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, “Look, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden” (Zech. 9:9). 5

The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. 6

Mk. 4 So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. 7 Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it. It is amazing that Jesus and so many other people traveled through the three villages that were located east of the Jerusalem, because the Temple Scrolls identify these as leper colonies.265 Evidently these lepers had the type of leperosy that was a skin condition and not the “full blown” disease which caused limbs to decay and fall off. It was believed that the disease was a wind borne illness and since the prevailing wind came from the west, the Mount of Olives was a safe place for the lepers to live. While anyone with a physical infirmity was not permitted to enter the temple, from the top of the mount, those with a disease or handicap were high enough that they could see over the city walls and observe the events within the temple courts. It was the Hebraic way of saying that one day they would be in the heavenly temple courts.

265

. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls were found some scrolls known as the Temple Scrolls. The reference to the three villages as leper colonies is found on column 46, lines 16-18.

156

13.01.02.A THE EASTERN (GOLDEN) GATE OF JERUSALEM. The Eastern Gate seen today was rebuilt by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538 and stands upon the original gate where Jesus made His triumphal entry. Suleiman, however, eventually learned that Christians believed that their Messiah would one day ride through it. In response, he closed it and placed a cemetery in front of it believing that the Messiah would not defile Himself by going over it.266 Photograph by the author. It was only a few weeks earlier when Jesus and His disciples were in northern Israel at the cultic shrine of Pan, where He asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” To this Peter’s response was, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Similar imagery now played out at the triumphal entry as the people believed Jesus was some type of Figure sent by God to deliver them from oppression. Jesus entered Jerusalem as if to silently ask, “Who do you people say that I am?” Their response was correspondingly correct when they, in effect, said, “[You are] the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” The ride upon a donkey made a profound statement of His Messiahship without saying a word. The common people were sufficiently educated in their Scriptures to understand the symbolic language. They certainly had no second thoughts that the One who was the Great Healer was assumed to be their expected political-messiah. Consequently, the religious leadership was forced to accelerate their actions against Jesus. “You will find a young donkey.” Some translations read, “You will find a colt,” with is a reference to the young donkey. In this description Mark agrees with Luke; however, Matthew is somewhat more descriptive when he said, “You will find a donkey . . . with her 266

. Packer, Tenney, and White, Nelson’s Illustrated Encyclopedia. 40.

157 colt by her.” John simply stated that Jesus “found a young donkey and sat upon it.” The fact that all three gospel writers did not mention the young offspring is not an error; not all three writers elected to include that detail. What is important is that this was a young donkey, and most certainly, she had her first colt. The young donkey also would have been called a colt. It is hard to imagine that Jesus, who walked throughout Judea, Galilee, and Perea, as well as to Tyre and Sidon, would have been so tired that He could not walk, but needed a ride. Jesus needed a donkey for symbolic reasons as this imagery connected Him with Hebrew prophecies. While during the Inter-Testamental period and at the time of Jesus, kings rode horses, centuries earlier in Jewish history they rode donkeys. 267 The donkey as a symbol of peace was well established in biblical times. Note the following examples: 1. Jair was a judge who had thirty sons, all of whom rode donkeys (Jud. 10:4). 2. Ahithopel rode a donkey (2 Sam. 17:23). 3. Mephibosheth, a royal price of King Saul rode a donkey to see King David (2 Sam. 19:26) Prophetic Scriptures such as Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 62:11, and Zechariah 9:9 portrayed a vivid image of a messianic king riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. Therefore, when Jesus, the One who healed the blind, the lepers, and raised the dead, rode into Jerusalem, the people became ecstatic. He fulfilled the image the rabbis told them concerning the messianic miracles and the prophecies in their Hebrew Bible. He could not have ridden a horse, as that would have been symbolic of a military victor.268 Jesus never endorsed, nor opposed, the nationalistic fever by word or by deed. The donkey was a symbol of peace and servanthood. 269 Men do not fear one whose mission is peace, but they do fear men of war. At issue here was the conflict between belief and unbelief, light and darkness, death and resurrection into new life. If there was ever a symbol that Jesus was not going to overthrow the Romans, the donkey was that symbol. Yet the thousands of people cheering and welcoming Him into the city were worrisome for Jewish leaders.

13.01.02.Q1 Why did Jesus need to ride a donkey that was untrained?

267

. Judg. 10:4; 12:14, 25a; 16:2.

268

. Johnston, Gordon “Introduction to Hebrew The Law Study.” Lecture series at the Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, PA. Fall, 1997. 269

. Farrar, Life of Christ. 330-31; Stein, R. Jesus the Messiah. 179.

158 To have ridden a trained beast of burden would have meant that Jesus rode on a “used” or “second hand” animal. It is a fundamental rule of worship that all that is ever given or used to honor God is to be pure and holy, never having been used for anything else previously. Animals used for religious service, likewise, had to be pure, holy, and never used previously (Num. 19:2; Deut. 21:3; Isa. 6:7). Therefore, Jesus had to ride a colt that was never ridden. The Psalms of Solomon, describes the messiah as some expected him to be. Most notably in chapter 17 is an interesting collection of passages was organized to establish Jewish victory and a Gentile service relationship. There is little question that these verses reflect some opinions that were held at the time of Jesus. He will gather a holy people (cf Ps. 9:2; 11:3) whom he will lead in righteousness, And he will judge the tribes of the people that have been made holy by the Lord their God. He will not tolerate unrighteousness (even) to pause among them, and any person who knows wickedness shall not live with them (Ps. 101:7). For he shall know them that they are all children of their God. He will distribute them upon the land (Ps. 11:3) according to their tribes (Isa. 49:6; Ezek. 45:8); The alien and the foreigner will no longer live near them (Ezek. 47:13, 21). He will judge peoples and nations in the wisdom of his righteousness (Ezek. 18:9). About three or four decades before Jesus was born, another writer said this, And he will have Gentile nations serving him under his yoke, and he will glorify the Lord in (a place) prominent (above) the whole earth. And he will purge Jerusalem (and make it) holy as it was even from the beginning, (For) nations to come from the ends of the earth to see his glory (Isa. 55:5), to bring as gifts her children who had been driven out, And to see the glory of the Lord with which God has glorified her. And he will be a righteous king over them, taught by God. There will be no unrighteousness among them in his days, for all shall be holy (Jer. 23:5), and the king shall be the Lord Messiah.

159

Psalms of Solomon 17:26-32 270 This passage, which was intended for public reading, clearly identifies the messiah as one who would bring justice to the Jewish people, as well as to the Gentiles, but the Gentiles would be servants to the Jews. No doubt, this reflected the manner in which the Jews had been servants to the Romans, the Greeks, and others in previous centuries. “On which no one has ever sat.” To sit on a donkey is to ride it, and this was another miracle as Jesus demonstrated He had power and dominion over nature. One does not ride a donkey, horse, or any other animal for the first time and expect not to be thrown off. All domesticated animals need to be trained to accept a rider. For an untrained donkey to accept a rider, especially when she had her young foal, was definitely miraculous. What Jesus did was clearly against all laws of nature.

13.01.02.Q2 How is the apparent conflict of the number of donkeys explained? Matthew, who wrote to his Jewish audience, made it a point to report that when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem He was fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Matthew also stated that Jesus said to His disciples to bring them (Mt. 21:2) and restated the plurality in the following verse when He said the Lord needs them, obviously meaning both the donkey and its colt. Interpreting this passage to mean that Jesus rode both of them obviously does not mean simultaneously, but in succession. 271 Matthew perhaps recorded the presence of the colt, as it was too young to be taken from the mother. This would emphasize the uniqueness of Jesus riding upon it. Mark and Luke reported only one donkey, which was the focus of each writer. The imagery of a donkey continued to be a challenge to the Jewish people. A passage in the Talmud recorded similar imagery with an interesting prophetic twist of the Messiah riding a white horse. Note the phrase “if they are meritorious” (below) reflects the common thinking of the day that the messiah will come only after the Jews cleanse themselves and live pure and holy lives. Jesus came because it is impossible for humanity to present itself before God pure and holy; hence, He paid the price of sin with His life.

270

. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigraphia. 2:667-68. Additions for clarification within parenthesis by Charlesworth. The phrase “Lord Messiah,” is regarded by some scholars as a mistranslation from Lam. 4:20 (LXX). However, Charlesworth states that there is evidence in Greek and Syrian MSS for the rendering as shown. 271

. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commenatary, 62.

160 It is written, “Behold your king comes to you, lowly and riding on a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). If they are meritorious, he will come with the clouds of heaven; if not, lowly and riding upon a donkey. King Shapur 272 said to Samuel, “You maintain that the Messiah will come upon a donkey: I will rather send him a white horse of mine.” Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a The Talmud reflects the common thinking that the Jewish people wanted a Messiah who would give them political freedom. These continued centuries later when the Talmud was written. Note the powerful symbolism of His entry according to the gospels: 1. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, 2. Huge crowds greeted Him. 3. They placed hundreds, if not thousands, of palm branches (Jn. 12:13; Mk. 11:8) and cloaks (Mt. 21:6; Mk. 11:7; Lk. 19:36) on the road before Him. 4. They shouted praises of Him (Mt. 21:9; Mk. 11:9-10; Lk. 19:38. It is understandable that the religious leaders were nearly paranoid. No wonder the Pharisees came to Jesus to ask Him to calm the crowd (Lk. 19:39-40; Jn. 12:19). It was a most unusual request in light of the many times they criticized Him. Matthew’s focus was to report the fulfillment of biblical prophecy to a Jewish audience who knew the Old Testament prophecies. However, Mark and Luke wrote to Gentile audiences who had little or no knowledge of Hebrew prophecies. Therefore, the second and third evangelists would not have reported this information. They did, however, report that the donkey had never been ridden and the animal was completely submissive to Jesus. Everyone understood this was against all laws of nature, clearly a miracle! “Daughter Zion ... your king comes to you.” The phrase “Daughter Zion” or “Daughter of Zion” is a personification of Mount Zion, which was that part of Jerusalem where David and other kings once lived. It represents Jerusalem and all of its inhabitants. However, the phrase “daughter” also represents the villages that surround the Jerusalem such as Bethlehem.

272

. A Jewish king outside of Judea who struggled against the Romans.

161 Jesus combined these two phrases from two verses from the Hebrew Bible: Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9. Note the following, Look, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: Look, your salvation is coming, His reward is with him, and His gifts accompany Him.’” Isaiah 62:11 11

A unique feature of this passage is Isaiah’s word for salvation. It is Yesha, and is identical to the Hebrew name of Jesus, that is Yeshua, except that the latter has the optional letter vav. 273 Furthermore, the word Yesha does more than imply a person, it implies Deity. Jesus connected portions of Isaiah’s passage with portions of Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 9

Zechariah 9:9 The implication is that God, the salvation of Israel, and the expected Messiah, are all one embodied in Jesus of Nazareth. By reflecting upon Isaiah and Zechariah, Jesus implies that there is still work ahead of Him, and that is His return. 13.01.03 Lk. 19:36-40; Mk. 11:8 (See also Mt. 21:8-9) Jerusalem, Sunday JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM

Lk. 36 As He was going along, they were spreading their robes on the road. 37 Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: 273

. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary. 61.

162 The King who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One (Ps. 118:26). Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! 38

Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 39

He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!” 40

Mk. 8 Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. “The stones would cry out.” In this context, if the people would not recognize Jesus as their Messiah, then the rocks would have done so. For centuries the phrase has been considered a figure of speech due to the nature and work of Jesus. The statement echoed the words of the prophet Habakkuk (2:11). However, in the past two centuries there have been two unique phenomena: 1. The rise of textual criticism by some theologians who state that the Bible cannot be trusted. 2. The rise of archaeology that has shown that the Biblical history is accurate and, therefore, can be trusted. 274 Jesus will receive praise that is due Him, if not from man, then from nature; and if man will not proclaim that the Bible is trustworthy, then the rocks will.

<< Your donation will enable us to defend the historical truth of the gospels, do further research, add more video mini-lectures, and strengthen pastors and Bible students on a global scale. Thank you. >>

274

. Archaeology does not “prove” the truthfulness of the Bible. It is a scientific method of research that stresses experimentation and induction from data rather than philosophical deduction in the tradition of Aristotle. When evidence uncovered by archaeologists is interpreted honestly without bias, the conclusions often agree with the chronology of biblical history. Where agreement fails, additional research is required.

163