INTERTESTAMENTAL HISTORY

by Steve and Terri White

REMNANT RETURNS:

With the ten northern tribes scattered over the former Assyrian Empire, and most of Judah remaining in Persia, only a tiny remnant returned to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. It was this group that rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra (the priest), Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel (descendant of David). Because of many delays and obstacles, it took about 100 years to finish the work. Life under Persian rule was relatively peaceful and prosperous.

Even though temple worship was restored, the Jews continued a practice that had evidently begun during captivity -- worship in the synagogue. Historians can only guess that the Jews in captivity met in homes for prayer and the reading of the scriptures on the Sabbath. This custom would have necessitated some order of procedure and required persons to lead the meetings. Hence, the position of the rabbi, or teacher, was introduced. This new custom doubtless prevented the Jews, who were stripped of the temple and its rites, from being swallowed up by Persian idolatry. (No one knows what became of the Israelites from the ten northern tribes; they never again emerged as a people. They likely adopted Assyrian customs and intermarried with the gentiles.)

GREEK RULE:

When Alexander the Great swept through Persia, the Greeks conquered and extended their empire into the East and into northern Africa. Initially the Jews were treated well. Although all of the new empire was encouraged to adopt the Greek language, culture, and philosophy, no one was forced. Palestinian Jews adhered rigidly to their ancient customs. The Jews who had emigrated to the new city of Alexandria, Egypt, however, accepted many Greek customs, and flourished economically. It was during this time that great Alexandrian libraries were built and the Old Testament was translated into Greek -- called the Septuagint. This released the great truths preserved in the Hebrews' scriptures to the Graeco-Roman world in the common language of the day.

Nevertheless, tolerance for the Jew’s culture did not continue. By 167 B.C. Hellenization (adopting Greek customs) was required of the Jews. Some resisted, but others complied. The pressure was great as the Jews watched the Greek authorities desecrate the temple and offer sacrifices to idols. It is vital to understand the effects of Hellenization of the Jews. Their whole way of life revolved around the one, true God. To destroy their way of life would nullify their very reason to exist as a nation. The descendants of Abraham were a covenant people out of which the messiah would come to redeem a lost and dying world -- Jew and gentile. If the Jews were absorbed into the Greek culture, forsaking their way of life, the messiah would no longer have a people through which He could come. In addition, the Jews’ witness to the world of the one, true God would also be lost. Understanding the seriousness of this threat to the Jews as a covenant people, aged priest Mattahias and his five sons successfully led a revolt against the Greeks. By 165 B.C. the temple was cleansed and rededicated. The celebration of Hanukkah is a commemoration of the temple rededication.

This threat to their identity as a nation gave rise to the two great parties of Judaism -- Pharisees and Sadducees. During Ezra’s time, the priests and scribes were united in teaching and leading the Jews. Hellenization affected the priests and rulers of the Jews, however, and they developed an increasing indifference to the Law. Because of this, the scribes united to influence the nation in the keeping of the Torah (scriptures). By the Maccabeaen revolt, the priests and the scribes had become so different in their beliefs and practices that they formed separate sects: the Sadducees came from the ranks of the priests and aristocracy while the Pharisees were comprised of the scribes.

Determined that the people would keep the Law, the Pharisees developed oral traditions ("fence laws") -- laws to help you keep the laws. These oral traditions became so pervasive that they eventually attained equal status with the written Law given to Moses by God (the Torah). The Pharisees had decisive influence over public affairs and their sway over the masses was absolute.

The Sadducees, on the other hand, held the priestly and political positions, but had little public influence. Rejecting the oral traditions, they acknowledged only the Torah and strictly adhered to the letter of the Law. In contrast, the Pharisees, with their "fence laws," interpreted the written Law according to the times in which they lived. Most Sadducees were wealthy and worldly-minded and were mainly concerned with the political status of Israel.

Another sect called the Essenes rejected the temple worship because they considered the priesthood corrupt. They lived out in the wilderness like monks; John the Baptist may have been an Essene. It  is possible that the Dead Sea Scrolls originally belonged to this sect. Many other sects also developed during the intertestamental period.

ROMAN RULE:

By 63 B.C. the Greek Empire had fallen to the Romans. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans were not interested in converting foreign countries to their way of life. As long as they received the taxes, and the people adhered to Roman law, the individual nations could maintain their distinctive identities. Their method of exacting taxes was simple: they sold the collection of taxes to the highest bidder. The chosen bidder could collect the taxes in any manner, as long as Rome received her percentage. It was to the Sadducees that Rome sold the collection of Jewish taxes. With two middlemen, the taxes were high. After the amount was set for Rome, the Sadducees augmented the amount for their profits; then the tax collectors hired by the Sadducees piled up an additional increase for their own wages. The average person paid Rome, the Sadducees, and the tax collector with every penny he earned. This was the atmosphere into which the messiah would come.

CATEGORIZATION OF JEWISH TEACHINGS:

The Jews considered the Tanakh in this order of importance and authority: (1) Torah  (2) Prophets (3) Psalms & Proverbs (4) Historical writings. Jesus also referred to the Old Testaments scriptures in this order. 

THREE MAJOR SECTS OF JUDAISM:

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