History

Between the Exile and Jesus

History : Persian Period• Cyrus [ca. 539 BC(E)]

– Sheshbazzar

• Darius [ca. 520]– Joshua and Zerubbabel

– Haggai and Zechariah

• Artaxerxes– I 465-425

– II 404-359

– Ezra, Nehemiah

History: Hellenistic [Greek] Period

• Alexander the Great– Ca. 333

• Ptolemaic Rule– Ca. 312-200

• Seleucid Rule– Ca. 200-166

Map of the Kingdoms

Brief History: Maccabean and Roman

• Maccabean Age– Antiochus IV

Epiphanes• 175-164

– Judas Maccabeus• 166-160

• Roman Rule (beginning 63 BCE)– Judean War (66-74

CE/AD)

– Jewish Revolt outside Judah (115-117)

– Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135)

Maccabees (1&2)

Chronology• 200 BC(E) Seleucids take Palestine

– 223-187 Antiochus III– 187-175 Seleucus IV

• 175-163 Antiochus IV– 168 Suppression of Jewish Worship

• 166-160 Judas Maccabaeus• 160-142 Jonathan, high priest • 142-135 Simon, high priest . . . .

Initial Comparison

• 1 Maccabees– Hebrew

– Original

– Covers 175-135

– Hasmonean Dynasty

• 2 Maccabees– Greek

– Abridgement (Jason)

– Covers 180-161

– Judas and Temple

Brief Outline: 1 Maccabees

• The historical context [chapter 1]

• The revolt of Mattathias [chapter 2]

• Judas the Maccabee [3:1-9:22]

• Jonathan [9:23-12:53]

• Simon [13:1-16:17]

• John [16:18-24]

Readings

• 1 Maccabees 1:44-50, 54-61– Religious suppression

• 1 Maccabees 2:1-5, 15-26– The zeal of Mattathias

• 1 Maccabees 4:34-37, 41-47, 52-56– Temple dedication

Reasons for Persecution

• Character of Antiochus– [cf Polybius 26.1]

• Goal of conversion of Jews– [Tacitus Histories 5.8]

• Gentile arrogance – [1 Maccabees 1:21]

• Israel’s sins – [2 Maccabees 5:17-20; 6:12-16]

Brief Outline: 2 Maccabees

• Letters to Egyptian Jews [1:1-2:18]• Preface [2:19-32]• Protection of temple [chapter 3]• Punishment of Jerusalem [4-7]• Deliverance and dedication [8:1-10:9]• Victories of Judas [10:10-13:26]• Defeat of Nicanor [14:1-15:36]• Epilogue [15:37-39]

Readings

• The perpetual fire and the ark– 2 Macc 1:19-23,30-34; 2:1-7

• Creatio ex nihil(o) [Creation from Nothing]– 2 Macc 7:28

• Resurrection of the dead and Prayer for the dead– 2 Macc 7-8; 12:39-45

It ain’t over 'til it’s over

1. Rededication of temple? [1 Macc 4:34-59] (164)

2. Defeat of Nicanor and control of Jerusalem? [2 Macc] (161, Judas)

3. Establishment of Hasmonean dynasty? [1 Macc] (134, John Hyrcanus)

Judith

Setting

•Structure of book

–International setting 1-7

–Judean struggle 8-16

Characters• Nebuchadnezzar

– Evil king [cf real Nebuchadnezzar and Antiochus]

• Holofernes– General [named after Persian general]

• Achior– Ammonite

• Judith – Cf. Maccabee, Miriam, Deborah, Jael, others

Readings

• Judith 5:17-21; 6:10-13– Achior: witness and “punishment”

• Judith 9:11-14– Judith’s theme

• Judith 12:13-13:10– The deed is done

• Judith 16:1-12– Triumph song

Other Historical Stories

• 3 Maccabees [not in Latin Bible]– Set under Ptolemy IV (222-204)

– combination of persecution of Egyptian Jews and threat to Jerusalem temple

• Tobit– before the fall of Assyria to the Medes – about individual sufferings and setbacks

[Tobit's and Sara's]

Next Week

• Wisdom– Sirach [Ecclesiasticus]– Wisdom of Solomon

• Hope– 2 Esdras