Have you ever pondered on the 400-year-long silence between the Old and New Testaments? Where did the Pharisees and Sadducees suddenly spring from? Here's the chance to satiate your curiosity as we embark on a thrilling journey through the sands of time, unearthing the mysteries of the Intertestamental period. Together, we'll traverse through shifting world powers, from Persia to Greece, and subsequently Rome, witnessing the dramatic transformation of Jewish culture under the influence of Hellenization, the creation of the Septuagint, and the rise of differing Jewish sects.
Prepare yourself for an absorbing exploration of a pivotal era in history.
Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming on Youtube. Please subscribe now!
Have you ever pondered on the 400-year-long silence between the Old and New Testaments? Where did the Pharisees and Sadducees suddenly spring from? Here's the chance to satiate your curiosity as we embark on a thrilling journey through the sands of time, unearthing the mysteries of the Intertestamental period. Together, we'll traverse through shifting world powers, from Persia to Greece, and subsequently Rome, witnessing the dramatic transformation of Jewish culture under the influence of Hellenization, the creation of the Septuagint, and the rise of differing Jewish sects.
Prepare yourself for an absorbing exploration of a pivotal era in history.
Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming on Youtube. Please subscribe now!
Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.
Jacqui:
Wait a minute. What's going on here? I've just wrapped up reading the Old Testament, where Jerusalem was being rebuilt under Persian rule and everything was originally written in Hebrew. Now I flip one page to read the New Testament and I find Rome is in charge and the New Testament is originally written in Greek. But what in the world happened in between, on that one page that I flipped? Well, if you're as curious as I am, stay tuned to this episode of the Bible Basics Podcast, where we'll discover what happened between the Old and New Testaments, what happened during the Intertestamental period. Well, welcome everyone. I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole, and this is the Bible Basics Podcast, where, weekly, we break down the Bible into understandable, bite-sized chunks.
Jacqui:
Okay, let's set the scene. Imagine you've just finished reading the Old Testament. You've witnessed the stories of creation, Noah's Ark, the Exodus, the reign of King David and so much more. Jerusalem and the Second Temple were being rebuilt and the world's superpower at the time was Persia. All of this content was originally written in Hebrew, the language of the Jewish people. Now you flip over one page and start reading the New Testament, beginning with the book of Matthew. Suddenly, you're in a different world. Rome is in charge and you find out, the original texts are all written in Greek. The Second Temple seems to be far more functioning than it was at the close of the Old Testament. There are groups, like the Pharisees and Sadducees that aren't mentioned in the Old Testament. It's a bit like going from one movie to another with an entirely new cast and setting.
Jacqui:
So what happened during this gap? What was going on during the Intertestamental period? What's the way we describe the period between the Old and New Testaments? Well, let's dive in and find out. First, let's understand the timeframe. The Intertestamental period spans roughly 400 years, from about 400 BC to 1 AD. This period isn't covered in the books of the Protestant Bible, but it's crucial for understanding the context in which the events of the New Testament took place. This span of more than 400 years separates the last events and prophecies chronicled in the Old Testament from the initial events recounted in the New Testament. It lasted from about the Prophet Malachi's time to the preaching of John the Baptist. This error is often referred to as the silent years, because there is no known divine prophecy during this period, though, despite the apparent absence of God's spoken word, it's evident that God's guiding hand was actively shaping the course of events during this period.
Jacqui:
Now let's look at who the world's superpowers were during the Inter-testamental period. The book of Daniel prophesied of some of the events of this period. For a quick refresher, Daniel was exiled along with the rest of Judah and Babylon. While interpreting dreams for the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel prophesied the rise and fall of the world's superpowers Persia, Greece and Rome. For a century later, during the inter-testamental period, these events began to happen. So, as Daniel foretold, there was going to be a transfer of control over the land of Israel from the Persian Empire to Greece and subsequently to Rome. The Jewish people were under Persian rule for approximately 200 years, starting in the 6th century BC. Recall as we read in Ezra and Nehemiah the Persians took over as the world power from the Babylonians. During this period, the Persians permitted the Jews to return to their homeland, engage in reconstruction efforts and practice their religious worship at the Jerusalem Temple.
Jacqui:
In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great of Greece and his armies swept through the known world, including the lands of the Bible. His conquests led to a widespread Hellenization of the region. Hellenization means the influence of Greek culture, language and philosophy. This Hellenistic influence had a profound impact on the Jewish people. Alexander the Great dealt kindly with the Jews. He permitted them to observe their laws and he granted them exemption from paying tribute during sabbatical years. That was once every seven years. We see in Leviticus 25. When he built Alexandria in Egypt, he encouraged the Jews to settle there and gave them privileges comparable to his Greek subjects. Many Jews began to adapt Greek customs and even spoke Greek. However, they also held on to their religious traditions and beliefs.
Jacqui:
Following the death of Alexander, the area in which Israel was situated, specifically referred to as Judea, experienced a succession of rulers until Antiochus Epiphanes assumed power. Under the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Jewish people were severely persecuted. He removed priests and even went to the extent of defiling the temple with impure animals and a non-Jewish altar. This oppressive regime eventually led to a Jewish uprising called the Maccabean Revolt. The era that ensued was marked by violence, warfare and internal conflicts. The Greek influence continued in Israel until the first century BC. Then there was another shift. As prophesied by Daniel, Rome began to assert dominance in the Mediterranean. In 63 BC, Pompey, a Roman general, conquered the region and established the authority of the Caesars. Subsequently, the Roman authorities appointed members of the Herod dynasty as rulers over Israel. The Herods were responsible for governing both the Jewish population and other inhabitants of Judea. The New Testament mentioned several Herods, including Herod the Great, who tried to have Jesus killed as an infant, and Herod the Antipas, to whom Jesus was sent for his trial before his crucifixion.
Jacqui:
During this period, a blend of Jewish, roman and Greek cultures shaped society, resulting in a fusion of influences. This clash between Hellenism and Judaism gave rise to a number of Jewish sects. The Pharisees, for instance, were known for their dedication to the strict interpretation of the law. They sought to make their understanding binding upon all Jews. They even added their own laws to the law. The synagogue was the stronghold of the Pharisees. Paul considered himself a member of this group. Then they are the Sadducees, who denied the authority of tradition and looked with suspicion on all revelation later than the Mosaic law. They denied the doctrine of resurrection and did not believe in the existence of angels or spirits. They are largely people of wealth and position. In the New Testament times, they controlled the priesthood and the temple ritual. Other groups emerging from this period include the Essenes and the Zealots.
Jacqui:
Here's another important development that emerged out of this period, with the emphasis placed on using the Greek language. The Jews of the diaspora, meaning those living outside of Judea, became predominantly Greek speakers. This led to the creation of a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible called the Septuagint. It was created during the 3rd century BC in Alexandria, Egypt. It allowed Greek-speaking Jews and non-Jews alike to access and understand the Hebrew Scriptures. Legend has it that seventy or seventy-two Jewish scholars were responsible for the translation and did it in seventy-two days. That led to the translation being named the Septuagint, the Latin word for seventy. The Septuagint played a significant role in the spread of Jewish Scripture and thought.
Jacqui:
So now let's pull it all together. We see that the Intertestamental period is a time gap between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible lasting about four hundred years. During this period, the world's superpowers changed hands, from Persia to Greece to Rome. Also during this time, important things happened in Jewish history, like the influence of Greek culture, severe persecution, the Maccabean Revolt, the Old Testament in Greek and the rise of different Jewish groups. When the New Testament opens, the people of Israel are now once again groaning under foreign rule of the Roman Empire and the Jewish puppet, king Herod the Great. Amid this setting, God broke four hundred years of silence with the announcement of the coming of Christ, and the Intertestamental period came to an end.