1.2 The World Of The First Century

Question 1

Key events in ‘Patriarchs’

Answer 1

• Abraham, Issac, Jacob - Matthew claims Jesus is descended from Abraham
• covenant: god promised Abraham that his descendants would be a ‘great nation’ (the people of God) and promises him the land of Canaan (Israel)

Question 2

Key events in ‘Exodus’

Answer 2

• Moses leads the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (plagues, parting of Red Sea etc.) to the land promised to them - Canaan (Israel)
• god makes other covenant with Moses and gives him the LAW
• however many scholars see his story as a myth - symbolic

Question 3

Key events in the ‘Monarchy’

Answer 3

• the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, David establishes Jerusalem as the capital
• Solomon built the first temple - gods dwelling place among his people

Question 4

Key events in ‘Exile’

Answer 4

• babylonians take over Israel - they destroy the temple and send the Jews into exile
• origin of many Jewish belies and practices- became a people entered on Torah (written scripture)
• start of the hope for a messiah who would re establish the kingdom of David
• ends when Persians conquer Babylonian’s and let Jews return and rebuild the temple

Question 5

What is Hellenism

Answer 5

The spread of Greek culture

Question 6

Key events within the Hellenistic rule

Answer 6

• link to rise of Pharisees - emphasis on purity to reinforce national identity
• peace until Antiochus IV came to power and forced Hellenism on the Jews:
  -e.g. statue of Zeus placed in temple, Torah scrolls burnt, sabbath forbidden.
• led to the Maccabean revolt - Jews succeeded, period of self-rule follows

Question 7

Key events within the Roman rule (begins in 63 BCE)

Answer 7

• Jews governed by romans through a prefect, but Jews allowed a certain amount of freedom
• first Jewish revolt from 66-73 CE (ends at Masada)
• fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in 70 CE - key event for dating of the gospels

Question 8

The Pharisees

Answer 8

• they were thought to have originated during the time of Hellenisation of the Jews. Their aim was to PRESERVE ADHERENCE TO THE LAW under the threat of assimilation.
• as they were laymen and scribes, they were influential among ordinary Jews and were dominant in the synagogues
• the believed the written law needed to be applied to new situations- the oral law was developed. This made gods will and temple purity applicable to everyday life.
• they believed in the afterlife, angels and demons
• they were more influential in religious rather than political affairs (but involv. In both)

Question 9

The Sadducee’s

Answer 9

• they probably emerged around the same time as the Pharisees; they too wanted to preserve the Jewish faith but for them it meant a faith centred on the temple.
• they believed ONLY IN WRITTEN LAW, and rejected all ideas about life after death
• they were a small but influential group, consisting mainly of the priests in the temple and the aristocratic and wealthy families
• the high priest and many members of the Sanhedrin were sadducees
• they had more political power than the Pharisees
• they controlled the temple and its revenue and cooperated with the romans

Question 10

The zealots

Answer 10

• their beliefs were closely aligned to those of the Pharisees, but they strongly believed in the kingship of god and so were not willing to accept any earthly ruler.
• they were more of a POLITICAL MOVEMENT
• often described as ‘freedom fighters’ they wanted to end the roman rule as it was an offence to god
• they reviled the Pharisees and Sadducee’s as they had accepted roman rule

Question 11

The essenes

Answer 11

• even though they held some beliefs in common with the other groups, they were different as they lived in communities separated from the rest of society.
• the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls at Qumran enhances knowledge of their beliefs and practices
• they led a monastic type of life in the Judaea desert, the male community was celibate, there were initiation rites and an emphasis on ritual cleanliness
• the Essenes hoped for a priestly messiah who would restore the purity of the temple

Question 12

The Samaritans

Answer 12

• they were the people who lived in the region of Samaria. They were not accepted as true Jews by other Jews as they had intermarried with the babylonians
• unlike other Jews, they did not recognise the temple in Jerusalem, they had their own temple that was revealed to Jacob by god.
• they only accepted written law - hence Moses was regarded as the only prophet

Question 13

How majority of the time romans ruled the Jews

Answer 13

• effectively allowed to rule themselves through a high priest (power to sadducees)
• did not enforce emperor worship, and only 200 troops stationed in Jerusalem, allowed to pay temple tax, respected sabbath, Herod rebuilt the temple (but with a golden eagle on the main gate)

Question 14

Times where occasionally the roman rule went wrong

Answer 14

• Pilate tried to bring roman standards into Jerusalem, raided the temple treasury, butchered the Samaritans
• after Jesus’ death and pilate’s prefecture trouble occasionally continued - temple destroyed in 70 CE

Question 15

Religious groups connections with Jesus

Answer 15

• Jesus is regularly in conflict with the Pharisees (and sometimes the sadducees) in the gospels - Jesus challenged some of the Pharisees strict observance of laws
• jesus spoke about resurrection but the Sadducees rejected it
• Aslan argued jesus was a zealot
• in john, jesus claims to be divine and regularly attacks Jews - challenge to monotheism
• Rivkin argues jesus was executed for political reasons by the romans to keep peace
• gospel writers often interpret many of Jesus’ words and actions in light of Jewish history and texts
• Hellenistic influences on johns gospels e.g. ‘the word’ (logos)