I. The Greek Period (333 B.C. to 63 B.C.)

1. Alexander the Great.

Born 365, son of Philip II of Macedonia, tutored by Aristotle. Proclaimed king of Macedonia at age 20 when father was murdered. After battle of Issus 333, Judea came under his control. Kingdom divided between Ptolemy (Egypt) and Seleucus (northern Syria). These rulers and their successors, the Ptolemies and Seleucids, continued the Hellenization process begun by Alexander (and before).

2. Ptolemies and Seleucids.

Neither group interfered in the internal cultural and religious affairs of Jerusalem, though the Greek influences continued to make themselves manifest in Judea. Evidence of this "Greek way of life" (2 Macc. 4:10, 13) included: a. gymnasium- training ground for athletic fitness and social center. Acceptance of naked human body where Jews could not disguise circumcision. Many chose a painful reverse surgery to appear uncircumcised (1 Macc. 1:15). b. clothing, especially hats (2 Macc. 4:12). c. stadium 2 Macc. 4:14 priests forsaking sacred offices to be spectators at arena games. d. use of Greek language.

3. Forced Hellenization.

Not until Antiochus Epiphanes IV did forced Hellenization come upon the scene. Until this time Jews in Judea were given considerable freedom and assimilation of Hellenistic culture was voluntary. In 168 Antiochus claimed the title "god manifest" (though enemies like Polybius called him Epimanes "madman"). "The rites of the Jerusalem temple were abolished to make it an alter to Zeus. The worship of pagan gods became compulsory in Judea; following the precepts of the Mosaic Law was forbidden; circumcision, Sabbath observance, and the keeping of the festivals were all prohibited. Antiochus was aided by the high priest Jason (whose Hebrew name was Joshua). Reportedly, Jason had bought the office from Antiochus. The critical moment came when Antiochus was allowed to plunder the temple by Jason's successor as high priest, Menelaus (172), who had paid an even larger sum for the office of high priest. A group of loyalists, the Hasidim, banded together to preserve Judaism.

1. The Maccabean Revolt.

From these Hasidim arose a priest Mattathias who refused to sacrifice to Zeus. Mattathias killed a Jew who was ready to make his offering to Zeus and the king's officer. Mattathias and his five sons fled to the mountains where he was joined by other Hasidim (1 Macc. 1:15-28). From here the loyalists became guerrilla freedom-fighters after his father died. He acquired the surname "the Maccabean" which means "the hammer." Antiochus Epiphanes was in the east fighting against the Parthians and Judas seized this opportunity to win several strategic battles. In 164 (162?) the alter was consecrated anew in an eight day feast, commemorated as Hanukkah, the feast of Dedication. Judas, however, was unable to complete the victory and it was left to Jonathan (murdered 143) and finally Simon (who like his brother Jonathan became not only military leader, but also high priest). In 140 the office of high priest, field commander, and leader of the Jews was confirmed on him, recognized even by the Romans, and so the Hasmonean dynasty was founded. (See 1 Macc. 14:8-15).

2. Hasmonean Dynasty.

a. After Simon was murdered by a son-in-law in 134, Simon's son John Hyrcanus, governed the entire country. Hyrcanus adopted an expansionist policy and launched several successful campaigns in neighboring territories. Hyrcanus received little acclaim from the masses and outright rejection in the circles of the pious. A serious breech occurred between Hyrcanus and the Pharisees, a group of law-observing Jews, who until this time were closely aligned with the Hasmoneans, because the Pharisees disapproved of the Hasmoneans' drive for worldly power, and felt the office of high priest was ambitions. Ironically, Hyrcanus drew support from those Jews who did not wish to isolate themselves from Hellenism, and was especially aligned with the Sadducees.

b. Hyrcanus died in 104 and was succeeded by his son Aristobulus who threw his mother and three brothers into prison to secure his reign. Aristobulus aspired to be called King though only when his brother Alexander Jannaeus succeeded him one year later did a Hasmonean most certainly secure that title. Jannaeus reign, 103-76, was marked by considerable violence. The Pharisees revolted on the grounds of his secularist interests and Jannaeus captured 800 rebels (Pharisees?) brought them to Jerusalem and had them crucified, slaughtering their wives and children before their eyes. (4QpNah. I.6-7) "He used to hang men alive on trees, as was never done before in Israel, for he that is hanged alive on a tree is cursed." Jannaeus's wife, Alexandra, succeeded him (76), and evidently upon his deathbed advice reconciled with the Pharisees who became the ruling party. Josephus, Ant. 13.16.2 "She permitted the Pharisees to do as they like in all matters, and also commanded the people to obey them." As a woman, Alexandra could not serve as high priest so her son Hyrcanus II, weak and inefficient, was installed as high priest. After the death of Alexandra (647), the power of the Hasmoneans disintegrated in the intrigues and fighting of her sons. Hyrcanus II, high priest, and legitimate heir to the throne, was forced to resign by the superior military powers of his brothers Aristobulus II, and go into exile. That might have ended but matters, but an enigmatic figure, Antipater (son of the royal governor in Idumea under Jannaeus), persuaded Hyrcanus to enlist foreign mercenaries to regain his throne. In the stalemate, both sides appealed to the Roman general Pompey for help and opened the door for the Roman rule of Judea.

c. To sum up the Hasmonean dynasty, "At the beginning of the Maccabean war of independence, the religious goal was predominate: to liberate the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and the land from pagan abominations. But in the hands of the Hasmoneans, religion became a tool through which all inhabitants of the country could be made loyal to Jerusalem, where the ruler was at the same time the high priest." (Koester, Vol. I, p. 218)

II. Judea under Roman Rule

After a long "wait and see" period, Pompey threw his support to Hyrcanus, probably because he perceived him to be the lesser threat. Pompey marched on Jerusalem, and after three months, Aristobulus surrendered in 63 BC. Pompey then did something which left an indelible mark on Jewish mentality; he entered the temple and even inspected the holy of holies where no other Gentile had ever dared penetrate. (see Psalms of Solomon 2:1-3;22). Aristobulus and his two sons were exiled to Rome. Hyrcanus was deposed as king, but restored to the position of high priest. The real power, however, lay in the hands of Antipater who became procurator of Judea. Antipater was a political animal who threw his support in the direction of the strongest military power. He deftly changed allegiance from Pompey to Julius Caesar when Caesar defeated Pompey's party in 48 B.C. When Caesar was assassinated by the republican party in Rome (led by Brutus and Cassius) in March, 44 B.C., Antipater again tried to change allegiance to the new leaders. But this time the changeover in power led to his assassination in 43 (or 42) B.C.

Antipater had shared his reign with his two sons: Phaseal was administrator over Judea and Herod over Galilee. Durning the upheaval created by the changing leadership in Rome and aggressive attacks by Antigonus, son of Aristobulus II, Herod fled to Rome where he won the favor of Mark Anthony. With Roman support, Herod was named king of the Jews and finally in 37 B.C. captured Jerusalem and took up his royal office. With the victory of Herod over Antigonus, the Hasemonean dynasty came to an end. Herod ruled Judea from 37 to 4 B.C. Herod's rule was characterized by building and paranoia. He was responsible for a number of building programs including the fortress on Masada and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. His reign was marred however by his fear of the Hasmoneans. His wife, Mariamme, from the family of the Hasmoneans was put to death along with three of his sons. The NT narrative of the slaughter of infants (Matt. 2:16) is entirely consistent with his consuming fear of losing power.

Upon the death of Herod, his kingdom was divided among his three surviving sons, Philip, Antipas, and Archelaus. These three traveled to Rome to apply for legal ratification of their father's will (cf. parable in Luke 19:12,14). Caesar Augustus and the disposition of power was as follows: (See text) 1. Antipas (4 B.C. to AD 39) ruled Galilee and Perea (east of the Jordan in the north). The Jews were offended by the illicit union of Antipas with his niece and sister-in-law Herodias. This formed the occasion on which John the Baptist was imprisoned and martyred (Mark 6:14-29; see also Jospehus Ant. XVIII, 116-119). In A.D. 39, Antipas was banished from his rule. 2. Philip (4 B.C. to AD 6) had the region east of the Jordan in the northern part of the kingdom. He built a new residence, Caesarea Phillipi (Mark 8:27). Upon his death, the region he ruled passed under the control of the legate of Syria. 3. Archelaus (4 B.C. to AD 6) ruled over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. Archelaus was most despised by the people (cf. Matt 2:22) and was removed from office. His territory was placed under a Roman governor or procurator, answerable to the emperor himself. During the times of Jesus Pontius Pilate (the fifth procurator) held the office as Roman governor (26-36). (Philo, Legatio ad Gaium, 302, said his conduct was marked by "corruption, violence, depredations, ill treatment, offenses, numerous illegal executions, and incessant, unbearable cruelty.")

With the exception of Herod Agrippa I (Antipas' brother), who ruled Judea from 41 to 44, Judea was ruled by procurators during much of the first century. Several procurators who governed during the formation of the early Christian communities are noteworthy: 1. Felix (52-60) was procurator when Paul was arrested and detained for trial. Tacitus, (Annals, 12.54; History 5.4) wrote that Felix "exercised the power of a king with the spirit of a slave." He had to deal with several disturbances by a number of revolutionaries bent on overthrowing Roman rule. 2. Festus (60-62), though more competent than many of his predecessors did not succeed in lessening tension between Jews and Romans (see Acts 24-26). 3. With Albinus (62-64) the stage was set for a final confrontation between Jewish resistance and Roman authority. 4. Florus, a greedy and self-aggrandizing man, was procurator when in AD 66, the conflict came to a head.

Anti-Roman sentiment peaked among the Jews who overtook the city and temple in 66. Outraged, Emperor Nero commissioned Vespasian to conduct the war against the Jews. Vespasion became emperor and turned command over to his son, Titus. After 5 months of resistance, the city fell and the city was razed and Titus made his Triumphal march. Though resistance held at Masada until 73 or 74, Judaism after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 was never the same. Divisions between the Jewish and Christian communities were deepened by the leveling of the city. The historian Josephus recorded the events of the war in nine volumes.

Though there were occasional rebellions against Rome by the Jews in the next 60 years, the Jews led by Simon Bar Cochba ("son of a star") had another uprising which again was crushed, this time by emperor Hadrian. A Roman colony, Colonia Aelia Capitolina, was built and a temple in which Hadrian's statue was erected. The Jews were forbidden to enter the city. As far as the fourth century, this ban was in force, except for one day a year when the Jews were allowed to weep at the temple site.

The fall of Jerusalem and the Destruction of the Temple were important factors in the history of NT Christianity. Jerusalem and its temple were holy not only to the Jews, but also to Christians (many of whom were Jewish). The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Gentiles sent a shock wave through the Jewish-Christian world and its importance is impossible to exaggerate. Indeed, much of the subsequent literature both of Judaism and Christianity took the form it did precisely in an attempt to come to terms with the catastrophe of AD 70. Deprived of the Holy City and the temple, the Jews turned to the synagogue and the Law, and the result was the Mishnah and eventually the Talmuds. Deprived of the Sacred Place they shared with the Jews through Jesus and Jerusalem church, the Christians turned to the time of Jesus as a Sacred Time and produced the gospels. Nothing was ever to be same again for either Jews or Christians.