BBST 210

What is the Intertestamental Period?

The ~400 years between the Old and New Testaments, marked by foreign rule, Jewish revolts, and religious developments.

What is the Diaspora?

The scattering of Jews outside Israel, especially after exile, where they lived in Greek-speaking communities.

What were the Jewish Synagogues used for?

Worship, Scripture reading, teaching, prayer, and community gatherings.

What was the Hellenization?

The spread of Greek language, culture, and ideas after Alexander the Great.

What is the legend associated with the Septuagint (or LXX)?

Seventy-two scholars translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek and miraculously produced the same translation.

Who was Antiochus IV and what did he do to oppress the Jews?

A Seleucid king who outlawed Jewish practices and desecrated the Temple with pagan worship.

Who was Mattathias and what did he do during the Seleucid occupation?

A priest who refused pagan sacrifice, killed an official, and started the Jewish revolt with his sons.

Who was Judas Maccabeus and what did he do?

Son of Mattathias, a military leader who defeated Seleucid forces and rededicated the Temple.

Who were the Maccabeans and from where did they get their names?

Followers of Mattathias's family; named after Judas Maccabeus ("the Hammer").

Who were the Hasmoneans, what did they accomplish, and how did Jesus' entry into Jerusalem connect with them?

The dynasty from Mattathias's family; they won independence and ruled Israel. Jesus' humble entry into Jerusalem contrasted their warrior-king image.

What is Hanukkah, and what was its origin?

The Feast of Dedication, celebrating the rededication of the Temple after its defilement by Antiochus IV.

Who were the Samaritans, and what was true of their beliefs and practices?

A mixed people who accepted only the Pentateuch and worshiped on Mount Gerizim instead of in Jerusalem.

What was built on Mount Gerizim, and what eventually happened to it?

A Samaritan temple was built there; it was destroyed by the Hasmoneans.

Who were the Pharisees, what were their concerns, and what were the divisions by the first century AD?

A Jewish group focused on strict Torah obedience and oral law; divided into Hillel (lenient) and Shammai (strict) schools.

What is the Mishnah, and what did it address?

A written collection of Jewish oral law, covering daily life, worship, and civil matters.

Who were the Sadducees, and what were their concerns and beliefs?

Priestly aristocrats tied to the Temple; they accepted only the written Torah and denied resurrection and angels.

What was the Sanhedrin, and who controlled it?

The Jewish ruling council; dominated by the high priest and the Sadducees.

Who were the Essenes, and what were they characterized by?

A separatist group known for strict purity, communal living, and apocalyptic beliefs.

What was Qumran?

A community near the Dead Sea, likely connected to the Essenes.

What were the Dead Sea Scrolls, and what is included among them?

Ancient manuscripts found near Qumran, including biblical books, commentaries, and sectarian writings.

Who were the Zealots, and what are they blamed for by Josephus?

Radical nationalists who resisted Rome; blamed for starting the Jewish War that led to Jerusalem's destruction.

What is the Apocrypha, and what does it affirm about the righteous?

Jewish writings between the Testaments that affirm God's vindication of the righteous, including resurrection hope.

What are the Pseudepigrapha, what does its name mean, and what insight does it give us?

"Falsely ascribed" writings under famous names; reveal Jewish hopes, visions, and messianic expectations.

What did the writers of the Apocalyptic literature claim to reveal, and what was their purpose?

They revealed heavenly secrets about God's plan; meant to encourage faithfulness under oppression.

What does the term "Judaisms" refer to?

The many forms of Judaism in the Second Temple period (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, etc.).

Who was Herod the Great, what was he like, and what was he especially known for?

Rome's client-king of Judea; ruthless and ambitious; famous for massive building projects like the Temple.

What do the "centuries of silence" refer to, and what did they imply for many people?

The period with no recognized prophets between Malachi and John the Baptist; it created longing for God's renewed word.