Preparation for Christ's coming

  • Approximately 400 years between the old testament events and the birth of Jesus.
  • Alexander the great from Greece conquered the Middle East ~330BC'.
    • Gentile - A non- Jewish person
  • Religious tensions arose, and the two main groups of religious leaders had opposite opinions on Hellenism.
  • Hellenism - Making everything “Greek”/The spread of Greek culture.
  • Sadducees = pro-Hellenism
  • Pharisees + anti-Hellenism
  • Belief in one god - Monotheism
  • Belief in many gods - Polytheism
  • Belief in no god - Atheism
  • People were confused about which religious group was right and searched for the truth.
  • Rome controlled the Middle east (~60BC), ruled by Caesar Augustus.
  • The mix of Greek and Roman ideas increased confusion about polytheism.
  • Roman roads were built, improving transportation and trade.
  • Because of the development of roads, large cities rapidly developed.
  • There was a time of peace, Pax Romana, that increased safety in travel and allowed people to travel further.