The Intertestamental Period: From Babylon To The Birth Of Christ

The Time of Herod

Announcements

Intertestamental PeriodWeek Date Topic

1 05 Mar 14 Overview

2 12 Mar 14 Babylonian Period (605-539 BC)

3 19 Mar 14 Persian Period (539-332 BC)

4 26 Mar 14 Greek Period (332-323 BC)

5 02 Apr 14 Ptolemaic (323-198 BC)

6 09 Apr 14 Syrian (198-168 BC)

7 16 Apr 14 Maccabean Part 1 (168-153 BC)

8 23 Apr 14 Maccabean Part 2 (153-139 BC)

9 30 Apr 14 Independence (139-63 BC)

10 07 May 14 Rome Intervenes (63 – 37 BC)

11 14 May 14 Herod (37 BC – 4 BC)

12 21 May 14 The IT Period and Christianity (4 BC – 70 AD)

13 28 May 14 Review

Today’s Objectives• Review last week’s lesson

– Four political groups– Julius Caesar, Antony and Octavius– Herod’s rise

• Learn about the conflict between Octavian and Antony and its’ effect on Judea

• Learn about Octavian as Caesar Augustus

• Learn about the origins of the Herodian family

• Learn about Herod’s rule– Efforts as king– Intervention with the birth of Christ– Death and division of the kingdom

Reference Material

• KJV (w/ Apocrypha)– 1st and 2nd Maccabbees

• Josephus – The Complete Works• Herodotus – The History• Intertestamental History – Mark Moore• Ancient Rome – Simon Baker• Harding University – BNEW 112 Course Notes –

Dr. Thompson• Intertestamental Period – John Battle

Where we left off….• Four main Jewish political groups: Pharisees,

Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots

• Pompey’s intervenes in the Jewish Civil War and takes the land of the Jews

• Rise and fall of Julius Caesar– Victory over Pompey– Political decrees which impact Judea– Caesar’s murder

• Herod rises from governor of Galilee to a defeated leader living in Rome

• Herod’s return to Judah

• Antony and Octavius

Antipater II, Phasael and Herod• In gratitude, Caesar appointed Antipater II as

the administrator of Judea (47 BC)– Under Cassius

• Adds territories to Judea taken from Pompey• Antipater II appoints his two sons to posts

– Phasael is made governor of Jerusalem– Herod is made governor of Galilee

• After Caesar is murdered (44 BC), Cassius seizes control of Judea

• Antipater II is murdered (43 BC) • Phasael and Harod become joint rulers of

Judea (42 BC)

Marc Antony and Octavian• Octavian was Caesar’s nephew

• Antony and Octavian defeat Cassius and Brutus in the battle of Philippi (42 BC)

• Philippi becomes a Roman colony, making them Roman citizens (Acts 16:12)

• Phasael and Herod switch allegiance to Antony, who confirms their position

• Parthians invade Palestine– 40 BC– Capture and imprison Hyrcanus II and Phasael– Herod escapes, eventually to Rome

Octavian fights Antony• Source of contention

– Antony’s neglect for his wives including Octavian’s sister

– Antony gave Cleopatra rule of conquered land– Octavian had taken power and territory of

Lepidus (part of the Triumvirate)

• Herod the Great aligned with Antony• Battle of Actium occurs

– 31 BC– Octavian defeat Antony (who later kills himself)– Octavian awarded the title of Augustus– Recognized as the transition of the Roman

Republic into the Roman Empire

Battle of Actium

Caesar Augustus• Herod promises his allegiance to Augustus• Augustus adds to Herod’s domain

– Nearly doubles in size

• Augustus reigns from 31 BC to 14 AD– Grand nephew of Julius Caesar– Dies at the age of 76

• Outlives Herod the Great by 10 years• Under Augustus’ rule

– Orders a census of the Roman empire (Mic 5:2)– Census caused the birth of Jesus Christ to be

recorded in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7)– John the Baptist’s ministry

Herod Family

• Originally Idumean, but claimed to be Jews (Ant 14.15.2)– Decedents of Esau (Gen 25)

• By necessity, they align with Rome

• Established the High Priests and deposed without regard to the Law

• Antipater as the Patriarch

Israel and Judah

• Around 800 BC• Multiple Kingdoms• Kingdom of Israel and

Judah are divided• Edom is to the south

of Judah• Petra is one of the

major cities of Edom

Herod’s Rise• In Rome, Herod makes a favorable

impression on Octavian and Antony

• Senate appoints him “king of the Jews” – 40 BC (Josephus – 14.14.1-5, mainly 4)– Added parts of Samaria and Idumea to his

kingdom– Only “theoretical” at this time because it was

controlled by the Parthians

• Herod then sets out to retake his kingdom– Jerusalem falls in 37 BC– Gained favor with Cassius, Syrian Proconsul

Herod The Great• Ruled from 37 BC to 4 AD

• Personality– Describes as cruel and vicious– Jealous man, sought to kill rivals to his throne– Herod had Hyrcanus killed

• Construction projects

• Provided Jews a measure of their wants– Peace and protection– Lower taxes and greater public service– Freedom from Gentile corruption of religion

Rebuilding of the Temple• Started in 19-20 BC

– Read John 2:12-22– Was still being built during the time of Jesus– According to Josephus, it wasn’t completed

until 65 AD– Eventually destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD

• Rebuilt the temple at Samaria at the same time

• Provided for pagan worship as well in various locations

Herod’s Temple

Herod and Christ• Herod hears early reports of the birth of the

“king of the Jews” (Read Matt 2)

• Tries to have the infant Jesus killed

• Joseph, Mary, and Jesus escape– To Egypt– Why Egypt?– Large Jewish population at the time, remember

• Herod becomes furious– Has all the infants in Bethlehem killed

• Joseph, Mary, and Jesus return after Herod dies, would have been around 4 BC

Herod’s Death• Herod grows more suspicious and cruel

• Had lost the confidence and favor of the Romans– Order a tax registration in 8 BC

• Contracts a disease, possibly a cancer– Herod orders key Jewish leaders to be jailed– Orders their execution when he dies– Order not carried out

• Herod’s kingdom is divided– Three younger sons inherit the kingdom

Division of the Herod’s Kingdom• Archelaus

– 4 BC – 6 AD– Became ruler of the Jews– Territory included Judea, Idumea, and Samaria

• Herod Antipas– 4 BC – 39 AD– Became a subordinate rule below the rank of a

king, most often mentioned in the NT– Territory included Galilee and Perea

• Philip the Tetrarch– 4 BC – 34 AD– Northeast of Galillee, Iturea, Trachonitis

LG – ArchelausP – AntipasO – PhillipGR – SalomeDG – Roman ProvinceY – Autonomous cities

Division of Herod’s Kingdom

Review• Reviewed last week’s lesson

– Four political groups– Julius Caesar, Antony and Octavius– Herod’s rise

• Learned about the conflict between Octavian and Antony and its’ effect on Judea

• Learned about Octavian as Caesar Augustus

• Learned about the origins of the Herodian family

• Learned about Herod’s rule– Efforts as king– Intervention with the birth of Christ– Death and division of the kingdom