400 Years of Silence? From Malachi to Matthew

400 Years of Silence? From Malachi to MatthewTony Arsenal1About MeBorn and raised in White Bear Lake Minn., a small suburb of MinneapolisCame to Faith in a Lutheran mega-church when I was 15 years oldActive as a volunteer in various roles in a large youth ministry, as well as in a small church plant with a youth ministry of about 15 studentsStudied Biblical and Theological Studies, with a minor in Koine Greek, at Bethel University in Arden Hills Minn.Graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2013 with Master Degrees in Church History and Systematic TheologyMarried Ashley in 20122What is History?History is the forensic science of compiling evidence in order to form a hypothesis of the most probable course of events in the pastHistory is a comparison of probabilityHistory can never prove its conclusionsArgues with a purpose (usually)Is not free of bias3Why the Intertestemental Period is ImportantGods story didnt simply pause at the close of MalachiAlthough inspired Scripture didnt continue, God was still working in his peopleThe events of the Intertestemental Period brought about the conditions which God saw fit to initiate the culmination of Salvation HistoryThe New Testament can be understood without knowledge of the Intertestamental Period, but it is richer and more wholistic with knowledge of the Intertestamental Period4Why the Intertestemental Period is ImportantThe Empire Strikes Back

The Return of the Jedi

ExamplesLightsaber The shift from blue to green signals the shift from Obi-wan to Yoda as his master.The fact that Luke has crafted his own lightsaber indicates that he has completed the Jedi training.Clothes His clothes shift from the clothes of a star fighter pilot to something closer to traditional Jedi garb.Leadership In RotJ Luke is clearly the leader of the group, in ESB he was at best a partner, but in most cases a follower.5What is the Intertestamental Period?The Intertestamental Period is the period of History, specifically the history of Israel, which occurs between writing of Malachi and the writing of the New Testament (Sometimes to the Destruction of the Temple)Malachi 433 BC or 424 BCPrimary Era of NT Documents AD 45 90Destruction of the Temple AD 706Timeline of EventsMajor ErasPersian Rule 424 331 BCAlexander/Hellenism 331 167 BCAlexanders Reign 331 -323 BCPtolemaic Rule 323 198 BCSyrian Rule 198 167 BCHasmonean Dynasty 167 63 BCRoman Occupation 63 BC AD 70Major Concepts / EventsHellenizationPtolemaic / Selucid Tug of WarDesolation under Antiochus IV (167)Maccabean RevoltRoman Invasion and OccupationDestruction of the Temple (AD 70)Maccabean Revolt Mattathias was ordered to sacrifice on an unlawful alter that was set up under Antiochus. Instead he refused, killed a fellow Jew who was willing to obey, and then fled into the hills.

He died in 166, but his son Judas Maccabeus (Greek for Hammerer) continued the rebellion. By 164 the rebels regained the Temple and purified the sanctuary.

Combined the Ruling/Kingly role with the Priestly role. This was opposed by a group called the Hasadim.

Festival of Hanukah commemorates this event.Make point about I am the light of the world statement and connection to Hanukah in comparison to I am the living water and I am the bread of life in comparison to other Jewish festivals.

Roman Occupation Pompey captured Jerusalem, entered the Holy of Holies in 63 BC, and inaugurated the Roman occupation of Palestine that would continue through the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD7So What?Remember, Historians argue with a purposeWhat specifically does knowing about the historical development during this era give us?How should it shape our thoughts about the New Testament?Are there things that we are not familiar with that we ought to be?How has knowledge of this era already shaped us without us knowing?8The Major Players in the New TestamentPharisees / ScribesSaduceesZealots / SiccariEssenesRome / Herodians9Major Players - PhariseesGroup likely developed in opposition to the combination of Kingly and Priestly roles in the Hasmonean Dynasty. May be related to the Hasadim (Faithful Ones).Name probably means separatists. Likely meaning a separation of powers, not a separation from societyGet a bad wrap because of their interactions with JesusWere opposed to Rome, but also opposed to violenceWould rather seek holiness (personal and corporate) which they believed would be rewarded by GodScribes were not all Pharisees, but were likely associated with them. Because they were so familiar with the text (from copying it) they were seen as legal experts (sometimes called lawyers)

10Major Players - SaduceesDeveloped out of the group who supported the Hasmoneans because of their reversal of HellenizationWere likely the wealthy and influential members of the aristocracyDescended from the Preistly family of the ZadokitesCentralized in Jerusalem and held the High Priesthood during the time of the New TestamentHeld entire Old Testament to be Gods revelation, but only doctrine which was provable from the Torah was bindingDid not oppose Roman occupationDid not persist past 70 AD since their power was centralized in the Temple11Major Players Zealots / SiccariReferred to by some as the Fourth PhilosophyBelieved that Rome must be overthrown by forceCommitted terroristic acts of violence against both Jews and GentilesFormally organized in 6 AD under Judas of Galilee, but likely existed informally prior to thatIt is likely that Judas Iscariot's surname is a reference to his membership in the SicarriPeters action in the Garden and his origin in Galilee seems to indicate that he was at least sympathetic to this movement, if not formally a memberWith Simon the Zealot, Peter, and Judas 1/4th of Jesus disciples held to this position12Major Players - EssenesApocalyptically orientedFounded by an anonymous leader called the Teacher of RighteousnessBelieved that the time was so wicked that withdrawal was the only optionMonastic Hermits who often lived in commune like communitiesJohn the Baptist shares many parallels with Essenes, but does not fit neatly. It is possible that he held views similar and may have interacted with them at some point13Major Players Rome / HerodiansRoman Occupation presented a major challenge for Jewish ideals during this periodRome placed client kings in place which were not truly Roman, but were also not truly JewishThis compromised rule was resented by most Jews, with the exception of the SaduceesThe dynasty of client kings, starting with Herod the Great, was called the HerodiansUpon the death of Herod the Great, his kingdom was split between his 4 sonsHerod Antipas over GalilleeHerod Archelaus over Judea and SamariaHerod Archelaus was banished due to incompetence and cruelty, and was replaced by Roman Procurates, the most famous of which was Pontius Pilate14Theological DevelopmentAfter the Exile, most returning Jews no longer spoke HebrewThroughout the process of Hellenization, the dominant language shifted to Koine GreekThis lead to a translation of the Old Testament into Greek, called the Septuagint or LXX (Named after the 70 or 72 translators)The Scriptures that the average first century Jew had access to was probably the LXXOccasionally the LXX and the MS (Hebrew Translation) disagree, in cases where the Old Testament is quoted and the LXX and MS disagree, the LXX is the version being quoted by NT AuthorsThe Protestant Old Testament is based on the MS books, which contains less books than the LXXThe Roman Catholic Old Testament (as well as what the majority of Eastern Orthodoxy) recognizes the full LXX cannonIt is likely that figures like Paul, Peter, and the other NT authors believed that some books were Scripture which we do not consider to be Scripture15Theological DevelopmentsJudaism became increasingly more militant and over time began to conceive of its coming savior as a military conquerAlthough this idea is not absent from the Old Testament, it is primarily developed in Extra Canonical DocumentsThis accounts for the seemingly universal understanding during the time of Jesus that Messiah would be a military heroMany, if not most, Jews believed that Messiah would be a recapitulation of the events of the Maccabean RevoltJewish prejudice against Gentiles increased dramatically due to the repeated Gentile occupations16Psalms of Solomon 17:21-24Behold, O Lord, and rise up for them their king, the son of David,At the appointed time which, O God, you did choose,That he may reign over Israel, your servant.And gird him with strength, that he may shatter unrighteous rulers,And may cleanse Jerusalem from the Gentiles that trampled her down in destructionWisely and righteously let him expel sinners from the inheritance,And destroy the sinners pride as a potters vessel,With a rod of iron may he break in pieces all their resources.Let him destroy the lawless Gentiles by the word of his mouth.17Theological DevelopmentsJudaism began to become less and less about Gods current reign with and over his people, and more and more about a future reign of God in a restored creationThis theme is prevalent throughout the Old Testament, but Gods presence with his people in the Promised Land was always primaryJudaism began to develop into a more apocalyptic/eschatological religionapokalypsis / uncovering or revelationeschatos / last or finalAngelology and Demonology began to become more prominent, The literary genre of Apocalypse developed as the primary way to speak of the end of this world and the inauguration of the eternal kingdom of God18Apocalyptic LiteratureThe First Book of EnochAnd the horse shall walk up to the breast in the blood of sinners,And the chariot shall be submerged to its height. 100:3And I observed the heavenly tablets, and read everything which was written (thereon) and understood everything, and read the book of all the deeds of mankind, and of all the children of flesh that shall be upon the earth to the remotest generations. (81:2) And in those days shall the earth also give back that which has been entrusted to it, And Sheol also shall give back that which it has received, And hell shall give back that which it owes. (51:1) And wait ye indeed till sin has passed away, for their names shall be blotted out of the book of life and out of the holy books, and their seed shall be destroyed for ever, and their spirits shall be slain, and they shall cry and make lamentation in a place that is a chaotic wilderness, andin the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there. (108:3)Johns ApocalypseAndthe winepress was troddenoutside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high asa horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia. 14:20And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, andbooks were opened. Then another book was opened, which isthe book of life. Andthe dead were judged by what was written in the books,according to what they had done.13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it,Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them,according to what they had done.14ThenDeath and Hadeswere thrown into the lake of fire. This isthe second death, the lake of fire.15And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,he was thrown into the lake of fire. - 20:12-1519For Further StudyBlomberg, Craig L. (2009), Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey (2nd ed.), Nashville: B & H AcademicWright, N. T. (1992), The New Testament and the People of God, Minneapolis: Fortress PressWright, N. T. (1996),Jesus and the Victory of God, Minneapolis: Fortress PressFlavius Josephus (2006), Whiston, William, trans.,Jewish Antiquities, London: Wordsworth Editions20Bibliography"The Time Between the Testaments", ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp. 17831785"Intertestamental Events Timeline",ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp.17881789"Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament",ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp.17991800Blomberg, Craig L. (2009), Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey (2nd ed.), Nashville: B & H AcademicWright, N. T. (1992), The New Testament and the People of God, Minneapolis: Fortress Press21Questions?Tony.Arsenal@ReformedArsenal.comwww.reformedarsenal.com