A QUICK LOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TIME OF

THE GENTILESGod’s Universal Dealing:

1. Creation

2. Fall

3. Flood

4. Tower of Babel

The Patriarchal Period:

1. Abraham

2. Isaac

3. Jacob

4. Joseph (430 Years)

2100 – 1800 BC

40 Years before entering the land

Within 7 years the land is divided/tribe

(12)

THE EXODUS

TRIBAL TERRITORY,

THE DIVISION OF

THE NEW LAND

Intermarriage and Idolatry ushers in the era of the Judges

Samuel, the last Judge anoints the first king.

Altar of Canaanite

human sacrifice in Megiddo

The Kings of IsraelSaul 40

Years

David 40 Years

Solomon 40 Years

THE KINGDOM IS

DIVIDED AFTER THE

DEATH OF SOLOMON

Northern kingdom captured in 722 BC.

Southern kingdom captured in 586.

70 Years later the people begin to return.

The City Wall is Rebuilt

The Old Testament period soon ends.

Golden Gate

THE GOLDEN GATE

GOD IS SILENT FOR 400 YEARSThe silence is broken in the Temple when an angel

of God announces to Zacharias of the coming birth

of his son to be called John the Baptist (Luke 1:11)

Israel is under Roman Control.

Internal rule under Roman control is

allowed.

Israel is governed by five religious sects.

The Roman Empire at the time of Christ

PhariseesConservative – ritualistic – anti-foreign

They kept entirely separate from all others

Hypocrites

SADDUCEES• Priestly party

• Rationalized all things but only believed

• that what they believed was rational

• They denied the oral law, resurrection,

future punishment and rewards

ESSENES• Lived a monk like existence near the dead• sea. • They are the source of the Dead Sea

Scrolls found at Qumran

HERODIANS• Supporters of Herod. • Bitter enemies of the Pharisees.• Yet conspired with them to kill Jesus.• The Herodium believed to be where Herod is buried

ZEALOTS• Aggressive seekers of self-rule.

• Wanted to fight the Romans.

• Barabbas and maybe even Judas were

Zealots.

SANHEDRENThe ruling body consisting of

representatives of each religious sect totaling 70.

Pharisees were the dominate sect.

WHY IS THIS THE BEST TIME FOR THE BIRTH OF CHRIST?

• The world is at peace.

• Greek is the universal language.

• The 722 dispersion of the Jews had caused the common knowledge of God to spread.

• Roman roads made safe travel possible

• People were growing skeptical of pagan

Gods.

GOD ORCHESTRATED ALL OF TIME TO COME TO THIS EXACTPLACE IN PREPARATION FOR THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR!!!

AND, HE IS DOING THE SAME RIGHT NOW

FOR HIS RETURN !!!!!

Palestine

In New

Testament

Times

A QUICK TIMELINE Jesus is born in Bethlehem. 30 years later He begins His ministry. 3 years later He gives His life on the cross. About 17 years later Mark writes his

gospel. Within 10+ years 2 more are written.

WHY 4 GOSPELS?

They provide 4 different pictures of Christ

which:

1. Emphasize His life.

2. Show there is more than enough in Christ to attract people.

3. Show how He fulfilled prophecy.

THE SYNOPTICS

Three gospels are called synoptic:

Matthew, Mark and Luke

SYN = TOGETHER

OPSIS = SEEING (or VIEW)

A COMPARASION OF THE GOSPELS

MARK - Background• John Mark; John is Johanan = Hebrew,

Mark is Marcus = Latin.

• Cousin of Barnabus , a wealthy Greek speaking Jew of a Levitical family from Cyprus.

• His mother is Mary (sister of Barnabus) a widow who opened her home for the early Jerusalem church. (Acts 12:12)

• It is believed her house is the site of the last supper’s upper room (14:15).

• Converted by Peter (1Peter 5:13), and was with Peter for 12 years.

• Mark was not an apostle• He failed his first missionary journey with

Paul and Barnabus Acts 13:13 & 15:38 and ended the journey early by going home

• He recovered and returned to Paul’s good graces becoming a valued worker,

Col. 4:10, 11 & Philemon 24, 2Tim. 4:11. • Mark was raised in a Godly home and lived

his life surrounded by Godly men.

Mark - Background

Mark - Background• The synoptic gospels were all written

between the 50s and 60s AD.

• Mark is believed to be the first, written sometime in the early 50s.

• The gospel was written to gentiles and specifically to Romans.

• It was probably written in Rome.

Mark - Background• Peter is the apostolic authority behind

the gospel and because it is his teachings or remembrances, it is not in chronological order.

Mark - Background• Theme: Christ the Servant. • Key verse: 10:45 For the Son of man also came not

to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

• The gospel is divided into two parts: 1:1 – 10:52 covers the service of the servant 11:1 – 16:20 covers the sacrifice of the servant.

• The birth and childhood are not mentioned in Mark.

• There is no genealogy and little mention of Jewish matters.

• 63 quotes or allusions from the OT. (128 in Matthew)

• The gospel emphasizes what Jesus DID rather then what He said.

• It is a book of action with immediately appearing 40 times.

Mark - Background

• It is believed that Mark received the majority of the information he wrote from Peter recording his memories and or his teachings.

• It is not in chronological order.• Eusebuis quoted the apostle John as

stating that Mark was very accurate in his recording of the events Peter discussed.

Mark - Background

Mark - Background

• The real author is God. In this case, we believe that God spoke through Peter and John Mark faithfully

recorded what Peter said.