bbl 450 new testament backgrounds class vi: temple & jewish groups dr. esa autero

BBL 450 New Testament Backgrounds

CLASS VI: Temple & Jewish groupsDr. Esa Autero

Temple & Jewish Groups

1.1 Introduction What was the significance of the Temple for Jews?

What were the major Jewish sects? Beliefs and practice

Samaritans – a Jewish group, pagan nation or heresy?


2.1 Temple and Priesthood

• Jewish Temples Tabernacle (portable temple) Solomon’s Temple c. 957BC (1 Kings 6-8)

Destruction 587/6BC (2 Kings) Zerubbabel’s Temple – dedicated c. 516 BC (Ez 6:15)

Other Jewish temples (in Egypt) Island of Elephantine (5th century BC) – destroyed on 4th cent. Leontopolis (2nd century BC) – by Onias during desecration

Continued until AD 66-70


Leontopolis


[1] The leader of his brethren and the pride of his people was Simon the high priest, son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house, and in his time fortified the temple. [2] He laid the foundations for the high double walls, the high retaining walls for the temple enclosure. [3] In his days a cistern for water was quarried out, a reservoir like the sea in circumference. [4] He considered how to save his people from ruin, and fortified the city to withstand a seige. [5] How glorious he was when the people gathered round him as he came out of the inner sanctuary! (Sir 50:1-5)

Desecration 168-164BC by Antiochus Epiphanes IV


• Herod’s Temple – a “third” Temple “Beautification” and rebuilding

Based on Solomon’s layout – 4 sections of ANE temples

Courtyard – porch – sanctuary – inner sanctuary

Gentile’s; women’s; men’s court; Holy place; Holy of holies Two veils – holy place & holy of holies

Which tore during Jesus’ crucifixion? (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; cf. Heb 10:19-20)


High priest (once/yr.)

Priests

Jewish men

Jewish women

Gentiles “Temple cleansing” (Mk 11:15-17)


• Priesthood and Temple service Priests: Levites, descendants of Aaron (Ex 4:14; 28:1; Lev 8:1; 10:1-10)

Liturgy (prayer, incense, recital of Scripture); teaching Law Butchery, inspecting sacrifices, ritual purity, carrying wood

Levites: descendants of Levi – Temple “keepers” (Ex 38:20; Num 1:50-3)

Singing, guarding Temple gates & policing; inspecting sacrifices Zadokite family & high priesthood during David’s reign (2Kgs2)

24 courses (1 Chr 24:1-19; cf. Ezra 2:36–39; 10:18–22) Service 2 weeks/yr. (cf. Luke 1:5-12)

Also major festivals, esp. Passover (mSukkah 5.7) Hereditary high priesthood ended w/ Onias III 174BC

Jason (Onias’ bro) bribed Antiochus Epiphanes Menelaus (non-Levite) “bought” highpriesthood 3 yrs. later Onias’ son (Onias IV) established rival temple in Leontopolis


(156) Having given all these supplies and revenues to the priests, he did not neglect those either who were in the second rank of the priesthood [Levites]; and these are the keepers of the temple, of whom some are placed at the doors, at the very entrance of the temple, as door-keepers; and others are within, in the vestibule of the temple, in order that no one who ought not to do so might enter it, either deliberately or by accident. Others, again, stand all around, having had the times of their watches assigned to them by lot, so as to watch by turns night and day, some being day watchmen and others night watchmen. Others, again, had charge of the porticoes and of the courts in the open air, and carried out all the rubbish, taking care of the cleanliness of the temple, and the tenths were assigned as the wages of all these men; for these tenths are the share of the keepers of the temple. (Philo, Spec. Laws 1.156)


• High priesthood - Hasmonean family until 37BC In the one hundred and seventieth year the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, [42] and the people began to write in their documents and contracts, "In the first year of Simon the great high priest and commander and leader of the Jews." (1Macc 13:41-42) High priesthood 37BC-70AD

Religio-political office supervised by Romans High priest’s garments controlled by Herod(s) & Rome

Priests mostly lived in Jerusalem & Jericho (cf. Luke 1:39)

Some priests were Pharisees (cf. Josephus; Life 1-2)

Temple & Jewish GroupsNow on the north side [of the temple] was built a citadel, whose walls were square, and strong, and of extraordinary firmness. This citadel was built by the kings of the Asamonean race, who were also high priests before Herod, and they called it the Tower, in which were reposited the vestments of the high priest, which the high priest only put on at the time when he was to offer sacrifice. These vestments king Herod kept in that place; and after his death they were under the power of the Romans, until the time of Tiberius Caesar; under whose reign Vitellius, the president of Syria, when he once came to Jerusalem, and had been most magnificently received by the multitude, he had a mind to make them some requital for the kindness they had shewn him; so, upon their petition to have those holy vestments in their own power, he wrote about them to Tiberius Caesar, who granted his request: and this their power over the sacerdotal vestments continued with the Jews till the death of king Agrippa; but after that, Cassius Longinus, who was president of Syria, and Cuspius Fadus, who was procurator of Judea, enjoined the Jews to reposit those vestments in the tower of Antonia, for that they ought to have them in their power, as they formerly had. However, the Jews sent ambassadors to Claudius Caesar, to intercede with him for them; upon whose coming, king Agrippa, junior, being then at Rome, asked for and obtained the power over them from the emperor, who gave command to Vitellius, who was then commander in Syria, to give it them accordingly. Before that time they were kept under the seal of the high priest, and of the treasurers of the temple; which treasurers, the day before a festival, went up to the Roman captain of the temple guards, and viewed their own seal, and received the vestments; and again, when the festival was over, they brought it to the same place, and showed the captain of the temple guards their seal, which corresponded with his seal, and reposited them there. ( Ant. 15.403) Why did Rome (and Jews) make such a fuss about clothes?


• Worship and sacrifices The decline of the Jerusalem Temple

Desecration of the Temple 167BC-164BC (3.5yrs.) Rival temples in Egypt (Leontopolis & Elephantine) Disruption of the hereditary priesthood & new calendar (cf. Jub. & 1 En)

Passover offerings accepted at the “wrong” date (mPesah5.2; mZebah 1.1,3) Qumran Essenes (& other groups) broke away due to corruption (their view)

Singing and prayers Temple singers in the OT (1-2 Chr) Singing, prayers, trumpet blast & prostration in the first century BC/AD (Ant

20.216-18; Sir 50:18; Spec. Laws 1.195; Ag.Ap. 2.196; Jud 9.1)

No fixed wording of prayers – 18 benedictions somewhat fixed


[14] Finishing the service at the altars, and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty, [15] he reached out his hand to the cup and poured a libation of the blood of the grape; he poured it out at the foot of the altar, a pleasing odor to the Most High, the King of all. [16] Then the sons of Aaron shouted, they sounded the trumpets of hammered work, they made a great noise to be heard for remembrance before the Most High. [17] Then all the people together made haste and fell to the ground upon their faces to worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High. [18] And the singers praised him with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody. [19] And the people besought the Lord Most High in prayer before him who is merciful, till the order of worship of the Lord was ended; so they completed his service. [20] Then Simon came down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name; [21] and they bowed down in worship a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High. (Sir 50:14-21)


• Sacrifices Daily sacrifices: early morning & late afternoon (Ag.Ap. 2.105)

Details of daily routines only from later rabbis Tamid (daily service; mTamid 5-6)

Some priests slept in the Temple Morning rituals: immersion; casting lots for duties; clearing & cleaning

of the altar; --- new fire for incense (altar kept burning the whole night) Day light – lamb prepared (butcher, wash, salted) Casting of lots (2nd time) – incense burning; prayers & recital of Shema All priests gathered at the Court of Priests to recite a blessing - portions

of the lamb into fire; libation of wine – Levites clanged cymbals and sang a psalm. Trumpet blowing and people prostrated.

People brought sacrifices. Second offering in the afternoon Numerous other sacrifices during Sabbath and festivals

Temple & Jewish Groups92 The ministration of the priests is in every way unsurpassed both for its physical endurance and for its orderly and silent service. For they all work spontaneously, though it entails much painful exertion, and each one has a special task allotted to him. The service is carried on without interruption - some provide the wood, others the oil, others the fine wheat flour, others the spices; others93 again bring the pieces of flesh for the burnt offering, exhibiting a wonderful degree of strength. For they take up with both hands the limbs of a calf, each of them weighing more than two talents, and throw them with each hand in a wonderful way on to the high place of the altar and never miss placing them on the proper spot. In the same way the pieces of the sheep and also of the goats are wonderful both for their weight and their fatness. For those, whose business it is, always select the beasts which are without blemish and specially fat, and thus the sacrifice which I have described, 94 is carried out. There is a special place set apart for them to rest in, where those who are relieved from duty sit. When this takes place, those who have already rested and are ready to assume their duties rise up spontaneously since there is no one to give orders with regard to the arrangement of 95 the sacrifices. The most complete silence reigns so that one might imagine that there was not a single person present, though there are actually seven hundred men engaged in the work, besides the vast number of those who are occupied in bringing up the sacrifices. Everything is carried out with 96 reverence and in a way worthy of the great God. (Letter of Aristeas 92-95)


Finances of the Temple Annual Temple tax & tithes/offering brought wealth

[105] Now Crassus (c. 54BC), as he was going upon his expedition against the Parthians, came into Judea, and carried off the money that was in the temple, which Pompey had left, being two thousand talents [talent c. 40kgs/88lbs.], and was disposed to spoil it of all the gold belonging to it, which was eight thousand talents. He also took a beam, which was made of solid beaten gold, of the weight of three hundred minae, each of which weighed two pounds and a half. It was the priest who was guardian of the sacred treasures, and whose name was Eleazar, that gave him this beam, not out of a wicked design, for he was a good and a righteous man; but being intrusted with the custody of the veils belonging to the temple, which were of admirable beauty, and of very costly workmanship, and hung down from this beam, when lie saw that Crassus was busy in gathering money, and was in fear for the entire ornaments of the temple, he gave him this beam of gold as a ransom for the whole, but this not till he had given his oath that he would remove nothing else out of the temple, but be satisfied with this only, which he should give him, being worth many ten thousand [shekels/drachmas (10,000 drachmas to talent)]. Now this beam was contained in a wooden beam that was hollow, but was known to no others; but Eleazar alone knew it; yet did Crassus take away this beam, upon the condition of touching nothing else that belonged to the temple, and then brake his oath, and carried away all the gold that was in the temple. (Ant. 14.105-9; cf. 14.72)Coins – 80,000kgs/176,000lbs.Gold – 160,000kgs/352,000lbs Numbers exaggerated but sizable treasure


• Destruction of the Temple and NT What happened in practice when Temple was destroyed? What were the theological implications?

How did the Jewish people survived the crisis? What was the response of the Jewish Christians?

Loss of… National identity and symbol (religious, political, social life) God’s very presence & dwelling place – “bridge” to heaven Sacrificial system; prayers; purity; festivals; temple tax; tithes

Solutions – reconstitution of Jewish life (esp. AD135) Yohana ben Zakkai & Yavneh AD 90 Synagogue & study of Torah; alms in place of sacrifice (Hos 6:6; Prov 16:6)

Voluntary Temple tax Rabbinic debates continued for decades after AD70 – hope of restoration


• New Testament, Temple & sacrifices Early Jewish Christians participated in Temple & its rituals (Matt

5:23-4; Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:42; 21:26) Spiritual Temple – ekklesia & believer (1Cor 3:16; 6:19; Eph 2:21)

Dwelling place of the Spirit Heavenly Temple (Heb 6:19; 8:2; 9:11, 24; 10:20; Rev 3:12; 7:15) Sacrifices – Christ ultimate sacrifice (Heb 9:26)

Sacrifice, purity & worship: dedication, holy living & practical deeds Worship as singing, prayers, Scripture, practical deeds of love


2.2 Jewish groups – Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes Difficulties in reconstructing the Jewish groups

Pharisees – what were Pharisees like? Historical origins in Hasmonean & Hasidim revolts (1Macc 2; 7) “one who is separate” – a possible meaning

Victory over Antiochus IV due to Torah fidelity (1Macc 2:45-46; 3:5; 2 Macc 8:26-27)

Most influential Jewish sect “support of the masses” (Ant 13.298) & “extremely influential” (Ant 18.15; cf. Acts 5:34; 23:6 [some in Sanhedrin])

Earlier political influence greater (Ant 13.288-99) Was Josephus exaggerating Pharisaic influence? (Life 12)

Clashed with rulers occasionally (War 1.88-99; Ant. 13.372-76)


• Law observance “the strictest sect of our religion” (Acts 26:5; Phil 3:5-6) Reputation for most strictest observance (Ant 17.41; War 1.110) Law observance in society - reluctantly cooperated w/ Rome (War 2.411-12)

Qumran accused Pharisees – seekers of “smooth things” (CD 1.18-19) Disputes with Jesus (Matt 9:11, 34; 12:2, 38; Mk 7:5; 8:11; Lk 6:7)

Tithing, purity, Sabbath, fasting, Messiah Any positive examples of Pharisees in the NT?

Nicodemus (John 3:1-21; 19:39); warn Jesus (Luke 13:31-32); Moses’ seat (Matt 23:2-3)

Beliefs of the Pharisees Divine providence and possibility of observing Torah (War 2.162-63; Ant 18.13) Freewill and divine sovereignty (Ant 13.173) Resurrection of the body (War 2.162-65; Ant 18.15-18; Acts 23:8) Oral & written Torah


Now, for the Pharisees, they live meanly, and despise delicacies in diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and what that prescribes to them as good for them they do; and they think they ought earnestly to strive to observe reason's dictates for practice. They also pay a respect to such as are in years; nor are they so bold as to contradict them in any thing which they have introduced; and when they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since their notion is, that it hath pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of man can act virtuously or viciously. They also believe that souls have an immortal rigor in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again; on account of which doctrines they are able greatly to persuade the body of the people; and whatsoever they do about Divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices, they perform them according to their direction; insomuch that the cities give great attestations to them on account of their entire virtuous conduct, both in the actions of their lives and their discourses also. (Ant. 18.1.3)


• Sadducees – no extant primary sources Name probably from “Zadok” David’s high priest (2 Sam 8:17; 15:24)

Real descendants of Zadok or merely sympathizers? Deposed 172BC OR Qumran community as a break-away from Zadokites - unlikely Sadducees “able to persuade none but the rich” (Ant. 13.298)

Not the party of the “masses” More or less influence than Pharisees?

Sadducees connected to wealth, Temple, political power & Sanhedrin Often aristocratic priests – e.g. Ananus (Ant. 20.198-99; cf. Acts 5:17; 23:6-7) Conflicts w/ Jesus and the apostles (Matt 16:1-12; Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-18)


• Beliefs and practice Denied resurrection and afterlife (Matt 22:23; Mk 12:8; Acts 23:8)

Deny immortality & future punishment/reward (War 2.165; Ant 18.66)

Deny fate – belief in freewill & human choice (War 2.164-65; Ant. 13.173) Rejected traditions of the elders (Ant 13.297; 18.16)

Only Torah authoritative in legal matters More lenient in Torah observance but strict in punishment (Ant. 20.199;

13.294)

See also Acts 5:33-39 Disappeared after AD 70


[16] But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies; nor do they regard the observation of any thing besides what the law enjoins them; for they think it an instance of virtue to dispute with those teachers of philosophy whom they frequent: but this doctrine is received but by a few, yet by those still of the greatest dignity. But they are able to do almost nothing of themselves; for when they become magistrates, as they are unwillingly and by force sometimes obliged to be, they addict themselves to the notions of the Pharisees, because the multitude would not otherwise bear them. (Ant. 18.16)


• Essenes and the Qumran – disappear after AD 70 Essenes described by Josephus, Philo, and Pliny

Most likely also Qumran sect Admission into Essene sect

1st yr. – practice as a novice but live outside the community 2nd – 3rd yrs. – “partaker of the waters of purification” but in community Final acceptance w/ “tremendous oaths” & commitment (War 2.137-42) Lived in cities & villages in Judea (War 2.124; Philo, Hypoth. 11.1)

On the west side of Dead Sea (Pliny, Nat.Hist. 5.15.73) Community of goods (War 2.122; Ant. 18.20; Philo Prob. 85-87) No slaves (Philo Prob. 79) Males who did not marry (Ant 18.21) or did marriage? (War 2.160)


• Immortality of the soul akin to Greeks (War 2.154-58) Hippolytos: belief in resurrection (Haer. 9.22)

• Deterministic view of history – “everything in the hands of God” (Ant. 18.18)

• Importance of purity – daily purification in cold water (War 2.129) Purification after contact w/ junior members (War 2.150) Communal meals sacred - dining room like a sacred shrine (War 2.129) Rejection of Jerusalem Temple – own sacrifices (Ant. 18.19)

• Essenes and the NT – potential connections & influence John the Baptist – his baptism and location near Dead Sea Community of goods (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32; 1QS 1.11-13; 6.13-23) Dualism of light & darkness (1QS 3.18-21; 1QM; John 1:5; 1 John 2:9-20)

Temple & Jewish Groups[18] The doctrine of the Essenes is this: That all things are best ascribed to God. They teach the immortality of souls, and esteem that the rewards of righteousness are to be earnestly striven for; and when they send what they have dedicated to God into the temple, they do not offer sacrifices because they have more pure lustrations of their own; on which account they are excluded from the common court of the temple, but offer their sacrifices themselves; yet is their course of life better than that of other men; and they entirely addict themselves to husbandry. It also deserves our admiration, how much they exceed all other men that addict themselves to virtue, and this in righteousness; and indeed to such a degree, that as it hath never appeared among any other men, neither Greeks nor barbarians, no, not for a little time, so hath it endured a long while among them. This is demonstrated by that institution of theirs, which will not suffer any thing to hinder them from having all things in common; so that a rich man enjoys no more of his own wealth than he who hath nothing at all. There are about four thousand men that live in this way, and neither marry wives, nor are desirous to keep servants; as thinking the latter tempts men to be unjust, and the former gives the handle to domestic quarrels; but as they live by themselves, they minister one to another. They also appoint certain stewards to receive the incomes of their revenues, and of the fruits of the ground; such as are good men and priests, who are to get their corn and their food ready for them. They none of them differ from others of the Essens in their way of living, but do the most resemble those Dacae who are called Polistae [dwellers in cities]. (Ant. 18.18-19)


2.3 The Samaritans (Hb. Šomronim) – Jews/non-Jews?http://youtu.be/wu6qhJ2HvyY

• The origins of the Samaritans debated (then and now) Transfer of pagans into Israel by Assyria (722BC) 2Kgs 17

Lions as punishment & priests to teach the Law (17:24-28) Rival cult in Sheckem & Mt. Gerizim not mentioned References to Mt. Gerizim in Torah positive (Deut 11:29; 27:12) Opponents in Ezra-Neh (Ez 4:1-16; Neh 4:1-8)

[25] With two nations my soul is vexed,and the third is no nation:[26] Those who live on Mount Seir, and the Philistines,and the foolish people that dwell in Shechem. (Sir 50:25-26) Increasing hostility during intertestamental period

http://youtu.be/wu6qhJ2HvyY

http://youtu.be/wu6qhJ2HvyY


[340] So when Alexander had thus settled matters at Jerusalem, he led his army into the neighboring cities; and when all the inhabitants to whom he came received him with great kindness, the Samaritans, who had then Shechem for their metropolis, (a city situate at Mount Gerizzim, and inhabited by apostates of the Jewish nation,) seeing that Alexander had so greatly honored the Jews, determined to profess themselves Jews; for such is the disposition of the Samaritans, as we have already elsewhere declared, that when the Jews are in adversity, they deny that they are of kin to them, and then they confess the truth; but when they perceive that some good fortune hath befallen them, they immediately pretend to have communion with them, saying that they belong to them, and derive their genealogy from the posterity of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh. (Ant. 11.340)

No mention of temple in Gerizim


[21] So Antiochus carried off eighteen hundred talents from the temple, and hurried away to Antioch, thinking in his arrogance that he could sail on the land and walk on the sea, because his mind was elated. [22] And he left governors to afflict the people: at Jerusalem, Philip, by birth a Phrygian and in character more barbarous than the man who appointed him; [23] and at Gerizim, Andronicus; and besides these Menelaus, who lorded it over his fellow citizens worse than the others did. In his malice toward the Jewish citizens, [24] Antiochus sent Apollonius, the captain of the Mysians, with an army of twenty-two thousand, and commanded him to slay all the grown men and to sell the women and boys as slaves. (2 Macc 5:21-23; cf. 6:1-2)

Jews associated w/ Mt. Gerizim


• NT texts on Jews and Samaritans Relations b/w Jews and Samaritans

Disciples not to enter Samaritan towns (Matt 10:5-6) Samaritan woman: proper place of worship & Messiah (John 4:4-42) Samaritans reject Jesus (Luke 9:51-53) The good Samaritans (Luke 10:25-37; 17:11-19) Mission to Samaria (Acts 8:4-25) Luke’s positive depictions of Samaritans

• Josephus’ negative picture of Samaritans Emphasis on Samaritans’ foreignness (War 1.63; Ant. 11.302; 13.255-56) Present Jews to the Romans against Samaritans – opportunist (Ant. 11.341) Cowardly compliance (Ant. 12.257-64); false prophet (Ant. 18.85-87) Softer views – Samaritans as “genuine proselytes” (Ant. 9.288-91)


• Samaritan Chronicles – Samaritan self-understanding Origins: wicked Eli moved the cult from Shechem to Shilo

Samaritans – those who remained in Shechem and remained faithful* Samaritan Chronicle – late & historically unreliable source (AD 1300s) Archaeology: Gerizim temple built around mid-fifth cent. BC

Some similarities & differences b/w Jews and Samaritans Strict monotheism; Sabbath; circumcision; synagogue worship; festivals per Torah Different locale of the temples (Jerusalem-Gerizim) – Qumran & rival temples


• Current scholarly theories of Jew-Samaritan split Two-episode theory:

1st split over rival temple in Gerizim (Persian/Hellenistic period) 2nd split in the 2nd or 1st century BC (Hasmonean time)

Alternative theory: Developed as a Jewish sect c. 200s BC – disagreements over beliefs, cult,

society etc. – later split from rabbinic Judaism Destruction of Gerizim temple 128BC by John Hyrcanus I – likely contribution


• Importance of Samaritan identity – Samaritan Pentateuch Only Pentateuch authoritative Scripture

Variant wordings & orthography* – otherwise identical Samaritan Pentateuch and the Qumran “harmonization” versions

Pre-Samaritan Pentateuch – Pentateuch versions that tended toward harmonizing Deut 1-9 w/ Ex. & Num. parallels (4QpaleoExodm; 4QNumb)

Samaritan Pentateuch utilizes same tendencies to emphasize sacredness of Mt. Gerizim

Samaritan scribes modified the text w/ available exegetical techniques 1) replacement of allusions to Jerusalem – to Mt. Gerizim Also – new command on Decalogue: building altar on Mt. Gerizim**2) Replacement of “place that the LORD…will choose” (Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26; 14:23, 24, 25; 15:20; 16:2, 6, 7, 11, 15-16 etc.) with “…has chosen…” Election of Jerusalem (vs. Gerizim) eliminated

bbl 450 new testament backgrounds class vi: temple & jewish groups dr. esa autero

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