Part 18 (1/2)

From the return of the exiles, B. C. 536, to the final destruction of the Jew'ish state by the Ro'mans, A. D. 70, the history of the chosen people is closely interwoven with that of the East in general. During most of this time Ju-de'a was a subject province, belonging to the great empires which rose and fell in succession. For a brief but brilliant period it was an independent state, with its own rulers. As most of this period comes between the Old and New Testaments its events are less familiar to Bible readers than the other portions of Is'ra-el-ite history. We therefore give more s.p.a.ce than usual to the facts, selecting only the most important, and omitting all that have no direct relation with the development of the divine plan in the Jewish people.

I. The history divides itself into =Four Periods=, as follows:

1. =The Per'sian period=, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cy'rus to Al-ex-an'der, while the Jew'ish province was a part of the Per'sian empire. Very few events of these two centuries have been recorded, but it appears to have been a period of quiet prosperity and growth. The Jews were governed by their high priests under the general control of the Per'sian government.

The princ.i.p.al events of this period were:

1.) _The second temple_, B. C. 535-515. This was begun soon after the return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less splendid than that of Sol'o-mon, but was built upon the same plan.

2.) _Ez'ra's reformation_, B. C. 450. The coming to Je-ru'sa-lem of Ez'ra the scribe was a great event in Is'ra-el-ite history; for, aided by Ne-he-mi'ah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found them neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an enthusiasm for the Mo-sa'ic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the t.i.tle of ”the second founder of Is'ra-el.”

3.) _The separation of the Sa-mar'i-tans_, B. C. 409. (For the origin of the Sa-mar'i-tans see 2 Kings 17. 22-34.) They were a mingled people, both in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to wors.h.i.+p in the temple at Je-ru'sa-lem. After the return from Bab'y-lon the Sa-mar'i-tans and the Jews grew farther and farther apart. The Sa-mar'i-tans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent Ne-he-mi'ah from building the wall of Je-ru'sa-lem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally they established a rival temple on Mount Ger'i-zim, and thenceforth the two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9).

4.) _The completion of the Old Testament canon._ The prophets after the restoration were Hag'ga-i, Zech-a-ri'ah, and Mal'a-chi; but the author or editor of most of the latest books was Ez'ra, who also arranged the Old Testament nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward no more books were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place of the prophet.

2. =The Greek period=, B. C. 330-166. In the year B. C. 330 Al-ex-an'der the Great won the empire of Per'sia in the great battle of Ar-be'la, by which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from A'sia to Eu'rope, and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Al-ex-an'der died at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they could be organized and a.s.similated; but the kingdoms into which his empire was divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in language and civilization. Ju-de'a was on the border between Syr'i-a and E'gypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period into three subdivisions:

1.) _The reign of Al-ex-an'der_, B. C. 330-321. The Jews had been well treated by the Per'sian kings and remained faithful to Da-ri'us, the last king of Per'sia, in his useless struggle. Al-ex-an'der marched against Je-ru'sa-lem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jad-du'a, the high priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews.

2.) _The E-gyp'tian supremacy_, B. C. 311-198. In the division of Al-ex-an'der's conquests Ju-de'a was annexed to Syr'i-a, but it soon fell into the hands of E'gypt, and was governed by the Ptol'e-mies (Greek kings of E'gypt) until B. C. 198. The only important events of this period were the rule of Si'mon the Just, an exceptionally able high priest, about B. C. 300, and the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Al-ex-an'dri-a, who had lost the use of He'brew or Chal'dee. This translation was made about B. C. 286, according to Jew'ish tradition, and is known as the Septuagint version.

3.) _The Syr'i-an supremacy_, B. C. 198-166. About the year B. C. 198 Ju-de'a fell into the hands of the Syr'i-an kingdom, also ruled by a Greek dynasty, the Se-leu'ci-dae, or descendants of Se-leu'cus. This change of rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto they had been permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to enjoy a measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters.

But now the Syr'i-an kings not only robbed them of their freedom, but also undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the most cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and left to ruin, and the wors.h.i.+pers of Je-ho'vah were tortured and slain, in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syr'i-an forms of idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11. 33-40 is supposed to refer to this persecution. When An-ti'o-chus, the Syr'i-an king, found that the Jews could not be driven from their faith, he deliberately determined to exterminate the whole nation. Uncounted thousands of Jews were slaughtered, other thousands were sold as slaves, Je-ru'sa-lem was well-nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Ju'pi-ter O-lym'pus, and the orgies of the Baccha.n.a.lia were subst.i.tuted for the Feast of Tabernacles. The religion of Je-ho'vah and the race of the Jews seemed on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land.

Blackboard Outline

1. =Four Per.= 1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Ez. ref. 3.) Sep. Sam.

4.) Com. O. T. can.

2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup.

Review Questions

With what history is that of the Jews interwoven during this period? What was the political condition of the Jews at this time? What are the four periods of this history? Who were the rulers of the Jews during the first period? What building was erected after the return from captivity? What great deliverance was effected by a woman? What great reforms were effected by a scribe? What t.i.tle has been given to him? What were the events connected with the separation of the Sa-mar'i-tans? Who were the prophets of the restoration? By whom was the Old Testament canon arranged? What brought on the Greek period? What events of Jew'ish history were connected with Al-ex-an'der the Great? Under what people did the Jews fall afterward? What were the events of the E-gyp'tian rule? What is the Septuagint? How was its translation regarded by the Jews of Pal'es-tine? In what kingdom, after E'gypt, did Ju-de'a fall? How was it governed by its new masters? Who inst.i.tuted a great persecution?

PART TWO

3. =The Mac-ca-be'an period=, B. C. 166-40. But the darkest hour precedes the day; the cruelties of the Syr'i-ans caused a new and splendid epoch to rise upon Is'ra-el.

1.) _The revolt of Mat-ta-thi'as._ In the year B. C. 170 an aged priest, Mat-ta-thi'as, unfurled the banner of independence from the Syr'i-an yoke. He did not at first aim for political freedom, but religious liberty; but after winning a few victories over the Syr'i-an armies he began to dream of a free Jew'ish state. He died in the beginning of the war, but was succeeded by his greater son, Ju'das Mac-ca-be'us.

2.) _Ju'das Mac-ca-be'us_ gained a greater success than had been dreamed at the beginning of the revolt. Within four years the Jews recaptured Je-ru'sa-lem and reconsecrated the temple. The anniversary of this event was ever after celebrated in the Feast of Dedication (John 10. 22).

Ju'das ranks in history as one of the n.o.blest of the Jew'ish heroes, and deserves a place beside Josh'u-a, Gid'e-on, and Sam'u-el as a liberator and reformer.

3.) _The Mac-ca-be'an dynasty._ Ju'das refused the t.i.tle of king, but his family established a line of rulers who by degrees a.s.sumed a royal state, and finally the royal t.i.tle. In the year B. C. 143 Jew'ish liberty was formally recognized, and the Mac-ca-be'an princes ruled for a time over an independent state. Between B. C. 130 and 110 E'dom, Sa-ma'ri-a, and Gal'i-lee were added to Ju-de'a. The latter province had been known as ”Gal'i-lee of the Gen'tiles” (Isa. 9. 1); but by degrees the foreigners withdrew, and the province was occupied by Jews who were as devoted and loyal as those of Je-ru'sa-lem.

4.) _The rise of the sects._ About B. C. 100 the two sects, or schools of thought, the Phar'i-sees and Sad'du-cees, began to appear, though their principles had long been working. The Phar'i-sees (”separatists”) sought for absolute separation from the Gen'tile world and a strict construction of the law of Mo'ses, while the Sad'du-cees ”moralists”) were liberal in their theories and in their lives.

4. =The Ro'man period=, B. C. 40 to A. D. 70. It is not easy to name a date for the beginning of the Ro'man supremacy in Pal'es-tine. It began in B. C. 63, when Pom'pey the Great (afterward the antagonist of Ju'li-us Cae'sar) was asked to intervene between two claimants for the Jew'ish throne, Hyr-ca'nus and Ar-is-to-bu'lus. Pom'pey decided for Hyr-ca'nus, and aided him by a Ro'man army. In his interest he besieged and took Je-ru'sa-lem, and then placed Hyr-ca'nus in power, but without the t.i.tle of king. From this time the Ro'mans were practically, though not nominally, in control of affairs.