Lesson 4 - “The Time between the Old and New Testaments”

1. Lesson 4 - “The Time between the Old and New Testaments”

2. Intertestamental Period • Let’s review a brief history of the Israelites/Jews. • Who was the last prophet of the Old Testament? • Malachi. When? • 400BC • What year was Christ born? • 2 B.C., actually • What happened in between?

3. Intertestamental Period • We can’t go through the detailed history, but basically, they were under the rule of several different nations. • Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, Romans • Brief period of Self-rule • They continued to follow the law of Moses, even though ruling nations often tried to influence them. • But they built up pride which prevented them from accepting the Messiah when He came

4. 3 Groups, 3 Types of Pride • Group 1: The Scribes • Scribes were educated men who were kept records and copied the scriptures and teachings of the prophets. (ex: Ezra) • Instrumental in convince the Jews to study the scriptures and rely on the law. • After Malachi, the Lord no longer called prophets for the people. • The scribes filled this void, decided to become experts in scriptures and prophecy • Often gave their own interpretations, not necessarily the Lord’s

5. The Scribes • As the scribes continued to rise in power, there was a shift in the common language. • Hebrew -> Aramaic • Common people did not know Hebrew anymore, so the scribes became more powerful • Only ones who could read and interpret the scriptures • This happened in the Apostasy as well • Scriptures were kept in Latin • Roman Catholic church took advantage of this distance • The Scribes’ Pride: Intellectual Superiority & Control • “We define the law”

6. Group #2: The Pharisees • While under Greek power, a Jewish group emerged in an attempt to preserve the Israelite tradition and law • The Pharisees followed the strict law of the Torah (first 5 books of Moses), but also added to it. • The Oral Law • Passed down orally (we know what that means happens) • Starts adapting to exclude, especially those not of specific lineage. • The Pharisees’ Pride: Tradition and Exclusion • “Only we know what it means to be a Jew”

7. Group #3: The Sadducees • Also during Greek rule, the Sadducees arose from the upper class: priests, merchants, and aristocrats • They were more inclined to accept the reigning culture (Greek, Roman, etc) in order to keep their status. • They stopped believing in doctrines such as angels or the Resurrection • The Sadducees’ Pride: Wealth and Status • “We rule the people”

8. Pride • Here we have growing pride in all three groups • Scribes: Intellectual Superiority & Control • Pharisees: Tradition and Exclusion • Sadducees: Wealth and Status • How did this cause them to react when the Savior came? • He fulfilled the law, completely changed it • He taught and accepted all • He taught that the poor and the meek shall inherit the earth and be blessed. • John 1:10-11

9. Priming • What does it mean to “prime” something? • How do action movies prime you? • Experiments • Old words make you act older • Polite/Rude words make you act the same • The Jews at the time had been primed with pride. It clouded their mind and they rejected their promised Messiah.

10. Primed with the Spirit • What happens when we are primed with pride? • How can we prime ourselves with the Spirit? • The more time we spend with Spiritual things and with keeping the commandments, the more we will be ready when the Savior wants to be a part of our life.

11. Notebook Ideas • How can you prime yourself for Christ? How will you prepare yourself for His guidance? • Do you find yourself sometimes in similar prideful situations (Status, Exclusion, Intellect)? How can you find humility and bring yourself back to Christ? • How will you react to the coming of Christ?