400 Years of Silence? From Malachi to Matthew

1. 400 Years of Silence? From Malachi to Matthew Tony Arsenal

2. About Me • Born and raised in White Bear Lake Minn., a small suburb of Minneapolis • Came to Faith in a Lutheran mega-church when I was 15 years old • Active 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 students • Studied 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 Theology • Married Ashley in 2012

3. What 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 past • History is a comparison of probability • History can never prove its conclusions • Argues with a purpose (usually) • Is not free of bias

4. Why the Intertestemental Period is Important • God’s story didn’t simply pause at the close of Malachi • Although inspired Scripture didn’t continue, God was still working in his people • The events of the Intertestemental Period brought about the conditions which God saw fit to initiate the culmination of Salvation History • The New Testament can be understood without knowledge of the Intertestamental Period, but it is richer and more wholistic with knowledge of the Intertestamental Period

5. Why the Intertestemental Period is Important The Empire Strikes Back The Return of the Jedi

6. What 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 BC • Primary Era of NT Documents – AD 45 – 90 • Destruction of the Temple – AD 70

7. Timeline of Events • Major Eras • Persian Rule – 424 – 331 BC • Alexander/Hellenism – 331 – 167 BC • Alexander’s Reign – 331 -323 BC • Ptolemaic Rule – 323 – 198 BC • Syrian Rule – 198 – 167 BC • Hasmonean Dynasty – 167 – 63 BC • Roman Occupation – 63 BC – AD 70 • Major Concepts / Events • Hellenization • Ptolemaic / Selucid Tug of War • Desolation under Antiochus IV (167) • Maccabean Revolt • Roman Invasion and Occupation • Destruction of the Temple (AD 70)

8. So What? • Remember, Historians argue with a purpose • What 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?

9. The Major Players in the New Testament • Pharisees / Scribes • Saducees • Zealots / Siccari • Essenes • Rome / Herodians

10. Major Players - Pharisees • Group 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 society • Get a bad wrap because of their interactions with Jesus • Were opposed to Rome, but also opposed to violence • Would rather seek holiness (personal and corporate) which they believed would be rewarded by God • Scribes 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)

11. Major Players - Saducees • Developed out of the group who supported the Hasmoneansbecause of their reversal of Hellenization • Were likely the wealthy and influential members of the aristocracy • Descended from the Preistly family of the Zadokites • Centralized in Jerusalem and held the High Priesthood during the time of the New Testament • Held entire Old Testament to be God’s revelation, but only doctrine which was provable from the Torah was binding • Did not oppose Roman occupation • Did not persist past 70 AD since their power was centralized in the Temple

12. Major Players – Zealots / Siccari • Referred to by some as the “Fourth Philosophy” • Believed that Rome must be overthrown by force • Committed terroristic acts of violence against both Jews and Gentiles • Formally organized in 6 AD under Judas of Galilee, but likely existed informally prior to that • It is likely that Judas Iscariot's surname is a reference to his membership in the Sicarri • Peter’s 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 member • With Simon the Zealot, Peter, and Judas 1/4th of Jesus’ disciples held to this position

13. Major Players - Essenes • Apocalyptically oriented • Founded by an anonymous leader called the “Teacher of Righteousness” • Believed that the time was so wicked that withdrawal was the only option • Monastic Hermits who often lived in commune like communities • John 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 point

14. Major Players – Rome / Herodians • Roman Occupation presented a major challenge for Jewish ideals during this period • Rome placed client kings in place which were not truly Roman, but were also not truly Jewish • This compromised rule was resented by most Jews, with the exception of the Saducees • The dynasty of client kings, starting with Herod the Great, was called the Herodians • Upon the death of Herod the Great, his kingdom was split between his 4 sons • Herod Antipas over Galillee • Herod Archelaus over Judea and Samaria • Herod Archelaus was banished due to incompetence and cruelty, and was replaced by Roman Procurates, the most famous of which was Pontius Pilate

15. Theological Development • After the Exile, most returning Jews no longer spoke Hebrew • Throughout the process of Hellenization, the dominant language shifted to Koine Greek • This 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 LXX • Occasionally 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 Authors • The Protestant Old Testament is based on the MS books, which contains less books than the LXX • The Roman Catholic Old Testament (as well as what the majority of Eastern Orthodoxy) recognizes the full LXX cannon • It 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 Scripture

16. Theological Developments • Judaism became increasingly more militant and over time began to conceive of its coming savior as a military conquer • Although this idea is not absent from the Old Testament, it is primarily developed in Extra Canonical Documents • This accounts for the seemingly universal understanding during the time of Jesus that Messiah would be a military hero • Many, if not most, Jews believed that Messiah would be a recapitulation of the events of the Maccabean Revolt • Jewish prejudice against Gentiles increased dramatically due to the repeated Gentile occupations

17. Psalms of Solomon 17:21-24 Behold, 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 sinner’s pride as a potter’s 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.

18. Theological Developments • Judaism began to become less and less about God’s current reign with and over his people, and more and more about a future reign of God in a restored creation • This theme is prevalent throughout the Old Testament, but God’s presence with his people in the Promised Land was always primary • Judaism began to develop into a more apocalyptic/eschatological religion • apokalypsis / ἀποκάλυψις – uncovering or revelation • eschatos / ἔσχατος– last or final • Angelology 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 God

19. Apocalyptic Literature The First Book of Enoch John’s Apocalypse And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia. – 14:20 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And 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. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - 20:12-15 • And the horse shall walk up to the breast in the blood of sinners,And the chariot shall be submerged to its height. – 100:3 • And 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, and in the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there. (108:3)

20. For Further Study • Blomberg, Craig L. (2009), Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey (2nd ed.), Nashville: B & H Academic • Wright, N. T. (1992), The New Testament and the People of God, Minneapolis: Fortress Press • Wright, N. T. (1996), Jesus and the Victory of God, Minneapolis: Fortress Press • Flavius Josephus (2006), Whiston, William, trans.,Jewish Antiquities, London: Wordsworth Editions

21. Bibliography • "The Time Between the Testaments", ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp. 1783–1785 • "Intertestamental Events Timeline", ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp. 1788–1789 • "Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament", ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, pp. 1799–1800 • Blomberg, Craig L. (2009), Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey (2nd ed.), Nashville: B & H Academic • Wright, N. T. (1992), The New Testament and the People of God, Minneapolis: Fortress Press

22. Questions? Tony.Arsenal@ReformedArsenal.comwww.reformedarsenal.com