Bible Lit MP2

1. Bible Lit MP2

2. Day 1 Bellringer – kings in bible • Who was the dominant empire during Jesus’ life?

3. Jesus’ impact • During the first century CE, a new religion took hold in Rome. It was called Christianity. The followers of Christianity were called Christians. Christians believed in one god. They refused to worship the Roman gods. In ancient Rome, that was against the law. Christians were hunted as criminals. 

4. In spite of persecution, Christians grew in numbers rapidly. Christians actively looked for converts. They told others about the benefits of being Christian. Christians came from every walk of life in ancient Rome, but Christianity had great appeal to Rome's poor.  

5. Life After Death: Christianity promised life after death in heaven. In the Roman religion, only gods went to heaven. Emperors were considered gods. Everyone else went to the underworld. 

6. Equality: Christianity promised equal opportunity. You had to be born into the nobility. You could join Christianity and be equally a Christian.

7. After nearly 300 years of persecution, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was legal and that Christians would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs. • This does not mean that Rome finally had religious freedom. It meant only that it now legal to worship Roman gods or to be Christian. Every other religion was still illegal.

8. Kings in the Bible • In your group, you will lookup and read the stories of these Biblical kings. You will then give the class a short (meaning 3-4 minute) description of the story. Yes, this is a grade. • Solomon • David • Saul • Xerses • Ahab • Herod

10. Day 2 Bellringer • What was an example of a king in the Bible both serving and turning against God?

12. The Life and Teaching of Jesus • Romans Conquer Judea • Rome conquers Judea, home of the Jews; makes it part of the empire in A.D. 6 • Many Jews believe in a coming Messiah (meaning anointed one), or savior, who will eventually free them.

13. The Life and Teaching of Jesus • Jesus of Nazareth • Jesus was born in Bethlehem sometime around 6 to 4 B.C. • He was raised in Nazareth in the province of Galilee. • He is a carpenter until about the age 30 when he begins preaching. Mosaic of Jesus at Church of San Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy.

14. The Life and Teaching of Jesus • Jesus of Nazareth (continued) • According to the four Gospels (of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) Jesus is said to perform miracles. • He stresses a personal relationship with God, love for friends and enemies.

15. The Life and Teaching of Jesus • A Growing Movement • Apostles-from the Greek word “apostolos” means literally “someone sent out.” These are twelve men who are close disciples of Jesus. • Jesus ignores wealth and status; his message appeals to the poor. Sermon on the Mount by Danish painter Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1890.

16. The Life and Teaching of Jesus • Jesus’ Death • Many Jews view Jesus as the Messiah; others see him as a false teacher. • Roman governor Pontius Pilate sentences Jesus to be crucified. • Apostles believe Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven. • Jesus comes to be called “Christos,” the Greek word for “savior.” The word Christian and Christianity is derived from that word.

17. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Growth of Christianity • Followers spread Christianity—new religion based on the teachings of Jesus. • The term “Christian” to designate followers of Christianity was first used in Antioch (see Acts 11: 26).

18. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Paul’s Mission • Was originally named Saul, and was a member of the strict Jewish sect of Pharisees. • He persecutes Christians at first, but on his way to Damascus to arrest some Christians he has an experience where he claimed Jesus appeared to him calling him to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. Saint Paul, by El Greco, circa 1608-1614

19. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Paul spends his life preaching and interpreting Christianity. • Paul stresses Jesus is the Son of God who died for people’s sins. • Paul declared that Christianity was open to all, Gentile as well as Jew. • The common languages of Latin and Greek, spoken throughout the empire, helps the spread of the Christian message. The New Testament is written entirely in common (Koine) Greek spoken by most people who live in the eastern Mediterranean region.

20. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Paul is the author of epistles or letters to the churches. All of these letters existing were included in the New Testament. • Romans • 1 and 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 and 2 Thessalonians • The Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and Titus • Philemon

21. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Jewish Rebellion • Jews rebel against Rome in 66 A.D. • Romans storm Jerusalem and destroy the Temple in 70 A.D. • Another Jewish rebellion occurs in 132 A.D., which the Romans crush. Jews and ethnically Jewish Christians are barred from Jerusalem. • Diaspora—centuries of Jewish exile—from the Greek word for “dispersal”.

23. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire • Persecution of the Christians • Christians won’t worship the Roman gods or the emperor. They are considered enemies of the State. • Roman rulers use Christians as scapegoats for hard times. • As PaxRomana crumbles, Christians are crucified, burned, and killed in the arena.

24. A World Religion • Christianity’s Expansion • Christianity becomes a powerful force and appeals to people because of these reasons: • embraces all people • gives hope to the powerless • appeals to those repelled by extravagance of Roman life • offers a personal relationship with God • promises eternal life after death

25. A World Religion • Constantine Accepts Christianity • Constantine—Roman emperor battles for control of Rome in A.D. 312. • He has a vision of a cross—the Christian symbol—and places it on soldiers’ shields. • He believes Christian God helped him win the battle and legalizes Christianity. • In A.D. 380 the Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the religion of the empire.

26. A World Religion • Early Christian Church • Priests direct a single church (parish). • Bishops supervise numerous churches (diocese) • Apostle Peter is considered the first bishop of Rome, therefore, the clergy trace their authority to him. • Pope—means father or head of the Christian Church. Rome becomes the center of the Church.

27. A World Religion • A Single Voice • Church leaders compile standard Christian beliefs in the New Testament • The New Testament is added to the Hebrew Bible (renamed the Old Testament) • The Fathers of the Church • Early writers and scholars of Christianity are called Fathers of the Church • Augustine, bishop in North Africa, is one of the most important Fathers • He stressed the importance of receiving the sacraments to obtain God’s grace • He wrote his most famous book, The City of God.

28. Acts 11:26 “and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” (ESV)

31. Day 3 Bellringer • Who do you think was the greatest OT king?

32. Comparing Views of History • King Ahasuerus or Xerxes – as we look at the various depictions of Xerses, compare how we see him in the Bible, in history, and in media.

33. Historically • Under Persian law, the Achaemenian kings were required to choose a successor before setting out on such serious expeditions. Upon his great decision to leave (487–486 BC),[3] Darius prepared his tomb at Naqsh-e Rostam and appointed Xerxes, his eldest son by Atossa, as his successor. Darius's failing health then prevented him from leading the campaigns,[4] and he died in October 486 BC.[4]

34. Xerxes was crowned and succeeded his father in October–December 486 BC[7] when he was about 36 years old.[3] The transition of power to Xerxes was smooth due again in part to the great authority of Atossa[2] and his accession of royal power was not challenged by any person at court or in the Achaemenian family, or any subject nation.[8]

35. In the 19th and early 20th century, Bible commentators attempted to identify Vashti with Persian queens mentioned by the Greek historians. Upon the discovery of the equivalence of the names Ahasuerus and Xerxes, Bible commentators attempted to identify Ahasuerus with Xerxes I of Persia and Vashti with a wife named Amestris mentioned by Herodotus. Traditional sources, however, identify Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes II. Jacob Hoschander supporting the traditional identification suggested that Vashti may be identical to a wife of Artaxerxes mentioned by Plutarch, named Stateira.[4] These identifications are problematic however. Amestris remained in power well into the reign of her son Artaxerxes I and moreover the identification of Ahasuerus with Xerxes was rejected by later scholars. Similarly details of Stateira do not accord with Vashti as Stateira was an early wife murdered by Artaxerxes II's mother while the events of Purim occur late in his reign. (Artaxerxes II is said to have had 350 wives.)[5] • Persian tradition recorded by Al-Tabari regards Vashti as a distinct historical figure.

36. Media-y • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvILGIIVsMU • This, btw, got AWFUL reviews from an historical standpoint…

37. King Ahasuerus or Xerxes • The story’s setting is when Israel was in captivity to Babylon. The ruler of the Persian Empire is called Ahasuerus in the Bible and is historically known as Xerxes (486-465 B.C.) • Remember the movie 300? • Hollywood heard an earful from Persian and Iranian protesters about it… • Xerxes (Persian king) son of Darius Bible calls Ahaseerus., not wise as Darius, but foolish.

38. King Ahasuerus or Xerxes • Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: Ancient Persian Empire • At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, • Easily swayed by his advisors., commanded Vashti when he was drunk then made a rash decision to get rid of her.

39. Esther is Chosen Queen 1:1-2:18 • The ladies that are called to replace queen Vashti undergo a yearlong Spa Treatment! • Esther showed an inner beauty which caught the attention of those around her, however:

40. Mordecai • A faithful and just person • A symbol of the Holy Spirit and you will see why as the story unfolds. • 2:19 When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate. 20 Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

41. Haman • One of the princes (kings advisors) who quickly gained more power and the king blindly trusted, since Haman was a people pleaser, tried to flatter the king every chance he got to gain his favor and therefore gain power. • Haman the Agagite was the descendant of King Agag of the Amalekites, who were nearly wiped out by Saul (Saul's reluctancy to do so cost him the throne of Israel in the eyes of God). The plot involves Haman's quest for revenge and Esther's redemption of Saul's mistake, saving the Jews from the last of the Amalekites and certain extinction. Remember Esther is a descendent of Saul, and we’ll see how God uses her to complete what Saul didn’t.

42. The Jews in Peril 2:19-4:17 • Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not for the king's profit to tolerate them." {Est 3:8 RSV} • Haman casts lots (purim) to decide in which month to murder the Jews. Mordechai then declares the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the Hebrew month of Adar as days of rejoicing, as the feast of Purim. 

43. Haman • As you trace this man's ancestry back through Scripture you discover that an Agagite is an Amalekite, and Amalek was that race of people, descendants of Esau, against whom God had said he would make war forever. (Ex. 17:16) King Saul had been ordered to completely eliminate this people, but in his folly he chose to spare Agag the king of the Amalekites and thus perpetuated this faithless force in Israel. Throughout the whole of Scripture, this tribe of Amalekites represents the indwelling desire in our hearts that is continually opposed to all that God wants to do. This is what the New Testament calls "the flesh," and whenever the Spirit of God begins to move to bless us, this thing rises up to oppose the Spirit and do all it can in its subtle, clever, crafty way to hinder the work of God

44. The Result of Prayer and Fasting: The Holy Spirit works • "After three days and nights" -- that certainly is significant, isn't it? Three days and nights Jesus Christ lay in the grave on our behalf. dead for us. On the third day Esther puts on her royal robes and stands in the inner courts of the king's palace opposite the king's hall, waiting in fear and uncertainty, hardly knowing what will happen when the king sees her. But when he does, he sees her in the beauty of the resurrected life. "On the third day" she comes. on the day of resurrection, in power and glory, and his heart is captivated by her beauty. He says to Queen Esther, "Ask anything you want. I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom."

45. Esther had courage and faith •  1 Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.[a] 2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”

46. And she had WISDOM:Timing is Everything • 4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!” 7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

47. Haman’s humiliation and death 5:1-7:10 • Then we find a strange thing taking place. Esther doesn't ask him for anything; she simply asks him to dinner the next day and says to bring Haman along. What is the meaning of that? I think there is nothing more significant than this: we never can second-guess the Holy Spirit in the way he will handle a situation. We never know how he is going to work. The apparently logical response would have been that Esther immediately say, "Look, you asked me to make a request. What I want is the head of Haman on a platter." But she doesn't do that. Evidently in obedience to Mordecai's orders, she waits. And while she waits, we discover that something interesting happens: Haman is trapped by his own folly

48. Haman’s humiliation and death 5:1-7:10 • So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. 2 And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”3 Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4 For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.” 5 So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?” 6 And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!”

49. The Jews saved 8:1-9:17 • God is the one who plans and avenges His way, our role is to listen and obey (fasting and prayer, obedience and faith). Ch. 7:3-10 • Esther Saves the Jews (as a Type-symbol of Christ) 8:5 (Esther is still wise in how she speaks to the king) *: 14-17 • As a result of Esther's intervention and influence, Persian Jews lived in Persia (modern Iran) for 2400 years thereafter • God gives position and favor not for personal gain but to further His purpose.

50. Doing God’s plan and will in our lives is never easy and is always met with opposition • Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not for the king's profit to tolerate them." {Est 3:8 RSV} • In other words, here is a people -- who obey a different life principle. Just as the spirit of man indwelt by the Holy Spirit is immediately subject to a different rule of living, a different way of thinking, a different demand, so these Jews are obeying a different principle. Because they are God's people.