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The Hebrews

The Hebrews. HIST 100 Mira Costa College. The Shema. Hear, O Israel: the Eternal One is our God, the Eternal God alone!” (Deut. 6:4) A Jew is obligated to say this every morning and night (Deut. 6:7) Directed to people of Israel Israel has its own God (“our God”)

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The Hebrews

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  1. The Hebrews HIST 100 Mira Costa College

  2. The Shema • Hear, O Israel: the Eternal One is our God, the Eternal God alone!” (Deut. 6:4) • A Jew is obligated to say this every morning and night (Deut. 6:7) • Directed to people of Israel • Israel has its own God (“our God”) • Unites past, present and future generations

  3. God in Judaism • Finds his creation, “very good” • Created nature, but transcends nature • Nature and human nature are not illusory • Versus a Hindu/Buddhist view to free soul or reality from its material container • Nature and human nature show God’s image and imprint • Marriage held in high regard

  4. God in Judaism • Body = good = belief in bodily resurrection • Ezekiel 37:1-7 (Valley of the Dry Bones) • End of Daniel • 2 Esdras (resurrection and coming of the Messiah)

  5. God in Judaism: Concerned for his people • Picks out Abraham and lifts his people up • Watches out for orphans, widows • 8th century BCE: Isaiah: “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, please for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17) • 7th century BCE: Jeremiah: “Mend your ways and your doings, deal fairly with one another, do not oppress the alien, the orphan and the widow, shed no innocent blood…” (Jeremiah 7:6) • The Axial Age • Each person is responsible to be a co-worker with God on earth • All righteous people can share in the world to come

  6. History in Judaism • History is significant / Opportunities abound • Social action / Work to change history • “I have given you as a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.” (Isaiah 42:6-7) • Unique and Decisive Events • Tension between Yahweh’s intentions and human failure to meet them

  7. Messianism in Judaism • “Historical progress as a western idea” • Jews were oppressed / displaced • Other outlooks (Hinduism) created by ruling classes • Orthodox Jews expect an actual messiah • Conservative and Reform Jews expect an age of universal peace

  8. Morality in Judaism • Rabbinic Law has 613 commandments • Central to Judaic life and belief • Jewish identity and holidays • Ten Commandments

  9. Rituals in Judaism • Orthopraxis rather than Orthodoxy • No official creed, but ceremonies and rituals are decisive • The most historically minded of all the religions • Passover, New Year, Yom Kippur, etc.

  10. Texts: Hebrew Bible • Sometimes referred to as “Torah” or “Pentateuch” • Sacred History • Religious interpretation of historical events • Central feature of Judaism

  11. Distinguishing Characteristics of Judaism • God is one; indivisible; no form • Humans are humans therefore, no human can be divine • Ezra as the last prophet • Humans will never be perfect

  12. Everyone has direct access to God No intermediary is necessary One’s soul is morally neutral We are free to choose good or evil

  13. Genesis 12:1-2 • The Lord said to Abram, “leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. I will give you many descendants and they will become a great nation…”

  14. Abraham’s Two Sons • Abraham and Sarah had trouble conceiving a child • Thus Sarah offers her slave, Hagar, as a concubine to Abraham • Abraham’s first son was named Ishmael

  15. God insists that Sarah will conceive at age 90 and Abraham at age 100 and they do • Their son was named Isaac

  16. Sarah convinces Abraham to banish Hagar and Ishmael to the desert and Abraham complies • They escape to the “wilderness”

  17. Hagar and Ishmael to the desert • Genesis 21:12-13 • “But God said to Abraham, ‘Don’t be worried about the boy and your slave Hagar. Do whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I have promised. I will also give many children to the son of the slave-girl, so that they will become a nation. He too is your son.” • Genesis 21: 17-21 • God heard the boy (Ishmael) crying, and from heaven the angel of God spoke to Hagar…Get up, go and pick him up, and comfort him. I will make a great nation out of his descendants…God was with the boy as he grew up; he lived in the wilderness of Paran and became a skillful hunter. His mother found an Egyptian wife for him.”

  18. Jacob’s 12 Sons • Isaac has a son named Jacob • Jacob renamed “Israel” and had 12 sons

  19. Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph • Joseph rose in the Pharaoh’s court • Hyksos Period 1783-1539 BCE • Later, the other 11 brothers went to Egypt to escape famine in Caanan • They recognized Joseph, and settled in Egypt with their families • Eventually, the Hebrew people were enslaved (16th century BCE at the end of the Hyksos period)

  20. Pharaoh’s Order • Pharaoh ordered Hebrew boys killed, wary of their numbers (New Kingdom) • Foreigners were disliked and distrusted after the overthrow of the Hyksos • Moses’ mother floated him down the river whereupon the Pharaoh’s daughter adopted and raised him

  21. Moses • Led Hebrews out of Egypt in EXODUS • Wandered 40 years in Sinai Desert • Joshua used force to conquer Canaan at the Battle of Jericho

  22. Kings Saul, David and Solomon united the various tribes of Israelites Solomon died between 930-925 BCE The united kingdom split into two

  23. Assyrian Rule • Assyrians rose to power - 900 BCE • 722 - Northern Kingdom of Israel conquered • Deported 27,290 in the First Exile • “Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria; for three years he besieged it… he carried the Israelites away to Assyria…This occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt…” (2 Kings 17:5-8)

  24. Babylonian Rule • Babylonians defeated Assyrians (612 BCE) & Egyptians 605 BCE • 586- 538 BCE Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah • “He burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem…the captain of the guard carried into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city…but left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and tillers of the soil.” (2 Kings 25: 8-12)

  25. Persian Empire • Cyrus II defeats Babylonians in 539 BCE • Allowed Jews in Babylon to return to Jerusalem • Funded temple reconstruction • Books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther • Praise of Persian rulers • Some Jews entered political service under Persians • Nehemiah: cup-bearer • Mordecai: Prime Minister

  26. Alexander the Great’s Empire

  27. Hellenization

  28. Antiochus IV Epiphanes & Revolt 167-164 BCE • Enforced Hellenization • Circumcision, Friday Sabbath, holidays and purity laws banned • Declared that Zeus and Yahweh were the same • Assumed divinity for himself taking the title “Epiphanes” which means “God Manifest” or “God Revealed” • Put Zeus in the Jerusalem Temple • Had to sacrifice pigs to Greek gods and partake of the meat • Resistors killed • Women and children sold into slavery

  29. Maccabean Revolt 167-164 BCE • Led by Mattathias • Led by his son Judas Maccabeus • In 164 BCE he restored the temple • The “Festivals of Lights” / Hanukkah • Independence won in 142 BCE

  30. Hasmonean Dynasty • 142-63 BCE • (79 years of independence) • Expanded territory • Forced conversions on people like Idumeans • Jews split up into Pharisees, Saducees, Essenes

  31. Dead Sea Scroll Community • Apocalyptic sect waiting for the end of time • Strict observance of Jewish law • Books discovered in 1947

  32. “Herod the Great” • 63-4 BCE • Ruled Palestine as a buffer state between Parthia and Rome • Recognized by Mark Antony as Jewish national leader • Hellenized Palestine by building Greek-style cities in Samaria and Jericho • Surrounded himself with Greek scholars • Killed his wife and 3 sons • Jesus born at the end of his reign • (Scriptural reference here)

  33. Judaism in Rome • Judea placed under direct Roman control in 6 CE • Roman governors often insensitive to Jewish belief • Opposition and independence movements sprang up / some precited the end of times: e.g. the Jesus movement, the Essenes, John the Baptist and Jesus • Insistence on only one god led to tension within the Roman world • Romans were polytheistic and believed in the “Pax Deorum” or “Peace with the gods”

  34. Direct Roman Control • Herod’s 3 sons ruled Palestine • By 39, all were replaced by Roman prefects • Prefects were one social class lower than Senators • 5th Prefect was Pontius Pilate (26-36) • Ordered crucifixion of Jesus • 36-135 Revolts against Rome and mass killings continued

  35. Christianity • Based on the life, teachings, death resurrection of Jesus • Pureness of heart over following the Law (p297) • Taught for 3 years / executed by Roman government for sedition • Largest religion in the world

  36. Jesus of Nazareth • Jewish teacher who taught Jewish peasants • Choice of 12 disciples symbolizes the restoration of Israel (12 sons of Jacob) • Radical ethics / Egalitarian vision • Touched lepers & a bleeding woman • Ate with people of all classes • Had a mystical vision of the unity of all things • “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…for he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45) • “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19) (Matthew 22:39)

  37. Early Christian Communities • Within 25 years after Jesus’ death, churches (ekklesiai) had been founded from Jerusalem to Rome • Despite persecution and lack of central control • Earliest converts were middle to lower class Jews, women, slaves, urban poor • Conflict between Christian Jews and non-Christian Jews over “law” • For Paul, observing Jewish customs was unnecessary for conversion • Converted as families • Spread by word of mouth • No conversions by mass groups • Paul’s letters reveal communities meeting in households, manifesting a variety of “spiritual gifts” and practicing common rituals (See 1 Corinthians) • By 100 bishops, clergy, deacons administered church affairs in a hierarchical structure

  38. Paul of Tarsus • Started out persecuting Christians “I was so zealous (in following Jewish law), I persecuted the church.” • Philippians 3:5-6 • Called himself a “pure blooded Hebrew” • Philippians 3:5 • Sought to reconcile Jews and non-Jews in the church • Romans 14 (Some keep kosher, others do not, be at peace with your brothers) • After a visitation, began missionary travels • Wrote 13 letters between 50-65 in Greek / Understood Aramaic • Considered a “second founder” of Christianity

  39. Why was Christianity successful?

  40. Why was Christianity successful? • Didn’t require education like some mystery cults • Didn’t require circumcision • Didn’t require payment • Anyone could join, even slaves • Doctrines appealing • Promised eternal happiness • Church was well organized

  41. Hermeneutics - theological study of interpreting scripture • Literal vs. Figurative • Origen - Egyptian theologian stressed allegorical interpretation of the bible • “figurative expressions which indicate certain mysteries”

  42. Proof of Jesus outside the Bible • Josephus - Jewish historian (born 37) • References to “Yeshu the Nazarene” who practiced “sorcery”

  43. Gospel of Mark • Mark - one of Paul’s companions • Earliest gospel: 70 • Put together oral tradition in order to develop a narrative of Jesus’ life and ministry and to spread the faith • Written to prepare readers for the imminent end of days

  44. Gospel of Matthew • Influential in early Jewish Christianity • Jesus as a 2nd Moses / who brought the new kingdom • Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish heritage • Frequently refers to the Hebrew Bible and stresses Jewish law • Traces lineage of Jesus back to Abraham as both are “fathers of many nations” (Genesis 17:14) (Matthew 28:19) • Stresses Jesus as son of David since Jews believed that the messiah would be a descendant of David

  45. Gospel of Luke • Jesus’ life to serve as an example to follow • Written the way popular biographies were written at the time • Jesus’ mission as universal, not Jewish • Written for non-Jews • Focuses on saving and healing the poor and downtrodden

  46. Gospel of John • Written around 100, the latest of the 4 Gospels • Jesus as eternal Son of God and the Word of God made flesh • Logos as a universal creation principle / Wisdom and Order: a Greek philosophical idea • Heavenly world vs. earthly world / God’s plan vs. sinful world • Written for a sect of Hellenized Jews to continue their Christian faith • Greek influences in distinction between light and darkness • “The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has never mastered it.” John 1:5

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