Transcript First-century Judaism and Christianity

First-century Judaism and
Christianity
First-century Judaism
First-century Judaism
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First-century Judaism
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Legal religion (religio licita)
Staunchly monotheistic
 The Shema: “Hear, O
Israel! The LORD is our
God, the LORD is one!”
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
Jewish Scripture
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The Law
The Prophets
The Writings
Exclusive and intolerant
Apocalyptic!
First-century Judaism
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Resurrection
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Religio-political belief
YHWH will bodily raise
servants to life
Triumph over pagan
oppressors, creation-affirming
Most clearly taught in
Daniel 12:2-3:
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“And many of those who sleep
in the dust of the ground will
awake, [some] to everlasting
life, but the others to disgrace
and everlasting contempt. And
those who have insight will
shine brightly like the
brightness of the expanse of
heaven, and those who lead
the many to righteousness, like
the stars forever and ever.”
First-century Judaism
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The Pharisees
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Focus: the synagogue
Nonviolently opposed to
Rome
Oral traditions
Resurrection, angelic
beings
First-century Judaism
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The Sadducees
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High priests
Aristocratic elite
Focus: the Temple
Supported Roman status
quo
No resurrection
First-century Judaism
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The Essenes
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Withdrew from society
Jerusalem and Temple
are hopelessly corrupt!
Communal
Apocalyptic
Qumran
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Ruins at Qumran
Monastic community?
Dead Sea Scrolls
First-century Judaism
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The Vast Majority of Jews (95%)
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Farmers, fishermen, merchants, tradesmen
struggling to make ends meet
Fulfill basics required by their Jewish faith
First-century Judaism
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Messianic Expectation
 Jewish renewal movements
 Messiah (“Anointed”)
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Kingly, priestly title
Some Jews longed for the “coming Messiah(s)” to deliver
them from the Romans
“I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth
from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a
house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever…your house and your kingdom shall endure
before me forever; your throne shall be established forever”
(2 Sam. 7:12-16)
Messiah figures crushed by Roman authorities
First-century Judaism
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John the Baptist
(ca. 6 BC – 30 AD)
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Apocalyptic preacher
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Location of ministry: Jordan River
Preached Repentance
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“You brood of vipers, who
warned you to flee from the
wrath to come? Therefore bring
forth fruits in keeping with
repentance, and do not begin
to say to yourselves, ‘We have
Abraham for our father,’ for I
say to you that God is able
from these stones to raise up
children to Abraham”
(Luke 3:7-8)
Baptized, drawing on mikvaot
Executed by Herod Antipas
(r. 4 BC-39 AD)
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First-century Judaism
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Questions?
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus of Nazareth
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Church’s view reigned
supreme
Questioned during
Enlightenment, beyond
Many interpretations!
Controversial figure!
Jesus of Nazareth
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Sources for Jesus
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Gospels of Mark,
Matthew, Luke, John
(ca. 65-95 AD)
“Q” (ca. 40s-50s?)
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Hypothetical
Source for common
material in Matthew and
Luke
Gospel of Thomas
(ca. 50s-170s AD)
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“Gnostic”
Jesus of Nazareth
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“Jesus: Cynic Sage”
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Jesus’ teachings echo
Cynic philosophy
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Disdain for wealth,
flattery, conventional
norms
Traveled light, stressed
carefree life
Sought out social misfits
Jesus taught through
aphorisms
Jesus of Nazareth
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“No” Historical Jesus
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Be agnostic about
historical Jesus!
Stories from Gospels
have been edited  not
trustworthy!
Jesus was fictitious
amalgamation of 1st-cent.
religious figures and
beings
Jesus of Nazareth
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“Jesus: Eschatological
Prophet”
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Jesus’ teachings and
actions were those of a
prophet
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Taught end of the age
was near
“Action in Temple” 
coming destruction of
Temple
Jesus was “Jewish”!
Jesus of Nazareth
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“Jesus: Messiah
Figure”
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Jesus was teacher,
eschatological prophet
Made messianic claims
Jesus was “Jewish”!
Jesus of Nazareth
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Instructor’s Interpretation: “Jesus: Messiah Figure”
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Jesus existed!
Jesus was Jewish!
Jesus’ words and actions in earliest sources  prophet,
messiah figure
Best explains circumstances of his death, subsequent spread
of “Jesus movement”
“Thomas” is controversial, quite possibly composed in 2nd
century
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus of Nazareth
(ca. 6 BC – ca. AD 30)
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Trained as carpenter
Follower of John the
Baptist
Itinerant rabbi
Three-year ministry
(ca. 27-30 AD)
12 apostles
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus: Prophet of the
Kingdom
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Proclaimed coming
“Kingdom of God”
Kingdom parables
“Thy kingdom come…on
earth as it is in heaven…”
(Matthew 6:10)
Included the outcasts
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Levi’s house (Mark 2)
Kingdom ethics
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus the Prophet
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YHWH’s Coming
Judgment
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Denounced religious
leaders in Jerusalem and
elsewhere
Warned of destruction of
the Temple?!
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“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who
kills the prophets and stones
those who are sent to her! How
often I wanted to gather your
children together, the way a hen
gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you were unwilling.
Behold, your house is being left
to you desolate!” (Matt. 23:3738)
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus and Miracles?
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Exorcisms
Healings
Resuscitations
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus the
“Messiah Figure?”
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Self-references
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“Go and report to John
[the Baptist] what you
have seen and heard:
the blind receive sight,
the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, and the
deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, the poor have
the gospel preached to
them” (Luke 7:22)
Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus the
“Messiah Figure”?
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Dramatic entrance into Jerusalem
on Palm Sunday
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“On the next day [Palm Sunday] the
great multitude who had come to
the feast [Passover], when they
heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, took the branches of the
palm trees, and went out to meet
him, and began to cry out,
‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the LORD,
even the King of Israel.’ And Jesus,
finding a young donkey, sat on it; as
it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of
Zion; Behold, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt’” (John
12:12-15)
Jesus of Nazareth
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What became of Jesus?
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Action in the Temple
Religious leaders infuriated,
fearful
Betrayed by Judas Iscariot
Tried, condemned by
Sanhedrin
Turned over to Pilate 
sentenced to death
Died
Yet movement lived on…
Jesus of Nazareth
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Questions?
The Apostolic Church
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The Birth of the Church
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Apostolic community
convinced Jesus had
been resurrected
Jesus ascended to
heaven 40 days later?
Pentecost
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Holy Spirit descended?
Peter preached
“resurrected, ascended
Christ”  3,000 Jews
converted
The Apostolic Church
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The Jerusalem Church
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Consisted of “messianic Jews”
Temple and Torah still central
Met in “house churches”
Proclaimed “Gospel”
At odds with religious, secular rulers
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Apostles imprisoned by Sadducees (Acts 5)
James the Apostle executed (Acts 12)
The Apostolic Church
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Simon Peter (Cephas)
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Fisherman
Called by Jesus to be
“fisher of men” (Mark
1:16-18)
Spokesperson of
apostles
Impetuous, hot-tempered
Denied Jesus 3 times
The Apostolic Church
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Peter
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Central role in Acts
“Apostle to the
Circumcision”
Miracles?
Author of two NT
Epistles?
Journeyed to Rome 
executed (64/67 AD)
The Apostolic Church
Former Mamertine Prison, Rome
The Apostolic Church
St. Peter’s Basilica
The Apostolic Church
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James the Just
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“Brother” of Jesus?
Head of Jerusalem
Church
Lifestyle of prayer
Author of Epistle of
James?
Executed (ca. 62 AD)
The Apostolic Church
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John, Son of Zebedee
(†100 AD)
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Fisherman
Youngest apostle?
At the crucifixion?
Present in Jerusalem, later
in Ephesus
Exiled
Lived to extreme old age?
Writings?
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Gospel of John
1-3 John
Revelation
The Apostolic Church
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Outreach to Non-Jews
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Peter Baptizes Cornelius
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Conclusion: Gospel not
just for Jews!
Philip and Samaria
(Acts 8)
Peter and Cornelius
(Acts 10)
Had already reached
Syria
The Apostolic Church
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Paul of Tarsus
(d. ca. 64 AD)
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Saul
Jew, Roman citizen
Pharisee
Student of Gamaliel
Hated, persecuted Jesus’
followers
“Conversion experience”
(Acts 9)  preacher,
“Apostle to the Gentiles”
The Apostolic Church
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Paul the Missionary
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3 missionary journeys
(40s and 50s)
Traveled with trusted
companions
Made many converts,
planted numerous
churches
“To the Jew first and also
to the Greek…” (Romans
1:16)
Paul Preaching at Mars Hill, Athens (Acts 17)
The Apostolic Church
The Apostolic Church
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Paul and the Council of
Jerusalem (ca. 49 AD)
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Conversion of Gentiles
posed new questions
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Must they be circumcised?
Must they keep Torah?
Council called in Jerusalem
James and Peter agreed
with Paul (Acts 15)
“The just shall live by
faith…” (Rom. 1:17)
The Apostolic Church
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Paul
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Years later, arrested 
Roman custody
Appealed to Caesar 
Rome, continued teaching
Set free?
Eventually re-arrested,
executed in Rome
(64/67 AD)
Left behind churches
throughout Europe and Asia
Epistles make up half the
NT
The Apostolic Church
S. Paolo fuori le Mura, Rome
The Apostolic Church
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Creedal Statement in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
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Ca. 50s AD
Outlines core of apostles’ faith
Tradition passed on to Paul, from him to Corinthians:
 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also
received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was
raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After
that he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at
one time, most of whom remain until now, but some
have fallen asleep; then he appeared to James, then to
all the apostles; and last of all…he appeared to me
also.”
The Apostolic Church
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Questions?
The Fate of the Jews
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The Jewish War
(66-70 AD)
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Causes
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Jewish rights revoked by
Nero
Temple Treasury raided
Revolt! War!
Christians refused to be
involved
Temple and Jerusalem
destroyed by Titus in 70
AD
Titus (r. 79-81 AD)
The Fate of the Jews
The Fate of the Jews
Arch of Titus (ca. 81 AD), Forum
The Fate of the Jews
The Spoils of Jerusalem, Arch of Titus (ca. 81 AD)
The Fate of the Jews
Triumph of Titus, Arch of Titus (ca. 81 AD)
The Fate of the Jews
The Western (or “Wailing”) Wall, Jerusalem
The Fate of the Jews
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The Fate of the Jews
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Bar Kochba Revolt (132-35 AD) was Jewish last
stand, a failure…
Aftermath
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Jews banned from Jerusalem  Aelia Capitolina
Formation of “rabbinic Judaism”
Disappearance of Jewish Christianity
The Fate of the Jews
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Questions?
Primary Source
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The Gospel of Mark
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Initial reactions?
How does the Gospel begin? Did that surprise you?
According to Mark, what was the relationship between
Jesus and John the Baptist?
What elements of Jesus’ ministry did Mark recount?
(Teachings? Deeds? Miracles?)
How do we see Mark presenting Jesus as “Messiah” here?
According to Mark, why was Jesus executed?
How does the Gospel end? Did that surprise you?
Primary Source
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Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians
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Initial reactions?
What was the problem here?
What was Paul’s tone in the letter?
What did Paul insist was the reality about
justification, and how did he seek to prove his
point?