1. The New TESTAMENT --Hellenists, Romans, Jews
(WCH) REL226:
The New Testament

2. Learning Objectives
Chart cultural developments that took place during the 3rdc. BCE to 1st c. CE in West Asia/Near East
Compare and Contrast the descriptors “Hellenistic,” “Roman,” and “Jewish”
Familiarize ourselves with historical exemplars in relation to Second Temple Judaism

3. A LOOK AT THE KNOWN & UNKNOWN
Discovery
A LOOK AT THE KNOWN & UNKNOWN

5. Discovery
Jonathan Reed suggests that when we think about the cultural heritage of the West, three figures contributed in especially prolific ways.
Alexander the Great
Caesar Augustus
Jesus of Galilee
Who are they & what did they do?
Divide up into groups of four and draw a mind map of your figure.

6. Reading the Fifth Gospel
Banias
“cf. ‘Pan,’ aka Caesarea Philippi”
Find Map 13, C-1
Reed, 20-21
Go to Banias on Canvas
Read Matthew 16:13-20
Discuss as Artifact, World, & Text

7. TEACHING-LEARNING
Working Through New Ideas

8. New Testament TimeLine
300 BCE
Hellenistic Period
New Testament TimeLine
Ptolemies & Seleucids
200 BCE
Maccabean Revolt
100 BCE
Hasmonean Expansion
(adapt. Reed, 6)
Roman Period
Herod the Great
Jesus’s Life Paul’s Ministry James’s Death First Jewish War
100 CE
200 CE
300 CE
The New Testament Canon
Byzantine Period

9. 330 BCE THE DAWN OF HELLENISM Before After
Greece was divided into city-states.
Persian Empire was overextended and complacent.
Other kingdoms and populations were limited by vassal relationships.
Greek city-states were united.
Asia Minor, Persia, India, Egypt became unified under a single banner.
A single imperial culture pervaded local societies at all levels.

10. ALEXANDER OF MACEDONIA
BCE
ALEXANDER OF MACEDONIA
Son of Philip, student of Aristotle, died in Babylon
Asia Minor, Persia, (toward) India, Egypt became unified under a single banner.
A single imperial culture pervaded local societies at all levels.
Babylonian coin, macendonian cloak, perisan headress, greek armor, thurnderbolt spear zeus, on the back fighitng an elephant (india)
Image:

11. The Doric Columns of the Tobiad Palace, Jordan (Late 2nd c. BCE)
3rd to 1st c. BCE
HELLENISM
Koine Greek- the standard language (p.35)
Polis- the standard social pattern (p.37)
Cosmopolitan- the standard political attitude (p.37)
It’s All Greek to Me
The Doric Columns of the Tobiad Palace, Jordan (Late 2nd c. BCE)
Acropolois
Agora
Gymnasium
Paideia
Doic temples– cosmopolitan-world citizen ,liberal arts education – free perosns like classical greece
Image:

12. 1st c. BCE Hasmonean Coins
2rd & 1st c. BCE
FALL FROM GREATNESS
The Seleucids [Syria] & Ptolemies [Egypt] fight for Power.
Matthias and family successfully revolt against the Seleucid’s Hellenizing Policies in Jerusalem (167 BCE)
He and his descendants, the Hasmoneans, rule an “independent” Jewish kingdom (mid 2nd c. to mid 1st c. BCE)
1st c. BCE Hasmonean Coins
(l) Coin of Antigonus, last Hasmonean King (40-37 BCE)
(r) Coin of John Hyrcanus II, w/ wreathed Aramaic Inscription (63-40 BCE)
Indpendence, aramic wreaths, haunakkaj
Image:

13. THE RISE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
31 BCE
THE RISE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Before
After
Rome was an Italian republic that was growing eastward and westward.
Very much interested in the success of Hellenism.
Embroiled in a civil war that saw the death of the senate dictator, Julius Caesar in 44BCE.
Rome became an empire, with all resources managed centrally and distributed bureaucratically.
Uses Hellenism and reinforces it with infrastructure and urbanization
Pax Romana is known throughout the West.

14. 31 BCE OCTAVIAN Grandnephew, adopted son & heir of Julius Caesar.
Avenges Caesar and eventually reestablishes the Senate.
aka. Princeps, Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Divi Filius
Babylonian coin, macendonian cloak, perisan headress, greek armor, thurnderbolt spear zeus, on the back fighitng an elephant (india)
Image:

15. Caesarea Maratima (Sebaste),
1st c. BCE - 1st c. CE
ROMANIZATION
Koine Greek is the common language but Latin is the language of government
Governors and Client-Kings report to Caesar. (i.e. news and taxes)
Cosmopolitan- the political attitude
When In Rome…
Caesarea Maratima (Sebaste),
(Early Roman Period)
Roads
Water
Legions
Architecture
Doic temples– cosmopolitan-world citizen ,liberal arts education – free perosns like classical greece
Image:

16. 2rd & 1st c. BCE THE SECOND TEMPLE King of the Jews His Sons
Herod the Great
r BCE
H. Achelaus
(exiled)
H. Antipas
(Galilee & Perea)
H. Philip
(Gaulanitis)
King of the Jews
Indpendence, aramic wreaths, haunakkaj
His Sons
[Reed, p. 56]
Image:

17. SO Where’s JESUS?
HOW DOES THIS CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE?
WHERE MIGHT JESUS FIT INTO THIS?