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AN OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY:
From Abraham to Modern Israel
Lesson 9
As we move along in our survey we have arrived at the era of Christ. Thus by modern calendars we are at the cusp of when B.C. turns to A.D. Judaism is at war internally and externally. It’s about now that the term “Rabbi” begins to be used to denote some of the great religious leaders of Judaism. It is commonly said among Christians that Rabbi means “teacher”; it does not. Rabbi means “great one” or “master”. Indeed Rabbis were teachers, but they were much more than that. It is important to understand where Rabbis fit in the Jewish social and religious system. First and foremost they were, and remain, part of the Synagogue system, not part of the Temple system. And the Synagogue system and the Temple system in Yeshua’s day were not only completely separate institutions, they were competitors. And when the next Temple gets rebuilt, the Rabbis probably will have no role in its operation (although I suspect that is going to be quite difficult for the Rabbis to accept). It was the Levite Priests who were, and will be, the authorities of the Temple system and this was ordained by the Lord in the Torah. Rabbis as leaders of the Synagogue system were essentially laymen. They were not, and today are not, Levites and they had no place or authority in any Temple ritual such as sacrificing. Further the Synagogue system was a completely manmade system that had been created by the Jews while they were in exile in Babylon. There is no Biblical authorization for an alternative system to the Temple system; nonetheless that is exactly what was created. Do not take this to mean that I’m saying that the Synagogue is a bad thing, or shouldn’t exist. It is the result of pragmatism and circumstance. As a result of their exile the Jews dispersed all over the Asian Continent, Europe, China and Northern Africa; so having a place to meet together and worship and learn God’s Word was essential. However, there is a definite downside to the Synagogue. It is that as a manmade institution, it is also the bastion of the manmade system of Jewish religion called Judaism and thus it presents a slippery slope if not approached appropriately. Let’s talk about that for a moment. Think about the term Judaism. The word comes from the name of the tribe who created it: Judah. And the members of the tribe of Judah were called Jews. So Judah-ism means it is a system of religious observance and rules that pertains to the tribe of Judah. This is as opposed to the religion of the Torah and all the Tanakh, which I give the label of Hebrew-ism in order to draw a contrast. That is because the term Hebrew not only refers to all 12 tribes of Israel (not just to Judah), but it also refers to the Torah based system of the Bible as written in the Holy Scriptures. So let’s be clear: Judaism’s rules and regulations do not come from the Biblical Torah (except by extrapolation); they come from what is called Halakah. Halakah is Rabbinical law that was first formalized early in the 3 rd century A.D. by a fellow called Judah HaNasi, also known as Judah the Prince. The document he created is called the Mishna. Today the Mishna is essentially incorporated into a later work called the Talmud, which is essentially commentary on the Mishnah and results in certain rulings and case studies. What comes from the Talmud then is the system of behaviors and rulings that form modern Judaism and its religious structure called Halakah. Before all this was at all formalized, the Holy Lands in Jesus’s time had many Synagogues and Yeshivas (religious schools) where a certain Rabbi would teach his students his own brand of Judaism. And naturally, just as with the various Christian Church denominations, there was fundamental commonality, but also deep divisions and disagreements among these Rabbis about the finer points of the Law. This resulted in the formation of a handful of sects of Judaism around the time of Christ’s birth. The four major denominations (sects) of Judaism were the P’rushim (Pharisees), the Tz’dukim (Sadducees), the Essenes, and the newest sect, the Zealots. The P’rushim (Pharisees) dominated the Jewish Synagogue leadership and were present in the high courts. The Sadducees were aristocrats, and in control of the High Priesthood, and they too had members on the high court. These sects, and the many sub-sects of each of the major ones, were usually segregated by a particular Rabbi’s teachings and interpretations of The Law; or perhaps by nationality, or even by trades and crafts. It was usual that the sects took on political and social philosophies as their tenet for existing. The Essenes we know of primarily as the authors of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls of Qumran. Until the 1990’s it was believed that they were a relatively small sect of no more than 4000 individuals who formed a communal society in the desert wilderness area known as Kihrbat Qumran; sharing their homes, food, and money with one another, they sought isolation. However, recent archaeological evidence has come to light indicating that the Essenes were more numerous, widespread, diverse, and played a greater role in their time, and on the emergence of Christianity, than previously thought. It is now known that the Essenes were formed after the Maccabean Rebellion of 167 BC. The Hasmon family (the Hasmoneans), led by Judas the Maccabee, had been ruling the Land since the successful revolt against Syria and Rome. While this family is generally looked upon by Judaism with great favor, the reality is that when they regained control of the Temple from their Syrian and Roman oppressors, they anointed a Hasmon family member as High Priest instead of re-installing one of the descendents of the God-anointed priestly line of Zadok (one of many Levite family lines). This new High Priest, Jonathon, and his successor, Simon, took the further step of circumventing the Torah requirement that only Levites should be the numerous lesser Temple priests. The now irrelevant and abandoned priestly line of Zadok left the area of Jerusalem for Damascus, Syria, and along with them went an ardent group of followers. Thus was born the sect of the Essenes. One of the more exciting recent finds in the Holy Land is the place that Josephus refers to as the Essenes Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. This gate was heretofore unknown except for mention in a handful of ancient documents. Now that it has been found exactly as mapped out by Josephus it proves that the Essenes had a substantial community (large enough to have its own city gate) within the walls of Jerusalem, right up until the city’s destruction in 70 AD. Evidence is surfacing to support a hypothesis that John the Baptist was himself an Essene, probably (more correctly) a member of a splinter-group of Essenes, called the Nazarenes. More startling is the growing agreement among Biblical scholars that there apparently were several branches of the Essene sect, many of which accepted the deity of Yeshua. It is said of the Essenes that they refused to engage in commerce in all forms (a pre- Babylonian exile era Jewish tradition); they were pacifists, and did not engage in animal sacrifice. They were, in essence, the Hippie, drop-out movement of their time. However, they were deeply religious and this drove their desire to be separate from the intense Hellenizing that was being pressed upon the Jewish culture. The subsequent perversion of Judaism that was occurring during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanies (175 BC), and followed by the high- handed ways of the Hasmoneans, led to their existence that can be traced to that same time. It also appears that the main body of Essenes who lived in Qumran, in general, embraced celibacy, rejected marriage, and were careful students of the Torah. They formed a group that consisted of various levels of Jewish society ranging from the least learned field peasants, to the most learned scribes. Interestingly, another main-line sect was born from the aftermath of the Maccabean Rebellions. Once the Hasmonean rulers and family members who had given their fellow countrymen back their freedom they began enjoying the advantages of power, and so they increasingly accepted the pagan ways of Hellenism. By the time of Christ, their descendents had become a class of aristocrats who self-servingly sold their influence to the highest bidder. They had given up the pure ways of Yehoveh worship and the nationalistic idealism of their forefathers, in favor of a watered-down Judaism that cared little for the common people, was devoid of spirituality, and served their own ambition. These were the Sadducees. The Zealots’ origin can be traced to just few years before Yeshua’s birth. In contrast with the Essenes, this party represented the desire for large scale social change, achieved by any means; they were the social/political radicals and activists of that era. The Zealots are credited with being the inciters and leaders of the many riots in Yerushalayim, and were openly speaking of rebellion against Rome. Fearless and volatile, many Zealots carried daggers under their cloaks, and often utilized them; these were notoriously dangerous men. One of Jesus’ disciples, Simon the Zealot, bears the identity of his affiliation with this vocal, if not downright fanatical, party. If it is imaginable, there were even more religious schools than synagogues in Jerusalem, each formed and conducted by one of the growing population of Rabbis. Just as Hebrew-ism had given way to Judah-ism up in Babylon, now back in the Land, Judaism had given way to Rabbin-ism. That is, Rabbis, their teachings and academies, were where direction and authority for the practicing of the Law now emanated. It is not at all wayward to compare the position of Rabbis in that time, to the station of the Academic Elite that dominate today’s Universities. In Jesus’ time, for the faithful Jew, higher learning consisted only of religious training; and that, primarily of the Law and Tradition. Whatever the Rabbi who owned and ran a particular school said was truth, was accepted without hesitancy, for he was the expert. It was understood that these Rabbis were the source of wisdom and truth, and all else was simply ignorance. Although the High Priesthood continued to hold the official Jewish religious power, the people’s loyalty to them was on the wane. The High Priest’s duties had been reduced primarily to officiating at the Temple festivals and sacrifices, and he had become more of a figurehead than a real leader. Learnedness of the Torah was now the measure of piousness. The most learned Rabbis therefore considered the least learned peasants incapable of proper piousness, with Samaritans occupying the lowest point on the scale of piety and the Galileans only marginally more acceptable. Of interest to our study are the three primary regions that the Land was divided into, though actually there were four (the fourth being Perea) that were considered as making up the Holy Land. These districts were treated by Rome and by the Jewish religious authorities almost as separate nations. A Roman governor was assigned to each. Most Jews were concentrated in either Judea or the Galilee. Samaria had many small Jewish villages loyal to the Jerusalem religious authority; but central Samaria, which consisted of Shechem and Mount Gerizim, pulled away. Mainstream Samaritans were not even considered real Jews by the Galileans and Judeans, so deep was their hatred of one another. Galil ( Galilee ) was a region of commerce and industry; Natzaret ( Nazareth ) a blue collar town in central Galil (Galilee). It was also a point of connection to the rest of the world as great caravan routes used Natzaret ( Nazareth ) as a meeting place. This was no sleepy, rustic, backwoods village as often depicted in Christian movies about Christ; it was a center for Jewish Temple life. Priests of Natzaret not only ministered to the local inhabitants, they were sufficiently trained and educated as to be permitted the honor of presiding from time to time in Herod’s Temple in Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ). Galileans were straightforward, passionate, pragmatic people that lived far enough away from the Rabbinically controlled world of Yerushalayim to practice their Judaism with more freedom and simplicity. Brides were chosen by their ability to bring all the elements necessary for a strong family, rather than by their ability to provide a rich enough dowry. Betrothal was pure, and weddings basic. Shomron ( Samaria ), however, presented a particular problem during this era. Not only had its citizenry become completely Hellenized, so had the Priesthood. It went so far that the Samaritans built their own Temple in Shechem, and set up a completely independent Temple system of their own. This Samaritan Temple system mixed the traditional Jewish ways with Greek philosophy, and with Greek gods. Politically, the Samaritans broke loyalty with the Galileans and the Judeans, and sided with the Romans and the Syrians. The enmity between the Samaritans and two other Israeli provinces (Y’hudah and Galil), was sufficient that Judeans would even avoid using the road connecting Y’hudah (Judah) and Galil (Galilee) because it ran through Shomron (Samaria). Rather, they would take a more circuitous route through Perea, which was primarily a Jewish population. It was this same route that Jesus took when he came to Jerusalem from Capernaum, usually avoiding Samaria altogether. Interestingly enough, despite the hatred between these factions that was primarily a political and religious dispute, they recognized their common Israeli brotherhood and the Samaritan Jews were never considered unclean or impure. Their food, clothing, animals, goods, etc., were all considered acceptable to the Galileans and the Judeans. It is with this understanding of the social, religious, and political conditions in evidence, that we must approach the outrageous concept to the typical Jewish mind of that day that their long hoped for Messiah would be born to common peasants, residing in Natzaret of the Galil. Living far away from the religious elite and the power center of Jewish religion, Yerushalayim, the mother, Miryam ( Mary ), was a virgin country teenaged girl, and the father, Y’oseph ( Joseph ), a humble craftsman; these were the typical Jewish household. Surely the coming of the long- awaited Messiah would be announced in Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ) of Judea, the Holiest City, at Herod’s Temple, from the mouth of the High Priest at a huge ceremony. The Savior would be the son of a wealthy and respected royal family, so that he might be educated, raised, and adored by those worthy of such a task. It is no small wonder that Yeshua of Nazareth was rejected by the Jewish religious elite, and therefore also most of the general population. Five months into the pregnancy of Miryam’s (Mary’s) cousin Elisheva (Elizabeth), in whose womb grew the babe who would in future times be known as Yochanan Ben- Z’kharyah (John the Baptist), the Angel Gabriel appeared to Miryam. This theophany occurred not in front of the golden altar at the glorious Temple, nor did the Angel speak to the High Priest; but in a humble Jewish home the greatest honor imaginable was bestowed on this naïve county girl. She is informed that the Lord God looks upon her as “highly favored”, and reveals to her that she shall give birth, as a virgin, to the Mashiach (Messiah, Anointed One). She was informed of the name the Most High had decided for the child, Yeshua and that He is the Son of God, and that He shall institute a never-ending Kingdom of God on a global scale. Staggering. Yet, one can only imagine what went through the mind of Y’hosef (Joseph) when told all by his fiancée, now about 3 months pregnant! No matter what the level of trust between them might have been Joseph must have had doubts and suspicions. It took a divine visit to Y’hosef in a dream to reassure him. Dreams or lack thereof had great significance in those times. A “good dream” was regarded as an indication of having favor with God. So the combination of Joseph’s “good dream”, along with its incredible content, wiped any doubt from his mind. Rather than wait for the agreed to time to marry Miryam, he did so immediately; partly, I’m sure, to keep her from suffering embarrassment as she grew bigger and her condition became more obvious. A few months later, about 5 BC by our current calendar, Miryam gave birth to the Savior of all mankind. In a cave used as a barn, in the town of Beit-Lechem (Bethlehem) of Judea, the birthplace of David, the Word became flesh [Luke 2, Matt. 1,2] . The Heavens rejoiced, and legions of Angels sang praises to the God Most High; but the Jewish religious hierarchy had quite a different reaction. This was not going to be the Messiah, the Deliverer, the Rabbis and the priests had expected. Interestingly, the basis for their rejection of Yeshua as the Messiah appears not to have stemmed from any argument the Priests or Rabbis made against Yeshua’s claim of fulfilling all the prophecies of the Old Testament (for, indeed, there was no argument to be made!). The problem lay in the mental picture they had drawn for themselves of the purpose of the Messiah, which Jesus in no way fit. They had long ago made the Torah, God’s Word, subservient to the scholarly commentaries of the Rabbis and Priests, and had interlaced Scriptural truth with man-made Traditions. These were days of great restlessness in the Holy Land, throughout all 4 provinces, as the Jews awaited the appearance of the hoped-for Savior that would rescue Israel from the oppressive hand of Rome. Their hope was not for one who would save all mankind from its awful destiny: permanent separation from God. It was, rather, for a redeemer of the glory of Israel itself; a return to Jewish self-rule. Their hope was most certainly not for a light to the gentiles, but rather for a warrior-king from the royal line of King David who would rid Israel of these non-Jewish heathens. And, their hope was not for the ultimate, and final, Sacrificial Lamb that would atone for the world’s sins and bring a new and right relationship between God and humanity because the Jews were confident that they were already “right with God” since they were the seed of Abraham. It was the pagans that must be judged, punished, and banished from the Land at the leadership of a powerful and charismatic Deliverer. The Rabbis and their followers had developed a purely pragmatic and nationalistic view of redemption and he who would bring it about. And, of course, the coming Warrior-Savior would be in full agreement with the pronouncements and authority of the religious leadership. It is no wonder, then, that the more learned and those in power…the Priests, Rabbis, and Scribes… those who had spent the mental time and energy contemplating and developing such ideas as to bring them to a point of general consensus, found Yeshua’s pronouncements, and his outspoken disdain for their rulings and laws, not only objectionable, but blasphemous and a real danger to their personal authority. Yeshua was 30 years old when he was baptized by his cousin, Yochanan Ben-Z’kharyah (John the Baptist), and immediately the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) descended upon Him. He began teaching that the Kingdom of God has come, and crowds formed to hear him. His was a grass roots movement, with an audience composed primarily of the working class Jews. Yeshua was openly critical of the Jewish religious hierarchy, even accusing them of being hypocrites, although that was a name they commonly called one another during heated debates [Matt. 23:13-36] . He publicly condemned their legalistic approach to practicing and administering the Law of Moses, the Torah. And, He accused them of distorting the true sense and meaning of the Torah, and making it a burden rather than a blessing to the followers of the God of Israel. But, He made it very clear that He personally obeyed and respected the Torah, and that in no way was He advocating abolishing it, nor should the people refrain from following it. In fact, He spent a great deal of His time explaining the Torah’s intent, and how He had come to make the Torah complete, to perfect it and fill it full of meaning. In perhaps His seminal speech to the people of the Holy Land, he went to a high hill above the Sea of Galilee and there made a speech that Christianity has dubbed The Sermon on the Mount. To emphasize what His purpose was and was not, we read this recorded statement of his in Matthew chapter 5: (Mat 5:17-19 CJB)
17 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah- not until everything that must happen has happened.