This week we are looking at the “Intertestamental” period of Biblical history in our New Testament case-making series. This period of time is often called “the silent years” referencing a four-hundred year period of time that God was not seen or heard from. However, this is far from the truth as God was not taking a break, or time out, but was orchestrating the events, and setting the stage, for the coming of His Son, Jesus. As we will see, these changes in world powers, languages and infrastructure made it possible for Jesus’ ministry, and the subsequent spreading of the Gospel by His Apostles and other disciples, to thrive in the early first century setting.

Check out this week’s class presentation that overviews this period of time:

Overview notes from the presentation

What was going on between the Old and New Testaments?

The Intertestamental Period

• Also known as the four-hundred-year period of silence
• During this period God did not send any prophets and His Word was not heard
• It was a time of turning points and historical events that set the scene for the coming of Messiah and prepared the world for the rapid spread of the Gospel

538-333 BC:

The Persian Empire conquers Babylon and rules the region. After seventy years of exile the Jews are allowed by the Persian King Cyrus to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and Temple. This fulfills Isaiah’s specific prophecy given some 150 earlier (see Isaiah 44:28-45:1 and Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10).      

333-167 BC:

The Greek Empire, under Alexander the Great, conquers the Persian Empire and Hellenization begins. Hellenization is the complete dominance of the people by Greek language, culture and society. After the death of Alexander, the Empire is divided between four generals:

(Daniel’s prophecy fulfilled see Daniel chapters 2, 8, 11)

1. The kingdom of Cassander (circa 358–297 BC) consisted of Macedonia, most of Greece, and parts of Thrace.
2. The kingdom of Lysimachus (circa 361–281 BC) included Lydia, Ionia, Phrygia, and other parts of present-day Turkey.
3. The kingdom of Seleucus (died 281 BC; later the Seleucid Empire) comprised present-day Iran, Iraq, Syria, and parts of Central Asia.
4. The kingdom of Ptolemy I (died 283 BC) included Egypt and neighboring regions.      

167-63 BC:

The Maccabean revolt begins a Jewish rebellion against the Greeks and for a time the Jews succeed in having independence from the Hellenization movement. The Temple is also recaptured, cleansed and rededicated during this time (this is the origin of Hanukah).      

 63 BC – AD 476:

 The Roman Empire is established when the Roman General Pompey conquers Seleucid, Syria and makes Jerusalem and all Judea a vassal state. The Greek Empire has now been conquered, but the culture remains highly Hellenized. The Romans modernized the roads for commercial travel; thus enabling the quick spread of the Gospel later on.

• Crucifixion was a death penalty method perfected under Roman rule, and only for this short period of time in human history – “The Romans perfected crucifixion for 500 years until it was abolished by Constantine in the 4th century AD” according to the National Library of Medicine.
• Early on, Rome is generally open to all forms of religious practices as long as they do not conflict with the emperor’s status or decrees—this will later change and become a major reason for Jewish and Christian persecution in the late first and early second centuries AD.
• Rome will come to accept Christianity as their official religion in the fourth century AD under the Emperor Constantine (and this is the beginning of Roman Catholicism that will reign both politically and religiously over the next one-thousand years).

37 BC – AD 14:

Herod the Great (c. 37-4 BC) becomes the political king of the Jews with full allegiance to Rome. Herod’s grandfather and father held prominent political offices in Judea and established close relations with both the current priesthood and with the Roman government. He was responsible for the beautification, restoration and expansion of the Temple.

• Roman leaders Antony (c. 81–30 B.C.) and Octavian(64 B.C. –A.D. 14), who is the future Cesar Augustus and first Roman Emperor, accepted Herod, and the Senate named him king of Judea.
• Herod did not have the correct ancestry to claim the office and the Jews would not accept Rome’s authority to choose their king for them.
• Herod, with Roman help, had to conquer his own kingdom, and even his chief followers were put to death.
• This Herod is also responsible for the “slaughter of the innocents” in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus.  

6-4 BC:

Jesus is born.

Note: This date is based on the difference between the Jewish calendar of 360 days versus our current calendar of 365 days in a year. Our current calendar dated the year zero at the birth of Christ.

Summary of the Intertestamental Period:

God set the stage for the coming of Messiah, Jesus, over this four-hundred year period…

• World powers changed, resulting in a temporary openness to philosophy (and polytheism) that allowed for Judaism to thrive, and ultimately the presentation of the Gospel along with the various other views of that day without persecution (at first)
• Greek had become the “universal” language of the day, allowing for easy transmission, and recording, of the Gospel to everyone
• Roman road construction allowed for rapid travel, not only in commercial marketing, but in the quick transmission of the Gospel message throughout the “modern” world of that day

Reflection

As Christians it is important to know what we believe and why we believe it, and that starts with having a basic knowledge of the Bible and Its Big Picture. One of the most important things we can do to help in this task is to memorize. The Bible itself is full of references to the importance of “remembering”.

Watch this short presentation on the importance of repetition and remembrance:

Reflection: Memorization Practice

To practice your memorization skills, and to improve your Biblical knowledge, practice memorizing the following things…

1. Review the Ministry Statement’s four focus points for your Christian Walk (from the “Class Introduction” post). Reflect on how you think you are doing in each area, or how you might make improvements.
2. Recite, and practice memorizing in order to tell the story, the 15 points for the Bible’s Big Picture from last week’s post.
3. Recite, and practice memorizing the 27 books of the New Testament, in order by their categories, from last week’s post.

Bible Study

(Review answers will be posted during the week so you can have a “leader’s guide” for your own studies)

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions.

Read Acts chapters three and four then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:

The Apostles begin their ministry; Peter and John arrested; The early Church gathers as one under Christ

1. Read Chapter 3:1-26 with your Table Group

In this chapter Peter and John began their ministry with a healing, and Peter gives his second sermon.

a. Describe who Peter and John healed, and how?

b. How did Peter respond to the crowd that had gathered after this healing and to whom did he give the glory?

c. In Peter’s sermon he refers to the fact that they were all witnesses to Jesus death and resurrection. He then goes on to use the Old Testament as evidence. What does he say about the Old Testament in reference to Jesus and what Scriptures did he use (write them down)?

d. Discuss: Write down and share two or three things that you think are important to remember about chapter three.

2. Read Chapter 4:1-12 with your Table Group

In this section Peter and John are arrested, but later released.

a. Why were Peter and John arrested, and how many were saved through their teaching that day?

b. How did Peter respond to the Jewish “rulers and elders” when they asked, “by what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

c. Discuss: Copy verse 4:12, then cross-reference with John 14:6 and copy that verse. Why do you think these are two very important verses for Christians to memorize?

d. Going Deeper: Why, specifically, were the Sadducees upset with Peter and John’s teaching (what was their belief and how was it different from the Pharisees)?

3. Read Chapter 4:13-37 with your Table Group

In this section Peter and John appear before the council.

a. What did the council say and do to Peter and John and how did they respond back?

b. How did the companions of Peter and John respond when they heard “all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them”? What Psalm(s) did they recite from?

c. What did this early “church” do to survive being outcasts from the Jewish synagogue (4:31-37)? Going Deeper: What did it mean in this culture for someone to be thrown out of the Synagogue, as is what happened to these new Christians?

d. Discuss: Write down and share two or three things that you think are important to remember about chapter four.

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the New Testament” and a study in Acts! 

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15