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257 Cards in this Set

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  • Back
What was the name of the first bonze age greek civilization? And between what time periods did they settle in greece?
Mycenaeans 1600-1200
When did the greek 'Dark Ages' take place?
1200-800
How did the greeks organize themselves politically?
They were unlike their Persian neighbours to the east, and instead preferred to organize themselves in smaller city states called a 'polis'
What things linked the greeks together?
Their shared language and thus Homer, plus all religious temples and ceremonies were seen as common property.
To whom were the Olympic games dedicated to in Greek times?
Zeus and his companions on Mt Olympus
Who was Zeus' father?
Kronos
Where was an important Greek shrine located, to whom was it dedicated, and what was it called?
The oracle of the god Apollo was located in Delphi
From whom did the Greeks get their alphabet for writing?
The Phoenicians
Greek sculpture is fascinated by what subject?
The human body
Why did the Greeks practice sports in the nude?
The Greeks were fascinated by the human body and thought it noble and spiritual thus it should be fully displayed in events which seek the greatest athletes
How did other cultures react to Greek athletes competing in the nude.
They were baffled and horrified. The Romans were rather embarrassed by it.
How might one talk about the similarities between the Gods and the Greeks?
They were very similar, both were competitive, fickle, partisan etc.
How was the Jewish God and the Greek gods different?
They Jewish God was Transcendent and all-powerful. THe greek gods were quite near and more similar to humans
Before and after the greek 'dark ages' how did the city layout change?
Before during the Mycenaean age the cities were dominated by palaces, but after the city was built around temples.
Was there a separate priest caste in Greek religion?
No, they were doing a job on behalf of the community, rather like officials of the city who might collect taxes or regulate the market
Did the Greek religion emphasize a strict set of moral and philosophical values that need be followed?
No, not really, they allowed people to speculate and try to make sense of the world around them. Even Socrates who is killed on the grounds of rejecting the gods and corrupting the youth, found himself in a tricky political situation where Athens' democracy was threatened and that leads to his death, not because the greeks were strict in their theology
Who wrote an early accessible explanation of the gods of the Homeric myths? and what was his work called? When did he live?
Hesiod - 8th century "Theogony"
What was the result of the Greek curiosity in seeking out the meanings in the Homeric poems for later Christians?
The development of the the literary notion of allegory, which was common among Christians
Which two mega-states swallowed up the freedom of the Greek Polis?
Macedonia, and Rome
What raises a man above barbarism according to the greeks? And who developed this thesis?
to live well instead of merely living, comes from membership in a physical city. Aristotle
What ecclesial term is the Christian version of the Polis?
The ekklesia
What is the original name for Greece
Hellas
What is the origin of the English word "church"
Similar to the Scot 'kirk' church comes from a different Greek word than ekklesia rather it comes from kuriake which means 'belongi g to the lord'
800-500 bc is know as what Greek time period?
Archaic Greece
Archaic Greece took plAce during what time period?
800-500 bc
What is the meaning of a tyrant in terms of greek history?
It means a ruler who could not appeal to any traditional authority
Who generally ruled archaic Greek city states? At least early on
Groups of noblemen
What practice undermined the stability of archaic Greek city states
Slavery for non paid debt undermined the society by not allowing the cities to defend themselves with armies of free inhabitants
What was one of the earliest Greek replica cities or colonies?
Marseille in the south of France known then as Massalia
Which Greek city founded modern day Marseilles?
The Ionian city of Phocaea
When is the first recorded seizure of power by a tyrant happen in archaic Greece and where?
In Corinth in the 650s bc
Who is Athens purported original lawgiver?
Solon
Who is Sparta's purported original law giver?
Lycurgus
If tyranies in Greece had no religious or traditional justification how was it that they ruled over the people?
laws were created by the people and not divinely like Hammurabi or Moses who claimed divine sanction, thus this involvment allowed the tyranies to exist - kind of
What happened to Greek tyranies that refused to follow the laws like everyone else?
They did not last long
In Greece what was the movement of some Greek cities after tyranny?
They moved to democracy
What was the first Greek city to convert to democracy and when did it happen?
Athens in 510 bc
What are the two definitions of democracy-one a positive term the other negative
Rule by ordinary people and rule by the mob
What happened in the preceeding two years before Athens became a democracy?
It had a tyrant two years previous and after his over throw there was two years of civil war
What is one of the key dates which signals the transition between the archaic Greek period and the classical Greek period?
510 when Athens set up a democracy
Did democracy in Athens signal the end to the powerful in the city
No the wealthy and aristocratic always maintained their sway and power in whatever way they could
What did the funeral oration for the great Athenian Pericles say about the greatest Athenian woman?
She was spoken about least by men, whether in praise or criticism
Who was known as 'Socrates gone mad'
Diogenes of Sinope
What did Plato name Diogenes of Sinope?
Socrates gone mad
Who was Diogenes of Sinope?
He was a wandering beggar, who slept in a large wine jar, and masturbated in public
What was a general nickname for Diogenes of Sinope and to what later group did this name lend itself to?
the dog, which lend itself to the 'cynic' which means those like dogs.
What philosophical theory was Involved in practical politics in th sixth and fifth centuries bc?
Followers of Pythagoras
What are Socrates' dates?
469-399 bc
What are Plato's dates
428/7 - 348/7 bc
What are Aristotle's dates?
384-322 bc
What does Plato say that Socrates said at his trial concerning people who don't think about the deeper things in life?
The unexamined life is not worth living
What kind of a person was Socrates in Athens?
An insistently and infuriatingly questioning voice in Athens who was charged of blashpemy and corrupting the youth and was later put to death
For Plato why does politics and justice intersect?
Since Socrates was put to death when he was arguably the best citizen of Athens it appears that justice is a public concern and thus political
What is the first influence that Plato makes on px related to his conception of the universe
He taught to look beyond the immediate and search out the ultimate or universal
What is the cave analogy from Plato
Prisoners are chained in such a way that all they can see is a wall and there is a fire behind them and persons walk between the prisoners and the wall and parade some shapes whose shadows appear on the wall and say the names of those shapes. The shapes are all the prisoners can understand and thus they think reality is the shadows and if any of them were released outside the bright sun would be so bright that anything outside would be less real than the shapes that were easily see n in the cave
What is the meaning behind the analogy o the cave in Plato
Human life is an imprisonment. The shadows we see are forms which represent truer and higher versions of reality than the ones we readily know. We should not be content with these shadows. Humans should do their best to get back to these forms which lie behind our senses and there we might find arete or virtue
What is Plato's second contribution to Christian thought concerning the nature of god?
That of god's oness and goodness. Before the gods were not really good but like humans. Plato made ethics central to the discussion of divinity. Likewise concerning oneness god can no long be near and really care about human suffering because that would be a human emotion and emotions mean change and that would affect gods oness if he changed
Who coined the term demiurge?
It is found in Plato's Timaeus and it means craftsmen or artificer
In plato's theology who would have created the forms?
The supreme god could not have done it but an image of the supreme god or a demiurge (meaning craftsmen or artificer) would have done it.
What is the difference between Plato and Aristotle in terms of reality?
Plato saw reality in terms of the ideals beyond the particulars, while Aristotle saw sought for reality in individual and observable objects
How is the difference between Plato and Aristotle characterized by their different way of coming up with an ideal city
Plato's republic is an ideal example of how goverment should be in contrast to the democracy that put Socrates to death. Aristotle on the other hand sought for information about all the different types of go erments that there were out there (only one of these has survived and it isnthe constitutuion of Athens
Of all the types of government that Aristotle sought out, which is the only surviving work and when was it discovered?
It is the constitutuion of Athens and it was discovered in 19th century
How was the term metaphysics developed?
Aristotle's discussions on abstract things such as logic meaning and causation were placed in the treatise after his one on physics and thus meta physics cuz meta means after
What is the difference between the forms if writing we have of Aristotle and Plato
Plato's are polished dialogues while aristotle's are lecture notes taken down by his pupils and assistants
Which philosopher was initially more important for px
Plato
Which Greek author wrote plays and comedies that poked fun at the very Athenian audiences that were watching them?
Aristophanes
Where did Greek history begin?
It seems to have started in the Greek cities of Asia minor that were controlled by Persia. They were forced to take an interest in the affairs of the barbarians as they were being ruled by one of them namely Persia. Thus they collected data upon the differences between the cultures
Which Greek author wrote an important work on a certain war
Herodotus
Where was Herodotus from?
Asia minor - Halikarnassos
When did the Persian war with the Greeks break out and how long did war with the Persians last?
It broke out in 499 bc and lasted for over a half century
What did Herodotus call is undertaking of writing about the Persian war?
A historia
What else did Herodotus' book on the Persian war include?
It included all that he found about other peoples and places, which he often visited in person
How does herodots differ from Hesiod?
Hesiod and the mythographers tried to document the stories of the gods while Herodotus was the first to gather stories of peoples and memories on such a scale to tell a connected story about the past
Which later historian hated on Herodotus?
Plutarch
Why did Plutarch hate on Herodotus?
Because he didn't turn his history into edifying and improving stories for the young, but rather was too entranced by the glorious mess of history
As the Persian war was a huge triumph for the athenians, what was an equally great disaster for Athens?
The peloponnesian war
What group of city states was Athens the head of after the war with persia?
The Delian League
How did Athens change their role in the Delian league after winning the war with Persia?
They sought to turn the league into their own empire
How was Sparta different politically from Athens?
In Sparta a small minority ruled a conquored and cowed population theough military force and the threat of terror, keeping themselves always armed and ready to fight by means of brutal military training
What is the relation between plato's city in the republic and Sparta?
As plato, as an Athenian was alienated from his own democratic culture seen in the death of Socrates, his authoritarian republic displays platos fascination and repulsion of Sparta
What are Thucydides' dates?
460-395 bc
Who wrote the 'history of the peloponnesian war'?
Thucydides 460-395
What are Herodotus' dates?
484-425
When did the Peloponnesian war take place?
431-404
Who was Thucydides?
He was a Greek Athenian general who suffered a defeat in the Peloponnesian war, and after defeat he was forced into exile where he wrote his account of the war
How did Thucydides differ from Herodotus?
Thucydides looked for the deep underlying causes for things. He didn't focus on the individuals as much as the entire society
What was Thucydides' understanding of the reason behind the peloponnesian war and the athenian defeat?
The Athenians had been brought low by their pride and decline in political morality
Who conquered the greek peninsula after the peloponnesian war?
The Macedonians
Which king launched a war against the greeks successfully taking over the greek peninsula
King Phillip II of Macedon
When did King Phillip II of Macedon conquer the greek peninsula?
338 bc
Where did King Phillip of Macedon defeat the combined greek forces in 338 bc
Chaeronea
What is something interesting about King Phillip of Macedon?
He was a homosexual
Who was the son of King Phillip of Macedon?
Alexander III (the great)
What did Alexander the great share with his father?
A love for all things greek, greek culture, and same sex relations
How did Alexander the great affect Egypt and the Near East?
He transformed their modes of culture and thought in ways that lasted until the arrival of Jesus Christ
How did the Romans see Alexander the great?
They treated his cultural legacy with reverence and created an enduring empire in his mould
What happened to Alexander's empire after he was dead?
They divided it up among themselves ruling it as monarchs each in their own territory
What influence did Alexander's followers imprint upon the new areas they ruled?
They built temples in greek style and greek drama was performed
What name is Kandahar a disguised version of?
Alexandria
Who built the Library in Alexandria
The plans for the city were developed under Alexander but he was dead before and work could be done on it, and thus Ptolemy is sort of credited for its construction
when was the great library in Alexandria built and when was it destroyed?
the third century it was created and it was destroyed in 48 bc
What is the difference between Hellenic and Hellenistic?
Hellenic refers to the greeks that lived before Alexander and Hellenistic refers to those greeks and non greeks who lived in the time after when cultures began to mix
How was Alexandria important for greek culture?
With the creation of the library and the influence that was found in this city they were actively choosing which parts of greek literature are important
how did the greek rulers after alexandria differ in terms of the beliefs about themselves and their role in the world?
They saw themselves as being divine or linked with the divine, which was something the greeks had rejected years before
What happened to greek democracy in the wake of Alexandria
It essentially disappeared and was replaced by monarchies
What happened to the vigor of the greek culture after alexander's takeover?
After the takeovers, there was mixing of cultures and energy found in the polis was diminished by rulers only seeking taxation. The initial vigor and creativity in greece disapated in the hellenistic time period
How did philosophers change their attitudes after the alexanderine takeover?
At this time it was harder for philosophers to effect change in politics as the polis was no longer the center of policy making but rather it was a monarch. Thus they became more concerned inward with the self which cannot be tampered with by any mighty ruler
What extreme position did some of the philosophers take after the loss of influence in the polis, after the alexandrine takeover
They became cynics
What belief did Pyrrhon of Elis hold
He is credited as the first skeptic philosopher, and he believed that its best to not make any judgements at all
What did Epicurus teach?
That the pursuit of happiness was the goal of life (declaration of independence) and this happiness was to be found in a tranquil and peaceful life. Pleasure and pain were the measure of good and evil and there was nothing after death and thus there was nothing to fear
What are Epicurus' dates
341-270 bc
Who was the founder of the stoic philosophy and what are his dates?
Zeno of Citium 334-262
What did Zeno teach to his followers
to strive to conquer their passions, and to make sure that the inevitable miseries of life did as little as possible to hurt them.
Where did stoicism get its name?
Zeno taught in an open space (which was different from other philosophers) on a porch which in greek is 'stoa' in athens
Why was Rome an unlikely place to acquire and empire?
The city had few natural resources apart from timber and river transport, it was in the middle of the italian peninsula so it wasn't on an international trade route, It lacked strong natural defences and as it grew its local agriculture would have been quite inadequate had they not acquired more territory
When did Rome become a walled city with a king?
Around the mid-eighth century bc
When was the Roman monarchy overthrown in Rome?
509 bc
What was the roman attitude towards the title of king after 509 bc
they feared it so much that no one bore the name of king of the romans until a christian king reinvented it 1500 years later
Who are the plebeians?
Roman common people
What were the Roman aristocracy known as?
The patricians
How did the struggle between the patricians and the plebeians turn out in Rome?
unlike places like athens or corinth in greece. Rather in rome the patricians or the aristocracy won out.
Where did the power lay in the Roman government after the patricians won out in the struggle for power?
The two consuls, who were chosen annually from the patricians were the source of real power, along with the senate which was an assembly of patricians
What is one good reason why Rome did not become a democracy as greece did in some places?
Rome had a continual desire for expansion, and thus they could not afford democracy as it would hinder their expansion
What is one good reason why the Roman empire lasted for centuries while the Greek one and others failed after a few generations?
The romans had little sense of racial exclusiveness and thus they gave out citizenship to wide swathes of people
How did Roman conquest of Greece take place?
Initially there were friendly relations between the Seleucid descendants (who were ruling Greece and the Near East) and Rome, but relations soured and they were at war from 192-188 bc
Who was the Seleucid King that the Romans conquered to take over greece and the near east?
Antiochos III
What did the Roman Poet Horace say about the conquest of Greece by the Romans?
Greece, the captive, made her savage victor captive, and brought the arts into rustic Latium
What literature symbolized the connection between greece and rome?
The Aeneid written by Virgil in 29-19 bc showed a trojan refugee founding Rome. Thus the Trojans finally won the war with the greeks
When did Virgil write the Aeneid?
29-19 BC
What was the lingua franca in the middle east at the time of Christ?
Greek
What is an unique feature about the survival of the Greek language?
most languages begin to die after their culture or origin is defeated, whereas greek was an important language in the Roman empire, and had a resurgence in the eastern half of the empire in the 6th and 7th centuries of the common era
What happened to the republic in Rome around 100 BC?
Rising poverty, and land hunger, and a sense of injustice led the republic into 70 years of misery and intermittent civil war until Octavian won against Mark Antony and his ally Cleopatra
Where did Octavian win the naval battle against Antony?
Actium
Of what lineage was Cleopatra?
Ptolemaic queen of Egypt
Who was Octavian?
He was the adopted heir of Julius Caesar who achieved power over Mark Antony
What name did Octavian give himself after he had taken power?
Augustus
What two titles did Augustus give himself after securing his empire?
'First Citizen' (princeps) and 'imperator'
What was the title of imperator in the Roman republic
This title signified control of the army
How did Augustus make things better for the ordinary Roman?
He beautified Rome and brought them peace and prosperity. They made it compartively easy and safe to travel from one end of the sea to the other by controlling piracy which would be important for the spread of PX
How did the coming to power of the Romans help spread PX
The general peace that was created by the Roman government allowed for a much easier western spread of PX
What is the Roman "genius"
The sacred force or guardian spirit which guided persons, such as the Roman emperor Augustus
Did Augustus see himself as a god?
Not really, he didn't claim divine honors for himself, but he didn't refuse offerings and sacrifices being made to his 'genius'
Why did Roman emperors declare their predecessors to be gods?
Because it gave the living emperor prestige and legitimacy and it honored the dead
How did Aristocratic Romans feel about the emperors claiming divine status? And what philosophy became popular in response to this feeling
The resented worshiping someone who was just before a colleague. Thus stoicism became popular again, as it was a way of turning away from useless political philosophy and towards making oneself better
What happened to politics and religion in the Roman empire
They became more and more intertwined, as the Emperors were linked with the pantheon of Gods, the religious role of the emperor became important.
As a result of the peace and safety that Augustus secured for the Roman empire, what happened religously?
There was a movement of all sorts of religious traditions across the empire.
What religions became popular across the Roman empire around the first century AD?
Fertility cults from the east, and Iranian Mithraism
Who was Tacitus
He was a senator and a historian of the Roman empire
What are Tacitus' dates
56-117 ad
What were the two major works by Tacitus?
the Annals, and the Histories
When medieval Christians would make maps, what city would they put at the centre?
Jerusalem
How were the Israelites in terms of seafarers?
They had few good harbours, and the ones they did have were seldom controlled by the Jews, thus they never became seafarers.
What is the land in Jerusalem like along the coast?
There is a wide fertile plain called the plain of Philistia
further west from the plain of philistia in Israel what would one find?
A north-south spine of hills which in the north become mountains.
Where does Jerusalem fit in the geography of Israel?
It is located in the middle of hill country
Is there any break between the hills of Israel that run north-south and later turn into mountains?
Yes, before the hills rise into mountains they near the coast, surrounding a small Kishon river valley running down to the sea.
Where is the city of Megiddo?
This city was found in the Kishon river valley and was the strong point for guarding the pass.
what was the importance of the Kishon river valley?
It was the principal pass that allowed access from egypt to the rest of the middle east and beyond. It was the place of ultimate battles. Known in Christian writings as Armageddon, it was singled out by the writer of Revelation as the setting for the ultimate cosmic battle between good and evil
to the east of the spine of hills that run north and south in Israel what do we find?
The Jordan river, and the Jordan river valley. At the north of the river is a great lake known as the sea of Galilee, and at the other end is the Dead Sea, where all the water flows from the sea of Galilee, and the arid heat evaporates so much water that there no need for another outlet for the rushing water of the Jordan. This is why it is so salty
Why is the river Jordan such an important landmark for Jews?
Because it was the barrier which they had to cross into the promised land.
What does the word Israel mean?
He who strives with God (wrestling match)
If one reads the bible according to its own Chronology, when would the promises to the patriarchs take place?
around 1800 bc
What is one intertexual reason why the stories found in Genesis appear to be written later?
Because there is little reference in the major prophets such as Jeremiah or Hosea, and the oldest of prophets, Isaiah, about the Patriarchs. Whilst there is plenty of references to them in literature that is of sixth century or later date. The logic is that the stories of the patriarchs post-date the writings of the first prophets in the eighth and seventh centuries bc, though the stories found in the Book of Genesis may be ancient.
What is one other hint that the Genesis stories are of later creation?
Certain events like the threats of gang rape in the city are found in both genesis and judges, Israel twice put to the sword the city of Shechem in Genesis and Judges
According to Maculloch, when does the old testament begin to sit more robustly with conventional historical evidence?
In the period of the judges, which took place during 1200-1050
Where did the Philistines come from?
Records show that they had been fighting with the Egyptians and they came over by the sea to occupy western Palestine in the great widespread disruption that destroyed Mycenae.
Where does the name Palestine come from?
Partially from the word Philistine
When was the reign of Solomon?
970-930 bc
Why is it that during the time of the judges and David and Solomon, Israel flourished?
At this time Egypt was weak, and the Assyrian monarch was preoccupied in another direction.
When did the Mesopotamian empire of Assyrian begin to look towards Palestine/Israel with interest?
During the mid eighth century.
When did Assyria attack the northern kingdom of Israel, and what was the outcome?
The attack occured in 722 BC and Israel was destroyed
How come the Assyrians didn't come wipe out Judah after they had done that to Israel?
They got lucky as there was revolts in other parts of Assyria that distracted Assyria's military advances.
Why did the role of the prophets begin to become more important after the crisis in Israel in the eighth century?
The general crisis that the kingdoms found themselves in reinforced the role of those who were mouthpieces of Yahweh who carried special messages for the people of God
The modern meaning of the word prophecy is misleading, what is a better ancient understanding of the word?
the gift of being able to interpret the will of the gods
When did the conflict between Queen Jezebel and Elijah take place?
mid-ninth century bc
Where was Jezebel from (the one from the OT)
Phoenicia
Who did Queen Jezebel marry?
King Ahab of Israel
How is the proto typical ninth century prophet for the Israelites?
Elijah
Who are the eighth century prophets for the Israelites?
Amos, Hosea, Micah, the first Isaiah
By the ancient rules of statecraft, what should have happened to Judah when it was taken over?
Its national identity should have been erased from the face of the earth
When was the southern kingdom of Judah taken over?
586 BC
What did the prophets of the eighth century teach?
They understood the international situation, with its constant threats from the Assyrians and perceived that the only thing that could save the people from annihilation was obedience to Yahweh which Elijah and his fellow prophets had taught in the previous century
When was Josiah installed as King?
640 BC
What happened under King Josiah?
They found the book of Deuteronomy in the Temple
What does Maculloch think about the chronology of Deuteronomy and the other historical books?
He believes the history books like joshua and judges to be old historical data that comes very early on. Then in the 8th century BC we have the first writings that have essentially held their shape from their originals (that is the prophets - amos, isaiah etc) followed by that we have the creation of the book of Deuteronomy under Josiah in the 7th century (which included an editing process of all the historical books so that the themes of Deuteronomy are incorporated into the historical books. Later Genesis and other books fill out the peneteuch.
When did the Assyrian empire collapse?
the end of the seventh century BC
Why did the Deuteronomic covenant become so popular?
Well the southern kingdom managed to withstand many of the attacks of the Assyrians, and they saw this as having been faithful to their covenant
What empire followed the collapse of the Assyrian empire at the end of the seventh century?
The Babylonian Empire
How did the Babylonians take over from the Assyrians?
They sacked the Assyrian capital, Nineveh, in 612 BC
What happened in 586 BC
After Judah's last king rebelled against subject status, the babylonians sacked the already shattered city of Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and carried off many people to exile in Babylon
Which people were exiled from among the defeated Jews in 586 BC?
Likely the community leaders, those left behind were of little account.
When was Babylon conquered? And by Whom?
In 539 by the Persian ruler Cyrus
Did all the Jews leave babylon to go home when Persia conquered Babylon?
Not all the Jews left, and those that stayed formed a community in Babylon which for centuries was one of the most important centres for Judaism outside of the homeland
When were the Jews allowed to return from exile?
539 BC
After the return from exile, when was the temple reconsecrated?
516 BC
How did the shape of Institutional life for the Jews change after exile?
Well there could be no independent monarchy because Cyrus was nice enough to send the Jews back and allow them to rebuild their temple, thus the jewish people centred themselves around the Temple and not the monarchy.
Who helped the returning exiles to build the temple?
Only those who did return from Babylon, there was a sort of solidarity amongst all those who sat by the waters of Babylon and wept remembering Zion, that they refused help from the people that were dwelling in Palestine at the time.
Who were some of the people that were living in Palestine when the Jews returned from exile?
The Samaritans, who built a rival temple on Mount Gerizim in the central Palestinian region known as Samaria.
Where was the rival temple of the Samaritans located?
On Mount Gerizim
Why is it maybe that the Patriarch Abram comes from Ur?
Because the Jews had come back from babylon and possible this colored where Abram was said to come from. Both Ur and Babylon were on the RIver Euphrates.
What river flows through Babylon?
The Euphrates
What considerations may the Jews have made while in Babylon?
They may have picked up tales like the Great Flood that was popular here at the time and incorporated it into their own narrative about the past. They may have observed Babylons concern for astrology and began to contribute their own thoughts on the matter,. And most profoundly, they probably thought about how a loving God could have allowed the destruction of his temple and the overturning of all his promises to his people.
What is one proposed answer to the question why was God's promises thwarted and his temple destroyed?
That there was an "adversary" who was trying to work against God
Who is the Hassatan
The Adversary, who is a fairly insignificant nuisance in the Jewish scriptures but develops into a figure of cosmic significance in the Book of Revelation.
So how might have the idea of Satan grown?
He was seen as the one who was thwarting Gods promises and were thwarted in the exile.
Which two author's in the OT write that there is no way of finding the meaning behind the events of the exile, or even the meaning of life really at all?
Job and Ecclesiastes. Job says that one must submit to the mysterious will of God, and not pry or try to understand why something occurs, while ecclesiastes is much more gloomy, and basically says life is meaningless and futile.
What is the early name for Ecclesiastes?
Qoheleth
Which books sits in opposition to Job, and Ecclesiates? Any why?
The book of Proverbs, because it calls one to activism and an upright life affirming the value of everyday goodness that has comforted Jews and PX ever since
What was the general Deuteronomistic theme that was dominant among Jews when they had returned from exile?
That Yahweh wanted obedience to the Law and the Babylonian captivity was punishment for not providing obedience. Separation and purity was important. Israel must never again make the mistake that they had made
In what way does the Jewish religion change after coming back from exile into a more universalist religion?
You no longer had to be born a Jew to become one, but you had to accept fully the customs of the Jews, which circumcision was the principal mark or loyalty. This inclusiveness is not pushed truly until Christianity and later Islam promote this idea.
What does the word 'proselyte' mean?
from a greek word meaning 'stranger' or 'foreigner living in a strange land'
When did Alexander the Great burst into the Eastern mediterranean?
330s bc
Who ruled the Holy land after Alexander the Great and before their short century of independence?
The Ptolemaic Pharaohs, and then from 198 BC the Seleucids of Syria
When did violence break out between the Jews and their overlords in the second century bc? And who was oppressing them?
King Antiochos IV (their second Seleucid overlord) tried to force greek customs on the Jews and attacked their religious life centred on the temple. Violence broke out in 167 BC
What name did King Antiochos IV take for himself?
Epiphanes which means "manifestation"
Who was the rebellion of the Jews against King Antiochos IV under first?
Judas Maccabeus
The Maccabean revolts were the first Jewish uprisings against a foreign power since when?
Judah's rebellion against Babylonian rule before the exile.
The new line of rulers under the Jewish Maccabean revolt were the
Hasmoneans
Besides ruling, what other role were the Hasmoneans given in Jerusalem after the independence?
They formed a succession of high priests for the Jerusalem Temple
How did the story of the Maccabees affect later Jewish history?
Well with the War against the Romans, which failed, but the success of the revolution encouraged the Jews to once again rise up against their oppressors
How did Judaism see the stories of the Maccabean Revolt?
In contrast to Protestants who generally are unfamiliar with these stories, Jews see them as among the most important Jewish stories, the centre piece of the great festival of Hanukkah.
How is it that the Maccabean revolt may have influenced some of the NT writings?
It is possible that two of the hymns from the Gospel of Luke are lightly adapted victory songs associated with the Maccabees. The Magnificat (Mary's song) and the Benedictus (Zechariah's song)
When were the Jews, first called Ioudaios?
Around the time of the Maccabean revolts
What happened around the time of the Maccabean revolt in terms of Jewish settlements and locales.
Jews started to live all around the mediterranean and were given the name Ioudaios.
How did Jews living in the diaspora keep their sense of identity and community?
They met together in a community called a synagogue (a greek name)
How was the Jewish synagogue important for later Christian imitation?
The synagogue was a place for prayer and religious activity but also a place for education and moral exhortation and thus it created space for a well ordered and structured community life which was imitated by Christians
How many books were recognized as having special authority by the Jews and when was it said to have happened?
24 books came to be recognized as having special authority, and it was said to have happened at a "Great Assembly" that occurred in 450 BC but which could not have happened then because Daniel is among the books and it was not written at that time.
Where is the first reference to a number of authoritative old testament texts and how many does he give?
Josephus gives a reference to 22
Where is the first reference to the 24 texts of the Old testament found?
Its found in the work known as IV Ezra (which is confusingly contained in a larger work known as II Esdras)
When was IV Ezra written?
As late as the time of the Roman Emperor Domitian, towards the end of the first century CE, just a little later than Josephus
What does the term apocrypha mean?
hidden things
What is the name for less respectable texts that date from the second century BC to the first century CE that are not apocrypha?
Inter-Testamental Literature.
Which inter-testamental book allowed itself to worm its way into the New Testament?
I Enoch
Which Christian group treats the book of I Enoch as scripture?
The Christian Church of Ethiopia
How did many of the apocalyptic inter-testamental books seek to find their way into the Tanakh?
They took names from worthy characters of the Tanakh. Like Enoch and Daniel
Even if the apocrypha shouldn't be counted as among the Tanakh, why is it still important?
Because it made up part of the mental furniture of the generation of Jesus and his disciples.
By the time of Jesus how many Jews might there have been living in Alexandria?
One million
Why was the Alexandrian Jews important at the time of Christ??
Because they were the single largest group of Jews outside of Palestine
When was the septuagint created?
Translated in stages between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC
By at least when were the Jews speaking Greek and not Hebrew in Alexandria?
The 3rd century bc
What was the Jewish attitude towards the Septuagint?
It was a crowning achievement for Greek Jews and they were proud of it, but it was abandoned when Christians wholeheartedly adopted it.
Why did Allegory become important in Alexandria?
Well the the Greeks when they heard of the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures that sounded far fetched, like God walking in the Garden, or God indulging in earthly arguments with Lot and Jonah, they sought to allegorize them in much the same was as Homer had been allegorized. Thus Philo took up this method and allegorized scripture.
What are Philo's dates
20 BC - 50 AD
What belief concerning creation developed in Judaism and when did it occur?
The concept of nothingness was embraced by Jews, and the second book of Maccabees (written in the second century bc) was the first book to insist that God did not make the world out of created things but summoned the world out of nothing.
What belief concerning the after life was develepd in Judaism and when did it occur?
Before the time of the Maccabees there is little discussion of the afterlife. The Tanakh is concerned about life here and now, and doesn't provide to much hope for the hereafter. But ideas of after life become developed when there is outrage over the death of the maccabean heroes. Such heroism deserves a reward, and though this won't happen now in this life, perhaps in the life to come there would be a resurrection of them. This was obviously not the first time this thought was thought, but it begins to develop here in conversation with other religious traditions.
How did the Jews and the Romans get on during the second century BC
They had some contracts, and were far away from each other, and the Jews hoped they could help them against the hated Seleucids.
Why did the Romans take over Palestine?
Because they secured the rich empires of the seleucids and the Egyptians and the were pretty much mopping up the rest of the surrounding area
Who did the Romans put on the Throne in Palestine shortly after taking over?
They put Herod the Great on the throne in 37 BC because there was no Hasmonean ruler to be found who would comply.
Where was Herod from? And how did he get the job?
He was an outsider whose forebears came from the territory to the south of Judaea which the Romans called Idumea (Edom) (Herod was a relative of the Hasmoneans by marriage)
Who rebuilt the temple with unprecedented magnificence around the turn of the BC to the AD
Herod the Great
Though Herod rebuilt the temple with ample resources and splendor, what other additions did he bring in that people despised?
He brought in Greek-style sporting events, gladiatorial combats, or horse racing in newly built arenas
When did Herod the Great die?
4 BC
What happened to Palestine after Herod the Great's death?
They were divided up among his sons.
What are the minimum four Jewish identities around the time of Jesus?
Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots, and probably many lesser sects
What is one important way to understand the differences between the different Jewish sects at the time of Christ?
The degree of accommodation that they make to the Helenistic Roman empire.
Which group was most accommodating to the Roman influence? And Why?
The Sadducees because they were the temple elite and benefited under the Romans. They cared for the bare minimum of what the law had to say and didn't want to cumber their religion with all the pharisaical rules. Neither were they concerned with the relatively recent development of concern for the afterlife.
In terms of accommodation, how did the Essenes sit in comparison to others?
The distinctiveness of the Pharisees was not enough for them. The essenes left ordinary society and set themselves apart. They had their own literature, and traditioins. The Zealots held out a military version of the same Essene them of separation.