“A Home for the Homeless”

The Biblical Story in the Intertestamental Period

The Intertestamental Period in a Glimpse

There were multiple return’s from Exile. The question of “Home” continued to be raised.

Maintaining Jewish “identity” in the midst of shifting Empires: Persian (538-332); Hellenist (332-141); Hasmonean (140-63); Roman (63 BC into the NT period)

Did the Exile end? Who is my neighbor? What should we expect and live for? “Mission”

Misconceptions Regarding the Intertestamental Period

It’s a period disconnected from the Biblical Story.

Developments within the Intertestamental Period don’t shape the New Testament.

God was silent in “word” and in “deed” in the life of his covenant community, Israel.

Home Identity Mission

The Intertestamental Period’s contribution to the Biblical Story

“Life As a House” as a Picture of the Biblical Story and the Intertestamental Period.

Small Group Discussion Question’s:

In the Exile Israel as a people lost their home. After the Exile Israel as a people struggled to find their home. What kind of struggles do you think Israel faced as a people? How did they prepare the world for Christ’s coming? Where is our home?

Returning Home“Not all those who had been exiled to Babylon did return; a number of them stayed in their new home. Those who went back to Judah doubtless did so for a variety of reasons, but certainly one of them was a straightforward desire to return to the place and the way of life that had been their ancestors’ in days gone by. Yet here was a problem. For, while the physical places previously inhabited may have been clear enough, the way of life that had been followed in them was not.”

- James Kugel, THE BIBLE AS IT WAS (Professor at Harvard)

Did Israel really return home?

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD :        "He is good;        his love to Israel endures forever."       And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Ezra 3.10-13

The New Testament’s Picture of Israel’s Lingering Exile

“17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”

“4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

Matthew 1.17 & Galatians 4.4-5

Israel Sought to Find its “Home” Through...

A Restored Kingdom

A New City & Temple

Hope in the Messiah

Maintaing Identity“For much of the history of Israel, the identity of the people had been shaped and supported by a number of complementary factors - common territory [the Land], political loyalty [the King], ethnic continuity [Jewish only], common language [Hebrew], religious observance, and tradition [the Law]. After the exile, the people was scattered geographically, subject to various political authorities, and diverse in language. Religious tradition and observance assumed an ever greater role in maintaining the distinctive identity. ”

- John J. Collins, BETWEEN ATHENS AND JERUSALEM (Professor at Yale)

Maintaing Identity Through an Ethnically Distinct Community

“On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.”

Nehemiah 13.1-3

Maintaing Identity Through the Law and Covenantal Deeds

“Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. Now, my children, show zeal for the Law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors. Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name. Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

1 Maccabees 2.49-52

Israel Tried to Maintain its “Identity” Through...

The Law & Traditions

Covenantal Deeds

Community

Inward Mission“...in the Second Temple Period [which includes the Interstamental Period], different Jewish communities and individuals had wide-ranging views on the fate of the Gentiles, the role of the synagogue in a pagan city, and the means and necessity of Gentiles entering into Israel...For the Jewish people, in general, there was a pervasive consciousness that they had a divinely given role vis-a-vis the nations, but there was a tension within Judaism itself as to what that vocation precisely consisted of...Second Temple Judaism did attract proselytes and facilitate the conversion of Gentiles that wanted to convert to Judaism, but it was not self-consciously missionary since the role of Israel, the Torah, and the synagogue was never directed unequivocally towards Gentile recruitment.”

- Michael F. Bird, CROSSING OVER SEA AND LAND(Professor at Aberdeen)

A Mission of Inward Cultural Purification in the Land of Promise

 8 "But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 "But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'

Ezra 9.8-12

Cultural Distinctness While Maintaining Respect for Greek Neighbors in the Diaspora

Hebrew Bible of Exodus 22.27, “You shall not curse God.”

LXX Greek Bible of Exodus 22.27, You shall not curse gods.”

Josephus, the ancient famous Jewish historian captures the Diaspora Jews attitude toward their neighbors well, “Let no one blaspheme the gods which other cities revere, nor rob foreign temples, nor take treasure that has been dedicated to the name of a god.”

Lxx Exodus 22.27

Israel Pursued its Inward “Mission” Through...

Culture Purification

Neighbor Relationships

Social Apologetics

N.T. Wright on Jesus as the Way Back Home, the End of Exile:

“Jesus lived, taught, and acted as though Israel [as a nation and people] was summed up in him. He would be the Israel who would go into exile on behalf of God’s people. And he would do so in the belief that God would raise him from the dead, inaugurating the real “return from exile” which would be the sign that sins had indeed been forgiven, not only for Israel but also for the world.”

- N.T. Wright, THE SERVANT AND JESUS (Professor at Oxford, Cambridge, etc.)

“A Home for the Homeless”

The Biblical Story in the Intertestamental Period