In the Fullness of Time – Part 2

(Galatians 4:4-7)

Understanding the Book of Acts through a First Century

AD “Lens”

Jewish Religious and Political Sects (Second Century BC-First Century AD)

• The Hasidim (Pharisees) • The Hellenizers (Sadducees): “The interaction of

Judaism and Hellenistic culture is… one of the fundamental struggles in the march of civilization…” (Norman Bentwich)

• The Essenes and Zadokites (and the Dead Sea Scroll Community)

 • The Zealots (and Sicarii) • The Sanhedrin

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha

APOCRYPHAL Books1 Esdras 2 Esdras 

Tobit Judith 

Additions to EstherWisdom of Solomon 

Ecclesiasticus Baruch 

Epistle of Jeremiah Song of the Three Children

Story of Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 

1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees

• The Apocrypha: “Hidden books”

• The Pseudepigrapha: “Falsely attributed books”

The Arrival of Rome

• Pompey and the Capture of Jerusalem in 63 BC

• The Pax Romana• An Affirmation of Hellenistic Culture• Excellent Roads• Roman Procurators: Pontius Pilate, Felix,

Festus• Emperor Worship but respect for ancient

Religions

Flavius Josephus(ca. AD 37-100)

• An Apologist and Historian for the Jewish People• The History (Antiquities) of the Jews• The Wars of the Jews

New Testament Palestine

Herod and The Herodian Dynasty

Jewish Nationalism and the Great Revolt

The Birth of Rabbinical Judaism (AD 70 until the present)

• The Council of Yavneh (Jamnia), convened in AD 90 by Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai, officially confirmed the Old Testament Canon and formally established the Synagogue as the central place of Jewish worship, study, social and cultural life