Between Malachi and Matthew: From Rebellion to Rome

Last week we briefly looked at the time in which Persia ruled Judea, and got into the time the Greeks ruled Judea. Specifically, to the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. Which is where we pick up the story this week.

Antiochus Epiphanes was so named because he claimed to be the epiphany, a manifestation, of the Greek god Zeus. In accordance with this proclamation, he began requiring everyone in his kingdom to pay him homage not only as king, but also as a god. This, of course, caused problems for the Jews, who were to worship only Jehovah. Antiochus also sold the position of high priest among the Jews to those who were willing to pay (the high priest when Antiochus came to power was much opposed to him). One of these men who had bought the position went so far as to build a Greek gymnasium (more than just a place to exercise, it required homage to various Greek gods). Naturally, there was an uproar over the high priest doing such a thing, and rioting was the result. A little later, Antiochus Epiphanes took more direct action. He assaulted Jerusalem, killing a sizable portion of the population. He also took steps to burn all copies of the law, forbid circumcision, forbid feast days and sabbaths, and set out to get rid of Jewish dietary restrictions. Finally, as though this wasn't enough, he set up an altar to Zeus in the temple itself, and offered a pig in sacrifice to the false god.

The rebellion against the Selucid kingdom really began when Mattathias, a priest in Modein, killed a Selucid officer and another man who were attempting to force idolatrous sacrifice. Matthathias and his five sons fled into the hill country, put out a cal to arms, and a number of men answered the call. They began fighting a guerrilla war against the Selucids. Upon Mattathias' death, he appointed his middle son Judas to lead the people in rebellion against the Greeks. This proved a good decision, as Judas, always outnumbered, won a brilliant series of battles against the oppressors. Judas was quickly given the name “Maccabeus,” meaning “hammer.” For a number of years, the control of Jesusalem switched hands between the Selucids and the Jews. Judas Maccabeus was eventually killed in battle, and his brother Simon took control of the army. Simon, in time, was replaced by his son John Hyrcanus. And eventually, under his generalship, the Maccabees won independence way from the Selucids.

In the decades between 105 and 63BC, the Maccabean family declined. There was much infighting and, shall we say, questionable motivation as each strove to gain power. During this time, much effort was spent in forcing the Idumeans (the Greek name for the Edomites) to convert to Judaism. In 63BC, Pompey, a Roman general, led his troops into Jerusalem. This occupation was short lived, as the Parthians (from the east of Judea) overran the area. In large measure, the Roman desire for the area was in order to defend against the Parthians. In 37AD, Judea became a Roman tributary through the actions of Herod the Great. In seeking power, he wanted the approval of Rome (dominated by Caesar Augustus and Mark Antony at the time). And he got it. It's worth noting that Herod was an Idumean, one of those who had been forcibly “converted” to Judaism. Needless to say, his religious convictions were not deep.

And that quickly brings us to the beginning of the New Testament, where Judea, Galilee, and Samaria are Roman tributaries, but technically not part of the Roman Empire, governed over by Herod the Great. And Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, decided to make a census of the Roman world, for which a man named Joseph and his soon to be wife traveled to a town named Bethlehem.

Next week we will look at some of the long term effects that this 400 years had on life in the New Testament.