Read Online The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Charles L Quarles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andreas J. Köstenberger, Charles L Quarles
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Zedekiah's flirtation with Egypt forced Babylon to lay siege to Jerusalem until “the ninth day of the [fourth] month” of 586 BC. 6 Eventually tracked down and captured, the last thing Zedekiah saw before being blinded was the execution of his sons (2 Kgs 25:7). The pro-Babylonian Gedaliah was appointed in his place but was assassinated soon thereafter (2 Kgs 25:22–26).
This deportation created a theological crisis for the Jews in the dispersion. The dissolution of the monarchy, the loss of the central sanctuary, and the proximity to Gentiles all created moral and ceremonial problems for those living outside of Judea. 7 The prophets had denounced Israel and Judah for emphasizing the ceremonial over the ethical aspects of their covenant with God. In the dispersion it was evident that in the absence of the central sanctuary the Jews were led to focus on the moral dimension of God's law. With the ceremonial element remaining just a lingering hope for the exiled Jews, law observance temporarily took the place of the temple ritual and animal sacrifice.
Without a central place to meet and worship (the temple), the captives in all probability established the synagogue as a venue where they could gather to study and discuss the law. The synagogue is a well-established institution in NT times. It may be surprising to find that the emergence of the synagogue is not mentioned in the OT. Most likely, the synagogue had its origins in the exile. 8
Another development during the exile was the permanent renunciation of idolatry among the Jews. Idolatry, the worship of gods other than Yahweh, had been a major cause for the exile. During the Babylonian captivity, however, idolatry completely lost its appeal, as the apocryphal book of Judith exemplifies: “For never in our generation, nor in these present days, has there been any tribe or family or people or city of ours which worshiped gods made with hands, as was done in days gone by—and that was why our fathers werehanded over to the sword, and to be plundered, and so they suffered a great catastrophe before our enemies” (8:18–19, RSV). The major lesson that Israel learned from the exile was that God will not tolerate Israel's worship of other gods.
The Persian Period (539–331 BC)
In due course Babylon came under attack from an upstart kingdom, the Persian Empire. 9 When Cyrus of Persia, a former vassal of Media (from around 550 BC), attacked Opis (an outlying city), Nabonidus king of Babylon was busy quelling a bloody revolt in Babylon. After Sippar (another city under Median control) fell to the Persian army, Babylon surrendered peacefully. This is probably due to the diversion of the Euphrates River by Cyrus, which enabled his soldiers to march through the city on dry ground. On October 29, 539 BC, Cyrus entered Babylon and proclaimed himself “King of Babylon,” thus beginning a new dynasty in the Middle East.
Several OT books describe events during the Persian period, including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, selected Psalms, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and perhaps most famously Isaiah (44–45). Cyrus's foreign policy (unlike that of Babylon) was to permit conquered peoples to maintain their local customs and religions in their homelands. Thus when Ezra petitioned Cyrus to return to Judea, he agreed (Ezra 1:1–4). Subsequently, Persia became a real superpower, with succeeding kings expanding “from India to Cush” (i.e., Ethiopia; Esth 1:1). In light of the Persian Empire's conciliatory stance toward the Jews and in fulfillment of biblical prophecy (Isa 44:28–45:13), Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland (see Ezra 1:1–4). Thus under Persian rule the captives returned and with them the temple furniture and provision for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, though this did not happen immediately.
The Persians ruled Palestine for more than 200 years. The empire eventually fell to the expansive campaigns of the Greeks. The Greeks first became
This deportation created a theological crisis for the Jews in the dispersion. The dissolution of the monarchy, the loss of the central sanctuary, and the proximity to Gentiles all created moral and ceremonial problems for those living outside of Judea. 7 The prophets had denounced Israel and Judah for emphasizing the ceremonial over the ethical aspects of their covenant with God. In the dispersion it was evident that in the absence of the central sanctuary the Jews were led to focus on the moral dimension of God's law. With the ceremonial element remaining just a lingering hope for the exiled Jews, law observance temporarily took the place of the temple ritual and animal sacrifice.
Without a central place to meet and worship (the temple), the captives in all probability established the synagogue as a venue where they could gather to study and discuss the law. The synagogue is a well-established institution in NT times. It may be surprising to find that the emergence of the synagogue is not mentioned in the OT. Most likely, the synagogue had its origins in the exile. 8
Another development during the exile was the permanent renunciation of idolatry among the Jews. Idolatry, the worship of gods other than Yahweh, had been a major cause for the exile. During the Babylonian captivity, however, idolatry completely lost its appeal, as the apocryphal book of Judith exemplifies: “For never in our generation, nor in these present days, has there been any tribe or family or people or city of ours which worshiped gods made with hands, as was done in days gone by—and that was why our fathers werehanded over to the sword, and to be plundered, and so they suffered a great catastrophe before our enemies” (8:18–19, RSV). The major lesson that Israel learned from the exile was that God will not tolerate Israel's worship of other gods.
The Persian Period (539–331 BC)
In due course Babylon came under attack from an upstart kingdom, the Persian Empire. 9 When Cyrus of Persia, a former vassal of Media (from around 550 BC), attacked Opis (an outlying city), Nabonidus king of Babylon was busy quelling a bloody revolt in Babylon. After Sippar (another city under Median control) fell to the Persian army, Babylon surrendered peacefully. This is probably due to the diversion of the Euphrates River by Cyrus, which enabled his soldiers to march through the city on dry ground. On October 29, 539 BC, Cyrus entered Babylon and proclaimed himself “King of Babylon,” thus beginning a new dynasty in the Middle East.
Several OT books describe events during the Persian period, including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, selected Psalms, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and perhaps most famously Isaiah (44–45). Cyrus's foreign policy (unlike that of Babylon) was to permit conquered peoples to maintain their local customs and religions in their homelands. Thus when Ezra petitioned Cyrus to return to Judea, he agreed (Ezra 1:1–4). Subsequently, Persia became a real superpower, with succeeding kings expanding “from India to Cush” (i.e., Ethiopia; Esth 1:1). In light of the Persian Empire's conciliatory stance toward the Jews and in fulfillment of biblical prophecy (Isa 44:28–45:13), Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland (see Ezra 1:1–4). Thus under Persian rule the captives returned and with them the temple furniture and provision for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, though this did not happen immediately.
The Persians ruled Palestine for more than 200 years. The empire eventually fell to the expansive campaigns of the Greeks. The Greeks first became
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