Unit 1

 Lesson 1: The Western Political World During the Intertestamentary Period

Learning Goals

• Identify and Explain what happened during the Intertestamental period, including the empires that came to power and the influences that they had on the on the New Testament times.
• Recall what language the New Testament was written in and explain why

Background

• Why is it important to know the background of a story or piece of writing?

Intertestamentary Period

• The time between the Old Testament and the New Testament (400 years) 400 BCE to 0 CE

The Apocrypha

• Did you know that there are books in the Catholic Bible that are not in the ones we use at SCS?
• Who wrote the Bible? Who picked the books to be in it? How do we know they got the right books?

Daniel Prophesied It Read Daniel Chapter 8:1-8 & 19-22

The Greek Empire 331 B.C -31 BC

• The Greeks rise to power through the leadership of Alexander the Great. They force their culture (called Hellenism) and their religion on the  people they conquer.  Their language becomes the common trade and diplomatic language and remained so into the New Testament times.
• Lasting influences of the Greeks

The Hasmonean Kingdom 160 B.C -63 BC

• The Jewish people revolted under the leadership of the Maccabees in 160 B.C. They gain their freedom and establish an independent nation within the Greek Empire They established what became known as the Hasmonean kingdom and this is where the celebration of Hanukkah or Chanukah comes from 
• The Kingdom was ruled by the Sanhedrin and the High Priest (who also filled the role of the king).
• The Sanhedrin  = Jewish Supreme Court   (Numbers 11: 10-17 ) Was still responsible for enforcing the Jewish Laws during the time of Jesus.

How is what happened with Spain and Latin America like what happened with the Greeks and the Israelites?

What language was the New Testament written in? And Why?

So who was in power when Jesus was alive? And why were people still using the Greek language?

The Roman Empire  63 BC –300AD

• Began with the conquest of Augustus (Luke 2:1) who became the first emperor. His rule began a time of peace that lasted until A.D. 70. 
• The Romans adopted much of the Greek culture and religion but had their own and were known for their advances in technology 
• They are the ruling power during the N.T.

Why Did Jesus Come When He Did? Galatians 4:3-5

Slogans

Come up with a catch phrase for each

• Intertestamental
• Greek Empire
• Hasmonean Kingdom
• Roman Empire

Can You

• Identify and Explain what happened during the Intertestamental period, including the empires that came to power and the influences that they had on the on the New Testament times.
• Recall what language the New Testament was written in and explain why

Show me

Pick one of the following:

• Make a timeline that shows cause and effect relationships
• Make a song or series
• Make a song or poem
• Make a series of illustrations with captions or explanations (mini booklet)
• Prepare a short presentation and schedule time to present it to to teacher

Don’t forget to include

• The influence of the Greek Empire
• The Hasmonean Kingdom
• How the Romans were like and different from the Greeks
• The impact that all these historical things had on the people living in the time the New Testament was written

Lesson Summary

The Greeks came to power after the Persians through the leadership of Alexander the great.

They forced their religion and culture on the Jews who eventually rebelled and formed the Hasmonean Kingdom (which was ruled by the High Priest and the Sanhedrin). The Romans eventually came and with the power of their advanced technology they were able to take over Palestine (Israel). Much of the cultural and religious influences of the Greeks remained during this time.

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Unit 1 Lesson 2: Politics & Geography in Palestine At the Beginning of the NT

Learning Goals

• Identify Herod the Great and explain the influence that he had on Palestine.
• Explain the social and political roles in 1st century Palestine, including the social status of women, the Samaritans, the Sanhedrin and the Romans

Palestine/Israel was Part of the Roman Empire

• Why was it important?

Research and Present

1. Herod the Great
   1. Who was he? ethnicity, religion, etc…
   2. What did he build and why
   3. How did he get power
2. Social Classes
   1. Describe the lives of the rich middle and poor
   2. What was the role and rights of women
3. Political World
   1. How did Jews and Romans interact (what was their attitude about each other)
   2. What was the role of the Roman governor
4. Samaritans
   1. Who were they (where did they come from)
   2. Where did they live and worship
   3. What did they believe
5. The Great Sanhedrin
   1. Who were they, What did they do
   2. Who was there leader and what 2 groups did it consist of 

After Herod The Great Died

Palestine divided into 4 parts (Judea and Galilee). Galilee ruled by Herod Antipas (Herod II) throughout Jesus life (the Herod that judges Jesus). Judea first ruled by Archelaus (Matt 2:21-23) he is a bad rule and is replaced by Roman Governors (there are 4 of them that come and go because they fail to control the region before Pilate)

Show me what you have learned:

• Make a chart show the cause and effect of key actions of Herod the Great and the other social political roles

Don’t forget to include:

• What did Herod Build?
• Why Pilate became Governor of Judea
• Why Jews and Samaritans did not get along

Lesson Summary:

• Palestine (Israel) was an important area to control for trade.
• Herod the Great was not a Jew or a Roman, he built (or fixed) the temple for the Jews and built Caesarea for the Romans. He was a cunning and brutal ruler.
• There were clearly defined social classes that significantly influenced peoples’ lives and roles in society
• The Romans looked down on the Jews and the Jews hated the Romans
• The Jews looked down on the Samaritans who had similar but different beliefs
• The Sanhedrin was the Jewish council that enforced the Jewish Religious laws. 

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Bible II Unit 1 Lesson 3; Religious Groups in Palestine

Learning Goals:

• Explain the social/religious groups in 1st century Palestine (including the Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, and Essenes) and how they interacted with each other and the significance that they have to the New Testament.

Sadducees

• The Sadducees had a lot of political influence because they controlled the priesthood. Most of them were wealthy and part of the aristocracy. They did not accept the whole Old Testament and could be considered liberals of their time. The Sadducees were more open to Greek culture they did not believe in angles, spirits, and the immortality of the soul or the resurrection of the body. Luke 20: 27-40

Pharisees

• The Pharisees (the separated ones) originated out of those that had resisted the influence of the Greek culture. For the most part these were Middle-class and became the largest of the Jewish groups. They were strict observers of the Mosaic laws and the rabbinic law (which served as commentary to the law) However, they also developed cleaver ways to bypass some of these laws

The Sanhedrin

• Jewish Religious Court = had two parties Sadducees and Pharisee

Synagogue 

• For Prayer and Bible Reading
• Library that had all the books of the Old Testament

Essenes

• The smallest group was the Essenes who were even more legalistic then the Phariseees. Many of them lived in monastic communities and completely withdrew from society. Some of these communities forbid marriage. Though they are not mentioned in the New Testament their influence might have been what Paul was addressing in 1Tim 4:3. (Much like a modern day cult)
• The oldest copies of the Old Testament were found in a cave that was once inhabited by a community of Essences.

Zealots

• The Zealots were not necessarily a religious group but they probably used religious reasons to justify their aims. Their main aim was to break free from the Romans using force. They were the insurgency movement of their time. One of the Disciples was a former zealot (Lk. 6:15). The freedom fighters or terrorists of their times

Show me what you know 

• Work with a partner to come up with a modern day setting for each of the different types of groups.
  • Example: Pharisees are the republicans, Sadducees are the Democrats, The Essens are like the tea part Republicans, , zealots are like terrorists (other settings – High school, sports team, super heroes or movie – groups present to the teacher.

Lesson Summary:

• The Sadducees and Pharisees made up the Sanhedrin but they were very different and did not like each other.
•  The Temple was a key connecting point for all the religions groups
• The Zealots eventually provoked the Romans to destroy the Temple in 70 AD
• Thanks to the Essenes we have the oldest copies of the Old Testament.

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Bible II; Unit 1: Lesson 4: The New Testament

Learning Goals

• Identify the Covenants in the Bible and explain how Jesus is the fulfillment of them.
• List some reasons why people think the Bible is inaccurate and use supporting evidence to show that the that the Bible is accurate regardless of these concerns

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The New Testament

• Testament = ____________________

God’s Promises /Covenants

• With Noah – Gen 9:8-17
• With Abraham Gen 12:2-3, 17:1-22
• With the Israel Ex 19:3-6 at Mt Sinai (the Law)
• With David 1Chronicles 17:7-14
• With the Israel (the New Covenant) Jer. 31:31-34

Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Covenants 

• Noah = symbolized
• Abraham = Rev. 7:9-10
• The Law (Mt. Sinai)= (Romans 8:1-4)
• David = 1Chronicles 17:7-14
• New Covenant = (Jer. 31:31-34)

The New Covenant 

• Read Galatians 3:15-24
  • What was the purpose of the Law (the Old Testament)?
• Read Hebrews 10:1-18
  • What was the purpose of the sacrifices in the Law?
  • Why is there no longer any need for sacrifices?

Jesus came to fulfill the Law

• Mathew 5:17-20
• Romans 8:1-4
• “…that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us …”
• Types of Books in the N.T.

Structure of the New Testament

• 5 history books
• (Acts and the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), 21 letters (epistles), 1 book of prophecy (Revelation)
• Different Books by Different People: 27 different books, written between A.D. 50-100 by 8 different people (Jesus’ Apostles and followers). They way that they are found in our Bible is not in the order that they were written!

Why these Books?

• Why do you think that these books got put into the Bible and not other books?
• Who decided what books to put into the Bible and which ones not to put in the Bible?
• What are some reasons that people doubt the Bible as accurate and true?

The New Testament Canon

• Canon = list of books in the New Testament
• The New Testament canon consists of books accepted by the early church as divinely inspired.
• How do we know that the New Testament is the word of God?
  • The Muslims believe that Gabriel dictated the Koran to Muhammad and he just recorded word for word what was told to him. 
• We believe that God divinely inspired the authors of the book as described in 2 Peter 1:19-21.

Can we trust the Bible

• No original copies of the New Testament Books exist all we have are copies.
• The oldest copy of any book that we have is a portion of the book of John dated about A.D. 135.
• However there is a vast number of copies that exist from the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
• Scribes took a lot of care in copying
• Very few errors
• They affect no major beliefs (doctrines) of the Christian faith.

Key Ideas

• Inspiration = God directed the authors as they wrote
• The Originals are lost BUT the copies are reliable
• Very few discrepancies (errors or differences) have been found in the copies AND none of them affect key teachings of the Bible

How the New Testament came together

As the new testament closes the gospel has spread throughout the Roman empire, persecution is common but isolated, and Church leadership had been established though the setting up of overseers/elders and deacons with one elder typically being the main leader (bishop - from Greek = overseer). During the New Testament we see that there were many false teachers and heresies developing.  Persecution and heresy continue to be problems after the apostles and as a result the bishops become more and more a key leader.  As the Apostles died there were some who were their contemporaries and/or their direct followers that continued to lead the church. These are known as the Apostolic Fathers and during their time (A.D. 96-150) the current books in the new testament were individually copied and shared among the churches (some of this was going on during the time of the NT Col 4:16 & 2 Pet. 3:15-16)

Many of these Church Fathers also wrote letters to the churches in many of these letters they quoted from the New Testament books. There were maybe some isolated collections the New Testament books but there was no complete collection. Some of these Church Fathers made lists of book that were accepted as Scripture and most of the New Testament books were agreed upon by A.D. 180

Here it is important to note one of the key differences between the Protestant and Roman Catholic Church’s views on the cannon of scripture. Protestants typically believe that the early church fathers recognized the books of Scripture that were inspired. The Roman Catholic Church believes that it was the early church that made or authorized the books as Scripture. This is also one of the reasons why they see church tradition equal in authority to the scriptures.

Can you

• Identify the Covenants in the Bible and explain how Jesus is the fulfillment of them.
• List some reasons why people think the Bible is inaccurate and use supporting evidence to show that the that the Bible is accurate regardless of these concerns

Show me

Pick your format for each but you do both

• Make a chart, write a summary, prepare an oral speech, or a set of illustrations that shows how  Jesus fulfills the Covenants in the Bible  AND
• Make a chart, write out  or prepare an oral speech giving reasons why people think the Bible is inaccurate and use evidence to support the belief that the Bible is accurate

Recommended Reading

• Hebrews 8
• Read 14-15 in text book

Lesson Summary  

• Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament
• The New Testament is God’s new covenant (promise) through Christ
• There are different types of books in the New Testament: Histories, letters and prophecy
• The originals have been lost but the copies we have are reliable. 

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Bible II; Unit 1 Lesson 5: The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John

Learning Goals:

• Identify the different authors of the Gospels and some key facts about them
• Explain why the Gospels are not biographies of Jesus’ life and make the connection that some of the differences in the Gospels are because different people focus on different things

What do we mean by Gospel? ”

Why is the news about Jesus Good?

What the Gospels are not

• Not biographies of Jesus’ life
• They do not tell us everything about his life
• Not written by the same person
• Not written from the same perspective for the same audience

What are the Gospels?

• They are books about Jesus that were written for specific audiences with a particular focus
• They were written to convince people to believe in Jesus as the Messiah

Who were the Gospel writers? What was their background? How would they have known about Jesus?

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

The Gospel of Matthew

• Quotes extensively (a lot) from the Old Testament and its focus are that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah. It was probably written to a mostly Jewish Audience

The Gospel of Mark

• This book centers on Christ and the service of the believer to Him. It is concise and contains mostly Jesus’ actions.This book was written for the Gentiles (Romans particularly) 

The Gospel of Luke

• The focus of the book is on Jesus' humanity. It contains the most information about the birth of Jesus as well as the only story from Jesus' childhood. It is specifically addressed to Theophilus who must have been some very reputable Greek or Roman

The Gospel of John

• This book deals mostly with the nature of Christ. That he was God in human form 
• The vast majority of the book is different than the other 3 gospels.

The Synoptic Gospels

• Mathew, Mark, and Luke
• Synoptic = "seeing together" This means that they are very similar but still different

Matt 8:1-4

Mark 1:40-45

Luke 5:12-16

Can You

• Identify the different authors of the Gospels and some key facts about them
• Explain why the Gospels are not biographies of Jesus’ life and make the connection that some of the differences in the Gospels are because different people focus on different things

Show Me: Use what you have learned

• Based on what you know about the 4 authors make a guess/prediction (support your guess with information you have learned) as to what each one of them might focus on in their Gospel and some of the differences we might find

Lesson Summary

• Gospel = good news, and the good news about Jesus is that he paid for our sins
• The gospels are not biographies because they don’t tell us everything about his life. They are all about Jesus but have a specific purpose (focus) and audience.
• Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar and known as the synoptic gospels

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