Jesus, Jewish Theologian

Lesson One

Atmosphere:  In the Fullness of Time

   “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, G-d sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”  Galatians 4:3-5

Introduction

• Around 30 AD we have something remarkable take place that even the secular world must acknowledge was profound, and would affect history in an unprecedented way: Jesus began His ministry as a Jewish Rabbi. Was the timing, and location by accident – or according to an elaborate plan?

• To better understand the teaching of Jesus, we should place ourselves in that time, and in that culture.

• Jesus (Yeshua) is Jewish. He was a ritual Jew – He followed the Law, the Torah, PRECISELY and COMPLETELY.

• Jesus was a Jewish Theologian, whose teaching used Jewish theology to point us to G-d. Then He fulfilled G-d’s plan by demonstrating that He was the center of that plan all along.

• Evil men have throughout the ages sought to separate Jesus from His Jewish-ness – to create a sort of “Gentile Jesus”. He did not come to begin a Gentile religion – He came to fulfill the Jewish faith!

Enter the Jewish Messiah

• Matt 1:21: His name Yeshua means “salvation”.

• “Yeshua” is used 79 times in the “Old Testament.” Examples: Ex 14:13; Ex 15:2; Deut 32:45; Ps 14:7

• Is 12:2: The L-rd (YHWH) is salvation (Yeshua)

• John 4:40-42: Yeshua HaMaschiah – Jesus, the Christ - Maschiach means “Annointed.” He is the Messiah for the world!

Historical Setting

• Daniel 7: Daniel, captive prophet in Babylon (552 BCE) prophesies about the 4 kingdoms which would “arise out of the earth”. The 3^rd Kingdom is Greece (beginning with Alexander) and the 4^th Kingdom appears to be Rome.

• In 331 BCE Greece defeated the Persian Empire (kingdom #2) and became the dominant kingdom of the world

• Alexander died in 323 BCE and the Greek Empire was divided between Alexander’s 4 generals. Seleucid was the one who received the area from Syria to Persia. The land of Israel was under Greek Seleucid rule.

• By 247 BCE, the Parthians earned their independence from the Greek Seleucids and established the Parthian Empire which extended from just east of the land of Israel to India.

• In 167 BCE, the Jews began their revolted from their Greek Seleucid masters and established their independence (. This was the time of Judah Maccabee. His father, Matityahu, a Levite priest began the revolt. The Hasmonian dynasty ruled Israel until the time Jesus birth.  After Matityahu’s sons all died, the rulers were declared not only High Priests, but kings – thus the priesthood and the crown was in one family. They became corrupted by power. Herod married into the family, although he was not Jewish.

• When Rome (kingdom #4) began to rise in power, the land of Israel became a buffer between the 2 dominate empires of Rome and Partha. The roman, Pompey, took Jerusalem in 63 BCE. Jerusalem then came under alternating Parthian and Roman rule. Herod “the Great”’s father, Antipater aligned himself with Rome and gained the title of “King” of the Jews for his son Herod “the Great”

• In 37 BCE, Mark Antony had the Roman Senate establish Herod as “king” over the land of Israel (realized 3 years later).

• At the time of the birth of Jesus, “wisemen from the east” (magi) came from the Parthian Empire to seek for the “the One Who is born King of the Jews.” (Matthew 2:2)

Religious Setting

• After the Babylonian captivity, in the time of Ezra, the scribes and priests began to separate into 2 distinct groups. By the time of the Maccabees, the priests had aligned themselves as Sadducees, and the scribes as Pharisees.

• The Sadducees, are distinct because of their social status and as priests, were Levite. Sadducees were less adherent to the Law because being priests they found satisfaction in the ceremonial acts.

• The Pharisees (= separatists – they called themselves Haberim = associates of the Law) were zealous for the Law. They were not as politically motivated, so when the Maccabees began to leave the Law, the Pharisees rejected them. The Hasmonian king, John Hyrcanus left the Pharisees and aligned himself with the Sadducees.

• Even more separated from the unclean, were the Essenes, who separated themselves even further from society (Dead Sea Scrolls community).

• Summary of Sadducean beliefs:

  • They venerated Moses, the Law Giver

  • Although they believed in the divine origin of the rest of Scripture, they believed that the books of Moses were the defining ones

  • They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead

  • Did not believe in angels or demons

  • Tended to be less merciful in enacting the Law

  • They believed in free will and not Divine Providence was what made things work – G-d played no part (this was the chief dispute between themselves and Pharisees)

• Summary of Pharisaical beliefs:

  • They regarded all Scripture as divinely inspired and applicable – and had great reverence for the Word of G-d.

  • The also believed that the “Oral Torah” was operative as well in explaining the meaning of Scripture.

  • More merciful in the Law

  • They believed in faith as operative within the realm of G-d’s Providence (vs free will)

  • Believed in angels and demons, and the immortality of the soul. They believed in the resurrection of the dead (righteous, by faith to a reward)

  • They believed in faith, and in miracles of G-d

• Summary of Essenes beliefs:

  • Essentially, they were doctrinally similar to the Pharisees, although they took it to practical extremes.

  • They believed in ceremonial purity which included baptisms

  • Highly developed eschatology

Summary

• At the perfect time and place, Jesus introduced Himself. On the border between competing Empires, He arrived. Into the midst of Jews who were still dealing with the lingering effects of Hellenism, He came.

• Jesus came precisely when G-d planned for Him to come. He came as a fulfillment to the Law. He came as a Jew, with Jewish teachings.

• Although some in the past have wanted to erase Jesus’ Jewish-ness, He is a Jew.

• If we want to better understand the teaching of our L-rd, we need to understand His Jewish theology – because ultimately, it should be ours.