Jewish History Flashcards
(39 cards)
List two major characters in agent Jewish history here receive new names. Give both their original and their new names. Briefly explain the significance of their receiving a new name from God.
Abraham used to be called Abram, and Jacob was changed to Israel. God giving them a new name was a sign of the covenant
What name did god reveal to Moses, and what does the name mean? Why was God’s giving of that name is so significant?
God revealed the name ‘Yahweh’ to Moses. It means: I am who I am
It shows God’s power over Moses
Briefly explain the original meaning of the term: Passover
It literally means to pass over or skip something
The origins come from the tenth plague, which was the death of all firstborn children in Egypt, God told the Israelites
he’d protect them and only them if they put the blood of a sheep or goat (the paschal lamb) on the door posts
and tops of their doors
Identify Saul, David and Solomon,a new briefly explain the relationships among the three
Saul was the first king of Israel, and head of his kingdom’s army.
David (the greatest king) was a shepherd boy whom Saul was jealous of after he won the kingdom’s favour for killing Goliath.
Solomon was David’s son after he became King of Israel. He built the temple that houses the covenant. He was really wise, but because of his wives he turned to pagan idols
Define the term Diaspora
The people who fled Jerusalem during the Babylonian Exile
Briefly explain how the Greeks - in particular the Syrian Greeks - came to dominate the people of Israel
The Syrian Greeks had war debts to pay off, so they took over Palestine in order to tax the Israelites to get money
Identify two major Jewish reactions to Greek rule
Sadducees They had the most to lose
The Rich people - decided to comply, thinking that if they did what the Greeks asked, they’d leave them alone
The Zealots
They rebelled, they refused to listen to the new rulers, thinking it was a betrayal of their religion
Identify and define three major political factors within Judaism that developed during the period of Jewish independence
The Sadducees
Who cared more about politics than politics than religion
The Essenes
Who were very strict with religion and who withdrew from the others after the occupation
The Pharisees
Who cared more about religion than politics - they tried to find a middle ground, but refused to compromise their
religious beliefs
Explain the origins of the Jewish hatred for the Samaritans
The Samaritans were descended from the old northern Israeli tribes, who after it had been conquered by the Assyrians stayed in the north and lost touch with the Jews in Judah. A lot of their practices with religion & traditions - including the scripture - where different then those of the Southern Jews. When the Jews who’d been exiled returned they shunned the Samaritans and “exiled” the from the Jews.
The Jews even destroyed their temple and tried to force them to accept Orthodox Judaism.
Briefly explain the origins of the ancient Jew’s expectations of the Messiah
At first, the Jews dreamed of a leader capital the Messiah who would overthrow the oppressors and return the kingdom to its former glory. A deliver.
They also dreamed of someone who bring past prosperity and peace to their kingdom, descended from the greatest king, David.
During the Roman application, The Jews dreamt of a warrior king who would overthrow the Romans and make The Jews great and free again. The “militaristic“ image of Jesus clashed with Jesus’ life and message, and have an affect on the Gospel story
Why were the Romans able to build such a powerful empire?
When they conquered countries they chose leaders from among the people themselves- making the empire more stable
When was Herod selected to rule?
37 C.E - he was an Idumean Jew, and the mainline Jews didn’t like them, because the faith was enforced on the Idumeans
He ruled until he died in 4 B.C.E - Jesus was born towards the end of his rule
Herod’s sons would continue to rule until almost the end of the first entry after Jesus
Why was Herod called: “The Great“ ?
Politically, He was a great ruler - but he was a cruel man
What happened after Herod died?
The Roman’s allowed his sons to become his successors - they had the cruelty, but not the political prowess
The political situation in Palestine became the backdrop for the events described in the Gospels
Who was Herod Antipas?
Herod’s second son - he ruled over Galilee and Perea
Jesus called him “that fox” when talking to the Pharisees
He’s referred to as “Herod” or “Herod the tetrarch”
Meaning someone who governs 1/4 of a province
Who was the fifth Procurator and when did he start to rule?
Pontius Pilate, he started to rule as a Procurator (prefect, governor) in 26 - who played an important role in Jesus’ trial & execution
Why is a basic sense of Jesus’ daily world important to understanding Jesus and his message?
It’s important because we should be able to recognize the influences Jesus’ culture has on his teaching style.
Eg. He was a carpenter, and he used the metaphor of a log and a speck
What is one explanation for the sense that Jesus and his disciples continually move from place to place in the Gospels?
They only ever stayed in Palestine, and it was easily to walk to where they needed to be, because the Jews were great walkers
Explain the importance of water to the people of Jesus’ day
There was a lack of drinkable water in the country, so much so that there were rules in place to govern the use of water. Jesus referred to himself as the living waters in the sense that he sustained the people
What was Jesus saying when he described himself as the bread of life?
He was telling them that he was the only one who could sustain them entirely
What status did meals have among the Jews of Jesus’ day?
Sharing a meal was a sign of friendship and respect, it was an outward display of unification, and was not to be taken lightly - it was sacred.
What qualities of fishers might have attracted Jesus to them when he was seeking disciples?
The fact that they had patience, and had cheerful souls. They has trust in God
What might Jesus have learned about life from his years as a carpenter?
How to get in touch with God’s creation & sensitivities to the people
I also think that he learned that everything has its place. Whether with wood, or the people society was rejecting
Why did Joseph want to quietly divorce Mary when he discovered she was pregnant?
He knew that if he publicly announced that she was pregnant before they were married, the law would demand she be stoned to death because it would’ve been seen as adultery
