Term
| Jewish Community in Palestine and Diaspora |
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Definition
| Jews did not end up returning to their homeland. They scattered, some communities remaining faithful in a community with a Gentile teaching, others failing, and falling into the ways of the Gentiles. |
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Term
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Definition
| Five Fundamental Beliefs: Monotheism (one God), Election (God chose Israel to save first), Torah (What God gave Moses as a guide to how to live life), the temple (the one built in Israel) and the land (this is where God dwelt in the World), and the hopw for the future redemptionact of God (God would restore Israel, and save them) |
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Term
| Life within the Persian Empire |
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Definition
| Persian Ruler let the Jews return to their homeland. When he did so, the Jews thought this must be God's intervening. However, they were disappointed when they returned home. God had not intervenedd. However, this gave them "fresh zeal" to focus on the Torah, so God would be please with them, thus more likely to intervene and save Israel. |
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Term
| The Greek Empire under Alexander the Great |
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Definition
| Imposed Hellenistic culture, and was deadset on getting the Jews to follow the culture. The culture didnt seem to get through, however the language did, and the Torah was translated into Greek. |
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Term
| The Greek Empire after Alexander the Great |
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Definition
| Seleucid ruler: Antiochus IV. Faced to threats to his empire: Rome (Assuming world power, was demanding tributes frm Antiochus), Ethnic Diversity (fighting erupted among different people, tearing the nation apart). Antiochus responded by: invading states under his rule and demanding money, and forcing people into Hellenistic culture. Antiochus ruined the Jewish temple, Strictly prohibited Jewish religious practices such as the observance of Sabbath and cricumcision. Those who disobeyed were punished to a cruel death. |
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Term
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Definition
| Mattathias ben Johanan refused to offer an unclean sacrifice ordered of him, and killed the soldier who ordered him to and teh man who did offer the sacrifice. He fled to the desert with his five sons and started a community of rebels. Fought against the Seleucid army, won many victoreis, though outnumbered. On December 25, 164 BC he cleansed the temple, stating Hanukkah. In about twenty years the Seleucid rule was removed and the Hasmonean dynasty began. However, the rulers became less and less like teh original Maccabees and eventually was totally Hellenistic. |
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Term
| Israel Within the Fist of Rome |
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Definition
| Rome ruled Israel indirectly, through many prefects and governors. Israel's anger and frustration began to shift from being directed at paganism to being directed at Rome. Rome taxed them silly, and forced them into their own version of Hellenistic culture, with savage punsihments for anyone who went against them. The Jews began to rebel, but were quickly and violently crushed. |
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Term
| Israel's hope for the Kingdom |
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Definition
| The Jews thought that God would come and redeem their kingdom of Israel. That God would crush their Hellenistic, pagan rulers, and restore their long awaited nation. They believed though, that he would only do this if they were loyal and followed the Torah and their five funamental beliefs. They believed God would send a Messiah to cleanse them of their sins and redeem them and send them to be with God. |
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Term
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Definition
| Group of Jews who preached in synagogues. They thought that Israel shoudl keep itself isolated from all other cultures, and that they should obey the Torah. |
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Term
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Definition
| Thought Hellenistic culture had ruined Jewish culture. So they decided to start fresh and create a community elsewhere, isolated from other cultures to study the Torah and pray. |
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Term
| The Sadducees and Priests |
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Definition
| "Official" teachers of the law and the recognized reps of Jewish religion. They depended on the Romans to keep their high positions in religion. |
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Term
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Definition
| Similar to the Maccabees, and tried to follow their ways. However, they were more violent and would randomly start killing roman officials in the middle of the street. |
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Term
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Definition
| Tried as best as they could to follow the Torah, so that one day God would follow through with hiw word and redeem their nation. |
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