Inter-Testamental Period

The last known Old Testament prophet, Malachi, prophesied around the year 430BC. John & Jesus were born around the time later marked as the transition b/w BC & AD. The approximately 400 years in between where the Old Testament leaves off and the New Testament begins is known as the Intertestamental Period. It is sometimes referred to as 400 years of silence, but this is a bit of a misnomer. Plenty of significant events and movements were begun in this time period. The 'silence' refers specifically to the lack of canonical prophets.

We aren't, of course, without biblical insight in regards to what went on during this period. The dreams and visions of Daniel paint the landscape of the Intertestamental Period. Babylon had given way to Persia. Persia would give way to the Greeks. The Greek Empire would be divided into 4 parts after the death of Alexander the Great. A group of Jews would lead a successful revolt against their Greek Conquerors and live in relative independance until the Romans came along in the final century before Christ. Some of the Apocryphal Books provide credible history of this time period.

There are 4 key developments during this period that should be noted.

1. Alexander and Greek Influence
Alexander was relatively peaceful toward the Jews. Josephus actually records a possibly legendary story of Alexander receiving a dream/vision to keep peace with Israel and its leadership. In any case, the power of Alexander is important in the sense that it spread his Greek culture all over the known world of the time. The influence of Aristotle, Plato and others was spread to all the cultures the Greeks conquered. The world became a Greek speaking world. Greek philosophy influenced all the other philosophies it encountered.

2. The Making of the Septuagint Translation
Ptolemy Philadelphus ordered a Greek translation of the Old Testament for his library. By legend, he had 72 (or 70) Hebrew scholars make independent Greek translations and then found them all to be identical. This translation became known as the Septuagint and was widely used in Jesus day among Jews and God-fearers. In fact, the NT most often quotes from the Septuagint.

3. Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus Ephiphanes sacrificed a pig on the altar in Jerusalem. Judas Maccabus led a successful revolt and the Jews experienced relative independence from 160-63BC. 1st and 2nd Maccabees record the surrounding events.

4. Development of Sects within Judaism
Various Jewish sects arose during this time.
a) The Sadducees seem to have been highly influenced by the Greeks. They believed in Torah only. They didn't believe in bodily resurrection. They had much political power in Jesus day, but often had to bow to the wishes of the Pharisees who were more popular among the Jewish community.
b) The Pharisees observed the OT Law to the letter, PLUS the oral laws that had been passed down to build a hedge of protection around the law. They didn't believe, as is often speculated, in a 'works-based' righteousness, but that observing the law was the sign that one was inside the community known as the people of God.
c) The Essenes were the anti-institutional group of the time. They held their property in common and their members to a strict code. We learn much of this group from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
d) The Zealots were similar to the Pharisees, but with even less tolerance of Rome. The Zealots sought military victory over Rome. They held God alone to be their leader in battle.

Despite the emergence of these 4 sects, the Herod's were the one's with authorized power over the Jewish community, as appointed by Caesar.