TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER
The transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament is marked by a period of approximately 400 years of seeming divine silence. After the prophet Malachi, there were no prophetic voices or explicit divine messages recorded in scripture. However, this era was far from uneventful; it was a time of significant transformation and change for the Jewish people and the world stage. Understanding this period is crucial for properly interpreting the New Testament.
During these 400 years, often referred to as the Intertestamental Period, the world underwent considerable shifts. The dominant powers of the Old Testament, the Medo-Persian Empire and Egypt, gradually faded in prominence. World power shifted westward, from Asia to Europe, and from the Medo-Persian Empire to Greece. By the time the New Testament begins, Rome had risen to become the dominant world power.
In 480 BC, Xerxes of Persia was victorious against the Greeks at Thermopylae. However, his defeat at the Battle of Salamis marked the end of the East’s bid for world dominion. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great emerged from the West, leading the united Greek forces to victory over the Persians at Issus. In 332 BC, Alexander visited Jerusalem and, after being shown the prophecies of Daniel that spoke of him, he spared the city. Following Alexander’s death in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his four generals. Judea, located next to Egypt, came under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty. In 320 BC, Seleucus, the founder of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, attempted to take over Judea, turning the small country into a buffer state between Syria and Egypt.
In 203 BC, Antiochus the Great took Jerusalem, bringing Judea under Syrian influence. In 170 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple in Jerusalem. In 166 BC, Mattathias, a priest of Judea, led a revolt against Syria, marking the beginning of the Maccabean period. This era was marked by immense suffering and heroism for the Jewish people. Judas Maccabeus, known as “the hammer,” organized the revolt. In 63 BC, Pompey of Rome took Jerusalem, placing the Jewish people under Roman rule, where they remained at the time of Jesus’ birth and throughout the New Testament period. In 40 BC, the Roman Senate appointed Herod as King of Judea, initiating the rule of a notoriously wicked family. In 37 BC, Herod took Jerusalem and killed Antigonus, the last of the Maccabean king-priests. In 31 BC, Caesar Augustus became emperor of Rome, and in 19 BC, the rebuilding of the Herodian Temple began. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in 4 BC.
During this period, several distinct parties emerged within Jewish society, none of which are mentioned in the Old Testament. The Pharisees were the dominant party, arising to defend Jewish traditions and practices against foreign influences. They were strict legalists, believed in the Old Testament, and were nationalistic in their politics, seeking to restore the kingdom to the line of David.
The Sadducees were composed of wealthy, socially minded individuals who sought to reject tradition. They were liberal in their theology, rejected the supernatural, and were closely akin to the Greek Epicureans, who believed in pursuing pleasure.
The scribes were professional expounders of the law, stemming from the days of Ezra. However, they became overly concerned with the letter of the law rather than its spirit. They possessed knowledge of the law but often failed to translate it into practical action.
The Herodians were political opportunists who sought to maintain the Herods in power.
This period also saw significant literary activity. The Old Testament was translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt, between 285 and 247 BC. This translation, known as the Septuagint, was used by Paul and quoted by Jesus. The Apocrypha of the Old Testament was also written during this era.
This period was marked by God’s silence, yet it was a time when He was preparing the world for the coming of Christ.
The four Gospels are directed to different groups of people. The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for the nation of Israel, a religious people. The Gospel of Mark was directed to the Romans, who were men of action and believed in law and order. The Gospel of Luke was written to the Greeks, the thinking people. The Gospel of John, while written for believers, was indirectly aimed at the Orient, where people were seeking deliverance.
The Gospel of Matthew, written by a publican named Matthew, was originally written in Hebrew for the nation of Israel. God prepared the nation for the coming of Christ.
The Gospel of Matthew is a key book because it connects the Old Testament prophecies and moves into the New Testament. Matthew mentions the church by name, unlike the other Gospel writers.
The Gospel presents the program of God, the kingdom of heaven. The term “kingdom of heaven” is specific to this Gospel, appearing 32 times, and the word “kingdom” appears 50 times. Understanding the phrase “kingdom of heaven” is essential for interpreting this Gospel and the Bible. The kingdom and the church are not the same, but the church is in the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is the reign of the heavens over the earth.
The theme of this Gospel is the Lord Jesus, who will establish the kingdom on earth. The three major discourses in Matthew concern the kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount presents the law of the kingdom, the mystery parables in Matthew 13 concern the kingdom, and the discourse in Matthew 24-25 looks forward to the establishment of the kingdom on earth.
The movement in the Gospel of Matthew includes the person of the king, the preparation of the king, the propaganda of the king, the program of the king, the passion of the king, and the power of the king.
