Essenes – Renewal Blog

Trial & Denial – 14th Nissan

Please read Matthew 26:57-27:14, Mark 14:53-15:1,
Luke 22:55-23:12 & John 18:13-38

YESHUA BEFORE ANNAS
First they led Him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that One Man should die for the people. …
The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.
Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them; they know what I said.”
When He had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how You answer the high priest?”
Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike Me?”
Annas then sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. John 18:13-14, 19-24 ESV

This examination before Annas was informal, and extrajudicial, distinct from the formal trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. Yeshua was not yet accused of anything; so far, no judge had ascended the judgment-seat, neither were any witnesses called to give evidence against the prisoner. It was held with the view of extorting something from the captive, which might afterwards be used against Him. Brutality and intimidation were employed to try to force a confession. Yeshua‘s response exposed both this illegitimate procedure of trying to force a confession from the accused instead of hearing testimony from witnesses and Annas’ sin of plotting in secret against Yeshua’s life as opposed to Yeshua’s innocence in doing everything in the open: “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them; they know what I said.”

The inquisitor himself was so ashamed, and for the moment so confounded, that a zealous official struck Yeshua with his open hand. The innocent, unabashed face of our persecuted Lord was thus smitten because His simple defense had silenced His cruel opponent. Seeing his tactics were failing and feeling uncomfortably exposed, the senior Kohen Gadol (High Priest), Annas, sent Yeshua on to the official Kohen Gadol at that time, his son-in-law Caiaphas.

JEWISH KOHEN GADOL (HIGH PRIESTs)
The Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, held the holiest position in Judaism. His role extended through history, from Aaron in ancient times until the destruction of the Second Temple. The Kohen Gadol‘s job was to oversee the Temple service and act as spiritual leader to the Jewish people. His most prominent responsibility was entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur – when the most sacred time, person, and place converged. Torah dictated that the High Priesthood was to be passed from father to son upon the death of the father (Leviticus 16:32). The first Kohen Gadol to serve in the Temple was Aaron’s descendant Zadok, who had proven faithful to David and to God’s will through significant trials, and the High Priesthood remained in his family line throughout the Solomon’s Temple and into the service of the Second Temple.

During the time of the destruction of the First Temple God had declared through Ezekiel: “But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the LORD GOD: They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge,” (Ezekiel 44:15-16).

After the death of Zerubbabel, there was a tendency to combine political and priestly leadership in a single office with the political leadership of the nation being invested in the High Priesthood. This led to unscrupulous men doing whatever it took to attain to the position.

The ascension of Antiochus IV Epiphanes to the Seleucid throne in 175 BC marked the beginning of the end of Israel’s true High Priesthood. Onias III, a descendant of Zadok, was deposed and replaced as Kohen Gadol by his Hellenized brother, Jason, who promised Antiochus IV higher tax revenues from the Jews and a secularization of the holiest Jewish office; then Menaulus, a non-Kohen from the tribe of Benjamin, promised Antiochus IV an even larger sum for the position of Kohen Gadol and the priestly line was usurped. The position had become one of political power, intrigue and wealth rather than obedience to God.

After their successful revolt against Antiochus IV, the priestly house of Hasmon (who were Levites but not descended from Aaron or Zadok) took on the role of Kohen Gadol. About a decade later Simon declared himself both High Priest and king. The High Priests’ assumption of monarchy was passed down through the generations and led to strife, division and civil war between brothers over the office until each one asked the Roman Empire to come and help him defeat his brother – leading to subjugation of the nation.

Although the First Temple saw only 18 High Priests throughout its 400 years, over 300 served during the Second Temple’s 420 years! The practice of buying the High Priesthood from their Gentile overlords continued (with some exceptions) throughout Hasmonean and Roman sovereignty. This explains the extremely high number of Kohen Gadols during this era (around 285 in 279 years).

Herod the Great (ruled Judea 37 – 4 B.C.) replaced High Priests at his pleasure. Herod’s first appointment to the position of High Priest was a man named Ananelus in 37 B.C. The following year, 36 B.C., he replaced Ananelus with Aristobulus III, who was only 17 years old at the time, but less than a year later he had Aristobulus III murdered through drowning and reinstated Ananelus. Then Joshua ben Fabus in 30 B.C., Simon ben Boethus (father of Herod’s third wife, Mariamne II) in 23 B.C., Matthias ben Theophilus in 5 B.C. and Joazar ben Boethus in 4 B.C.

Herod‘s son, Archelaus (ruled Judea 4 B.C. – 6 A.D.) appointed three High Priests: Eleazar ben Boethos in 4 B.C., Joshua ben Sie in 3 B.C., and Joazar ben Boethos sometime before he was deposed by Rome in 6 A.D.

Roman Legate, Quirinius (governor of Syria with authority over Judea 6 A.D. – 12 A.D.), appointed Ananus (Annas) ben Seth as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Judea in 6 A.D. Annas was born into an affluent and influential family. His name in Greek is Hannas, meaning “the Lord is gracious.” As leader of the Sanhedrin, Annas sat at the height of Jewish aristocracy. He was wealthy, well-educated, and in league with the ruling Roman authorities. Annas officially served as Kohen Gadol for ten years (AD 6–15). Even when he no longer formally held the title of Kohen Gadol, Annas continued to command so much of the authority of that office that he was still often referred to as Kohen Gadol, aided greatly by the fact that his five sons, and his son-in-law Caiaphas, were subsequently each appointed High Priest.

Roman Prefect of Judea from 15 A.D. – 26 A.D., Valerius Gratus, appointed Ishmael ben Fabus (Phabi) as High Priest in 15 A.D., replaced by Eleazar ben Annas in 16 A.D., replaced by Simon ben Camithos in 17 A.D., replace by Annas‘ son-in-law Joseph (Caiaphas) in 18 A.D. Caiaphas remained Kohen Gadol until 36 A.D., which was after Yeshua‘s crucifixion.

Annas may have continued to live in part of the High Priest’s palace when his younger relatives officially held the office. The sons of Annas appointed High Priest by their Roman overlords:
Eleazar ben Annas 16 -17 A.D.,
Caiaphas (son-in-law) 18 – 36 A.D.,
Jonathan ben Annas 36–37 and 44 A.D.,
Theophilus ben Annas 37–41 A.D.,
Matthias ben Annas 43 A.D., and his namesake
Annas ben Annas in 63 A.D.

Now the men who were guarding Yeshua began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and kept asking Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who hit You?” And reviling Him, they were saying many other things against Him. Luke 22:63-65 TLV

PETER’S FIRST DENIAL
Now those who had seized Yeshua led Him away to Caiaphas, the Kohen Gadol, where the Torah scholars and elders had gathered. Peter was following Him from a distance as far as the courtyard of the Kohen Gadol. And after going inside, he was sitting with the guards, to see the outcome. …
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting in the courtyard. A servant girl came over to him and said, “You also were with Yeshua of the Galilee.”
But he denied it before everyone, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Matthew 26:57-58, 69-70 TLV

And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. …
And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”
But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.”
Mark 14:54, 66-68 ESV

Peter was following at a distance. And after they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”
But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” Luke 22:54b-57 LSB

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door.
So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.
The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” John 18:15-17 ESV

As we saw in Who Wrote Each of the Four Gospels 7 – The Witness of the Scriptures on John – Renewal Blog, the author of John’s gospel appears to have been a priest who lived in Jerusalem and served in the temple. So, he was known to the high priest, familiar with his palace and comfortable in its courtyard. He fit in with the other priests gathered to see what the commotion was about. Peter, however, was like a fish out of water. He didn’t know anyone else here, didn’t dress the same or sound the same, with his Galilean accent. Peter would have both looked and sounded conspicuously out of place in that setting. The lowly servant girl who kept watch at the door was the first one to guess at why this stranger was sitting among them, come over to Peter and challenge that he had been with Yeshua.

PETER’S SECOND DENIAL
When he went onto the porch, another servant girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Yeshua ha-Natzrati.”
Again he denied it with an oath: “I don’t know the Man!” Matthew 26:71-72 TLV

And he went out into the gateway (forecourt) and the rooster crowed.
And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.”
But again he denied it. Mark 14:68b-70a ESV

A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Luke 22:58 LSB

Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. …
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not.” John 18:18,25 ESV

Fear gripped Peter, he was a stranger in a strange and threatening place. He had lashed out in the garden and slashed off the ear of the High Priest’s servant, and now he was in the courtyard with those who had witnessed his crime, those who were determined to kill his Master. He wanted to be there for Yeshua, but couldn’t do anything to help, every option only made things worse. He was traumatized and confused. How could this be happening? None of it made sense and there was nothing he could do to fix this mess. Before he knew what had happened, Peter had denied his Lord a second time.

PETER’S THIRD DENIAL
A little while later, some of the bystanders approached Peter and said to him, “Surely you’re one of them, too—your accent gives you away.”
Then he began to curse and to swear an oath: “I do not know the Man!”
Right then, a rooster crowed. Then Peter reminded himself of the word Yeshua had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
And he went away and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:73-75 TLV

And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.”
And immediately the rooster crowed a second time.
And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:70b-72 ESV

And after about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man was with Him too, for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
And he went out and cried bitterly. Luke 22:59-62 LSB

One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”
Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. John 18:26-27 ESV

The pressure was mounting. Now it wasn’t just a lowly servant-girl who challenged Peter, but another man, someone who with authority, a servant of the High Priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, someone who had personal reason to want to do him harm. This time the questioning was more menacing. Peter felt trapped, like a cornered animal. He began to invoke a curse on himself, to curse and to swear an oath: “I do not know the Man!”

The rooster crowed. Mark tells us it was for the second time. Yeshua turned and looked at him. Suddenly Peter realized what had been happening. He had done what he was determined he would never do, denied his Lord and best friend three times. He had totally failed. He knew it and Yeshua knew it, Yeshua had known it from the beginning and now Peter saw this weakness his Master had known all along, and he was devastated. He fled that place of utter failure, went out and wept bitterly, grieving the loss of who he thought he was.

TRIAL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
Now those who had seized Yeshua led Him away to Caiaphas, the kohen gadol, where the Torah scholars and elders had gathered. …Now the ruling kohanim and all the Sanhedrin kept trying to get false testimony against Yeshua so they could put Him to death. But they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.
At last two came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I’m able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days!’”
The kohen gadol stood up and said to Yeshua, “Have You no answer? What’s this they’re testifying against You?”
But Yeshua kept silent. Matthew 26:57, 59-63 TLV

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. …
Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimony did not agree.
And some stood up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”
Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.
And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” Mark 14:53, 55-61a ESV

And as the day came, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their Sanhedrin… Luke 22:66 LSB

John obviously did not have access to these proceedings before the Sanhedrin, and so gives us no record of them, as he only recorded that which he witnessed personally.

Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred; And fought against me without a cause. For my love they are my adversaries: But I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love. Set thou a wicked man over him: And let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; And let another take his office. Psalm 109:1-8 KJV
(Peter would quote this last verse in Acts 1:20 for choosing another to take Judas’ place in the twelve).

Although our Saviour was falsely accused and slandered when He had done no wrong, said no wrong and thought no wrong, it is worth remembering when we are falsely accused that (as Spurgeon preached):
When I have been slandered, I have often said to myself, “Ah! they have spoken a
lie against me; but, if they had known me better, they might have said quite as bad
a thing as that, and yet have only spoken what was true.” There is not one man
living, who is in his right senses, who would like to have all his thoughts written
down, or all his words and acts recorded.
(The Spurgeon Library | Christ Before Annas)

The Mishnah, written around 200 A.D. to record the Oral Torah of second temple times and beyond, presented Jewish ideals of their legal system. Few legal systems live up to their ideals. According to the Mishnah, capital cases had to be decided by a Sanhedrin of 23 judges, a Great Sanhedrin of 71 judges for accusations such a false prophet. It is unclear whether Caiaphas convened the full Great Sanhedrin of 71 judges or just formed a Sanhedrin of 23 judges sympathetic to his cause for this hastily convened court at the crack of dawn for a capital case trial. He did what was needed to ensure the desired verdict.

The Sanhedrin were not to originate charges but only investigate those brought before it by at least two credible witnesses who had warned the perpetrator immediately prior to committing the act that it was a capital offense and whose testimony had to be in total agreement in every detail. If the conviction in a capital case was unanimous but rendered too quickly the accused was acquitted on the assumption that the judges had not adequately considered the possibility of the defendant’s innocence. The Mishna concludes that:

A Sanhedrin that executes a transgressor once in seven years is characterized as a destructive tribunal. Since the Sanhedrin would subject the testimony to exacting scrutiny, it was extremely rare for a defendant to be executed. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: This categorization applies to a Sanhedrin that executes a transgressor once in seventy years. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva say: If we had been members of the Sanhedrin, we would have conducted trials in a manner whereby no person would have ever been executed. Mishna, Masechet Makkot, 1:10

The Talmud declares that “forty years before the destruction of the [Second] Temple, capital punishment ceased in Israel.“ This date is traditionally put at 28 A.D., a time that corresponds with the 18th year of Tiberius’ reign. From this time on, the Sanhedrin required the approval of the Roman governor of Judea (Pilate) before they could punish anyone by death, and only the Roman governor could order execution by the most shameful and cruel means – crucifixion.

These rushed proceedings to get Yeshua convicted and crucified while Pilate was in Jerusalem for Passover contravened Jewish law but those involved justified their unlawful actions on the basis of necessity.

The kohen gadol said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God, tell us if You are Mashiach Ben-Elohim!”
“As you have said,” replied Yeshua. “Besides that, I tell you, soon after you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the kohen gadol tore his clothes and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, you’ve heard the blasphemy. What’s your verdict?”
“Guilty,” they answered. “He deserves death!” Then they spat in His face and pounded Him with their fists.
Others slapped Him and demanded, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Which one hit You?” Matthew 26:64-68 TLV

But He remained silent and made no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard His blasphemy. What is your decision?”
And they all condemned Him as deserving death. And some began to spit on Him and to cover His face and to strike Him, saying to him, “Prophesy!”
And the guards received Him with blows.
…And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. Mark 14:61b-65, 15:1 ESV

…saying, “If You are the Christ, tell us.”
But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask a question, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?”
And He said to them, “You yourselves say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” Luke 22:67-71 LSB

When their witnesses proved to be false the only legal option was to acquit the accused. They were too heavily invested in Yeshua’s guilt to do that. A sense of urgency propelled them to have Him convicted and done away with NOW, before His popularity could grow any stronger or the cries of “hosannah to the son of David” grow any louder and threaten their good standing with Pilate. No one who was not appointed by Rome could have any position of leadership over the people. That’s why groups like the Essenes considered the Temple leadership and practices irredeemably corrupt.

Yeshua‘s reply: “you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven” makes direct reference to Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13. It would have left no doubt in the minds of Caiaphas or those on the council: Yeshua of Nazareth was claiming to be the eternal Messiah and Son of God. Instantly, they all condemned Him as deserving death and some of these judges on the Sanhedrin showed their disgust by spitting on Him, mocking Him and striking Him. Solemn court proceedings had degenerated into mob violence, and that carried out by the very judges themselves!

For this sentence to be carried out they had to take Yeshua to Pilate.

TRIAL BEFORE PILATE
When daybreak came, the ruling kohanim and elders of the people conspired against Yeshua to put Him to death. And they tied Him up, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate, the governor. … …
Now Yeshua stood before the governor. The governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
“You say so,” Yeshua said.
And while He was accused by the ruling kohanim and elders, He did not answer.
Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how many things they testify against you?”
Yeshua did not answer, not even one word, so the governor was greatly amazed.
Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14 TLV

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
And he answered him, “You have said so.”
And the chief priests accused him of many things.
And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.”
But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Mark 15:1-5 ESV

Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
And He answered him and said, “You yourself say it.”
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.” Luke 23:1-5 LSB

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
They answered and said to him, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.”
So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.”
The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” in order that the word of Jesus which He spoke would be fulfilled, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.
Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Are you saying this from yourself, or did others tell you about Me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what did You do?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be delivered over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not from here.”
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You yourself said I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth? John 18:28-38a LSB

The Praetorium
The Praetorium was the residence of the Roman governor, and in the case of Judaea Province there was a Praetorium in both Caesarea and Jerusalem due to the Roman capital being at Caesarea, but the additional importance of maintaining a Roman presence in Jerusalem due to its place as the center of worship for Judaism. The structure “Praetorium” received its name from earlier Roman usage, originally identifying the tent of a general within a Roman encampment, and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.
After Herod the Great’s death, the palace he had built for himself in Jerusalem was used as the Praetorium – official residence of the Roman governors when they came to Jerusalem during major Jewish festivals. When Herod’s son, Herod Antipas (also known as King Herod or Herod the Tetrarch – the ruler who imprisoned and then murdered John the Baptizer) was in Jerusalem for the feasts he also stayed in this palace – each of them occupying a wing of the palace with their entourage. It was the second most important building in Jerusalem, after the Temple itself, and was situated at the northwestern wall of the Upper City of Jerusalem. It rested on a series of retaining walls rising 13 to 16 feet above ground level and consisted of two main buildings, each with its own banquet halls, baths, and accommodations for hundreds of guests. In the center of the Praetorium were gardens with porticoes. The grounds included groves, canals, and ponds fitted with bronze fountains.

John, with his particular focus on all things priestly, notes for us that the contingent from the Sanhedrin did not go into the Praetorium because entering this Gentile area would have made them ceremonially unclean and thereby unable to eat their Passover meal that evening. With Pilate’s history of brutally crushing any dissent or perceived threat to Rome’s absolute rule it is interesting that he shows any reticence to rubber stamping the Sanhedrin‘s verdict and executing this usurper who seemed so little moved by Rome’s power. He was used to men pleading or cursing, but this man did neither, showed neither fear nor disrespect but a quiet confidence that everything was going to some plan that Pilate could not grasp.

BEFORE HEROD
Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length, but He answered him nothing.
And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing Him.
And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate.
Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been at enmity with each other. Luke 23:6-12 LSB

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet He did not open His mouth;
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so He did not open His mouth.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away.
    Yet who of His generation protested?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people He was punished.
Isaiah 53:7-8 NIV

Yeshua was sent from one side of the palace to the other, from Pilate to Herod, and a friendship was born. The chief priests and scribes from the Sanhedrin followed His across to continue with their accusations and determination that the death penalty be applied before time ran out and the Passover was upon them. Herod had feared that somehow Yeshua might be a reincarnation of Yohanan the Immerser, whom he had imprisoned and then, at the insistence of his stepdaughter, murdered. Herod had enjoyed many a long and deep theological discussion with Yohanan, but Yeshua would say nothing to him, nothing! Relieved that Yeshua was clearly not Yohanan, Herod quickly tired of this sport, and sent him back to Pilate. With this political maneuver Pilate had gained an important ally in his efforts to govern these strange, stubborn people whose ways were so different to those of other groups in the Roman Empire with their insistence on only one God and vehement rejection of every Roman god, including Emperor worship.

Reference List

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8. Bible Commentaries. John 18:13. Bible Hub. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/18-13.htm.
9. Contributors. What is the significance of the young man who runs away naked in Mark’s gospel? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: January 13th, 2024.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/4826/what-is-the-significance-of-the-young-man-who-runs-away-naked-in-marks-gospel.
10. Kuruvilla, Abraham. Who Was That Young Man? Voice . [Online] December 30th, 2013. https://voice.dts.edu/article/who-was-that-young-man-kuruvilla-abraham/.
11. Bilkes, Gerald M. The Healing of Malchus’s Ear. Christian Study Library. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/healing-malchus%E2%80%99s-ear.
12. Webmaster. Why Was Jesus’ Trial Illegal? Bible Verse Study. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/the-trial-of-jesus.html.
13. Rajkumar, Paul. Who’s in the Dock? A Lawyer looks at the Trial of Jesus. Bible & Theology. [Online] July 18th, 2022. https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/whos-in-the-dock-a-lawyer-looks-at-the-trial-of-jesus/.
14. Linder, Professor Douglas O. The Trial of Jesus: An Account. Famous Trials. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.famous-trials.com/jesustrial/1042-home.
15. Nydam, Don. A Lawyer Looks At Trials Of Jesus. Sermons . [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://sermons.logos.com/sermons/36135-a-lawyer-looks-at-trials-of-jesus?sso=false.
16. Williamson, Stephen. Timeline of the Last Supper, Jesus’s Arrest and the Crucifixion. SWCS. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.swcs.com.au/crucifixion.htm.
17. Webmaster. The Arrest of Jesus. Bible Study. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/the-arrest-of-jesus.html.
18. NASEC, Thayer’s, Strong’s & Englishman’s. 4616. sindón. Bible Hub. [Online] [Cited: January 13th, 2024.] https://biblehub.com/greek/4616.htm.
19. Fillion, L. C. The Life of Christ: A Historical, Critical, and Apologetic Exposition, Volume III. s.l. : Herder Book Co., 1929.
20. Rideout, Moshe. What Is The Definition Of Cohort In Ancient Rome. Ancient Rome. [Online] December 11th, 2023. https://www.learnancientrome.com/what-is-the-definition-of-cohort-in-ancient-rome/?expand_article=1.
21. NASEC, Thayer’s, Strong’s & Englishman’s. 3162. machaira. Bible Hub. [Online] [Cited: January 13th, 2024.] https://biblehub.com/greek/3162.htm.
22. Abbott, Shari. Jesus’ Last Days Timeline: the Cross and the Resurrection. Reasons for Hope* Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/jesus-last-days-timeline/.
23. —. Was Jesus Crucified on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday? Reasons for Hope* Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/crucified/.
24. Bible Study Webmaster. Last Days of Jesus Timeline. Bible Study. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.biblestudy.org/maps/last-days-of-jesus-timeline.html.
25. Jews for Jesus. Jesus’ Last Week Leading Up to Passover: A Day-by-Day Look. Jews for Jesus. [Online] March 09, 2011. https://jewsforjesus.org/learn/jesus-last-week-leading-up-to-passover-a-day-by-day-look.
26. Köstenberger, Andreas. April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died. Centre for Biblical Studies. [Online] April 8th, 2020. https://cbs.mbts.edu/2020/04/08/april-3-ad-33-why-we-believe-we-can-know-the-exact-date-jesus-died/.
27. Hunt, Michal E. Jesus’ Last Week in Jerusalem. Agape Bible Study. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Jesus%20Last%20Week%20in%20Jerusalem.htm.
28. Bond, Helen K. All you ever wanted to know about Jesus’ last week on earth. Brainstorm. [Online] April 9th, 2020. https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0408/950906-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-jesus-last-week-on-earth/#:~:text=The%20evangelist%20says%20that%20Jesus,disciples%20(Monday%2FTuesday)..
29. Forbes, Peter. The Last Week Of Jesus’ Life. Bible Study Manuals. [Online] May 1999. https://www.biblestudymanuals.net/last_week_of_Jesus_life.htm.
30. Blue Letter Bible Minister. Christ :: The Three Days and the Three Nights. Blue Letter Bible. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/crux.cfm.
31. Bible Info staff. Was Jesus in the tomb for three days and three nights? Bible Info. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/jesus-in-tomb-for-three-days-nights#.
32. ‘Dating the Death of Jesus’: Memory and the Religious Imagination. Bond, Helen. 04, s.l. : New Testament Studies, 2013, Vol. 59. 461-475doii: 10.1017/S0028688513000131.
33. Bookman, Doug. A time line and chronology of the Easter Passion Week that includes Gregorian dates, First Century Jewish day/night cycles, and Galilean Jew cycles. Christianity. [Online] June 19th, 2023. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/a-time-line-of-the-passion-week.html.
34. Brannan, Rick. The Last Week of Jesus’ Life on Earth: a Closer Look. Logos. [Online] April 3rd, 2012. https://www.logos.com/grow/jesus-final-week-a-closer-look/.
35. Lacey, Troy. How Many Times Was Jesus Anointed? Answers in Genesis. [Online] May 14th, 2019. https://answersingenesis.org/contradictions-in-the-bible/how-many-times-was-jesus-anointed/.
36. Wilson, Larry W. Chronology of the Crucifixion Week. Wake Up Am erica Seminars. [Online] March 14th, 2000. https://wake-up.org/time-periods/passover-week-chronology.html.
37. Smith, Pete. Chronology & Synopsis of the Passion Week. Bible.org. [Online] February 25th, 2013. https://bible.org/article/chronology-synopsis-passion-week.
38. Renan, Ernest. Last Week of Jesus. The Life of Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 21st, 32023.] https://biblehub.com/library/renan/the_life_of_jesus/chapter_xxiii_last_week_of.htm#1.
39. Farr, Stan. The Passover Lamb. Rabbi Yeshua. [Online] 2016. [Cited: October 21st, 2023.] https://rabbiyeshua.com/articles/passover-lamb.
40. MDiv, Rick Lanser. THE HEBREW CALENDAR OF THE SECOND TEMPLE ERA. The Shiloh Excavations. [Online] March 17th, 2023. https://biblearchaeology.org/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project-2/5035-the-hebrew-calendar-of-the-second-temple-era.
41. Wight, Fred H. Water Supply. Manners and Customs of Bible Lands. [Online] [Cited: December 15th, 2023.] https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/manners/water-supply.htm.
42. Isaacs, Rabbi Ronald H. The Paschal Sacrifice (Korban Pesach) – Understanding how Passover was celebrated in Biblical Times. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: December 26th, 2023.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/passover-from-the-bible-to-the-temples/.
43. Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Christ Before Annas. The Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary. [Online] October 26th, 1882. https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/christ-before-annas/#flipbook/.
44. Gniwisch, Leibel. The High Priest in Jewish Tradition. Chabad. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4195084/jewish/The-High-Priest-in-Jewish-Tradition.htm#High.
45. Got Questions. Who was Annas in the Bible? gotquestions.org. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.gotquestions.org/Annas-in-the-Bible.html.
46. Webmaster. New Testament High Priests Timeline. Bible Study. [Online] [Cited: January 20th, 2024.] https://www.biblestudy.org/maturart/new-testament-high-priests.html.
47. Rhodes, Harold. 10 Reasons the Trial of Jesus Was Illegal. Life, Hope & Truth. [Online] [Cited: January 26th, 2024.] https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/reasons-trial-of-jesus-illegal/.
48. Bock, Darrell L. Jesus V. Sanhedrin – Why Jesus “lost” his trial. Christianity Today. [Online] April 6th, 1998. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1998/april6/jesus-v-sanhedrin.html.
49. Smith, Mark D. The Final Days of Jesus and the Realities of Roman Capital Punishment: What Happened to All Those Bodies? The Bible and Interpretation. [Online] February 2018. https://bibleinterp.arizona.edu/articles/2018/02/smi428014.
50. My Jewish Learning. The Death Penalty in Jewish Tradition. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: January 29th, 2024.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-death-penalty-in-jewish-tradition/.
51. Eisenberg, Ronald L. Beit Dins and Sanhedrin – In the Second Temple period, a system of Jewish courts emerged. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: January 29th, 2024.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/beit-din/.
52. Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Christ before Annas. Spurgeon Library. [Online] October 26th, 1882. https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/christ-before-annas/#flipbook/.
53. Kennedy, Titus. The Praetorium of Pilate. Drive thru History. [Online] July 14th, 2020. https://drivethruhistory.com/the-praetorium-of-pilate/.

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

* Have you ever been falsely accused, and what can we learn from how Jesus responded?
* What problems arose from the High Priests also taking political power?
* What can we learn from Peter’s denials?
* Why do you think many Jews considered the High Priesthood of Jesus’ day to be corrupt?
* What do you think of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin?
* What did Jesus’ hearing before Pilate and before Herod prove?

Preparing the Last Supper – 13th Nissan Day

Please read Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12 – 16,
Luke 22:7 – 13 & John 13:1

Although the Gospels of Matthew and Mark record Judas’ conversation with the chief priests straight after describing the anointing of Yeshua‘s head, as they contrast this unnamed woman’s act of sacrificial love with this disciple’s horrid betrayal, such would have been late at night, and it is likely that he went at first opportunity this next morning (13th Nissan morning) to be able to get an audience with these religious leaders of their nation.

Yeshua had entered Bethany six days before Passover, on Nissan 9th. The next day, Nissan 10th, the day that lambs were chosen for the Passover Seder, Yeshua entered Jerusalem (John 12:12) through the east gate to shouts of “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” and “Blessed is the king of Israel!” In their shouts the crowds were choosing Yeshua as the true Lamb of God, even as Yohanan the Immerser had declared: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Each Lamb for the original Passover was examined for four days after it was chosen (Exodus 12:3,6), to make sure it was without spot or blemish. Likewise, Yeshua was examined, tested over and over by being asked question after question over these four days, and they could not find any fault with His answers. He was without sin, without falsehood, without spot or blemish.

Now on the first day of matzah, the disciples came to Yeshua, saying, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” Matthew 26:17 TLV

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” Mark 14:12-16 ESV

Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” Luke 22:7-13 LSB

God’s Instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread / Passover
You must watch over it (the lamb) until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight. They are to take the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the crossbeam of the houses where they will eat it. They are to eat the meat that night, roasted over a fire. With matzot (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs they are to eat it. …
“This day is to be a memorial for you. You are to keep it as a feast to Adonai. Throughout your generations you are to keep it as an eternal ordinance. For seven days you are to eat matzot, but on the first day you must remove hametz (yeast) from your houses, for whoever eats hametz from the first day until the seventh day, that soul will be cut off from Israel. The first day is to be a holy assembly for you as well as the seventh day. No manner of work is to be done on those days, except what is to be eaten by every person—that alone may be prepared by you. So you are to observe the Feast of Matzot, for on this very same day have I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you are to observe this day throughout your generations as an eternal ordinance. Exodus 12:6-8, 14-17 TLV
“It [the Passover lamb] shall be for you in safekeeping, until [up to] the fourteenth day after this New Moon [month], and they are to slay it—the entire assembly of the community of Israel—between the setting-times [Hebrew ben ha arbayim]”.
Exodus 12:6 SB (The Schocken Bible).

“These are the appointed feasts of Adonai, holy convocations which you are to proclaim in their appointed season. During the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening (ben ha arbayim), is Adonai’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Matzot (Unleavened Bread) to Adonai. For seven days you are to eat matzah. On the first day you are to have a holy convocation and you should do no regular work. Instead you are to present an offering made by fire to Adonai for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation, when you are to do no regular work.” Leviticus 23:4-8 TLV
“These are the appointed-times of YHWH, proclamations of holiness, which you are to proclaim at their appointed-times: on the first New-Moon [month], on the fourteenth after the New Moon, between the setting-times [Hebrew: ben ha arbayim] (is) Passover to YHWH. On the fifteenth day after this New-Moon (is) the pilgrimage festival of matzot [unleavened bread] to YHWH...” Leviticus 23:4-6 SB

“Observe the month of Aviv (Nissan) and keep the Passover to Adonai your God, for in the month of Aviv Adonai your God brought you out from Egypt by night. You are to sacrifice the Passover offering to Adonai your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place Adonai chooses to make His Name dwell. You are not to eat hametz (leavened bread) with it. For seven days you are to eat matzot (unleavened bread) with it, the bread of affliction—for you came out from the land of Egypt in haste. Do this so that all the days of your life you will remember the day when you came out from the land of Egypt. No hametz should be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, and none of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day may be left overnight until the morning. You may not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of your gates that Adonai your God is giving you. Rather, at the place Adoni your God chooses to make His Name dwell, there you will sacrifice the Passover offering in the evening at sunset [ba erev] – the time of your coming out from Egypt. You are to cook and eat it at the place Adonai your God chooses, then you will turn around in the morning and journey home (lit. ‘return to your tents’). For six days you are to eat matzot. On the seventh day there is to be a solemn gathering for Adonai your God—on it you are to do no work. Deuteronomy 16:1-8 TLV

The night of the Passover was the event which initiated ADONAI bringing the Israelites out of Egypt; yet Pharaoh’s decree: ““Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me” (Exodus 12:31b-32) was only the beginning of the journey. The Israelites were still in Egypt as they walked to the Red Sea border. So, the full remembrance of God’s deliverance consisted of two separate feasts: Passover on the 14th and seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, from the 15th to the 21st. The Feasts were consecutive, and they shared a common food, Matzot (Unleavened Bread). Pesach (Passover) and Matzot (Unleavened Bread) are two separate remembrances which are inexorably connected and intertwined.

Matthew, Mark and Luke describe Yeshua’s last supper as a Passover meal, whereas John makes it clear that the temple sacrifice of the Passover lambs was the following afternoon, at the time of Yeshua‘s death, and describes Yeshua’s last meal as just before the feast of Passover.

Now it was just before the feast of Passover. Yeshua knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them until the end. John 13:1 TLV

Scholars have proposed many different theories for this apparent contradiction, but none has been able to provide an uncontested argument. One possible explanation relates to the interpretation of the Hebrew phrase: ben ha arbayim, which is literally translated as “between the evenings” and was used in regard to when on Nissan 14th the lambs were to be sacrificed. The original meaning was between sunset and dark, a period of about an hour, and some schools of thought among the Second Temple Jews (including Hasidim, Essenes and Samaritans) still held to this, which meant that they sacrificed their Passover lambs once the sun set to mark the beginning of Nissan 14, roasted it and ate it that night. Karaite Jews continue to this day celebrating Passover on the eve of Nissan 14. Such a brief time was insufficient to sacrifice all the lambs for the multitudes that now flocked to Jerusalem each year for Passover, so ‘ben ha arbayim’ had been reinterpreted by the temple authorities to mean “between the ninth hour (3pm) and sunset“, which meant that they sacrificed the Passover lambs in the temple on the afternoon of Nissan 14. With the Jewish day beginning at sunset, they now ate the Passover meal at the beginning of the fifteenth day of the month, which is also the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Rabbinic Jews still celebrate Passover on the night of Nissan 15. It appears that Yeshua and His talmidim joined those who ate the Passover on fourteenth Nissan, and thus He was able to institute a commemoration of what was to take place the following afternoon as the Pascal lambs were sacrificed in the temple.

What is clear is that God wants us to associate both Yeshua’s death on the cross and His last meal with His disciples, which foretold and illustrated this death, with Passover and the redemption of the Jews from slavery to live as His people in the promised land. Just as the Passover lamb was killed and its blood on the doorposts of their houses protected the Israelites from the destroying angel and redeemed them from Egyptian slavery, so Christ’s blood redeems us from slavery to sin and death.

He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; at your house I am to keep the Passover with My disciples.”’”
The disciples did as Yeshua had ordered them, and they prepared the Passover.
Matthew 26:18-19 TLV

And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”
And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. Mark 14:13-16 ESV

And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”
And they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?”
And He said to them, “Behold, after you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.”
And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. Luke 22:8-13 LSB

On the morning of Nissan 13th, Yeshua‘s disciples asked Him where He wanted them to prepare the Passover meal for Him. He responded by sending two of them, Peter and John, with cryptic instructions that gave nothing away except for the known that their Passover meal would be in Jerusalem as per the Torah. Even if Judas had incited the question in order to find out the location so he could tell the chief priests he would have been left none the wiser by Yeshua’s reply. Likewise, if Judas had been in Jerusalem dealing with the chief priests at this time and then sort information from the other disciples when he returned, they would have had nothing that he could use to betray their location for the meal that night. There would be no alteration to God’s perfect timing for Yeshua’s arrest, this last meal together would not be interrupted, it was too important to the Father’s plan.

In ancient Israel, getting the family’s supply of water from the well was women’s work. It was carried by them in pitchers of earthenware either upon their shoulder or head. Some have proposed that there was a group of Jewish men who would have carried water jars – the Essenes. Certain groups of Essenes were celibate, and their men also did women’s work. Essenes had their communities, not only in Qumran where the dead sea scrolls were found, but also in various towns throughout Judea. These were also one of the groups that ate their Passover meal during the night of Nissan 14th, a day earlier than the temple authorities.

The Essenes are thought to have had a community in Jerusalem. It is argued that the southwest edge of Jerusalem, which was topographically higher even than the temple mount, contained an “Essene Quarter,” and had its own “Essene Gate” mentioned by Josephus, through which they went down to collect water from the Pool of Siloam in the southern part of the ‘lower city’ of Jerusalem.

Whether the man carrying the jar of water, who met Peter and John in Jerusalem, was an Essene or not we don’t know. What we can deduce from the text is that he, and the owner of the house he took them to, were unknown to Peter and John, yet knew who they were talking about when they said “the Teacher” and welcomed this opportunity to host Yeshua and His talmidim for such an important occasion.

While Yeshua still tarried with the other disciples outside the city, Peter and John were doing their preparations. These would have included ensuring that there was not even a crumb of leavened bread in the room, slaughtering their lamb and roasting it without breaking any of its bones (Exodus 12:46), and purchasing the other foods for the meal from the many Passover street markets in Jerusalem during the feast days. “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it” (Exodus12:8).

Reference List

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9. Abbott, Shari. Jesus’ Last Days Timeline: the Cross and the Resurrection. Reasons for Hope* Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/jesus-last-days-timeline/.
10. —. Was Jesus Crucified on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday? Reasons for Hope* Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/crucified/.
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12. Jews for Jesus. Jesus’ Last Week Leading Up to Passover: A Day-by-Day Look. Jews for Jesus. [Online] March 09, 2011. https://jewsforjesus.org/learn/jesus-last-week-leading-up-to-passover-a-day-by-day-look.
13. Köstenberger, Andreas. April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died. Centre for Biblical Studies. [Online] April 8th, 2020. https://cbs.mbts.edu/2020/04/08/april-3-ad-33-why-we-believe-we-can-know-the-exact-date-jesus-died/.
14. Hunt, Michal E. Jesus’ Last Week in Jerusalem. Agape Bible Study. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Jesus%20Last%20Week%20in%20Jerusalem.htm.
15. Bond, Helen K. All you ever wanted to know about Jesus’ last week on earth. Brainstorm. [Online] April 9th, 2020. https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0408/950906-all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-jesus-last-week-on-earth/#:~:text=The%20evangelist%20says%20that%20Jesus,disciples%20(Monday%2FTuesday)..
16. Forbes, Peter. The Last Week Of Jesus’ Life. Bible Study Manuals. [Online] May 1999. https://www.biblestudymanuals.net/last_week_of_Jesus_life.htm.
17. Blue Letter Bible Minister. Christ :: The Three Days and the Three Nights. Blue Letter Bible. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/crux.cfm.
18. Bible Info staff. Was Jesus in the tomb for three days and three nights? Bible Info. [Online] [Cited: October 20th, 2023.] https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/jesus-in-tomb-for-three-days-nights#.
19. ‘Dating the Death of Jesus’: Memory and the Religious Imagination. Bond, Helen. 04, s.l. : New Testament Studies, 2013, Vol. 59. 461-475doii: 10.1017/S0028688513000131.
20. Bookman, Doug. A time line and chronology of the Easter Passion Week that includes Gregorian dates, First Century Jewish day/night cycles, and Galilean Jew cycles. Christianity. [Online] June 19th, 2023. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/a-time-line-of-the-passion-week.html.
21. Brannan, Rick. The Last Week of Jesus’ Life on Earth: a Closer Look. Logos. [Online] April 3rd, 2012. https://www.logos.com/grow/jesus-final-week-a-closer-look/.
22. Lacey, Troy. How Many Times Was Jesus Anointed? Answers in Genesis. [Online] May 14th, 2019. https://answersingenesis.org/contradictions-in-the-bible/how-many-times-was-jesus-anointed/.
23. Wilson, Larry W. Chronology of the Crucifixion Week. Wake Up Am erica Seminars. [Online] March 14th, 2000. https://wake-up.org/time-periods/passover-week-chronology.html.
24. Smith, Pete. Chronology & Synopsis of the Passion Week. Bible.org. [Online] February 25th, 2013. https://bible.org/article/chronology-synopsis-passion-week.
25. Renan, Ernest. Last Week of Jesus. The Life of Jesus. [Online] [Cited: October 21st, 32023.] https://biblehub.com/library/renan/the_life_of_jesus/chapter_xxiii_last_week_of.htm#1.
26. Farr, Stan. The Passover Lamb. Rabbi Yeshua. [Online] 2016. [Cited: October 21st, 2023.] https://rabbiyeshua.com/articles/passover-lamb.
27. MDiv, Rick Lanser. THE HEBREW CALENDAR OF THE SECOND TEMPLE ERA. The Shiloh Excavations. [Online] March 17th, 2023. https://biblearchaeology.org/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project-2/5035-the-hebrew-calendar-of-the-second-temple-era.
28. Wight, Fred H. Water Supply. Manners and Customs of Bible Lands. [Online] [Cited: December 15th, 2023.] https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/manners/water-supply.htm.
29. Several. What is the significance of “a man carrying a jar of water” in Luke 22:10? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 15th, 2023.] http://139.59.108.225/host-https-hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/49682/what-is-the-significance-of-a-man-carrying-a-jar-of-water-in-luke-2210.
30. —. Did Jesus pay to reserve the upper room? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 15th, 2023.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/62070/did-jesus-pay-to-reserve-the-upper-room.
31. Tabor, James. The Last Days of Jesus: A Final “Messianic” Meal. Biblical Archaeology. [Online] April 17th, 2022. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/the-last-days-of-jesus-a-final-messianic-meal/.
32. Joy, John P. Ratzinger and Aquinas on the Dating of the Last Supper: In Defense of the Synoptic Chronology. Academia. [Online] 2012. [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] https://www.academia.edu/94284490/Ratzinger_and_Aquinas_on_the_Dating_of_the_Last_Supper_In_Defense_of_the_Synoptic_Chronology.
33. Rosik, Mariusz. The Dispute over the Date of the Last Supper . Its Chronology Revisited. Research Gate. [Online] December 21st, 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347804531_The_Dispute_over_the_Date_of_the_Last_Supper_Its_Chronology_Revisited.
34. Discussion. In the early church, was the Last Supper Considered a Passover Feast? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/22042/in-the-early-church-was-the-last-supper-considered-a-passover-feast?rq=1.
35. —. According to the Gospels, Was the Last Supper Actually a Passover Feast? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/27287/according-to-the-gospels-was-the-last-supper-actually-a-passover-feast.
36. —. In the Gospels, Can “Day of:” the Passover – be Interpreted Idiomatically? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/22039/in-the-gospels-can-day-of-the-passover-be-interpreted-idiomatically.
37. Brewer, Thomas. Does John’s last supper chronology differ from the other Gospels? Christian Post. [Online] May 13th, 2022. https://www.christianpost.com/voices/does-johns-last-supper-chronology-differ-from-the-other-gospels.html.
38. Lizorkin-Eyzenberg, DR. Eli. The Man with the Jar of Water – The Jewish Background of the New Testament. e-Teacher Biblical. [Online] [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] https://lp.eteacherbiblical.com/lp_jbnt_water_jar-en.html?blog=1.
39. Discussion. What is the significance of “a man carrying a jar of water” in Luke 22:10? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: December 16th, 2023.] http://139.59.108.225/host-https-hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/49682/what-is-the-significance-of-a-man-carrying-a-jar-of-water-in-luke-2210.
40. Pixner, Bargil. Jerusalem’s Essene Way – Where the Community Lived in Jesus’ Time. Century One. [Online] May/June 1997. http://139.59.108.225/host-http-www.centuryone.org/essene.html.
41. Trimm, James. Is the “Last Supper” in John the “Last Supper” in the Synoptics? Nazarene Space. [Online] March 25th, 2020. http://nazarenespace.com/blog/2020/03/25/is-the-last-supper-in-john-the-last-supper-in-the-synoptics/.
42. Tearle, Dr Oliver. A Summary and Analysis of the Last Supper. Interesting Literature. [Online] [Cited: December 26th, 2023.] https://interestingliterature.com/2021/06/bible-jesus-last-supper-summary-analysis/.
43. Lim, Timothy H. Essenes in Judaean Society: the sectarians of the Dead Sea Scrolls. OUPblog. [Online] January 17th, 2021. https://blog.oup.com/2021/01/essenes-in-judaean-society-the-sectarians-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls/.
44. White:, L. Michael. The Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Frontline PBS. [Online] [Cited: December 26th, 2023.] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/essenes.html.
45. Brewer, Thomas. Does John’s Last Supper Chronology Differ from the Other Gospels? Ligonier. [Online] May 2nd, 2022. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/does-last-supper-chronology-differ#fn1.
46. —. Does John’s last supper chronology differ from the other Gospels? Christian Post. [Online] May 13th, 2022. https://www.christianpost.com/voices/does-johns-last-supper-chronology-differ-from-the-other-gospels.html.
47. Tabor, James. The Last Days of Jesus: A Final “Messianic” Meal. Biblical Archaelogy. [Online] April 17th, 2022. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/the-last-days-of-jesus-a-final-messianic-meal/.
48. Sielaff, David. The Upper Room. Associates For Scriptual Knowledge. [Online] October 12th, 2005. https://www.askelm.com/news/n051012.htm.
49. Isaacs, Rabbi Ronald H. The Paschal Sacrifice (Korban Pesach) – Understanding how Passover was celebrated in Biblical Times. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: December 26th, 2023.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/passover-from-the-bible-to-the-temples/.
50. Lanser, Rick. The Hebrew Calandar of the Second Temple Era. The Shiloh Excavations. [Online] March 17th, 2023. https://biblearchaeology.org/abr-projects/the-daniel-9-24-27-project-2/5035-the-hebrew-calendar-of-the-second-temple-era.
51. Ritenbaugh, John W. What the Bible says about Ben Ha Arbayim. Bible Tools. [Online] [Cited: December 28th, 2023.] https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/6865/Ben-Ha-Arbayim.htm.
52. Yellen, Rabbi Ben-Hayil. Passover Celebration. House of Essenes. [Online] March 21st, 2023. https://houseofessenes.org/index.php/2023/03/21/passover-celebration/.
53. —. New Month – Passover. House of Essenes. [Online] April 7th, 2022. https://houseofessenes.org/index.php/2022/04/07/new-month-passover/.
54. Davis, Charles D. Essene Passover Dates. Theos Sphragis. [Online] [Cited: December 29th, 2023.] https://theos-sphragis.info/essene_passover_dates.html.
55. Nettles, Randy. The Essenes’ Calendar. Bible Prophecy Information. [Online] [Cited: December 29th, 2023.] https://www.rev310.net/post/the-essenes-calendar.
56. Lenard, Joseph. Jesus’ Deather and Resurection – Which Jewish Passover? Truth in Scripture. [Online] February 6th, 2017. https://truthinscripture.net/2017/02/06/jesus-death-and-resurrection-which-jewish-passover/.
57. Marcus, Joel. Passover and Last Supper Revisited. New Testament Studies. [Online] June 10th, 2013. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/passover-and-last-supper-revisited/B7955FEA669F7DD71A36F008A2FE5144.
58. Isaacs, Ronald H. Rabbinic Development of Passover – The seder takes shape in the rabbinic period. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: January 1st, 2023.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/rabbinic-development-of-passover/.
59. The Bible Says. The Passover Seder. The Bible Says.com. [Online] [Cited: January 1st, 2023.] https://thebiblesays.com/tough-topics/the-passover-seder/.
60. —. Jesus’s Last Supper as a Passover Seder. The bible Says.com. [Online] [Cited: January 1st, 2023.] https://thebiblesays.com/tough-topics/jesuss-last-supper-as-a-passover-seder/.
61. Page, Roy. The Order of Feet Washing and The Lord’s Supper. Logos Apostolic. [Online] [Cited: January 2nd, 2023.] https://www.logosapostolic.org/bible_study/RP126-2OrderLord’sSupper.htm.
62. Evidence Unseen. (Jn. 13:1) Does John contradict the Synoptics regarding the Passover meal? Evidence Unseen. [Online] [Cited: January 2nd, 2023.] https://www.evidenceunseen.com/bible-difficulties-2/nt-difficulties/john-acts/jn-131-does-john-contradict-the-synoptics-regarding-the-passover-meal/.
63. Biblical Hermeneutics contributors. Luke 22:16 – Did Jesus say he was not going to eat THAT Passover? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] [Cited: January 2nd, 2023.] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/22040/luke-2216-did-jesus-say-he-was-not-going-to-eat-that-passover.
64. Joy, John P. Ratzinger and Aquinas on the Dating of the Last Supper: In Defense of the Synoptic Chronology. Academia New Blackfriars. [Online] 2012. https://www.academia.edu/94284490/Ratzinger_and_Aquinas_on_the_Dating_of_the_Last_Supper_In_Defense_of_the_Synoptic_Chronology.
65. Biblical Hermeneutics contributers. In the early church, was the Last Supper Considered a Passover Feast? Biblical Hermeneutics. [Online] 2019. https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/22042/in-the-early-church-was-the-last-supper-considered-a-passover-feast?rq=1.
66. Herbert, R. The Man with the Water Jar. Tactical Christianity. [Online] https://tacticalchristianity.org/the-man-with-the-water-jar/.
67. Ross, Lesli Koppelman. What Is Matzah? Unleavened bread is the central Passover symbol. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: January 4th, 2023.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/matzah/.

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

* Describe how the Passover lamb provided a picture of Messiah.
* What is the significance of Passover and why do you think God chose this time of year for Jesus to die for us?
* Does your culture have any ceremonial feasts? If so please describe them and their significance.
* Are there any household tasks in your culture that are considered “woman’s work” like carrying the water jar was in Jesus’ time? What do people think of a man doing this “woman’s work”?

The Maccabean Revolt & Hasmonean Period (166 – 40 BC)

Please read I & II Maccabees
These are not divinely inspired scripture but do give us an account of God’s dealing with His people during this time.

*Mattathias ben Johanan, the priest who refused to sacrifice to the Greek gods and slew those who demanded the Jews do such, along with the Jew who was complying.*

This was a time of hard-one victory over a despised enemy, only to be followed by such bitter internal division that the Jews eventually gave away their freedom in trying to defeat one another.

Revolt against evil rulers

In 166 B.C., within a year of offering a pig on the Temple alter, Antiochus IV sent a contingent to force local villagers to sacrifice pigs to Zeus. Still, many in Israel chose to die rather than to break the holy covenant. When Antiochus’ men came to the small town of Modein, about 12 miles northwest of Jerusalem, and a young man stepped forward to perform the required sacrifice to Zeus the priest Mattathias stabbed him to death, then turned on the Greek commander and killed him as well. Mattathias quickly grabbed his five sons and headed to the hills to hide, as did many of the townspeople, fearing reprisals. Thus a rebellion was started by the priest Mattathias and his five sons.

Over the next few months more people from the countryside, including many of the Hasidim, joined them in the hills of Judea and they began a campaign of guerrilla warfare. Casualties were heavy against the much larger and better equipped Greek army. Mattathias and two of his five sons had been killed before the first substantial victory was won.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”
He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” Daniel 8:13-14 NIV

Despite heavy losses, Mattathias’s third son, Judas (called Maccabeus), managed to recapture Jerusalem. The name “Maccabee” or “Maccabeus” is composed of the initial letters of a verse the Jewish people sang after God split the sea (Exodus 15:11): “Mi kamocha ba’eilim Hashem (מי כמוך באילים י׳) / “Who is like You among the mighty, O G‑d.” It is said that this phrase was the battle cry of Maccabees, written upon their banners and shields.

On Kislev 25, 165 BC, three years to the day after the first abominable sacrifice had been offered, the temple was cleansed, new altar was rededicated and the daily sacrifices to Yahweh once again offered in the Jerusalem temple. From the time Antiochus IV had plundered the temple in 170 BC until Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and led the people in shattering the statue of Zeus and cleansing the temple on 25^th Kislev 164 BC was six years and 110 days (2,300 evenings and mornings without their proper sacrifices). (1)

Temple cleansed and miracle lights

They shattered the statue of Zeus and cleansed the Temple. The legend is that they could only find one small flask of uncontaminated oil with the seal of the High Priest for lighting the Menorah (seven-branched golden lampstand) and re-dedicating the temple to Yahweh. This was only enough to last one day, and it would take eight days to produce a new batch of pure oil. Miraculously it burned for the full eight days. This re-dedication of the temple has been celebrated by the Jews every year since 164 B.C. for eight days.

Eight days is also the length of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), the holiday some say the Jewish people celebrated upon rededicating the Temple (as they had been unable to celebrate it at the proper time due to the ongoing battle). Solomon himself had chosen that very same Feast of Tabernacles to dedicate the first Temple when it was newly built. So, the eight-day festival of joy and thanksgiving would have been an especially appropriate way to commemorate this rededication of the Temple. Thus, the festival established to commemorate this victorious dedication, Hanakkah / Chanuka (Feast of Dedication, often now referred to as the Festival of Lights), lasts for eight nights (2) (3).

Priest lighting the Menorah in the Temple

Judas Maccabeus ruled as leader of the army after his father’s death in 167 BCE. When Judas died of the Battle of Elasa (161/160 BCE), the youngest brother, Jonathan, was chosen as the new leader. He attacked enemy armies and Jewish Hellenists alike. Through military victories and strategic alliances Jonathan achieved peace and was appointment as High Priest by the new ruler of the Seleucid Empire, Alexander Balas. The High Priesthood was no longer primarily a religious office focused on the temple and determined by descent through the line of Levi, Aaron and Zadok (Lev. 21:1, 1 Chr. 29:22, 2 Chr. 31:10) but had degenerated into a political office appointed by a foreign power to rule the Jewish people. Thus there was no thought to send to Egypt to request someone from the high priest’s line return to Jerusalem and take up their rightful place again. Indeed, much of the purpose of the writing of I & II Maccabees was to justify the Maccabees’ holding these positions due to their bravery in battle to restoring Temple worship.

On Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) of 153 BC, Jonathan put on the High Priest’s garments and officiated in the temple for the first time. Ten years later Jonathan was tricked and captured by Diodotus Trypho. After the capture of Jonathan, his brother Simon became leader of the people. He paid the ransom asked for his brother but Trypho killed Jonathan instead. Simon had ongoing battles with Trypho until he sided with Demetrius II and received freedom from taxation and recognition of Judah’s political independence in return (142 BC).

The Hasmonean Period (142 – 40 BC)

The period from 142 BC (the date of independence) to 40 BC (the beginning of the reign of ‘Herod the Great’ under the Romans) is called the Hasmonean period, because the ruling family – the family of the priest Mattathias and his sons Judas, Jonathan, and Simon – was the house of Hasmon. Under the Hasmoneans the Sanhedrin continued to hold an important place in Jewish life, but the autocratic tendencies developed by some of these princes led to a curtailment of its authority at times. (4)

Simon declared himself both High Priest and king (even though he was neither from the line of Zadok nor that of David, he was from the priestly Aaronic line). Combining the office of the king with that of the high priest was strictly forbidden in the law of Moses. The Essenes were among the more oppositional to this dual Hasmonean rule.

Zugos – fathers of pharisaic Judaism

The period of the Zugos (Pairs) –

five pairs of renown pharisaic sages who shared the leadership of the developing
pharisaic movement.

Another shift had taken place in the development of the Pharisees. With the death of Antigonus the authority over the Torah school that he represented was transmitted to two of his disciples, Yose ben Yoezer and Yose ben Yochanan. With them began the period of the Zugos [Pairs], five pairs of renown pharisaic sages who shared the leadership of the developing pharisaic movement. Designated Nassi (prince/president); and Av Beis Din (chief/vice president of the court), they were responsible for developing the Oral Law and heading the judgments on such. Each of these pharisaic sages established Torah schools in their own generation to teach their disciples their wisdom and interpretation of the Torah and Oral Law. It was from their disciples that the next Zugos would be chosen on their passing. During times of pharisaic political ascendancy they also held the two top positions in the Sanhedrin.

With the purge of Hellenists from Jerusalem, many leading Pharisees took advantage of the opportunity to gain political power and influence as members of the Sanhedrin. They operated as a balance to Simon’s spiritual and political power and there was respect shown between the two. The people were now freely worshipping God and had been unburdened of foreign taxes and so started to prosper. (5) (6) (7)

Each of the pharisaic sages, during this period, had a saying that epitomised their wisdom and teaching. These are recorded and discussed in the first chapter of Pirkei Avot, and give us further insight into the development of Jewish thought and prioritisation in their religious practice.

Pirkei Avot (sometimes just referred to as Avot) is among the most well known of all writings in Rabbinic Judaism. Pirkei (sayings) Avot (fathers) is one of the sixty-three tractates found in the Mishnah, the code of Jewish law compiled in the early third century C.E. from the Oral Law that was being developed throughout the time of occupation. Pirkei Avot is considered supremely important to Judaism because it justifies the authority of the rabbis, something the Bible does not do. The statements attributed to the rabbis in Pirkei Avot express the basic concerns and central ideas that occupied the rabbis.

Yose b. Yoezer’s saying was: “Let your house be a meeting place for the wise; sit in the dust of their feet; and drink in their words for thirst” (Avot 1:4).

Yose b. Yochanan’s saying was: “Let your house be so wide open that the poor may enter it as were they intimates there; and do not hold too much discourse with women” (Avot 1:5). The sage’s discussion on this one counselled even against engaging in much conversation with one’s wife.

Yose b. Yoezer was killed in 140 BC and Yehoshua ben Perachya became Nassi.

Yehoshua’s admonition was: “Provide yourself with a teacher, acquire for yourself a friend, and judge all people favourably.” (Avot 1:6)

Yehoshua’s pair was Nithai the Arbelite, who was accustomed to say: “Keep aloof from a wicked neighbour, associate not with a sinner, and never consider yourself exempt from God’s chastisement.” (Avot 1:7)

Many Romans turn to Judaism…

The Jewish diaspora had spread far and wide, taking their religion with them and influencing people everywhere they went to leave their pagan ways and worship the one true God as He desires to be worshipped. As Rome gained territory many were now under Roman rule. In 139 BC the Romans ruled that Jews could worship freely in all Roman territories. That same year, however, all Jews were expelled from the city of Rome because the government became fearful of the Jewish influence as many Romans began believing and practising the Jewish teachings.

Politics and power mired in strife, division and murder…

Simon reigned for seven years until he and his two oldest sons were slain at a banquet by his son-in-law Ptolemeus, the governor of Jericho, in 135 BCE. (8)

Jonathan Hyrcanus, the only son of Simon not slain at the banquet, immediately rushed to Jerusalem and installed himself in his father’s place as both High Priest and King. Then he rallied the Sanhedrin and the people to his side, rescued his mother who had been held to ransom and forced Ptolemeus to flee. His tenure then faced a year-long Syrian siege that forced him agree to tear down Jerusalem’s fortifications and renew tribute to the Greek emperor in 133 BCE. Within a few years, however, he took advantage of political turmoil in Syria following the death of Antiochus VII (129 BCE) to rebuild his forces, reclaim independence and extend Judean control over Palestine and Jordan. He also took the seaport of Jaffe and Jews became partners with the Phoenicians in shipping and trade all the way to North Africa, Italy and Rome. Jonathan strengthened the Torah education system, observed it closely himself, put great expense into improving the temple edifice and insisted on higher standards for the temple service. Under his reign the nation reached new heights of prosperity and greatness.

Some of Jonathan’s efforts, however, had unintended consequences. To ensure ongoing peace and stability, he forcibly brought all his new territories under the Torah. On the southern front he forced Judah’s neighbours in Idumea (the Edomites) to convert to Judaism. From these forcibly converted Edomites, Herod the Great later emerged.

On the northern front he destroyed the rival temple at Shechem in Samaria.

Like many of the wealthy aristocrats, Jonathan developed an appreciation for Greek culture and learning, seeing this as perfectly compatible with his Jewish faith and essential for engaging on the world stage. This put him at odds with the Pharisaic religious leaders who forbade attendance at Greek theatres or gymnasiums or engaging with Greek learning or other forms of Greek culture as they laboured to put a fence around the Torah to keep the Jewish population from being polluted by this most insidious outside influence.

The Hasidim (“pious ones”) had been warning about the dangers of Hellenism since this foreign culture first presented itself to the Jews, and knew that their hatred of these strange ways had been proven justified by all that led up to the Maccabean Revolt and the bloody battles that followed. To them there was no difference between reading Greek literature and polluting the temple by offering a pig as sacrifice to Zeus on its alter; all of it was detestable and led down that same slippery slope to destruction. It was from the Hasidim that the Pharisees had developed. Jonathan now found himself rejected by the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin, who challenged his right to be High Priest.

He responded by dismissing all the Pharisees from the Sanhedrin and forming an exclusively Sadducean Sanhedrin. By removing from power all those with whom he disagreed, Jonathan removed the checks and balances which had been part of the strength of his early reign. The Pharisees and Sadducees were devolving into fiercely opposing political powers who saw no value in the other. Jonathan died in 104 B.C. (9) (10) (11) (12) (13)

Religious disputes…

Vehement differences of opinion were evident between different Torah scholars and priests during this time. One of the big issues of debate was Hellenism which was on the rise once again. Many of the scholars shared the views of the Hasidim that every aspect of Greek culture was an abomination to God and the Jews needed to keep themselves totally separate from it. Others, particularly among those who had the wealth and connections to benefit from the changes, were more open minded and argued for integrating those aspects that would bring such godly blessings as increased knowledge, reasoning, sophistication and wealth.

Another area of increasingly bitter dispute was the Oral Law. Proponents claimed that it provided the necessary fence around the Torah, safeguarding their law, customs and traditions from the pollutions of Greek culture and other heathen ways, and so had to be fully obeyed, yet were divided among themselves as to what the correct laws were. Detractors argued that it had no legitimacy and they were only bound to obedience to the written Torah.

While all agreed on the spiritual authority of the Torah, there were differing interpretations of what it meant to obey Torah. The spiritual authority of the rest of the scriptures in the Tanakh was also hotly disputed with some exalting the other scriptures to the same level of inspired authority as the Torah, and others refusing to accept the divine inspiration of the Nev’im (Prophets) and/or the K’tuvim (Writings).

There were also arguments over the correct way of performing many of the temple duties, correct timing and method for celebrating each feast, and regulations for marriage and divorce. Almost anything that could have a doctrine or practice formed around it, had bitterly opposed doctrines and differing practices formed around it. Judaism had become polarised around extremes. The three most significant parties to come out of this time and continue until after the destruction of the second temple were the Pharisees and Essenes who came from the Hasidim tradition and the Sadducees whose roots were generally in the priesthood and who were open to the benefits of Hellenization.

Jewish Sects of the Hasmonean Period

PHARISEES
Pharisees means “separated ones“. Originally this sanctification referred to their separation from Hellenism in all its forms, but by the beginning of the first Century it had broadened to being separated from the “people of the land”, who were seen as incapable of being pious because they were unrefined and unskilled in the Pharisees’ interpretations of Torah and Oral Law. Pharisees were not, however, separated from the power structures of the land, but rather saw their role as leading and defining those power structures in order to corral the uneducated masses into their view of what it meant to be the sanctified nation of God’s people. Judea could not be a holy nation unless their leaders were holy, so the Pharisees became entwined in the political process in order to occupy the positions of power necessary to enforce obedience to Torah on the leaders of their nation as well as the masses. Pharisees were strong proponents of the Oral Law, although they had many disputes within their ranks about what its’ true rendering and interpretation was. Some of them were priests but many were not and gained their position through the strength of their Torah study under one of the respected sages (latter called rabbis). Pharisees had a strong role in the Sanhedrin through most of its existence after the Maccabean revolt and saw their input as essential to keeping the nation in God’s blessings and averting further judgments like the Babylonian captivity. In the end it was the Pharisees who proved to be the most enduring force within Judaism, apart from the followers of Yeshua, after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, and they shaped what became the rabbinical Judaism of today. Thus, most Jewish history, of the second temple period and beyond, is written from their perspective. (14) (15) (16)

ESSENES
The Essenes were a Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. The Essenes were among the more oppositional to the Hasmonean rule as well as the way they operated the Temple. Essenes were very strict in their religious practice and shunned both the priesthood and the political class for their corruption.   As they lost power and influence within the Temple’s political governance they ceased involvement in the Sanhedrin or any of the power structures of their day. Some remained in Jerusalem, and others settled in other Jewish towns, but some withdrew from the rest of society to live in their own closely knit communities where they shared all things, including the community in Qumran who produced the Dead Sea Scrolls. Some would have nothing to do with the currencies of the time because of the images on the coins. They believed in the immortality of the soul and in angels, but generally not in the Pharisees’ Oral Law.   Some of their communities isolated themselves and developed unique doctrines and practices. Much of what we know about the Essenes comes from the Dead Sea Scrolls which had been kept by one of their communities and detailed some of their communal life and beliefs.

SADDUCEES
Sadducees came mostly from the priestly aristocracy and upper classes. They were open to Hellenism and closed to the Oral Law. They generally did not accept the doctrine of the resurrection or the immortality of the soul. Some attribute this to their interpretation of the Jewish sage Antigonus of Soko’s maxim “Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of wages, but be rather like those who serve without thought of receiving wages.” Others attributed it to more Hellenistic influences, and others to their rejection of the divine inspiration of the Nev’im (Prophets) and K’tuvim (Writings) in the TaNaKh (Old Testament). Sadducees generally centred their interests in political life, of which they were the chief rulers before the destruction of the Second Temple, where their power had resided. Instead of sharing the Pharisees’ messianic hopes they took the people’s destiny onto their own hands, fighting or negotiating with the heathen nations as they thought best, while seeking their own temporal welfare and worldly success. Most of the High Priests were Sadducees and they also had a strong role in the Sanhedrin through most of its existence (16) (15) (17).

HASIDIM
Hasidim means “pious ones”. This movement began in response to Antiochus IV’s defilement of the temple and forced Hellenization of the Jewish people. It continued developing as a reforming and revival movement within Judaism throughout the Hasmonean period. Both Pharisees and Essenes could trace their roots to the rural Hasidim, but both took very different paths. Unlike the Essenes, the Hasidim did not withdraw from society but remained vitally involved in the broader community. Unlike the Pharisees, the Hasidim were not part of the political power structures nor did they have a seat on the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, nor consider study the highest virtue.   All references to Hasidim in the Second Temple period relate to Galilee and several renowned Hasid sages came from this area. Theirs was a practical spirituality that focused on intimate and privileged relationship with God as their heavenly Father and regarded obeying “Torah” as more important than just studying it. In many instances the Hasidim had halachic (Jewish law) traditions that were not in keeping with the accepted Halakha decreed by the Sanhedrin, and in some cases even opposed to it. They also had some customs and modes of behaviour which differed from that of the dominant Pharisaic sages.   They believed in God doing miracles in response to the faith of those who were intimate with Him. Most of the ancient passages pertaining to Hasidim refer to their causing rain to fall, healing the sick or exorcising demons. Even in the case of rain there is a difference between the Hasidim and the Pharisaic sages. The sage prayed for rain as part of a public prayer ritual – sometimes his prayers were answered and sometimes not. The Hasid prayed privately and as a son beseeching his Father and their prayers were always answered. Unlike the Pharisees, the Hasidim saw virtue in poverty and in giving away all one’s possessions “the Holy One, blessed is He, examined every good quality and found none better for Israel than poverty.”   A midrash (ancient rabbinic commentary) states: “A person becomes a Hasid to suffer all things. He is given an angel who treats him in the manner of the Hasidim…and says, “You save the afflicted (/poor) but Your eyes are on the haughty (/rich) to humble them.” 2 Samuel 22:28.” Characteristics of a Hasid were described as: “he is humble… a fearer of sin, judges a man according to his deeds, and says, ‘I have no need of anything found in this world.” They generally did manual labour and menial jobs to support the most basic needs for themselves and their family. (18) (19)

Interactions between religious and political leaders

Jonathan had directed that after his death his oldest son Aristobulus would become High Priest and his wife become leader of the nation. Although women leaders were not a part of Jewish culture or tradition, they were well accepted in several of the surrounding Hellenised nations, so the idea was gaining credence among the Jews involved in international trade and relations. All welcomed the separation of powers between High Priest and civic leader, that is, all except Aristobulus. Aristobulus was not convinced that his power should in any way be limited and so seized the crown with the support of his brother Antigonus, had his stepmother put in prison where she starved to death and placed his other three half-brothers in prison. The Pharisees were infuriated and began working on stirring up a massive rebellion, but Aristobulus died in pain and with internal bleeding from an unknown disease before any attempt to depose him could come to fruition. As his health faded during the single year that he reigned, much of the governing was done by his wife, Queen Alexandra Salome, and brother Antigonus. Just days before Aristobulus died Salome used trickery to have Antigonus killed by his guards.

When Aristobulus died in 103 BC Queen Salome released the half-brothers from prison and, in line with Jewish law as she was childless, married the oldest of them, Alexander Jannaeus, to whom the throne and High Priesthood went. Initially Aristobulus’ enemies were Alexander’s friends, so he removed the Sadducee members from the Sanhedrin and reorganised it to be composed exclusively of Pharisees. This also met with his new wife’s approval, as she was sister to the leader of the Pharisees, Simin ben Shetah. (15)

Alexander had only one aim in life; to continue the great Maccabean tradition of conquest and increase the extent of his kingdom to its natural boundaries – the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern desert. Unfortunately, he lacked the military prowess of his ancestors, and his early campaigns were quite disastrous. Were it not for the large and wealthy Jewish diaspora in Egypt putting political pressure on Cleopatra to send her army to his rescue, Alexander would have likely lost his crown and Judea its independence. While Alexander was away at war, he allowed his queen a major role in the nation’s internal affairs, and she was instrumental in encouraging the introduction of synagogue schools in many towns to teach young children the Torah.

The Pharisee Zugos (pairs) during this time were Simeon ben Shetach (Queen Salom’s brother) and Judah ben Tabbai.

Simeon’s noted saying was: “Interrogate the witness very closely, and be careful with thy words, lest they be put by them on the track of falsehood”.

That of Judah was: “Make thyself not as those that predispose the judges, and while the litigants stand before thee let them be in thine eyes as guilty; and when dismissed from before thee let them be in thine eyes as righteous, because that they have received the verdict upon them.” (20)

Conflicts between Pharisees and Sadducees…

The Pharisees had become rather disillusioned with this line of leaders who claimed to be both king and High Priest, and their pragmatism could see no good purpose in picking fights with other nations only to lose the battles, have the kingdom’s freedom threatened and tens of thousands killed in the fighting. Even though the Sanhedrin was now totally comprised of Pharisees with their Nassi (prince/leader), Simeon ben Shetach, being a brother of Queen Salome and frequent guest at the palace, Alexander would not listen to their pleas to abandon this policy of conquest and conform to their view of Judaism. The more the Pharisees felt that their influence over the king was waning, the more critical they became of him and his right to the offices of High Priest and king. Alexander responded by seeking the support of their political rivals, the Sadducees, who included many of the aristocratic leaders of the priesthood over which he presided as High Priest.

As mentioned earlier, the Pharisees and Sadducees were opposing political parties in Judah who disagreed on almost everything, including on how each of the festivals should be performed and how each of the functions of the priests and High Priest was to be carried out. Although most of the aristocracy of the priesthood were Sadducees, they would generally bow to performing their functions as the Pharisees prescribed out of fear of the political backlash if they performed them strictly as was written in the Torah, with nothing added. One of the Pharisaic innovations was adding an elaborate Water Libation Ceremony (Nissuch Ha-Mayim) following the daily sacrifices during Sukoot (the Feast of Tabernacles). They taught this as fulfilling Isa. 12:3: “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation“. This became a very jovial time and one of the most popular parts of the celebration of this festival. With much joy, music, singing, dancing and sometimes even acrobatics and rabbis juggling flaming touches, water was drawn from the pool of Siloam and the High Priest poured that water out on the alter, which to Jewish people of the Second Temple era was symbolic of the Spirit of God being poured out during the days of the Messiah and so stirred the expectation and hopes of the people, particularly when they were feeling oppressed. Such expectations and hopes were not shared by the Sadducees and especially not by the man who saw himself as the only leader the Jews needed, the High Priest Alexander.

Religious conflict becomes bloody civil war…

In around 98 BCE Alexander, while officiating as the High Priest at the Temple in Jerusalem during Sukkot, poured the water onto his own feet instead of onto the alter. The Pharisees and their followers were enraged, saw this as blasphemous, ‘stoned him’ with the citrons (large, thick skinned citrus fruit) they were carrying in accordance with another of the customs of the festival, while shouting derogatory cries about his unfitness for the priesthood. Alexander summoned his troops to attack those who attacked him and about 6,000 Jews were slain in the temple courts that day.

Not all of Alexander’s attempts at conquest were fruitless, he did win some battles and take some new land, but his attack against Obedias, the king of the Arabs, was poorly executed, the Jews suffered heavy losses and Alexander returned defeated to find the people in Jerusalem, incited by the Pharisees, armed and arrayed against their High Priest and king. What followed was a six year long bloody civil war that cost the lives of 50,000 Jews.

The Pharisees went so far as to request the Syrian king Demetrius III join them in fighting against their monarch and High Priest in exchange for reigning over them. However, after defeating their brothers in a few battles, many deserted Demetrius’ army and helped Alexander defeat him and retain the kingdom’s independence. According to Pharisaic tradition Alexander took the advice of a Sadducee to punish their treason by crucifying 800 captured Pharisees after executing their wives and children before their eyes while he and feasting courtiers enjoyed the bloody spectacle. Animosity and distrust between the two parties, Pharisees and Sadducees had reached its zenith and 8,000 Pharisees fled to seek asylum in neighbouring lands.

Hatred driven underground

Alexander suffered terribly with ill health for the last three years of his life and died of his ailments from an unknown disease while at the siege of the fortified town of Ragaba in 76 BCE. His wife Salome was with him at his death and reported that he repented of his treatment of the Pharisees on his death bed. (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26)

After her husband’s death, Queen Salome reigned over Judah and her eldest son, Hyrcanus II, was appointed High Priest. Salome called the Pharisees to return to Jerusalem and brought them into her government, gradually pushing the Sadducees out of every important office and position. She appointed her brother, Shimon ben Shetah, leader of the Pharisees, and Yehudah ben Tabbai as joint heads over the new Sanhedrin (Great Bet Din), now comprised exclusively of Pharisees. Salome allowed the Pharisees’ Oral Law to be adopted as the law of the royal court. Education was also placed in the hands of Pharisaic teachers and the care of the many thousands of widows and orphans left from Alexander’s wars placed in the hands of Pharisaic leaders. Salome’s was generally a peaceful reign, without the civil war of her husband’s rule and only one brief foreign battle. The trade routes were re-opened, and the nation began to prosper again.

The strong ideological differences and hatreds between Jews did not lessen during Salome’s reign, however, they were just driven underground and nowhere was this more obvious than in her own family. Salome’s two sons are reported to have hated one another with the eldest, Hyrcanus II, firmly siding with the Pharisees and the younger, Aristobulus II, continuing his father’s alliance with the Sadducees. The Pharisees started exacting retribution against the Sadducees with the execution of one of their leaders. Fearing mass exterminations, the Sadducees petitioned the queen for protection against the now ruling party. Salome responded by removing the Sadducees, many of whom had been leaders of the temple priesthood, from Jerusalem and assigning them to several fortified towns for their residence.

Civil war between brothers

After a nine year reign Salome died in 67 BCE and bequeathed the throne to her eldest son, Hyrcanus II, who had been High Priest since the beginning of her reign. (27) (15) (28) (29) (30) (31) (32)

Hyrcanus II had scarcely reigned three months when his brother, Aristobulus II, rallied an army from the Sadducean party to rise in rebellion. Near Jericho the brothers met in battle. As Aristobulus gained the upper hand, Hyrcanus fled back to Jerusalem to take refuge in the citadel, but the capture of the temple by Aristobulus eventually compelled Hyrcanus to seek a peace agreement. According to the terms of the peace Hyrcanus was to renounce both the throne and the office of High Priest but would continue to enjoy the revenues of the latter office (some sources say he retained the high priesthood).

The agreement lasted about six weeks. Aristrobulus was more capable as a military leader, but Hyrcanus was endowed with skill in negotiating and forging alliances to accomplish his goals. Hyrcanus sought counsel from the talented and ambitious administrator, Antipater, satrap of Idumaea (a neighbouring province conquered and forcibly converted by Hyrcanus II’s grandfather, Jonathan Hyrcanus I). Antipater offered to support him in waging war on Aristobulus and the Sadducees to regain his crown. Their joint army of Pharisees and Idumeans routed the forces of Aristobulus and forced the remnants to retreat to the Temple area fortress. The rest of Jerusalem and the entire country now came under the domain of Hyrcanus and the Pharisees, with the High Priesthood and temple all that was left for Aristobulus.

No ethics in the battle for power

Despite their animosity toward each other, both sides firmly believed in the necessity of the temple sacrifices, so the two made an agreement to ensure that the twice-daily sacrifice was offered. Every day the army on the outside would send up the necessary sheep to be slaughtered. The priests inside the Temple continued their daily service and worship after the manner of the Sadducees. The siege lasted months and showed no sign of ending. One day Hyrcanus sent up a pig instead of a sheep for the temple sacrifice. The Hasmoneans had initiated their rebellion after the Greeks desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the alter, and now their descendants were killing each other and sending up a pig for the temple sacrifice! This caused many devout Jews to turn from supporting Hyrcanus and the focus of the conflict shifted from Pharisee against Sadducee to power-hungry brother against power-hungry brother. (33) (34) (35) (36) (37) (38) (39) (40) (2)

Reference List

1. Dankenbring, William F. The Mystery of Hanukkah – The ABOMINATION of DESOLATION Revealed! Triumph. [Online] [Cited: 31st Oct. 2016.] http://triumphpro.com/abomination-desolation-hanukkah.htm.
2. Palmer, Micheal W. History & Literature of the Bible The Hellenistic Age. Greek Language. [Online] 19th October 2002. [Cited: 27th Aug. 2016.] http://greek-language.com/bible/palmer/11hellenisticage.pdf.
3. Astor, Berel Wein adapted by Yaakov. The Miracle of Chanuka. Jewish History.org. [Online] [Cited: 27th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishhistory.org/the-miracle-of-chanukah/ .
4. Morrison, W. D. The Sanhedrin, or Supreme National Council. Heritage History. [Online] [Cited: 6th Sept. 2016.] http://www.heritage-history.com/?c=read&author=morrison&book=romanjew&story=sanhedrin.
5. Richard Gottheil, Samuel Krauss. Simon Maccabeus. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] 1906. [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13746-simon-maccabeus.
6. Simon Maccabeus. Biblical Training. [Online] [Cited: 28th Aug 2016.] https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/simon-maccabeus.
7. The Hasmoneans. Jewish History.org. [Online] [Cited: 24th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishhistory.org/the-hasmoneans/ .
8. Prsons, John J. Torah sheba’al Peh – the Oral Torah and Jewish Tradition. Hebrew4Christians. [Online] [Cited: 3rd Sept 2016.] http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Oral_Torah/oral_torah.html.
9. Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. John Hyrcanus I. Encyclopaedia Britannica. [Online] [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Hyrcanus-I.
10. John Hyrcanus. Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: 28th Aug 2016.] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hyrcanus.
11. Johanan [John] Hyrcanus. Jewish Virtual Library. [Online] [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Hyrcanus.html.
12. Keyser, John D. Hebrew and Aramaic – Languages of First Century Israel. Hope of Israel. [Online] [Cited: 25th Aug 2016.] http://www.hope-of-israel.org/h&a.html.
13. Astor, Berel Wein adapted by Yaakov. The Hasmoneans. Jewish History. [Online] [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishhistory.org/the-hasmoneans/.
14. Ross, Allen. 2. The Pharisees. Bible.org. [Online] 10th April 2006. [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] https://bible.org/seriespage/2-pharisees.
15. Wilhelm Bacher, Jacob Zallel Lauterbach. Sanhedrin. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] 1906. [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13178-sanhedrin.
16. Kohler, Kaufmann. Sadducees. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] 1906. [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12989-sadducees.
17. Ross, Allen. 3. The Sadducees. Bible.org. [Online] 12th April 2006. [Cited: 28th Aug. 2016.] https://bible.org/seriespage/3-sadducees.
18. Safrai, Shmuel. Jesus and the Hasidim. Jerusalem Prspective. [Online] 01 Jan 1994. [Cited: 18th Aug 2019.] https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2685/.
19. Jesus and the Hasidim. Safrai, Shmuel. Jerusalem : David Bivin Jerusalem Perspective, 1994, Vols. 42, 43 & 44.
20. Tractate Avot: Chapter 1. Jewish Virtual Library. [Online] [Cited: 6th Sept. 2016.] http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Talmud/avot1.html.
21. Water Libation Ceremony. Jewish Roots. [Online] [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishroots.net/library/holiday-articles/water_libation_ceremony.html.
22. Ginzberg, Louis. Alexander Jannaeus. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] 1906. [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1144-alexander-jannaeus-jonathan.
23. Alexander Jannaeus. Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Jannaeus.
24. Eisenstein, Judah David. Water Drawing, Feast of. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14794-water-drawing-feast-of.
25. Kathleen Mary Kenyon, Glenn Richard Bugh, Rashid Ismail Khalidi, Nabih Amin Faris, Ian J. Bickerton, Peter Marshall Fraser. Palestine. Encyclopedia Britannica. [Online] 27th April 2016. [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] https://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine#ref478855.
26. Judaica, Encyclopaedia. YANNAI (Jannaeus), ALEXANDER. Jewish Virtual Library. [Online] 2008. [Cited: 29th Aug. 2016.] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0021_0_21193.html.
27. New World Encyclopedia. Salome Alexandra. New World Encyclopedia. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Salome_Alexandra.
28. Taitz, Emily. Salome Alexandra – the first Hasmonean Queen of Judea. My Jewish Learning. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/salome-alexandra/#.
29. Mindel, Nissan. Queen Salome Alexandra. Chabad.org. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112049/jewish/Queen-Salome-Alexandra.htm.
30. Weiner, James. The Forgotten Ancient Queen: Salome Alexandra of Judea. Ancient History et Cetera. [Online] 22nd Jan. 2013. [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://etc.ancient.eu/2013/01/22/the-forgotten-ancient-queen-salome-alexandra-of-judea/.
31. Silver, Carly. The Peace of Zion. Archaeology Archive. [Online] 2010. [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://archive.archaeology.org/online/features/iron_ladies/salome_alexandra.html.
32. Salome Alexandra, Queen of Judaea. Geni. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] https://www.geni.com/people/Salome-Alexandra-Queen-of-Judaea/6000000005789572102.
33. Hyrcanus II. Jordan Expert. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept 2016.] http://www.jordanexpert.com/html/hyrcanus_ii.htm.
34. John Hyrcanus II. Bibleview. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://bibleview.org/en/bible/400years/hyrcanus-ii/.
35. Hyrcanus II. Project Infrafting. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.project-ingrafting.com/Jesus_of_Nazareth_files/Bios_and_Events/3/Hyrcanus_II.pdf.
36. Astor, Berel Wein adapted by Yaakov. The End of the Hasmoneans, The Rise of Rome. Jewish History.org. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.jewishhistory.org/end-of-hasmoneans-rise-of-rome-4/.
37. Hyrcanus II. Jewish Virtual Library. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/hyrcanus2.html.
38. Richard Gottheil, Isaac Broydé. Hyrcanus II. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7973-hyrcanus-ii.
39. —. Hyrcanus II. Jewish Encyclopedia. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7973-hyrcanus-ii.
40. Britannica, Editors of Encyclopedia. John Hyrcanus II King of Judea. Encyclopaedia Britanica. [Online] [Cited: 1st Sept. 2016.] https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Hyrcanus-II.

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

* The priest Mattathias and his sons fought and killed to regain their religious freedom. What are your thoughts on this?
* They eventually won the battle but lost a lot of lives in the process. Was it worth it?
* Has your community ever faced such battles?
* How do you lead your community through times of conflict?
* What effect did pride have on the leaders and the nation?
* Do you think Judaism was developing in healthy or unhealthy ways? If you were trying to reform Judaism during this time what issues would you tackle?
* Who were the Pharisees?
* Who were the Sadducees?
* Who were the Essenes?
* Who were the Hasidim?
* Did the arguments over faith and practice between the Pharisees and Sadducees strengthen or weaken Judaism?
* Was God honoured by the ways the different groups fought over who had the right doctrines and the right way of worshipping Him?
* When we disagree with a fellow believer over doctrine, how can we be constructive instead of destructive in our disagreement?
* Who wins when we fight with one another?

Please read Matthew 26:57-27:14, Mark 14:53-15:1,Luke 22:55-23:12 & John 18:13-38

Reference List

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

Please read Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12 – 16,Luke 22:7 – 13 & John 13:1

Reference List

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

Please read I & II Maccabees These are not divinely inspired scripture but do give us an account of God’s dealing with His people during this time.

Revolt against evil rulers

Temple cleansed and miracle lights

The Hasmonean Period (142 – 40 BC)

Zugos – fathers of pharisaic Judaism

Many Romans turn to Judaism…

Politics and power mired in strife, division and murder…

Religious disputes…

Jewish Sects of the Hasmonean Period

Interactions between religious and political leaders

Conflicts between Pharisees and Sadducees…

Religious conflict becomes bloody civil war…

Hatred driven underground

Civil war between brothers

No ethics in the battle for power

In the comments section below share your thoughts on what you have read and answer some of the following questions…

Please read Matthew 26:57-27:14, Mark 14:53-15:1,
Luke 22:55-23:12 & John 18:13-38

Please read Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12 – 16,
Luke 22:7 – 13 & John 13:1

Please read I & II Maccabees
These are not divinely inspired scripture but do give us an account of God’s dealing with His people during this time.