BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS

The Roman Period

63 BC thru AD 135

 

            It was during Roman rule over the Jews that God broke His silence. 400 years of turmoil and unrest were behind them. Currently, the Jews were unwilling subjects to the Roman Empire. They were permitted to worship their God and were given partial authority over their own affairs; however, they sought more. They were familiar with the OT prophecies of a Messiah who was promised to them by God. They dreamed of the day when Israel would once again be a great nation. While waiting their coming Savior they worshipped under the guidance of the high priest, disputed religious matters before the high council and struggled under Roman rule. The Jews were expecting a mighty warrior king, like David, but instead received an infant king. This was God’s plan, a plan the Jews did not accept. It was quite apparent that the Jews would NEVER accept Jesus as their Messiah, for their expectations were grounded in a dream. 

Both religious factions (the Pharisees & the Sadducees) disapproved of Jesus. The Pharisees were the legalists of their time. They were devoted to the law of Moses and the strict enforcement of it. They believed in the supernatural, in angels and bodily resurrection. They took their traditions very seriously, so they were totally incapable of accepting Jesus, who showed no regard for their rules and claimed to have the ability to forgive sin.

The Sadducees were the rationalists of the day. They were skeptical of religion; however, they believed in the literal interpretation of Moses’ law, though they didn’t allow it to permeate all areas of their lives. They denied the supernatural and resurrection, focusing rather on the temporal, political concerns that existed. Both groups saw Jesus as a threat to their way of doing things. They were concerned that Jesus would stir up trouble which Rome would notice and that had the potential to imperil the nation.

In the end, both the Pharisees and the Sadducees did actually agree on one thing; Jesus must die. The Jewish religious leaders stirred up the crowds, pressuring Rome to crucify Christ. Once crucified, the Jewish leaders felt they had won, but in reality they had lost in a big way. God allowed their plan to succeed and as a result Jesus’ death ended up being our payment for sin. When he rose again from the grave Christ became the hope of all the world. 

By now it should be pretty obvious that God sent His Son into the perfect setting for Jesus to operate on the Father’s behalf. What took place as chronicled by the Gospels, began a series of events that changed the world for the good. Since Greek was still the language of choice, the New Testament was written in a language that could be understood by all. As Paul wrote in Galatians 4:43... “When the time was right, God sent His Son.”

This ends our look at the years between the Old and New Testaments. I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries