Jesus and the Second Temple Judaism Worldview

Jesus and the Second Temple Judaism Worldview

There are many different aspects of Second Temple Judaism that create its worldview. Some aspects range from daily rituals to the holy people who teach God’s word. With knowledge of why these things were important during the Second Temple period, one will better be able to grasp the teachings of Jesus and the reasons behind what he did. There are three important aspects to consider about STP. First is the common religion of the Jewish people. Second is the worldview associated with this religion. Third is the impact Jesus had on this worldview and how he affected it during his ministry as portrayed in the Synoptic Gospels.

Let us begin by understanding the Second Temple period and its worldview. A worldview is “a comprehensive conception or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it.” (“Worldview”) Therefore, the worldview of Second Temple Judaism displays the most important concepts and beliefs in the life of the people who lived during the Second Temple Period. Since this is the time period of Jesus, understanding this period will equip individuals with the ability to clearly identify the life and culture Jesus lived in.

During his reign in the tenth century, Solomon built a temple as a place for people to be with God and in his presence (Murphy 76-77). God had told David in 2 Samuel 7 that one of his son’s, Solomon, was going to build a “temple for God” (Murphy 49). During Solomon’s forth year of reign, from 961- 922 BCE, he began building the temple (1 Kings 6). God promised Solomon in 1 King 6:12-13 that He would fulfill the promise given to David through Solomon. God would “live among the Israelites and [would] not abandon [his] people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:13) In Solo...

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...s allowed as well as remarriage (Evans 105).

Works Cited

Thomson, Steve. “The Synoptic Tradition: The Gospel of Mark.” Tyndale University College. Toronto, Ontario. 30 Jan. 2014. Lecture.

Wenham, David and Steve Walton. (i) Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Gospels and Acts. 2nd ed. 1 vols. Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2011. Print.

Banks, Robert. (i) Jesus and the Law in the Synoptic Tradition. London: Cambridge University Press, 1975. Print.

Murphy, Frederick J. (i) The Religious World of Jesus: An Introduction to Second Temple Palestinian Judaism. Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1991. Print.

McCready, Wayne O., and Adele Reinhartz, eds. (i) Common Judaism: Explorations in Second-Temple Judaism. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008. Print.

Evans, Craig. (i)Holman QuickSource Guide to The Dead Sea Scrolls. Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2010. Print.