Part 2—From David to Jesus, a brief history
Ancient Judaism was not a homogenous creature. The first centuries in the Promised Land were an age of separate tribes in their separate lands, existing side by side, usually amicably, occasionally co-operatively.There were many holy sites supported by differing organizational structures and differing rites. There was also a common sanctuary at Shiloh that housed a shared icon, The Ark of the Covenant, an elaborate chest containing some sacred items including the commandments. Around 1000BC, these Hebrew tribes were under extreme threat from the Philistines, an ambitious and enterprising people who had settled along the south coast of Palestine. To effectively combat the geo-political ambitions of the Philistines, a number of the tribes (scholars disagree as to the exact number) came together under the leadership of Saul. While he was given the title of king, he was little more than a war-time chief. There was no change in the manner in which the various tribes were governed or interacted. His leadership proved ineffective to the task. He was followed by the charismatic and successful young warrior, David, who managed to cobble together a rather precipitous confederation of the sundry northern and southern tribes, and establish a proper kingdom (more akin to a united kingdoms) managed out of the recently conquered stronghold of Jerusalem. His intention to underpin this political union by centralizing the cult in Jerusalem remained incomplete. The building of the Temple by his son Solomon approximately a half century later advanced the process of concentrating religious structure and practice. Unfortunately, imposed uniformity rarely works. Various religious sites continued to have their cachet, and foreign cults were not removed. Further, Solomon, who had equal flair for personal aggrandizement and public works, was not shy about the excessive taxation his lavish ventures required. Despite his reputation for wisdom, he could not provide a viable government or constitution to secure the continuance of his father’s confederation. After Solomon, the nation fell apart into two kingdoms: the larger section of ten northern tribes, the Kingdom of Israel, and the southern remnant around Jerusalem, being chiefly the tribe of Judah, the Kingdom of Judea.
The kingdom of Israel established its own royal city, Samaria. It also established its own holy sites, but these were usually corrupted by foreign cults, giving the early prophets much to condemn. The kingdom was never stable, but it endured for about two centuries before the regional super-power of the age, Assyria, marched over it, evaginated it, deported a large portion of the population, and imported into the vacated lands peoples removed from other conquered lands. This practice was meant to crush ethnic, religious, and national identities and so dissipate the basis for any revolt. Because the population of the northern tribes was hereby mixed–racially and religiously–its inhabitants were often viewed by them in the south as heretical half-breeds.
In Judea, about four centuries after Solomon’s attempted centralization, after a series of religious lapses and a number of lack-lustre kings, King Josiah renewed the efforts to reform and concentrate the cult around the Jerusalem Temple. This reformation centered on the discovery of an ancient book of laws, a text scholars believe to be the core of the work we know as Deuteronomy (literally: the second law). Not unsurprisingly, this reformation stressed obedience to the Law (the Torah or core scriptures), and the moral emphasis in it was transiting from a sense of national responsibility for fidelity to a sense of individual culpability. Despite valiant efforts by priests and prophets, Josiah’s vision was never fully realized. In 587BC, Babylon, the new regional super-power, conquered Judea, plundered and destroyed the Temple, deported the upper classes, and dispersed a portion of the population across the imperial lands. A faith that centred on the Temple, a faith that was tied to a holy land and a chosen nation, suddenly needed to find a new understanding of itself, a new format to stay alive, to stay vital and vitalizing. Judaism needed to redefine itself. That it managed to successfully do so is patent. It is still with us.
Approximately a half century after this destruction, and this dispersion (known as the Diaspora), Persia conquered Babylon. The new administration soon allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and provided some assistance for the restoration of the Temple. Priests, prophets and scribes returned and, in a conservative vein not to be unexpected in such a situation, held firmly to the need for individual, heartfelt obedience to the Torah as the core of being the Chosen.
The next few centuries were rather unremarkable. Then came that scion of Macedonia, Alexander the Great. He conquered the world and coloured it Greek. He lived not long enough to tender his vision of empire. His generals divided his lands. Judea came first under the Ptolemyes, the rulers of Egypt, who were not disposed to interfering in the domestic or religious affairs of tributary peoples. A brutal war ended with Palestine changing hands and coming into the control of the Seleucids, the post-Alexander dynasty ruling a vast territory anchored in the area occupied today by Syria. At first they were tolerant of religious independence, but soon exhibited their hidden agenda, the hellinization of Judaism. The Temple was desecrated with foreign gods and their images, the priesthood was almost totally corrupted into the new way, many followed their lead, and those who held to the old ways were executed or dispossessed. It was a time called the “abomination of desolation”.
Revolution was soon afoot. A group known as the Hasidim (literally: the pious) spearheaded a movement of passive resistance. This soon turned into open resistance and guerrilla warfare led by a family known as the Maccabees. Within two years they managed to free the Temple of the cult of Zeus and rededicate it (Hanukah). Within the generation political independence was gained and Simon Maccabee became Prince-High Priest, founding a ruling dynasty known as the Hasmoneans (after the name of his ancestor who had begun the revolt). The land seemed secure.
Infighting soon broke out. The Pharisees, the ideological descendants of the Hasidim, resented them they considered the descendants of warriors taking up the high priesthood and the throne of David. The two parties were at odds, if not battle, until the day Pompey marched by collecting the shards of the Seleucid Empire for Rome. Palestine was tossed about in the war between Caesar and Pompey, but in the end, an ethnic Edomite of Jewish faith, Herod “the Great”, secured from the Roman Senate the title of King of Judea. He did everything a politico could do to maintain power. He kowtowed to Rome, he abandoned his dulcinea, Cleopatra, when Caesar entertained an interest in her, he married into the Hasmonean family, he rebuilt the Temple, he murdered, literally, anyone who did or could challenge his position, he sold offices (including the high priesthood) to best secure his interests, and attempted, according to one tale, to turn some visiting Magi into informants of state.
Roman rule was never a comfortable situation. Insults, real and imagined, to the cult of Judaism were always on the horizon. There were a number of groups livid over the presence of Rome. Some were more philosophical about the situation, others, like the Zealots, were more inclined to action. Where Jesus stood on such issues was a matter of debate, even among his followers. Some scholars hold there were zealots among the disciples. Certainly, some of the questions put to Jesus in the gospels reveal many did not have a clear grasp on where he stood. Luke even has Jesus ascending into heaven as an apostle asks if he is now going to restore the Davidic throne. He did not. But the Zealots continued in their quest, and in 70AD Rome put an end to it all. The Temple was levelled. The state was extinguished.
With this brief history of the Jews spanning approximately 1200BC to 70AD as a background, I wish to remark on some issues of importance that such an aperçu must omit.