Define some of the major sources used to reconstruct the history of the Intertestamental Period. Which of these sources do you consider the most important, and why? Why is the study of these sources important to a proper understanding?
J. Julius Scott provides a rather comprehensive list of major sources used to reconstruct the history of the Intertestamental Period. The sources include the Hebrew Old Testament, the Septuagint, the Apocrypha, the Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the New Testament itself (Scott, 30-32). Additionally, Scott identifies the writings of Philo and Josephus, as well as various other Christian, Rabbinic, and Greco-Roman sources (Scott, 32-33).
Three of the most important sources for the study of the Intertestamental Period are the Hebrew Old Testament, the writings of Josephus, and the writings of Philo. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch, on Jewish religious thought and practice during the Intertestamental Period. Furthermore, the two first century writers, Josephus and Philo, supply voluminous information from a non-Christian Hellenistic Jewish perspective (Scott, 35). Josephus’s focus captures the history of Intertestamental life and the geography of Palestine, whereas Philo’s writings focus on intellectual perspectives of Hellenistic Judaism (Scott, 35).
The study of Intertestamental Period sources is critical in providing a context for the New Testament regarding political perspectives, daily life, religious thought, as well as the philosophical landscape of the first century. For example, Josephus provides the primary account of Jewish history surrounding the New Testament Era and “the oldest non-Christian references to Christianity” (Scott, 37). In particular, Josephus’s The War of the Jews documents a rich historical context of the New Testament beginning with the influence of Antiochus Epiphanes in the 2nd century BC, continuing with the life of Herod and the influence of Vespasian in the 1st century AD, and finally, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem (Josephus, 543-772).
The political history of Palestine and its relationship to Rome as well as its impact on Jewish individuals during the 1st century is an invaluable contribution to comprehending the historical context of the writings of the New Testament. Alternatively, Philo’s perspective, which originates outside of Palestine in a large Jewish community of Egypt, contributes significantly to the history of intellectual thought of the Diaspora during the Intertestamental Period (Scott, 38-39). Specifically, Philo utilized an allegorical method of interpretation common in Alexandria to integrate both Greek and Jewish thought, which provides valuable insights into Hellenistic Judaism (Scott, 39). Philo’s writings include diverse treatises on topics such as the Law, drunkenness, the Patriarchs, and dreams (Philo 207-227; 365-435; 518-534). A correct understanding of the New Testament is difficult to imagine without an appreciation of the influence of the Old Testament, the historical content of Josephus, and the synthesis of Greek philosophy on individuals and institutions of the Intertestamental Period.
Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. Translated by William Whiston. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1987.
Philo. The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged. Translated by C. D. Yonge. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1993.
Scott, J. Julius. Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1995.
