The Makers and Teachers of Judaism Part 36

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. Contemporary conditions in the Syrian kingdom. _En. Bib._, IV, 4356-60; Gardner, _The Seleucid Kings of Syria_.

2. The history of the Idumeans. Hastings, _D.B._, I, 644-6; _En. Bib._, II, 1181-8; Buhl, _Edomites._ 3. Compare the policy of John Hyrca.n.u.s with that of David.

Section CXIV. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. GENERAL QUESTIONS: I. Describe the influences that gave rise to the party of the Pharisees. 2. Of the Sadducees. 3. The characteristics and beliefs of the Pharisees. 4. Of the Sadducees. 5. The political influence of these parties. 6. The characteristics of the sect of the Essenes.

7. Their beliefs.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. The party of the Pharisees. Hastings, _D.B._, III, 821-8; _En. Bib._, IV, 4321-9. 2. The Sadducees. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 349-51; _En. Bib._, IV, 4234-40. 3. The points of contact between Essenism and Christianity. Hastings, _D.B._, I, 767-72; _En.

Bib._, II, 1396-1400; Thomson, _Books which Influenced Our Lord_, 75-122; Cheyne, _Origin of the Psalter_, 418-21, 446-9.

Section CXV. The Life and Faith of the Jews of the Dispersion. GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the life of the Jews in Antioch and Asia Minor.

2. The privileges granted them by the Syrian king. 3. The number of the Jews in Egypt. 4. The privileges granted them by the Ptolemies. 5. The founding of the Jewish temple at Leontopolis. 6. Its significance. 7. The occasion of the translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek. 8. The important apologetic Jewish writings. 9. The theme and date of the Wisdom of Solomon. 10. Its important teachings. 11. Its reflections of Greek and Jewish thought.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. Characteristics and value of the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 864-6; Swete, _Introd. to the Old Testament in Greek_; _En. Bib._, IV, 5016-22. 2. The history and contents of the Wisdom of Solomon. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 928-31; _En. Bib._, IV, 5336-49; Deane, _The Book of Wisdom_, 1-41; Gregg, _The Wisd. of Sol._

Section CXVI. The Decline of the Maccabean Kingdom. GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the character of Alexander Janneus. 2. His military policy.

3. His treatment of his subjects. 4. The extension of Jewish territory.

5. The effects of his rule. 6. Alexandra's policy. 7. The fatal mistakes of the Pharisees. 8. The suicidal quarrels between her sons, Hyrca.n.u.s and Aristobulus. 9. The intrigues of Antipater. 10. The appeal to Rome.

11. Pompey's intervention and capture of Jerusalem. 12. The causes of the fall of the Maccabean kingdom. 13. The political effects of the Maccabean struggle. 14. The impression which it made upon Israel's faith. 15. The new spirit that it inspired in the Jews.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. Rome's policy and campaigns in the East. Goodspeed, _Hist. of Anc. World_, 311-9; Seign.o.bos, _Hist. of Rom.

People_, 126-30. 2. Rome's earlier relation to the Jewish kingdom. 3. The character and career of Pompey. Goodspeed, _Hist. of Anc. World_, 343-9; Botsford, _Hist. of Rome_, 175-80, 183-9; Morey, _Outlines of Roman Hist._, ch. 20.

THE RULE OF ROME

Section CXVII. The Rise of the Herodian House. GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the repeated rebellions against Rome that were instigated and led by Aristobulus and his sons. 2. The reasons why the Jews rallied about their standard. 3. Antipater's character and policy. 4. Herod's career as governor of Galilee. 5. The Parthian conquest and the temporary restoration of the Maccabean rule. 6. The immediate effect upon Herod and his family. 7. Reasons why he was appointed king of the Jews by Antony and Octavian.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. The fortresses of Alexandrium and Macherus. Smith, _Hist. Geog. of the Holy Land_, 352-3, 569-71; Kent, _Bib. Geog. and Hist._, 229, 244-5; Schurer, _H.J.P._, I, i, 250-1.

2. The history of Rome from 60 to 40 B.C. Botsford, _Hist. of Rome_, 183-97; Fowler, _Julius Caesar_; Mahaffy, _Gk. World under Roman Sway_, ch. IV. 3. The Parthians. Hastings, _D.B._, III, 680-1.

Section CXVIII. Herod's Policy and Reign. GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the strength and weakness of Herod's character. 2. The ways in which he won the favor of Augustus. 3. His building activity within his kingdom. 4. Outside of Palestine. 5. His treatment of his subjects.

6. His record as husband and father. 7. The effects of his reign.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. Rome under Augustus. Botsford, _Hist.

of Rome_, 204-22; Bury, _Student's Rom. Emp._, chs. I-XIV; Capes, _Early Empire_, chs. I-III, XII-XIX. 2. Herod's Caesarea. Smith, _Hist. Geog. of the Holy Land_, 138-41; _En. Bib._, I, 617-8; Kent, _Bib. Geog. and Hist._, 233. 3. The various sides of Herod's character. Hastings, _D.B._, II, 356-7; _En. Bib._, II, 2025-9; Bevan, _Jer. under the High Priests_, 148-51.

Section CXIX. Herod's Temple. GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the motives that inspired Herod to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. 2. His preparations for the work. 3. The extension of the temple area. 4. The different gates leading to it. 5. The surrounding porches. 6. The temple proper. 7. The temple officials. 8. The temple service.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. The detailed plan and dimensions of Herod's temple. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 711-6; _En Bib._, IV, 4943-7; Warren, _The Temple and the Tomb_; Smith, _Jerusalem_, II, 499-520. 2. The administration of the temple finances. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 92-7; _En.

Bib._, IV, 4949-51; Smith, _Jerusalem_, I, 351-66. 3. The inscription forbidding foreigners to enter the inner courts. Hastings, _D.B._, IV, 713-4.

Section CXX. The Messianic Hopes and Religious Beliefs of Judaism.

GENERAL QUESTIONS: 1. Describe the influences that determined the growth of Israel's messianic hopes. 2. The different forms which these hopes a.s.sumed. 3. The kingly nationalistic type of messianic hope. 4. The characteristics and development of the apocalyptic, catastrophic type of hope. 5. The type proclaimed by the great ethical prophets. 6. The broadening and universalizing of Israel's messianic hopes. 7. The influence of the Maccabean struggle upon Israel's messianic beliefs.

8. The messianic expectations of the Jews at the beginning of the Christian era.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. The origin of Israel's messianic hopes. _St. O. T_., Ill, 39-48; Goodspeed, _Israel's Messianic Hope_; Oesterley, _Evolution of the Messianic Idea_. 2. The Sibylline Oracles.

Deane, _Pseudepigrapha_; Hastings, _D.B._, extra vol., 66-8. 3. The Psalms of Solomon. Ryle and James, _The Pss. of Sol._; Deane, _Pseudepigrapha_, 25-48.