Journey Through the Bible: A Visual Overview

Session 3

OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE CLASS

THE DRAMA OF SCRIPTURE

Act 1: God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation

Act 2: Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall

Act 3: The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated

Scene 1: A People for the King

Scene 2: A Land for His People

Interlude: A Kingdom Story Waiting For An Ending

Act 4: The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished

Act 5: Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church

Scene 1: From Jerusalem to Rome

Scene 2: And into All the World

Act 6: The Return of the King: Redemption Completed

INTERLUDE: A KINGDOM STORY WAITING FOR AN

ENDING

(THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD)

THE DIASPORA

The Old Testament ends with Israel under Persian rule.

The New Testament begins with Israel under Roman rule.

Only a minority of Jews came back from Babylon. Synagogues set

up in Diaspora.

ISRAEL’S FAITH

Five fundamental beliefs shaped Israel in this time:

Monotheism

Election

Torah

Land and Temple

Messiah

FROM PERSIA TO ROME

The Israelites were overjoyed when they were given permission by

the Persians to return home, but frustration soon set in. Not

everyone returned. The temple was nothing compared to its

former glory. They lived under pagan rulers.

Belief grew that God had not yet finished judging His people for

their disobedience to the Torah. Many believed if they practiced

strict obedience, it would bring about a renewal of Israel.

In 331 BC, Alexander the Great conquered the Persians and the

area of Palestine fell to the Greeks. Alexander wanted Greek

culture everywhere. In this time the Greek Old Testament (the

Septuagint) was written.

Alexander died in 323 at the age of 33 with no heir. A struggle

ensued among his generals for his empire and two dynasties

emerged – the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria. Israel

was caught in the middle and ruled by both.

One of the Seleucid kings Anitochius IV Epiphanes wanted to

spread Greek culture and so end the many civil wars within the

empire. In doing this, he plundered the temple in Jerusalem and

even set up an altar in it to Zeus. He then sacrificed a pig in the

temple, the most unclean animal in Jewish law. Many saw this as

the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ from Daniel 11:31. Some

Jews believed they must carry out God’s judgment on the pagans.

A group called the Maccabeans arose that attempted to do just

that. The day after the temple desecration, Judah Maccabee rode

into Jerusalem with shouts of ‘hosanna’ while people waved palm

branches. He cleansed the temple and rededicated it to God.

Hanukkah marks this deliverance.

A group of rulers followed the Maccabeans called the Hasmonians.

They were not committed to God’s rule and law like the

Maccabeans, but instead wanted to maintain power.

In 63 BC, Pompey the Great marched into Jerusalem and took it

for Rome. Rome chose to rule indirectly, appointing kings (the

Hasmoneans, Herod the Great being among them) and Roman

prefects (Pontius Pilate being among them) and even appointed

the High Priest.

Many saw Rome as the fourth and worst beast of Daniel’s vision

(Daniel 7:7). Rome’s oppression made them hate gentiles even

more. More and more people longed for God to free them. During

this time 10-12 messianic or quasi-messianic figures arose.

Israel’s hope for deliverance was in a Messiah (or ‘anointed one’).

Some saw this as an anointed king from David’s line who would

usher in a renewed kingdom. Others saw him as a priest who

would purify Israel’s worship. Virtually no one of the day

considered a suffering Messiah.

VARIOUS EXPRESSION OF ISRAEL’S HOPE

THE PHARISEES

Believed a revolutionary change in the nation was needed, away

from pagan practices. Believed in radical obedience to the Torah.

THE ESSENES

Like the Pharisees, but more radical. They did not believe you

could work within the system, so they chose the path of

withdrawal. They believed they alone were true Israel, that God

would come back in his own time and send a priestly kingly

messiah to lead the war against the gentiles and compromising

Jews.

THE SADDUCEES AND PRIESTS

This group was propped up by the Romans and so had no desire to

change. They were the recognized representatives of mainline

Jewish religion.

THE ZEALOTS

They took their inspiration from the Mattathias, the initiator of the

Maccabean revolt. They were loyal to the Torah, resisted pagan

culture and embraced violence to achieve their ends. Many

‘messiahs’ would come from this group and would be crushed and

crucified by Rome.

THE COMMON PEOPLE

Most Jews didn’t belong to any of the groups above but were

awaiting a messiah.

ACT 4: THE COMING OF THE KING

(REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED)

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the climatic episode in

the story of God.

IN HIS LIFE JESUS MAKES KNOWN THE

KINGDOM OF GOD

HIS EARLY YEARS

The birth announcement to outcast shepherds reveals Jesus has

come to bring a worldwide and everlasting kingdom.

The birth announcement in Luke draws from Micah – the ruler

who would liberate his people from the oppression of a foreign

empire and bring peace was here.

Jesus’ ministry starts with baptism. Jesus is baptized, not because

he needs cleansing from sin, but to identify with the nation. He

will take on the nation’s mission to be a light to the nations. In his

baptism, Jesus receives the Father’s affirmation and the Spirit’s

power.

After this, the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to encounter

Satan, who tries to tempt Jesus to divert from his mission and

become a popular messiah. Jesus does not fall.

GALILEE

Jesus announces the good news that the kingdom of God has

arrived. This good news is gospel in Greek the same word used

around 9 BC in a letter publishing the good news for the birth of

Caesar Augustus, the “son of God.” Caesar’s rule would usher in a

new era of world order and peace. But the real King has now come.

Jesus reveals the Kingdom through mighty works.

His healings show God’s power over pain.

His natural miracles show his power over the creation.

His resurrections show his power over death. 

These are like windows into the renewed cosmos.

Opposition arises to Jesus when he does not take on the common

form of Judaism of his day – intense separation and hatred from

Gentiles. Conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders center

around four conflicts:

1. Jesus’ claims of authority to forgive sins/act as God

2. Jesus’ association with the “wrong” people

3. Jesus’ disciples not fasting

4. Jesus’ challenge of their view of the Sabbath

Jesus says he is sent to the “lost sheep of Israel.” When he says this,

he is referring to the end-time gathering of the people of Israel.

The Prophets spoke of Israel first being renewed and then the

gentile nations being gathered in to share in its salvation.

Jesus choses 12 Apostles (meaning “one who is sent”). 12

symbolically represents the 12 Tribe of Israel and the beginning of

a renewed nation.

Jesus spends much time teaching the community that follows him.

He essentially challenges Israel to 

be

 Israel. This is clear when he

calls his followers to be the light of the world  in Matthew 5.

Jesus also explained the Kingdom of God with parables. One of the

reasons for this is that he was a much different messiah than they

expected. His parables teach four important truths about the

kingdom:

1. The kingdom does not all come at once.

2. In the present, the kingdom does not come with irresistible power.

3. The final judgment for the kingdom is reserved for the future.

4. The full revelation of the kingdom is postponed, to allow many to enter it

during the present age.

And Jesus invites participation in his kingdom mission. He sends

out the 12 to the tribes of Israel. Then he sends out the 72

representing the Gentile nations. Rabbinic thought of the day

believed the table of nations in Genesis 10 taught the world was

comprised of seventy two nations.

OUTSIDE OF GALILEE

After around two years, Jesus concentrates his ministry outside of

Galilee, both because of misunderstanding around his mission and

growing hostility toward him. He dedicates more of his time

toward teaching his disciples.

Peter soon confesses Jesus to be the Christ, which comes from the

Hebrew, Messiah. This means anointed one. In the Old Testament,

many were anointed to perform a special task, such as that of a

priest (Aaron), king (David) or prophet (Elisha). Many in the

intertestamental period looked forward to an anointed one who

would usher in God’s reign.

Jesus accepts Peter’s confession, but tells them not to tell anyone.

They do not yet understand what kind of Messiah Jesus really is.

The have to understand the cross. Jesus then begins the journey to

Jerusalem, with two main themes:

1. The need to suffer

2. The cost of being a disciple

JERUSALEM

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah 9. The

King has come to claim his throne, but not in the way Judah

Maccabee did 150 years before.

In his last week, Jesus spends much time in heated arguments with

the Jewish leaders. On Thursday night, Jesus gathers with his

disciples to celebrate the Passover meal. But in this meal, Jesus

reinterprets the bread and the cup to mean him. His death will

bring a greater Exodus for the people of Israel – freedom from the

bondage of sin.

Judas betrays Jesus and leads a group of soldiers to him while he is

praying in Gethsemane. Jesus then goes through a middle of the

night trial before Annas (the former High Priest), Caiaphas (the

current high priest) and a group of Jewish leaders. Jesus finally

answers in the affirmative that he is the Messiah and is charged

with blasphemy.

The next day, the ruling Jewish council, the Sanhedrin, convenes

and the charge is confirmed. However, the Jews do not have the

right to kill under Roman rule, so they send him to Pilate, the

Roman governor. Pilate originally finds no grounds for crucifixion

and sends him to the Jewish King Herod. He is sent back and the

crowd grows in animosity toward Jesus, and Pilate sentences him

to be crucified.

IN HIS DEATH JESUS SECURES THE VICTORY OF

GOD’S KINGDOM

Jesus is crucified under a sign that says, “This is Jesus, the King of

the Jews.” To a Roman, this statement was treason. To a Jew, it was

blasphemy. From the perspective of the resurrection, it is truth!

After three hours on the cross, Jesus cries out at noon, “My God,

my God, why have you forsaken me?” Then, Jesus cries “It is

Finished” and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

At this moment the thick veil separating the holy of holies from

the outer chambers is ripped from top to bottom. The death of

Jesus has opened the way to God’s presence.

The New Testament is unique in all ancient literature in that it

speaks of crucifixion in a positive way. The most degrading,

humiliating, painful death was used by God to secure the

redemption of the cosmos.

The New Testament authors use three main images to interpret the

cross:

1. Victory 

– the crucifixion is the token of the great spiritual battle

between God and Satan. Jesus wins the battle and frees those held

bound by Satan.

2. Substitutionary Sacrifice 

– an unblemished animal was slain in

place of a guilty sinner. Jesus is the true and greater sacrifice.

3. Representative Man 

– one who acts on behalf of an entire

nation. Jesus defeats sin, death and Satan and the victory is given

to his people.

IN HIS RESURRECTION JESUS INAUGURATES THE

KINGDOM OF GOD

On Sunday, some women who had been followers of Jesus go to his

tomb to anoint his body. The heavy stone covering the tomb had

been rolled away and angels tell the women that Jesus is alive. The

women return to the city and tell the disciples. Peter and John go to

the tomb and see it is empty.

They are confused – for a Jew the idea of one person being

resurrected in the middle of the age didn’t make any sense.

The New Testament authors use three main images regarding the

resurrection:

1. Firstborn 

– His siblings (believers) will follow their older

brother to new life

2. Firstfruits 

– the first part of the agricultural harvest to be

brought in as a guarantee of what is to come.

3. Pioneer 

– the one who goes ahead into new territory to lead the

way and mark the trail

THE SENDING OF THE SPIRIT

After his resurrection, Jesus commissions his disciples to make

disciples.

He instructs them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit has

come upon them.