Final Exam Page 14 Flashcards
What were the conditions of the Exile? How did the people of Judah fare? What problems did they face?
Conditions were much better in Babylon than the people of the northern Kingdom had faced under the Assyrians. They were allowed to maintain their own identity in their own community, such that they could worship their own God. The Judean king was even cared for by the Babylonian king. They fared pretty well. They had to work through some significant theological problems in order to understand why the Exile had happened and to understand just who God really was.
What was the Edict of Cyrus? What was the date?
Cyrus the Great (a Persian) conquered the Babylonians in 539 BCE and issued an edict in 538 BCE that all captive peoples could return to their homeland.
What were the names of the persons who led the four different groups of returning exiles back to Judah?
- Sheshbazzar
- Zerubbabel and Joshua
- Nehemiah
- Ezra
What was the nature of the post-exilic community as compared to the pre-exilic community in Judah? What hardships were experienced?
There were high ideals and harsh realities to be faced. The finery of the pre-exilic community was gone. It was a time of rebuilding “from the ground up”. They experienced the antagonisms of their local neighbors and the fading of high hopes in a time of economic hardship. Religious dedication reduced.
What does the term “Hagiographa” mean and why is it important?
The term literally means “holy writings.” It refers to the third division of the OT, the “writings” or “Hagiographa,” including books received as scripture following the Exile.
What is the significance and effect of the Persian Period upon the people and religion of Israel?
The Persians were lenient rulers and ruled from a distance. Politically, the people were under a local governor. Nehemiah had been a cupbearer to the Persian king, such that he was able to gain persian economic aid for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Theologically, exposure to Persian religion resulted in changes to the people’s religion, such as belief in dual forces of good and evil, angels and demons, and changes in belief about the afterlife.
Discuss the nature, content, and perspectives of the Chronicler and his history. How does this vary from the so-called Deuteronomic History in terms of the basic outlook or perspectives? For example, how are David and Solomon treated in each? What are some reasons why it is different from the presentation of the Deuteronomic History?
The Chronicler’s history consists of 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The Chronicler’s history offers a highly theological and idealized portrayal of Israel’s history from a post-exilic perspective. The writers make use of 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings as sources, often quoting verbatim. David and Solomon are idealized by the editor. He emphasizes their positive rule and overlooks or downplays negative aspects of their rules. David, in particular, was the great king who was the founder of the Temple and its ritual. It is different from that of the Deuteronomic history because it comes from a different period of time and theological perspective.
