Page 133 - Biblical Backgrounds student textbook

Roman and Jewish wars during the epistles:

Some of the regions ruled by Rome had come under their power willingly and were reasonably happy to
function under the empire’s rule. This was not the case with Judea. Rome and the people of Judea never
really got along well at any point. The Jews resented Roman rule and longed for the day when Messiah
would remove it and set up the promised kingdom. This is a general statement as some were
comfortable working with the Romans. They were collaborators and traitors but enjoyed the financial
benefits of their work. Tax collectors are a great example. Others, such as Herod the Great were in
power specifically because of the Roman rule and therefore were not as opposed as the more religiously
devoted Jews were.

These sentiments of oppression and divine disfavor from Yahweh led many to revolt against Roman rule
in the Jewish and Roman wars from 66AD to approximately 135AD. The first war took place in 66AD-
73AD. The second from 115AD-117AD. The third was the Bar Kokhba rebellion from 132AD-136AD. The
war this course is most concerned with is the first one. The war was sparked when the Jewish rebels
killed 6,000 Roman soldiers. The Romans would destroy Jerusalem and the temple as a result. This war
takes place after the other epistles have been written. It likely takes place before Hebrews was written.
This is because the temple destruction of 70AD and the sacking of Jerusalem are not mentioned in the
letter. What is mentioned is that the Jews are pressuring the Christians to come back to Jerusalem. The
author is emphatic that the Christians should come out from among them and seek the city that is to
come, the New Jerusalem (Hebrews 10:10, 10:16, 12:22, and 13:14). The Christians are told if they go
back, they will perish, die with the Jews, and not see the New Jerusalem as they will be dead. The author
calls to mind the Jews who did not enter the promised land because they died in the wilderness.
Whoever wrote Hebrews, the author is clearly steeped in Jewish thought and argumentation. The
Christians, in large part, did come out from among them. The Jews have never forgiven the Christians for
abandoning them to Rome at that time. This background matters because many today take the warning
passages as warnings that Christians will lose their salvation if the go back to Jerusalem and Judaism.
That was not what the letter was pointing out to the
original recipients. Knowing the background allows you to
understand what the warnings were meant to convey at
that time. They were a practical warning that if you go
back to the Jews and Jewishness you will perish with
them. In 70AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the
temple. The destruction of the temple was a source of
great sorrow to the Jewish people. The Romans naturally
celebrated their victory. The Arch of Titus was built in
Rom around 81 AD and commemorates the carrying off
the temple treasures. The menorah can clearly be seen.

The dates of the first war are correct at 66 AD - 73 AD.
That means that the that war took place prior to the
writing of Revelation around 90AD. One can see how some would see the chasing of the Jews into the
wilderness would be a potential backdrop to the imagery of Revelation. The need for Messiah’s rescue
would also be clear as well. It may well have been inn the authors mind. However, that does not render
the timeline of Revelation or the reality of the prophesied events as imagery as well. Multiple problems
arise for the view that it does. These problems include the lack of a seven-year peace treaty, the lack of
a re-established temple in the kingdom to worship at, the lack of the second coming of Christ prior to
the kingdom as was prophesied, and the lack of Jesus reigning on the throne in physical Jerusalem. So

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