Page 156 - Advanced Biblical Backgrounds Revised

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 they 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
commemorated the carrying of 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 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
in the author's 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

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