People
This Persian king issued a decree in 538 B.C. allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
Who is Cyrus the Great?
Rebuilding this was the goal of the first wave of the Return.
What is the Temple?
Judas Maccabeus formed this alliance with a foreign power instead of fully trusting in God.
What is an alliance with Rome?
These two books are the main historical and theological sources for the Maccabean Revolt
What are 1 & 2 Maccabees?
This dynasty, founded by Mattathias’s sons, ruled Judea with varying degrees of independence.
What is the Hasmonean Dynasty?
He led the first group of exiles back to Judah and began rebuilding the altar and Temple foundation.
Who is Zerubbabel?
This city’s walls were rebuilt in 52 days under Nehemiah, giving the returned exiles protection and renewed identity.
What is Jerusalem?
Alexander the Great spread Greek culture, language, and lifestyle across his empire through this process.
What is Hellenism or Hellenization?
This collection of wisdom sayings is also called "Ben Sira"
What is Sirach?
Also called the “pious ones,” this group fled to the hills with Mattathias and later gave rise to the Pharisees and Essenes
Who are the Hasidim?
This priest and scribe led the second major return, taught the Law to the people, and enforced the law against intermarrying with pagans.
Who is Ezra?
The Second Temple was built in this many years.
What is 20?
He killed a compromising Jew and the king’s officer, then fled to the hills with the Hasidim.
Who is Mattathias?
These seven books (Judith, Tobit, Baruch, Sirach, Wisdom, 1 & 2 Maccabees) are included in the Septuagint but were later disputed by Reformers
What are the Deuterocanonical books?
Jonathan, one of Mattathias’s sons, accepted this role from a Seleucid king, even though he was not from Aaron’s line.
What is high priest?
This cupbearer to King Artaxerxes prayed, received permission to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, and completed the project in just 52 days.
Who is Nehemiah?
This festival marked the rededication of the Temple, whose lamps remained lit for eight days.
What is Hannukah?
This elderly scribe chose to die rather than eat pork, refusing even to pretend for the sake of others.
Who is Eleazar?
This Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, produced in Alexandria by seventy scholars.
What is the Septuagint?
These two Jewish factions emerged from the split over Hellenization during the Hasmonean period.
Who are the Pharisees and Sadducees?
These people offered to help rebuild the Temple but were refused because of their idol worship.
Who are the Samaritans?
This festival was joyfully celebrated after the walls were completed and the Law was publicly read by Ezra.
What is the Feast of Booths / Tabernacles?
This Seleucid king desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and banning Jewish practices.
Who is Antiochus Epiphanes?
This archaeological discovery confirmed that the Deuterocanonical books were held as scripture by Jews.
What is the Dead Sea Scrolls?
This Roman general captured Jerusalem in 63 B.C., ending Jewish independence and beginning Roman rule in Judea
Who is Pompey?