The Bible and Beyond: A Connection to Related Media

By Judith Marie Judy

This easy-to-read biblical reference highlights times before, during, and after God’s revelations became written words. Key topics include ancient civilizations, Hebrew Bible, Jewish revolts against Rome, Roman world of Jesus, New Testament, and related interests beyond the Bible. The book concludes with a brief review of current countries linked to the Holy Land. Glossaries, timelines, maps, and an index assist the reader. The author’s intent is to unravel the somewhat bewildering and overwhelming information of the Bible.

“The Bible and Beyond: A Connection to Related Media is a guide for understanding the Bible that simply cannot get enough praise. Author Judith Marie Judy is not a preacher or ideologist of a specific way to interpret the Bible. [The book] is an excellent reference that isn’t aimed at scholars but at everyone who wants a deeper connection and understanding of the Bible.”

— The Moving Words LLC, Santa Maria, CA 93455
http://themovingwords.com/category/the-moving-words-review

“Judith Marie Judy presents a sourcebook of the history, geography, and politics that surrounded and influenced Judaism and Christianity through their development over three millennia. . . . Judy’s breezy, conversation style carries readers effortlessly through the book. . . . Her personal reflections opening each chapter help give flesh to all the history and theology she’s researched, providing a tenderness that runs through this book that makes it different from other resource books. . . . Judy’s book has much heart.”

— BlueInk Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664201866

Judith Marie Judy

Thoughts of God have been with me since a very young age. As a child, I remember feeling comforted while sitting beside my father during church services. My life progressed and at the age of thirty-five, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Metropolitan State College in Denver and became a reading teacher. Written words have long been my guide to other times and places. Studies at the University of Colorado led to advanced degrees. Following retirement from Denver Public Schools, I taught at Denver Community College and the University of New Mexico in Taos. Over the years, I developed and taught courses focusing on Southwest Culture for Adams State College, which took me to Taos in the summers. Then, while living there, I self-published an eleven generational biographical account of a local family: Life on Torrez Road A Northern New Mexico Family History. Later, I compiled and printed Family Recipes Mirrored in History for my family. Volunteer work included helping a beginning library and years as a church treasurer. Finally, I dedicated my time to write about the Word of God. With gratitude, I acknowledge the Divine Source and the power and love which has sustained me—always. Judith Marie Judy

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Copyright © 2020 Judith Marie Judy.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system

without the written permission of the author except in the case of

brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author

and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of

the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of

people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Judith Marie Judy

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible,

copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United

States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0187-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0188-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0186-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020914934

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/25/2022

Also by Judith Marie Judy under J. Marie Judy

Life on Torrez Road A Northern New Mexico Family History

This book is dedicated to all who seek.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

PART ONE THE BIBLE

SECTION ONE HEBREWS—ISRAELITES

Chapter 1 Background (Hebrews—Israelites)

Reflections Faraway Places

Ancient Civilizations

Mesopotamia, Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, Elam, Media, Levant, Canaan, Hittites, Philistines, Phoenicia, Arameans, Amorites, Egypt, Jordan

Language Development

Source—Hebrew Bible

Torah (Law), Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomic, Priestly, Redactor, Nevi’im (Prophets), Kethuvim (Writings)

Chapter 2 The Hebrew Bible

Reflections Bible

Hebrew Bible—A Review

Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), Kethuvim (Writings)

Books of the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament

Early Hebrew Lineage

SECTION TWO SPANNING OLD AND NEW

Chapter 3 Background (Spanning Old and New)

Reflections Four Hundred Years

Condensed Timeline

Lands and People

Samaritans, Galilee, Persia, Zoroastrianism, Parthians, Greece, Hellenistic Culture, Hellenistic Philosophers, Rome, Jews in Diaspora

Related Writings

Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, Flavius Josephus (37-100 CE)—Jewish Historian, Mishnah and Talmud, Kabbalah—Ancient Jewish Mysticism

Chapter 4 Judaism

Reflections Moving Forward

Need for Change

Priests, Synagogues and Rabbis, Sabbath, Sanhedrin, Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, Essenes and Dead Sea Scrolls, Maccabees and Hasmoneans, Zealots

Chapter 5 Roman Rule

Reflections Long Lasting Influence

Judea Under Rome

Heirs to Herod’s Kingdom

Jewish Revolts Against Rome

SECTION THREE CHRISTIANS

Chapter 6 Background (Christians)

Reflections Cherished Years

Terms Linking Faiths

Roman World of Jesus

People of the New Faith

Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus’ Disciples, The Marys, Paul (Saul)

Chapter 7 A Church Survives

Reflections Controversy

Related Vocabulary

Early Centuries CE

First Century, Second Century, Third Century, Fourth Century, Looking Forward

Rejected Beliefs

Jewish Christians, Gnosticism Nag Hammadi Discovery, Valentinians, Sethians, Carpocratians and the Secret Gospel of Mark, Mary Magdala The Gospel, Judas The Gospel

Chapter 8 The New Testament

Reflections New Testament Revisited

Source—New Testament

Gospels, Letters/Epistles, Documents

New Testament—A Review

Books of the New Testament

PART TWO BEYOND THE BIBLE

SECTION FOUR MOVING ONWARD

Chapter 9 Biblical Translations

Reflections Bibles for All

Words Become a Bible

Jewish Translations

Christian Translations

Chapter 10 Expanded Christianity

Reflections Discord

Continued Heresy

Manichaens, Massalians, Paulicians, Bogomils, Cathars

Crossroads

East—West Schism, Crusades, Knights Templars, Inquisition, Martin Luther, Protestant Reformation, Reform in England, Council of Trent

Chapter 11 Biblical Lands Past-Present

Reflections Changes

The Promised Land

Israel/Palestine, Galilee

Regional Ties

Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran

In Conclusion

End Notes

Maps of Biblical Lands

Times of Interest—Ancient to Modern

Glossary

Works Cited

Acknowledgements

About the Author

A Final Word

PREFACE

An author, writing before I was born, began his book with a proclamation indicating that there exists, from the beginning of time, a universal instinct leading toward a consciousness of a Divine Source. Every race or tribe, in some way, has worshiped and honored this Source—God—as named by some. The author went on to suggest that if there were no God, there would be no searching for God. That was the first time I saw in print that believing and searching for God gave evidence that God IS. Then, early in the twenty-first century from a book by Bruce Feiler, I saw the following quote, There is a common psyche in the world in which humans lunge for the Divine. That is God’s imprint left on us, which all religious people feel. In part, the revelation of holding that same undeniable belief, as presented by the two authors, spurred me on to write this book.

For a decade, I enjoyed readings of a biblical nature but still lacked a concise reference for connecting times and events of those long-ago years. Plus, questions arose regarding vocabulary and terms. Once again, I found myself putting down a book because the wording left me wondering and the ancient time frame, with changes in territorial names, puzzled me. I realized a compilation of my notes into one easy to use resource was long overdue. What an undertaking!

Covering the long years of biblical times, some repetition seems necessary as details often overlap into other chapters. A Glossary covers the entire book plus related terms. Timelines present dates in a precise format and Maps provide a look at the physical placement of a few countries represented. Also, an Index helps in locating specific subjects. As a self-taught biblical student, I found these kinds of additions helpful.

My intent to withhold personal beliefs and opinions from the major text of this book has not been a total success. It seems basic life principles become a part of any endeavor. I include some personal thoughts in the form of Reflections at the beginning of each chapter and elsewhere in the book; they are in italicized print. Too, I think by inserting my memories, others will be inclined to recall their feelings regarding the various topics. Becoming personally involved deepens the meaning of everything we do.

More and more, it seems, I’m asked about the difference between religious and spiritual. I reply: Spiritual is the awareness of God within. It is a personal relationship with God. A knowingness that through every aspect of life, guidance and comfort are God’s gift to humankind forever and forever. Some define God as Divine Source or Light or Force or Spirit. It is the thought that matters. Religious is the intellectual knowledge and following the exact teachings of a specific church, often called doctrine. Religious people can also be spiritual just as spiritual people can be religious.

This book is not an academic text nor is it an attempt to prove or persuade others of any religious or spiritual matters. It is a gift from my heart to those curious readers wanting a connection from biblical times to related media through the twenty-first century. My hope is that others will find this resource useful in unraveling the somewhat bewildering and overwhelming information of the Bible and ongoing interests.

INTRODUCTION

The Hebrew Bible covers God’s relationship to humankind before the birth of Jesus. The New Testament tells of Jesus and the ensuing Christian religion. Christians combined their Scriptures with the Hebrew Bible into one book called the Bible, giving the name Old Testament to the Hebrew Bible and New Testament to their own Scriptures. In the process, Christians changed the placement of some books as shown in the Hebrew Bible. At times, the term Christian Bible is used to cover the combined Christian Old and New Testament. The Bible covers thousands and thousands of years. The following information is included to assist readers in approaching this book: The Bible and Beyond. . ..

The inspirational offering of the Bible and the desire for a history of humankinds’ connection with God continue to be compelling forces for millions around the world. Biblical material dating back to Antiquity is daunting to many wanting to relate those older times with today’s expanse of knowledge. Measurement of time, complexity of words, and the source of data, need to be considered in reading biblical material. Examples of these perplexing issues follow.

Measurement of time, a hurdle in unraveling biblical events, has changed from then to now. Most individuals in the World today focus on the exactness of time, unlike times of Antiquity. In looking at the counting of years, a number of variations have been observed over the years. In this book, dates from the Christian calendar are used followed by the designation of BCE (before current era), and CE (current era), nonreligious terms recognized in the twentieth century. The Jewish calendar, established in approximately 359 CE, is used for religious purposes by Jews all over the World and is Israel’s official calendar. That calendar counts years since the creation, shown as 3760 BCE. The Christian calendar, a version of the Julian calendar, is used in the United States and most countries in the World. The Julian calendar originated in pre-Christian Rome.

Other ways of noting segments of time, as shown below, are helpful.

Bronze Age 3600-1200 BCE

Iron Age 1200-586 BCE

Babylonian Period 586-539 BCE

Persian Period 539-333 BCE

Hellenistic Period 333-63 BCE

Roman Period 63 BCE-330 CE

Time Based on the Christian Calendar (current era)

Antiquity or Ancient Times before the Middle Ages

Middle Ages (Medieval Period) 500-1500

Renaissance (revival of Classical art, literature, learning)

14th into the 17th century

Modern Period (recent times) 17th century-present

Marking of Centuries

The Hebrew Bible begins with their creation story which Bishop Ussher (1581-1656 CE) calculated at 4004 BCE. This date, different from the Jewish calendar, is questioned by some. Ussher’s date is based on the generally accepted date of 1280 BCE for the Hebrews’ Exodus from Egypt. Moving backward and incorporating additional biblical information, other dates were determined. Even now, dates given to Ancient Times are uncertain.

Complexity of words is another source of confusion found in books about the Bible. Often, Bible is referred to as Scripture. Words that have been determined to be the very word of God are considered Scripture. Scriptures are Sacred and Divine; they come from God. At times, Scriptures are mentioned as a covenant, a binding agreement with God. Testament is used much the same way as covenant.

The term canon, translated from the Greek word reed, meaning a straight stick used for measuring, indicates writings meeting the standard required for inclusion in the Bible. Canon, in a biblical sense, first used in 367 CE, applied to the Christian writings which became the New Testament. Even though the Hebrew Bible was in place prior to the New Testament, canon was extended to the three parts of the Hebrew Bible: Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. Another word used for the Hebrew Bible is Tanakh, an acronym from the first letter of each part, separated by the vowel a, and ending with the final letter of Torah,

In the multitude of biblical books, words referring to land territories and the Jewish people can be confusing. Presently, many books and maps refer to ancient Holy Land as Palestine. That land before given the name Holy, was Levant, then Canaan, followed by Israel, Israel/Judah, Judah, and then Judea. Romans, bringing an end to the final Jewish uprising in 135 CE, renamed the country Syria Palestina. After more changes and World War I, the land became Palestine. Now it is Israel with Palestinian territories embedded within. In much the same manner, the name of the wandering tribe first known as Hebrews changed to Israelites after their Exodus from Egypt (1280 BCE) and then became Jews after the Babylonian exile (539 BCE).

Not only has there been a change in names of people and lands, titles of Bibles differ. A Jewish Bible translated in 1917 CE bears the name The Holy Scriptures; today, Jews prefer the name Bible. These are but a few of the differences in word usage found in literature of a biblical nature. Traditional historical names of territories and people are shown in this book.

Source of data is yet another question frequently asked regarding the Bible. In that long-ago time, history was recorded in a number of ways, still valid today. The compilation of the Bible reflects the importance of orally passing knowledge down through generations. Often times this form of record keeping is called folklore, which some believe to be unreliable. However, a story validating the importance of folklore was seen after the devastation of the Sri Lanka Tsunami of 2004 CE. From one of the outlying islands came the news of everyone fleeing to higher ground. They survived! Then, the often-repeated chant, learned through the years, surfaced: sea goes out, run high. No one remembered when it started, but, the old saying passed from generation to generation saved the island’s population. While buildings were swept away—all humans escaped the tidal wave. Folklore, found in Scripture, is a dynamic form of history.

History is also seen in stones and altars as mentioned in Genesis, Exodus, and other books of the Hebrew Bible. Archeologists found altars dating back to about 2000 BCE. Altars were used to honor God in offering sacrifices plus marking other sacred and spiritual places. Altars ranged from piles of stones to finely built structures. With progression of humankind, written accounts evolved.

According to archeological findings, the earliest forms of writing, in Egypt and Mesopotamia, surfaced before 3300 BCE. Later, starting with small symbols baked into clay tablets came pictures connected as sentences that progressed into alphabets. Eventually, written accounts produced the Bible.

Apart from the Bible, scientists say the universe is at least fifteen billion years old. Through the years, news articles report various places and times where human life began. Archeology, starting in the mid-nineteenth century CE, is a crucial element in studying Jewish history. Some findings date early villages and city-states in the lands of present-day Israel and its surroundings to about 10,000 BCE. The earliest Canaan settlements date back to 9000 BCE. By 3000 BCE, Phoenicians settled along the Syrian coast; five hundred years later, Hebrew tribes moved into Canaan. By 1550 BCE, Philistines appeared along the same area; their territory was known as Philistia. Those Sea People were in conflict with the Israelites and Judeans.

Moving into Modern Times, discoveries have uncovered related biblical works hidden more than a thousand years ago; others have appeared from the black market. Writings not accepted as Scripture, along with views of historians from that early period, present a different tone of those times. Likewise, reviewing philosophical thought from the ages enlarges the scope of history by offering insight and meaning to Ancient Times. Writings from the past, as with other cultural practices, continue to affect the present.

In most aspects of life, changes continue. Modern Times bring additional ways of clarifying the past. Some find the new refreshing; others find it disturbing. Regardless, the Bible continues as a strong influence in life. Daily, biblical references occur in media of the 21st century CE. Building a connection from the old to the new widens the perspective. The Bible and Beyond. . . is a pathway to that goal.

PART ONE

THE BIBLE

SECTION ONE

HEBREWS—ISRAELITES

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CHAPTER 1

Background (Hebrews—

Israelites)

Reflections Faraway Places

Ancient Civilizations

Mesopotamia, Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, Elam, Media, Levant, Canaan, Hittites, Philistines, Phoenicia, Arameans, Amorites, Egypt, Jordan

Language Development

Source—Hebrew Bible

Torah (Law), Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomic, Priestly, Redactor, Nevi’im (Prophets), Kethuvim (Writings)

Reflections Faraway Places

I wonder how many, like me, never gave places like Mesopotamia any thought at all. In fifth grade or so, our teacher pointed out the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt. That roll down map connected to the blackboard held vast places that intrigued me even at that age. In a seventh-grade social studies class, given a book about faraway lands, I was thrilled to be able to learn about other people and where they lived. Always an avid reader, my knowledge gleamed from books was an adventurous journey—my world became larger.

So, in looking at biblical accounts, I wanted to know about those lands and unravel the string of names that seemed to be ever changing. For me, it is FUN! The progression of people and lands led to an interest in their languages and how spoken words found themselves on leaves in a book. In learning, one thing leads to another.

From the Tower of Babel, sprang many wonders and conflicts. Even now, in the twenty-first century, words of turmoil blow across the world faster than one can compartmentalize them into a frame of understanding. Will people ever come together in harmony?

Ancient Civilizations

Reviewing some of the ancient people and places mentioned in the Bible helps connect them with each other and the approximate dates given to their importance. Dates in this section strictly adhere to the resources as cited, which are in close proximity with those shown elsewhere in this book.

Many people and places of the Bible began in the Fertile Crescent, a large semicircle of inhabited and cultivated land. This small area bordering the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, reached from the Nile Valley through present day Israel and Lebanon, then across the border of Syria and Turkey. The crescent continued down through the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers before they joined and emptied into the Persian Gulf. Archaeologists and historians use the term Ancient Near East, often abbreviated as Near East, for the ancient nations, people, and languages of the Fertile Crescent.

Key names associated with the Fertile Crescent are: Levant and Mesopotamia. The Greek word Mesopotamia means land between the two rivers. Levant is defined as a strong easterly Mediterranean wind. As history moved on, new names replaced old ones. Knowledge of those times has greatly increased with information collected through major excavations of the early twentieth century, CE. Inscriptions of wedge-shaped forms on clay tablets reveal records of advanced civilizations and provide insight into the beginning of written languages. History overlaps time and space; a brief account of some key names provides a means for integration.

Mesopotamia

The land of Mesopotamia curved across present day Syria and southern Turkey, then continued between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The country of Iraq now covers a large portion of ancient Mesopotamia, while Iran shares the eastern border. Names associated with Mesopotamia are: Sumer (Ur), Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, Elam, and Media.

Sumer

Biblical Shinar, Sumer, in the southern division of Babylonia, is now the southern part of Iraq. Evidence points to the Tower of Babel being built in Shinar. Archaeologists believe the people of Sumer were the first advanced civilization (3300-2600 BCE). Sumerians developed the earliest from of writing using cuneiform script. Sumer fell to the Akkadians before 2334 BCE. Sumer experienced a revival, at Ur, about 2050 BCE, but fell as Elamites grew in power. The Babylonian ruler, around 1720 BCE, expanded his empire to include Sumer in the south and Akkad in the north.

Ur, thought the home of Abraham, on the Euphrates River north of the Persian Gulf, was the capital of Sumer for 200 years until captured by the Elamites. Excavated findings tell of Ur’s advance culture, dating back to 2900-2500 BCE. Around 1900 BCE, foreigners from surrounding hills attacked and destroyed the city of Ur.

Akkad

Akkad, to the north of Sumer, invaded major city-states of Sumer, including Ur. Records from the clay tablets show that from 2334-2279 BCE, the Akkadians joined the city-states into one politic unit. The Akkadian Empire (2280-2150 BCE) covered today’s southern Turkey, Lebanon, and east to the Persian Gulf. Through this