Home | ScriptureStream

Classes - Benchley church of Christ

Focus on the First Century, Part 8

Ed Whitt

August 02, 2017

-- / --

Last lesson:
- Adventures of Aristobulus II
- Herodian Dynasty solidifies
- The last Hasmonean
- The reign of Herod the Great, Part 1
This lesson:
- More aspects of Herod’s rule
- The temple renovations by Herod
- How Jerusalem of Herod’s day appeared
Herod the opportunist
- Struggle between Marc Antony and Octavius
  - Sides with the loser
  - Might have lost his head
- Built a city to honor Augustus Caesar
  - Caesarea Maritima – port city where there was no port
  - Extensive construction of deep water port
  - City with temple to all the Roman gods
  - Became regional Roman capital
Political moves
- Made attempts to stay in the Jews’ favor
  - Married Mariamne (II)
    - Daughter of the son of a Zadokite priest
    - Appointed new father in law as high priest
  - Temporary reinstatement of Zadokite priesthood
  - Renovated the temple
- Heavy-handedness betrayed efforts
  - Secret police
  - Political executions
  - Personal conduct
  - Placation of the Hellenists and Romans
Slaughter of innocents
- Term used to denote killing of infants
  - Matthew 2:1-12
  - Herod had already shows to be paranoid of competition
  - Event not of political importance to Rome
- Possibly unnoticed by much of Judea
- Josephus either ignorant or disregarded
  - Pharisee
  - Wrote little outside palace and empire affairs
Herod dies shortly after birth of Jesus
- Matthew 2:13-15 (Hosea 11:1)
- In Jericho
- Extremely painful disease
  - Attempted suicide
  - Died a few days later
- Buried in Herodium
Some effects of Herod’s rule
- Imposed Roman rule
- Afforded exceptional infrastructure
- Embittered Jews against him
- Fomented revolt
Coming weeks
- Role of women in Jewish society
- Social strata of Jerusalem
- Religious sects
- Purification
- Laws of the Sabbath
Homework!
- Genesis 22:15-19
- Judges 13
- I Samuel 1:1-20
- Psalms 105:24
- Jeremiah 23:3
- Ezekiel 36:8-14

For further study, see also:

Questions or comments? Join our Discord server for further study.

Sermons - Benchley church of Christ

Sin’s Blinding Touch

Jesse Jenkins

July 30, 2017

-- / --

Introduction
- Romans 7:11
- II Corinthians 11:13
- Isaiah 59:1-2
- I Peter 5:8
Pride blinds and makes man revolt at God’s commands.
- Jeremiah 10:23
- Matthew 7:13-14
- Christians are special targets of Satan.
- II Kings 5:1-13 – Naaman the leper
- Proverbs 16:18; 18:12
- Psalms 37:25
- I Peter 5:5-6
Self-righteousness blinds from one’s own sinfulness.
- Luke 18:10-13
- Romans 2:1-2, 21; 3:9-18
- I Samuel 15:10-22
- Deuteronomy 18:20
- Psalms 19:13
Self-will blinds to the sin of prejudice.
- John 7:41-47
  - Matthew 12; Mark 3 – Even the Pharisees had to admit that Jesus was working miracles.
Doctrines of men blind from the service to Christ.
- Mark 7:7; Matthew 15:6
I John 1:7; Philippians 3:14
We can’t ever be lulled into thinking the devil will just leave us alone!
I Corinthians 5:8-9; James 1:7-8

For further study, see also:

Questions or comments? Join our Discord server for further study.

Sermons - Benchley church of Christ

Lies of Satan

Andrew Vanderford

July 30, 2017

-- / --

The first lie
- Genesis 3:1-7
- John 8:34; 14:6
- Romans 5:12
- I Corinthians 15:21-22
- II Corinthians 11:1-4
Deceptions offered to Christ
- Luke 4:1-13
- John 8:42-53
Children of lies
- I Corinthians 11:13-15
- Deuteronomy 13:1-5
- Matthew 24:23-24
- Galatians 1:6-9
- Salvation by faith alone?
  - Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5
  - Compare: Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27; I Peter 3:21
- Eternal security?
- I Timothy 4:1-5
- Law of celibacy
  - Compare I Corinthians 7
- Law of abstinence
  - Penance and fasting
Children of truth
- II John 1:1-11; Acts 20:25
- Luke 4:3-13; Psalms 119:104, 128

For further study, see also:

Questions or comments? Join our Discord server for further study.

Classes - Benchley church of Christ

Psalms, Part 2

Jesse Jenkins

July 30, 2017

-- / --

Psalms 8-13
Psalms 8:4-5 – Man is God’s greatest creation.
- Hebrews 2:6-9 – Quotes this passage and applies it to Jesus.
Psalm 13 – When the going gets tough, let us turn to God and pray!

For further study, see also:

creation

man

Psalms

Questions or comments? Join our Discord server for further study.

Classes - Benchley church of Christ

Focus on the First Century, Part 7

Ed Whitt

July 26, 2017

-- / --

Last lesson
- Aristobulus’ short rule
- Profane rule of Jannaeus
- Alexandra Salome’s accomplishments
- Rivalry of brothers
- Idumean intrigue
- First of the Herodians
This lesson
- Adventures of Aristobulus II
- Herodian Dynasty solidifies
- The last Hasmonean
- The reign of Herod the Great, Part 1
Antipater is governor
- Court Julius Caesar’s favor
- Appointed procurator of Judea
Judean semi-autonomy
Antipater appoints sons to power
- Phasael becomes governor of Jerusalem
- Herod appointed governor of Galilee
Aristobulus unchained
- Escapes Rome in 57 B.C.
- Another rebellion against Rome
Chased into Syria by Romans
- Trapped in Machaerus
- Prisoner of Rome – again
“Kindness” of Julius Caesar
Pompey’s intervention
Malice Malichus
- Taxed by Cassius
- Saved by Antipater
- Completes his mission anyway in 43 B.C.
Herod and brother are Tetrarchs
- Herod is over Galilee
- Phasael is over Judea
- War of 40 B.C.
War of 40 B.C.
- Antigonus revolts
  - Herod and Phasael defend Jerusalem
  - Antigonus allies with Parthia
  - Invades eastern portion of the region
  - Phasael and Hyranus taken prisoner
  - Phasael dies and Hyrcanus banished
    - Antigonus permanently removes Hyrcanus II from high priesthood by having his servants bite off his ears. (c.f. Leviticus 21:17-24)
  - Herod escapes to Rome
- Antigonus now king and high priest
Herod now hero in Rome
- Paraded by Caesar before the senate
- Given title
- Sent home with an army
Herod prevails against Antigonus
- Sends Antigonus to Marc Anthony
- Disposes of him
Herod solidifies position
- Marries granddaughter of John Hyrcanus II
- Appoints Aristobulus III as high priest in 36 B.C.
- Brings John Hyrcanus II home from exile
- Aristobulus retires a year later, age 18
- Hyrcanus “retires” at age 80 in 30 B.C.
End of the Hasmonean “problem”
- Herod still doesn’t feel secure
  - Mariamne I accused and tried
  - Her mother testifies against her
  - Mariamne found guilty, executed
  - Mother self-declares as queen, is executed
- Two more “problems”
  - Sons Alexander and Aristobulus accused
  - Turned over to Octavius for execution
No Hasmoneans are left alive
Herod in power many years
- Reigned 33 years (not in power all of them)
- Lived 70 years
Both praised and reviled
- Much elaborate infrastructure
  - Multiple palaces
  - Aqueducts, ports, roads, etc.
  - Major temple renovation
- Ruthless, even to own family
Coming weeks
- More of the Herodian Dynasty
- Role of women in Jewish society
- Social strata of Jerusalem
- Religious sects
- Purification
- Laws of the Sabbath