Expert: Brenda Martin - 7/14/2003

Question
I'm looking for the essential and distinguishing characteristics that may set these characters apart from others and eachother;
Herod
John the Baptist
Judas Maccabeas
Paul
Peter
Pontius Pilate
What was the importance of these dates according to the Bible and events of the Biblical times?
587 b.c.e
323 b.c.e
168 b.c.e.
63 b.c.e.
4 b.c.e.
29-33 b.c.e.
70 b.c.e.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your time!

Answer
HI Katie, nice to hear from you again, you asked about--

HEROD

There are 6 Herod's in the bible, so I will give you the information regarding Herod at the time of John the Baptist okay—

Herod the Great, the second son of Anteater (Antipasto) II by his wife Cypros History bears out the truth of the Bible's brief glimpse of this man's character as unscrupulous, crafty, suspicious, immoral, cruel, and murderous. An astute politician, Herod believed that his best interests lay in supporting Rome. The Bible account of Herod's slaughter of all the boys two years of age and under in Bethlehem and its districts is in harmony with the other historical accounts of Herod and his wicked disposition. This occurred not long before Herod's death in 2 or perhaps 1 B.C.E.

JOHN THE BAPTIST

Son of Zechariah and Elizabeth; the forerunner of Jesus. Both of John's parents were of the priestly house of Aaron. Zechariah was a priest of the division of Abijah.—Lu 1:5, 6. Herodias carried out her grudge against John. During Herod's birthday celebration the daughter of Herodias delighted Herod with her dancing, upon which Herod swore to her that he would give her whatever she asked. Influenced by her mother, she asked for the head of John. Herod, out of regard for his oath and for those present, granted her request. John was beheaded in prison and his head was delivered on a platter to the girl, who brought it to her mother.

JUDAS MACCABEAS

According to the uninspired historical record now known as 1 Maccabees, Jews started to fight off the Syrians, hoping to secure the freedom to worship Jehovah. In 167 B.C.E., Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee), a Levite priest, became leader of this resistance movement.

PAUL

An Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin and an apostle of Jesus Christ. (Eph 1:1; Php 3:5) Though perhaps having both the Hebrew name Saul and the Roman name Paul from childhood (Ac 9:17; 2Pe 3:15), this apostle may have chosen to go by his Roman name in view of his commission to declare the good news to the non-Jews.—Ac 9:15; Ga 2:7, 8.

Paul was born in Tarsus, a prominent city of Cilicia. (Ac 21:39; 22:3) His parents were Hebrews and evidently adhered to the Pharisaic branch of Judaism. (Ac 23:6; Php 3:5) He was a Roman citizen from birth (Ac 22:28)

PETER

Peter was the son of John, or Jonah. (Mt 16:17; Joh 1:42) He is first shown residing in Bethsaida (Joh 1:44) but later in Capernaum (Lu 4:31, 38), both places being located on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee. Peter and his brother Andrew were engaged in the fishing business, evidently associated with James and John, the sons of Zebedee, “who were sharers with Simon.” (Lu 5:7, 10; Mt 4:18-22; Mr 1:16-21)

Peter is shown to be a married man, and at least in later years, his wife apparently accompanied him on his missions (or some of them), as did the wives of others of the apostles. (1Co 9:5) His mother-in-law lived in his home, one he shared with his brother Andrew.—Mr 1:29-31. Peter was one of the earliest of Jesus' disciples; being led to Jesus by Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptizer. (Joh 1:35-42)

PONTIUS PILATE

Roman governor of Judea during Jesus' earthly ministry. (Lu 3:1) After Herod the Great's son Archelaus was removed from being king over Judea, provincial governors were appointed by the emperor to rule the province, Pilate evidently being the fifth of these. Tiberius appointed him in 26 C.E., and his rule lasted ten years.

WHAT WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE DATES ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE AND EVENTS OF THE BIBLICAL TIMES?

587 b.c.e

If one accepts the Neo-Babylonian chronology, the desolation of Jerusalem would have been in the year 587/6 B.C.E. based primarily on such secular records, some persons figure that Jerusalem was destroyed in 587/6 B.C.E. but the bible says it was 607 b.c.e.

323 B.C.E

Alexander the Great intended to make Babylon his capital, but he suddenly died in 323 B.C.E. Greece became the fifth successive world power insofar as the nation of Israel was concerned—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Medo-Persia having been the previous four. By 328 B.C.E., Alexander's conquest was complete, and now the remaining portion of Daniel's vision saw fulfillment. Alexander died in Babylon in 323 B.C.E., and as foretold, his empire was subsequently split up into four dominions, none equaling the original empire in strength.—Da 8:8, 21, 22; 11:3, 4;

168 B.C.E

Following Alexander's death, Jerusalem and Judea came under the control of the Ptolemies, who ruled out of Egypt. In 198 B.C.E. Antiochus the Great, ruling in Syria, after taking the fortified city of Sidon, captured Jerusalem, and Judah became a dominion of the Seleucid Empire. (Da 11:16.) Jerusalem lay under Seleucid rule for 30 years. Then, in the year 168 B.C.E., Syrian King Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), in his attempt to Hellenize completely the Jews, dedicated Jerusalem's temple to Zeus (Jupiter) and profaned the altar by an unclean sacrifice. (1 Maccabees 1:57, 62;

63 B.C.E.

Pompey, upon conquering Jerusalem in 63 B.C.E., took Jews to Rome as slaves.

4 B.C.E.

Many Bible scholars believe that Herod died in the year 4 B.C.E. and that Jesus was born before then—perhaps as early as 5 or 6 B.C.E. They base their conclusions about Herod's death on statements by the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. But Jesus' birth occurred in the fall in the year 2 B.C.E. not 4 or 6 B.C.E., as some calculate.

29-33 C.E

Jesus Christ “manifested himself once for all time at the conclusion of the systems of things,” in the years 29-33 C.E. Christianity was established in the years 29-33 C.E

Content of Prophecy-- this Messianic King would be humiliated and put to death by his own nation, in spite of his curing them of sicknesses. His death would atone for man's sins. Isaiah 53:3-12

When Recorded Before 732 B.C.E.

When Fulfilled 760 years later, from 29-33 C.E.

70 C.E.

When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.—Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6, 7.

If you need more information Katie, I will be happy to help, and thanks, Brenda