The Christian looks upon the Old Testament as preparatory, looking toward the fulfillment of its hopes and promises in the Person, Jesus Christ. They are interested in the history of the centuries preceding the coming of Christ, the advent, and the progress toward the period of history termed "the fullness of time" The time between the close of Old Testament history and the beginning of the New Testament period has often been called "the four hundred silent years." However, these centuries were anything but silent, and they seem to become more vocal with each passing decade.
Most North Americans know the story of Rip Van Winkle, as told by Washington Irving. Rip, who lived in the Catskill Mountains in the colony of New York prior to the American Revolution went hunting in the mountains to escape the nagging tongue of Dame Van Winkle. There he encountered the ghosts of the Dutch explorer Hendrick Hudson, and drank himself to sleep from the keg of liquor that Captain Hudson provided. When Rip awoke and returned to his village, he found almost everything changed. He did not recognize the people; they did not recognize him. The signboard of the village inn, which had borne a portrait of King George the Third, now carried a likeness labeled "George Washington," Rip was nearly lynched when, queried as to who he was replied, "A loyal subject of the King. God bless him." It turned out he had slept through the Revolution. It had taken twenty years to sleep off the spirits that Captain Hudson's ghost had provided. No wonder so many things had changed!
A reader of the Bible who proceeds in order through the Old Testament to the New finds their self in much the same situation as Rip Van Winkle: much is changed. Many persons, places, parties, institutions and theological concepts encountered in the New Testament are completely new, unmentioned in the Old Testament. Some ideas, although present in the Old Testament, are found in much more developed form in the New Testament. The reason is obvious; it is the same reason Rip Van Winkle found so much that was different when he returned to consciousness—the passage of time.
The Intertestamental Period is, of course, an artificial division of time and includes the three centuries between 200 B.C. and A. D. 100. These centuries were tumultuous. This class will look at the changes in the political, social, economic and religious developments during this time. By doing so we will come to new insights to Jesus; understanding what he held in common with and where he differed from his fellow Jews. It helps in our understanding the meaning of Jesus’ message in his days, the rise of Christianity, and how our faith evolved out of these historical and theological developments.
This class will be taught by Pastor Schafer beginning Nov. 27th and continues each Sunday through Dec. 11th. The class meets in the Atrium from 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. Please note there is no Adult Sunday School on Dec. 18th.
