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The Influence of Judaism on the Ancient World: A Religion of Unity and Transformation, Study notes of Religion

The impact of Judaism on the ancient world, focusing on the Jews in the Diaspora who spread the religion beyond Palestine and blended it with Hellenistic culture. the advantages and disadvantages of the Jews' unique religious perspective, their missionary efforts, and their influence on the world's history and civilization.

What you will learn

  • What were the advantages and disadvantages of the Jews' religious perspective in the ancient world?
  • How did the Jews in the Diaspora spread their religion and blend it with Hellenistic culture?
  • What was the impact of the Jews' missionary efforts on the ancient world?

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THE EXPANSION OF JUDAISM.
By OLIVER J. THATCHER,
The University of Chicago.
Of all ancient religions, Judaism as represented by the Prophets
was incomparably the best. No other religion had such a con-
ception of God, His lofty and upright character, His majesty,
His compassion, His fatherly love for men, His mercy, and at the
same time, of the high demands for holy living which He made on
all who would be His people and enjoy His protection. But this
high conception of God was confined to one little people, inhabit-
ing a small province and having little communication with the rest
of the world. More than that, their foreign intercourse was so
restricted by the many Levitical rules and regulations, that
their religious influence on other nations was practically nothing.
Everywhere else, there was polytheism, varying in grade from
its finest and noblest forms to the crassest, most degraded and
degrading. What advantage was it to the world that the Jews
had a better religion, since the Levitical law was a barrier that
prevented all communication ? It looked as if the heathen were
to be excluded from having any share in the religious truth
in which Israel was so rich. The heirs of the prophets were
by no means inclined to share their holy inheritance with the
unclean heathen about them.
But there can be no lasting monopoly in truth. Deep and
wide as was the gulf that separated the heathen from the Jews,
it could be bridged. In spite of the separation, many means
of contact and channels of communication were furnished by
" the Jews in the Diaspora."
Abraham, their great forefather, was himself a wanderer and
in this respect he had many imitators among his children. For
centuries the Jews had been spreading beyond Palestine. A
constant stream of emigrants was overflowing its boundaries in
all directions. At this time there was scarcely a city in all
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THE EXPANSION OF JUDAISM.

By OLIVER^ J.^ THATCHER, The (^) University of (^) Chicago. Of all ancient (^) religions, Judaism as (^) represented by the (^) Prophets was (^) incomparably the^ best.^ No^ other^ religion had^ such^ a^ con- ception of^ God,^ His^ lofty and^ upright character,^ His^ majesty, His (^) compassion, His (^) fatherly love for^ men, His^ mercy, and at the same (^) time, of the (^) high demands for (^) holy living which He made on all who would be His (^) people and (^) enjoy His (^) protection. But this high conception of^ God^ was^ confined^ to^ one^ little^ people, inhabit- ing a^ small^ province^ and^ having^ little^ communication^ with^ the^ rest of the world. More than (^) that, their^ foreign intercourse was so restricted (^) by the (^) many Levitical rules and (^) regulations, that their (^) religious influence^ on^ other^ nations^ was^ practically nothing. Everywhere else,^ there^ was^ polytheism,^ varying^ in^ grade^ from its finest and noblest forms to the (^) crassest, most (^) degraded and degrading. What^ advantage^ was^ it^ to^ the^ world^ that^ the^ Jews had a better (^) religion, since the Levitical law was a barrier (^) that prevented all^ communication^?^ It^ looked^ as^ if^ the^ heathen^ were to be excluded from (^) having any share in^ the (^) religious truth in which Israel was so rich. The heirs of the (^) prophets were by no^ means^ inclined^ to^ share^ their^ holy inheritance^ with^ the unclean heathen about them. But there can be no (^) lasting monopoly in (^) truth. (^) Deep and wide as was the (^) gulf that^ separated the^ heathen from the (^) Jews, it could be (^) bridged. In (^) spite of the (^) separation, many means of contact and channels of communication were (^) furnished (^) by " the^ Jews in^ the^ Diaspora." Abraham, their^ great forefather, was^ himself^ a^ wanderer^ and in this (^) respect he^ had^ many imitators^ among his children. For centuries the (^) Jews had been (^) spreading beyond Palestine. A constant stream of (^) emigrants was (^) overflowing its (^) boundaries in all directions. At this time there was (^) scarcely a (^) city in all 99

I00 THE (^) BIBLICAL WORLD. the world that did not have (^) Jews (^) among its inhabitants. There were (^) great numbers of them^ in^ the^ lands of the (^) Tigris and Euphrates; Asia^ Minor^ was^ overrun^ by them.^ Alexandria^ in Egypt was^ divided^ into^ five^ districts^ or^ wards,^ two^ of^ which were (^) occupied by Jews. In the Nile (^) Delta, it was estimated that there were more than^ a^ million^ Jews. Along the coast of North Africa (^) they were (^) everywhere at home. The towns and cities of Macedonia and Greece contained (^) Jewish colonies. In Rome there were (^) probably thirty thousand of them. The Jew was^ ubiquitous. But in their (^) wanderings and (^) long residence in (^) foreign lands, they had^ undergone a^ most^ important change. If^ a^ paradox be allowed, (^) they were^ not^ only Jews, (^) they had^ also^ become^ Greeks, and (^) consequently were^ neither^ Jews nor^ Greeks.^ They produced a new (^) culture, a new (^) civilization, (^) composed of the^ best elements of (^) Judaism and of Hellenism. The civilization of the (^) Jews was in (^) many respects very narrow and (^) limited, but in others (^) lofty and (^) imposing. Its^ ideal^ was^ the^ knowledge and^ perfect obedience of the law of God as contained in^ the^ Old Testament. It was monotheistic and (^) intensely religious. The Greek civilization was far wider and more varied. It was (^) great in (^) science, litera- ture, and^ art.^ But^ its^ type was^ not^ religious and^ moral, but intellectual and aesthetic. This^ new^ Hellenistic^ civilization was a union of the two. It (^) got its (^) religion from (^) Judaism, its philosophy and^ its^ learning from^ the^ Greeks. These (^) Jews had no (^) thought of (^) becoming anything else than Jews. (^) They were^ not^ sensible^ of^ any change. They did^ not feel that there was (^) any difference^ between^ them^ and^ their brethren in Palestine. (^) They kept up their connection with the Holy Land.^ Every year thousands^ of^ them^ made^ pilgrimages to (^) Jerusalem, which still remained^ for^ them^ the^ Holy City, the only place^ where^ they could^ acceptably^ offer^ sacrifice.^ They regularly sent^ their^ yearly contributions^ to^ the^ temple, and, whenever it was (^) possible, they went^ in^ person to^ attend^ one^ of the (^) yearly feasts. Besides^ this, (^) they took^ their^ law^ with^ them, and wherever (^) they went, (^) they met (^) every Sabbath to (^) study it. Wherever there were (^) Jews there was a^ synagogue. So (^) by all

102 THE (^) BIBLICAL WORLD. unshaken confidence that (^) they have the one true (^) God, who will not tolerate the (^) worship of (^) anything else. (^) They learned this with (^) great difficulty, but (^) they learned it (^) well, and it has been to them a source of unlimited (^) strength which centuries of persecution and^ oppression have^ not^ exhausted.^ While^ appre- ciating the^ good that^ existed^ among the^ heathen,^ they never ceased to abominate their (^) idolatry. Their zeal for God led them to become missionaries to the heathen about them. We do not think of the (^) Jews as a (^) missionary people, but (^) they have had a most (^) interesting missionary period. For some centuries (^) Judaism made earnest efforts to become a universal (^) religion, to convert the world. But she was (^) finally driven^ from^ the^ mission field by Christianity, which^ proved^ to^ be^ a^ too^ powerful^ rival;^ and at the same (^) time, (^) Judaism drew back from the freer movement and settled down into a (^) rigid, legal orthodoxy. In other (^) words, Phariseeism (^) prevailed over Hellenism. The (^) Judaism of Palestine was never attractive to the heathen and hence was not a (^) good missionary religion. Their refusal to eat swine's flesh led (^) Juvenal to (^) speak of Palestine as the land " where^ the^ long practiced clemency allowed^ the^ hogs to^ reach a (^) ripe old (^) age." They observed the (^) Sabbath, it was (^) said, because they were^ lazy and^ wished^ to^ shirk^ work.^ Since^ they had^ no statues in their (^) temples and^ synagogues, they were (^) charged with the foolishness of (^) worshiping the clouds. Above (^) all, the heathen were offended that the (^) Jews assumed a (^) superiority and refused to associate with them because (^) they were (^) Levitically unclean. So for (^) many reasons the (^) Jews were (^) despised and even hated. It would seem then that the (^) Jew could (^) hope for little (^) success in his (^) missionary efforts. But it (^) must be remembered in (^) the first (^) place, that the (^) Jews in the (^) Diaspora were the real mission- aries, and^ that^ they were^ already undergoing a^ radical^ change in their attitude to the ceremonial law. (^) Consequently their desire to make converts led them to (^) present only the most attractive features of (^) Judaism to the consideration of their hearers. (^) They took from the Old Testament a few (^) great ideas, the essentials^ of their^ relzgion, and^ laid^ all^ emphasis on^ these.

THE EXPANSION OF (^) JUDAISM. I 03 In the first (^) place, they held (^) strongly to the truth that there is but one (^) God. (^) They thereby introduced into the natural (^) world, into (^) history, and into (^) religion, the (^) principle of (^) unity. The heathen (^) thought of the world as the (^) play-ground of malicious gods and^ spirits, which^ were^ lying in^ wait^ for^ an^ opportunity to (^) play some mad (^) prank in the realm of (^) nature, cross the (^) plans and (^) purposes of some other (^) god, or inflict^ an (^) injury on some unsuspecting and^ helpless mortal.^ To^ the^ thoughtful heathen it was a (^) great relief to learn that there is one all-wise and powerful God,^ who^ made^ and^ controls^ the^ universe. And then the (^) lofty conception of God which was (^) presented, was attractive. (^) He was so (^) great and (^) majestic, so (^) high and spiritual, that^ it^ was^ an^ offense^ even^ to^ try to^ represent Him by anything material.^ No^ picture or^ statue^ was^ allowed;^ such things could^ only hinder^ and^ not^ help the^ mind^ in^ its^ attempt to conceive of Him and His (^) glory. They made^ much^ of^ the^ doctrine^ of^ rewards^ and^ punishments in a future state. (^) This (^) God, so (^) just and (^) holy, is (^) interested in His creatures and will reward or (^) punish each one (^) according to his life. The (^) upright, the (^) pure and noble will receive at His hand the rewards for their (^) conduct, while to the wicked (^) will be meted out the (^) just punishments for their (^) disregard of His (^) holy will. One of the commonest and (^) deepest feelings of (^) the human heart is^ the^ sense of ill desert before^ God.^ The^ conscience is oppressed and^ burdened,^ and^ longs for^ some^ sure^ way of^ concili- ating an^ offended^ God.^ The^ soul^ longs for^ certainty in^ religious matters. The current (^) philosophy of the (^) day was (^) doing much to awaken and^ deepen this sense of sin. (^) People felt their (^) religious needs as never before. Of all ancient (^) religions, Judaism offered the most (^) satisfying symbolical rites and ceremonies of (^) purifica- tion, and^ the^ most^ comforting assurances^ of^ the^ merciful^ and forgiving character^ of^ God.^ In^ one^ sense,^ these^ Jews in^ the Diaspora, were^ the^ true^ successors^ of^ the^ Prophets, for^ like^ them they disregarded the^ letter^ of^ the^ law,^ and^ taught that^ a^ humble and (^) penitent heart and a (^) blameless, (^) helpful life are what God requires.

THE EXPANSION OF (^) JUDAISM. (^) I 0 5 Closely akin^ to^ these^ commentaries^ were^ their^ philosophical works, inasmuch^ as^ these^ were^ often^ based^ on^ some^ section^ of scripture, or^ at^ least,^ treated^ the^ Old^ Testament^ as^ the^ source of all (^) philosophy. The same (^) allegorical method (^) was (^) used, and Moses and^ the^ prophets were^ made^ to^ appear as the true (^) philoso- phers, with^ whom^ Plato,^ Aristotle^ and^ the^ others^ agreed in^ so far as (^) they had uttered the truth. In this (^) way the first (^) place and the (^) highest honors were vindicated to (^) Judaism. These philosophical works^ all^ have^ this^ characteristic^ which^ distin- guishes them^ from^ the^ works^ of^ the^ Greek^ philosophers, (^) namely: they all^ have^ a^ practical,^ moral,^ and^ religious^ object in^ view. The Greeks (^) pursued knowledge for its own (^) sake; the (^) Jews, for the influence it would have on the character and life. (^) They made (^) philosophy the handmaid of (^) religion, for it was its function to make^ men^ better, to (^) help them^ to a^ truly religious life. The (^) Jews were (^) proud of their (^) history. They believed that God's hand was visible in it all. (^) Hence, it was inevitable that they would^ use^ it,^ too,^ for^ missionary purposes. And^ so,^ in^ fact, we find that a (^) great many histories of the (^) Jews were (^) written, in all of which there^ is^ a^ more^ or^ less^ pronounced Chauvinism. They all^ pursued the^ same^ end,^ the^ glorification^ of^ Israel.^ They all seek to show that the (^) Jews have (^) worshiped the true God who has cared for them in the most remarkable (^) way, and there- fore (^) they have (^) played a (^) great (^) r6le in the (^) history of the (^) world. As a^ nation, (^) they have^ a^ long and^ glorious past, because (^) they stand in an intimate relation to the God of all the earth. Epic poetry and^ the^ drama^ were^ also^ used^ to^ acquaint the heathen with (^) Judaism, and to fill them with enthusiasm for Judea's history and^ religion. As^ Homer^ had^ sung of^ Troy and her (^) fate, so (^) Philo, the (^) epic poet, wrote the (^) history of (^) Jerusalem and her (^) kings in the form of a (^) great epic poem. Still more remarkable is the fact that the (^) history of Israel was (^) dramatized. Just as^ the^ Greek^ dramatists^ had^ chosen^ some^ great and^ decisive event in the (^) history of their (^) country for the (^) subject of their greatest dramas,^ and^ thereby held^ up their^ history for^ the admiration of the^ world, so the^ Jews competed for (^) praise and honor for their^ land^ by presenting its^ history in^ the same fas-

106 THE^ BIBLICAL^ WORLD. cinating way. We^ have^ fragments of^ one^ of^ these^ plays which was called ''The (^) Exodus," and, as its name (^) indicates, was a dramatization of the Biblical (^) story of the exodus from (^) Egypt. Thus (^) even the theater (^) was (^) compelled to assist in (^) the (^) missionary work of the (^) Jews. But (^) they found (^) opponents who attacked them and made (^) many severe (^) charges against them. That shows that these (^) missionary efforts were^ so^ strong and^ persistent that^ the^ heathen^ found^ it necessary to^ defend^ themselves^ and^ their^ religion,^ which^ they did (^) by attacking the (^) Jews. These must be (^) refuted, and so we find (^) Jewish (^) apologists writing in defense of their (^) religion and people, and^ refuting at^ great length all^ the^ charges made^ against them. Two of these are (^) especially worthy of notice. The (^) Jews were (^) charged with^ being a^ modern^ people, without^ a^ history, and consequently they had^ contributed^ nothing to^ the^ civilization^ of the world. To (^) disprove that (^) they put forth the most strenuous efforts. (^) They sought for (^) proofs from (^) every quarter to show that (^) they were as old as (^) any of the (^) peoples then (^) existing. And they do^ not^ hesitate^ to^ declare^ that^ the^ Jews^ had^ been^ the^ source of all culture and^ civilization. For^ Abraham^ had^ taught the Egyptians astrology, Joseph^ had^ introduced^ a^ new^ system of irrigation and^ agriculture, Moses^ was^ the^ real^ father^ of^ all^ learn- ing, for^ he^ was^ the^ first^ great philosopher, and^ had^ invented^ the alphabet, and^ written^ the^ Pentateuch^ which^ was^ the^ greatest of all (^) philosophical works. He had lived (^) long before (^) any of the great men^ of^ the^ Greeks,^ who^ had^ derived^ all^ their^ knowledge from (^) him, without (^) giving him the (^) proper credit. Not content with all these (^) efforts, (^) they even made use of forgeries to^ increase^ the^ reputation and^ authority of^ their^ religion. The (^) Sibyls were (^) mysterious prophetesses that were held in (^) great reverence (^) by the heathen. It was (^) very shrewd on the (^) part of these missionaries to make use of the name of the (^) Sibyl to (^) propagate the (^) Jewish faith, for (^) anything that she (^) might utter would at once receive the most (^) ready credence. So in the second (^) century B. C., we^ find^ that^ some^ pious Jew wrote^ a^ work^ which^ purported to be (^) by a (^) Sibyl. In^ the^ prologue she^ was^ made^ to^ say that she was a^ daughter of^ Noah(!), that^ she^ had^ been^ with^ him^ in^ the

108 THE^ BIBLICAL^ WORLD.

inconvenient restrictions. (^) They learned much from the (^) Jews. We (^) might even (^) say they got the true (^) religion from them. (^) They were careful to receive the truth and to frame their lives in accordance with it. But the ceremonial (^) part of (^) Judaism was repellent to^ them,^ and^ furthermore,^ they saw^ that^ it^ was^ not necessary. From what has^ been^ said, it^ will^ be^ seen^ that^ the^ influence^ of the (^) Jews on the heathen was (^) great and (^) good, converting many of them (^) wholly to a (^) high type of (^) Judaism and (^) giving many others a better (^) knowledge of God and of His (^) character. (^) Every synagogue was^ as^ a^ light^ set^ in^ a^ dark^ place,^ and^ about^ each^ of these were (^) gathered many heathen (^) seeking the truth and worshiping with^ more^ or^ less^ purity the^ God^ of^ Israel.^ The scattering of^ the^ Jews throughout all^ lands^ was^ in^ this^ way a blessing, for^ they were^ instrumental^ in^ spreading abroad^ a higher conception of^ God^ and^ purer moral^ standards,^ thus^ help- ing on^ the^ religious education^ and^ development of^ the^ world, and (^) preparing it^ for the (^) reception of^ Christianity.