New Testament History, Literature, and Theology Session 1: Persian Empire up to Alexander Dr. Ted Hildebrandt This is Dr. Ted Hildebrandt teaching his New Testament : History, Literature and Theology course, lecture number 1 : Introduction to the course and the history of the Persian Empire up to the time of Alexander. Introduction—Behold the Lamb of God (OT Backgrounds) [00:00-2:13] Good afternoon, my name is Ted Hildebrandt, and the instructor for I’ll be this course on New Testament history, literature, and theology. It’s taking place at Gordon College. Today, we just want to introduce the course, and be then we’ll talking about some history -- some history that plays the background for the New be going over, starting with the Persians and then working our way Testament. We’ll down to the Greeks, and then through the Greeks, Alexander the Great, on down into the Hasmonean and the Maccabean period, and then down on and finishing out with Herod the Great, talk about be a historical who wasn’t Jewish, but we’ll that. Largely, it’ll survey to set the background for the New Testament. As we get started, let me begin this way with the New Testament. There’s certain Old Testament foundations that to have in order to understand the New you’ve got Testament. So when the New Testament opens up with John the Baptist saying to Jesus, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the is an incredible “Behold, world.” That statement, and if one does not understand from John 1:29 -- if one does not understand John the and the importance of the sacrificial system, and the temple Baptist’s statement cult that came out of the levitical movement of Judaism in the Old Testament, then when John the Lamb of understand talking says, “Behold God,” you don’t really what he’s about. So this course, in the New Testament, assume some knowledge because it’s we’ll of the Old Testament. And that includes then the the Lamb of statement, “Behold, God,” the NIV translates it. or “look” as
New Testament History, Literature, and Theology Session 1: Persian Empire up to Alexander Dr. Ted Hildebrandt This is Dr. Ted Hildebrandt teaching his New Testament : History, Literature and Theology course, lecture number 1 : Introduction to the course and the history of the Persian Empire up to the time of Alexander. Introduction—Behold the Lamb of God (OT Backgrounds) [00:00-2:13] Good afternoon, my name is Ted Hildebrandt, and I’ll be the instructor for this course on New Testament history, literature, and theology. It’s taking place at Gordon College. Today, we just want to introduce the course, and then we’ll be talking about some history -- some history that plays the background for the New Testament. We’ll be going over, starting with the Persians and then working our way down to the Greeks, and then through the Greeks, Alexander the Great, on down into the Hasmonean and the Maccabean period, and then down on and finishing out with Herod the Great, who wasn’t Jewish, but we’ll talk about that. Largely, it’ll be a historical survey to set the background for the New Testament. As we get started, let me begin this way with the New Testament. There’s certain Old Testament foundations that you’ve got to have in order to understand the New Testament. So when the New Testament opens up with John the Baptist saying to Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” That is an incredible statement, and if one does not understand from John 1:29 -- if one does not understand John the Baptist’s statement and the importance of the sacrificial system, and the temple cult that came out of the levitical movement of Judaism in the Old Testament, then when John says, “Behold the Lamb of God,” you don’t really understand what he’s talking about. So this course, because it’s in the New Testament, we’ll assume some knowledge of the Old Testament. And that includes then the statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” or “look” as the NIV translates it.
Hildebrandt_NTLit_Lecture01.docx