By: D Kennedy

D Kennedy — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 15:32:09 +0000

Even though Hadrian prohibited Jews from entering Jerusalem and banned Judaism in Judea, the ban didn’t last long. Hadrian died in 138, a few years after the end of the Bar Kokhba revolt. His successor, Antoninus Pius, the first of the Antonines (the second and last were his successors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus), lifted the ban. The reason Jerusalem didn’t become a mainly Jewish city again was the devastation and depopulation of the area. Jewish life had moved to the north (Galilee) and was becomed dominated by the larger and wealthier community in Persia, outside of Roman rule. The revival of Jerusalem as a city began in the fourth century, when it became a predominantly Christian city.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:04:54 +0000

After the Exile. Two centuries after the Jews returned from Babylon, Greek influence began to dominate the Middle East, and many peoples abandoned circumcision. But when Syrian King Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) proscribed circumcision, he found Jewish mothers willing to die rather than deny their sons the “sign of the covenant.” (Ge 17:11) Years later Roman Emperor Hadrian got the same results when forbidding the Jews to circumcise their boys. Some Jewish athletes, however, who desired to participate in Hellenistic games (in which runners wore no clothing) endeavored to become “uncircumcised” by an operation aimed at restoring some semblance of a foreskin in an effort to avoid scorn and ridicule. Paul may have alluded to such a practice when he counseled Christians: “Was any man called circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised.” (1Co 7:18) The Greek verb here rendered “become uncircumcised” (e·pi·spa′o·mai) literally means “draw upon,” evidently referring to drawing the prepuce forward in order to become as if uncircumcised.—Compare Int.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200000977#h=11:338-11:1053

Comments on: Pilgrims’ Progress to Byzantine Jerusalem

By: D Kennedy

By: Kurt