Bridge Between the Testaments: A Reappraisal of Judaism from the Exile to the Birth of Christianity
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Overview
This book is an introduction to a difficult and crucially important period in the history of the Jewish people, the time between the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. and the second, futile revolt against Rome which ended in 135 C.E. It is the result of a dozen years’ experience in teaching a course called ‘The Intertestamental Period’, but the book itself does not and cannot bear that name. The traditional period “between the Testaments”, from c. 400 B.C.E. to the birth of Christ does, indeed, correspond to a gap in the history told in the Protestant Old Testament canon and the New Testament, but there are no sound historical grounds for treating those 400 years as a separate period. There are indeed turning points in the history of the Jews which provide logical times at which to begin and end. An era clearly ended with the fall of the Judean monarchy in 587 B.C.E. and another one began in 135 C.E., after which Jerusalem ceased to be the center of Jewish political existence for many centuries. Despite the radical changes which occurred during the intervening centuries, which are often called the period of the Second Temple, if we are to deal with any part of it from a historical perspective it seems we must begin with the exile and end with the second war with Rome, and thus the limits of this book have been set.
The story to be told is long and complex and the attempt has been made to organize the book in such a way as to simplify without distorting (if that is possible). The approach is historical throughout; the history of each subject will be traced as far as that is possible, but topics are treated individually, rather than subsuming them into a long and detailed historical narrative, and Part One provides a survey concentrating on political history as essential background for what follows. It is more than just background, however, for there is much that we can learn about ourselves and our own times from the study of this period, and so I have offered an interpretation and not a mere chronicle. In another effort to be helpful to the reader, care has been taken to identify disputed issues and to present varying points of view, but without getting bogged down in the technical discussions which can be found in the items noted in the bibliographies.
- Explores the theological and historical connection between Judaism and Christianity
- Examines the strengths and values of Judaism
- Discusses themes of resurrection, canon, and the Messiah
- History
- Pluralism: Differing Conceptions of Life in Obedience to the Torah
- Institutions
- Literature
- Theological Strata
This book ranks among the best introductions to the intertestamental period...we do not hesitate to recommend this work as an elaborate study of a well-informed author.
—Journal for the Study of Judaism
Gowan’s ‘reappraisal’ is his attempt (successful, I believe) to deal with the Judaism of this period with empathy, without Christian polemics, and in the light of recent evidence. This volume is enhanced by good basic bibliographies and a fine selection of photos, maps, charts, and other illustrations.... Teachers looking for a single introduction to the history of this period will want to consider this well-written and well-informed volume.
—Religious Studies Review
This is an extremely successfu evocation and evaluation of what the author is no longer willing to call ‘intertestamental period’ (the fruit of a dozen years of teaching a course so named).... Everything here is well done, and the whole can be highly recommended as a sophisticated textbook. A select bibliography follows each individual section.
—Old Testament Abstracts
- Title: Bridge Between the Testaments: A Reappraisal of Judaism from the Exile to the Birth of Christianity
- Author: Donald E. Gowan
- Edition: 3rd Edition
- Series: Pittsburgh Theological Monographs
- Publisher: Wipf & Stock
- Publication Date: 1986
- Pages: 436
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Topic: Judaica