If you've ever flipped from the last page of the Old Testament to the first page of the New, then you've just skipped over 400 years of history with that single page turn.
What exactly happened during these 400 years? Who was in control? What people groups shaped the experience of the earliest Christians?
In this period, the Pharisees and Sadducees, synagogues, Roman governors, and the family of Herod emerged onto the scene. None were present in the Old Testament. Where did they come from?
Countless events not mentioned in the New Testament had a profound impact on the world of Jesus, such as the Maccabean revolt, the rise of the Essenes, the dominance of the Greek language, and the rise of the Roman Empire.
These people, groups, and events provide the historic backdrop for the life and ministry of Jesus and every book of the New Testament.
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