SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE

THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Maasin City, Southern Leyte

MODULE 1
(THEO 1b:
New Testament)
1st Semester, AY 2020- 2021

Prepared by:
REV. ARJAY BAYRON, SDV
REV. FR. ALFREDO BRIONES
CARLITO BATO
Instructors
 Saint Joseph College

Course Module for THEO-1b (NEW TESTAMENT)

Hours; 54 hrs.

Course Description:
This course will explain that the New Testament reveals God’s fulfillment of His promise
of Salvation.

GENERAL OJECTIVES
Within the course, student would be able to:

1. Understand the New Testament

2. Appreciate and celebrate the gift of Salvation I Jesus as the New Covenant
3. Worship and thank God for His unconditional love revealed in Jesus

COURSE INTRODUCTION:
Students will be informed that as part of Flexible Learning (Online-Modular) the course
will be divided into 4 major parts (Pre-Mid, Mid-Term, Pre-Fi and Finals) in which each
part will be divided into weekly lessons.

Students will be asked to take serious time in reading the NEW TESTAMENT part of the
Bible.

MODULE 1
PRE-MID

WEEK 1 / LESSON 1

TOPIC 1. OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE

TOPIC 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Testament
2. Covenant
3. Messiah
4. Christian

I. Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able:

1. To be able to recall previous learning’s on the BIBLE especially the two Major
Divisions (New and Old Testament)
2. To be able to define the terms Testament, Covenant, Messiah and Christian

II. Introduction
In this lesson we will be able to review basic knowledge of the Bible and to have the
basic understanding on the four common terms used in the New Testament

1|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

Engage

 Students will be asked to take time in reading their Bibles at home and
familiarize the different books of the Old and New Testament.

Explain

Topic 1: OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE

Overview of the Catholic Bible and Common Questions about the Bible

1. What exactly is the Bible?

The Bible is a collection of books that the Catholic church believes are the inspired words
of God. God chose certain men to write these books under the direction of the Holy Spirit for the
benefit of all mankind. The Bible is like a library of books that were written over the course of a
thousand years, from about 950 B.C to 100 A.D. It is the most important book that has ever been
written in the history of mankind.

The Bible is considered sacred literature because it is the unique revelation of God, is
inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it describes God's plan for our salvation and eternal life. It
centers entirely on Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate and the Savior of the world.

2. Why are there two parts of the Bible?

The Old Testament is a record of the old covenant between God and His chosen people.
It describes mankind's preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
The New Testament is a record of the new covenant made by God with the entire human
race, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God.
The Old Testament leads up to the time of Christ and the New Testament flows from the
time of Christ. The life of Jesus Christ separates the Old and New Testaments and is the center
and focal point of the Bible. In fact, time itself is centered and measured on the life and death of
Jesus Christ and is the basis our modern day calendar.

3. Who is the author of the Bible?

The author of the Bible is God. He revealed Himself throughout mankind's history by
communicating to human beings His merciful plan of salvation. The Bible is a written record of
God's revelation of Himself through the messages and events that occurred throughout mankind's
history. God revealed who He is, through the words in the Bible, but also through the events that
occurred in the lives of the people whose stories are recorded in the Bible. We know who God is,
through both His words and His actions.

4. Why do we think the Bible is the inspired word of God?

The Holy Spirit's supernatural inspiration motivated the writers of sacred scripture to
record the truth that was conveyed to them, in such a manner that could be interpreted correctly
and understood by the people of their time and ours as well. The Bible is like a love letter written
by God for His people, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

2|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

5. Is the Bible free from errors?

The words of the Bible are always true in the sense intended by their human authors. The
words that are recorded in the different books in the Bible may contain minor errors born from
the culture in which the author lived, or their limited knowledge of the world (such as whether
the earth was flat or round for an example). Many of the stories in the Bible were passed down
from generation to generation by word of mouth and were not written down until much later, but
this too validates the importance of the words recorded in these books. The Catholic church has
studied these sacred texts for over 2,000 years and understands the historical time periods in
which they were written, as well as the background and culture of the biblical writers
themselves. This is why we should rely more on the church's interpretation of the sacred
scriptures, than our own. However, the church does encourage us to read and reflect on the Bible
for ourselves as well.

6. What literary forms are found in the books of the Bible?

The books of the Bible contain a wide range of literary forms like prose narratives,
dramatic poetry, lyrics, ballads, tragedies, chronicles, fictitious lawsuits, orations, philosophical
meditations, prayers and letters.

7. What are the Apocrypha Books?

Non-Catholics usually call the Deuterocanical Books of the Old Testament, the
Apocrypha. These are the seven “extra” books that the Catholic Bible contains, but the Protestant
Bible does not. The reason the Catholic Bible has seven extra books, is because when the
Catholic church originally put together the 73 books of the Bible, these books were included as
part of the canon. However, when the Protestant reformation occurred, Martin Luther removed
these books from the Catholic Bible because he did not believe they were divinely inspired. In
recent times, however, many Protestant editions of the Bible now include these books and call
them the Apocrypha.

The seven books that the Protestant Bibles do not include are: Sirach, Wisdom, Judith,
Tobit, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Longer version of Daniel, Longer version of Esther

HOW THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE DIVIDED

The Old Testament contains 46 books and are divided into three sections:
1. The Historical Books – known as the Torah or Law
2. The Didactic Books – the other Writings in the Old Testament
3. The Prophetic Books – books written by the Prophets

1. What is the Pentateuch?

The Pentateuch contains the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus,
Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. These books tell about the early history of mankind and
the history of God's chosen people and His laws. It begins with the divine origin of the universe
and mankind, the Hebrew race that came into being through Abraham, and the Hebrew nation
under Moses. The remaining books of the Old Testament cover a thousand years of mankind's
religious history leading up to the time of Christ.

3|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

2. What are the Historical Books of the Old Testament?

The Historical Books of the Old Testament are the books of:
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1-
2 Maccabees, Tobit, Judith and Esther.

These books tell the history of Israel, beginning with stories about the promised
land, King David, King Solomon, the Babylonian exile and the struggle for
freedom under the Maccabees.

3. What are the Seven Books of Wisdom?

The Seven Books of Wisdom are:
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom and Sirach.

All of these books except for the book of Wisdom are written in a poetry or verse form.
There are expressed through an equal distribution of thought, but in separate lines of verse. They
often repeat the same thought using different ways of expressing it and their intent is to teach or
instruct the reader. The Song of Songs is more of a nuptial hymn and the Psalms are more of a
form of prayer and praise though. The book of Proverbs are statements on moral matters and the
book of Job is a beautiful examination of human suffering and evil.

4. What are the Eighteen Prophetic Books of the Old Testament?

The Eighteen Prophetic Books of the Old Testament are:

The Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel

The Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

The terms “major” or “minor” do not refer to their importance, but rather refers to the
length of their writings. God communicated to these prophets through visions, dreams and
ecstasies that were then transmitted to the people through sermons, writings and symbolic
actions. There were actually more than forty prophets but only sixteen of them left written
records. The main purpose of the prophets were to be the moral and religious teachers of their
nation, political advisers to the kings, defenders of the oppressed like orphans, widows and the
poor, and they foretold the future coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God.

HOW THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ARE DIVIDED

The books of the New Testament are divided in a similar manner to the books of the Old

Testament:
Five Historical Books
Twenty One Didactic Books
One Prophetic Book
The New Testament reflects the history of the early church during the birth of
Christianity. It is a collection of twenty seven books written during the one hundred years
following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which occurred between 30-36 A.D. All twenty seven

4|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

books are about Jesus Christ. The Old Testament books lead up to the time of Christ and the
New Testament books flow from the time of Christ. The lifetime of Jesus Christ divides the Old
and New Testaments and is the center, or focal point of the Bible. The New Testament books
revolve entirely around Jesus Christ. They tell us about the mystery of time, the world, and
human beings in God's plan of salvation, because Jesus' redemption of the world is the goal of
everything. The books in the New Testament reflects our expectation of the coming of Jesus
Christ in all His glory at the end of the world.

1. What are the Five Historical Books of the New Testament?

The Five Historical Books of the New Testament are:
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and the Acts of the Apostles.

These books provide a record of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the savior
of the world, and the very beginnings of the Church he founded. The word “Gospel” means the
good news of salvation proclaimed by Jesus Christ, especially in the written form handed down
to us by his Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Jesus Christ himself proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom through his life,
teachings and good deeds, but most especially through his Passion, Death and Resurrection. The
Apostles preached this good news after his ascension into heaven, and began recording these
events only 30 years after his death, in the sacred scriptures of the Gospels.
The first three Gospels are very similar to one another and are called the Synoptic
Gospels because their composition can be understood in a single glance if they are placed in
three columns side by side. The Apostles may have used one another's writings, but each of the
Gospel writers wrote in a distinctly different manner.
The Gospel of John is the last Gospel written, by the apostle John, in the year 90 A.D. It
is the most theological of all of the Gospels and is very different from the Synoptic Gospels in
the way it is written and it's content. It is called the Gospel of Love because it clearly emphasizes
that God loved the world so much that He gave his only begotten son for our salvation. The
entire Gospel reduces the new law, to a law of love.
The Acts of the Apostles is the last Historical Book of the New Testament and was
written by Saint Luke. It describes how the early church was formed and spread throughout the
world, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's account began after Christ's ascension into
heaven and continued until Saint Paul was imprisoned by the Romans for the first time.

2. What are the Twenty One Didactic Books of the New Testament?
The Twenty One Didactic Books of the New Testament include:

The Thirteen Letters of Saint Paul, which are:

-Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, 1-2
Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon
-The Letter to the Hebrews
-The Seven Catholic Letters: James, 1-2 Peter, 1,2 and 3 John and Jude.

This collection of books and letters were written to answer the practical, concrete needs
of the early Church. These early documents taught the faith, included disciplinary actions,
practical advice, and encouragement for the early Christian churches

5|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

Some of the remaining letters are about Saint Paul's journeys, captivity and pastoral
concerns about the new Church. The Letter to the Hebrews is attributed to Paul and has to do
with theology, the priesthood, the sacrifice of Christ, the New Covenant and the Christian Way
of Life.

The Seven Catholic Letters were thought to be addressed to the Church in general, rather
than the individual Churches. They encourage the Christian way of life by stressing good works,
the joy of baptized Christians and the unity of the faithful. They also refute false doctrines and
encourage faith and love for God, especially emphasizing that God is love, and is personally
encountered through Jesus Christ. The Seven Catholic Letters also answer specific questions and
urges the early Christians to remain firm in their faith.

3. What is the Prophetic Book of the New Testament?

The Prophetic Book of the New Testament is the Book of Revelation and is considered
the most mysterious book in the Bible. Even though this book is called a prophetic book, it is
more properly understood as an apocalyptic book. The book of Revelation cannot be adequately
comprehended unless you understand the historical context in which it was written. Like the
book of Daniel, it was composed to meet a crisis in the church which was the persecution of the
early Christians. The harlot Babylon symbolizes the pagan city of Rome which sits on seven
hills.
The Book of Revelation encourages Christians to stand firm in their faith and avoid
compromising with non-believers. We are to wait for the fulfillment of God's promises.
Although the triumph of God in our world remains a mystery to be accepted through faith and
looked forward to in hope, it is a triumph that continues to unfold in the lives of each individual
Christian, who professes Jesus Christ as the savior of the world. The ultimate salvation of
mankind and victory of Christ will take place at the end of the present age when Jesus Christ will
come again in glory, defeating Satan and his followers and ushering in the everlasting reign of
God.i

Topic 2:
DEFINITION OF TERMS

Engage
1. Online Students will be asked to make a preliminary research on the terms, Covenant,
Testament, Messiah and Chrisitian

1. Testament

The word "testament", Hebrew berîth, Greek diatheke, primarily signifies the covenant
which God entered into first with Abraham, then with the people of Israel. The Prophets had
knowledge of a new covenant to which the one concluded on Mount Sinai should give away.
Accordingly Christ at the Last Supper speaks of the blood of the New Testament. The Apostle
St. Paul declares himself (2 Corinthians 3:6) a minister "of the new testament", and calls (iii, 14)
the covenant entered into on Mount Sinai "the old testament". The Greek expression diatheke is
employed in the Septuagint for the Hebrew "berîth". The later interpreters Aquila and
Symmachus substituted for diatheke the more common syntheke, which probably agreed more

6|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

with their literary taste. The Latin term is "fædus" and oftener testamentum", a word
corresponding more exactly to the Greek.

As regards Christian times, the expression at an early period came to signify the whole of
God's Revelation as exhibited in the history of Israelites, and because this old covenant was
incorporated into the Canonical Books, it was but an easy step to make the term signify the
Canonical Scriptures. Even the text referred to above (2 Corinthians 3:14) points to that. So, the
Scriptures are called "books of the Old Testament" by Melito of Sardis and Clement of
Alexandria (ta palaia biblia; ta tes palaias diathekes biblia). It is not clear whether with these
authors "Old Testament" and "Scriptures of the Old Testament" mean the same. Origen shows
that in his time the transition was complete, although in his writing signs of the gradual fixing of
the expression may be still traced. For he repeatedly speaks of the "so-called" Old Testament,
when meaning the Scriptures. With the Western writers this use of term in the most ancient
period cannot yet be proved. To the lawyer Tertullian the Sacred Books are, above all,
documents and sources of argument, and he therefore frequently calls them "vetus and novum
instrumentum". Cyprian once mentions the "scripturæ veteres et novæ". Subsequently the Greek
use of the term becomes established among the Latins as well, and through them it has been
made common property of the Christian world. In this meaning, as signifying the Canonical
Scriptures of the Old Testament, the expression "Old Testament" will be used in what follows.ii

2. Covenant
In the Old Testament an agreement between God and Israel in which God promised
protection to the Chosen People in return for exclusive loyalty. "If you obey my voice and hold
fast to my covenant, you of all nations will be my very own" (Exodus 19:5). Moses presented
Yahweh's offer to his people, who promptly "answered as one, 'All that Yahweh has said we will
do.'" The compact was sealed (Exodus 19:8). Many years later Jeremiah prophesied that a new
covenant would be offered. "Deep within them," Yahweh promised, "I will plant my law, writing
it on their hearts" (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Ezekiel foresaw that God would "make a covenant of
peace with the, an eternal covenant" (Ezekiel 37:26). Its universal character was foreshadowed
by Isaiah, to whom it was revealed by Yahweh, "so that my salvation may reach to the ends of
the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). In the New Testament, when Paul was explaining to the Corinthians the
institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, he repeated Christ's words: "This cup is the new
covenant in my blood, Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me" (I Corinthians
11:25). This master idea of the New Testament is reinforced in the Letter to the Hebrews: "It
follows that it is a greater covenant for which Jesus has become our guarantee" (Hebrews 7:22).
Christ himself is the new covenant between God and his people. (Etym. Latin convenire, to
agree,to come together.).iii

3. Messiah
The Greek form Messias is a transliteration of the Hebrew, Messiah, "the anointed". The
word appears only twice of the promised prince (Daniel 9:26; Psalm 2:2); yet, when a name was
wanted for the promised one, who was to be at once King and Saviour, it was natural to employ
this synonym for the royal title, denoting at the same time the King's royal dignity and His
relation to God. The full title "Anointed of Jahveh" occurs in several passages of the Psalms of
Solomon and the Apocalypse of Baruch, but the abbreviated form, "Anointed" or "the Anointed",

7|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

was in common use. When used without the article, it would seem to be a proper name. The
word Christos so occurs in several passages of the Gospels. This, however, is no proof that the
word was generally so used at that time. In the Palestine Talmud the form with the article is
almost universal, while the common use in the Babylonian Talmud without the article is not a
sufficient argument for antiquity to prove that in the time of Christ it was regarded as a proper
name. 

4. Christian
1 Peter 4:16
“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear
that name.”

In the past, God spread the gospel though the courageous witness of the early followers
of Jesus. Despite great opposition and temptation to blend in, the early church stood up, refusing
to compromise. And in these days God speaks to the world through our faith, especially in the
midst of trials. We can enjoy our heritage of how the world was transformed, but we should
remember with honor the great challenges and opposition pre-Nicene believers endured. Jesus’
followers were not killed for merely believing Jesus was a good guy. Rather, while their bodies
were battered, bruised, broken, and burned; their heads were unbowed to any other gods.

Pliny the Younger was a Roman governor who put early believers to death, and this is
what he wrote about them to Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D. “They [Christians] were in the habit of
meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to
Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds…”

They were ridiculed for their faith, such as by the 2nd century satirist Lucian: “The
Christians, you know, worship a man to this day – the distinguished personage who introduced
their novel rites, and was crucified on that account…You see, these misguided creatures…”
(Death of Peregrine 11)

Those in the church were not only killed and ridiculed, but they were also seduced to
compromise. Couldn’t you still follow Christ and also turn back to the Law of Judaism? The
Book of Galatians answers that a definitive “no”. Could we still call ourselves followers of
Christ, but turn our backs on our Creator and believe in other gods too, as Gnostics taught?
Satan’s lies could be tempting, not just from the standpoint of personal comfort, but the lure of
many more people listening to your message, if you just mix the message with other religions. It
would seem that you could bear burdens better if you consent to be yoked with unbelievers, but
then whose burden would you be bearing?

But as great as all these challenges were, the faith of the early church was even greater.
They recognized these dangers and stood fast against them. They knew whose they were, and
why they were there.

8|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

Our Identity in Christ

We must pay more attention, therefore, to who we are, lest we sabotage our own witness.
We were all sinners, no better or worse that other people, who hated or ignored God. We were all
deserving of God’s wrath. But God in His mercy sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die on the
cross for our sins. He did not escape the cross by “switching out” as many Muslims say; rather
because of His great love for us, Jesus choose to “switch in” to take our load of guilt upon
Himself, because it was too heavy for us to bear. We have died with Christ and we are raised
with Christ. Our identity to ourselves has died, and now our identity is wrapped up in His life.
When some accept Christ God lets them go to Heaven right away – as martyrs. Others of us stay
here, because God has a job for us to do, not just to do witnessing, but for us to be His witness.

Who are we? The Bible says we are ambassadors, we are brothers, children, kings, and
priests. However other people can be those things too. But distinctly and uniquely, we are called
Christians.iv

Elaborate
 Students are free to raise questions toward the end of the week.

Evaluation
Topic 1:
Modular: students will be asked to make/draw a diagram showing the Books of the Bible

Online: students will be given a quiz about the books of the Bible

Topic 2
Modular: On your own understanding using your own words, and based on what you
have read and learned, how can you explain the words, TESTAMENT, COVENANT,
MESSIAH and CHRISTIAN

Online: On your own understanding using your own words, and based on what you have
read and learned, how can you explain the words, TESTAMENT, COVENANT,
MESSIAH and CHRISTIAN

9|NEWTESTAMENT
 Saint Joseph College

WEEK 2 / LESSON 2 :
PALESTINIAN TOWN
(New Testament Time)

I. Objective:
1. To comprehend the Historical Background of the NEW TESTAMENT specifically the
Palestinian town

II. Introduction
In this historical background of the Gospels, we will see the environment of Jesus: His
town; His country’s geography, religion and people and His country’s colonial master, Rome

-The lesson will start with a Gospel Reading Mt. 13:54-58

Engage
Students will be asked to look into an environment familiar to them, their very own
particularly in their early childhood environment with the following guide questions

1. Recall your childhood environment. If you had stayed in several places as a child,
choose one place which you think had been most meaningful to you.

2. Sketch a map and using your house as reference, identify the places where you were
going ex. church, friends and other places.

3. Recall what you usually do in holidays and weekends. Then ask yourself the question-
*In what way has this early environment influenced my present?

Explain
PALESTINE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Hellenistic Culture in Palestine 

By Hellenism is meant the interaction between Greek culture and the cultures of the Near East as
a result of the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Palestine was one of the areas settled by people of Greek origin. The newcomers settled in the Phoenician
cities of the Mediterranean coast and founded new Greek cities inland, whose administration, economy,
legal system and official cult were based on the Greek model.

The Hellenization of Palestine was reinforced by the rule of pro-Greek kings from the 3rd century B.C.
onwards and later by the Roman administration. The dynasty of Herod, who had ruled as a Roman vassal,
admired Greek culture and adopted Greek manners. The ruling Jewish elite was open to Hellenism.

In spite of the influence of Hellenism the Jews never gave up their absolute monotheism. The influence of
Hellenism was not equally great in all sections of the population. The rural population hardly spoke Greek
at all. By contrast, in the towns even the lower classes knew at least some Greek.

10 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

What Languages were spoken in Palestine?

The mother tongue of Jesus was Aramaic. This Semitic language spread from the 7th century
B.C. onwards as the administrative language of the Persian Empire as far as Egypt and ousted
most other languages of the Near East.

In Judaea Hebrew survived alongside its close relative Aramaic as a spoken language up

to the first half of the second century A.D.

It is unclear how widespread was a knowledge of Greek in Palestine in the time of Jesus.
At least government was impossible without a mastery of Greek. Relations with Jews living
outside Palestine also required a command of Greek, for in Egypt, for example, the Jewish
population seem to have known only Greek.

The need for knowledge of Greek in Palestine was also increased by the Greek cities of
the country. Among the different social classes the command of Greek was, however, variable.
The urban upper class probably had a full command of Greek, but language skills lessened as
one moved to the villages.

Land-ownership concentrated in the hands of a few, and small farmers suffered

In the time of Jesus several large farms has grown up in Palestine and they restricted the
livelihood of ordinary peasants. In addition, farmers suffered from heavy taxation. The
impoverished rural population began to move to the towns, where economic activity, trade and
craftsmanship was otherwise concentrated.v

Elaborate
Students are free to raise questions toward the end of the week

Evaluation
Modular: According to the readings, using your imagination, draw and arrange/situate the
following structures to form a map. (Synagogue or Church, streets, House of Jesus)

On-line: Student will be given a reflection paper answering the question:

*What are you most memorable experiences in your hometown that
influenced to your present life?

WEEK 3 – WEEK 4 / LESSON 3-4

GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE (New Testament Time)

Religion, People and Politics

I. Objective:
1. To comprehend the Historical Background of the NEW TESTAMENT specifically the
Palestinian town particularly the Jewish provinces.

11 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

II. Introduction
In this historical background of the Gospels, we will see the environment of Jesus: His
town; His country’s geography, religion and people and His country’s colonial master, Rome

Explain
GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE (New Testament Time)
Religion, People and Politics

Jewish Provinces Non-Jewish

1. Judea 1. Samaria 4. Philip’s Tetrarchy
2 Galilee 2. Decapolis 5. Idumea
3. Perea. 3. Phoenicia

12 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

Palestine, area of the eastern Mediterranean region, comprising parts of modern Israel
and the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip (along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea) and
the West Bank (the area west of the Jordan River).

The term Palestine has been associated variously and sometimes controversially with this
small region, which some have asserted also includes Jordan. Both the geographic area
designated by the name and the political status of it have changed over the course of some three
millennia. The region (or at least a part of it) is also known as the Holy Land and is held sacred
among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Since the 20th century it has been the object of conflicting
claims of Jewish and Arab national movements, and the conflict has led to prolonged violence
and, in several instances, open warfare.

The word Palestine derives from Philistia, the name given by Greek writers to the land of
the Philistines, who in the 12th century BCE occupied a small pocket of land on the southern
coast, between modern Tel Aviv–Yafo and Gaza. The name was revived by the Romans in the
2nd century CE in “Syria Palaestina,” designating the southern portion of the province of Syria,
and made its way thence into Arabic, where it has been used to describe the region at least since
the early Islamic era. After Roman times the name had no official status until after World War I
and the end of rule by the Ottoman Empire, when it was adopted for one of the regions mandated
to Great Britain; in addition to an area roughly comprising present-day Israel and the West Bank,
the mandate included the territory east of the Jordan River now constituting the Hashimite
Kingdom of Jordan, which Britain placed under an administration separate from that of Palestine
immediately after receiving the mandate for the territory.

The name Palestine has long been in popular use as a general term to denote a traditional
region, but this usage does not imply precise boundaries. The perception of what constitutes
Palestine’s eastern boundary has been especially fluid, although the boundary frequently has
been perceived as lying east of the Jordan River, extending at times to the edge of the Arabian
Desert. In contemporary understanding, however, Palestine is generally defined as a region
bounded on the east by the Jordan River, on the north by the border between modern Israel and
Lebanon, on the west by the Mediterranean Sea (including the coast of Gaza), and on the south
by the Negev, with its southernmost extension reaching the Gulf of Aqaba.

The strategic importance of the area is immense: through it pass the main roads from
Egypt to Syria and from the Mediterranean to the hills beyond the Jordan River.

Settlement depends closely on water, which is almost never abundant. Precipitation,

which arrives in the cool half of the year, decreases in amount in general from north to south and
from the coast inland. Perennial rivers are few, and the shortage of water is aggravated by the
porous nature of the limestone rocks over much of the country.

Land
Coastal lowlands of varying widths front the Mediterranean. The most northerly is the
Plain of ʿAkko (Acre), which extends with a breadth of 5 to 9 miles (8 to 14 km) for about 20
miles (32 km) from the Lebanon border in the north to the Carmel promontory, in Israel, in the
south, where it narrows to a mere 600 feet (180 metres). Farther southward the lowland opens

13 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

out rapidly into the Plain of Sharon, about 8 miles (13 km) wide and extending south to the
latitude of Tel Aviv–Yafo. Once covered with marshes, the Sharon plain was reclaimed in the
post-Exilic and Hellenistic period and is now a settled area. Fields and fruit groves are laid out
between scattered sandstone ridges, on which villages have grown up. South of the spur of low
hills that approaches the coast at about Yafo (Jaffa), the plain widens into a fertile region known
in biblical times as Philistia, a district of orange groves, irrigated orchards, and fields of grain.

Farther northward the Plain of Esdraelon (ʿEmeq Yizreʿel), formed by subsidence along
lines of faults, separates the hills of southern Galilee from the mountains of Samaria. The plain,
16 miles (26 km) wide at most, narrows to the northwest, where the Qishon River breaks through
to the Plain of ʿAkko, and to the southeast, where the Ḥarod River—which rises at the Spring of
Ḥarod—has carved the plain into the side of the Jordan Valley. Covered with rich basaltic soils
washed down from the Galilean hills, Esdraelon is important both for its fertility and for the
great highway it opens from the Mediterranean to the lands across the Jordan. The maritime plain
connects with Esdraelon by the pass of Megiddo and several lesser routes between the mountain
spurs of Carmel and Gilboaʿ.

Plain of Esdraelon
Plain of Esdraelon
Plain of Esdraelon, northern Israel.
Beny Shlevich
The hill country of Galilee is better-watered and more thickly wooded than that of
Samaria or Judaea. North of the Bet Netofa Valley (Plain of Asochis) is Upper Galilee, with
elevations of 4,000 feet (1,200 metres), a scrub-covered limestone plateau that is thinly
populated. To the south, Lower Galilee—with its highest peak, Mount Tabor (1,929 feet [588
metres])—is a land of east-west ridges enclosing sheltered vales like that of Nazareth, with rich
basaltic soils.

Samaria, the region of the ancient kingdom of Israel, is a hilly district extending from the
Plain of Esdraelon to the latitude of Ramallah. Its mountains—Carmel, Gilboaʿ, Aybāl (Ebal),
and Al-Ṭūr (Gerizim)—are lower than those of Upper Galilee, while its basins, notably those of
the ʿArrābah Plain and Nāblus, are wider and more gently contoured than their equivalents in
Judaea. Samaria is easily approached from the coast across the Plain of Sharon and from the
Jordan by the Fāriʿah valley. The city of Jerusalem has expanded rapidly along the mountain
ridges.

From Ramallah in the north to Beersheba in the south, the high plateau of Judaea is a
rocky wilderness of limestone, with rare patches of cultivation, as found around Al-Bīrah and
Hebron. It is separated from the coastal plain by a longitudinal fosse and a belt of low hills of
soft chalky limestone, about 5 to 8 miles (8 to 13 km) wide, known as Ha-Shefela. The Judaean
plateau falls abruptly to the Jordan Valley, which is approached with difficulty along the wadis
Qelt and Muqalliq.

The Jordan Valley is a deep rift valley that varies in width from 1.5 to 14 miles (2.5 to 22
km). In its northern section the bed of the drained Lake Ḥula and of Lake Tiberias (the Sea of
Galilee) are blocked by natural dams of basalt. Descending to about 1,310 feet (400 metres)

14 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

below sea level—the lowest land depth on the Earth’s surface—the valley is exceedingly dry and
hot, and cultivation is restricted to irrigated areas or rare oases, as at Jericho or at ʿEn Gedi by
the shore of the Dead Sea.

The Negev, a desertlike region, is triangular in shape with the apex at the south. It
extends from Beersheba in the north, where 8 inches (200 mm) or more of precipitation falls
annually and grain is grown, to the port city of Elat on the Red Sea, in the extremely arid south.
It is bounded by the Sinai Peninsula on the west and the northern extension of the Great Rift
Valley on the east.

People
The social geography of modern Palestine, especially the area west of the Jordan River,
has been greatly affected by the dramatic political changes and wars that have brought this small
region to the attention of the world. In the early 21st century, Israeli Jews constituted roughly
half of the population west of the Jordan, while Palestinian Arabs—Muslim, Christian, and
Druze—and other smaller minorities accounted for the rest. The Jewish population is
increasingly composed of persons born in Israel itself, although millions of immigrants have
arrived since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. The Arab population is descended from
Arabs who lived in the area during the mandate period and, in most cases, for centuries before
that time. The majority of both Jews and Arabs are now urbanized.

According to Jewish nationalists (Zionists), Judaism constitutes a basis for both religious
and national (ethnic) identity. Palestinian nationalists usually emphasize that their shared identity
as Arabs transcends the religious diversity of their community. Both Muslim Arabs, constituting
about 18 percent of the Israeli population, and Christian Arabs, about 2 percent, identify
themselves in the first instance as Arabs.

The Arab majority resident in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and the still larger
number of Arab Palestinians living outside the area (many in nearby countries such as Lebanon)
have strongly opposed Israeli control and feared an eventual annexation of the West Bank and
Gaza by Israel. Many ideological Jewish Israeli settlers support such an annexation and think
those lands properly belong to Israel. In 2005 Arab concerns were partially assuaged when Israel
completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and handed over control of the territory to the
Palestinians, but the Israeli settlement population in the West Bank nearly doubled between 2005
and 2019.

Both Zionists and Palestinian Arab nationalists have at various times since the 19th
century claimed rightful possession of the area west of the Jordan River. The rivalry between the
two groups and their claims have been major causes of the numerous Arab-Israeli conflicts and
the continuing crises in the region. Some members of each group still make such sweeping and
mutually exclusive claims to complete control of the area, whereas others are more willing to
seek a peaceful compromise solution.vi
(

15 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

Provinces of Palestine

1. JUDEA
Judaea, also spelled Judea, or Judah, Hebrew Yehudaḥ, the southernmost of the three
traditional divisions of ancient Palestine; the other two were Galilee in the north and Samaria in
the centre. No clearly marked boundary divided Judaea from Samaria, but the town of Beersheba
was traditionally the southernmost limit. The region presents a variety of geographic features,
but the real core of Judaea was the upper hill country, known as Har Yehuda (“Hills of Judaea”),
extending south from the region of Bethel (at present-day Ramallah) to Beersheba and including
the area of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron.
(https://www.britannica.com/place/Judaea)s
Judea is above all an agricultural country. There are, however, a few special industries:
at Jerusalem, carving in olive wood; at Bethlehem, carving in mother-of-pearl; at Gaza, goat's
hair tissue, slippers, and soap; at Hebron, leather and water-bottles, jars and glass trinkets. The
Mutessariflik of Jerusalem, which nearly corresponds to the ancient Judea, has an area of 8484
square miles, and comprises 328 cities, towns, villages, and hamlets, with an aggregate
population of 350,000, of whom 100,000 are non-Mussulman. There are 27,000 Catholics having
for their parishes Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Bêt-Sahur, Bêt-Djâlah, Ramallah, Taybeh, Bir-Zeît,
Ramleh, Jaffa and Gaza. Although not a vilayet, this province is directly dependent on the
minister of the interior at Constantinople. It has five sub-prefectures: Jaffa, Gaza, Hebron,
Bersabee, and (since 1906) Nazareth, which last is geographically within the vilayet of Beirut.vii

2. GALILEE
(Septuagint and New Testament Galilaia).

The native land of Jesus Christ, where He began His ministry and performed many of His works,
and whence He drew His Apostles. Orginally, the Hebrew Gâlîl, derived from gâlal, "to roll",
meant a circle or district, and in its feminine and plural forms was applied indifferently to several
regions in Palestine. The simple term Gâlîl (Galilee) occurs first in Joshua 20:7 (cf. Joshua
21:32; and 1 Chronicles 6:76) where it denotes that portion of Nephtali lying to the northeast of
Lake Merom, in which lay Cedes, one of the six cities of refuge. In 1 Kings 9:11, the expression
"land of Galilee" is used to designate the northern part of Palestine, that embraced the twenty
cities given by Solomon to Hiram, King of Tyre. Isaias (9:1) gives to "the land of Zabulon, and
the land of Nephtali" the name "Galilee of the Nations" (D.V. "Galilee of the Gentiles"),
undoubtedly on account of the large Gentile population in that region. As early as the Machabean
period, the limits of Galilee had extended to Samaria (1 Maccabees 10:30), without however
including the plain of Jezrael and the territory of Ptolemais (1 Maccabees 12:47, 49). The New
Testament frequently recognizes it as dividing, with the provinces of Samaria and Judea, all of
Western Palestine. Josephus and, more accurately, the Talmudists (cf. Neubauer, "La Géographie
du Talmud", Paris, 1868) give its boundaries at this period, as Phoenicia and Coele-Syria on the
north; the Jordan valley on the east; Samaria, having En Gannim (modern Jennin) at its frontier,
on the south; the Mediterranean and Phoenicia on the west. The territory thus described is
naturally divided by a high ridge, at the eastern extremity of which was Caphar Hanan (Kefr
'Anân), into Upper Galilee, embracing ancient Nephtali and the northern part of Asher, and
Lower Galilee, embracing ancient Zabulon and parts of Asher and Issachar. Although mountain

16 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

ranges extend throughout the territory, rising to a height of 4000 feet in Upper, and to 1800 feet
in Lower Galilee, the land is very productive, especially in the southern division where the
valleys and plains are greater, and is capable of sustaining a very large population.

Josue (xix, 10-39) names 69 important Canaanite towns and cities, existing in the conquered
territory allotted to the Hebrew tribes of Nephtali, Zabulon, Asher, and Issachar. Josephus (Vita,
45) counted 204 prosperous villages and 15 fortified cities in the Galilee of his time. Now its
population is small, and for the most part scattered among miserable villages and mud hamlets.
Safed, one of the four sacred cities of Palestine revered by Jews, which has a population of about
15,000, of whom 9000 are Jews, is the principal city in the north. Nazareth, a Christian city
(about 10,000), is the chief city in the south. The deportation of Jews by Theglathphalasar
(Tiglath-Pileser), 734 B. C., gave an overwhelming predominance to the Gentile elements noted
in the population by Isaias. Although the Jews multiplied rapidly in Galilee after the Babylonian
exile, they were oppressed by the heathen as late as the Machabean period (1 Maccabees 5:45-
54), and did not prevail until the first century before Christ. As results of their long intercourse
with the conquered Canaanites, and Phoenician, Syrian, and Greek immigrants, and their
separation from their brethren in Judea by interlying Samaria, they spoke a dialect and had
peculiarities in business, family and religious customs, that brought upon them the contempt of
the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Under the Roman Empire both Christianity and Judaism flourished
there, as is evidenced by the ruins of numerous synagogues, churches, and monasteries belonging
to that period that were destroyed by the Moslems. There are also notable ruins of churches and
monasteries erected by the Crusaders, who restored Christianity in Palestine in the twelfth
century, and were not finally overcome until 1291, when Acre in Galilee, their last stronghold,
was taken by the Moslems. The territory is now a Turkish possession belonging to the vilayet of
Beirut. The people are divided in their religious beliefs. Catholics of the Latin, Greek, and
Maronite Rites, Orthodox Greeks, and Druses live side by side with Moslems. Near Safed there
are several modern Jewish colonies.viii

3. PEREA

This province was a large plateau east of Jordan and bigger than Galilee but was much
less populated. In the Gospels it is known as “beyond Jordan”. This was one of the two provinces
of Transjordan: Perea and Decapolis. In the Old Testament times Transjordan comprised the land
of Moab, Ammon, Gilead and Bashan.

NON-JEWISH PROVINCES

1. SAMARIA
Samaria, Hebrew Shomron, the central region of ancient Palestine. Samaria extends for
about 40 miles (65 km) from north to south and 35 miles (56 km) from east to west. It is bounded
by Galilee on the north and by Judaea on the south; on the west was the Mediterranean Sea and
on the east the Jordan River. The mountain ranges of southern Samaria continue into Judaea with
no clearly marked division.

17 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

Ancient Shechem (near modern Nāblus), in the centre of Samaria, served as the
crossroads and political centre of the region.

At the time of the Israelite conquest of Palestine, the strategic sites of the region of

Samaria were in the hands of the Canaanites. Although the Israelites were able to win footholds
in the hill country, some of the key Canaanite strongholds in the neighbouring plains or valleys
successfully resisted them until the days of King David (10th century BC). The region of
Samaria was assigned to the house of Joseph, that is, to the tribe of Ephraim and to half of the
tribe of Manasseh. After the death of King Solomon (10th century), the northern tribes, including
those of Samaria, separated from the southern tribes and established the separate kingdom
of Israel. Its capital first was at Tirzah (perhaps modern Tall al-Fāriʿah) and then, from the time
of Omri (876–869 or c. 884–c. 872 BC), it was moved to the city of Samaria, then a new town
built on a hilltop about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Shechem. Although the northern kingdom
was often stronger than Judah to the south and enjoyed greater economic development, it was
crushed by Assyria in 722, and much of its population was carried into captivity.

In New Testament times Samaria was under Roman control and was to some extent a
centre for Hellenistic culture. Jesus had little to do with the Samaritans, but, in the apostolic age,
Greek-speaking Christians preached to them; this preaching marked a transition stage in the
extension of the church into the gentile world. The Samaritan sect, which traces its origin back to
the northern Israelite form of the Mosaic religion, still exists in small numbers at Nāblus and
accepts only the Pentateuch as Scripturedevelopment, it was crushed by Assyria in 722, and
much of its population was carried into captivity.ix

2. DECAPOLIS

(From Greek Deka, ten, and polis, city)

Decapolis is the name given in the Bible and by ancient writers to a region in Palestine
lying to the east and south of the Sea of Galilee. It took its name from the confederation of the
ten cities that dominated its extent. The Decapolis is referred to in the New Testament three
times: Matthew 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31. Josephus, Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, and other ancient
geographers and historians make frequent reference to it.

At the disruption of the army of Alexander the Great, after his burial at Sidon, great
numbers of his veterans, their occupation gone, settled down to a life of peace. The coast towns
being already peopled, many of the Greeks sought homes farther inland. There they either laid
out new cities or rebuilt and transformed older ones. In 218 B. C., according to Polybius, several
of these towns were looked upon as strong fortresses. As long as the Seleucidæ ruled in the
North and the Ptolemies in the South, the influence of the Greeks remained paramount in Syria;
but when, with the rise of the Romans, the power of the descendants of Alexander's soldiers
weakened, the Greek cities were in sore straits. Especially perilous was the plight of these towns
in Palestine after the successful rise of the Machabees. In the years 64-63 B. C., however,
Pompey overran Syria and made it a Roman province. The Grecian cities, being regarded as
bulwarks of Roman rule against any native uprisings, were granted many favours. They enjoyed

18 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

the right of coinage, preserved their municipal freedom, and were allowed a certain sway over
the near-by country.

It was after Pompey's conquest that the league of the Decapolis was formed. There is no
record of the year, and although most likely it was soon after the coming of Pompey, yet it may
not have been until Herod's time. The earliest list of the ten cities of the Decapolis is Pliny's,
which mentions Scythopolis, Pella, Hippo, Dion, Gerasa, Philadelphia, Raphana, Canatha, and
Damascus. Later, Ptolemy enumerates eighteen cities, thus showing that the term Decapolis was
applied to a region. The importance of this league was greatly strengthened by the advantageous
positions of the principal towns. Scythopolis, the capital of the Decapolis, lay at the head of the
plain of Esdraelon, to the west of the Jordan, guarding the natural portal from the sea to the great
interior plateau of Basan and Galaad. The other cities were situated to the east of the Jordan on
the great routes along which passed the commerce of the whole country. Today the cities of the
Decapolis, with the exception of Damascus, are deserted and in ruins. Yet even in their ruined
state they offer a striking contrast to the near-by cities of the Semites. Their temples, theatres and
forums built on a lavish scale, give even to this day clear indication of the genius of the people
who built them.

Among the cities of the Decapolis of special interest are: Damascus, so often referred to
in the Old and New Testament; Gadara, on the Sea of Galilee, whose inhabitants were the
Gerasenes of the Evangelists — the Gadarenon of one reading of Matthew 8:28 — whose swine
were driven by the devil into the sea; and Pella, the city in the valley of the Jordan to which the
Christians withdrew at the first siege of Jerusalem.x

3. PHOENICIA

Phœnicia is a narrow strip of land, about one hundred and fifty miles long and thirty
miles wide, shut in between the Mediterranean on the west and the high range of Lebanon on the
east, and consisting mostly of a succession of narrow valleys, ravines, and hills, the latter
descending gradually towards the sea. On the north it is bounded by the River Orontes and
Mount Casius, and by Mount Carmel on the south. The land is fertile and well irrigated by
numerous torrents and streams deriving their waters mainly from the melting snows and rain-
storms of the winter and spring seasons. The principal vegetation consists of the renowned
cedars of Lebanon, cypresses, pines, palms, olive, vine, fig, and pomegranates. On this narrow
strip of land, the Phœnicians had twenty-five cities of which the most important were Tyre,
Sidon, Aradus, Byblus, Marathus, and Tripolis. Less important were Laodicea, Simyra, Arca,
Aphaca, Berytus, Ecdippa, Akko, Dor, Joppa, Gabala, Betrys, and Sarepta. The name "Phœnicia"
is in all probability of Greek origin, phoîniks being a Greek derivative of phoînos, blood-red. Our
principal sources of information concerning Phœnicia are: first, numerous Phœnician inscriptions
found in Phœnicia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Sicily, Spain, Africa, Italy, and France, and published
in the "Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum", the oldest being a simple one of the ninth century
B.C.; the rest of little historical value, and of comparatively late date, i.e., from the fourth
century B.C. down; second, Egyptian and Assyro-Babylonian historical inscriptions, especially
the Tell-el-Amarna letters of the fifteenth century B.C., in which are found frequent and valuable
references to Phœnicia and its political relations with Western Asia and Egypt; the Old

19 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

Testament, especially in 1 Kings 5 and 16; Isaiah 23; Jeremiah 25 and 27, and Ezekiel 26-32;
finally, some Greek and Latin historians and writers, both ecclesiastical and pagan.

The oldest historical references to Phœnicia are found in the Egyptian inscriptions of the
Pharaohs, Aahmes (1587-62 B.C.) and his successors Thothmes I (1541-16 B.C.), and Thothmes
III (1503-1449 B.C.) in which the Phœnicians are called "Dahe" or "Zahi", and "Fenkhu". In the
Tell-el-Amarna letters is found much interesting information concerning their cities and
especially Tyre, famous for her wealth. During all this period Egyptian suzerainty was more or
less effective. Sidon was gradually eclipsed by the rising power and wealth of Tyre, against
which the Philistines were powerless, though they constantly attacked the former. About the year
1250, after conquering Ashdod, Askelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath, they forced the Sidonians to
surrender the city of Dor. At this time Tyre became foremost in Phœnicia and one of the greatest
and wealthiest cities of the Mediterranean region. Its first king was Hiram, the son of Abi-Baal
and contemporary of David and Solomon. His reign lasted some forty years, and to his energy
Tyre owed much of its renown. He enlarged the city, surrounding it with massive walls,
improved its harbours, and rebuilt the temple of Melkarth. He forced the Philistine pirates to
retreat, thus securing prosperity in maritime commerce and caravan trade, and Phœnician
colonization spread along the coast of Asia Minor, Sicily, Greece, and Africa. He established a
commercial alliance with the Hebrews, and his Phœnician artists and craftsmen greatly aided
them in building the temple, and palaces of Solomon. He quelled the revolt in Utica and
established Phœnician supremacy in North Africa where Carthage, the most important of all
Phœnician colonies

4. PHILIP’S TETRARCHY

This comprised various regions that stretched to the north of Palestine: Gaulanitis, Iturea
and Trachonitis. Its ciies mentioned in the Gospels are Bethsaida and Caesarea Philippi.
Bethsaida (Iulias) was the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip and where Jesus fed the 5,000
people. Caesarea Philippi (Paneas) was where Peter confessed Jesus to be the Messiah.

5. IDUMEA

The country inhabited by the descendants of Edom. The word Idumea is the græcized
form of the Hebrew name 'Edôm (Egypt., Aduma; Assyr., U-du-um-ma-ai, U-du-mu, U-du-mi),
which appears to have been applied to the region from the red colour of its sandstone cliffs.
Idumea was situated south of Juda and the Dead Sea, but its limits, bordering on the wilderness,
are difficult to determine. According to Genesis 36:8 sqq., on leaving Chanaan, Esau took his
abode on Mt. Seir, then the home of the Horites (Genesis 14:6; D.V.: Chorreans). Mt. Seir is
commonly thought to be the Jebel esh-Shera, a range prolonging the mountains of Moab, to the
east of the 'Arabah; various indications, however, suggest a more westerly location and lead one
to believe that Mt. Seir should be sought rather in the highlands between Cades and the southern
end of the Dead Sea. The Tel-el-Amarna tablets, indeed, speak of She-e-ri as a country south of
Western Palestine; the same documents mention in that region a city of U-du-mu (Edom), in
which Ed-Dome (Ruma of Joshua 15:52 — D. V.; Heb., Dûmah), south-south-west of Hebron, is
recognized, the name being sometimes used to designate the country of the Edomites.

20 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

On the other hand, the route followed by the Israelites, returning from Cades to
Asiongaber (A. V.: Eziongeber; Deuteronomy 2:8) and skirting to the east of the 'Arabah through
Salmona (unknown), Phunon (Khirbet Fenân) and Oboth (prob. Wady Weibeh), then going
north-eastwards to Jeabarim (Kh. 'Ai, east-south-east of Kerak), in order "to compass the land of
Edom" (Numbers 21:4), which they were not allowed to cross (Numbers 20:17), indicates that
this land did not extend beyond the 'Arabah. Under the name of Idumea, not only Mt. Seir, but
all the surrounding region inhabited by tribes claiming an Edomite descent, is usually
understood.

In early times the Edomites were governed by 'allûphîm or "dukes"; but during the
sojourn of the Hebrews in the desert Mt. Seir was under the control of a king. Genesis 36:31-39,
gives a list of "the kings that ruled in the land of Edom, before the children of Israel had a king";
from this list we gather that the Edomite monarchy was elective. In spite of the blood-
relationship uniting Israel and Edom, the two peoples were frequently in conflict. Saul had
turned his army against the Edomites (1 Samuel 14:47); David conquered and garrisoned the
country (2 Samuel 8:14) and Solomon occupied its ports on the Red Sea (1 Kings 9:26). During
Joram's reign, Idumea succeeded in shaking off for a while the yoke of Jerusalem, but Amasias
obliged the Edomites once more to own Juda's sway; finally under Achaz they won their
independence. With the fall of Juda into the hands of the Babylonians, whom they had joined in
the fray, the power of the Edomites waxed stronger, and they took possession of all Southern
Palestine, making Hebron their capital. But despite their alliance with the Syrians during the
Machabean war, they could not withstand the sturdy onslaught of the Israelite patriots who drove
them from the south of Juda. The loss of their possessions east of the 'Arabah, fallen long since
into the hands of the Nabathæans, rendered the Edomites an easy prey to their neighbours, and in
109 B.C. they were conquered by John Hyrcanus, who, however, allowed them to remain in the
country on the condition that they should adopt Judaism. When, at the death of Alexandra (69),
Aristobulus endeavoured to wrest the crown from his brother Hyrcanus II, Antipater, Governor
of Idumea, took the latter's side in the conflict, and, upon the arrival of the Romans, attached
himself closely to them. The assistance he lent to their army in several expeditions, and the
services he rendered to Julius Cæsar were rewarded in 47 by the much-coveted title of Roman
citizen and the appointment to the procuratorship of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. His son was
Herod the Great.

Elaboration

 Students are free to raise questions toward the end of the week.

Evaluation
 Students will be prepared for the Pre-Midterm Exam

21 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
 Saint Joseph College

Reference:

22 | N E W T E S T A M E N T
i
https://www.acatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/Overview-and-Summary-of-the-Catholic-Bible.pdf)

ii
Testament: New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia

iii
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=32852

iv
https://biblicalmissiology.org/2010/04/06/the-value-in-a name/?
gclid=EAIaIQobChMItoGik6GS6wIVE7eWCh0QSwYWEAAYASAAEgIy_vD_BwE

v
(http://www.helsinki.fi/teol/pro/_merenlah/oppimateriaalit/text/english/land.htm)

vi
(https://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine)

vii
(https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08544a.htm)

viii
(https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06341c.htm)

ix
(https://www.britannica.com/place/Samaria-historical-region-Palestine)

x
(https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04664b.htm)