The time between the historical end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament was approximately 420 years. Bible-study classes rarely cover this “forgotten” time, yet understanding this history is critical to our comprehension and appreciation of the New Testament. Furthermore, it was the inter-testament period that gave birth to who we are today—our politics, laws, science, mathematics, institutions, and even the values and philosophies we hold dear. Western civilization undoubtedly would be different today if not for the Jews, Greeks, and Romans and their contributions to society.
What happened “between the testaments,” before the birth of Jesus, and what is the back-story of his world? Who was Herod the Great, and what influence did he have during this time? What events gave birth to the sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Which empires and rulers controlled Judea during this period? Answers to these questions and more are in The Bridge to the New Testament. Discover the following topics in-depth:
• Old Testament Survey
• Alexander the Great and His Successors
• The Roman Republic and Its Notable Leaders
• The Greek, Ptolemaic, and Seleucid Empires
• The Maccabean and Hasmonean Dynasties
• The Prefects, Procurators, Kings, Governors, and Legates of Judea
• Herod the Great and the Herodian Dynasty
• Jewish and Roman Calendars & Timekeeping
• Science and Engineering of the Period
• The Roman Empire, Its Military, and Its Emperors
• The Three Jewish Temples and Temple Mounts
• Apocryphal and Religious Writings of the Period
• The Money of the Inter-Testament and New Testament
• The Sects, Politics, and Institutions of the Jews
• Jewish High Priests
• The Genealogies of Jesus
• The Roman Conquest of Jerusalem and Masada
• Life in Ancient Times
• The Spread of the Gospel by the Apostles
Have you examined the front cover carefully? If you look closely, you will see we have added eight words to the picture—a few institutions, people, sects, and nations that helped build the bridge to the New Testament.
Where to find these hidden words, answer books, PowerPoint slides, a detailed history of the period, book excerpts, ancient money calculators, and much more are available on TheBridgeToTheNewTestament.com.
Denny Sissom graduated from Tennessee Technological University with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in electrical engineering. His professional career has involved working with computer modeling and simulation, computer-aided design, and software development. A personal passion has been the study of the Old Testament and inter-testament history. Noticing the lack of dedicated material on the inter-testament prompted him to teach classes on "Between the Testaments." This book has evolved from his research and course notes gathered during many years of teaching both Bible and inter-testament history.
