Post-Exilic Jerusalem

Week 6 Lecture 1 (2/8/11)

The Second Temple Period of Jerusalem began when the Achaemenid Persians conquered the Babylonians in 539 BCE. King Cyrus, the king of Persia, arranged for the Jews in Babylon to return back to their homelands and rebuild their fallen temple. This was a political and diplomatic tactic that allowed King Cyrus to gain favor and rid opposition in conquered territories. His strategy worked out very well because soon after, King Cyrus was deemed a "Liberator" and also a "Messiah" among the Jews. In Isaiah 34-35, the Bible refers to Cyrus as the "anointed one" who carried out God's will unknowingly. This "liberating" gesture by the Persians had a tremendous effect on the traditions and beliefs of the returning Jews.

Living in Judah during the time of the exile were the Samaritans, who believed that a temple does not need to be present in order to worship God. The Samaritans adapted to the destruction of the temple and practiced their faith through worship, song, interpreting the Torah, and upholding religious holidays and traditions. When the exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem with commands to reconstruct the temple, conflict arose. Construction workers needed to carry a weapon while holding their building tools (Nehemiah 4: 6-23). Even though the temple was finally completed, it "paled in comparison" to the original temple built under Solomon. The high tax rates and the recurring conflicts between the Jews and the Samaritans made Jerusalem an area of unrest and confusion.