joelr
Well-Known Member
During the 2nd Temple Period they were influenced by the Persian myths. They began writing prophecies that they would be getting their own savior.
NO I said what we know to be true. In Judaism the only afterlife was wandering around sheol.
After they were Hellenized they adopted the beliefs in everyone having a soul that can be fallen, redeemed and belongs in Heaven. I am going by all facts.
The Hellenized beliefs entered Jusism during the 2nd Temple Period.
Re-read the list I provided. That list of Hellenistic concepts literally predicts Christainity. Those are facts.
The concepts of an afterlife where your soul originates in heaven and can be redeemed and return there. That is a Hellenistic idea. Older religions including Judaism did not have this concept.
During the period of the Second Temple (c. 515 BC – 70 AD), the Hebrew people lived under the rule of first the Persian Achaemenid Empire, then the Greek kingdoms of the Diadochi, and finally the Roman Empire.[47] Their culture was profoundly influenced by those of the peoples who ruled them.[47] Consequently, their views on existence after death were profoundly shaped by the ideas of the Persians, Greeks, and Romans.[48][49] The idea of the immortality of the soul is derived from Greek philosophy[49] and the idea of the resurrection of the dead is derived from Persian cosmology.[49] By the early first century AD, these two seemingly incompatible ideas were often conflated by Hebrew thinkers.[49] The Hebrews also inherited from the Persians, Greeks, and Romans the idea that the human soul originates in the divine realm and seeks to return there.[47] The idea that a human soul belongs in Heaven and that Earth is merely a temporary abode in which the soul is tested to prove its worthiness became increasingly popular during the Hellenistic period (323 – 31 BC).[40] Gradually, some Hebrews began to adopt the idea of Heaven as the eternal home of the righteous dead.[40]
If you want historical details read the books I listed.
Yes and so are savior demigods, national Gods being upgraded to supreme Gods, and the long list of things I tok time to pick out of the Hellenism article from Briticannica.
Sanders and Wright echo these details in their work as does Carrier.
vhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven
"n line with the typical view of most Near Eastern cultures, the Hebrew Bible depicts Heaven as a place that is inaccessible to humans."
All Biblical mentions of afterlife are spirits wandering around SHeol. Hellenism introduced a more popular myth that everyone gets to go to heaven.
You keep making this strawman that there was no afterlife in Judaism? There was but it was nothing like all of the upgrades Hellenism brought.
The Persian occupation also brought many changes in theology. Between Hellenism and Persian thought the is the bulk of Christian theology.
Early Israel also has Ashera as a consort of Yahweh. During the 2nd Temple Period the Hebrews tried to understand why they kept being defeated (even though Yahweh promised otherwise). They saw the Persians had one main God and decided their big sin was they were not being Yahweh specific enough. This is the period the OT was canonized and strict Yahweh worship began.
"Zoroastrianism exalts an uncreated and benevolent deity of wisdom, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord), as its supreme being.[4] The unique historical features of Zoroastrianism, such as its monotheism,[5][6][7][8][9] messianism, judgment after death, heaven and hell, and free will may have influenced other religious and philosophical systems, including Second Temple Judaism, Gnosticism, Greek philosophy,[10] Christianity, Islam,[11] and the Baháʼí Faith.
The Persian kings allowed the Hebrew religious leaders to return from exile and the Israelites were influenced by their kindness and their theology.
At 3:10 OT Professor details this period
