Just an interesting refresher on who's who in the second temple period.
Pharisees, Sadducees, Edomites, Great Sanhedrin
Around 60 b.c. The Roman Triumvirate Pompey brought Judea under Roman Rule. He pushed all the Jews into the areas of Gallilee, Jericho and Jersalem.
Then he settled Greeks and Syrians in the rest of the land of Palestine. Originally, Galilee was settled by the tribe of Benjamin who always followed the tribe of Judah.
A few years earlier, Hyranicus, a descendant of the Maccabees, conquered the land of Idumea. Idumea was the home land of the Edomites. He forced all the Edomites to be circumcised and follow the Jewish laws. This was a big mistake. They were told by God never to mix with the Edomites.
The Jewish Encyclopedia, 1903 edition, says under the heading Edom,
They were then incorporated with the Jewish nation, and their country was called by the Greeks and Romans “Idumea” . . . From this time the Idumeans ceased to be a separate nation, though the name “Idumea” still existed (in) the time of Jerome.
The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. Esau married into the families of the Canaanites. The Canaanites were the people that God told Moses and the Israelites to kill and drive out of the land of Canaan. They were warned never to mix or marry with the Canaanites. God gave Edom the land south of Judea. They were driven western toward by the Natabeans to the area that became Idumea. Their border was only 19 miles from Jerusalem.
Flavus Josephus who lived from 37 A.D., to 100 A.D. Confirms Edomite occupation in southern Judea.
“That country is also called Judea, and the people Jews; and this name is given also to as many as embrace their religion (Judaism), though of other nations.
But then upon what foundation so good a governor as Hyrcanus (grandson of Mattathias patriarch of the Maccabees, a family of Judahite patriots of 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.) Took upon himself to compel these Idumeans (Edomites) either to become Jews or to leave their country, deserves great consideration. I suppose it was because they had long ago been driven out of the land of Edom, and had SEIZED ON AND POSSESSED THE TRIBE OF SIMEON (their land not the people), AND ALL THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, WHICH WAS THE PECULIAR INHERITANCE OF THE WORSHIPERS OF THE TRUE GOD WITHOUT IDOLATRY…”
So the land of Palestine at the time of the Messiah was similar to the U.S. It was very diverse with many nationalities. The word “Jews” in scripture refers to the inhabitants of the land.
But it can also mean the tribe of Judah in some cases. The name for the land of Palestine was called Judea because they combined the name Judah and Idumea.
continued
Pharisees, Sadducees, Edomites, Great Sanhedrin | Who Is America?
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Pharisees, Sadducees, Edomites, Great Sanhedrin
Around 60 b.c. The Roman Triumvirate Pompey brought Judea under Roman Rule. He pushed all the Jews into the areas of Gallilee, Jericho and Jersalem.
Then he settled Greeks and Syrians in the rest of the land of Palestine. Originally, Galilee was settled by the tribe of Benjamin who always followed the tribe of Judah.
A few years earlier, Hyranicus, a descendant of the Maccabees, conquered the land of Idumea. Idumea was the home land of the Edomites. He forced all the Edomites to be circumcised and follow the Jewish laws. This was a big mistake. They were told by God never to mix with the Edomites.
The Jewish Encyclopedia, 1903 edition, says under the heading Edom,
They were then incorporated with the Jewish nation, and their country was called by the Greeks and Romans “Idumea” . . . From this time the Idumeans ceased to be a separate nation, though the name “Idumea” still existed (in) the time of Jerome.
The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. Esau married into the families of the Canaanites. The Canaanites were the people that God told Moses and the Israelites to kill and drive out of the land of Canaan. They were warned never to mix or marry with the Canaanites. God gave Edom the land south of Judea. They were driven western toward by the Natabeans to the area that became Idumea. Their border was only 19 miles from Jerusalem.
Flavus Josephus who lived from 37 A.D., to 100 A.D. Confirms Edomite occupation in southern Judea.
“That country is also called Judea, and the people Jews; and this name is given also to as many as embrace their religion (Judaism), though of other nations.
But then upon what foundation so good a governor as Hyrcanus (grandson of Mattathias patriarch of the Maccabees, a family of Judahite patriots of 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.) Took upon himself to compel these Idumeans (Edomites) either to become Jews or to leave their country, deserves great consideration. I suppose it was because they had long ago been driven out of the land of Edom, and had SEIZED ON AND POSSESSED THE TRIBE OF SIMEON (their land not the people), AND ALL THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, WHICH WAS THE PECULIAR INHERITANCE OF THE WORSHIPERS OF THE TRUE GOD WITHOUT IDOLATRY…”
So the land of Palestine at the time of the Messiah was similar to the U.S. It was very diverse with many nationalities. The word “Jews” in scripture refers to the inhabitants of the land.
But it can also mean the tribe of Judah in some cases. The name for the land of Palestine was called Judea because they combined the name Judah and Idumea.
continued
