intertestamental

Intertestamental refers to the period between the events and writings of the Hebrew Bible and the emergence of the New Testament. In Jewish history this interval is often described as the Second Temple period, roughly from the late Persian era (around the 5th century BCE) to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The term is especially common in Christian scholarship, where it denotes the cultural and religious developments that occurred in Judaism and the broader Near Eastern world before Christianity.

During this era, political rule shifted from the Persian Empire to the Hellenistic kingdoms after Alexander the Great, then to the Seleucids and Ptolemies, and finally to Roman authority. The Hasmonean dynasty emerged from the Maccabean Revolt (late 2nd century BCE), restoring a measure of Jewish independence before Roman dominance became entrenched. The period saw substantial Hellenistic influence—from language and education to philosophy—while religious life remained centered on the Temple in Jerusalem, even as synagogues grew in importance, especially in the diaspora.

Literary and intellectual developments include the translation of Hebrew scriptures into Greek (the Septuagint) in the 3rd–2nd centuries BCE, the emergence of sectarian groups such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, and the growth of apocalyptic and wisdom literature. The era culminates with the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, a watershed event that shaped the development of later Rabbinic Judaism and influenced early Christianity.