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T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism is an essential companion offering an in-depth exploration of the Second Temple Period over 600 articles. It is now available for the first time as fully indexed and cross-searchable within our Theology and Religion Online platform to enable scholars to expand their knowledge of both the context and the literature of the period.
The Second Temple era of Judaism marks the development of the Jewish religion from the construction of the Second Temple around 516 BCE and ended with the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. This period involved widespread change as the influence of Hellenism created political turmoil and religious disagreements. As it was rebuilt and expanded, the Second Temple in Jerusalem became a key part of Jewish faith and worship, inspiring pilgrimage and religious sanctuary for the evolving community.
![This image shows Josephus (Engraving from The Works of Flavius Josephus [1854], trans. William Whiston)](https://res.cloudinary.com/bloomsbury-publishing-public/image/upload/v1706180682/tarost/640px-Josephus_eng.jpg "Josephus (Engraving from The Works of Flavius Josephus [1854], trans. William Whiston)")
Josephus, a Roman-Jewish historian and military leader, has provided scholars key insights and detail into the Second Temple era of Judaism through his works; The Jewish War and Antiquities of the Jews. Starting as a general of Jewish forces in Galilee against the Romans, he was captured and enslaved but later granted Roman citizenship following work as a translator for the emperor Vespasian. While his writing places his own interpretation on events, informed by his defection to the Roman side, it has been crucial in providing historical context for the Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish group during the Second Temple period, mentioned 99 times within the New Testament and 44 times within the writings of Josephus. However, it is challenging to get a clear understanding of their movement due to the external perspective of these existing sources. The Pharisees’ non-written traditions were developed through custom or routine and motivated by a resistance to Hellenization. Typically Pharisees focused on the law as a stabilising tenet of Jewish society and an important part of the nation’s relationship with God.
