What Happened Between the Old and New Testaments

This video explores what happened between Malachi and Matthew—the centuries often called the “400 Silent Years”—and how Judea changed before the New Testament began. You’ll understand how Persia, Alexander the Great, Greek culture, the Maccabean Revolt, the Hasmoneans, Rome, and Herod shaped the world Jesus entered. The centuries between the Old and New Testaments were anything but silent. Judea passed through Persian rule, Alexander’s conquests, Ptolemaic and Seleucid control, the spread of Greek language and culture, the crisis under Antiochus IV, and the Maccabean Revolt. The Hasmoneans then transformed a resistance movement into an independent Jewish state before internal conflict opened the way for Roman intervention. This history also helps explain the rise of groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, the importance of the Temple, growing expectations of resurrection and the Messiah, and the political world of Herod and Rome. Understanding these centuries makes the opening of the Gospels far easier to understand. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Missing Centuries Between Malachi and Matthew 08:33 Judea Under Persian Rule 20:13 Alexander the Great Changes the World 25:36 The Ptolemies and Seleucids 28:41 Greek Culture and the Septuagint 35:02 Judea Comes Under Seleucid Rule 47:13 Antiochus IV and the Crisis in Jerusalem 50:45 The Maccabean Revolt Begins 59:40 From Rebels to Political Rulers 1:07:46 The Rise of the Hasmonean State 1:24:45 Pompey and the Arrival of Rome 1:28:53 Herod and Roman Power 1:38:33 Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish Movements 1:43:17 The Political World of the Gospels 1:52:14 Resurrection, Messiah and Jewish Expectation 1:57:46 From Malachi to Matthew MAIN BIBLICAL SOURCES Ezra Nehemiah Daniel Malachi Matthew Luke John INTERPRETIVE NOTE The Bible does not directly narrate every historical event covered in this video. Historical reconstruction of the intertestamental period also draws on ancient Jewish writings such as 1 Maccabees, Greek and Roman historical sources, inscriptions, coins, and archaeology. Connections between these events and later Jewish expectations involve historical and theological interpretation. The dating and interpretation of some visions in Daniel are also debated among scholars and faith traditions. #MalachiToMatthew #400SilentYears #MaccabeanRevolt #SecondTemplePeriod #BibleHistory