When Prophecy Fails: How Ancient Messianic Jews & Christians Survived Apocalyptic Disappointment

The three hundred year period of Jewish history from 150 BCE to 150 CE was characterized by the utter failure of all apocalyptic expectations of the End of the Age arriving. These failed hopes and dreams shape collectively what might be called "The Great Disappointment." This included a variety of apocalyptic movements form the Dead Sea Scroll Community, the John the Baptist and Jesus followers, and a string of failed messiahs who have now faded from history. What happens "when Prophecy fails," history moves along in its usual way with no overthrow of evil or oppression, and a group is left wondering how they could have been so mistaken? The one common element that all forms of ancient Jewish and early Christian apocalypticism share is the utter failure of all predictions, interpretations, and expectations.

[studiesinPB]

Dr Tabor....Always enjoy these videos with your expert knowledge and incredible insights!!

[ethanstiles]

Very interesting presentation, always love seeing new videos from Dr. Tabor. The depth of knowledge and humanity he approaches his work and lectures with is invaluable. His perspective on Mary makes a great story even it is purely speculative as he said.

[dadedowuh]

This guy is a gem. Rare one at that. A disciplined free thinker. Courage without crazy. IMO

[BestResuMS]

Very useful context and insights into the sayings of Jesus and writings of Paul and others! .... with applications to some of us who have lived with expectations based on scripture reading and interpretation that never fully materialize.

[Room-gfvy]

Great content 👏🏻👏🏻. Reading some of these comments can be eye opening. Religion is like the original Twitter. Contentious and full of “hot takes” 90% of which is bunk.
Than you Dr Tabor for being a part of the 10% earnestly sharing insights, interesting readings and exploring this subject matter with dignity and respect (in a space that is often toxic).

[krbailess]

I love you Dr. Tabor! ❤ Thank you so much for all your work. It’s so appreciated!

[spykezspykez]

Thanks for making these available. Are these really two years old?

[suzybailey-koubti]

Thank you so much, Dr Tabor! I so appreciate your videos! 😊

[DavidLee-qyyv]

Very interesting! as always!! Thank you!

[SantiagoItzcoatl]

Thanks for sharing all of this academic content.

[jamesswagerty]

Thanks for sharing. You are the best.

[craigfairweather]

Dear Dr Tabor. I was very interested in your mention of the Teacher being termed ‘Yachid’ or Unique/ the Only One. In the Hebrew Scriptures Isaac is called Abraham’s ‘yachid’ son which the LXX translates as ‘monogenes’. I wonder if the author of the gospel of John is appropriating this title from the teacher to Jesus when he twice calls Jesus ‘monogenes’ in the Prologue? The author says the ‘monogenes huios’ ( the correct reading) has ‘explained’ God, which Greek word was used of expounding the underlying meaning of the Hebrew text. Several authors suggest monogenes has a primary meaning of unique/one of a kind, rather then ‘only begotten’. Van Den HEEVER, Gerhard A. (2009) John the Baptist and the Pre-existence of Jesus in the Gospel of John 1:15, 27, 30. The University of South Africa
It is certainly redundant to assert that monogenes~ does not mean ‘only begotten’ as many modern translations render it(McHugh 2009: 97–98): LSJ gives as meaning
‘1. the only member of a kin or kind: hence, generally, only, single, pai`~ Hes.Op.376, Hdt.7.221, cf. Ev.Jo.1.14, Ant.Lib.32.1; of Hecate, Hes. Th.426; and
2. unique, of t o vo[vvn, Parm. 8.4; ei\~ o{de m. our ano;~ gegonwv~ Pl.Ti.31b, cf. Procl. Inst.22; qeo;~ o Jm. Sammelb.4324.15.’

wherever the LXX translates [Hebrew] (yachid) ‘only son’ as … as Gk. monogenes~ the Vulgate translates unicus.
When in some early Apologists (Aristides, Apology 15.3; Justin, Dialogue 98.5, 105.1, 2) monogenes~ is used of Christ it is in the sense of ‘quite unique, set apart’ (McHugh 2009: 100 – 101). In the Latin Western creed (ca. 200–250) the ilium eius unicum.
The author wants to emphasise that Jesus is the ‘unique son’ and hence has no rival or competitor as a teacher, then their point MAY NOT be that Jesus was ‘begotten’ by God, it is thus POSSIBLE that the author did NOT teach/understand that ‘Jesus was conceived through the holy spirit’, but that his sonship was figurative. Van Den Heever (2009) shows that usage of the idea of ‘unique’ in the Roman world was associated in inscriptions not with just being ‘different from others’ but being outstandingly the best.

‘John’ has several similarities to some Qumran Community ideas and phrases.

[lufknuht]

The Word of God in prophecy never fails.

[michaelolden]

Love your work sir. I appreciate you!!!

[dadedowuh]

Spiritually speaking.., how could they not survive..

I digress

[MessiahYHWH]

The statue of Nebuchadnezer gives the 1st "oracle" of the four beast kingdoms. Josephus tells us the priests and people recognizing Alexander the Great as the one who would conquer Persia, went out to meet him as he approached Jerusalem. They showed him the "oracles" of Daniel, submitted to him, and gave him the prophecy he would conquer Persia as the "notable horned goat". So there were traitors among the Jews who knew another Beast, a 4th Kingdom prince would come and he would change times and laws and would destroy the Temple. Most of the people were deceived by their leaders who claimed to be looking for the Messiah of God but were really planning on assisting the beast to power.

[trguitarlesson]

Would love to get the historic source for Vespasian setting up an alter to zeus in the temple as you state at 43:36 thanks

[carolslater]

The charts below are by a special Messenger from God for this generation. Everybody seems to be looking but has failed to deliver. Well God has put it on my heart to let the world know I found him Leeland Jones. He is not a priest, preacher, nor does he have his own church. He never asks for money and even tells people on his site not to send any. He lives off charity and has been living in Israel the last 8 years.

Leeland Jones has numerous charts that back up biblical scripture. He can even read what each almond buds mean on original menorah, along with how they tell Gods timeline in combination with the moon. It's the in the best ever ENOCH Calander I have ever seen with a 6-day week that never fails itself and comes out even by using the first day of the week as Wednesday. Hope you enjoy his videos. Giving God's blessing to those who want to take a leap of FAITH by watching his videos.

I also think James Tabor could provide and write a book about what God has revealed to him Glory and Praise to my sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ

[NickVanderLaan]

For the 69 weeks... In 1535 Sultan Sulimon ordered the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Add 483 years (69 weeks). 1535 + 483 years = 2018. Messiah the Prince was to arrive sometime in 2018! *Watch my recent video: Daniels 70th Week: Elijah / Messiah the Prince was to arrive in 2018*

[giovanni]

Revelation 14:12

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.