Not sure what to do with the Jews...

Yes, the title is total clickbait... I will admit.


That said, in my timeline about a Seleucid renaissance, I so far have had the Maccabean Revolt fail, and Jerusalem being thoroughly Hellenized, with its temple permanently repurposed as a temple of Zeus. However, given that there are and will continue to be Jews in the country, and that there is still a temple in Egypt that could be considered to be in line with prophecy, I am wondering where members in this board would like to see things go from here with regard to further development of Judaism or Jewish-informed theological thought? There is also still Babylonian community centered on Nehardea to think about.


I don’t want to spoil anything, but... I’m pretty sure the Jews won’t be getting their temple back, but they are not being forcibly converted to other religions either - at least at present. However, if I recall correctly, and I might be wrong here, was it not the case that a number of the prophecies in the latter half of the Old Testament refer to the Seleucids specifically? What happens to the faith as these prophecies fail to materialize? Likewise, what happens if the temple isn’t destroyed, but permanently defiled? Will the Jews give up as long as it stands, or will they transfer religious centers from Jerusalem to Leontopolis? What if the temple in Leontopolis is destroyed?
 
Since IOTL the Temple was destroyed, by the Romans, and never rebuilt, and non-Jewish religious buildings put in its place, why not just have Judaism develop the same way as after these events, just hundreds of years earlier.

I actually think there would be a much bigger effect on Christianity, since the life of Jesus would be very different without temple-centered Judaism.
 
Since IOTL the Temple was destroyed, by the Romans, and never rebuilt, and non-Jewish religious buildings put in its place, why not just have Judaism develop the same way as after these events, just hundreds of years earlier.

I actually think there would be a much bigger effect on Christianity, since the life of Jesus would be very different without temple-centered Judaism.


Jesus would likely never be born, and so there would never be a Christianity at all. Furthermore, specific developments necessary for the OTL Jewish narrative are absent ITTL.
 
Yes, the title is total clickbait... I will admit.


That said, in my timeline about a Seleucid renaissance, I so far have had the Maccabean Revolt fail, and Jerusalem being thoroughly Hellenized, with its temple permanently repurposed as a temple of Zeus. However, given that there are and will continue to be Jews in the country, and that there is still a temple in Egypt that could be considered to be in line with prophecy, I am wondering where members in this board would like to see things go from here with regard to further development of Judaism or Jewish-informed theological thought? There is also still Babylonian community centered on Nehardea to think about.


I don’t want to spoil anything, but... I’m pretty sure the Jews won’t be getting their temple back, but they are not being forcibly converted to other religions either - at least at present. However, if I recall correctly, and I might be wrong here, was it not the case that a number of the prophecies in the latter half of the Old Testament refer to the Seleucids specifically? What happens to the faith as these prophecies fail to materialize? Likewise, what happens if the temple isn’t destroyed, but permanently defiled? Will the Jews give up as long as it stands, or will they transfer religious centers from Jerusalem to Leontopolis? What if the temple in Leontopolis is destroyed?
Soon the Romans will realize the power of the conniving Jew
 
I would actually give the Temple back to the Jews (the Selecuids have enough external enemies, no need to add internal ones as well) with the provision that the High Priest doesn’t exercise secular power. I would then go find a Davidic descendant and have him rule Israel as a vassal king (he’ll be the one to deal with the High Priest and the Temple politics), thus removing a source of trouble in the empire not to mention denying an excuse for the Romans to stick their nose into your internal affairs. It may may sound contrary to your vision but a Seleucid ruler needs to rule with a velvet glove instead of the iron fist in order to run an empire the size of the OTL Seleucid realm at its greatest exent.
 
Since IOTL the Temple was destroyed, by the Romans, and never rebuilt, and non-Jewish religious buildings put in its place, why not just have Judaism develop the same way as after these events, just hundreds of years earlier.

I actually think there would be a much bigger effect on Christianity, since the life of Jesus would be very different without temple-centered Judaism.

Pharisaic Judaism becomes more important. They managed synagogues and believed on an afterlife. Ironic that they became His nemesis, because He was exactly what they'd been waiting for.

We can still have Jesus (even if you don't assume God's plan at work) in such a a scenario. He just wouldn't have been able to make the analogy about destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days, or chase the moneychangers out. Judaism is simply a portable religion which makes the transition to Christianity easier.
 
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