400 Years

Those of us who have read the Bible all our lives are very use to the change from the Old to the New Testament but imagine that you have picked up the Bible for the first time. You have followed the story line of the Old Testament and then you turn the page and begin reading in Matthew. Who are the Pharisee, Sadducee's, Scribes? What happened to Persia and now why are the Romans in charge? What happened to the small temple and why is there now a large beautiful temple? What are synagogues? What about Galilee and Samaria? When you think about it it is a completely different world. 400 years is a long time and much can happen.