| − | The '''intertestamental period''' (inter ''between'' + testament) is a term usually applied to the period in history between the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. | + | The '''intertestamental period''' (inter ''between'' + testamental ''pertaining to testament'') is a term usually applied to the period in history between the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. |
| − | For [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] this is the historical period between the accession of [[John Hyrcanus]] to the Jewish high priesthood at the end of the First Book of [[Maccabees]] "''in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat''" 134 B.C. (1 Maccabees 16:14), and the Birth of Jesus Christ at the beginning of the [[Gospel of Matthew|Gospel According to Matthew]]. | + | For [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] this is the historical period between the accession of [[John Hyrcanus]] to the Jewish [[high priest (Jewish)|high priesthood]] at the end of the First Book of [[Maccabees]] "''in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat''" 134 B.C. (1 Maccabees 16:14), and the Birth of Jesus Christ at the beginning of the [[Gospel of Matthew|Gospel According to Matthew]]. |
| − | For [[Protestant]]s the intertestamental period is that period of history of approximately 450 years between the Book of [[Malachi]] at the time of [[Ezra (Biblical book)|Ezra]] and [[Nehemiah]] during the reign of [[Artaxerxes II]] c. 404 B.C., and the Birth of Jesus Christ at the beginning of Matthew. | + | For [[Protestant]]s the intertestamental period is that period of history of approximately 450 years between the Book of [[Malachi]] at the time of [[Ezra (Biblical book)|Ezra]] and [[Nehemiah]] during the "''thirty-second year''" of the reign of [[Artaxerxes II]]<ref>Artaxerxes II reigned from 404 to 358 B.C. approximately. (Source: ''The New American Bible'', Introduction to the Book of Ezra.)</ref> c. 372 B.C. (Ezra 4:7 and Nehemiah 13:6), and the Birth of Jesus Christ at the beginning of Matthew. |