This textbook provides an introduction to the Second Temple period (520 BCE-70 CE), the formative era of early Judaism and the milieu of Jesus and of the earliest Christians. By paying close attention to original sources–especially the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Josephus–Frederick J. Murphy introduces students to the world of ancient Jews and Christians. Early Judaism: The Exile to the Time of Christ, designed to serve students and teachers in the classroom, will also be of great interest to anyone looking for an entrée into this pivotal period. It contains suggestions for primary readings, bibliographies, maps, illustrations, glossaries, and indexes.