The Diaspora

The Diaspora (from the Greek for "scattering") refers to the dispersal of Jewish communities outside the land of Israel — beginning with the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles of the 8th–6th centuries BC and continuing through the Roman period. It was the context in which much of late Old Testament literature was written and shaped the world into which Jesus was born (CCC 574).

The Historical Context

The first major deportation was of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria in 722 BC. The Babylonian exile (597–538 BC) dispersed the southern kingdom of Judah. Though many returned under Cyrus the Great, Jewish communities continued to exist throughout the ancient world — in Babylon, Egypt, Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. By the time of Christ, more Jews lived outside the land of Israel than in it.

The Diaspora and the New Testament

The Diaspora is the context of Jesus's ministry and the apostolic mission. The synagogues of the Diaspora — where Greek-speaking Jews worshiped and studied Scripture in the Septuagint — were Paul's primary missionary entry points. The spread of the Greek language and the Jewish monotheistic tradition throughout the Roman Empire prepared the soil for the rapid spread of the Gospel (CCC 574).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Septuagint? The Septuagint (LXX) is the Greek translation of the Old Testament made in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 3rd–2nd centuries BC — the Bible of the Diaspora and of the early Church. The New Testament quotes the Old Testament primarily from the Septuagint, and the Catholic Old Testament canon follows the Septuagint (including the deuterocanonical books; CCC 120).