Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [160]
In the New Testament, scribes and Pharisees are virtually indistinguishable. Many of Jesus’ disputes with the scribes and Pharisees were over points of law and took the form of rabbinical argument, a time-honored tradition in Judaism. Jesus was often depicted as being challenged aggressively by these men on such points as Sabbath observance, divorce, and payment of taxes to Rome. A sect that created the extensive body of Jewish oral teachings that applied Mosaic Laws to contemporary situations, the Pharisees believed in strict adherence to the ritual laws of purity. Jesus condemned some Pharisees for their concern with petty details at the expense of the Law’s true purpose as he saw it. In the most hypocritical of these Pharisees, Jesus saw a group of men more interested in the prestige and acclaim of their position than in their spiritual salvation. Still, much of Jesus’ own teaching falls in line with that of the Pharisees, and the New Testament view of Pharisees is not one-sided. Jesus is depicted eating in the home of one Pharisee, Simon. One of the greatest of all Jewish rabbis, Hillel, was a Pharisee and he formulated a “negative” version of the Golden Rule: “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is just commentary.” Many historians and scholars have speculated that Jesus might have been a student of Hillel, although there is no biblical evidence to support that theory. But most likely, Jesus would have been familiar with Hillel’s teachings, and he may have later rephrased or recast the “Golden Rule” in the familiar form used in the Sermon on the Mount.
The Pharisees were one of several Jewish groups on the Jerusalem scene during the first century, a period in which intense opposition to Roman rule occasionally boiled over into open rebellion. Many Jews of this period believed that the time was ripe for the Messiah’s arrival. In the fervor of nationalism, they expected a Savior in the mold of King David, a warrior-king who would lead a military uprising against the Romans, restoring the glory of ancient Israel. A Nazarean carpenter surrounded by fishermen, tax collectors, and lepers, preaching “turn the other cheek,” did not fit the bill for the most militant Jews of the day.
Jesus’ followers were not the only ones making claims that he was the Messiah. Other nationalistic leaders tried to claim Messiahship in their attempts to gain a following. It is against this turbulent backdrop of contending Jewish groups—some accommodating toward Rome, other looking to rebel—that the last days of Jesus’ life must be set. Besides the Pharisees, the other key Jewish groups of this period included:
Sadducees—The “righteous ones” in Hebrew, they were the religiously and politically conservative elite of Jewish society and held a majority of seats in the Jewish council called the Sanhedrin. They also largely controlled Temple matters, and were often at odds with the Pharisees because they adhered to strict written law as opposed to the oral laws devised by the Pharisees.
Herodians—A little-known group that owed allegiance to the Roman-appointed kings descended from Herod.
Zealots—This was not so much a single group, but a catch-all term for a variety of fanatical rebel bands dedicated to the overthrow of the Romans and their Jewish collaborators. The first of them was organized in about 6 CE, and the Zealots included a group of assassins called the Sicarii, named for the short daggers they carried.
Essenes—This somewhat obscure group led a communal, monastic life in the desert near the Dead Sea, removed from Jerusalem because they rejected Temple practices such as sacrifice. Although not all Essenes lived at the Qumran settlement, the group made up the community that presumably produced the Dead Sea Scrolls.