JUDAISM IN THE TIME OF JESUS Key religious –political groups and persons

Sanhedrin ““Assembly” or “senate” AAn organization of 70 Jewish elders, scribes, priests, sadducees, pharisees who governed the Jewish people DDecided court cases, decided religious doctrine and settled religious disputes; made laws HHeaded by a president, could be the high priest RRecognized and co-opted by the Romans

A Sadducee before the Ark ““aristocracy” among the priests CCaretakers and overseers of the temple in Jerusalem BBelieved that only the Torah was valid for Jews to follow. DDid not believe in interpretations of the law by the pharisees DDid not believe in resurrection after death CColluded with the Romans and did not always act in the best interest of the Jewish people

Pharisee ““ set apart” “pure” EExperts on scripture OOpen to new books of scripture as valid for Jews to follow MMade commentaries on Jewish law called the “oral Torah” – later became the Mishnah EEmphasized following the Law and loving the Law vs. the importance of temple sacrifice WWanted to help people know and love the law and not see it as a burden

The Essenes HHad serious, and sometimes violent, disagreements with both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. TThey considered the Pharisees to be too lax in their traditions. tthey thought the Sadducees were corrupt leaders who misunderstood or simply disobeyed God’s laws for running the temple cult. WWere looked upon as practicing a “mystery cult” by most Jews MMoved to the wilderness TTo separate themselves completely to God TTo keep their faith pure and apart from the corruption of the world

Scribes AAmong the few who could read and write TThey became necessary during the Babylonian exile tthat’s when the stories of the Patriarchs, the Exodus and all of the Torah were begun to be written down TThey knew the Torah extremely well and interpreted the Law for the Sanhedrin TThey were also known as teachers, rabbis, and often overlapped with the Pharisees

Tax Collectors Collected two types of taxes: for Rome for the Jewish authorities, the Sanhedrin For Rome, they collected taxes on commerce, produce, land, travel, etc. JJews had been paying the Greeks prior to that TThe Romans hired Jews to do their “dirty work” For the Sanhedrin, there was a Temple tax, among other taxes

Zealots – died at Masada after Romans attacked AA group of rebels against Rome who took the Maccabees as their inspiration. IIf the Maccabees could overthrow the Greek oppressor, the zealots believed that they could do the same with the Romans. PPlotted a rebellion during Jesus’ life and in 66 CE, after Jesus’ death, openly rebelled vs. Rome TThe rebels were decimated by the Romans and in 70 CE the Romans also destroyed the temple of Jerusalem TThe mountain, Masada, is the Zealots’ “Last stand” after they escaped from Jerusalem. ((there was a final revolt in 135 but Rome won that battle as well)