Tag: Pharisees

Originalism vs. Living interpretation

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Originalism vs. Living interpretation

[Bible references: Mark 7:1-23; Acts 23:1-8]

In contrast to the Pharisees, both the Essenes and the Sadducees rejected the oral law,[1] and insisted that only that the books written by Moses were valid. In today’s Christian viewpoint, the Biblical canon has long considered to have been fixed (although there is disagreement between the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions about what books to include in the canon) even though the accepted methods of interpretation have changed through the years. Outside the church, there is a debate about whether our national Constitution should be interpreted strictly as the writers of the Constitution intended in their context or whether it should be adapted to current circumstances.

[1] Chabad.org “The Oral Law” Chabod.org www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2056/jewish/The-Oral-Law.htm

Observe

Read Mark 7:1-23; Acts 23:1-8. The Sadducees restricted their scripture to only Moses’ writings (the Torah). The Pharisees included those writings that were defined as “the prophets and the writings” as well as commentary written in the collections known as the Talmud and the Mishna. Jesus critique of the Sadducees was to have almost ignored the them altogether. Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees was quite abundant. What were their errors?

Legalism

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Legalism 

[Bible references: Matthew 23:1-39]

Some people make efforts to follow the “letter of the law” but ignore “the spirit of the law,” where appearances are important, but morality isn’t. The Torah was heart of all the Jewish traditions[1] and the Pharisees were most dogmatic about adhering to it, using the oral law to provide much of the detail on how go live out the law on a day-to-day basis. The desire was so strong that many Pharisees even kept apart even from other Jews in order to avoid contamination. The Essenes lived in isolated communities because they were even more concerned about getting contaminated. Jesus had much to say about how the Pharisees were trying hard to keep their external appearances looking “pure” by following all their regulations but at the same time their hearts were corrupt. Jesus sometimes called them “whitewashed tombs.” 

[1] Gutierrez, Juan Marcos Bejarano. The Judaisms of Jesus’ Followers: An introduction to Early Christianity in its Jewish Context Yaron Publishing, 2017 (Locations: 366)

For or against the secular culture

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

For or against the secular culture

[Bible references: Ezra 6:19-22; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Matthew 5:13-16; 28:18-20]

There are many ways people try to hold onto their subculture when they sense that the main culture around them has a corrupting influence.[1] The Sadducees were trying to blend in with the culture of the empire. The Essenes kept themselves as an isolated, communal society.[2] The Pharisees were trying to hold fast to the rules specified by Moses.[3]

[1] Elshtain, Jean Bethke. “With or Against Culture” Books and Culture www.booksandculture.com/articles/2006/sepoct/20.30.html; Niebuhr, Richard M. “Christ and Culture” Harper & Row 1951

[2] Gutierrez, Juan Marcos Bejarano, Forgotten Origins: The Lost Jewish History of Jesus and Early Christianity, Yaron Publishing, 2017 (Location 2343)

[3] Gutierrez, Juan Marcos Bejarano. The Judaisms of Jesus’ Followers: An introduction to Early Christianity in its Jewish Context, Yaron Publishing, 2017 (Locations: 738, 929)

Reflect

Do you try to blend in with the culture or do you try some method of keeping from being absorbed into the culture around you?

Observe

Read Matthew 5:13-16: How can one be “salt” and “light” within our world?

Apocalyptism

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Apocalypticism

[Bible references: Matthew 24:1-51; John 14; 2 Peter 3]

In our current age, there have been many groups who have forecast the end of time, and that the end times will be quite dystopian. There are also many who have claimed to be the Messiah.[1] The Essenes[2] were waiting for the Messiah to come and wipe out secular governments. The Zealots, and some Pharisees, were trying to physically push out the Romans and put a new government in place. There were over a dozen apocalyptic texts produced in the Intertestament period[3] and texts continued to be produced in the early centuries. There is widespread disagreement about the various aspects of apocalyptic prophecies, but like all prophecy there are some widely accepted principles.

Predictive prophecies can serve a number of important functions. They can glorify God by testifying to His wisdom and sovereignty over the future. Then can also assure and comfort oppressed believers and motivate people to stronger faith and deeper holiness.[4]

[1] Wikipedia “List of Messiah claimants” Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_messiah_claimants

[2] Johnson, Paul. “History of the Jews” Harper Perennial 1987 (p.123)

[3] NIV Cultural Background Study Bible “Apocalyptic Literature” Zondervan 2016

[4] Virkler, Henry A. “Hermeneutics: Principles and Process of Biblical Interpretation” Baker Books 1981 p. 191

Observe

Read Matthew 24. According to the end of the chapter, why are we to “keep watch” regarding the day our Lord will come?

Effects of wealth and power

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Effects of wealth and power

[Bible references: Mark 10:17-31; Luke 1:46-55]

In our current environment, we see a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor.[1] The Sadducees[2] were more identified with the rich and the politically powerful. The Pharisees were more identified with the lower and middle class and thus were more popular.

[1] Gregoire, Carolyn. “How Money Changes the Way You Think and Feel” Greater Good Magazine greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_money_changes_the_way_you_think_and_feel

[2] Riches, John. “The World of Jesus: First Century Judaism in Crisis” Cambridge University Press, 1990 (pp.59-60)

Reflect

In what ways can money affect how we think?

Observe

Read Luke 1:46-55. What does it mean that the rich are “sent away empty?”

Zealots

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Zealots

[Bible references: Luke 6:15]

The Zealots were also known as Galileans because of the region in which they were concentrated and, also the founder of the group was Judas the Galilean. The Zealots were a messianic group and would only identify God as king. They would not accept any foreign rulers, in this particular case, the Romans.[1] Ideologically, the Zealots agreed on many points with the Pharisees, except for their refusal to accept foreign rulers. The more militant faction of the Zealots was known as the Sicarii (daggers) because of their use of assassination.[2]

One of Jesus’ twelve disciples was identified as Simon the Zealot. As a Zealot, Simon would have been looking for a ruler who would come from God that would displace the Romans. Since Jesus’ message was about the Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven), that would have been attractive to Simon.

[1] Marcos, Juan, and Gutierrez, Bejarano. “The Judaisms of Jesus’ Followers: An Introduction to Early Christianity in its Jewish Context”. Yaron Publishing, 2017 (Location 863-913)

[2] Mingren, Wu. “The Sicarii: The Jewish Daggermen with a thirst for Roman Blood” Ancient Origins 4 June 2017 www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/sicarii-jewish-daggermen-thirst-roman-blood-008179

Observe

Zealots

Read: Luke 9:51-55. Many of the Jews were waiting for a Messiah to free them from the Roman government, because that’s where they thought their problems were. The Zealots had the same hope but were also willing to violently act on that hope. We should probably also note that Jesus’ own followers were willing to call down fire on towns that rejected their message. In a world that is so violent, particularly against Jesus’ followers, why is violence not appropriate?

Herodians

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed– Chapter 10 – The Class of Apparitions

Herodians

[Bible references: Matthew 22:16; Mark 3:6; 8:15; 12:13]

The Herodians were a political party who were openly supportive of King Herod and therefore opposed to all who were considered enemies of Herod, including Jesus. To that end they associated with the Sadducees in their support of King Herod. However, they were known to have joined forces with the Pharisees in trying to entrap Jesus.

Observe

Read Mark 8:1-27. What was Jesus referring to when He warned His disciples to avoid the leaven of Herod?