Module 3 Discussion: The Jewish Society During Jesus' Time
Palestine has three major Regions: Galilee, Samaria, and Judea
Galilee
Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee. This northern territory of
Palestine was also his most important area of activity.
Apart from the larger towns of Sepphoris and Tiberias Galilee was a country
area, and agriculture was the main occupation. The Lake of Gennesaret was
famous for its fishing. Jesus is said to have found his first disciples among
fishermen (Mark 1:16-29).
In the time of Jesus Galilee was surrounded by a number of Greek cities.
There was also in Galilee a group of ten Greek towns - the Decapolis. The
rest of the area was Jewish.
Some important points in Galilee:
Fertile land, very productive
Nazareth – Jesus’ hometown
Capernaum – center of trading. Jesus’ home base during His ministry
Cana – where Jesus’ first miracle happened
Many of Jesus’ Apostles were fishermen
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Samaria
South of Galilee lived the Samaritans, a mixed population resulting from
political transfers of population, whom the Jews did not consider to be real
Jews.
While the Jewish Temple was situated on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the
Samaritans regarded Mt. Gerizim as sacred. They recognized as Holy
Scripture only the five books of Moses, and the textual form they used was
different from that in use among the Jews.
Some important points in Samaria:
Samaritans are considered by the Jews as outcasts
They did not go to the temple for worship, instead, they made a shrine for
prayer at Mt. Gerizim
Woman in the well. She was the first person that Jesus met when He went
to Samaria. Jesus stayed there for a while and performed many miracles
Judaea
The name Judaea had two different senses. Firstly, it meant the area
surrounding Jerusalem, secondly it meant the whole area inhabited by Jews,
which finally became a Roman province.
The mountainous region surrounding Jerusalem is dry and bare. To the east
is the Dead Sea. In the oasis area north of the Dead Sea is Jericho, which is
thought to be one of the oldest towns in the world.
Some important points in Judea:
Dry land, not productive
The dead sea is found here
Jerusalem – center of everything (Religious activities, economic, culture,
and politics). Jesus died in this region.
Bethlehem – where Jesus was born
Qumran – place of Essenes
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Jerusalem
To the Jews, Jerusalem was the centre of the world, where God dwelt in the
Temple. The Jews went there on pilgrimage at least once a year. It was also
the economic, administrative and cultural centre. The Roman administration of
Palestine was directed from Caesarea.
Geography of Palestine during the time of Jesus
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The Political Scene, Economic Scene, and Religious Scene
The Herodian Dynasty
At the time of the birth of Jesus Palestine was ruled by the Roman vassal
king Herod the Great, who was renowned for his great building projects and
for his arbitrary actions and ruthlessness, which towards the end of his rule
became sheer paranoia.
After the death of Herod his dominion was divided into three parts among his
sons, who continued as Roman vassals. Archelaus was given control of
Judaea and the region of Perea east of the Jordan. He was, however, a bad
king. In 6 A.D. the complaints of his subjects led to his being exiled by the
Emperor to Gaul. At the same time Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea were
united to form the province of Judaea, whose administrator was - under the
imperial legate of Syria - a representative of Rome, at first a prefect, later a
procurator.
Galilee was ruled by Archelaus' brother Antipas. His actions, too, caused bad
blood among his subjects. For instance, John the Baptist criticized Antipas,
who eventually had him executed (see Mark 6:14-29). As a result of political
intrigue Antipas too was exiled to Gaul in 39 A.D.
The only one of Herod the Great's sons to be a successful ruler was Philip,
who ruled from Galilee the regions of Trachonitis, Gaulanitis, Batanaea and
Auranitis to the south-east.
The political situation is very tense. The leaders are very powerful. They
strictly impose the rules.
Economic Scene
The tax is very high. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming
poorer.
Tax was very high
Tax collectors are corrupt
More than a half of the population went abroad
Four Religious Groups within Judaism
Most of the Jews during Christ’s time were somewhat religious, although most
were not directly affiliated with any particular religious group. The total
Palestinian population was probably about 500,000. Josephus records that
6,000 were Pharisees, 4,000 were Essenes, and the Sadducees were not
very numerous. Thus, although most Jews were influenced by the sects, they
lived outside their ranks.
1. The Sadducees
The Sadducees were an aristocratic, priestly class of Jews, influential in the
temple and the Sanhedrin. Their name is derived from the high priest Zadok,
since the sons of Zadok were the most worthy to minister to the Lord in the
temple. (See Ezek. 40:46; Matt. 1:14.)
Sadducees originated when the wealthier elements of the population united
during the Hellenistic period, a period of Greek cultural revival around 200
B.C. A conservative priestly group, they held to older doctrines and always
opposed the Pharisees, both politically and religiously. Although both groups
believed in the Pentateuch (Torah), the Pharisees accepted the oral law while
the Sadducees refused to accept anything not written in the Torah.
The strict Sadducees questioned the existence of the spirit and the concept of
punishments and rewards in a life after death, denying the doctrine of the
physical resurrection. (See Mark 12:18–27; Acts 4.)
The Sadducees have been historically represented as worldly minded
aristocrats, primarily interested in maintaining their own privileged position.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus strongly denounced the Sadducees, who
were also unpopular with the common people, from whom they kept aloof.
Their strength was in their control of the temple, and when it was destroyed in
70 A.D., they ceased to exist as a viable political or religious force among the
Jews.
1. The Pharisees
The Pharisees were the largest of the Jewish sects. Six thousand strong, they
observed Jewish ritual and studied the Torah and the oral law. They tried to
adapt old codes to the new urban conditions, fulfilling religious interests of
many of the common people.
The Pharisees conceived of God as an all-wise, all-knowing, all-just, and all-
merciful spiritual being. They believed that man had his free agency, and
would receive retribution for his actions. This retribution would come either in
this life or in the one to come, as the Pharisees believed in life after death and
in the resurrection of the dead. The Torah was the center of their teachings,
and its inspired laws and commandments were to be interpreted by the rabbis
in each generation to harmonize with more advanced ideas. The Pharisees
became scholars of the law, fostering the synagogue as a place of study,
worship, and prayer. (See Luke 18:10–12.)
As the rabbis interpreted the commandments, new systems of laws and
“fences around the law” evolved which would sometimes conflict with the
original commandments. (See Mark 7:1–9, 13.) Some Pharisees also sought
ways to bend the laws to their own philosophies and ways of life. While Jesus
publicly criticized the Pharisees, he did not condemn their beliefs, but
condemned their hypocritical manner of living that violated the ideals they
taught. (Matt. 23:1–15.)
The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee and was taught by one of the sect’s most
eminent scholars, Gamaliel of Jerusalem. (See Matt. 23; Mark 7; Luke 11.)
Although many Pharisaic doctrines were similar to Christian ones, the two
groups separated when Paul and the Christian missionaries used Jewish
communities and synagogues to teach the gospel. (See Acts 23:6–9.) Some
Christians refused to sympathize with Jews who didn’t convert to Christianity,
while many Jews couldn’t appreciate the Christian zeal nor believe their
teachings. After the temple was destroyed and other sects ceased to exist,
the Pharisees continued to function. They promoted Judaism and the
preservation of its teachings and scriptures until Pharisaism and Judaism
became coextensive.
1. The Essenes
The Dead Sea scrolls portray the communal life of a Jewish religious sect in
Qumran similar to the Essenes, a religious communalistic brotherhood.
Doctrinally, the Essenes with their own beliefs probably stood somewhere
between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. (See Col. 2:18.) Like the
Sadducees, they presumptuously claimed to be the true priests of God and
the descendants of Zadok. And like the Pharisees, they called themselves the
“holy” or “pure” ones. Essenes believed in the immortality of the soul, but
rejected the idea of bodily resurrection.
The Essenes regarded religious observances in the synagogues and temple
as corrupt. They sought God in the wilderness of Judea, organized
communities and brotherhoods (many of them monastic), zealously studied
the scriptures, and sought to practice justice toward men.
Many practices in Qumran were similar to Christian ones. Initiation into the
community involved a baptism, and a ritual bath took place daily in connection
with a meal where special blessings were given over bread and wine by a
priest.
John the Baptist probably knew of this sect and of the Essenes since he lived,
preached, and baptized only a few miles from Qumran.
1. The Zealots
The Zealots were a group of Jewish nationalists who strongly opposed
Roman rule. The Zealot movement stemmed from the action of Judah, the
Galilean, who believed theocracy should be the law of the land and Jews
should not pay tribute to Rome nor acknowledge the emperor as their master.
Judah was apparently killed in the suppression of this revolt. (See Acts 5:37.)
His followers took to the deserts, where they maintained a guerrilla resistance
against the Romans.
One of Christ’s apostles, Simon, was a Zealot (see Luke 6:15), indicating that
Zealot principles were not inconsistent with the church. Christ was later
associated with Zealot activities at his Roman trial when his fate was linked
with that of Barabbas, who had led a recent insurrection against the Romans.
(See Mark 15:7.) Christ was crucified between two lestai. (See Mark 15:27;
John 19:18.) Since lestai was the official Greek designation for Zealots, the
Romans probably viewed Jesus as a Zealot leader.
The Zealots increased their activities in the years following Christ’s
death, seizing the temple in 66 A.D. The Romans forcibly crushed this
revolt and destroyed Jerusalem (and the temple) in 70 A.D. Shortly after
this, the Zealots made their last and fateful stand against Roman rule as
they defended their garrison at Masada, a desert plateau near the Dead
Sea, holding off the Roman army for over a year.
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· General Overview:
· Most Jews during Christ’s time were somewhat religious but not all
were directly affiliated with religious groups.
The population of Palestine was around 500,000.
Josephus records 6,000 Pharisees, 4,000 Essenes, and few
Sadducees.
Many Jews were influenced by religious sects but lived outside of
them.
· Sadducees:
· Aristocratic, priestly class, influential in the temple and the
Sanhedrin.
Their name is derived from Zadok, a high priest.
Emerged during the Hellenistic period (around 200 B.C.).
Conservative, opposed the Pharisees, rejecting the oral law and the
resurrection.
Denied the existence of spirits and life after death.
Held control over the temple until its destruction in 70 A.D., after which
they ceased to exist.
Criticized by both John the Baptist and Jesus.
· Pharisees:
· Largest Jewish sect with about 6,000 members.
Studied the Torah and oral law, adapting it to urban life.
Believed in God as all-wise and all-just, free will, life after death, and
the resurrection.
The Torah was central, and rabbis interpreted it for each generation.
Some Pharisees were criticized for hypocrisy and bending the law.
Jesus condemned their actions but not their beliefs.
The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee, taught by Gamaliel.
Pharisaic Judaism survived the temple's destruction, preserving
Judaism and its teachings.
· Essenes:
· A communalistic Jewish sect, possibly linked to the Dead Sea
Scrolls.
Their beliefs stood between Sadducees and Pharisees.
Believed in soul immortality but rejected bodily resurrection.
Considered religious observances in synagogues corrupt and sought
refuge in the Judean wilderness.
Lived in monastic communities, studied scriptures, practiced justice,
and conducted rituals similar to Christian ones, like baptism.
John the Baptist may have known of or been influenced by the
Essenes.
· Zealots:
· Jewish nationalists opposed to Roman rule.
Originated from Judah the Galilean, who opposed Roman taxation and
tribute.
Practiced guerrilla warfare against the Romans.
Simon, one of Christ’s apostles, was a Zealot.
Jesus was associated with the Zealots during his trial, especially linked
to Barabbas.
Zealots seized the temple in 66 A.D., leading to the destruction of
Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Their last stand occurred at Masada, where they held out for over a
year against the Romans.