Appendix 3. The First Century Culture

The Jewish Sects There were basically four groups, or sects, of Jews in the First Century. Each was “seeking its own vision of Israel’s future.”53 N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird do a great job succinctly and humorously describing their beliefs and are quoted here extensively. The Zealots “For them, the rule was clear: say your prayers, sharpen your swords, make yourselves holy to fight a holy war, and God will give you a military victory over the hordes of darkness.”54 The Pharisees The Pharisees were “the community activists” who “held no political position. They were more like a pressure group. Their aim went like this: when ejected from the halls of power, start a grass-roots campaign to get your vision for Israel adopted by the masses, tell everyone to have their own ritual bath if they can, have your bones buried in ossuary boxes waiting for resurrection. If we can be obedient enough, get pure enough, keep Torah most accurately, then maybe the ‘son of David’ will come.”55 The Pharisees were the conservative Jews of their day who stressed obedience to God, a concern we Christians share. They took the Scriptures seriously and obeyed the biblical laws as best they understood the...