Jewish Religious Movements

Jewish Religious Movements

In the Jewish religion they were different sects which believed in different things and their study helps us to understand their conflict with Jesus.

The Pharisees

In the gospels Pharisees are generally depicted as opponents of Jesus, critical of his behavior, hostile in the questions, malicious in their deliberations.
In turn their piety is attached as hypocritical. The derivation, force and use of the name Pharisee are all disputed. Commonly the name is traced from the Hebrew word parish and taken to mean separatist. Many scholars see them as spiritual descendants of the Hasidim, a group of pious Jews who attached themselves to the Maccabean opposition of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanies.
Pharisees committed themselves to the scrupulous observance of a particular understanding of Israel‘s law. (Philippians: 3:5).
Pharisees were drawn from all classes and professions of Jewish society. It is possible that this designation was first applied to them by outsiders because they held themselves aloof from their environment in order as God‘s holy community to avoid contact with any impurity.
M.C.Tenney argues that, “they were the largest and most influential sect in the new testament times”.
According to Josephus, “the fellowship of the Pharisees included more than 6000 members.

Beliefs

• Their theology was founded on the entire canon of the Old Testament,
which included the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the writings. In the
interpretation of the scriptures they used the allegorical method in order to allow for elasticity in applying the principles of the law to new
questions that might be raised.
• They attached great value to the oral law or tradition, which they
observed scrupulously.
• They believed in the existence of angels, spirits, and in the immortality of the soul, and in the resurrection of the body. ( Acts: 23:7-8)
• They practiced ritual prayer and fasting twice a week, and tithed their property meticulously. (Matthew: 23: 23; Luke: 11: 42; 18: 12).
• They kept the Sabbath very strictly, allowing not even for the healing of the sick or for the casual plucking of grain for eating by the wayside.
(Matthew: 12: 1-2)
• They washed their hands before every meal as a sign of purity. (Mark: 7: 3-4)

Kohler lists seven types of Pharisees who were extremes;

• The ―Shoulder‖ Pharisees- who paraded their good deeds before men like a badge on the shoulder.MATT 23V4

• The ―Wait-a-little‖ Pharisees- who would ask someone to wait for him
while he performed a good deed. Prestigious in a religious lead but did
not like it. they showed off MATT 23V5

• The ―Blind‖ or "bleeding" Pharisees-who bruised themselves by walking
into a wall or thorns because they shut their eyes to avoid seeing a
woman, especially the ones in there menstrual cycle. tryed by all means
to avoid a women .MATT 23V24

More information can be added

Contact us +263779210440 or follow the Facebook page Brian Maregedze or like the page Divinity and History A level.

☆You can't make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen. -Michelle Obama☆