| |
| |
Questions for Today |
|
| |
Cast of Characters
As you read through the New Testament, you will encounter a variety of interesting people: a wild-looking prophet, some short tempered fishermen, a tree climbing tax collector and Jesus, who defies just about any label we could put on him.
There are, however, many groups that appear with no explanation of who they are. In the time the New Testament was written these groups were well-known. There was no need for explanation as to what they were about. This is a quick rundown of who they were:
- Herodians – a small Jewish sect which stood in support of the Herodian dynasty, which began with Herod the Great, the ruler of Palestine during the time of Jesus birth. His sons separated the territory after he died. Many references are made to Herod throughout the New Testament, often distinguishing them by a second name (Antipas, Agrippa, etc).
- Pharisees – a Jewish sect that sprung up in resistance to Greek influence in Jewish culture. They observed carefully the Mosaic laws as well as the rabbinic laws, specifically in the areas of dietary and Sabbatical laws. They believed in many aspects of the supernatural, including angels, demons, and the resurrection from the dead.
- Sadducees – a Jewish sect that was in charge of the temple priesthood. Affluent and politically powerful, the Sadducees denied many aspects of the supernatural, including angels, demons, and the resurrection from the dead.
- Scribes/Teachers of the Law – Jewish men who were in charge of making copies of the Old Testament and teaching the people. They were not a party, like the Pharisees or Sadducees, but could be members of either group.
- Sanhedrin – a group of local courts in Israel run by the Jews that handled many religious and domestic issues. The Sanhedrin referred to in the New Testament is the Great Sanhedrin, which could over rule lower courts from Jerusalem. The Great Sanhedrin was made up of both Pharisees and Sadducees.
- Tax Collectors – Rome appointed tax collectors for each nation out of that nation’s people. Rome’s policy was that tax collectors could keep whatever they charged that was over and above the quota they had been given. Tax collectors were among the most wealthy and most hated people in their country. They got rich off the oppression of their countrymen.
- Zealots – Jewish revolutionaries who sat in stern opposition to the Roman occupation. They would lead uprisings, often violently, against Rome in hopes of freeing their country. They viewed tax collectors as traitors.
- Samaritans – inhabitants of Samaria, a country lying in the most direct route from Jerusalem to Galilee. Part Jewish, part Assyrian, the Samarians were detested by Jews because of their violation of Old Testament law not to intermarry with other nations.
|
|
|
![Our City, God's Word - The New Testament [Home]](images/Pittsburgh_01.gif)
