In-Class Sketches of Religious Affiliations in the Ancient World

Pharisees Sadducees Essenes

Josephus: Of priestly
descent; avowed Pharisee,
composed texts for Rome
(histories); written the last the laws more accurately
third of the first century CE (used scripture and
(retrospective!); writing for tradition); got in legally
a mainly secular / pagan
audience
(reshaping/redefining of
terms & views? E.g.
resurrection//
transmigration//
reincarnation);
New Testament -
Matthew:
Moderate in regards to Anti-predestination; man Predeterminists; large
punishment & discipline; is free agent; no such stake in fate; mystic
More popular; Interpreted thing as fate; God is not (prophecy); radical/
concerned w/acts of evil sacrifices/ speaking their
by humans (collective or mind; believed in
individual?); rigid in resurrection; good works
w/the Roman rulers (this judging offenders; lots of benefit your soul;
may have waned over rules but not too strict; ascetics; increased
time); had a view of wealthy; not too popular numbers through child
resurrection for good (political?); clients to dedication; viewed with
people and eternal wealthy (pro-Roman respect; lived “in
punishment for bad tendency?); no belief in common” w/no rich or
people; try to do eternal soul (dies w/body) poor; more severe in their
everything by the work of or resurrection; opposed discipline; questionable in
their own effort; freewill to authoritative rule of the eyes of many in terms
oriented (moderate) – oral traditions; don’t get of actions and beliefs? ;
providence but also along with each other at separatists;
choice times (political); lifestyles
were different than
Pharisees (works
related?); frequenters of
philosophy (Hellenized?
Connection w/upper-
class?);
Agreeable to the Law; use Brood of vipers; don’t Was John the Baptizer an
the law to test Jesus & trip believe their teachings; Essene? John was a
him up; Against Jesus; denied resurrection; separatist? John in the
feared that Jesus was brings into question their wilderness; purity rites
taking their followers; knowledge of the with baptism; separating
teamed up with the scriptures; feared the from temple; apocalyptic;
Herodians against Jesus people wouldn’t support
(politically savvy); called them;
hypocrites;