Communities and Offices During Jesus Time.

JEWS: Jews are the traditional (Orthodox) people who follow the Old Testament. They follow all the laws mentioned in the Old Testament, e.g. circumcision, keeping the Sabbath, washing hands before meals, etc. Jesus was by birth a Jew, which we come to know by His family attending to an obligatory festival in Jerusalem, when He was 12 years old, which was a several days journey from home.

GENTILES: Gentiles were the common man of that period, like the non-Christians of today.

CHRISTIANS: Christians are the followers of Jesus teaching.

ZEALOT COMMUNITY: There were several rebels during the Roman rule in Israel & Palestine. One such rebel was Judas (not Judas-the betrayer) who founded the Zealot.
These Zealots had two different branches – one the separatist group, who separated the Jews from the foreigners and revolted against the Roman rulers. The other branch specialised as being “moral police” to keep the Jews in line, in discipline.

SADDUCEE'S: Sadducee's were humanist in theology, they did not believe in life after death, or even divine intervention in life on this Earth. Since, there is not any future system of reward or punishment, a person might as well enjoy his limited time on earth. This is evident from there having palatial bungalows, silver & gold kitchen utensils that have been uncovered by archaeologists. They enjoyed life on Earth. The Sadducee's were blatant collaboration's. They first united under the Greeks, then co-operated in turn with the Macabeans, Romans, & then with Herod.

Suggested reading: Mt.3:7; Mk.12:18; Lk.20:27; Act4:1-4; 23:6-8

SANHEDRIN: Sanhedrin was the official Jewish council, accepted by the Roman Governor. This was a puppet in the hands of the Roman government. In return for this favour, the Jews would keep the Romans informed of any uprising for freedom or any move against the Roman government. What the Chief Priests of the council did was tried such people first then handed over them to the Roman government if was beyond there control. As they did by handing Jesus to Pilate the then Roman Governor.

Suggested reading: Mk.14:53-72; 15:1-15; Mt.26:56-68; 27:11-26

PHARISEES: Pharisees was a sect of self righteous people, jealous Jews, they had their own traditions & own interpretation to laws, weather they kept to the word of God or not. They believed in the coming of a King as said in the book of Isaiah, but expected someone of a Kingly status, who would come & liberate Israel from the Roman rule & bring back it’s old glory. Nevertheless, Jesus was not to their expectation. The other reason for not believing Jesus was, during this period there a number of self-acclaimed Prophets, and these would not simply believe in anyone just because they did some miracle or claimed to be Son of God. This was reason as to why Pharisees were Jesus bitterest enemies.

Suggested reading: Mt.15:1-2; 5:20; 9:11,34; 12:22,24; Luke7:36-37
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