Pharisees and Saducees- Republicans and Democrates- Jew and Christian...none of it matters
The Pharisees and Saducees were two of the major sects or special-interest groups among the jews in the New Testament times.
What is a "sect?"...a definintion in order to understand.
Collins Concise English dictionary defines a sect as:
sect (sekt) n. 1. a subdivision of a larger religious group (esp. the Christian Church as a whole) the members of which have to some extent diverged from the rest by developing diviating beliefs, practices, etc. 2. often disparaging. a. a schismatic religious body. b. a religious group regarded as extreme or heretical. 3. A group of people with a common intertest, doctrine, etc.
This word is from the latin, secta, menaing 'faction,' and from sequi', meaning 'to follow.'
You decide how you would wish it to apply, but that the Pharisees and Saducees were two of the major 'sects' among the Jews in New Testament times.
These groups stood for different principles, but Jesus clashed with both parties at different times during His ministry. Why...in order to show their hypocracy and despite what they believed...Jesus attempted to show how very much like everyone else they were, despite what their doctrine showed them. This is the essence of false religion.
How many different parties do we have today that clash according to special interests for purely religious reasons? Let's name a few.
To begin: Protestant v. Catholic
Roman Catholic v. Eastern Orthodox Catholic
Roman Catholic v. Greek orthodox Catholic
Protestant Fundamental v. Evangelical
Epicopalian fundamental v. Evangelical
Episcopalian v. Lutheran
Lutheran v. Presbytarian
Presbytarian v. Methodist
Methodist V. Baptist...
Baptist v. whatever, and on, and on, and on, until the entire body is broken up in so many pieces that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it until God in Christ comes to establish His Kingdom reign when all these schisms and divisions will mean nothing. We will all be, no matter what 'sect' witnesses to God's majesty, dominion and might, casting every crown towards Jesus Christ. And the sooner we learn this, the sooner we will be able to overcome the world.
The word "Pharisee" means "seperated." Another word, confused by Christians today is "sanctified." Their burning desire was to separate themselves from those people who did not observe the laws of tithing and ritual purity--- matters they considered very important.
Today many Christians attempt to seperate, to sanctify themselves, by some truth or another...but not according to the whole truth...which brings us all back together... because we are only one part of a whole. We have become like...what...?God...?...who is all inclusive...or like man...who would like to exclude... according to what he desides is inclusive or exclusive?
The Pharisees exerted strong influence in Jesus' time. They supported the scribes ( experts in legal matters) and rabbis (religios leaders) in their interpretation of the Jewish law as handed down from the time of Moses.
In Jesus' day, this interpretation of the law became more authoritative and more binding than the law itself. Jesus often challenged these traditional interpretations and the minute rules that had been issued to guide the people in every area of their behavior.
Jesus condemned these hypocrates...read Matthew 23: 13-36...and then lamented over those who were teaching peace by salvation in the Love that God gives...Matthew 23: 37- 39.
Jesus was sensitive to the needs and hurts of individuals--- an attitude that brought Him into conflict with the Pharisees. Matthew's gospel (23: 1-36) contains Jesus' harsh words against the Pharisees. He believed they placed too much emphasis on minor details, while ignoring the "weightier matters of the law," such as "justice and mercy and faith." (Matt.23:23)
The Pharisees often tried to trick Jesus into making statements that would be considered heretical or disloyal to Rome. On one occasion, Jesus used a denarius, a common coin of the day, to show that citizens of his country had responsibilities to the civil authorities, as well as to God. (Matthew 22: 15-22).
But later...Christ also showed that while God's laws always were in accordance to man's...man's laws weere not always in accordance to God's....and herein lies the godly way.
Not all Pharisees were legalistic and hypoctitical, however. Three Pharisees favorably recognized in the New Testament are Joseph of Arimathea [ARAM] (Luke 23: 50- 53), Nicodemus [Nicholas] (John 3: !-21), and Gamiliel (God has rewarded), (Acts 5: 34-39).
The apostle emphasized his own heritage ( that which is laid up, preserved and prepared) as a Pharisee (Acts 23: 3), but he also (and you also) recognized the importance of abandoning this emphasis for the way of Christ...the annointed... (Phil 3: 1-14).
The Saducees were the elite of Jewish society in the time of Jesus. As priests, merchants, and aristocrates, they supported the Roman authorities because they enjoyed a privaledge status under Roman rule.
In contrast to the Pharisees, they advocated loyalty to the original law of Moses, insisting that interpretation of the Law could not be trusted. Also, unlike the Pharisees, they did not believe in the resurerection of the dead... (those who were found dead in their sins, not to be confused with the literal dead which is what the Sadducees were confused by) ...a belief which Jesus challenged on one occassion ( Mark 12: 18-27).
So in conclusion to this all...I have played the Pharisee, the Saducee and all that is in opposition to Jesus Christ, and the laws of God's love...I have become the adversary, the devil, Satan if you will...hated, despised, and rejected...but not as...or in any likeness of...but as one who will always believe in and towards the best...because it has been my intent and purpose to test, to tempt, to exercise, to strengthen, in all doubt and confussion, in all tribulation and distress, in all depression and sorrow, my wife, Karyn O'keefe, and her resolve to avoid at all messure, even at the cost of losing everything...which she has...but which she has not...so that what she has determined to be as good...what she has determined in her own mind...to be love...and not good in opposition to evil...forgive me God...forgive me wife...you are no Eve...but are more worthy to be received than you will ever know...but know...and continue to consider...
My only purpose and responsibility was to prepare you beyond a shadow of all doubt...until you could say without a shadow of all doubt...that salvation was determined by what you believe...in whom you will believe...and to step forward into that belief as thought it was your own...possesed by you...not given to you by me...but decided by yourself....and today, I know...because you will give up everything...to hold onto what you've learned....and discovered as true.
If it were any other way, I would not be certain...and would always be left in doubt as to whether someone else could come along and snatch from you what belongs to God...and what belongs to you...and for this, I accept my own...and am gratefiul for what it is...Amen...and Hallelujia...and for this I spend my life in all understanding according to how it evolves to the one who finally understands according to the one who reassures all understanding.
What is a "sect?"...a definintion in order to understand.
Collins Concise English dictionary defines a sect as:
sect (sekt) n. 1. a subdivision of a larger religious group (esp. the Christian Church as a whole) the members of which have to some extent diverged from the rest by developing diviating beliefs, practices, etc. 2. often disparaging. a. a schismatic religious body. b. a religious group regarded as extreme or heretical. 3. A group of people with a common intertest, doctrine, etc.
This word is from the latin, secta, menaing 'faction,' and from sequi', meaning 'to follow.'
You decide how you would wish it to apply, but that the Pharisees and Saducees were two of the major 'sects' among the Jews in New Testament times.
These groups stood for different principles, but Jesus clashed with both parties at different times during His ministry. Why...in order to show their hypocracy and despite what they believed...Jesus attempted to show how very much like everyone else they were, despite what their doctrine showed them. This is the essence of false religion.
How many different parties do we have today that clash according to special interests for purely religious reasons? Let's name a few.
To begin: Protestant v. Catholic
Roman Catholic v. Eastern Orthodox Catholic
Roman Catholic v. Greek orthodox Catholic
Protestant Fundamental v. Evangelical
Epicopalian fundamental v. Evangelical
Episcopalian v. Lutheran
Lutheran v. Presbytarian
Presbytarian v. Methodist
Methodist V. Baptist...
Baptist v. whatever, and on, and on, and on, until the entire body is broken up in so many pieces that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it until God in Christ comes to establish His Kingdom reign when all these schisms and divisions will mean nothing. We will all be, no matter what 'sect' witnesses to God's majesty, dominion and might, casting every crown towards Jesus Christ. And the sooner we learn this, the sooner we will be able to overcome the world.
The word "Pharisee" means "seperated." Another word, confused by Christians today is "sanctified." Their burning desire was to separate themselves from those people who did not observe the laws of tithing and ritual purity--- matters they considered very important.
Today many Christians attempt to seperate, to sanctify themselves, by some truth or another...but not according to the whole truth...which brings us all back together... because we are only one part of a whole. We have become like...what...?God...?...who is all inclusive...or like man...who would like to exclude... according to what he desides is inclusive or exclusive?
The Pharisees exerted strong influence in Jesus' time. They supported the scribes ( experts in legal matters) and rabbis (religios leaders) in their interpretation of the Jewish law as handed down from the time of Moses.
In Jesus' day, this interpretation of the law became more authoritative and more binding than the law itself. Jesus often challenged these traditional interpretations and the minute rules that had been issued to guide the people in every area of their behavior.
Jesus condemned these hypocrates...read Matthew 23: 13-36...and then lamented over those who were teaching peace by salvation in the Love that God gives...Matthew 23: 37- 39.
Jesus was sensitive to the needs and hurts of individuals--- an attitude that brought Him into conflict with the Pharisees. Matthew's gospel (23: 1-36) contains Jesus' harsh words against the Pharisees. He believed they placed too much emphasis on minor details, while ignoring the "weightier matters of the law," such as "justice and mercy and faith." (Matt.23:23)
The Pharisees often tried to trick Jesus into making statements that would be considered heretical or disloyal to Rome. On one occasion, Jesus used a denarius, a common coin of the day, to show that citizens of his country had responsibilities to the civil authorities, as well as to God. (Matthew 22: 15-22).
But later...Christ also showed that while God's laws always were in accordance to man's...man's laws weere not always in accordance to God's....and herein lies the godly way.
Not all Pharisees were legalistic and hypoctitical, however. Three Pharisees favorably recognized in the New Testament are Joseph of Arimathea [ARAM] (Luke 23: 50- 53), Nicodemus [Nicholas] (John 3: !-21), and Gamiliel (God has rewarded), (Acts 5: 34-39).
The apostle emphasized his own heritage ( that which is laid up, preserved and prepared) as a Pharisee (Acts 23: 3), but he also (and you also) recognized the importance of abandoning this emphasis for the way of Christ...the annointed... (Phil 3: 1-14).
The Saducees were the elite of Jewish society in the time of Jesus. As priests, merchants, and aristocrates, they supported the Roman authorities because they enjoyed a privaledge status under Roman rule.
In contrast to the Pharisees, they advocated loyalty to the original law of Moses, insisting that interpretation of the Law could not be trusted. Also, unlike the Pharisees, they did not believe in the resurerection of the dead... (those who were found dead in their sins, not to be confused with the literal dead which is what the Sadducees were confused by) ...a belief which Jesus challenged on one occassion ( Mark 12: 18-27).
So in conclusion to this all...I have played the Pharisee, the Saducee and all that is in opposition to Jesus Christ, and the laws of God's love...I have become the adversary, the devil, Satan if you will...hated, despised, and rejected...but not as...or in any likeness of...but as one who will always believe in and towards the best...because it has been my intent and purpose to test, to tempt, to exercise, to strengthen, in all doubt and confussion, in all tribulation and distress, in all depression and sorrow, my wife, Karyn O'keefe, and her resolve to avoid at all messure, even at the cost of losing everything...which she has...but which she has not...so that what she has determined to be as good...what she has determined in her own mind...to be love...and not good in opposition to evil...forgive me God...forgive me wife...you are no Eve...but are more worthy to be received than you will ever know...but know...and continue to consider...
My only purpose and responsibility was to prepare you beyond a shadow of all doubt...until you could say without a shadow of all doubt...that salvation was determined by what you believe...in whom you will believe...and to step forward into that belief as thought it was your own...possesed by you...not given to you by me...but decided by yourself....and today, I know...because you will give up everything...to hold onto what you've learned....and discovered as true.
If it were any other way, I would not be certain...and would always be left in doubt as to whether someone else could come along and snatch from you what belongs to God...and what belongs to you...and for this, I accept my own...and am gratefiul for what it is...Amen...and Hallelujia...and for this I spend my life in all understanding according to how it evolves to the one who finally understands according to the one who reassures all understanding.
posted by hugh lipsius at 2:50 PM
2 Comments:
Greetings Watchman. Interesting thoughts and comments. The Lord sees into your heart, in the crevices of self assurance, the shadows of projected prominance. You are scared, and lost within your deluge of doctrine.
May peace find you, fill you, and carry you out of your fears. You are afraid, and in denial about a great many things.
YB...you are the biggest phony and coward I've known in sometime...you are a regular member of the watchman's post...yet you put him down and everyone who is a part of him...you post under aliases, you attempt to disput everything...and you are never in agreement with a truth even if it smacked you upside your own stubborn, ignorant head...so why...do you insist...on being a rebellious, stubborn ass...and I'll tell you...because you are slowly collecting what others have learned...not by choice...but by God's will...and will one day say to yourself..."ahah!"...but in the meantime...as much of a pain in the ass as you can be...we all still love you...and will continue to do so until you finally get it...even if we have to continue to piss you off because of what you do not get...and even if we get pissed off in the process because we are humans without unlimited patience.
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