Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 20:27-38 "A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE FOUR MAJOR SECTS IN ISRAEL"
Day 251 – Luke 20
Text: Luke 20:27-38
A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE FOUR MAJOR SECTS IN ISRAEL
Our knowledge of the religious sects in Israel in the first century comes mainly from Josephus, the famous Jewish historian. Josephus was born in 37 A.D. and grew up to become a scholarly historian. He witnessed the Fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He was acquainted with the Roman General, Titus, who sacked Jerusalem. He was well known to the Emperor Vespasian. He did all his writings in Rome itself!
In his book, “The Antiquities of the Jews”, he noted that there were four significant religious groups existing in Israel. He called them “sects of philosophy” (Antq. 18:1.3). These were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots.
The Essenes, because of their beliefs lived as “ascetics”, far away from the mainstream of life (Antq. 13.5.9). The Essenes believed in living in communes. Josephus wrote of them in admiration and noted that there were about 4000 of them who lived in different communes.
The fourth sect, whom we may call the Zealots, loved liberty, and never acknowledged Rome as Lord. They were constantly at odds with the Romans (Antq. 18.1.6).
These sects had been in existence long before Jesus came onto the scene. The Pharisees were by far the largest of the four groups, numbering about 6000 people.
Josephus noted that “The sect of the Sadducees had notions contrary to those of the Pharisees” (Antq. 13.10.6). The following may be gleaned from the writings of Josephus. We need only to note the main ideas that have relevance to our study of the Gospel of Luke.
1. With reference to the Mosaic Law
All sects accept the Mosaic Law as authoritative.
2. With reference to the Traditions of their forefathers (Antq. 13:10.6).
The Pharisees accepted them as authoritative.
The Sadducees rejected them!
The Essenes sought to practise the ideals of their faith in their communes.
The Zealots were just interested in being free from the Romans. However, to be fair to them, their beliefs were like that of the Pharisees.
3. With reference to social standing and popular support
The Pharisees appeared to have more popular support than the Sadducees.
The Sadducees belonged to the rich upper class (Antq. 13:10.6)
The Essenes lived in enclaves in the wilderness, literally.
The Zealots had a lot of popular support. The “patriotic” gave them support.
4. With reference to the soul
The Pharisees, the Essenes and the Zealots believed that the soul was immortal.
The Sadduccees believed otherwise. They believed in their rationality more than anything else. Whatever they could not comprehend with their intellect, they tended to reject.
THE SUBTLE AND SARCASTIC QUESTION OF THE SADDUCEES
Luke noted that the Sadducees also joined in the fray. They too came to attack Jesus. The Sadducees were “the power” behind the running of the Temple in the days of King Herod. Of course they would come and attack Jesus too, for their lucrative Temple had been set upon by Him.
The Sadducees, because they did not believe in the immortality of the soul , came to Jesus and gave “a parable” to Jesus. They cited an ancient teaching of Moses, known as the Levirate marriage law.
“Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies,
having a wife, and he dies without children,
his brother should take his wife and raise up
offspring for his brother.”
Luke 20:28
The Sadducees made this parable most complicated when they made a twist in the tale. The man had six brothers, and all died childless. In the end, the woman died too. They raised what they thought was a smart question.
“Therefore in the resurrection,
whose wife does she become?
For all seven had her as wife.”
Luke 20:33
THE MASTERFUL REPLY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Jesus was not at all fazed by this question. He knew that the Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection. He did not accommodate their wrong beliefs in the least. His answer may be outlined thus. Let us note the two-part answer of the Lord Jesus:-
A. With reference to the question of marriage and life after resurrection
1. Marriage is practised only with reference to this life on earth (Luke 20:34)
2. In the next life, the blessed, the resurrected do not marry (Luke 20:35)
3. Those who are among the resurrected “are equal to the angels” (Luke 20:36)
4. They are rightly called “the sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36)
B. With reference to the question of belief in the writings of Moses
1. The Sadducees professed faith in the writings of Moses!
2. Jesus noted that Moses believed in the resurrection, for he called the Lord, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. This was not just a historical reference.
3. Jesus concluded, “He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him” (Luke 20:38). The doctrine of the resurrection was taught by Moses!
Some of the scribes who heard Jesus replied, “You have spoken well” (Luke 20:39). The Sadducees had met their match in Jesus!