Jewish Sects

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JEWISH SECTS

A Response Paper on “Three Jewish Sects and the Intertestament Period”
Sharondah Duckett
Southern Christian University
In determining how to best respond to the sects present I had to do ask, which question presented one needs to consider the significant purpose behind the sects. Based on the research, and the effectiveness of the answered questions the three sects chosen where Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots.
Williams says, “The rise of the Jewish sects is traceable to the impact of Hellenism on the life and the culture of the Near East. Each Sects individual development, philosophy, and history has its own foundation. Although, you can compare and contrast, that of the Pharisees and Sadducees within Intertestament period they still have separated philosophy.
The Pharisees were, along with Sadducees where two of the three haereseis (“schools of thought”) that flourished among the Jews from the time of Jonathan the Hasmonean (d.143/2 B.C.E.) until the destruction of the second Temple in 70 C.E., according to Josephus Flavius.
There are two different accounts about how the Pharisees and Sadducees came about. Williams, describes their history of Pharisees as being as early as “Hasidim, conservatives, sticklers for the Law and the traditions of the elders, believers in the angels, spirits, and the resurrection from the dead, ceremonial purity, and moral separateness”. He gives in to account also that “Hellenists, the priestly aristocracy of worldly-minded liberals became known as Sadducees” Meanwhile, the Jewish historian Josephus says, “The beginning of the Pharisees and the Sadducees not precisely known.” Josephus indicates, that “at the time of John Hyrcanus I (later half of the second century B.C.E.) The Pharisees had already formed an influential body.” The Sadducees, are first mentioned by the writings of Josephus in which he indicates “the Sadducees opposed the Pharisees i...