II The SeptuagintThe Septuagint (LXX) (LXX)

• The name (seventyseventy): Tradition says 72 men translated Pentateuch in 72 days

– Hebrew to Greek

– Alexandrian Jews wanted their Greek-speaking children to read Scripture

• Septuagint acquainted non-Jews with OT

– NT: 300 quotations from LXX

Lesson: Though a Though a translationtranslation……

1.1. Accurate Accurate 2.2. Powerful Powerful

– The greatest problem the Bible faces is not the attack of enemies, but the neglect of friends

3.3. Effective Effective – “God-fearers”: Ac.10:2, 35; 13:16, 26;

17:4, 12; 18:7-84. 4. AbidingAbiding

– 1 Pt.1:25. LORD

IIII Sects Of JewsSects Of Jews

1. Sadducees 1. Sadducees – Party of the Jerusalem aristocracy and

high priesthood – They made peace with political rulers

and attained positions of wealth and influence

– They held themselves aloof from the masses and were unpopular (Josephus)

– Only about a dozen NT references (not counting references to chief priests)

Sadducees Denied…Sadducees Denied…

• Authority of oral lawAuthority of oral law (tradition); inter-preted Mosaic law more literally than Pharisees!

• Future resurrectionFuture resurrection (Mt.22)

• Life after deathLife after death (Mt.22)

• AngelsAngels (Ac.23:8)

• DemonsDemons, etc.

Lesson: Danger of secularismDanger of secularism (Mt.16:6, 11)

• Mt.22 • John Shelby Spong denies bodily resur-

rection of Christ: “Is not the primary message of the Easter narratives that even the barrier or death must not deter us in our quest for life and love” (Rescuing

the Bible from Fundamentalists, 146). • Closer to home: “If we are under the

law to Christ … So far, in my under-standing, it is to love one another ”

– If…??

2. Pharisees2. Pharisees

• “Separated ones,” probably because of their zeal for the law and separation from influences of Hellenism (heirs of the Hasidim). Ac.26:5

• John Hyrcanus– Hyrcanus felt that the Pharisees

were opposed to him; he became a Sadducee, influencing future High Priests

– Sadducees controlled the temple; Pharisees maintained synagogues

Not all Pharisees were badNot all Pharisees were bad

• NicodemusNicodemus (Jn.3:1)

• GamalielGamaliel (Ac.5:34)

• SaulSaul (Ph.3:5)

Lesson: Danger of Danger of smug self-righteousnesssmug self-righteousness

1. Lk.16:14, Pharisees respected the Word, but valued human traditions more

– Attitude of change agents in church

– Their pride led to covetousness (balance scale religion)

2. Lk.18:9-14, if satan can’t win one way, he will in another

– Encourages accuracy in doctrine and arrogance toward others (Jn.7:45-48)

3. Essenes3. Essenes

• Essenes (and Pharisees) continued the philosophy of the Hasidim

– Usually lived in monastic communities (e.g.: Qumran)

– Adopted young boys to perpetuate their ideals

– Josephus mentions an order of marrying Essenes

Lessons:

1. We cannot obey the Lord by isolating 1. We cannot obey the Lord by isolating ourselves from the worldourselves from the world

– Jn.17:14-16

– Mt.12:30

• How can we be w. Jesus if we don’t do what He says?

2. Train children when they are young2. Train children when they are young

4. Herodians4. Herodians

• Jews who believed that the best interests of Judaism lay in cooperation with the Romans

• Their name was taken from Herod the Great; they supported his dynasty, therefore the rule of Rome

– Herod sought to Romanize Palestine

– Mk.12:13

Lesson: Don’t put your faithDon’t put your faithin the wrong placein the wrong place

1. Politics Politics

– Where are they now? (Isa.14)

2. PowerPower

– Vanished into thin air! (Mt.2)

3. PromisesPromises

– Don’t hold your breath! (Ac.24:26-27)

5. Zealots5. Zealots• Most Jews hated Roman rule

– Pharisees viewed Roman rule as punishment visited upon Israel because of its sins. It was to be accepted with humility, in prayerful anticipation of the day when God would remove the horrible Roman yoke

• Zealots refused to pay taxes, and considered loyalty to Caesar a sin

– Acts 5:35-39

Success of Zealots

• Ultimately the Zealots won the bulk of the people to their side

• Their defiance of Rome brought on the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)

• They ceased to exist at Masada (AD 73)

Lesson: Beware zeal Beware zeal without knowledgewithout knowledge

• Je.29:7

• Ro.10:1-3

• Mt.10:4, Simon the Cananean (not Canaanean), an Aramaic surname

– Zealot (Luke interprets it, 6:15)

– Jesus deliberately chose a zealot and a tax collector to join forces to spread His peace!

2000 years ago…

• No denominations existed; there were different groups; not all could be right

1.1. Divisions happen when people stop Divisions happen when people stop taking God’s word seriouslytaking God’s word seriously

2.2. People then had to choose just as People then had to choose just as we do today. How?we do today. How?

3.3. The The Lord’sLord’s church was right; the church was right; the others were wrongothers were wrong