Contrast of Groups with Jesus

Question 1

Sadducees

Answer 1

• Jesus believed in Life After Death (Resurrected, Lazaraus, Eternal Life)
• When Jesus comes to Jerusalem for passover, he is arrested by the High Priest and put on trial by the Sanhedrin. (political power)

Question 2

Pharisees

Answer 2

• Publicans, women and sick were seen as impure
• Jesus rejected these notions of plurality
• Jesus also rejected their idea of legalism (Sabbath, Leper, Adulterer)
• Pharisees had influence among Jewish people

Question 3

Essenes

Answer 3

• Essenes cut themselves off from the world to maintain their purity.
  Jesus went to the towns of Galilee, went to weddings, drank wine and attended dinner parties
• Jesus begins his Ministry by being baptised by John the Baptist (who is commonly believed to be an essene)
• John’s Gospel: displays Jesus as ‘Light of the World’ (Essenes were children of Light)

Question 4

Zealots

Answer 4

• Jesus was a pacifict
• Jesus: give what god demands (worship) and give money but not worship to Caeser.
• Simon the Zealot was a disciple?
• Brandon: Judas was a Zealot and Jesus was a political leader who everyone expected would raise an army against Rome. Jesus ends up rejecting a violent revolution and embraced pacificism. This is why Judas betrays.