This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Jewish Sects of the 1st Century (1)”.
Harvard scholar Jacob Neusner wrote that there were several ‘Judaisms’. We’re identifying seven Jewish religious sects & groups that were extant in the Holy Land in the 1st century…when Jesus lived as a Jew and the temple still existed. Part 1 discussed: #1 Scribes, #2 Pharisees, #3 Sadducees. Material in Part 1 won’t be repeated here in Part 2. We’ll resume the discussion now with group #4.
#4 HERODIANS: Herodianói Strongs g2265, Greek noun; it occurs 3 times in the New Testament (NT). This party of Hellenistic Jews was partisan to Herod and submitted to Rome. Herodiáns wielded political power. They may have been religious Sadducees (see Part 1).
In 40 BC Rome had appointed an Edomite, Herod 1 the Great, as ‘King of Judea’. (Ending 100 years of Jewish Hasmónean rule, from 140 BC.) Herod the Great died soon after Christ’s birth (Mt.2:19). Herod’s kingdom was divided upon his death; his three sons became tetrarchs of provinces in the area.
Herodians are mentioned in Mt.22:16, Mk.3:6, Mk.12:13. Mk.3:6 “The Pharisees went out and began conspiring with the Herodians against Him [Jesus], how they might destroy Him.” It seems that tetrarch Herod Ántipas viewed Jesus as a ‘formidable rival’, so Herod’s devotees even joined with Pharisees in wanting to get rid of Jesus. (Alfred Edersheim The Life And Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.739.) Jesus warned His disciples in Mk.8:15, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod”.
Ro.16:11 the believer Herodíon (g2267), whom Paul noted, was a relative Jew possibly from Herod’s family. The Iduméan Herod 1 the Great had been raised as a Jew. Barnes Notes Ro.16:7 “These persons [Andrónicus and Junías] and Herodian Ro.16:11, it seems probable they were remote relatives of the apostle [Paul].” Aristóbulus 5 of Chálcis was Herod 1’s grandson (Ro.16:10?).
The Herodians, though Hellenistic (like the Sadducees), wanted Jewish rule in Judea. As did the Pharisees. But the Herodians sought this via a Herodian dynasty on the throne, whereas the Pharisees wanted a restored Davidic dynasty to rule.
Wikipedia: Herodian Dynasty “The Herodian was a royal dynasty of Idumean (Edomite) descent, ruling the Herodian Kingdom and later the Herodian Tetrárchy, as vassals of the Roman Empire.”
Some scholars think there may have been Herodians who regarded Herod himself as a Messiah. (cf. Ac.12:20-23 the 44 AD death of the showy tetrarch Herod Agríppa 1, grandson of Herod the Great.)
The rule of the Herods ended in the 90s AD, with the death of tetrarch Herod Agrippa 2 (before whom Paul had appeared decades earlier ca 60 AD, Ac.25:13-ff).
#5 ZEALOTS: The Zealots began as Jewish guerrilla bands, active in Galilee in the 1st century. They became the Nationalist political party. Their purpose was to incite the people of Judea to rebel against the dominance of (gentile) Rome, and forcefully remove it from the Land. The Zealots have been called the ‘extreme opposite’ of the Herodian party.
The Zealots aren’t mentioned in the Bible. Though the Zealots weren’t a religious group, they favored the Pharisees (not the Sadducees). Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 18:1:6 “These men [Zealots] agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord.” Josephus referred to the Zealots as the ‘fourth sect’ (after the Pharisees, Sadducees, Éssenes).
One of Jesus’ twelve original disciples was Simon the Cananaéan/zealot. Simon is called a Cananaean (g2581) in Mt.10:4 & Mk.3:18. Luke calls him a zealot (g2208 zelotés) in Lk.6:15 & Ac.1:13. Jacobus de Voragine The Golden Legend “Zelotes is the equivalent of Cana, because cana means zeal.” The New Theological Movement “St. Simon, ‘the Canaanite’ not from Canaan and ‘the Zealot’ who was no Zealot. Indeed, the name ‘Canaanite’ is closely related to the Hebrew word for ‘zealous.” Simon the zealous disciple of Jesus likely wasn’t part of the violent Zealot political movement!
The Zealots followed John of Gischála during the Roman–Jewish War of 66–73 AD, taking control of Jerusalem and the temple…until Rome destroyed both Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. Zealot holdouts took the Masáda fortress near the Dead Sea…until they were all found dead by suicide in 73 AD.
#6 ESSENES: The Essenes were a significant sect, though fewer in number than the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The origin of the name ‘Essenes’ is uncertain. They began to emerge 130–100 BC, as a devout group. Many scholars think the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS), discovered in 1947 at the Qumrán caves near the NW shore, were written by Essenes.
The Essenes were an ascetic sect. Josephus Wars of the Jews 2:8:2 “There are three philosophical sects among the Jews. The followers of the first are the Pharisees; the second the Sadducees; the third who pretends to a severer discipline are called Essenes. These seem to have a greater affection for one another than other sects have.” Essenes lived together communally. Wikipedia: Essenes “Accounts by Josephus and Philo show the Essenes lived a strictly communal life, often compared to later Christian monasticism.”
Essenes were overly concerned with ritual purity. The concept “works of the law” (Paul wrote against it, e.g. Ga.2:16) is found as Essene rituals in the DSS document 4QMMT. It related to their sectarian solar calendar, purity regulations & cooking utensils, ceremony, the intermarriage of priests, etc.
Essenes were celibate. Josephus ibid “They neglect wedlock, but choose out other persons’ children.” Essenes adopted children. Continuing in Wars 2:8:3, “These men are despisers of riches.” Wars 2:8:5 “As for their piety towards God, it is very extraordinary.” Wars 2:8:6 “They are eminent for fidelity.” Josephus notes other characteristics and observations of Essenes throughout Wars Book 2: Chapter 8.
Essenes rejected the sacrificial system of the Jerusalem temple and the priesthood, which had become corrupt. Antiquities of the Jews 18:1:5 “The doctrine of Essenes is: They teach immortality of souls. They do not offer sacrifices, because they have more pure lustrations [ceremonial purification rites] of their own. There are about 4,000 men that live this way, and neither marry wives nor keep servants.” Philo wrote in Every Good Man Is Free 12:75-84, “They do not make armaments….They honor virtue”. The writings of Josephus and Philo show an admiration for the Essenes.
Edersheim op. cit., p. 226 “One of their [Essenes] largest colonies being by the shore of the Dead Sea. They also had ‘houses’ in most cities of Palestine. In these houses they lived in common, under officials of their own. They partook of common meals, and devoted themselves to works of charity.” It seems the moral conduct and good works of the Essene brotherhood resembled in some respects that of 1st century Jewish Christians.
However, there are no direct Bible references to the Essenes. Edersheim op. cit., p.225 “We may feel certain: neither John the Baptist…nor the teaching of Christianity, had any connection with Essénism.” Yet there are scholars who think some Essenes became Jewish Christian Ebionites. That is conjecture.
The Essene sect disappeared after 70 AD. Their law interpretations weren’t brought into orthodox Judaism.
#7 NAZARENES: Nazoráios g3480 Greek noun. It occurs 15 times in the NT, all but once (Ac.24:5) as “Jesus the Nazarene”.
Nazarénes were the new sect of Jewish Christians who believed Jesus/Yeshúa is their prophesied Messiah. Nazarenes weren’t the same as Old Testament Nazarítes h5139 (who took consecration vows, Nu.6). Ellicott Commentary Mt.2:23 “Any reference to Nazarite vows is out of the question.”
Why was the new sect of believers called the Nazarenes? Following are the reasons:
Nazaréth [g3478, 12 occurrences] was the town in Galilee where Jesus grew up. Lk.2:39 “their own city Nazareth.” Mt.2:23 “He lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene [g3480].” Dwellers of Nazareth were called Nazarenes or Nazoréans. Thus Jesus the Nazarene. Gill Exposition Mt.2:23 “Christ is often called Jesus of Nazareth, or the Nazarene, and His followers Nazarenes, from the place of his habitation.”
In Mt.2:23, Mathew referred to “prophets” in general, not one specifically by name. Isaiah prophesied of Jesus as a figurative Branch. Is.11:1-2 “A rod shall come forth out of the stem of Jesse [David’s father], a Branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him.” (cf. 60:21 branch). The Hebrew term used by Isaiah for “branch” was náy-tser h5342. Its sound resembled “Nazarene”. Jews occasionally used a play-upon-words in their parlance. Pulpit Commentary Mt.2:23 “It is evident that the Jews connected this name [náy-tser] closely with Jesus the Nazarene, and…saw a connection between it and ‘the Branch’ of Isaiah 11:1.” Nazarenes were followers of “the Branch”.
Residents of the town Nazareth in Galilee were disliked in general. Jn.1:46 “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth [g3478]?” Furthermore, the Pharisees said to Nicódemus in Jn.7:52, “No prophet arises out of Galilee”.
The Jewish authorities disapproved of the new sect. Benson Commentary Mt.2:23 “Now it is certain the Nazarene was a term of contempt and infamy put upon Christ [cf. Is.53:3], both by unbelieving Jews and Gentiles.” They also rejected His followers, calling the sect “Nazarenes”.
The Jewish high priest’s attorney said to governor Felix, Ac.24:5, “We have found this man [Paul] to be a real pest, stirring up dissension among all the Jews, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes [g3480]”. He charged Paul with being a heretical leader. Gill Exposition Ac.24:5 “Nazarenes…so called by way of contempt and reproach.” “Nazarenes” was a term of reproach. (cf. 1Pe.4:14, Ro.15:3.)
Ray A. Pritz Nazarene Jewish Community, p.15 “The name Nazarenes was at first applied to all Jewish followers of Jesus. Until the name Christian became attached to the Antióchian non-Jews [Ac.11:26], this meant that the name signified the entire Church, not just a sect. So in Ac.24:5 the reference is not to a sect of Christianity, but rather to the entire primitive Church as a sect of Judaism.” (For the early church being viewed as a sect of Judaism, see “Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome”.)
However, apostolic era Jews who believed Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah referred to themselves as…“The Way” g3598. Paul said to Felix in Ac.24:14, “I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect [or heresy] do I serve the God of our fathers”. (ref Ac.24:22, 9:2.) “The way” g3598 is seen in the Greek Septúagint/LXX. Is.40:3 LXX “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare you the way [g3598] of the Lord, make straight the paths for our God.” The Is.40:3 prophecy is tied to John the Baptizer in Jn.1:23, Mt.3:3, Mk.1:3-4, Lk.3:4. Also, “the way” (g3598) back to the Tree of Life was guarded by cherubim in Ge.3:24 LXX. Jesus is the figurative door (Jn.10:7) of the Way to eternal Life.
Church History: The Ancient Nazarenes “The early Church of God, referred to by some as the Nazarenes, left Jerusalem [for Pella, 66 AD] just before the Roman armies of Titus destroyed the city in AD 70. The Church of God then continued to settle and migrate throughout the areas of Asia Minor and later into Europe.” Those Jewish Christians fled into Jordan, migrated to Syria…and beyond. Their legacy is the Jewish Christians of today and Christianity.
Those who believed in Jesus became known as Christians, Christianós g5546, Greek noun. Ac.11:26 “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Greek was commonly spoken in Antioch. In Ac.26:28, Herod Agrippa 2 referred to believers as Christians, ca 59 AD. Peter wrote to a mixed group of Jew & gentile believers in Asia Minor (1Pe.1:1), ca 64–65 AD. 1Pe.4:16 they’re called Christians.
Conclusion to this two-part topic: The Herodians, the Zealot Nationalist party, and the Essenes…became extinct. A remnant of the Sadducees may be the Karaíte Jews, which still exist. Phárisaism is the basis of rabbinic or Talmúdic Judaism today. Wikipedia: Pharisees “The Pharisees preserved the Pharisáical oral law in the form of the Talmud.” That’s become normative Judaism. Although the Talmud is meaningful for the Jewish people, it isn’t necessary for salvation.
Jesus/Yeshua said in Jn.14:6, “I Am the way (g3598), the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Jesus is The Way…the only way! In no other name is there salvation for mankind (spoken by Peter in Ac.4:10-12)!
Bible Topic Exposition 