Page 33 - The Glad Tidings of the Messiah

Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar) 31

of the Torah, which were interpreted according to their practical
meanings, for the Sadducees did not accept such fundamental
tenets of religion as life after death, Hell, and Paradise.
Confronting them were the "conservative" Pharisees, who dis-
agreed with the Sadducees' religious views, opposed their false be-
liefs, and generally led a more modest way of life. The Pharisee
school was founded by religious Jews who played an important
part in preserving and defending the Jewish faith. Later on, the
Pharisees also became fragmented.
Another group was formed by the Zealots, who advocated
armed resistance against Rome and its Jewish collaborators. They
began to carry out assassinations and acts of violence against those
members of the Jewish and Roman leadership who they consid-
ered to be opponents of Allah's rule. However, this rebellious
movement was soon suppressed. Finally there were the Essenes,
who devoted themselves to worship and meditation in caves and
who would, in our own time, become well-known through their
writings (the Dead Sea Scrolls), which were discovered in 1947.
According to some researchers, the Essenes were a branch of the
religious Pharisees. As will be seen in subsequent chapters, there
seems to be a consensus among some researchers that the Essenes
were closely linked to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).
According to historical sources and some Biblical passages,
the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was engaged in a great struggle against
these idolatrous and heathen movements of the time and preached
Allah's religion by means of enlightening examples. It will be use-
ful to examine these movements' views in order to understand the
disorderly environment in which they existed.