Page 17 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

blended Judaism and idolatry, claiming that they were commanded to worship God in a mountain in
Samaria, Gerizim. The Jews considered them “half-breeds” and idol worshippers and universally
despised them. In like manner, the Samaritans also despised the Jews and considered them enemies.

Scribes
During the Diaspora, learned Jews devoted themselves to the study of the Torah and other Old
Testament books. The scribes became experts in and were considered authorities on the interpretation
of the Scriptures. They were also hired on occasions when the need for a written document arose or
when an interpretation of a legal point was needed. Ezra, “a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses,”
was a scribe (Ezra 7:6). In the New Testament era, scribes were often associated with the Pharisees,
although not all Pharisees were scribes. They were teachers of the people and interpreters of the Law
and were widely respected by the community because of their knowledge, dedication, and outward
appearance of Law-keeping.

The scribes became so obsessed with the Law of God that they became pros at spelling out the letter of
the law but at the same time, ignored the spirit and reason for the law. For them, keeping the Sabbath
as they interpreted the law was more important than bringing sight to a blind man. They even enforced
the multiple additions of the laws of the Pharisees. When it came to the time of confrontation with
Jesus, the scribes, because of their vast knowledge of the Scriptures and traditional laws, were elected
as spokesmen by the Pharisees. Jesus revealed the hypocrisy of their hearts and silenced their mouths.

Rabbis
The rabbis were teachers who passed on the scribal understanding of the Scriptures to the people in
Israel. A rabbi (literally, “my master”) is a member of the clergy in the religion of Judaism. Rabbis often
function as leaders of synagogues where they provide instruction in the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish
traditions. Rabbis preach sermons, interpret the Old Testament, and perform other functions similar to
those of Christian pastors. During the first century AD, the word rabbi was used in a more informal
sense than today. In Jesus’ day, the title “Rabbi” merely signified that a person had a reputation as a
wise teacher or sage. On multiple times, Jesus was called “Rabbi.” (John 3:2, Mark 5:35, John 20:16,
Mark 14:45, John 1:38).

Synagogue
The temple was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians, which left the Jews without a place of worship
and sacrifice. Since the majority of Jews did not return to Palestine, buildings called synagogues were
established throughout the region as a place where Jews could come together to worship, offer
sacrifices, and educate their children. Synagogues remained popular even after the rebuilding of the
temple in Jerusalem by Zerubbabel in 516 BCE. By the time of Jesus and the New Testament period,
synagogues had become a common local fixture. The New Testament mentions synagogues over 60
times, largely in connection with the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. On the Sabbath, local Jews
would meet for prayer and Scripture reading. On one occasion, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah
during a synagogue gathering (Luke 4:16-21).

The Jews met together at the Synagogue on the Sabbath (Saturday). A teacher would stand up to
address those present and read from an Old Testament scroll. They held to a very important rule: once
the teacher started reading a scroll, the entire work (or we would say paragraph) must be read without
pause to give proper attention to God’s Words. If a teacher stopped mid paragraph, it was considered a
blasphemous act against God. When finished, the teacher would quietly sit down.

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