Page 392 - ILIAS ATHANASIADIS AKA RO1

Others were quietists, hoping for divine deliverance without having a more-
specific vision of the future but entirely unwilling to fight.

Whatever their specific expectations, very few Palestinian Jews were completely

satisfied with the governments of Antipas, Pilate, and Caiaphas.

As God’s chosen people, the Jews felt they should be free both of foreign
domination and of ambitious worldly leaders.

In the final analysis, variety and commonality are equally important to the

understanding of Palestinian Judaism in Jesus’ day. Jews agreed on many basic
aspects of their religion and way of life.

They agreed that they did not want to surrender their covenant with God to

accept the lure of pagan culture, but, when it came to details, they could disagree
with one another violently.

Since God cared about every aspect of life, competing groups and leaders often

saw themselves as representing the side of God against his adversaries.

Sources for the life of Jesus

The only substantial sources for the life and message of Jesus are the Gospels of
the New Testament, the earliest of which was Mark (written 60–80 ce), followed

by Matthew, Luke, and John (75–90 ce).

Some additional evidence can be found in the letters of Paul, which were
written beginning in 50 ce and are the earliest surviving Christian texts.

There are, however, other sources that may have further information.

Noncanonical sources, especially the apocryphal gospels, contain many sayings
attributed to Jesus, as well as stories about him that are occasionally held to be

“authentic.”

Among these apocrypha is the Gospel of Judas, a gnostic text of the 2nd century
ce that portrays Judas as an important collaborator of Jesus and not his betrayer.