Are the religious groups important?

Question 1

What class does Jesus belong to?

Answer 1

The same as the sadducees, as he is a member of the royal Davidic line

Question 2

What links Jesus to the Essenes?

Answer 2

• His opposition to the temple
• His connection to John the Baptist
• His retreat into the desert to pray and fast

Question 3

What was Jesus’ relation to the Pharisees?

Answer 3

He opposed their legalism but shared their debating techniques

Question 4

What did Jesus’ enemies persuade the authorities that he was?

Answer 4

A Zealot

Question 5

Why does the fact that Jesus has a human element make these groups more relevant?

Answer 5

His humanity will be developed through social relationships as part of a community. This means that even if his teachings are divine, they will all have a human side too, inspired by the people Jesus knew growing up

Question 6

Why can these groups be seen as irrelevant in understanding Jesus’ teachings?

Answer 6

As the Son of God, his teaching come directly from God, rather than any human source

Question 7

Give a gospel passage supporting the idea that religious groups were not influential in how Jesus presented his teachings

Answer 7

‘The son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his father doing, because whatever the father does the son also does’ (John 5:19)

Question 8

Why can the bible be seen as a better way of understanding Jesus’ teachings than an understanding of the religious groups at the time?

Answer 8

The four sects had all been destroyed by the end of the century, whereas Jesus’ teachings have lasted for over 2000 years

Question 9

Why is our knowledge of these religious groups limited?

Answer 9

Because all the evidence we have are the (probably biased) passages in Josephus