~Do Not Fear by Patty Waechter

There is something I've been reflecting on...

I was wondering why so many countries are so dead-set against Jesus Christ.  Why is it illegal to follow Him to the point of torture, imprisonment, and yes, even death?

Why the fear of Jesus when they could receive peace like never before?

Is it the fear of change?  Change in the way they think.  Fear in the change of losing something?  Like greed or power?  Or, is it because they lived in darkness for so long that the light blinds them?

Are they afraid of what's been in their hearts?  The darkness and the ugliness of sin?  Are they afraid of what the light will reveal in them.  The truth of who they really are.

Are they afraid to let others see where they are most vulnerable and weak?

Are they so insecure that they have to crush others?

Is this why the Pharisees and the Sadducees wanted to put Christ to death?  Because of their fear of change?  Because they knew the light would show their darkness and ugliness within their hearts.

Were they afraid to face the truth?  The truth about who they really were?

Sinners like the rest of us.

Were they afraid if the truth about what was really in their hearts cease to make them to lose their standing and public praise?

No wonder Jesus Christ said, "Do Not Fear."

Fear can cripple and rob.

It can destroy.
It can cause panic and confusion.
It could lead to destruction.

No wonder FEAR is not from Jesus and why it is from Satan.

There is no LIFE in fear.

Religious Groups in New Testament

There are many religious groups found in the New Testament.
The most well-known are:  Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, and Essenes.  Numerous parties, denominations, or sects arose from these groups.

The religious groups were concerned about losing their TRADITION AND TEMPLE.

They would compete for:
*religious prestige and authority
*political power
*recognition as being wise, wealthy
*the satisfaction they were really "right"

Most differences between Jewish groups resulted from their distinctive traditions.

The Main Groups of People in New Testament:

• Pharisees:  most influential group
• Sadducees:  came from aristocratic families-rich, most people didn't like them
• Essenes:  group of close-knit communities, involuntarily shared all things in common
• Ordinary Jews:  devoted to their nation and religion
• Those Devoted to God:  most of Jesus' followers arose from this group (the Jewish leaders, with contempt, regarded them as "this crowd that does not know the law" (John 7:49) people in this group included:  Zechariah + Elizabeth, Joseph + Mary, Simeon, Anna

The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes were also laying claim to Israel's heritage.
The Essenes eventually dropped out of public life and became a network of close-knit communities.

Pharisees and Sadducees competed for control of Sandhedrin (governing body).  The Sadducees were dominant (Acts 5:17) by the 1st century.

DETAILS ON THE GROUPS:

Sadducees:

• included high priest, Caiaphas) (AD 18-36)
• primarily wealthy, priestly families in Jerusalem
• unfriendly, unpopular, even unfriendly to one another
• could be cruel judges
• James killed by them
• probably only accepted Pentateuch (1st 5 books of the bible)

Essenes:

• shared all things in common including food and clothing
• Jerusalem church adopted a similar way of life except giving was voluntary
• strict, dressed in white linen, strictly observed the Sabbath

Pharisees:

• 3 schools:  Shammai, Hillel, Gamaliel (Paul studied under Gamaliel)
• concerned about proper administration of temple
• the 3 schools tried to shape religious life of the ordinary Jew through the dissemination of their TRADITIONS
• see parable of Pharisee and Tax Collector-reference:  Luke 18:9-14 and Matt. 23:23-seek justice, mercy, and faithfulness and Phil 3:9-don't seek a righteousness of my own-Jesus said unless your righteousness EXCEEDS that of the Pharisees and Scribes
• scribes:  a separate group from Pharisees, interpreters of Torah

experts in theological matters that the Torah raised, interpreters as well

note:  Jesus prohibits his disciples from using "titles" that in a spirit that wrongly exalted leaders and reinforced human pride (as the Pharisees did)