Bibliography
| Title: Pharisaic Dominance Before 70 CE and the Gospels' Hypocrisy Charge (Matt 23:2-3) Secondary Title: HThR Volume: 83 Pages: 363-381 Type: Journal Article Year: 1990 Abstract: "The Pharisees were the dominant party in Palestinian Judaism before the destruction of the temple (Josephus' remarks - against Smith, Neusner). This makes intelligible Jesus' charge of hypocrisy. Any first-century Jew, such as Jesus, could concede the Pharisee's legitimate social-religious role without taking out membership in the group and pointedly criticising their conduct". - WSch
"The author treats two questions: were the Pharisees the dominant party in Palestinian Judaism before the destruction of the Temple? Did Jesus engage in controversy with them? Pace Morton Smith and Jacob Neusner, the author points out that Josephus, Ant. 13.288-298, 13.400-432, 17.41-45 and Vita 189-198 cannot plausibly be read as commendations of the Pharisees to the Roman authorities. Matt. 23:2-3 implicitly affirms Pharisaic primacy in legal interpretation. The text should not be ascribed to the final author of the Gospel (elsewhere in Matt it is what the Pharisees said that is objectionable). It is precisely the status of the Pharisees that makes intelligible Jesus charge of hypocrisy, because it is an observable phenomenon that leaders and policy-makers attract the charge of hypocrisy from disaffected grooups". Keywords: Groups and Religious Movements in Palestinian Judaism |