Chapter Two
FIRST CENTURY RELIGIOUS GROUPS
At the time of Paul’s missionary Journeys there were a number of religious groups; perhaps as many as a dozen. Three of them are mentioned in the Bible: Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots.
THE PHARISEES
The largest of these groups was the Pharisees which was organized about 140 B.C. and they taught strict adherence to the law. They were probably coming nearer to keeping the Law of Moses than any of the other groups.
The Pharisees believed in a future life, a bodily resurrection and in spiritual beings; including angels. The Rabbi’s had developed the Talmud, which was their own set of rules to assist them in keeping the Law. It had its beginning as a commentary on the Law of Moses. Then, some Rabbi …show more content…
Once the Sanhedrin court pronounced the sentence of death, it was their custom to send a representative to the stoning and the first stone was thrown by the representative; symbolically representing the Sanhedrin.
And, as Saul witnessed the death of Stephen, he watched after the vestures of those who did the stoning. Perhaps, Paul never forgot seeing Stephen’s face when it looked like the face of an angel (Acts 6:15) or hearing his prayer, “Lord lay not this sin to their charge.” (Acts 7:60) And the Lord may have been thinking about that when He said to Saul, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads).” (Acts 9:5)
The name Stephen means “crown” and Stephen won his crown in less time than any of the apostles. Anyhow, Saul was pleased at Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1), but after his experience on the King’s Highway near Damascus, he became a Christian three days later (Acts 22:16) and took up exactly where Stephen left off. The very cause for which Stephen was killed Paul took upon his shoulders and spent the remainder of his life working for it. Perhaps Paul was reminiscing about his past when he wrote that God’s ways are past finding out. (Romans
FIRST CENTURY RELIGIOUS GROUPS
At the time of Paul’s missionary Journeys there were a number of religious groups; perhaps as many as a dozen. Three of them are mentioned in the Bible: Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots.
THE PHARISEES
The largest of these groups was the Pharisees which was organized about 140 B.C. and they taught strict adherence to the law. They were probably coming nearer to keeping the Law of Moses than any of the other groups.
The Pharisees believed in a future life, a bodily resurrection and in spiritual beings; including angels. The Rabbi’s had developed the Talmud, which was their own set of rules to assist them in keeping the Law. It had its beginning as a commentary on the Law of Moses. Then, some Rabbi …show more content…
Once the Sanhedrin court pronounced the sentence of death, it was their custom to send a representative to the stoning and the first stone was thrown by the representative; symbolically representing the Sanhedrin.
And, as Saul witnessed the death of Stephen, he watched after the vestures of those who did the stoning. Perhaps, Paul never forgot seeing Stephen’s face when it looked like the face of an angel (Acts 6:15) or hearing his prayer, “Lord lay not this sin to their charge.” (Acts 7:60) And the Lord may have been thinking about that when He said to Saul, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads).” (Acts 9:5)
The name Stephen means “crown” and Stephen won his crown in less time than any of the apostles. Anyhow, Saul was pleased at Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1), but after his experience on the King’s Highway near Damascus, he became a Christian three days later (Acts 22:16) and took up exactly where Stephen left off. The very cause for which Stephen was killed Paul took upon his shoulders and spent the remainder of his life working for it. Perhaps Paul was reminiscing about his past when he wrote that God’s ways are past finding out. (Romans