Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

Andrew Criddle wrote: "Maccoby assumes that rabbinic argument in the Mishnah and later texts is Pharisaic. This is not necessarily true." It's been about twenty years since I've read Maccoby, so when I get time I'll take a fresh look at his work. In the meantime, and without looking very d...

Robert J, I cited an entire paragraph in which you seem to imply that Paul may have been a Pharisee to some degree, and two statements (plus the title of this thread) that seem to indicate that you question whether Paul was a Pharisee at all. Perhaps I misunderstood you, but this is how I understood...

Robert J, You wrote: "I think the gap in the first-century between the many, like Paul and Josephus, who chose to follow the precepts of the Pharisees --- and the Pharisee themselves, the leaders that endured extensive and specific education, apprenticeship and initiation ---- Was as large as t...

I forgot to add to the list of things it is hard to imagine the proto-Fourth Philosophy Pharisees doing, and that would be praising king Herod Agrippa and telling him, "You are our brother! You are our brother! You are our brother!" in M. Sotah 7:8.

Steven, I appreciate your response. Concerning Ant. 15.1.1 and the short-lived goodwill that Pollio and Sameus may have had for Herod, it is worth pointing out that the oath to Herod that they objected to was not something unique to them or the Pharisees. Everyone objected to it, and many of people ...

Robert J,

What difference would it make if Paul and Josephus were only nominally Pharisees?

Bernard, I look at the issue of whether James was a Christian the same way I do the issue of whether Paul was a Pharisee. That Paul says he had been "as to the law, a Pharisee" in Php. 3:5, that he zealously followed "the traditions of my fathers" in Gal. 1:14 (an expression used...

Charles Wilson,

Regardless of how people may have felt about the Pharisees at any time in history, I cited Ant. 13.16.2 only to make the point that the Pharisees had practices "according to the traditions of their forefathers" and that they weren't observed by everyone.

Robert J, Regarding your statement: "Pharisaic leaders likely endured extensive Pharisaic education and initiation, but many others, like the young Paul and Josephus, probably just preferred the Pharisaic oral traditions and on-going interpretation of the Mosaic laws and followed, to varying de...

Bernard, I've digested what you said regarding the issue of door vs. doors, and I think the difference doesn't matter much. If Mk. 13:29 should be translated as doors instead of door, and "What is at the doors (plural) is the advent of the Kingdom with many signs, which includes more than the c...