Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees

 Facts By: Jeremiah Owojori.

In legal and religious matters
deciphering the meaning of words
can certainly prove to be a burdensome task
Yet this specialty has typically been given exalted status
and those who engage in the work have at various times
been referred to as the chosen disciples of the one true God
But with this in mind it should be acknowledged
that reading the minds and words of ordinary people
can undoubtedly be a complex endeavor
And proclaiming to read the mind of the God of heaven
would under any circumstances
be an astonishing claim
So it should not necessarily be unsettling
when lawyers and high priests begin to quibble and niggle
as they unravel the content and intent of an ancient rabbinical text
In Judea and Israel for example the elite people of the society
often engaged in such a debate when they began
to declare the true revelation of God to their ardent followers
But when interpreting the word of God let us ask ourselves
what methods of inquiry should they have been compelled to use?
In regard to this issue in the Second Temple period a serious conflict did emerge
The Pharisees claimed prophetic or Mosaic authority over the legitimacy
of their belief
as they spoke with their disciples about all matters pertaining
to the revelation of their God
In defense of their conclusions they cited oral and written arguments to defend
their formidable position
The Sadducees however a wealthy and highly educated class of people
used priestly privilege as they conveyed their message
to the devout members of their clan
But in all matters of hermeneutical dispute whether internal or external
they relied upon the supremacy of the written word
Yet this did not necessarily resolve the matter altogether
Because sophisticated people often came to the conclusion that language
is rarely an easy subject to understand
Historical and social context must be taken into consideration
And it should be understood that words and statements can be literal,
nuanced and metaphorical as they float across the sacred paper
of the holy parchment page
In some instances the words can even be non-sensical
especially if a person is confused or has a reason to take a divergent path
or evade an important matter that might not be apparent even in the bright light of day
But clearly the issue would never be taken lightly
And in this particular case a civil war almost did emerge
Yet the Pharisees relied upon whatever form of reason
that they were able to foster and employ
Eventually a formalized method of interpretation was fully developed
to provide the followers of Rabbinical Judaism with a means to integrate
the oral and written tradition that had been passed by Moses to the chosen people,
especially when segments of the Bible were unclear.