4. They denied any afterlife, holding that the soul perished at death and therefore there was not penalty or reward after the earthly life. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews XIII 10, 6. Peter Connolly, Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth (p. 30)
SCRIBES/SECRETARIES/ LAWYERS They worked mostly for the Pharisees copying the word of God. They were considered to be secretaries and lawyers. They were interpreters and agents of the rules. They were teachers of the written Torah (Moses law) and drew up important legal documents for the common people. Most scribes were against Jesus and sided with the Pharisees. MAT.12: 14, JOHN 11: 53 Some were neutral. MAT. 13: 52 Some praises Jesus. MARK 12: 28 Some defended Jesus. JOHN 9: 50, 51, ACTS 23: 9 Note: many facts came from Mitchell G. Bard. The Complete Idiots Guide to Middle East Conflicts. NY. MacMillan, 1999, and other chart info from Professor Eliezar Segal.
WHY DID THE PHARISEES, SCRIBES AND THE SADDUCEES HAVE PROBLEMS WITH JESUS TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO MURDER HIM?
1.He did not live up to their expectations of Messiah and challenged their religious system. MAT. 5: 3 TO 39 TO 48, LUKE 6: 20 TO 29 TO 49, JOHN 8: 33 TO 45 2.He declared himself one with God, the Son of God, the Messiah meaning the Christ and that true disciples were as gods . Also His Father was the heavenly Creator and His kingdom was to do the Fathers will. MAT. 12; 23 TO 37, 46 to 50, MARK 3: 22 TO 35, LUKE 11: 17 TO 26, JOHN 8: 48 TO 59, MAT. 16: 15 TO 19, MARK 8: 27 TO 30, MARK 14: 61,62,LUKE 4: 41,LUKE 9: 18 TO 20, JOHN 1: 41, JOHN 4: 25, 26 AND 42, JOHN 6:69, JOHN 10: 19 TO 39, JOHN 20: 31 3.He did not treat them with the respect that they craved and was not impressed with their external acts of goodness creating harsh bondages on the people by twisting the word of God. He called them hypocrites, fools, blind leaders, whitened sepulchers, extortionists, murderers, serpents and vipers. MAT. 23, LUKE 11: 45 TO 54. 4. He identified them as being children of the devil not Abraham, whom they proclaimed was their father. JOHN 8: 42 TO 47 5. He warned the people to do as they say but not to follow their example which is very hypocritical to the true law of God. MAT 23: 1 to 4 32