Contrast of Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes - by Pr. Filipe Espindola

 Of the three sects or parties of Judaism, “The Pharisees were the largest and most influential Jewish group in New Testament times”.  

The Pharisees believed in resurrection, angels and spirit, unlike the Sadducees.  The Pharisees do not eat without washing hands, or without washing products from the market, or without washing cups, pots and kettles. They observe the tradition of the elders and, as Josephus says, they “maintained a simple lifestyle, were affectionate and harmonious in their dealings with others”2, but they were also viewed as a legalistic and hypocritical sect. They rejected Hellenistic culture and political agreements unlike the Sadducees.  I agree with the Pharisees believing in resurrection of the body, angels and spirit, because Jesus promised us a glorious body (Philippians 3:21). If Josephus told us the truth about them, I believe that we should live a simple lifestyle, love each other, seek peace and harmony with all if possible, but I disagree on their legalistic and hypocritical side. 

The Sadducees, as described by Josephus, “were argumentative, boorish and rude, both to each other and to aliens” (Scott, 207). They were a smaller group compared to Pharisees, but many men of wealth and of a higher class were members of Sadducees. They were very open to political alliances like the Hellenistic culture and the Roman political system that could enhance their power and prestige and get them closer to the aristocracy, unlike the Pharisees who were on the opposite side. They were conservatives in the law and resisted new ideas and traditions brought by the Pharisees. The Sadducees were essentially secularists and when the temple were destroyed in A.D. 70, they disappeared. I disagree with their “school of thought” as said by Josephus (Scott, 201), looking at themselves as a superior group, looking for honor, riches, prestige and power, for in Matthew 5 to 7, Jesus teaches just the opposite. 

The Essenes were a hierarchal (monastic) organization, ascetical and puritanical. They lived a communal life giving everything to a central treasury, from salary to property to the use of all. They ate simple food, wore simple white clothing, had a very humble lifestyle and most people worked in agriculture and a few in trade. They devoted themselves to the study of the scriptures and other writings and placed strong emphasis on Levitical purity. In their fundaments they were Jewish but rejected the traditions of the Pharisees and other groups. They were deterministic, believed in God’s absolute control of all, believed that the body will be destroyed but that the soul is immortal. They are against the control of the temple by the Sadducees, but recognize the legitimacy of the family of Zadok in that prerogative. I agree with the Essenes that we must devote ourselves to study the scriptures, especially those committed to preach and teach the scriptures (1 Timothy 4:13).  Con

The Apostle Peter - What can we learn with Peter’s transformation through Jesus Christ? (by Pr. Filipe Espindola)

 

Setting: Discipleship study series for small group 

Length of Delivery:  5 lessons, 45 minutes each lesson 

LESSON ONE: PETER’S PERSONAL PROFILE 

If we were to choose a team of players in any area, usually we look for men with the highest skills and capabilities. Within this profile, any living man would not choose Peter at his time, but Jesus chose Peter and changed Him into a man that affected and influenced the world. Let us study the transformation of Peter and how Jesus dealt with the man, the fisherman and the disciple. 

1. His Birthplace and Family1 

1. Birthplace – Peter was from Bethsaida (cf. John 1:44), a city located at Galilee of the Gentiles on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias.  

2. Parents – In Matthew 16:17, says that his father was Jonah, but in John 1:42 his father was called by the name of John. 

3. Wife – There is no mention of Peter’s wife’s name in the Bible, but a reference to his mother-in-law in Matthew 8:14.  

4. Brother – Mark 1:16 declares that Andrew was Peter’s brother. Andrew, initially, was a disciple of John the Baptist, but later a disciple of Jesus (John 1:36-37). Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.  

B.     His Career2 

1. Education – Acts 4:13 says that they (Peter and John) were unschooled and ordinary men. However, if we consider that Greek was not his mother language and Peter mastered the Greek language. Peter’s ministry lasted for more than three decades and he preached from Jerusalem as far to Rome. If we consider that, he lived and preached in a multilingual world, how could this man be just an ordinary man? What a transformation Jesus Christ made in Peter’s life, character and even his skills of communication. In 1 Corinthians 1:27 Paul says: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of  the world to shame the strong.” 3 

2. Fisherman4 - Peter was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18), and his family owned several fishing boats and hired servants. Luke 5:10 reports that James, John and their father, Zebedee were his family’s partners.  

3. Fisher of man - Matthew 4:19 

2. His Names 

1. Simon5 - His given name was the Jewish form of Symeon. 

3. His death7  

1. According to the early church tradition, Peter died in the 60s and was martyred by crucifixion, head down, in Rome, the place that he spent his life’s last decade, in the time of Nero, responsible for the Roman persecution in A.D. 64.  

CONCLUSION:   

Jesus chose ordinary men to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Jesus did not look for social position, eloquence, rhetoric or political networks that one could have. Peter would not be the best choice of priests, Sadducees or Pharisees. However, God chose Peter and that is the most important point.  

However, after all Peter’s failures, sins, bad character, emotional instability and betrayal, Jesus never gave up on Peter. Jesus was confident because the Father, in prayer, instructed His choice. He knew that the Father would do the work of transformation, through the Holy Spirit, that was in Him. Nevertheless, Jesus still had to neglect His own will, His feelings, and His sentiments. After all, Peter had betrayed Him but He forgave all of his sins. How do we look at others today when we have to choose people to do ministerial work? What can we learn with Jesus’ choice of Peter? How do we respond to people’s offenses against us? Let us think about and evaluate ourselves through the lenses of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. 

LESSON TWO: PETER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 

Today’s lesson has the objective to give an overview of Peter’s life during Jesus ministry and how he used to act in certain situations, observe Jesus in all his actions with special attention, talk, argue and even disagree with Jesus suggestions, but in all talks Peter is open to learn and change his views. Let us read these texts observing the relationship between Jesus and Peter, one of the three closest disciple of Jesus. 

1. Bible References with Peter in the Gospels 

1. Jesus Calls His First Disciples – Matthew 4:18  

2. The List of Disciples – Mathew 10:2 

3. Walking on the water – Matthew 14:28 

4. Interested to learn and understand Jesus parable – Matthew 15:15 

5. Quick answer but revealed by God – Matthew 16:16 

6. Jesus changes his name – Matthew 16:18 

7. Peter’s human concerns about Jesus – Matthew 16:22-23 

8. Invitation to a close group to go up the mountain – Matthew 17:1-4 

9. Peter had intimate information about Jesus – Matthew 17:24-25 

10. Interested to know about times to forgive – Matthew 18:21 

11. Interested to know what he would gain – Matthew 19:27 

12. Peter warned about denial – Matthew 26:33-35 

13. Invited to stay with Jesus during prayer time – Matthew 26:36-37 

14. Sleepy Peter couldn’t pray – Matthew 26:40-45 

15. Curious about what could happen to Jesus - Matthew 26:58 

16. Peter denies Christ and cry – Matthew 26:73-75 

17. Peter observation and interest about the fig tree – Mark 11:21 

18. Private talk with Jesus – Mark 13:3 

19. The angel was interested to let Peter know about Jesus’ resurrection – Mark 16:7 

20. Peter recognize Jesus as Master and accepts Jesus’ lay person counseling about fishing – Luke 5:5 

21. Peter recognize he is a sinner to Jesus – Luke 5:8 

22. Peter argues with Jesus about a woman who touched Him – Luke 8:45 

23. Jesus only let Peter, John and James go inside Jairus’ house. 

24. Peter’s habit to ask questions continues – Luke 12:41 

25. Peter was curious and skeptic about Jesus disappearance – Luke 24:12 

26. Peter’s revelation about Jesus once again confirms his faith – John 6:68-69 

27. Peter argues again with Jesus about Him washing his feet – John 13:8 

28. Peter acts with violence against the High Priest’s servant – John 18:10 

29. Peter obeys Jesus again in His suggested fishing place – John 21:2-6 

 

CONCLUSION:  

Although Jesus rebukes Peter and calls him “Satan, although Jesus corrects Peter in many situations, although Peter denies Jesus three times, Jesus did not change his heart about Peter and after all had happened, Jesus trust’s Peter to execute His missionary plan. What can we learn about Jesus’ attitude towards Peter?

LESSON THREE: PETER AS A DISCIPLE 

Luke 9:23 says: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”8 Peter did it. He left his fishing nets when Jesus called him, he spent a great amount of time with Jesus, he observed, he asked questions he meditated, he opened his home to Jesus and had everything in common with Him and the other disciples. As a disciple, he walked the walk with a Master willing to have his company. Jesus not only accepted Peter’s companionship, but also used to invite him all the time to private conversations and events. Peter were always available. 

1. His Calling – Matthew 4:19 

2. Learning with Jesus9 

3. His weaknesses 10 

4. His Personality and abilities he brought from life11 

 

CONCLUSION:  

We admire Peter as an apostle, but do not give much importance to his learning period as a disciple who walked with Jesus in every aspect of his life and made many mistakes and said wrong things. He was willing, he was questioning and he wanted to learn. What kind of disciples are we? Are we making disciples or religious people?          

LESSON FOUR: JESUS DID NOT JUDGE PETER BY CIRCUMSTANCES. 

Circumstance can lead us to make wrong assertions, to take wrong decisions and to judge people undeservedly. Jesus did not look to circumstances to decide anything but always went to the God Father in prayer to know everything and to get counseling. Jesus trusted The Father for His work in the life of Peter and that is why he did not gave up on Peter. 

 

1. Looks like Peter did learn anything after a long time with Jesus. – Luke 22:32 

2. Looks like Jesus did not influence Peter on his character when he attacked the High Priest’s servant. – John 18:10 

3. Looks like Peter gives up everything when he denies knowing Jesus. – John 18:25-27 

4. Peter wept and cried assuming his failure and cowardice.12 

 

CONCLUSION:  

It is a hard work to preach the Gospel, teach the Word of God, correct, lead, love, suffer and help people to become disciples of Jesus. After all this hard work, looks like the people we invest more and love more will be the ones that will hurt us, offending, insulting, lying and doing exact the opposite of what we told them to do. Therefore, how many people have we abandoned because we looked to circumstances in their lives, to words they said and forgot to trust in God to do the miracle of changing lives? Are we willing to suffer and die for Christ?13 

LESSON FIVE: PETER’S GREATEST LESSON ON FORGIVENESS AND GOD’S GRACE 

Jesus did not have a backup plan, he trusted God’s work on His disciples and when He went to die on the cross, he did what we ever could not do. He forgave us for all sins and transgressions. When He meets Peter after His resurrection, He did not have trouble in forgiving his denial because the price were already paid. That is grace.  

 

1. Peter’s Denial - John 18:25-27 

2. Jesus proves his mercy, love and forgiveness towards Peter14 - John 21 

 

CONCLUSION:  

It is easy to teach forgiveness, to talk about forgiving but not always easy to forgive. Peter reckoned his failure when he wept and cried. However, in Peter’s mind there was an accusation: “You failed and do not deserve forgiveness.” Jesus had already forgiven Peter on the cross and that means that there are no accusation against us anymore. Do we have this in mind when people hurt ourselves and do all kinds of transgressions against us and against God? What does it takes to forgive, just as Jesus forgave Peter and else, trusted Him a mighty work? 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

• Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996. 

• Constable, Thomas L. Expository Bible Study Notes. Published by Sonic Light, 2013.   

• Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Edited by Dockery, David S. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998. 

• Utley, Robert James. New Testament Survey: Matthew–Revelation. Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 2000. 

• Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: Complete And Unabridged In One Volume. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994. 

• Anderson, Clive. Opening Up 2 Peter. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications, 2007. 

• Bruce, Alexander B. The Training Of The Twelve; Or, Passages Out Of The Gospels, Exhibiting The Twelve Disciples Of Jesus Under Discipline For The Apostleship. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995. 

• Schaff, Philip. History of The Christian Church. Vol. 1. Hendrickson Publishers, 2011.