C
cho_pilo
Guest
Does anyone know?
- Status
C
ConstantineTG
Guest
Why does it matter?
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings Cho pilo,
No he did not. He kept the Judaic * law perfectly.
God bless.
Anathama Sit*
No he did not. He kept the Judaic * law perfectly.
God bless.
Anathama Sit*
C
cho_pilo
Guest
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings Cho Pilo,
He did not break the Sabbath. It was lawful to perform works of mercy on the Sabbath. I have to say nice try to disregard that Jesus did not break the Judaic Law.
Either Jesus kept the law perfectly and was without sin, or either he did not keep the Law perfectly and was with sin.
Jesus did not sin at all. To imply that he broke the Law would be to imply that he would sin. It would seem my friend you playing with heresy.
Ahhh I see under your religion “It’s complicated” hence your non-Catholic answer. Okay now that I know where you are coming from, I shall not dialogue because if you are not willing to accept Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterial Teaching of the Catholic Church, I am wasting my time.
So which is it my friend? Do you wish to accept the Teachings of the Church or wish to define things according to your point of view.
I know this sounds kind of harsh, but I am getting older in life and don’t have time to patsy around with the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Faith.
God bless.
Anathama Sit
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greeteings Cho pilo,
Ahhh how I wished I had gone to this post, this post would have solved everything for me, but yet I think the last post needed to be written by me as well.
Here’s the problem.
You wish to work from Sola Scriptura, which my friend, is a heresy and is declared to be Anathema. Divine Revelation is NOT contained in Scripture alone. Divine Revelation is also found in Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
All I can say is that I will pray for you to have the gift of faith and quit getting hung up on trivial things such as Jesus eating pork and what not, and focus on the more important things as Jesus has come to die for all, but those who reject him and die unrepenting in mortal sin will go to Hell. * Worry about your eternal salvation as opposed to trivial things.
God bless.
Anathama Sit*
meltzerboy
New member
According to Barnabas Ministries (which I found on the Internet), the answer is no; and neither did Peter or Paul. In fact, this ministry argues, citing several passages from the Gospels, those usually used to show evidence that Christians are no longer required to follow the Judaic dietary laws, that these particular laws were NOT lifted by Jesus or the Apostles, or the early Christian Church, for that matter. Interesting reading although certainly not the mainstream view in either Protestantism or Catholicism. Or in Judaism, which regards Christians as not required–or even permitted–to follow certain Torah Law the way Jews should. Key in: “What is the Bible Diet? Which foods should be eaten or avoided?”
C
coachkfan1
Guest
Jesus and all of his disciples were devout Jews as was Paul and therefore they would have never eaten pork. I have actually read several very persuasive arguments that the New Testament never explicitly oks the eating of pork and that Christians today should not eat pork. I know many will say that is legalistic, but do some research and you find some very intelligent arguments against it. I personally do not eat pork or shellfish as a personal discipline and I do not judge those who do eat it, but I feel that the LORD forbid the eating of it for a reason, at the simplest level, because it is not good for us health wise. Again, this is my personal conscience.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
no he was a devout and observant Jew
do you have a scriptural source that says he did?
C
cho_pilo
Guest
Thanks! I don’t have one.
T
The_Old_Medic
Guest
It would appear that the person that posted this topic is looking for a way to discredit Jesus as a Messiah.
Even among the Jews, there was great dispute about what constituted “work”, and what could and could not be done on the Sabbath (which for them was Friday at sundown till Saturday at sundown).
Some extremely observant Jews would not walk more than 30 steps, would not cook anything, would not fix ANYTHING, etc. Others (including many Rabbi’s) were much more open about what was forbidden and what was not.
Jesus repeatedly rebuked the pharisee, because they were all show and no piety. It was the Pharisees that criticized Jesus for healing the sick, etc. on the Sabbath.
Repeatedly in the Gospels, Jesus says that all Jews must follow the law. The law INCLUDED the prohibition on eating Pork, Shellfish, etc.
Therefore, there is no way that he would have eaten forbidden foods, because to do that would be to openly break the law (and ALL Jews agreed on that point).
Even among the Jews, there was great dispute about what constituted “work”, and what could and could not be done on the Sabbath (which for them was Friday at sundown till Saturday at sundown).
Some extremely observant Jews would not walk more than 30 steps, would not cook anything, would not fix ANYTHING, etc. Others (including many Rabbi’s) were much more open about what was forbidden and what was not.
Jesus repeatedly rebuked the pharisee, because they were all show and no piety. It was the Pharisees that criticized Jesus for healing the sick, etc. on the Sabbath.
Repeatedly in the Gospels, Jesus says that all Jews must follow the law. The law INCLUDED the prohibition on eating Pork, Shellfish, etc.
Therefore, there is no way that he would have eaten forbidden foods, because to do that would be to openly break the law (and ALL Jews agreed on that point).
B
BrunoMaria
Guest
Jesus lived after the Jew’s rules. With Jews He didn’t have pork - but others Jesus met, did keep and eat pork - see the prodical son who had to shepherd pigs.
Though - Jesus put reality GOD’S REALITY above all rules.
So; if Jesus had been offered pork, He surely would have eaten it.
For - remember Acts 10,14, when Peter said: “No, Lord; I won’t eat that, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And heavens answered: “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.”
Similar in Lk 14.5 AND MANY OTHERS, when Jesus, who was accused not to keep Jewish law, said: “Which of you, having an *** or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?”
God’s rules really are practical and not just dead rules.
Yours
Bruno
Though - Jesus put reality GOD’S REALITY above all rules.
So; if Jesus had been offered pork, He surely would have eaten it.
For - remember Acts 10,14, when Peter said: “No, Lord; I won’t eat that, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And heavens answered: “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.”
Similar in Lk 14.5 AND MANY OTHERS, when Jesus, who was accused not to keep Jewish law, said: “Which of you, having an *** or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?”
God’s rules really are practical and not just dead rules.
Yours
Bruno
T
tqualey
Guest
Hi, Cho Pilo,
This presents an interesting issue - and, one I have really never given a lot of thoutht to…
But, maybe we could look a little beyond dietary prohibitions and see when Christ started to open up His Ministry to the Gentiles. Here are a couple of thoughts that make me think His was a gradual transition toward the Gentiles.
1.) Marriage Feast of Cana - John 2:13-22 - while the turning water into wine gets a lot of attention, you need to look back at what were they doing with all that water to begin with. The water was for Jewish ceremonial washing - and now apparently all of the designated water jugs had been effectively converted to wine jugs. My guess is that from this point on, this Jewish ritual had been blocked (washing one’s hands with wine did not fulfill the requirement). Maybe, early on Christ was signaling that He was going to be making major changes in the Law leading to its replacement.
2.) Discourse with Syro-Phonenician Woman - Mark 7:24-29 - while the exorcism of this woman’s daughter gets a lot of attention, you need to see why Jesus was up in that part of the country to begin with and for this you need to go to Mark 7:1-23. In the beginning of Chapter 7, Mark shows us how Christ has been fighting the Jews who are so hung-up on their various traditions that they are no long worshiping God, but worshiping their human traditions. (St. Paul would later state that there is no salvation by keeping the Works of the Law.) So, after this rather protracted battle with the Jewish leaders Christ leaves the area and encounters this non-Jew who wanted a favor. Not one to give up easily, this woman prevails - and opens the door very widely for Christ’s on-going transition from the ‘…lost sheep of Israel…’ to us.
I do not think that this is convincing evidence that Christ actually ate pork - but, I think it sets the stage for the transition which made another forward movement when in Acts 15 we listen to Paul blow away the Judiazers.
So, after all this, did Christ eat port? Maybe. But, I really do not think so. In my opinion, this would have been a major criticism of His Ministry that the Jews would have shouted from the housetops! But, while He is accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Matt 11:19) He was not accused of eating pork.
God bless
This presents an interesting issue - and, one I have really never given a lot of thoutht to…
I think the honest answer is that because there is no definitive scriptural evidence, no one knows. Any response would be speculative - but, those claiming He did eat port would have the burden of proof to advance their claim … and that would be my opinon.
But, maybe we could look a little beyond dietary prohibitions and see when Christ started to open up His Ministry to the Gentiles. Here are a couple of thoughts that make me think His was a gradual transition toward the Gentiles.
1.) Marriage Feast of Cana - John 2:13-22 - while the turning water into wine gets a lot of attention, you need to look back at what were they doing with all that water to begin with. The water was for Jewish ceremonial washing - and now apparently all of the designated water jugs had been effectively converted to wine jugs. My guess is that from this point on, this Jewish ritual had been blocked (washing one’s hands with wine did not fulfill the requirement). Maybe, early on Christ was signaling that He was going to be making major changes in the Law leading to its replacement.
2.) Discourse with Syro-Phonenician Woman - Mark 7:24-29 - while the exorcism of this woman’s daughter gets a lot of attention, you need to see why Jesus was up in that part of the country to begin with and for this you need to go to Mark 7:1-23. In the beginning of Chapter 7, Mark shows us how Christ has been fighting the Jews who are so hung-up on their various traditions that they are no long worshiping God, but worshiping their human traditions. (St. Paul would later state that there is no salvation by keeping the Works of the Law.) So, after this rather protracted battle with the Jewish leaders Christ leaves the area and encounters this non-Jew who wanted a favor. Not one to give up easily, this woman prevails - and opens the door very widely for Christ’s on-going transition from the ‘…lost sheep of Israel…’ to us.
I do not think that this is convincing evidence that Christ actually ate pork - but, I think it sets the stage for the transition which made another forward movement when in Acts 15 we listen to Paul blow away the Judiazers.
So, after all this, did Christ eat port? Maybe. But, I really do not think so. In my opinion, this would have been a major criticism of His Ministry that the Jews would have shouted from the housetops! But, while He is accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Matt 11:19) He was not accused of eating pork.
God bless
B
Bezant
Guest
No comment on it from the Gospels, but it’s not likely.
P
PJM
Guest
Their is no biblical evidence that He din or did not.
Certainly as a JEW he would not have [HUMAN nature] But as the messiah [Divine Nature He might have based on the following verses:
**However it is VERY unlikely that he did as this would have been seen by the very peoples He hoped to lead to salvation, as scandulous behavior.
Matt.15: 11,17-18 “not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so passes on? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man"
Friend I’m curious why you ask?
God Bless,
Pat
meltzerboy
New member
Matt.15: 11,17-18 “not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so passes on? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man"
Friend I’m curious why you ask?
God Bless,
Pat
According to Barnabas ministries (see my previous post #7), this verse from Matthew, based on its context, does not refer to unclean food, but rather to particles of dirt that may enter the mouth by not engaging in the Jewish ritual of hand-washing before eating.
T
TimothyH
Guest
Whether Jesus ate pork or not has little to do with the Gospels. Arguing about it is like arguing whether he used hankerchiefs to blow his nose. We have to always keep in mind what the mosiac law was, what it meant to the average Jew, and how Jesus changed the law.
The central authority for the code of conduct for both priests and ordinary Jews in Jesus time was the Book of Leviticus, and it is in Leviticus 11 that we find the prohibition against eating pork. Much of the mosaic law as it applied to the average Jew was drawn form Leviticus and this “Holiness Code” was the rule for day-to-day Jewish life. The holiness code of Leviticus was so important that the Book of Levitucs was what was used to teach Jewish children how to read and write!
Jewish belief was that personal holiness as defined in the mosaic law was what would determine when the Messiah would come. If everyone was perfectly holy according to the mosiac law - adhered to the holiness code perfectly - then the coming of the Messiah would be hastened. But those who broke the mosiac law and as such were deemed to be unholy, were actually working to prevent the coming of the Messiah. And the mosaic law defined holiness as what you did relative to ourward appearances - food, clothing, washing, and most importantly, who you came in contact with. Holiness, according the holiness code of the mosaic law, was seperation from those who did not observe the mosaic law or fell short of observing some aspect of it. Holiness meant you had to be seperated from your fellow man, who had been judged to be a sinner.
But Jesus changed that in the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus uses a rabbinical teaching technique to replace the mosaic law with a new code of conduct, and in so doing, Jesus gives the Jews a new holiness code. The formula for this rabbinical teaching technique is “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors (of the mosaic law)… But I say to you (of my new law).”
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…" (Matthew 5:21-22)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32)
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. (Matthew 5:38-39)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)
Jesus redefines holiness from what you eat, when you work and who you seperate yourself from. Under Jesus’ new law, holiness is defined as how you treat people.
And the king will say to them in reply, Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
For the average Jew listening to this, it was radical teaching. The Pharisees were the strictest Jewish sect, demanding absolute adherance to the mosaic law, like not eating pork. One has to give them credit as they thought it would hasten the coming of the Messiah and Jesus, being a devout Jew, probably would have obeyed that law. But Jesus knew that the Messiah had come, and that he was it. And the Messiah was instituting a new holiness code which did away with rules about eating pork and working on the sabbath and cutting your hair certain ways. Jesus new law defined holiness as how you treated other people.
You all can go on arguing whether Jesus ate pork or not, and can go on accusing each other of flirting with heresy, but it misses Jesus point entirely and probably places many of you in proximate danger of the sin of calumnity or detraction. The point of the Gospel for you and I today is not whether you eat pork or even whether you recieve communion on the tounge or in the hand. Jesus was instituting a radical redefinition of holiness which his followers were to use as their new holiness code - how you treat other people.
Today’s second reading is huge. Did you guys pay attention today at Mass? Were you even awake? I had the honor or proclaiming it from the ambo at Mass today.
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, "
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.(Romans 13:8-10)
Every commandment of the old law is summed up in the saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the fulfillment of the law. That’s it. BAM! Right there in todays’ reading. Forget about what Jesus ate.
For the record, it just so happens that I cooked pork loin chops, warm applesauce with cinnamon and veggies for the kids and I this evening.
-Tim-
The central authority for the code of conduct for both priests and ordinary Jews in Jesus time was the Book of Leviticus, and it is in Leviticus 11 that we find the prohibition against eating pork. Much of the mosaic law as it applied to the average Jew was drawn form Leviticus and this “Holiness Code” was the rule for day-to-day Jewish life. The holiness code of Leviticus was so important that the Book of Levitucs was what was used to teach Jewish children how to read and write!
Jewish belief was that personal holiness as defined in the mosaic law was what would determine when the Messiah would come. If everyone was perfectly holy according to the mosiac law - adhered to the holiness code perfectly - then the coming of the Messiah would be hastened. But those who broke the mosiac law and as such were deemed to be unholy, were actually working to prevent the coming of the Messiah. And the mosaic law defined holiness as what you did relative to ourward appearances - food, clothing, washing, and most importantly, who you came in contact with. Holiness, according the holiness code of the mosaic law, was seperation from those who did not observe the mosaic law or fell short of observing some aspect of it. Holiness meant you had to be seperated from your fellow man, who had been judged to be a sinner.
But Jesus changed that in the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus uses a rabbinical teaching technique to replace the mosaic law with a new code of conduct, and in so doing, Jesus gives the Jews a new holiness code. The formula for this rabbinical teaching technique is “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors (of the mosaic law)… But I say to you (of my new law).”
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…" (Matthew 5:21-22)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32)
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. (Matthew 5:38-39)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)
Jesus redefines holiness from what you eat, when you work and who you seperate yourself from. Under Jesus’ new law, holiness is defined as how you treat people.
And the king will say to them in reply, Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
For the average Jew listening to this, it was radical teaching. The Pharisees were the strictest Jewish sect, demanding absolute adherance to the mosaic law, like not eating pork. One has to give them credit as they thought it would hasten the coming of the Messiah and Jesus, being a devout Jew, probably would have obeyed that law. But Jesus knew that the Messiah had come, and that he was it. And the Messiah was instituting a new holiness code which did away with rules about eating pork and working on the sabbath and cutting your hair certain ways. Jesus new law defined holiness as how you treated other people.
You all can go on arguing whether Jesus ate pork or not, and can go on accusing each other of flirting with heresy, but it misses Jesus point entirely and probably places many of you in proximate danger of the sin of calumnity or detraction. The point of the Gospel for you and I today is not whether you eat pork or even whether you recieve communion on the tounge or in the hand. Jesus was instituting a radical redefinition of holiness which his followers were to use as their new holiness code - how you treat other people.
Today’s second reading is huge. Did you guys pay attention today at Mass? Were you even awake? I had the honor or proclaiming it from the ambo at Mass today.
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, "
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.(Romans 13:8-10)
Every commandment of the old law is summed up in the saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the fulfillment of the law. That’s it. BAM! Right there in todays’ reading. Forget about what Jesus ate.
For the record, it just so happens that I cooked pork loin chops, warm applesauce with cinnamon and veggies for the kids and I this evening.
-Tim-
T
tqualey
Guest
FONT=“Century Gothic”]Sounds good, Tim - I hope you made envough for everyone …
God bless
God bless
Whether Jesus ate pork or not has little to do with the Gospels. Arguing about it is like arguing whether he used hankerchiefs to blow his nose. We have to always keep in mind what the mosiac law was, what it meant to the average Jew, and how Jesus changed the law.
Jewish belief was that personal holiness as defined in the mosaic law was what would determine when the Messiah would come. If everyone was perfectly holy according to the mosiac law - adhered to the holiness code perfectly - then the coming of the Messiah would be hastened. But those who broke the mosiac law and as such were deemed to be unholy, were actually working to prevent the coming of the Messiah. And the mosaic law defined holiness as what you did relative to ourward appearances - food, clothing, washing, and most importantly, who you came in contact with. Holiness, according the holiness code of the mosaic law, was seperation from those who did not observe the mosaic law or fell short of observing some aspect of it. Holiness meant you had to be seperated from your fellow man, who had been judged to be a sinner.
But Jesus changed that in the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus uses a rabbinical teaching technique to replace the mosaic law with a new code of conduct, and in so doing, Jesus gives the Jews a new holiness code. The formula for this rabbinical teaching technique is “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors (of the mosaic law)… But I say to you (of my new law).”
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…" (Matthew 5:21-22)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32)
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. (Matthew 5:38-39)
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:43-44)
Jesus redefines holiness from what you eat, when you work and who you seperate yourself from. Under Jesus’ new law, holiness is defined as how you treat people.
And the king will say to them in reply, Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
For the average Jew listening to this, it was radical teaching. The Pharisees were the strictest Jewish sect, demanding absolute adherance to the mosaic law, like not eating pork. One has to give them credit as they thought it would hasten the coming of the Messiah and Jesus, being a devout Jew, probably would have obeyed that law. But Jesus knew that the Messiah had come, and that he was it. And the Messiah was instituting a new holiness code which did away with rules about eating pork and working on the sabbath and cutting your hair certain ways. Jesus new law defined holiness as how you treated other people.
You all can go on arguing whether Jesus ate pork or not, and can go on accusing each other of flirting with heresy, but it misses Jesus point entirely and probably places many of you in proximate danger of the sin of calumnity or detraction. The point of the Gospel for you and I today is not whether you eat pork or even whether you recieve communion on the tounge or in the hand. Jesus was instituting a radical redefinition of holiness which his followers were to use as their new holiness code - how you treat other people.
Today’s second reading is huge. Did you guys pay attention today at Mass? Were you even awake? I had the honor or proclaiming it from the ambo at Mass today.
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, "
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.(Romans 13:8-10)
Every commandment of the old law is summed up in the saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the fulfillment of the law. That’s it. BAM! Right there in todays’ reading. Forget about what Jesus ate.
For the record, it just so happens that I cooked pork loin chops, warm applesauce with cinnamon and veggies for the kids and I this evening.
-Tim-
B
Bobby_Jim
Guest
Considering where he lived there were probably a not a lot of pig farmers. Although there is the story in the gospels about driving out a demon which promptly goes into the herd of swine and drives them off a cliff. Must have been on travels outside of Judea, although I would have to look that story up again.
P
patrick457
Guest
Minor nitpick/footnote: the Pharisees weren’t as strict as people often assume. Heck, the Essenes had a lot of elaborate regulations far stricter than any Pharisaic injunction, and the Sadducees apparently were committed to obeying the Law literally as written, to the letter (instead of the more interpretative and topical Pharisaic approach to it). They were strict in some respects, yes, but compared to other forms of Judaism at the time the Pharisees actually come off as being more lax in a number of areas. Jesus was much more so in some points, though He was also much stricter on others.
The Pharisees were the religious liberals of their time, because they called for a more fluid, grassroots, democratic form of Judaism, one that is not fossilized by time and monopolized by priests and Levites, but one accessible to all and adaptable to various circumstances. Since all of Israel is a “kingdom of priests” as Scripture says, they taught that each and every Jew - not just the priesthood - should thus live and act like one, relating religion to daily life by doing things such as the observance of purification laws (this is why the Pharisees were called ‘strict’). The Law mattered so much that the pious observed it as best they could to please God to the point that they would engage in discussions and debates with each other, so there would be disagreements both within and without.
For the most part though the Pharisees kept these injunctions exclusive to their group and usually never forced them on outsiders (though I think that would not discount the occasional quarrelsome lone nut here and there…
).- Status