That's why they were sad-u-see

by peacefulpete 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    Everyone knows that the Saducees differed from the Pharisees over the teaching of an afterlife(resurrection). They also didnot accept the idea of angels, demons, and miraculous healings among other things. The question is why? I was always lead to believe as aJW that the Saducees were the apostates in this matter. They were known to more easily accomodate the Greeks and Roman world view so it seemed another example of having been influenced by "false" religion. I was wrong. In fact the Saducees were the purists. They recognized that the ideas of an immortal soul, a resurrection and angels were the result of the Persian Zoroastrian influence. None of these ideas were Jewish in origin. The Saducees were in fact the keepers of the Torah while Pharisees and Christians accepted the Persian ideas with zest.

  • Faraon
    Faraon

    This theme seems interesting,

    Can you expand it a bit?

  • hooberus
    hooberus

    Resurrection:

    Job chapter 19

    25: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
    26: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
    27: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

    Isaiah 26:19: Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

    As for the other things such as angels, aren't these in the Torah?

  • dedalus
    dedalus

    I thought this thread would be funny.

    Dedalus

  • Matty
    Matty

    It is named after a very lame pun Witnesses use in order to remember their teachings, so I guess I can understand your confusion.

  • Billygoat
    Billygoat

    I remember that JW joke from when I was a kid. Lame-Oh.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    the rhyme is not just a JW thing, it is use by many churches. I will post more info when I get home about my opening statements.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    Faraon.I am not sure what to add, but to say that both the bible(acts 23:8) and Josephus as well as abundant Jewish sources confirm my initial comment. One author describes their philosophy as, Humans are like a flower, blooming for a day then dies, this is our destiny. Very simple doctrine. They accepted only the written Law of Moses, the rest was seen as uninspired commemntary mixed with paganism. They were right. except for the Moses part. This information is easily found all over the web at christian and secular sites. The Jewish Encyclopedia.com is excellent. I did a search at the site for Zoroastrianism and learned that it is generally recognized that the Jews aquired these ideas from the Persians and Babylonians. I hope this helps. Hooberus, the angel references are not part of the Law as such so must have been viewed as priestly elaboration or late additions, I do not have a better answer.

  • Tyler
    Tyler

    Yes, I think a lot of lame puns, and urben myths used at the KH were not exclusive to the Jw's. Since leaving them I learned how many were used in other churches! Someboby must be exchanging notes with apoststes ! Pity they can't borrow more practicle sugggestions!

  • NeonMadman
    NeonMadman
    One author describes their philosophy as, Humans are like a flower, blooming for a day then dies, this is our destiny.

    Wouldn't the scriptures that hooberus cited seem to disprove that as being what the Jews believed? Both Isaiah (particularly chapters 1-39) and Job are generally understood to be pre-exilic works, and I'd tend to assume that if the Jews picked up anything from the Persians, it would have to have been during the exile in Babylon. But those verses seem to hint very strongly at belief in a resurrection.

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