Hear, O Israel: The Sanhedrin

1064 Words3 Pages

To determine the context of this scripture we must understand what is going on in history. It was the height of Caesar Augustus’ rule of the Roman Empire. Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great (Roman ruler of Palestine), was appointed tetrarch of Galilee by Caesar. Pontius Pilot was the Roman governor of Judea which was ran by the supreme court of ancient Israel called the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the final authority on Jewish law. Each major city of Judea had a Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin commonly consisted of Pharisees, Sadducees, as well as Jewish supporters of Greek influence categorized as Herodians.
Jesus has just begun his ministry and had started to teach people about God and how to live according to God’s divine will. Opposition of Jesus’ teachings began to come from the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, chief priests and scribes. All of whom have communal status and lived life according to the Law of Moses, the foundation of the religion Judaism.
Before the statement that Jesus made …show more content…

He is drawing attention to what He is about to say. Even though He is quoting Moses verbatim, the reader can assume that He is orating ancient legislation in the tone of a speech. Other places in scripture that support this passage are Matthew 22: 34-40, where the apostle Matthew gives the exact same account of this event and dialogue. In Deuteronomy 6: 4-5, Mosses has just come down from Mount Sinai. God had given Moses the original law for Israel to live by. There, Moses mentions loving God with all ones being as first of the Ten Commandments. In the Old Testament book of Proverbs it distinctly mentions, on three separate occasions, of how the well treatment of ones neighbor is of sound judgment. The three verses in chronological order are; Proverbs 3: 27-28, 11:12, and

Open Document