The Jews in Jesus time

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

I do not agree they were either from the time of Moses, nor at anytime before the temple was destroyed they were a replacement for the temple. They were all traveling with the tabernacle together. I believe once they took the land they developed as courts of justice, but not a "replacement" for the temple. Read Joshua concerning the 2 1/2 tribes even suspected of doing that. They were going to slaughter them for it. The idea of synagogues being called temple did not sit well with some Jews early on, so it was something new. However, I do think they were more than likely the lower court system within the country spread among the tribes to settle their disputes (places of adjudication). Any matters "to difficult" (like our supreme court) were to be taken to "the place the Lord had chose" (see deut 17) to the high priest and the judge to adjudicate. As judges of course like judges today they had to be learned in the law. I also believe what Jesus called traditions, became law at that time. It is just kind of obvious since it was the Pharisees that took control over law for jews in the Empire. The seat of Moses was not without the authority of the high priest as chief Justice of that court. Nor were their lower courts without Levites.

IF they date back further than after the destruction of the 1st Temple and Babylon they were in a much different form. Also remember there were 3 pilgrimage festivals...but with no Temple and not all Jews living in close proximity of Jerusalem, synagogues became a necessity. Courts were related but a different issue.

 

[ralliann]

IF they date back further than after the destruction of the 1st Temple and Babylon they were in a much different form.

I agree they were a different form, there had to be a court or courts to settle disputes at all seasons between the people wouldn't there? Once Moses died and no longer "sat" to judge the difficult cases, deut 17 was put into place. And his sons were reckoned among the Levites.
So, think about this. Judaism clearly teaches that the day of atonement once in the year was strictly for sin against God. However, sins against God could not be forgiven until sin against your fellow man, or forgiveness of sin of those who sin against you had taken place.
Could this have been done have been done in the lower courts? If we look at the Justice system set up by Moses, it was by the mouth of the priesthood in each case. Lower or upper (Temple, high priest, supreme court) But, it is quite clear the reason trial was presided over by them was their office of ministry unto God. So these courts were sins against your fellow man. Determining weights and measures etc.

Also remember there were 3 pilgrimage festivals...but with no Temple and not all Jews living in close proximity of Jerusalem, synagogues became a necessity. Courts were related but a different issue.

Right, 3 times in the year. They were not commanded to go every Sabbath, or even every month etc. Three times in the year. Even then travel was made easier by being able to exchange for money their offering. So at all seasons sin fellow against your fellow man could have been taken care of in those lower courts, unless something serious occurred ( heavy or weightier) they had to go to the high court, in Jerusalem. As it was to difficult for them to bear in the lower court?

Mt 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

I will give you five verses I am thinking of concerning this, there are more. But this should give you the jist of what I am thinking might be being implied. Since as I said, the Levites as priests and ministers before God, was the source of their mouth presiding even in the lower courts. the heavy difficult (to be born) taken up to they of the place God chose.

The finger of the priests in the tabernacle.

Le 4:6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Le 4:17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
Le 4:25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
Le 4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

 

[DragonFox91]

They thought the Messiah would be a warrior who would establish himself as king over Israel after overthrowing the Roman Empire. Not gonna lie, you do get that idea from the OT prophets a lot.

Also they thought he was a blasphemer b/c he spoke as God himself. They didn't fully understand the concept of the Trinity back then.

 

[Waymarker]

Why do you think not all the Jews accepted our lord as the messiah? Was it because he didn’t observe the sabbath or did he speak against Moses and things the Jews believed in?

Jesus spelt out that he hadn't come to overturn the Old T but to fulfil it-
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17)
"All things about me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44)
"The scriptures testify about me..Moses wrote about me" (John 5:46)

What Jesus didn't like was the way the snooty Jewish priestly classes were setting a bad hypocritical example and he told them so, and from then on they were gunning for him..

 

[1watchman]

Why do you think not all the Jews accepted our lord as the messiah? Was it because he didn’t observe the sabbath or did he speak against Moses and things the Jews believed in?

One needs to see in the OT that the faithul Prophets --speaking of the coming Messiah (note Isaiah and His faithful ministry) were ignored and rejected by the new hierarchy in Israel. They saw Jesus as a threat to the empire they had formed (see what happened when even as a youth He went in and ministered Bible truth to the government assembly there. They ignored all that He told them and hated Him. They also hated the Prophets of old. Jesus condemned their own religious practices, and they hated Him more.

As Jesus went forth preaching in many places, the Jews sought always to kill Him (and that because His powerful testimony was causing some Israelites of Judah to listen to Him. Eventually those in power demanded the Romans to kill Him, and they did arrest Him and crucified Him to appease Israelites and keep the peace in the land.

We see that later in Scripture after Jesus arose from the dead, and assended up to Heaven, God allowed much trouble and condemnation on Israel --even down to our time when Germany under Hitler and other lands greatly persecuted Jews.

Because of God's "covenant" with Israel He has preserved them as a people, though allowing them to suffer persecution worldwide for many years. They finally have been settled in Israel in our time, and will remain there until the Lord Jesus returns in the Millennium time to reign. They MUST NOW come to the Savior the same as all seekers after our Creator-God --in the Lord Jesus (note 1 Jn. 5:10-13), else they will individually die in their sins, as all Gentiles who also reject the Lord Jesus. That is the overview of Israel in brief, Lenno! -1watchman