PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Under the impact of Hellenism, the Jews split into parties
Herodians: (loyalists) were firm supporters of Herod and mostly supported Greek culture
Sadducees (liberals) They saw secular leaders and politics as important, but wanted to maintain some Jewishness
Pharisees (legalists) saw Sadducees and Herodians as compriomisers
They believe that Jews might have to accommodate some differences in political life
but their emphasis on faithfulness in religion was crucial
Zealots (activists) Wanted to militantly destroy the Herods (later the Romans) and felt true Judiasm needed total freedom
Essenes (ascetics) were like monks who withdrew to the wilderness to seek isolation and purity away from the world
Septuagint (LXX) was translated during this period
(LXX) 72 scholars worked to make the translation
Apocrypha, books that are not in the Bible or non-biblical canon
Legalism became a major factor in Jewish religion
