What were Scribes at the time of Jesus?

Answer 1

A:

The traditional assumption is that Jewish beliefs are unchanging and that therefore beliefs during the Late Second Temple period (and earlier) are closely reflected by modern rabbinic Judaism. There is certainly a good deal of continuity, but there were some differences although we know less about this period than we would wish. Randall Price (The Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls) quotes Dr. Lawrence Schiffman as saying that SecondTemple Judaism can now be seen as a transition period in which the sectarianism and apocalypticism of the period gradually gave way to rabbinic Judaism, on the one hand, and Christianity, on the other. He says it is now clear that the Second Temple period was a kind of sorting out process.

There were also quite significant differences in belief between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, with more scribes being Pharisees. The Pharisees believed in resurrection of the dead, while Sadducees did not. Rabbinic Judaism has its roots in Pharisaic belief, so many pious Jews even today keep a small bag of earth from the Holy Land, which is to be put in their coffin so that when the time comes they can be resurrected on the spot. There was also a widespread belief in a coming messiah, with some expectations of two messiahs to provide military and religious leadership. Lady Wisdom (Greek: 'Sophia') was a spirit/goddess venerated until around the end of the first century.

Answer 2

At the time of Jesus, the Scribes ( Hakamin learned) were a profession, not necessarily a sect. The were scholars in The Law and taught in schools. A few of them were priests, some were Sadducees, and some were Pharisees.

Answer 3

In Ezra' time the Jewish scribes first became prominent as a group of Scripture copyists.