Sunday, March 21, 2021

Josephus on the Traditions of the Pharisees in Antiquities of the Jews

 

 

but of these matters we shall speak hereafter. What I would now explain is this, that the Pharisees have delivered (παραδιδωμι) to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses; and for that reason it is that the Sadducees reject them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our forefathers. (Antiquities of the Jews 13.297)

 

So she made Hyrcanus high priest, because he was the older, but much more because he cared not to meddle with politics, and permitted the Pharisees to do everything; to whom also she ordered the multitude to be obedient. She also restored again those practices which the Pharisees had introduced, according to the traditions of their forefathers ("τὴν πατρῴαν παράδοσιν"), and which her father-in-law, Hyrcanus, had abrogated. (Antiquities of the Jews 13.408)

 

on account of which doctrines, they are able greatly to persuade the body of the people; and whatever they do about divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices, they perform them according to their direction; insomuch that the cities give great attestations to them on account of their entire virtuous conduct, both in the actions of their lives and their discourses also. (Antiquities of the Jews 18.15; the Greek uses ἐξηγήσει _exēgēsei_ ["exegesis"])