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"])