[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Cronos]

from the article: for the first-century Hebrew people because Judaism had abandoned true faith in God for a legalistic system of works righteousness.

I hate blanket statements -- this one is a false blanket statement. Pharisee leaders could be said to have abandoned this, but again, not all (Nicodemus). Saying that Judaism as a whole had abandoned true faith is false in the light of what we know of Essenes.

Also, what about all the Zealots and others? If they were just for works righteousness, then they would have been happy under the Romaoi empire