Torah and New Testament Foundations-The Sanhedrin, Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai-Conclusion

Let’s go to Matt 23.16-28 where we find that Yeshua is accusing Beit Shammai of being “blind guides.” This refers to the fact that they were teaching the people the doctrines of Shammai. Their covetous nature is seen when Yeshua says, “Whoever swears by the Temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple is obligated.” This is also seen in Matt 23.18 where he says the same thing, this time those who “swear by the Altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the korban (offering) upon it, he is obligated.” He then gives them a lesson on kedusha in verses 19-22.

In Matt 23.23 he says they were so exact in tithing, that they tithed mint, dill and cummin, but they neglected the weightier provisions of the Torah, like justice, mercy and faith. They ignored the things they were obligated to do (Hos 12.6; Mic 6.8). This was a common complaint against Beit Shammai. For this very reason, Matt 23.24 says they “strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.” This was a way of saying they would argue over a small issue, but ignore larger issues. They would go around appearing righteous, when inside they were robbers, hypocrites and lawless (v 25-28). Again, these were common accusations against Beit Shammai in general. We are not suggesting that every member of Beit Shammai was bad, but the overall impression of this party was not good.

Now we are going to move on to Matt 23.29-39. Many who read these verses think that the “prophets” mentioned here are Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and so on. But, that is not who Yeshua is referring to in these verses. Remember, he is talking to the Pharisees of Beit Shammai. What he has been saying was also said by Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 1.1) and other Jewish writers. There are two references in the Babylonian Talmud where the talmidim of Beit Hillel who were killed at the meeting in the “upper chamber” of Hananiah are called prophets (Bava Batra 134a; Sukkah 28a). In Shabbat 17b, we learn that Shammai told Hillel not to provoke him or he would pass something else Hillel would not agree with. As a result, Hillel sat submissive before Shammai.

This passage goes on to say “A sword is planted in the Beit Ha Midrash (House of Study) and it was proclaimed, ‘He who would enter, let him enter. But he who would depart, let him not depart.'” What this is saying is that in this meeting in the upper chamber of Hananiah Ben Hezekiah Ben Gurion they passed the 18 Edicts, and there was a “sword” there.

Basically, and this is well documented, members of the Sanhedrin from Beit Hillel were slain by Zealots and Beit Shammai. It is said that this day was as grievous for Israel as the day of the Golden Calf. Shammai provoked Hillel, saying in essence, “Do you want me to pass more decrees you don’t agree with? If not, sit there and be quiet.” What we have is a religious “coup” where Shammai has “abducted” the Sanhedrin, and he seated himself in the “chair of Moses” (Matt 23.1).

If you were reading a book that was against the Jewish people and against the Sanhedrin, with an anti-Semitic slant, you might expect that it came from Muslims or a Christian organization. But where does that information come from? Some of the Scriptures that are quoted is coming from a misunderstanding of Matt 23. Yeshua makes a statement in Matt 23.29 that the Scribes and the Pharisees “build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous.” The men who were slain from Beit Hillel had tombs and monuments built for them by Beit Shammai, the sons of those who murdered them.

Beit Shammai said that had it been them, they would not have participated in what their fathers did when they murdered those from Beit Hillel (v 30). But, Yeshua says they “bear witness against themselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.” He then says they will “fill up the measure” by persecuting others Yeshua will send (including Yeshua himself), from the righteous blood of Abel to Zechariah Ben Berechiah, who they killed between the Porch and the Altar.

The meeting that Hananiah arranged in 20 B.C. was held in Beit Avtinas, in one of the upper chambers of the Sanhedrin. Yeshua uses the same phrase we have seen in the Mishnah, the Talmud and the Tosefta in verse 35. These chambers were “between the Porch and the Altar” and they were taking a vote. Any edict had to be passed in the Chamber of the Sanhedrin, in Beit Avtinas, in the southeastern corner of the azarah in the Temple. So, we have an attack on the Pharisees of Beit Shammai by Yeshua in Matt 23, and a reference to the Temple in v 35. He has been going through a list of charges up to verse 35. He then says, “Truly I say to you, all of these things shall come upon this generation” in verse 36.

We have Yeshua’s statement that the “prophets” of Beit Hillel were murdered by Beit Shammai, as we have seen in 29-31. In Matt 23.37-39 he says Jerusalem kills the prophets, but who are the prophets? He has accused Beit Shammai and their fathers of murdering “the prophets” and building their tombs. He also says “and stones those sent to her.” A “stoning” can only happen before the Sanhedrin, dominated by Beit Shammai at the time. You just don’t go out and throw stones at someone. There is a legal procedure to follow and it is done a certain way. The Great Beit Din that sat at the southern steps of the Temple could not give a death sentence. The Sanhedrin Katanah that sat outside the eastern Gate to the Court of the Women could not give a death sentence. Only the Sanhedrin Gedolah could give a death sentence, and only when they were sitting in the Lishkat Ha Gazit (Chamaber of Hewn Stone) in Beit Avtinas. So, Yeshua is still talking about the Sanhedrin dominated by Beit Shammai here.

In Matt 23.38 we have Yeshua saying, “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate.” We have always taken “house” in that verse to mean the Temple. However, there is another way of looking at this verse. He may mean “the House of Shammai” by saying “your house.” He has been talking to Beit Shammai, which means “House of Shammai” in Chapter 22 and 23. Shammai dies in 30 A.D. and Beit Shammai disappeared in 70 A.D. with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and were left “desolate.” Matt 23.38 was literally fulfilled. Beit Hillel survived and had control from that point on. They rescinded the rulings of Beit Shammai after 70 A.D.

Let’s briefly talk about the Scribes mentioned in these passages. Deut 16.18 talks about appointing judges and “officers” of the court. A Scribe today is a Rabbi with specialized training and teaching. In the first century, they were experts in the Torah, a member of the Sanhedrin or the staff. We think of the Temple as just a sanctuary and the inner courts, but it is much more than that. It had many large buildings and many chambers around it, a whole complex. When we say “Sanhedrin” people think it was 71 members in a room, but what court just has a judge, some lawyers and the accused?

There is a whole system that was built around these people and it was very involved. They may have been present or behind the scenes. These would have had their own chambers (offices) and there was law enforcement officers, clerks, recorders, a place for supplies, storerooms and many other places that were needed. There were many types of officers of the court. For example, in a stoning, an officer went before the accused as they walk to the place of execution. He calls for any witnesses to come forward if they have any information on the case. If someone does come forward, they go back to the Chamber of Hewn Stone to hear their testimony. Paul was an officer of the court in the execution of Stephen (Acts 7.58, 8.1) and when he went to arrest Hellenistic believers in Damascus (Acts 9.1-2). The Scribes were at least officers of the court, if not members.

Other references to the Pharisees of Beit Shammai can be found in Matt 3.7, 9.10-11, 14, 34, 12.2, 12.14, 12.24, 12.38, 15.1-12, 16.1-4, 16.6, 19.3, 12.45, 22.15, 22.34, 22.41; Mark 2.15-18, 2.24, 7.1, 3, 8.11, 8.15, 10.2, 12.13; Luke 5.17, 21,30, 6.2, 7, 7.30, 7.36, plus many more.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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