Dr. Helen Bond

But, you know, the Gospels sort of make out that the Pharisees are everything that's negative compared to Jesus.

Whereas in historical reality, I'm sure there was much more openness to proper debate rather than just this hostility.

Yeah, I mean, the topics they talk about.

So, you know, what can you do on the Sabbath?

If you sort of take a step back and just think, what are the debates?

They're similar things.

What can you do on the Sabbath?

Who can you eat with?

So presumably because of the Pharisaic interest in purity and not keeping themselves sort of away from

They're very interested in table fellowship.

What can you eat?

Who can you eat with?

And they seem to criticize Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners, they say.

I mean, we don't know who these sinners were.

Were they really sinners or were they just people who...

according to Pharisaic understandings, were not keeping the law in the same way that the Pharisees were.

But again, it's these debates over who can you eat with that are important there.

Tithing, purity, should you wash your hands?

I mean, there's a very convoluted debate

between Jesus and the Pharisees on washing your hands before meals.