When Paul arrived in Rome under house arrest he invited the leading Jews there to hear him
explain that he was not trying to destroy Judaism. He assumed the Jerusalem Jewish leaders
had already
warned them about him. But this was not so. Once again Luke the writer shows it was not the
mainstream Jews who were the enemies. Now, not even their leadership was trying to destroy him.
The Jews in Jerusalem told Paul that their major conflict was with a "sect"
(called by Ananias the "Nazarene Sect"). In fact the Emperor had expelled all Jews from Rome
because of such conflict.
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Neither Paul (nor James and the elders) identified with this "sect". But apparently the sect,
to be found amongst the "tens of thousands of believing Jews who were also zealous for the law,"
identified with them. They had been trying to take control, not only of the early Church but, according
to the Jews in Rome, of Judaism itself.
The extent to which this "sect" continued on and was responsible for the stand taken by Jews in 70AD
which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem is something for the historians to figure out.
The overlap between the "Nazarene Sect" and the Essene Sect is a likely place to search.
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