Greg,
Good to see someone who engages on details. Here is the rabbinical
data with a critical discussion.
m Abot 1.1-4 reads, "(1) Moses received the Torah from Sinai and handed it
on to Joshua, Joshua to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets
handed it on to the men of
Russell,
I have been reading your scenario carefully and fail to follow
you on two points:
a) you cite the Onias III/Menalaus/Simon conflicts of I/II Macc.
and say this suggests the Pharisees started in this context,
first generation post-Simon II. However nothing in rabbinical tradition
Slight typo:
4QMMT is IMO best interpreted as an appeal by the Sadducees for the
Maccabeans (Hasidim) _NOT_ to adopt Pharisee practices in the newly dedicated
temple of 164 BCE.
Russell Gmirkin
