From reading the four gospels, one could conclude that the Sadducees were the ultra conservatives of first century Judaism. The Pharisees may have been liberal compared to the Sadducees but they were legalists. Both groups put form above personal discipleship or defined discipleship by adherence to form and ritual. One could conclude that the real struggle facing Jesus was not "Judaism" but radical conservatism, a defense of an archaic belief system. A system that was also condemned by Old Testament prophets. Many of those prophets suffered or died at the hands of defenders of the "system".

The Apostle Paul was challenged by "legalists" and warned against the legalists in the early church through his letters. Readers often assume that the legalists were Jewish Christians, but here again the problem was not the "Jewish" part but the insistence on forcing others to accept or follow the system supported by the legalists.

One of the things that disturbs me about modern legalists or radical conservatives is the disregard of truth. To so many of this ilk, "truth" is whatever they choose it to be. They are as likely to place Fox News on the same level or possibly a higher level than the Bible. They declare that truth comes from a certain sector and all else is falsehood. "Moderate" is now a bad word in some sectors.

Enough from me. Jack, thanks for posting the article.