Part one Palestinian Society: the problem of Jewish groups in Palestine; a sociological approach; social classes in Palestinian Jewish society and the Roman Empire; social relations and groups in Palestine. Part two The literary sources: the pharisees and saducees as political interest groups in Josephus; Josephus' description of the pharisees and saducees; Paul the pharisee; the pharisees, scribes and saducees in Mark and Matthew; the pharisees, scribes and saducees in Luke Acts and John; the pharisees and saducees in Rabinnic literature. Part three interpretation and synthesis: the social roles of scribes in Jewish society; the place of the pharisees in Jewish society; the saducees and Jewish leadership.
