Many members of the ruling elites of Israel were constantly attempting to negotiate a tenuous peace with the Romans, because of Israel's weak military position. Hence the guerilla presence of the bandits of the title, and the religious preachers and messiahs who spoke against the ruling authority's compliance in apocalyptic terms.

This was why the teachings of Jesus were so controversial. Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Essenes all fought for the allegiance of the masses and for the legitimacy of the nation, in a nation that was occupied, yet where nationhood and religious authority were synonymous in the minds of many. And yet, these well-known names of groups such as the Pharisees only comprised very small segment of the population -- many of the religious contemporary rivals of Jesus and the ruler ship of the Romans have been lost to the ages.

Although the focus of the book is historical and...
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