How should a Christian interact with the world?

There are many books that could be written and have been written on this subject, but for today I want to somewhat briefly (although not too briefly) give a brief overview of my attempt at an answer to this question, motivated by an assignment I was working on this morning for one of my seminary classes. In order to do so, however, I want to introduce you to the three primary parties of Jews who were running around during the life and times of Jesus circa-first century AD. (The reason for this will soon be evident.)

The Pharisees. These, we can call the Scribes. They were the people’s people, primarily middle-class, who adhered to the entire Old Testament (Tanakh) and strived to live a holy life in their current society. They were the largest sect of the Jews, and are largely the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism.

The Sadducees. These, we can call the Priests. They were the upper-class, priestly sect of Jews, liberal in their mindset and more willing to sacrifice doctrine for the sake of embracing Gentile culture. They only adhered to the first five books of the Old Testament (Torah), and had become largely corrupted by their longing for political and socio-economic gain.

The Essenes. These, we can call the Monks. Out of disgust for both the Pharisees and Sadducees, they retreated into the desert to live a monastic lifestyle of religious piety and extreme devotion. In addition to the Old Testament, they adapted many more teachings, committing to strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.