Jewish Palestine of the first century swarmed with different sects. Every sect probably had its divisions and subdivisions. Even the Pharisees themselves were reported to have been divided into seven categories. It is therefore precarious to ascribe our documents definitely to any of the known three major Jewish sects.1 The [Dead Sea] Scrolls confirm that in the [late] Second Temple period there existed in Israel three main movements: the Pharisees,
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