Who were the scribes?
Question:
Why would the scribes be involved with seeking the death of Jesus? I thought scribes did the writings, copying of the manuscripts, etc. Did they have authority as well as the Pharisees? What part did they play in the temple activities then?
Answer:
One of the duties of the Levites was to make copies of God's law (II Chronicles 34:13). Because a scribe had to read the law carefully to make sure he made an accurate copy, the scribes also became Israel's teachers which fulfilled another duty assigned to the Levites (Deuteronomy 24:8; 33:10; II Chronicles 35:3; Nehemiah 8:7). And they often were the judges in legal matters (Deuteronomy 17:8-9; 21:5; I Chronicles 23:4; II Chronicles 19:8; Ezekiel 44:15, 24). Thus the scribes held a great deal of power in Israel's society.
