t did in fact try to assimilate with the Roman class and become a part of the Roman government (Thomas, 11/02). But the Pharisaic class, which was made up of working-class teachers that had risen to the status of religious leaders through the creation and support of their oral tradition, was the true representative of the Jewish masses. The Pharisaic class was radical in that they would die for their beliefs, but only a small portion of their followers, known as the Zealots, were outright militants. Most of the Pharisees were realists, and hoped to bide their time, live by the laws of Torah and oral tradition, and not attempt to take over the reigns of power from the foreigners until the time was right (Cohen, et al. 83). They were not, however, supporters of the status-quo of the Roman government. When they were threatened, they did not hesitate to die for their cause. In this way, they are seemingly misrepresented in the texts of the Gospels.
             Herod was the last client-king of Israel before Israel became a Roman province. His rule laste
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