Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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What if the traditional story about the Pharisees is incomplete?

In this fascinating MythVision discussion, historian Richard Carrier explores the possible influence of ancient Zoroastrianism on Jewish thought, the challenges of reconstructing Persian religion from limited sources, and the surprising similarities between Jesus' teachings and the liberal Pharisaic school of Hillel.

Could Jesus have been closer to the Pharisees than many Christians realize? Were the famous debates in the Gospels actually internal Jewish disputes between rival Pharisaic factions? And how much did ancient Persian ideas contribute to concepts that later appeared in Judaism and Christianity?

This interview dives deep into lost history, forgotten traditions, and controversial scholarly theories that challenge conventional assumptions.

🔥 Topics Covered:

- Zoroastrianism and early Judaism
- Persian influence on Christianity
- Hillel vs. Shammai
- The historical Pharisees
- Jesus and Jewish law
- Lost ancient sources
- Historical Jesus research
- Second Temple Judaism

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Show Dr. Richard Carrier some love and help support his work.
richardcarrier.info This has links to follow Richards Twitter and Facebook and Patreon and so on. He survives on patronage by his blogging at Patreon and welcomes all the help there he can get at patreon.com/DrRichardCarrier . His books are all available in print, digital, and audio at richardcarrier.info/BooksbyRichardCarrier.html . He also teaches affordable online courses in history and philosophy at http://secularactivism.org. Other ways to help and support his work are listed at richardcarrier.info/support . Also, check out his Publicity page: richardcarrier.info/publicity
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