사마리아 인들은 야훼 유일신, 모세, 율법, 그리심산, 그리고 종말론적 최후심판을 믿고 있다. 사마리아 인의 영성은 그들의 이러한 신앙 고백에 대한 교리적 발전과 더불어 형성 되었다. 사마리아 인들은 복음서에서 그리스도교적 윤리와 선교의 모범 인물들로 등장하고있다. 사마리아 인들은 탄나임 초기 시기에 유대 인들보다 율법을 더욱 꼼꼼하게 지키던 사람들로 랍비들의 칭송을 받았다. 그러나사마리아 인들에 대한 랍비들의 이러한 태도는 탄나임 후기 시기부터 달라 지면서 그들은 개종인, 의심스러운 계층, 그리고 이방인으로 비난 받았다. 사마리아 인들에대한 랍비들의 이러한 태도 변화의 원인은 무엇이었을까? 학자들은 기원 후 1-2세기에 발생했던 유대전쟁들과 그 결과로 인한 유대인의 인구감소등을 그 원인으로 지적하고 있다. 사마리아 인들은 이 시기에 타락했다고 랍비들로부터 비난 받았다. 필자는 그렇지만 사마리아 인들의 타락은 바르코 흐바 항쟁이나 가이사랴 지역으로의 이주와 직접적인 관계는 없었다고 본다. 그 보다 유대인들은 이 시기에 거센 이방화의 물결 속에서 다른 이웃 그룹들과 생존 경쟁을 벌이지 않으면 안되었고, 그것은 특별히 사마리아 인들과의 관계에서 부정적으로 발전하게 되었다. 이러한 상황 속에서 사마리아인의 영성을 형성했던 종파적비 타협주의는 상대적으로 유대랍비들로 하여금 유대백성, 땅, 그리고 종교를 보호하려고 했고, 탄나임 후기 세대의 노력들은 유대공동체의 정화와 미쉬나의 형성으로 열매를 맺었다고 볼 수 있다. 이 시기부터 탄나임은 사마리아 인들을 포함 해 모든 이단자들과 배교자들을 부정한 이방인들로 간주했다.

The five beliefs of the Samaritans are: (1) in one God Yahweh; (2) in Moses; (3) in the holy Law; (4) in Mount Gerizim; and (5) in the Day of Compensation and Recompense. It is evident that the Samaritan ’s spirituality was formed with the development of their creedal theories in the history. The Samaritans in the Gospel are being depicted as the model of the ethics and also the mission of Christianity. They were considered as more scrupulous in observing the commandments than the Jews in the early period of the Tannaim. However, the Samaritans were regarded as the converts, doubtful class, and finally Gentiles from the middle and the later Tannaitic period. Then, what was the real reason of the change of the rabbinical attitude to the Samaritans? First of all, it has been indicated that the Jewish wars and the demographic changes of Jews during 1-2 centuries CE, because the Samaritans were blamed as corrupted in this period by the later generation of Tannaim. However this writer thinks that we do not have any concrete evidence for it. In fact, the Jews had to compete with the other neighboring groups for their survival in this period under the strong paganization of native soil of the Jews in all respect. In this circumstance, this writer believes that the non-compromising sectarian attitude of the Samaritans in their spirituality caused the later generation of Tannaim to protect their people, land, and religion against it, and this was followed by the spiritualization of the Jewish community and also the codification of Mishnah. Finally Tannaim blamed the Samaritans as Gentiles with the other heretics from this period on.

The five beliefs of the Samaritans are: (1) in one God Yahweh; (2) in Moses; (3) in the holy Law; (4) in Mount Gerizim; and (5) in the Day of Compensation and Recompense. It is evident that the Samaritan ’s spirituality was formed with the development of their creedal theories in the history. The Samaritans in the Gospel are being depicted as the model of the ethics and also the mission of Christianity. They were considered as more scrupulous in observing the commandments than the Jews in the early period of the Tannaim. However, the Samaritans were regarded as the converts, doubtful class, and finally Gentiles from the middle and the later Tannaitic period. Then, what was the real reason of the change of the rabbinical attitude to the Samaritans? First of all, it has been indicated that the Jewish wars and the demographic changes of Jews during 1-2 centuries CE, because the Samaritans were blamed as corrupted in this period by the later generation of Tannaim. However this writer thinks that we do not have any concrete evidence for it. In fact, the Jews had to compete with the other neighboring groups for their survival in this period under the strong paganization of native soil of the Jews in all respect. In this circumstance, this writer believes that the non-compromising sectarian attitude of the Samaritans in their spirituality caused the later generation of Tannaim to protect their people, land, and religion against it, and this was followed by the spiritualization of the Jewish community and also the codification of Mishnah. Finally Tannaim blamed the Samaritans as Gentiles with the other heretics from this period on.

Jews, Samaritans, Tannaim, Rabbinical Literature