Question: Could you assist us in obtaining background information regarding the Seat of Moses? We are looking for Jewish foundation. We would appreciate any direction. Thanks and God Bless.
Answer:
The notion of the teaching seat (Gr.- kathedra) of Moses probably is referring to the promise in Deut 18:15- "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken…"
This was considered to be a messianic reference by Jews and Christians alike. It was also considered to be justification for the tradition of prophetic authority in subsequent Israelite history. (i.e., Isaiah. Elijah, Jeremiah, Nathan, Zephaniah, etc.)
In the period after the Babylonian exile, there were no great prophets like Isaiah anymore. (There were minor prophets but they had no real authority. See Rebecca Grey's book: Prophetic Figures in Late Second Temple Jewish Palestine : The Evidence from Josephus.) During this period, the priests took over formal authority in the community. There is the legend of the "Great Sanhedrin" from the Talmud which allegedly started the Talmudic tradition in the 2nd Century BC. It was probably this institution that embodied religious authority in the post-exilic period. This institution was eventually dominated by the group known as the hakamim (i.e., "the wise men") who were the immediate ancestors of the Pharisees (i.e, "the separated" or "the holy ones"). The Pharisees were primarily laymen though they had some priestly members. They lived in strategic alliance with the Sadducees who were the priestly party in favor with the Herodians who had control of the Temple. The Pharisees and the Sadducees did not see eye to eye on everything, but they needed each other to remain in power.
The upshot of this is that much of the Pharisaic teaching preserved in the Talmud, the Midrash, the Mishnah, the Tosefta, and other ancient Jewish works could be considered "magisterial" at least for the Jews prior to Christ. Maybe even for us! This is interesting since we Catholics have received several Talmudic teachings (e.g., Purgatory, prayers for the dead, the "anamnesis" of the Passover meal, the Messianic era starting @30 AD, Mikveh immersion "baptism" for converts, an "angelic mediator" Metatron/Melchizadeck as a "second god" (referring to Christ), and "teaching authority.")
This is a largely unexplored area of Christian history and theology. It is worth further study. There are a series of books by Margaret Barker from England that are worth reviewing:
The Older Testament: the survival of themes from the ancient royal cult in sectarian Judaism and early Christianity
The Great Angel; A Study of Israel's Second God
On Earth As It Is in Heaven : Temple Symbolism in the New Testament
Lost Prophet : The Book of Enoch and Its Influence on Christianity
The Risen Lord : The Jesus of History As the Christ of Faith
And Larry Hurtado's book: One God, One Lord : Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism
Art Sippo
The Catholic Legate