LAWYER- Authoritative interpreter of the Mosaic law. Characterization of the lawyers is especially harsh in Luke’s Gospel: they rejected God’s purpose for themselves by refusing John’s baptism (7:30); they burdened others without offering any relief (11:45-46); they

not only refused God’s offer of salvation but hindered others from accepting it (11:52-53); they refused to answer Jesus’ question concerning the legality of Sabbath healing (14:3). Lawyer is used in the general sense of a jurist at Titus 3:13.