Paul the “Chasidic Jew” and Christianity the Ultimate form of “Chasidic Judaism”
Simeon the Righteous was the last of the "Great Assembly" and assumed the position of High Priest after Ezra. The successor of Simeon was Antigones of Soko. The Mishnah indicates that Antigones taught that the Torah should be obeyed without an agenda to earn a reward or wage, but simply for the sake of the fear of God: "Antigones of Soko received [Torah] from Simeon the Righteous. He used to say, 'Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of wages, but be like servants who serve their master with no thought of a wage – and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.' ” (Mishnah, Avot 1:3) The Rabbi Ben Azai (Mishnaic Sage) states that the reward for obeying a commandment is the commandment itself as well as the conditioned habit of obedience. If one is in the practice of obeying the Torah, this will lead the individual away from sin: "Ben Azai says: Run to do an easy commandment as to a difficult one, and flee from sin; since a commandment...