The Sadducees

The Sadducees were an important Jewish group made up of priests and their families. They were different from the Pharisees, another Jewish group because the Pharisees were regular ("lay") people who were not priests. They likely lived near Jerusalem and controlled the temple system (Acts 4:1–2; 5:17). These powerful and wealthy leaders (aristocrats) acted as mediators between Rome and Israel (see Josephus, Antiquities 13.10.6; War 2.10.5). They did not have much favor or influence with the people (Josephus, Antiquities 18.1.4).

The term Sadducee probably comes from Zadok, the high priest during the reigns of King David and King Solomon (2 Samuel 8:17; 15:24; 1 Kings 1:8; 32–48). Both words share the same Hebrew root. The earliest historical mention of the Sadducees is during the reign of John Hyrcanus, from 135 to 104 BC, a descendant of the Maccabees (Josephus, Antiquities 13.10.6), but they clearly existed earlier.

Their views about God often differ from those of the Pharisees (Acts 23:8; see also Acts 4:1–2). The Sadducees gave primary authority to the Pentateuch. They rejected the oral tradition valued by the Pharisees. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees did not believe in:

• the resurrection of the dead (see Matthew 22:23–33),

• angelic beings (see Acts 23:8), or

• the concept of final judgment.

The Pharisees, however, strongly believed in the resurrection (coming back to life after death). They even supported Paul against the Sadducees when he was on trial for disturbing the temple (Acts 23:6–10).

Despite their differences, the Pharisees and Sadducees united against Jesus. The Pharisees opposed Jesus because he did not follow their oral traditions. The Sadducees opposed him because he believed in angels, demons, final judgment, and resurrection.

When the temple was destroyed in AD 70, the Sadducees vanished. They did not leave any written records. All our knowledge about the Sadducees comes from their opponents, so we have a limited understanding of them.

Passages for Further Study

Matthew 3:7; 16:1–12; 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40; Acts 4:1–2; 5:17–18; 23:6–10