RELIGIOUS & POLITICAL GROUPS: THE SADDUCEES

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) People are asking about the religious and political parties that existed in Israel during the days of Jesus' ministry, about 2000 years ago. To help you understand what these parties stood for, and how they affected Christ and Israel, a short description on each of the major parties is given below.

1. The Sadducees

a) Text reference: Matthew 3:7, 16:11-12; Mark 12:18-27

i) ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7 NKJV)

ii) ¹¹ How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:11-12 NKJV)

iii) ¹⁸ Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰ Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. ²¹ And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. ²² So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. ²³ Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” ²⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶ But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” (Mark 12:18-27 NKJV)

b) Description

i) Wealthy, upper-class, Jewish priestly party.

ii) Rejected the authority of the Bible beyond the five books of Moses.

iii) Profited from business in the temple.

iv) They, along with the Pharisees, were one of the two major parties of the Jewish Council.

c) Agreement with Jesus

i) Showed great respect for the five books of Moses, as well as the sanctity of the temple.

d) Disagreement with Jesus

i) Denied the resurrection of the dead.

ii) Though the temple could also be used as a place to transact business.

The End ...