The Sadducees

The Great Sanhedrin by Edouard Moyse, 1867: The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of Judea. The council was composed of the high priest as the presiding officer and 70 members, the majority of whom were Sadducees.

The Sadducees (Greek: Σαδδουκαῖος, Saddoukaîois) were members of a sect within Judaism, also known as Zadokites. The name Sadducee is thought to have originated from Zadok, the high priest during the time of David and Solomon. Alongside the Pharisees, the Sadducees held significant influence in Jewish society during the time of Jesus.

Origin of the Sadducees

The Anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest by Zalving van koning Salomon, 1557–1570

The Sadducees trace their origins to the intertestamental period between the Old Testament and the New Testament. During the era of Hellenistic rule over Judea, Antiochus IV of the Seleucid dynasty (175–163 B.C.) fiercely persecuted Judaism. The policies of the Hellenistic rulers, which imposed Greek culture and religion while forbidding the observance of Jewish Law, sparked strong resentment among the Jewish people. In response, the Maccabees led a successful military revolt, and the Jewish people maintained their independent kingdom for about 80 years, until coming under Roman control in 63 B.C. During this period, various religious groups emerged within Judaism, including the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes, each with differing beliefs. Among them, the Sadducees—composed of priests who claimed descent from Zadok—recognized only the Torah as the supreme authoritative law.

Features

During the time of Jesus, the Sadducees were primarily composed of priestly families and wealthy aristocrats in Jerusalem, placing great emphasis on the role of the high priest. Led by the high priest, the Sadducees controlled the temple—the center of Jewish faith—and primarily represented the interests of the aristocracy. Until the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in A.D. 70, the Sadducees held the majority of seats in the Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, including the positions of high priest and elders. They wielded immense political, religious, and economic power, benefiting greatly from their influence.

• Religious-Driven Political Power

The Sadducees were politically and religiously conservative but extremely secular when it came to advancing their own interests. Despite the Mosaic law forbidding interaction with foreigners, they actively embraced Greek culture and openly collaborated with Rome. As a result, they were criticized by the public as “materialists” or “worldly-minded.”

• Relationship With the Pharisees

The Sadducees and the Pharisees followed entirely different religious paths. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees accepted only the written Torah (the five books of Moses) and rejected oral traditions or laws passed down verbally, adhering to a strict form of conservatism. Additionally, the Sadducees held the opinion of the high priest, the chairman of the Sanhedrin and the highest representative of the Jewish community, in the utmost regard. They also recognized only the rituals performed at the temple as true worship. The doctrinal conflict between the Sadducees and the Pharisees was so sharp that Apostle Paul used it to his advantage in avoiding danger during his own trials.

Class.	Sadducees	Pharisees
Members	Priestly or wealthy noble families	Middle class in Judea
Influence	Exercised political and religious influence	Exercised religious influence
	Unsuccessful in gaining public support	Gained public support
Doctrines	Did not believe in the resurrection, angels, and the soul	Believed in the resurrection, angels, and the soul
	Claimed to adhere solely to the Torah, but in actuality, they held the opinions of the high priest in high regard	Kept all the traditions and teachings of the elders, in addition to the Torah
	Accepted Greek culture	Rejected Greek culture
After the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70	Disappeared	Maintained

Although the Sadducees and Pharisees pursued different religious paths, both worked together to persecute Jesus and the apostles and hindered the spread of the gospel. After the Sadducees attempted to test Jesus and were left speechless, the Pharisees immediately came to test Him as well. When Jesus rebuked their wrongdoings and illuminated the people with the truth of the Scriptures, the Sadducees, feeling threatened, joined forces with the Pharisees to conspire to kill Jesus.

Jesus and the Sadducees

Unlike the Pharisees, who were closely connected with the people through the synagogue system of Judea, the Sadducees were detached, centering their activities around the temple. As a result, they had fewer interactions with Jesus than the Pharisees. However, the Sadducees, who accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative, tested Jesus multiple times using the Law of Moses and demanded signs and miracles from Him. Despite claiming to uphold the authority of the Pentateuch, they failed to recognize the Savior who the Pentateuch testified about and even led the plot to kill Him.

• Controversy Over the Resurrection

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection or in angels, rejecting the existence of the spiritual realm. They believed the soul perished with the body. Using the law that required a brother to marry his deceased brother’s wife to continue the family line, they posed a question to Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus refuted their argument by teaching that there would be no marriage or giving in marriage in the resurrection and by citing the words from the Pentateuch.

That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

Matthew 22:23–33

Jesus quoted God’s words from the book of Exodus, referring to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God of the “living.” By doing so, He taught that although these patriarchs had been dead for a long time, He indicated that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were alive in spirit. He also added that all people are alive to God. Astonished by His teaching, the Sadducees dared not ask any further questions and left.

• Jesus’ Rebuke

Jesus pointed out that if they believed in the writings of Moses (the Pentateuch), they would also believe in Him and His teachings. This made it clear that the faith of the Sadducees, who acknowledged the Pentateuch but rejected Jesus, was not recognized by God. Jesus rebuked the Sadducees, who were seeking a sign, as well as the Pharisees, and warned His disciples to beware of their teachings.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, “. . . A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. . . . Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “. . . How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:1–12

Post-Jesus History

After Jesus’ resurrection, the Sadducees spread falsehoods and sought to absolve themselves by involving the Roman governor. When the guards who had been stationed at Jesus’ tomb reported the news of His resurrection to the chief priests and elders, they bribed the soldiers and instructed them to spread the lie that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body. They reassured the soldiers, promising that if any issues arose, they would speak to the Roman governor on their behalf.

Despite this opposition, the apostles, who had witnessed Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, zealously spread the gospel, empowered by the blessing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. As the apostles preached Jesus’ name and performed miracles, more and more people, including many priests from the Sadducees, came to accept the Christ. This stirred jealousy among the Sadducees, who often unjustly arrested and imprisoned the apostles. They also joined forces with the Pharisees to stone Stephen to death.

Having greatly benefited from making Jerusalem their stronghold, the Sadducees faded into history after the destruction of the temple—their central place of activity—during the Roman general Titus' siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

See also

• The Pharisees
• Sanhedrin