The Sadducees and Pharisees: Who were these guys?

John Baiamonte Ph.D.

Grace Memorial Parishioner, Vestry Member, and Christian Education Leader

The Sadducees were a powerful aristocratic Jewish sect in ancient Israel (2nd century BCE-70 CE).  They were the religious and political elite who controlled the  Jerusalem Temple and the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish ruling council.  They were generally wealthy, land owning aristocrats and belonged to the priestly class.  

They only accepted the written Torah (the first five books of the Bible).  They rejected all of the oral traditions upheld by the Pharisees.  The Sadducees denied the resurrection, immortality of the soul, angels, and demons. They believed in human free will and not predestination.  Some of the Sadducees were considered corrupt and power-hungry, and they generally collaborated with Roman authorities.  Their influence and power vanished with the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.

It is important to note that Jesus was not a fan of the Sadducees because of their denial of the resurrection, angels, and spirits which goes to the heart of Christianity.  Jesus said the Sadducees did not understand the Scriptures or the power of God.  An example of the Sadducees trying to trick Jesus can be found in Matthew 22:23-33 with parallel accounts in Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-40.  The Sadducees presented a hypothetical scenario about a woman married to seven brothers.  Since the woman and the seven brothers are now in heaven, the Sadducees want to know who is her husband in the resurrection.  Jesus replied that the resurrected are now like angels and do not marry.  He referenced  God as the God of the living not of the dead.  Fearing his popularity, they joined the Pharisees to plot His death.  They presided over the religious trial of Jesus and were instrumental in demanding His execution before Pontius Pilate.  In Matthew 3:7 John the Baptist rebukes them as a “brood of vipers” when they come to his baptism.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the Sadducees are portrayed as leading the legal and physical persecution of the apostles.  For example, the Sadducees and temple guards arrest Peter and John for preaching the resurrection of Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                
The power of the Sadducees was derived from their association with the Temple’s rituals, especially the sacrificial cult.  Therefore, when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE, the Sadducees lost their core function, leading to their assimilation or extinction.  We know little about them because none of their writings survived.

James Tissot: The Pharisees and the Saduccees Come to Tempt Jesus, Source: Wikimedia Commons

On the other hand, the Pharisees adapted to the destruction of the Temple by developing the oral law and synagogue practices that became the foundation of Rabbinic Judaism, which is the basis for all modern Jewish denominations.  The Pharisees were also a prominent Jewish social movement and religious sect that existed from roughly the 2nd century B.C. through the late 1st century A.D.  Their theological and social commitments often set them apart from the aristocratic Sadducees.  They believed that God gave Moses an “Oral Law” in addition to the written Torah.  This belief provided a justification for interpreting and applying Biblical laws to everyday life.  While the Sadducees focused on Temple rituals performed only by priests, Pharisees believed every Jew should live with a level of ritual purity reserved only for the priesthood.  Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believe in the resurrection of the dead, a future judgement before God, and the existence of angels and spirits.  They acknowledged that God has foreknowledge of all things, and humans still have free will to make their own choices.
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Most Pharisees were small landowners, tradespeople, or scribes.  They were generally more popular with the common people than the wealthy priestly elite.  Their power base was the synagogue, which helped develop as a local center for prayer and education, making worship accessible outside of the Jerusalem Temple.  Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees adapted to the destruction of the temple by developing the oral law and synagogue practices that became the foundation of Rabbinic Judaism, which is the basis for all modern Jewish denominations of today.  They held significant influence in the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish high council, but they had to share power with the Sadducees.

In the Gospels the Pharisees are often portrayed as antagonists to Jesus, but this might be overstated.  Jesus often criticized them for the hypocrisy with their focus of legal observance such as tithing while neglecting more important matters like justice and mercy.  On the other hand, they were closely aligned with Jesus’  teachings such as the belief in the resurrection and the importance of loving God and neighbor.  Not all Pharisees opposed Jesus.  For example, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were Pharisees who respected and followed Jesus and both play important roles in the Gospels.  The Apostle Paul continued to identify as a Pharisee even after his conversion.

Conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees in the Gospels primarily centered on differing interpretations of religious law and the priority of internal faith over external ritual.  For example, the Pharisees criticized Jesus for performing miracles on the Sabbath.  Conflicts arose regarding ceremonial washing and the definition of what makes a person unclean.  The conflicts were numerous throughout the Gospel, and they probably should be saved for another article.