The Sadducees were a Jewish religious and political group active during the time of Jesus in the first century. They were wealthy, influential, and mostly composed of high priests and aristocrats. They held significant power, especially in relation to the Jerusalem Temple and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. The Sadducees were known for a strict adherence only to the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) and rejected beliefs not found in those texts, such as the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels and spirits, and life after death. They often opposed Jesus and later resisted the apostles' ministry. The Sadducees are portrayed in the Bible as being at odds with Jesus' teachings and the early Christian movement, largely due to their theological positions and political alliances, including cooperation with the Roman rulers. Summarizing key points:
- Sadducees were a wealthy, aristocratic, and religious group largely made up of high priests.
- They accepted only the Torah as authoritative scripture and denied resurrection, angels, and spirits.
- They held power in the Temple and the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.
- They frequently confronted Jesus and opposed his teachings.
- After Jesus' death, they also opposed the apostles' preaching of the resurrection and the Gospel.
- The name possibly originates from Zadok, an Old Testament high priest.
- Their alliance with Roman authorities made them unpopular among common Jews.
This portrayal includes their role as religious conservatives, political collaborators, and antagonists in the New Testament narratives.
