History of the Sadducees
The Sadducees
The Sadducees
The Sadducees were a sect of the Jewish religion. Their numbers where small but they were made up of a very influential group of wealthy Jews. They were a very influential group with Roman leaders. Yet they were a minority in the Jewish faith. The Sadducees’ seem to have originated in a reaction against the Pharisees (Cohen, 146). They had no use for anyone who tried to add to the Jewish law, known as the Torah or Pentateuch, or to take away from the law (Draine, 34).
It is unclear where the name Sadducee came from. Some believe that it can be traced back to the High priest Zodak, during David and Solomon's rein. "Sadducees saw themselves as the descendants of Zodak the priest" (Cohen, 159).It is also believed that they derived the name from the Hebrew word Zaddikim which means righteousness (Edershiem, (243). During the revolt, from 66-70 A.D., the Sadducees where all but wiped out by the Romans trying to maintain order. Their beliefs where more on the conservative side of the tracks. Their final authority was the Pentateuch. "The essential principle of them lay in this, that the Sadducees would hold by the simple letter of the law do neither more nor less, whether the consequences were to make the decision more server or easy"(Edershlem, 239). They also believe in the free will choices yet eliminate the intervention of God. They refused the ideas of angels and demons because it was not spoken of in the laws of Moses. According to the Talmud the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection but that the Torah did not prove it to be so (Bindley, 89).
Their belief in a Messiah was not the same as the Pharisees. They believed that the messiah would come from the priestly line of Aaron and not from the dikios line of David. All of these beliefs did them no good because when it really came right down to the bottom line they could not enforce their views. They were scared of losing their lives and their recognition as priest. It
The Sadducees
The Sadducees were a sect of the Jewish religion. Their numbers where small but they were made up of a very influential group of wealthy Jews. They were a very influential group with Roman leaders. Yet they were a minority in the Jewish faith. The Sadducees’ seem to have originated in a reaction against the Pharisees (Cohen, 146). They had no use for anyone who tried to add to the Jewish law, known as the Torah or Pentateuch, or to take away from the law (Draine, 34).
It is unclear where the name Sadducee came from. Some believe that it can be traced back to the High priest Zodak, during David and Solomon's rein. "Sadducees saw themselves as the descendants of Zodak the priest" (Cohen, 159).It is also believed that they derived the name from the Hebrew word Zaddikim which means righteousness (Edershiem, (243). During the revolt, from 66-70 A.D., the Sadducees where all but wiped out by the Romans trying to maintain order. Their beliefs where more on the conservative side of the tracks. Their final authority was the Pentateuch. "The essential principle of them lay in this, that the Sadducees would hold by the simple letter of the law do neither more nor less, whether the consequences were to make the decision more server or easy"(Edershlem, 239). They also believe in the free will choices yet eliminate the intervention of God. They refused the ideas of angels and demons because it was not spoken of in the laws of Moses. According to the Talmud the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection but that the Torah did not prove it to be so (Bindley, 89).
Their belief in a Messiah was not the same as the Pharisees. They believed that the messiah would come from the priestly line of Aaron and not from the dikios line of David. All of these beliefs did them no good because when it really came right down to the bottom line they could not enforce their views. They were scared of losing their lives and their recognition as priest. It