A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 3: The Gospe l s : The Man i fes tat i on of Chr i s t , Par t I I 85

A. The Sadducees (associated with the priests, who with the lay “elders” exercised leadership of the Jews under Roman domination): Leaders under Rome

1. Materialistic party among the Jews of Jesus’ time, associated with the priests, Acts 5.17 – But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy.

2. Denied the resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits, Matt. 22.23; Acts 4.1-2; 23.6-8

3. Along with the Pharisees, demanded signs from Jesus, Matt. 16.1 – And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

4. The high priestly family was in close connection with them, Acts 4.1ff; Acts 5.17-18 – But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy [18] they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.”

B. The Pharisees (experts in the law and its rigorous application to everyday life): Keepers of the Jewish Tradition

1. General data

a. Said to be around 6,000 of them at the time of Jesus, the only sizeable group to survive the revolt of 70 A.D.

b. Modern Judaism follows from the pharisaical tradition.