BIBLE Question- What were the differences in the Saducees and the Pharisees' beliefs?

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Sadducee and Pharisee are terms that are encountered in the works of Josephus and the Bible. These are Jewish sects that were already in place before the advent of Christianity and were considered as religious parties in the times of Jesus. Not surprisingly, both were opposed to what Jesus had to say. Despite this similarity and the fact that both these sects were fundamentalists, there are many differences between Sadducee and Pharisee that will be talked about in this article.

Sadducees

Sadducee was a Jewish sect; in fact, a socio-political group that was prominent during 3rd and 2nd century BC and which was characterized by its elite and priestly class. This group of Jews disappeared after the destruction of the Temple, and even the literature written by prominent writers of this group got destroyed with this destruction. Sadducees enjoyed authority as they were the priestly class that also included the aristocrats. The members of this class held important and powerful positions in the society, and they also had a majority in the ruling council. During this period, Israel was ruled by Roman Empire and Sadducees agreed to whatever decisions were taken by Rome. This attitude was not liked by the common people, and they did not think highly of the Sadducees.

Sadducees believed only in the written Law of Moses and did not approve Oral Torah. They did not believe in after life and opposed priesthood to be given to any other class of people other than themselves. They were conservatives as they opposed oral Torah.

Pharisees

Pharisee was a socio-political group among the Jews that was made up of common people. This class of people was prominent during the Hasmonean Dynasty and in direct opposition to the Sadducees because of differences in social and political status. Pharisees gave equal respect to the Oral Torah and believed in after life, resurrection and the existence of angels. This group was made up of the masses, and it represented the views of the poor man. The group had business people among its members who were in touch with the common man. Because of the weight of the oral Torah among the group, this group became prominent after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. The modern Judaism traces its roots to this group or class of people that was referred to as Pharisee.

What is the difference between Sadducees and Pharisees?

• Sadducee and Pharisee are the terms used for two distinct social political groups among the Jews during the times of Jesus.

• Sadducees were in a majority, in the ruling council while Pharisees were in a minority.

• Sadducee was a socio-political class made up of priests and aristocrats while Pharisee was a group made up of businessmen in touch with common men.

• Sadducees did not believe in after life while Pharisees believed in after life and resurrection.

• Sadducees adhered to the commands given by Rome while this was not liked by the Pharisees.

• Sadducees were conservatives who believed in the supremacy of the temple only and their prominence waned with the destruction of the temple, whereas Pharisees rose in stature after the destruction as they believed in oral Torah too.

I won't go into detail like most have but the main difference was the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection where the Pharisees did.

The Pharisees:

The Pharisees were the strictest observers of the Mosaic ritual (Acts 26:5)

They werr zealous for the law (Acts 15:5; Phil. 35) and tradition (Mark 7:3, 5-8; Gal. 1:14)

They had an outwardly moral appearance (Luke 18;11; Phil. 3:5-6)

Rigid in fasting (Luke 5:33; 18:12)

Active in proselytizing (Matt:23:15)

Self-righteous (Luke 16:15; 18:9)

Fond of public salutations (Matt. 23:7)

Fond of distinguished titles (Matt. 23:7-10)

The list could go on and on but this should be sufficient for now.

The Sadducees:

Denied the resurrection and a future state (Matt:22:23; Luke 20:27)

They were refused baptism by John (Matt. 3:7)

They tempted Jesus (Matt. 16:1)

They persecuted the Christians (Acts 4:1; 5:17, 18. 40)

The Pharisees Beliefs

The origins of those two groups show what their basis of beliefs were.

It all began after the Maccabees lost their leader Judas Maccabeus in a battle in 160 BC. The Jews were then once again brought under Seleucid domination. But in 142 BC Syria granted Judea semi-independence, and for most of the following century the Jewish people were self-governing under the Hasmonean dynasty, the descendants of the Maccabees.

As time went on, the Hasmoneans embraced Hellenistic [Greek] perspectives and policies. In violation of Old Testament law, the ruler was also the high priest. Not surprisingly, given this concentration of power, corruption and abuses quickly arose among the Hasmonean rulers. The party of the Pharisees came into view at this time, opposing hellenization and the singular power of the ruler. The Sadducees also appeared, supporting hellenization and the power of the priesthood.

In Jesus' era, the Pharisees were a non-political lay movement within Judaism. They attempted, by rigorous examinatio of the details of the OT law, to make the law accessible and practical to people seeking to be obedient Jews. They attached great importance to the oral traditions which they claimed Moses had passed down to them. They argued that if the law, including the oral traditions, were obeyed by all, the nation would be purged of sin and God would establish his kingdom over all the nations. The Pharisees were very influential in the local synagogue communities. Their traditions developed into the rabbinic writings known as the Mishnah and the Talmud. They strongly believed in the resurrection of the dead.

The Sadducees were more influential in the Temple worship in Jerusalem, and in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council as they were made up of the priestly class. They were powerful aristocrats and mediators between Rome and Israel. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The Pentateuch had primary authority for them. They rejected the oral tradition so cherished by the Pharisees. They did not believe in angelic beings as the Pharisees did. They rejected the sovereignty of God and the concept of final judgment.

Amazingly, despite their antithesis to each other, they came together to attack Jesus. Both groups wanted Jesus of Nazareth put to death because He fearlessly pointed out the errors in both groups. With the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple (foretold by Jesus some 40 years before it happened), the Sadducees disappeared from the scene, leaving no written records.

The Sadducees were a group of Jewish leaders, many of them priests, who accepted only the written law of God. They apposed the Pharisees who had many aDditional laws that had been passed down to them by their religious teachers. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead but the Sadducees did not but they agreed with the Pharisees in their hatred of Jesus. Mark 12:18 Who say there is no resurrection

The Pharisees believed in the resurrection but the Saducees did not !

Sadducees did not believe in a life after death

Pharisees did.