Sadducees
Jewish priestly aristocracy
The Sadducees were a Jewish sect active from the second century BCE through the first century CE, associated with the priestly aristocracy and the Temple in Jerusalem.
They rejected belief in resurrection, angels, and oral tradition, accepting only the written Torah as authoritative.
The Sadducees appear in the New Testament as opponents of Jesus and early Christians.
They disappeared after the Temple's destruction in 70 CE, leaving the Pharisees—their theological rivals—to shape rabbinic Judaism.
Chief temple officiant
- SanhedrinJewish high court
- landowningPossessing real estate
- ruling classDominant governing stratum
- conservativeCautious about altering customs
status quo · Caiaphas · Annas
Rebuilt Jerusalem sanctuary
- EssenesAncient ascetic Hebrew sect
- Hasmonean dynastyJewish ruling family, Judea
- New TestamentSecond biblical division
- ActsOfficial laws or scriptures
Five books of Moses
- written lawEnacted and recorded legislation
- materialistValues physical over spiritual
- literalistOne rejecting figurative meaning
- this-worldlyFocused on earthly matters
Religious leader's responsibilities
- altarSacred ritual table
- offeringsThings presented or given
- ritual purityUndefiled state for worship
- festivalsOrganized communal celebrations
burnt offerings · holy of holies · priestly blessing · tithing
high priest
Chief temple officiant
- SanhedrinJewish high court
- landowningPossessing real estate
- ruling classDominant governing stratum
conservative · status quo · Caiaphas · Annas
Second Temple
Rebuilt Jerusalem sanctuary
- EssenesAncient ascetic Hebrew sect
- Hasmonean dynastyJewish ruling family, Judea
- New TestamentSecond biblical division
Acts · Matthew · first century · Judean
Pentateuch
Five books of Moses
- written lawEnacted and recorded legislation
- materialistValues physical over spiritual
- literalistOne rejecting figurative meaning
priestly duties
Religious leader's responsibilities
- altarSacred ritual table
- offeringsThings presented or given
- ritual purityUndefiled state for worship
festivals · burnt offerings · holy of holies · priestly blessing · tithing
- ancient sectsEssenes, Pharisees, Gnostics, Nazarenes, Free Spirit
- Ancient IsraelIsraelites, Jerusalem, Israel, twelve tribes, Judea
- Jewish HistoryHolocaust, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon
- Ancient JudeaSecond Temple, Judea, Jerusalem, Masada, Herod the Great
- early churchapostles, early church, Church Fathers, apostolic fathers, Acts of the Apostles
- HebrewsAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David
SadduceesPharisees
Second Temple legal interpreters
Essenes · Christians · early Christians · spiritualists · traditionalists