Sadducees
The Powerful Elite Who Denied the Resurrection
Name Information
- Meaning: Possibly from 'Zadok' (a priestly line)
- Language of Origin: Hebrew
- Gender Usage: Masculine (group)
The Sadducees were a wealthy and influential Jewish sect during the Second Temple period. They held political and religious power, controlled the temple, and denied essential doctrines such as the resurrection, angels, and the afterlife. Often in conflict with Jesus and the apostles, the Sadducees prioritized religious tradition and political control over spiritual truth.
⏰ 1st century BC – 1st century AD
Roles
- Religious Leaders
- Temple Authorities
- Priestly Class
Relationships
- Enemy: Pharisees, Jesus, Apostles
- Friend: Chief priests, Roman authorities
Story
Attempted to trap Jesus with a hypothetical question about resurrection (Matthew 22).
Jesus exposed their lack of understanding of Scripture and God's power.
Were disturbed by the apostles’ preaching about Jesus' resurrection (Acts 4).
Led efforts to arrest and silence the apostles after Pentecost (Acts 5).
Faded from history after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.
Spiritual Significance
- A leading Jewish sect, influential in the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council).
- Denied the resurrection, angels, and spiritual beings (Acts 23:8).
- Focused primarily on the Torah (first five books of Moses).
- Opposed Jesus, especially when He taught about resurrection and spiritual realities.
- Participated in Jesus’ arrest and later persecuted the early church.
What We Can Learn
- Rejecting biblical truth leads to spiritual blindness.
- Religious authority without faith in God’s Word leads to corruption.
- God’s Word speaks clearly about life beyond this world — resurrection is central to the Gospel.
- Religious power is meaningless without submission to Christ.
Memory Verses
You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
— Matthew 22:29
Key Passages
- Matthew 22:23–33
- Acts 4:1–2
- Acts 5:17–33
- Mark 12:18–27
We do our best to ensure all content aligns with Scripture, using both AI tools and human review to validate accuracy. However, we’re human — if you notice any errors, please let us know at contact@bibleinshort.com.