The Sadducees: Shaping Early Judaism Through Temple Control

Active in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period (circa 200 BC–70 AD), the Sadducees were a sect of Jewish leaders with both political and religious influence. They arose following Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, during the Hasmonean Kingdom under Seleucid and Roman rule. As an elite group, they managed the Temple, which provided the priestly class. Their doctrines are primarily known through critics, as no texts remain. They strictly followed the Torah and dismissed oral traditions, belief in the immortal soul, resurrection, and spiritual entities like angels. Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul encountered Sadducees and Pharisees, with Paul's trial in Jerusalem highlighting their differing views on resurrection (Acts 25:6-7). Notable Sadducees included John Hyrcanus (High Priest 134–104 BC), a former Pharisee, and likely Annas and Caiaphas, High Priests during Jesus' life involved in his crucifixion. The sect vanished after the Temple's destruction in 70 AD, as their practices were linked to Temple worship, unlike the Pharisees who adapted to synagogue worship.