The historical context of the Sadducees can be understood within the broader context of the time of Christ and the New Testament era.
During this period, Israel was under Roman control, and the Jewish people were divided into various religious and political groups.
The Sadducees were a religiopolitical group that held significant power among the Jews in Israel.
They were an aristocratic class connected with the temple in Jerusalem and held positions of authority, including chief priests and high priests. They also held the majority of seats in the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews.
The Sadducees were known for their accommodation to Roman rule and their focus on politics rather than religion. They worked to maintain peace by aligning with the decisions of Rome. However, their close association with the Roman authorities and their wealth made them unpopular among the common people. The commoners tended to relate better to the Pharisees, another religious group that opposed the Sadducees.
The Sadducees were known for their preservation of the authority of the written Word of God, particularly the books of Moses.
However, they held doctrinal beliefs that contradicted Scripture.
They denied the resurrection of the dead, the afterlife, and the existence of a spiritual world. These beliefs put them at odds with the apostles’ preaching, especially regarding the resurrection of Jesus.
The Sadducees initially showed little concern for Jesus until they became afraid that His popularity might attract unwanted Roman attention. They then conspired with the Pharisees to put Jesus to death. The Sadducees are also mentioned in connection with the death of James, the half-brother of Jesus.
The Sadducees ceased to exist as a group in AD 70 when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans. The lack of written descriptions from the Sadducees means that our knowledge of their beliefs and actions comes primarily from the Bible and secondhand sources.
Historical records, including those of Josephus, portray the Sadducees as rude, arrogant, power-hungry, and quick to dispute with those who disagreed with them.
