They interpreted the Law with a strict literalism that often caused them to violate the very spirit of it. The Sadducees rejected the belief in Resurrection of the Dead, which was a central tenet believed by the Pharisees and as prophesied in the Tanakh. 25, 38; … This kept the peace, at least on the surface, so that most of Judea would accept Roman rule as long as they could keep their religious roots and methods of worship. We'll get to that in a little while. So this goes to show the diversity among zealots as a group. This often provoked hostilities between the two sects even though they often worked closely together in service to the temple, the people in presiding over the Sanhedrin (which was the Jewish high court of law) and in fulfilling their political positions. The term "zealot", in Hebrew means one who is zealous on behalf of God. The Sadducees (/ ˈ s æ dj ə ˌ s iː z /; Hebrew: צְדוּקִים ‎ Ṣĕdûqîm) were a sect or group of Jews who were active in Judea during the Second Temple period, starting from the second century BCE through the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.The Sadducees are often compared to other contemporaneous sects, including the Pharisees and the Essenes. It’s interesting to note that the Essenes are not mentioned in the Bible. The Zealot sect traces its roots back to the Maccabean revolt about 150 BC, about the same time the Pharisees began. Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots and Sicarii -Roman Period Political party to sect. They were particularly in opposition to what they believed to be a corrupt priesthood. Their high social status was reinforced by their priestly responsibilities, as mandated in the Torah. The Sanhedrin, the 70-member supreme court of ancient Israel, had members from both the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Essenes lived in various smaller cities but congregated in communal life dedicated to self denial, voluntary poverty and abstinence from worldly pleasures, including for some even marriage. Advanced Information Essenes The Essenes were a Jewish religious sect not actually mentioned in the Bible, but described by Josephus, Philo, and mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls. From whence did these three influential sects arise? This is largely due to how each group dealt with those in power, which will be discussed later. As a group the Pharisees are distinct for being opposed to the political rulers of Israel, focusing on ceremonial washing, and most notably for their strict adherence to the oral law, or traditions of the elders. It’s all about presenting sound doctrine in plain language. Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots were the four primary religious/political factions of the time. This is very enlightening information for expanding your understanding of the Gospels in the Bible. Their theological beliefs included supernatural elements such as the eternity of the soul, the existence of angels, and belief in the resurrection of the dead. The Esseneswere a Jewish sect that flourished from about 200 BC to 100 AD which some scholars claim seceded from the Sadducees. These also came in the form of international tribute from Jews in the Diaspora. Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription. Being separatists most lived outside the major cities throughout Roman Judea but most of them lived in the Dead Sea area. Josephus gave a detailed account of the Essenes in three of his books. Rome would not allow the Jews to reestablish their kingdom monarchy, but did allow them to rebuild their temple and worship their own God. The Pharisees and Sadducees made up the Sanhedrin, a council of seventy men who made all the decisions for the Jews. You can find me on Twitter, The Armor of God: What It Is and How to Use It, The Role of the King James Bible in the Modern Church | RTP 37, George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789, How Long It Takes to Read Each Book in the Old Testament (Infographic). Jesus was not A Pharisee. During the time in which Jesus Christ lived, there were many religious and political factions abounding. Josephus lays out different views of the universe for the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Essenes. After Solomon's building of The First Temple in Jerusalem, Zadok was the first High Priest to serve there. The term derives from Greek (zelotes), "emulator, fanatic, admirer or follower". As highly trained, well paid, and respected professionals, they were generally had an over inflated sense of self worth. Main sects of Judaism, especially the Temple and Jewish state were destroyed in A.D.,! The form of International tribute from Jews in the Bible them to violate the very Law they to. 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