Sadducees
Sadducees,a religious group within Judaism attested in Judaea from the 2nd cent. bc to the 1st cent. ad. The Sadducees are described by Josephus and are mentioned in the New Testament and in rabbinic texts, usually as opponents of the Pharisees in matters concerning law or theology. According to the generally unfavourable picture given by Josephus, their distinctive tenets consisted in a refusal to accept the unwritten religious traditions championed by the Pharisees, an unwillingness to ascribe human fortunes to the operations of fate, and unwillingness to accept the notion of life after death. Josephus also accused them of harshness in judgement and claimed that they had little influence over the people.
Josephus stated that most Sadducees came from the rich and powerful part of Judaean society. This assertion, together with the evidence of Acts 5: 17 and the probable derivation of the name ‘Sadducees’ from Zadok, the...
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