The Sadducees emerged during the Hasmonean dynasty, claiming descent from Zadok, the High Priest under David and Solomon. They comprised high-ranking priests and nobles. When a dispute arose between John Hyrcanus I and the Pharisees over the High Priesthood, the Sadducees sided with the king, ousted the Pharisees, and gained power. They wielded even greater influence during the reigns of the next two kings, but were temporarily pushed back when the Pharisees returned to political life during the rule of Salome Alexandra.
Salome Alexandra’s sons were Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II. The Pharisees supported Hyrcanus II, while the Sadducees backed Aristobulus II, leading to conflict between the brothers. This initially resulted in Hyrcanus II becoming High Priest and Aristobulus II becoming king. However, when Antipater, Herod's father, incited Hyrcanus II, a second phase of the brothers’ war began. Both sought support from Pompey of Rome, ultimately leading to Rome’s occupation of Judaea.
During King Herod's era, the Sadducees could not exert much power. The High Priest, who represented the Sadducees, could be replaced at Herod’s discretion, and the Sanhedrin was largely ineffective until the period of direct Roman rule. The Sadducees regained influence as key members of the Sanhedrin under Roman governance, resulting in their cooperative stance towards Rome. Their pro-Roman position was evident when Herod's son Archelaus was expelled and Rome ordered a census. Southern Judaea was relatively compliant, unlike the resistant northern Galilee, largely due to the influence of High Priest Joazar.
Many members of the Sanhedrin, including High Priests Caiaphas and Annas, who presided over Jesus’ crucifixion, were Sadducees. While some Pharisees were sympathetic to Jesus, the Sadducees were staunch opponents. This was inevitable, as Jesus’ words and actions undermined the very foundation of the Sadducees’ existence.
The Sadducees accepted only the Torah (the Pentateuch) and rejected the traditions of the elders. They acknowledged some authority in the Prophets and the Writings, but these were not considered on the same level as the Torah. They were conservative in outlook, accepting only theological concepts clearly supported by the Torah. They did not believe in the immortality of the soul, nor in any judgement after death. As a result, the Bible describes them as saying there is no resurrection, angel, or spirit. They were thoroughly reality-centred, rejecting fatalism and attributing all real-world problems to individual responsibility. In other words, they saw human choices of good or evil as unrelated to God.
While this worldview is not inherently problematic, as human free will is an important aspect of life, the issue was that they left no room for God’s will in human affairs. While claiming to believe in God, they accepted only part of God’s word and dismissed other biblical teachings.
For them, another key element was the temple. Many Sadducees were priests, so without the temple, their existence would lose significance. Furthermore, the temple generated enormous income. Jews paid annual temple taxes. Additional income came from selling sacrificial animals, exchanging coins for temple shekels, and lending money at interest.
Given their beliefs, the Sadducees could not ignore Jesus. His actions, such as the resurrection of Lazarus, challenged their theology, and his words about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days shook their foundations. As a result, they played a decisive role in his death.
However, it is important not to misunderstand and think that they lacked faith. They believed in God in their own way and did their best for Him. They would oppose anything that violated the Torah’s laws, even at the risk of their own lives. Their accusation of blasphemy against Jesus stemmed from this mindset. Nevertheless, their judgement was based on only part of God’s word and their own reasoning. This led them further from God’s will, despite their faith in Him.
Some of them also readily compromised with worldly interests, as individual judgement was paramount to them. Josephus described them as having some mutual hostility and discord, and noted that they would adopt Pharisaic practices when appointed as local administrators to gain the people’s favour.
The Sadducees disappeared completely from history, along with the Essenes and Zealots, during the large-scale Jewish revolt. Since then, sacrificial offerings through the temple have not been made.
