Power and control of the people was the goal of several important groups within the Jewish community during the times of Jesus. Defining these groups is difficult, one writer calls them a Jewish politico-religious sect or party. In plain English we would probably understand them better as a movement within a denomination. They were simply a group of people, all of the same faith, who had various interests that bound them together. The central focus of their differences was the Temple in Jerusalem and it's influence throughout the Jewish state.

The middle-class Pharisees tried to create a nation of holy people by making and following very strict rules of purity and living. They had no dealings with Gentiles, lived temperately and practiced the maxim, "he who acquires a knowledge of the divine law, acquires for himself life in the world to come."

There was also a strong upper ruling class who were in opposition to the Pharisees. They were known as the Sadducees ("righteous ones"). We only know them through the eyes of their enemies. There are no known writings in existence written by the Sadducee authors. Information about them is sketchy at best. It is thought that these men traced their family line back to a priest named Zadok who was appointed to his office by Solomon (see 1Kings2:35). Sadducees are thought to have been wealthy and influential members of Jewish society who seem to have come into existence about the same time as the Pharisees. They rejected any law that was not based on Scripture and denied that there was a resurrection (see Acts 23:8, "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both."). However, we must be careful not to read too much into the text. It should be noted that they didn't necessarily deny the afterlife, but said there was no literal resurrection. Sadducees seem to have been wealthy, powerful and firmly set on maintaining their status through the ancient privilege of their family ties. They used the Mosaic constitution, the Torah(the first five books of the Bible) as their justification to hold power. Sadducees ceased to exist after 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.

A third group formed that would have nothing to do with either the Pharisees or the Sadducees. One of their known settlements was probably down by the Dead Sea in one of the most hostile environments on earth. Were it not for a large natural spring, humans could not exist in such a barren wilderness. The group called the Essenes, is thought to be the people who created this Dead Sea settlement. At one time, throughout all the land, they may have numbered about four thousand. They must have had some importance in the nation because a gate in Jerusalem was named after them. This most exclusive of the Jewish groups, practiced celibacy(choosing not to marry), used total immersion baptism, held all their possessions in common, and outdid the Pharisees in ceremonial purity. It is notable that they rejected the Temple sacrifices and were strongly opposed to using animals for such purposes. The Essenes are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, although Matthew 19:12 may be a reference to them.

We know that Jesus came into contention with all three of these groups. The Pharisees rejected Him as the Messiah because He was not one of their own. The Sadducees put him to trial because He upset the status quo. And although we do not have a record of Jesus' dealing with the Essenes, we know that He advocated men were to go into all the world---not withdraw from it.

Blessings in your study of God's Word!

Marvin Hunt

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Blessings!
Marvin Hunt

Http://www.biblehistory.com

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