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Sadducees
The Sadducees were a group of Jewish priests who were responsible for many things at the temple in Jerusalem. The chief priests and the high priest were Sadducees. The Sadducees were men who were very rich leaders in Judea. They opposed Jesus when he ministered on earth. They opposed Christians. They did not believe in life after death. They also did not believe that angels existed (see: Acts 23:8).
The Sadducees were friends with Roman leaders even though most Jews did not like the Roman leaders. However, the Roman leaders destroyed the temple in Jerusalem soon after the time of Jesus. Then the Sadducees were no longer able to lead people in Judea.
See: Israel; Priest (Priesthood); Rome (Roman Empire, Caesar); Chief Priest; High Priest; Resurrect (Resurrection); Angel; Minister (Ministry); Pharisees
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The Sadducees and other Jewish leaders tested Jesus when they asked him for a sign (see: Matthew 16:1). The Sadducees asked Jesus about marriage in heaven because they did not believe in life after death (see: Matthew 22:23-28). However, Jesus caused the Sadducees and other people nearby to know that the Sadducees did not understand the Old Testament or God (see: Matthew 22:29, 34).
More and more people believed in Jesus after he died and came back to life. This made the Sadducees jealous, so they arrested the apostles (see: Acts 5:17-18).
Jesus criticized the Sadducees for the things they taught and did. He used the metaphor of leaven to say that the Sadducees taught wrong things (see: Matthew 16:6, 11-12). John the Baptist called the Sadducees “vipers.” He said this because the Sadducees were evil and they harmed the Jews (see: Matthew 3:7). The Sadducees and other Jewish leaders worked with the Romans in order to kill Jesus.
See: Test; Sign; Heaven; Marriage; Apostle; Old Testament (Law and Prophets); Faith (Believe in); Hypocrisy (Hypocrite); Metaphor; Yeast (Leaven); Symbol