Saturday, June 29, 2024

Pharisees and Sadducees | Definition, beliefs and differences

   In this lesson, learn the definitions of Pharisees and Sadducees, and see Pharisees' beliefs, Sadducees' beliefs, as well as their opposition to Jesus Christ and each other. Updated: 11/21/2023
Frequently Asked Questions

What was the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees?

   The primary distinction between Pharisees and Sadducees was their disagreement about the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife. Sadducees were upper-class wealthy men mostly from Jerusalem who made up the Jewish aristocracy. Pharisees came from all economic classes but were distinguished by their rigid adherence to specific behavior prescriptions arising from their interpretation of the ambiguities in the Torah.

What did the Pharisees believe that the Sadducees did not?

   Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife. The Sadducees did not believe in either of these. The Pharisees believed in a realm of spirit and angels. The Sadducees did not.

What do the Sadducees believe?

   Sadducees believed that there was no resurrection of the dead, no afterlife, no spirit realm, no angels. Most Sadducees were priests of the Temple.

What did Pharisees believe?

   Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and the afterlife. They believed like all Jews that God created the world, chose Israel as his chosen people, and rewarded and punished them according to his law. They also felt that the Law of Moses contained ambiguities which they strove to fix by developing rules and regulations for every possible human action in order to adhere to the will of God as outlined in the Torah.

What did Jesus say about Pharisees?

   Jesus at various times called Pharisees a brood of vipers, compared them to Satan and called them hypocrites. He also had Pharisees in his group of followers, praised them for following a righteous path.

No comments:

Post a Comment