Sad You See

September 4

(Luke 20:27 NIV) ““Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.”” 

(Matthew 16:5-12 NIV) ““When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. {6} “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” {7} They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” {8} Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? {9} Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? {10} Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? {11} How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” {12} Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.””

(Acts 23:6-8 NIV) ““Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” {7} When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. {8} (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)””

Like the Pharisees, the Sadducees were fundamentalists. They were also fundamentally different. They were rivals and had different foundations for their doctrine. The Pharisees saw the Torah and Prophets as their foundation, and had added many oral traditions to God’s law. The Sadducees recognized only the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, as their source of truth (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus). Another major difference: the Pharisees believed in an afterlife, the Sadducees did not. The Sadducees did not believe that the soul is immortal. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and since they did not believe in eternal life, they were sad, you see? Jesus told them they were wrong, and eventually proved it with His resurrection. There is an afterlife, and Christ has promised those who follow Him an eternity filled with joy. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day