The Five Major Factions of Jewish Society in Jesus’ Time

The message preached by John the Baptist created a great stir in Jewish society. “Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized,” but they were not truly repentant. Instead, they believed that by simply receiving John’s baptism, they could escape God’s judgment. Later, Jesus Himself would condemn the Pharisees as a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 12:34, 23:33).

In his work Antiquities of the Jews (Book 18, Chapter 1), the Jewish historian Josephus identifies several major factions of the time: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, the Zealots, and the Essenes.

1. The Pharisees: The name “Pharisee” means “separated.” With a membership of over six thousand, the Pharisees were the authoritative interpreters of the Law at the time. They controlled the synagogues and had the support of most Jews, but they held no political power. They lived simply, strictly observed the Mosaic Law and the oral traditions, and believed in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection. Most scribes and rabbis were Pharisees.

2. The Sadducees: The name “Sadducee” means “righteous.” The Sadducees were mostly Jewish aristocrats and priests who controlled the Temple and political affairs. They embraced Hellenistic ideas, made compromises with the Romans, and only recognized the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch). They rejected oral traditions and did not believe in the immortality of the soul, the resurrection, angels, or the Holy Spirit. However, when in power, they had to observe the teachings of the Pharisees to maintain public support. A Pharisee could become a Christian and still be a Pharisee (Acts 15:5), but a Sadducee could not become a Christian and remain a Sadducee. The Pharisees and Sadducees were theological opposites: the Pharisees believed in the details of the oral Law, while the Sadducees only accepted the written Law; the Pharisees believed in predestination, while the Sadducees believed in free will; the Pharisees believed in angels and spirits, while the Sadducees did not; and the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, while the Sadducees did not.

3. The Herodians: The Herodians (also known as the “Boethusians”) were an ancient Jewish sect whose members were mostly from the upper class of Jewish society. They supported the Herodian dynasty’s rule over Palestine (37 BC to 66 AD). Since the Herodian family was Idumean and not of pure Jewish blood, they did not have the support of most of the Jewish people or the Pharisees. The Herodians’ religious beliefs were very similar to those of the Sadducees, and their political stance was poles apart from the Pharisees, who supported Jewish independence. Yet, they united in their opposition to Jesus, plotting together to have Him killed.

4. The Zealots: The Zealots generally agreed with the teachings of the Pharisees but were politically radical, constantly instigating revolts against the Romans. One of Jesus’ twelve disciples, Simon, was a former Zealot.

5. The Essenes: It is said that there were over four thousand Essenes. They were even more rigorous than the Pharisees, living a communal, ascetic life away from politics. The famous “Dead Sea Scrolls” were discovered in the caves of the Qumran community, which belonged to the Essenes.

After the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, only the Pharisee faction survived. The tenets of the Pharisees became the basis of Rabbinic Judaism, which eventually evolved into the various branches of modern Orthodox Judaism.

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.