Sadducees

sad'u-sez, a religious and political party among the Hebrews. Our knowledge of them is derived chiefly from the New Testament and the writings of Josephus. Little is known of their origin, rise, or disappearance. They appear to have been bitterly opposed to the Pharisees, whom they regarded as fanatical and over zealous. The Sadducees denied the doctrine of the resurrection. They disputed the existence of angels and spirits. They formed at one time a powerful political party, but at the time of Christ their contentions had degenerated into mere scholastic quibblings.