Pastor John,
I was reading in Acts 23 last night and after reading verse 8, it left me with a question.
What were the differences in beliefs between the Sadducees and the Jews regarding the resurrection (resurrection of the dead. Afterlife?) Who are the Sadducees?
Seems like such difference beliefs would make it very difficult to sit and judge together in the first place. Unless of course, it was never really about their belief or God but about power and pride?
Act 23:8. “The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but Pharisees acknowledge them all.”
I have felt such love for Paul reading in Acts again. I also read this and it went in a little deeper that, Jesus is not worried about you being uncomfortable, to get His will done.
Jesus gave Paul the wisdom and words to stir up that room full of Sadducees and Pharisees, to the point of violence, just to get him to Rome.
10. “And when the dispute grew violent, the tribune, afraid lest Paul be torn apart by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and pull him out of their midst and take him back to headquarters.
11. The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, Paul. For as you have testified of things concerning me in Jerusalem, likewise you must also bear witness in Rome.’”
Beth Durham
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Hi Beth.
My impression of the Sadducees is that they were the more sophisticated, upper crust religious sect, like the Episcopalian or Catholics sects, while the Pharisees were the fundamentalist, Bible-thumping Baptist of their time.
They had major theological differences, yes, but they were very capable of working together to suppress and persecute the truth whenever God raised up men to speak it.
Nothing has changed.
Pastor John