Sadducee a member of a Jewish sect or party of the time of Christ that denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of spirits, and the obligation of oral tradition, emphasizing acceptance of the written Law alone. The name is occasionally used allusively for someone of a sceptical and materialist temperament.

Recorded from Old English, the word comes via late Latin and Greek from Hebrew ṣĕḏōqī in the sense ‘descendant of Zadok’ (2 Samuel 8:17). The prevailing modern view is that the Zadok referred to is the high-priest of David's time, from whom the priesthood of the Captivity and later periods claimed to be descended, and the late Jewish notion of a post-exilian Zadok as the founder of the sect is regarded as baseless.

Sadducees (săj´ŏŏsēz, săd´yŏŏ–), sect of Jews formed around the time of the Hasmonean revolt (c.200 BC). Little is known concerning their beliefs, but according to Josephus Flavius, they upheld only the authority of the written law, and not the oral tradition held by the Pharisees. They are believed to have had a small following, drawn primarily from the upper classes. Eventually, they reached an accommodation with the Pharisees, which allowed them to serve as priests in exchange for acceptance of Pharasitical rulings regarding the law. Their sect was centered on the cult of the Temple, and they ceased to exist after its destruction in AD 70.

See bibliography under Pharisees.

Sadducees. Jewish sect of the second Temple period. The Sadducees were made up of the more affluent members of the population. As Temple priests, they dominated Temple worship and formed a large proportion of Sanhedrin members. The name Sadducee is perhaps derived from King Solomon's high priest Zadok. They stood in opposition to the Pharisees in that they rejected the oral law and only accepted the supreme authority of the written Torah. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Sadducees ceased to exist.

Sadducee member of one of the three Jewish sects (the others being Pharisees and Essenes) of the time of Christ. OE. sad(d)ucēas, ME. saduceis, saduce(e)s, later Sadduces, pl.; — late L. Saddūcæus — late Gr. Saddoukaîos. f. late Heb. ṣaddūkī, prob. f. personal name ṣaddūk, ṣādhôḳ Zadok (2 Sam. 8: 17 etc.), the high priest of David's time from whom the priesthood of the Captivity and later periods claimed to be descended.

Sad·du·cee / ˈsajəˌsē; ˈsadyə-/ • n. a member of a Jewish sect or party of the time of Jesus Christ that denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of spirits, and the obligation of oral tradition, emphasizing acceptance of the written Law alone. Compare with Pharisee. DERIVATIVES: Sad·du·ce·an / ˌsajəˈsēən; ˌsadyə-/ adj.

Sadducees Jewish sect active in Judaea from c.200 bc until the fall of Jerusalem in ad 70. By the time of Jesus, the main difference between the Sadducees and the Pharisees was the former's refusal to recognize the oral traditions surrounding the Scriptures as part of Hebrew Law.

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