514
The Desire of Ages
tion. They were exact in outward ceremonies, diligent in washings,
fastings, and long prayers, and ostentatious in almsgiving. But Christ
declared that they made void the law of God by teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men. As a class they were bigoted and hypo-
critical; yet among them were persons of genuine piety, who accepted
Christ’s teachings and became His disciples. The Sadducees rejected
the traditions of the Pharisees. They professed to believe the greater
portion of the Scriptures, and to regard them as the rule of action; but
practically they were skeptics and materialists.
The Sadducees denied the existence of angels, the resurrection
of the dead, and the doctrine of a future life, with its rewards and
punishments. On all these points they differed with the Pharisees.
Between the two parties the resurrection was especially a subject of
controversy. The Pharisees had been firm believers in the resurrection,
but in these discussions their views in regard to the future state became
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confused. Death became to them an inexplicable mystery. Their
inability to meet the arguments of the Sadducees gave rise to continual
irritation. The discussions between the two parties usually resulted in
angry disputes, leaving them farther apart than before.
In numbers the Sadducees fell far below their opponents, and they
had not so strong a hold upon the common people; but many of them
were wealthy, and they had the influence which wealth imparts. In
their ranks were included most of the priests, and from among them the
high priest was usually chosen. This was, however, with the express
stipulation that their skeptical opinions should not be made prominent.
On account of the numbers and popularity of the Pharisees, it was
necessary for the Sadducees to concede outwardly to their doctrines
when holding any priestly office; but the very fact that they were
eligible to such office gave influence to their errors.
The Sadducees rejected the teaching of Jesus; He was animated by
a spirit which they would not acknowledge as manifesting itself thus;
and His teaching in regard to God and the future life contradicted their
theories. They believed in God as the only being superior to man; but
they argued that an overruling providence and a divine foresight would
deprive man of free moral agency, and degrade him to the position
of a slave. It was their belief, that, having created man, God had left
him to himself, independent of a higher influence. They held that man
was free to control his own life and to shape the events of the world;