What did the Sadducees not believe in or practice?

In Mark 12:18, we encounter the Sadducees, a religious group known for their unique beliefs, particularly concerning the resurrection. Unlike their Pharisee counterparts who embraced diverse interpretations of Jewish teachings, the Sadducees strictly adhered to the Torah and rejected any notion of afterlife, angels, or divine intervention beyond what’s explicitly stated in the texts. This made their confrontation with Jesus particularly compelling, as they aimed to catch him off guard with their complex scenario about marriage and resurrection.

Now, here's where it gets really fascinating: the Sadducees often dressed in fine garments, reflecting their wealthy standing and the influence they wielded within Jewish society. They primarily consisted of elite priests and aristocrats, which sharply contrasted with the regular folks Jesus addressed in his teachings. Did you know that their name might derive from “Zadok,” the high priest during King Solomon’s reign? This links them directly back to the temple practices that were central to their identity.

Interestingly, the Sadducees disappeared from history after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD. With their temple-centric beliefs in ruins, they just faded away, leaving the Pharisees—as the precursors to modern Judaism—as the primary influencers of religious thought that went forward. So, when thinking about the resurrection question, it's a key debate that not only reveals their beliefs but highlights vital teachings relevant to Jesus's mission, making us ponder about continuity between ideas of life, death, and what comes after.