The answer is: Resurrection

Mark 12:18

The Sadducees were quite the intriguing group! They only recognized the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah, so unlike the Pharisees, who embraced oral traditions and scribal interpretations, the Sadducees held a strictly literal understanding of scripture. This led them to dismiss concepts like resurrection and angels, which they couldn’t find explicitly in those first five books.

Isn't it interesting that their focus on the here and now often made them seem more practical to the common folk? With their elite status as priestly aristocrats, they wielded considerable power in mainstream Judaism and collaborated closely with the Roman authorities of their time. Talk about being caught between two worlds!

Mark 12:18 places the resurrection question right in the Sadducees’ court, and you can almost picture the setting like a lively debate. They approached Jesus with their puzzling scenario about a woman who married several brothers, illustrating their skepticism about life after death. While their arguments were dead-set against resurrected life, Jesus skillfully answered them by referencing God's ongoing relationship with His people, suggesting that He is the God of the living, not the dead.

And here's a cool piece of trivia: Did you know the term "Sadducee" has a clever little etymology? Some think it comes from “tsadiq,” which means “righteous”—a play on their name that underscores their conflict with the belief systems around them, showing how ideas about righteousness can vary widely throughout religious traditions!