n.
Member of a Jewish priestly sect that flourished for about two centuries, until the destruction (AD 70) of the Second Temple of Jerusalem .
Sadducees were generally wealthier, more conservative, and better connected politically than their rivals, the Pharisees . They believed in strict interpretation of the Torah and thus rejected such ideas as immortality of the soul, bodily resurrection after death, and the existence of angels. They viewed Jesus' ministry with mistrust and are believed to have played some part in his death. Their wealth and complicity with Roman rulers made them unpopular with the common people.