Short Talks on Scripture Characters.

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Chapter 2. The Sadducee.
I WAS telling you last time that the Pharisees made what they called a “hedge” about the law, by adding to it on all sides. For instance, when they read the command given by the Lord in Ex. 23:1919The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. (Exodus 23:19), “Thou shalt not seethe (or boil) a kid in his mother’s milk,” they said, “No flesh shall be cooked with milk under any circumstances.” This they declared was a “hedge” to protect God’s law. We have seen what the Lord said about it when He was upon earth, “Ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition.” Mark 7:99And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (Mark 7:9).
Now the Sadducees were exactly opposite to the Pharisees. They taught that the law of Moses was to be taken just as it was written, neither adding to it, nor taking from it. They declared that the Pharisees were over much righteous, and that they believed in being only righteous, and it is thought that the name, Sadducee, came from the word “zaddikim” which in their language meant “righteous:” But though all this sounds right, and we all agree with them in not accepting the traditions of men, we must not forget that they too held doctrines which are quite opposed to the word of God. We are told plainly what they believed, or rather did not believe, in Acts 8, “The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit.” This doctrine is what they tried to puzzle the Lord Jesus with, but He who knows all things, and has all wisdom, answered them in such a manner that they dared not ask Him any other question. (Luke 20:27-3027Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, 28Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. (Luke 20:27‑30).) The Sadducees were not so large a party as the Pharisees, and were forced to bow to their opinion in all points connected with the sacrifices, burning of incense, and other parts of the temple worship, for there were priests who were Pharisees, and also priests who were Sadducees. (John 11:4747Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. (John 11:47), Acts 5:1717Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, (Acts 5:17).) We find however that the Sadducees belonged to the richest and most luxurious people of the Jews, including many wealthy priests, while the Pharisees were supported by the mass of the people, who looked up to them, with the greatest reverence.
Another point too we may notice, that in the Gospels we find the Pharisees opposing the Lord Jesus and His works and words in every possible way. But after He had gone back again to His Father in heaven, and His disciples began boldly to preach the resurrection of the dead, we read again and again of the Sadducees’ hatred to this doctrine, for how could they who did not believe in any future state, accept the fact that the Lord Jesus was risen from the dead; we see this especially in Acts 23, where we read the account of Paul’s imprisonment. Even now in our days we find, people who do not believe in a hereafter, but if we should meet with such, let us remember the words of the Lord Jesus, when questioned by the Sadducees, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.” Matt. 22:2929Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29).
ML 07/07/1912