You will hear about the Sadducees this Sunday. Do you know who they were? Do not worry. There will be no quiz, and no one will be voted off the island.

The Sadducees were one of several religious groups in Jesus’ time. They were the temple crowd, well-dressed, well-connected, and not exactly the life of the party. They believed only in the first five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Since those books do not mention angels or resurrection, they figured both were just rumors. That is why, when Jesus spoke about life after death, the Sadducees got, well, sad you see (ba-dum-tss)!

Their rivals, the Pharisees, were the synagogue teachers and scholars who related more easily to ordinary people. The two groups loved to debate. You might say they were the original talking heads long before cable news.

Before we roll our eyes too hard at the Sadducees, maybe we should cut them a little slack. They were simply sticking to what they knew. Sola scriptura, as Martin Luther would later put it, means “Scripture alone.” Luther stood before the powers of his day and said, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” The Sadducees might have said the same thing, only without the Reformation flair.

Modern Judaism still has different expressions: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, each holding Scripture and tradition in a slightly different balance. Christianity shows the same kind of variety.

So this Sunday, when you hear about those rule-keeping Sadducees, remember that faith has always included lively conversation and even argument. It is one way people of faith grow.

Join us for worship this Sunday, November 9, at 9:30 AM. You will learn a little history, hear a good debate, and leave reminded that faith which wrestles with questions is faith that remains alive.

Blessings,

Pastor Marc