Sadducees Theology

Sadducees Theology: Spirits, Angels, Resurrection

By Merritt Robinson

At this present moment, our Young Adult group is going through the book of Acts. We recently covered Acts 23 and there is a particular portion within the chapter, Acts 23:8, which states that Sadducees believe not in the resurrection, angels, or spirits. Someone who attends our study recently asked me “if the Sadducees didn’t believe in angels and spirits wouldn’t they have major issues with the Old Testament scriptures”. I hope to provide an answer to this question by providing some insight to Sadducees theology and additionally providing a biblical perspective from the totality of the scriptures concerning the resurrection, angels, and spirits.

Let me first provide some theological background in regards to the previously mentioned issues based upon scripture. The first mention of angels is made in Genesis 16:7. Most scholars and theologians believe this mention of “the angel of the Lord” in Genesis 16:7 refers to the second person of the trinity, Jesus Christ. Additionally, there are many other references to angel and angels in the Old and New Testament scriptures. The references to ‘spirit(s)’ are vast in the biblical text. As Drs. Guy P. Duffield and Nathaniel M. Van Cleave have insinuated, there is much confusion with the word spirit within the biblical scriptures. In their book, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, they mention that “unless the context shows that an independent spirit-being is meant, it seems best to take most phrases such as a haughty spirit, a hasty spirit, a spirit of slumber, a spirit of jealousy, etc., to be sins of the disposition of lusts of the flesh, and not demons”. (Duffield, Van Cleave, p 496) Now this does not mean there are no such things as spirits, angels, demons or etc. Jesus mentioned to the woman at the well, John 4:24 that God was spirit and He must be worshiped in spirit and truth. Thus, Jesus confirmed the fact of spirits and the spiritual realm.

Now let us proceed to the theology of the Sadducees. Sadducees were extremely conservative and they only accorded authority to the Torah. They rejected notions and beliefs in the resurrection, rewards and punishments after death, demonology, angelology, and apocalyptic speculations. (Duffield, Van Cleave, p 461) In essence, they felt that the Torah did not adequately validate angels or spirits. Additionally, there was also the debate concerning the resurrection and the after life. The Sadducees believed there were Old Testament books that referred to the resurrection (Ezekiel 37, I Samuel 2:6, Job 19:26, Isaiah 26:19, and Daniel 12) but these references only pointed to the potentiality of the resurrection and not the actual proof or fulfillment of both the resurrection of the righteous and wicked. (John Bright, A History of Israel, p 451) Additionally, other 2nd century writers either knew nothing of such a belief or explicitly denied it. Thus even at the end of the Old Testament period, belief in a future life was by no means unanimous. (Bright, p 451)

The Pharisees brought an alternative viewpoint to the discussion, especially when one analyzed the persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanes, a Seleucid ruler, who had persecuted the Jews and desecrated their temple. In the eyes of the Pharisees, there had to be a way for vindication and justice to be delivered beyond the grave. (Bright, p 451) Thus, this is the Pharisees reasoning for the resurrection to everlasting life or shame.

Did the Sadducees have an issue with the Old Testament scriptures? The question could be answered in the negative and affirmative. The Sadducees would state they were diligent followers of the Torah but the bible demonstrates their deficiencies in following the clear truth of God’s word in regards to angelology and spirits. Additionally, their belief or lack thereof in the resurrection is reasonable based upon the fact that none had been resurrected before Lazarus or Jesus. However, once Jesus demonstrated His power to resurrect others and Himself, they should have humbled and submitted themselves to the truth of the resurrection.

Now here is the key, what does the totality of scripture state about the resurrection, angels, and spirits? First, angels appear in the scriptures from the first book of the bible, Genesis, to the last book of the bible, Revelation. As stated up above, the angel of the Lord is mentioned in Genesis 16:7. Yes, the angel of the Lord within this verse does refer to Jesus Christ but nevertheless it does not negate the fact of the spiritual realm. Two angels came to Sodom and Gomorrah and delivered Lot and his family before the judgment of the Lord. In Daniel, Michael the archangel of the Lord provided a message from the Lord as a response to a prayer from Daniel. In Acts 12, Peter was rescued from jail by an angel. I could continue but there is plenty of evidence for angels within the bible. Second, there is an abundance of evidence for spirits and the spiritual realm. In the book of Leviticus (Lev 19:31, 20:6), God warns the nation of Israel to avoid spiritists or those who call up spirits from the dead. Throughout the gospels, Jesus cast out evil and wicked spirits such as the man who had a legion of demons physically within him (Mark 5:1-13). Therefore, there is substantial evidence to support spirits and demons. Finally, the fact of the resurrection was the pivotal point within the debate between Sadducee and Pharisee. There were scriptures within the text of the bible that referred to the resurrection but the Sadducees would state there was no actual or physical proof of the resurrection, just a philosophical argument for the belief in the resurrection. Jesus completely eradicated this ideology with his resurrection of Lazarus and finally with His own resurrection after being buried in the tomb for three days and nights. This is why the Sadducees were so upset about Jesus and this new sect called Christianity. The resurrection completely and totally destroyed their religious ideals and thoughts and they had to either reject their philosophy and fall to their knees before the Cross of Christ or dwell within their ignorance, blindly rejecting the truth of the resurrection. They chose the later unfortunately.

The doctrine of angels, demons and etc. is important but more important in my estimation is the belief in the resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. Paul states in I Corinthians 15:4 “and that he was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”. I hope you are not like the Sadducees, rejecting the truth of God’s word. Instead search out the scriptures and be a Berean, determining if those things which are stated in the bible are the truth of God’s word.