Jewish Sects

During Jesus' day, there were a number of Jewish sects. There were the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Scribes, Herodians, Zealots and perhaps others. Which sect did Jesus join?

The Sadducees were an elite party of Judaism, comprised mainly of aristocrats and other prominent citizens. They denied the resurrection and scoffed at the existence of angels and spirits (Acts 23:8).

The Pharisees were known for their strict observance of the law, but they were equally adamant concerning their own traditions. Scribes were men who wrote copies of the law for the people. Jesus condemned them both, saying, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" (Mt. 15:3), and later, He rebuked them again, saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" (Mt. 23:13-39). The Scribes and Pharisees wanted to appear righteous, but really their hearts were far from God.

The Essenes were even stricter than the Pharisees. They often lived in monastic-type communities, secluded from the rest of the world. Essenes rigorously maintained ceremonial purity, and believed that members could lead virtually spotless lives.

Was Jesus a Herodian (Mk. 3:6)? Herodians were basically Sadducees who were especially devoted to the house of King Herod. Or was our Lord a Zealot who staunchly opposed the Roman empire and craved the independence of the Jewish state (Lk. 6:15)?

Which Jewish denomination did Jesus join? The answer is, "none of the above!" He was simply a Jew whose focus was on obedience to God's law (Lk. 10:26). In fact, Jesus condemend these Jewish denominations in Matthew 15:13 when He said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted."

If Jesus was undenominational, we should be as well!

We are surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of different denominations and Christian sects. Instead of aligning ourselves with one of these denominations or sects, we should seek to align ourselves with Christ Himself. Avoid manmade denominations and seek to practice simple New Testament Christianity.