Did the Jews Kill Jesus? Pharisees vs Sadducees

Another AllExperts Question and my answer shared:

Questioner: Chris
Private: no
Subject: Pharisees vs Sadducees
Question: I am confused about the differences between the sadducees and pharisees of the new testament. Which of these groups were the more conservative and traditionalist? And which of these groups hated Jesus and had him killed?

My reply:

Hi Chris,

Basically, the Sadducees were associated with the Holy Temple as priests and administrators. When Jerusalem and the Temple fell to Rome circa 70 CE they ceased to exist for all practical intent and purpose.

The Pharisees still exist and today are known as the Rabbis. Rabbinical Judaism (which includes the Ultra-Orthodox, Orthodox, Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism) forms the majority of the Jewish religion. Non-rabbinical Judaism, like the Karaite Movement, is of little importance but also continues to exist. Some argue that the Karaites are what remains of the Sadducees sect but that is debatable and in my opinion unlikely.

NONE of the Jews had Jesus killed.

Jesus was executed under Roman law by the Romans.

The main issue that angered the first century Jewish leaders was Jesus' rejection of the Oral Torah (the Talmuds etc). Throughout the Gospel accounts he criticizes their reliance on "the traditions of men." These "traditions" are talking about the Oral Torah.

According to the Pharisees (the principle Jewish teachers) the Hebrew prophets presented the Moshiach (Messiah) as a political leader who would defeat Israel's enemies and establish a global reign of peace based in Jerusalem: ie the Kingdom of God. There are a great many references in the Hebrew Scriptures that support this understanding.

We read in the Gospels how people wanted Jesus to lead an army and overthrow Rome and establish God's Kingdom and yet he did not do this. He said, 'Give to Rome the things that are Rome's and to God's those things that belong to God.' This is not the function of the Moshiach according to the Hebrew Prophets and so the Jews, who were very concerned about the serious threats posed by Rome to their people, rejected him as a dangerous appeaser. Some of these leaders determined that, 'its better for one man to die than for the entire nation to fall' according to Acts, but while they did not seek to prevent his execution and many supported it, they did not order it nor did they have the authority to do so, Rome did. Of course, the nation did fall in 70 CE as Jesus' predicted at Matt 24:1-.

Hope this clarifies things for you,

Maranatha,
~ John of AllFaith