Religious groups in the time of Jesus?

Answer 1

The two main Jewish groups in Jesus' time were the Pharisees or Perushim (פרושים) and the Sadducees or Zadokim (צדוקים). There were several minority religious Jewish groups as well like the Samaritans and Essenes.

Answer 2

From a Jewish perspective, and from the perspective of the Bible, there were Jews, Proselytes (those who had converted to Judaism) and Gentiles (anyone not a Jew or a Proselyte).

The possible answers to this question are virtually infinite though. Romans had a different perspective than the Jews. Greek perspective would have differed from both of those two groups. Egyptians: still another perspective.

Answer 3

Quite often in The Bible we hear of Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees(Matthew 3:7+ 8), though the Scribes (usually connected to Pharisees) could side with either Pharisaic or Sadduceic thinking.

Sadducees were religious leaders who passionately believed only in the written Law.

Pharisees defended the written Law, but also their verbal traditions.

Essenes isolated themselves in separated communities and were even more judgemental than the Pharisees

(Scribes were scholars . They saw themselves as Ezra's successors and explainers of the Law. They were well studied and knowledgeable in the Mosaic Law. Some scribes were connected with the Sadducees, and some were connected to the Pharisees (Acts 23:6-9) (Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30), and disagreements were constantly erupting.

All three were bitter enemies of Christianity, and usually each other.)

There were also:

Politically, the Herodians, Jewish zealots, Jewish moderates, were in constant disagreement.

Moderates were often considered 'free thinkers' and wanted the Jewish system to be completely absorbed by Rome.

Zealots advocated a Jewish kingdom completely independent of Rome (this often included the Pharisees).

Herodians(not true Jews, but Idumeans) were more political than religious; they claimed to follow the Law but supported Herod, and didn't believe in theocratic rule under the Jewish kings OR Roman rule. They wanted a national kingdom restored under the sons of Herod (often included Sadducees).(Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:15)

All three groups hated eachother, but hated Jesus more, often working together to find ways to destroy him. (Matthew 22:16; Mark3:6; 12:13)

Answer 4

According to the Bible, there are 2 religious groups in the time of Jesus - The Pharisees and the Sadducee's.

The Pharisees believed in the resurrection and in angels. The Sadducee's believed in neither.

Answer 5

The big two were the Saducees, who focused on the priestly rituals at the Temple in Jerusalem and were willing to make almost any compromise with Rome so long as those rituals could continue uninterrupted, and the Pharisees who focused on avoiding Hellenistic influences and on keeping the Jewish tradition alive in the daily lives of their followers through regular prayer, study and teaching in local synagogues. The Zealots took rejection of Hellenism and Rome one step farther, urging armed rebellion, while the Essenes considered the Saducees and particularly the High Priest to be userpers and fled into desert communities to await messianic deliverance from both Rome and the userpers.