Last week, while reading John 10, I came across a verse where the Jews wanted to stone Jesus (verse 33), accusing Him of blasphemy. It reminded me of how the Pharisees and Sadducees constantly opposed Him.
That got me thinking; Jesus was sent to earth to die for our sins, right? As frustrating as the Pharisees and Sadducees were, they actually played a role in fulfilling that prophecy. But then I wondered if they would be condemned for doing something that was necessary for God’s plan? After all, without them, would Jesus have been crucified?
Pharisees: the “Separate Ones”
The Pharisees can be found during the Maccabean period (around 160–140 BC). They are a group of religious leaders whose goal was to strictly interpret and apply Jewish law.
They were teachers, scribes, and religious leaders who oversaw synagogues. They weren’t priests but had great religious influence over the people.
- Beliefs:
- Strict observance of the law (Torah) plus oral traditions (later written down as the Talmud).
- Belief in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8).
- Belief in angels, demons, and the afterlife.
- Expected a coming Messiah but misunderstood His mission.
They hated Jesus because He challenged their traditions and exposed their hypocrisy (Mark 7:6-8).
Sadducees: the Priestly Aristocrats
The Sadducees were connected to Zadok, the high priest during Solomon’s time. They became the wealthy, aristocratic, priestly class.
They controlled the temple in Jerusalem and served as priests and members of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council).
- Beliefs:
- Only accepted the written Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy).
- Did NOT believe in the resurrection, angels, or spirits (Acts 23:8).
- Believed in free will (God does not intervene in human affairs).
- Focused on earthly power and politics rather than spiritual matters.
They were seen as worldly, corrupt, and power-hungry. They feared losing power under Roman rule and saw Jesus as a threat to the temple system (John 11:48-50).
Both the Pharisees and Sadducees played a part in Jesus’ trial and crucifixion:
- The Pharisees conspired to trap Jesus in theological debates (Luke 20:20-26).
- The Sadducees, high priests like Caiaphas, worked with the Romans to have Jesus crucified (John 18:12-14).
Would the Pharisees & Sadducees make it to Heaven?
This is the big question. The short answer I found is that based on scripture; many Pharisees and Sadducees rejected Jesus and would not enter the Kingdom of God unless they repented and believed in Him.
Jesus called them the children of the devil (John 8:44) because they rejected Him, the only way to salvation (John 14:6).
The crucifixion was always part of God’s divine plan to save humanity (Acts 2:23). But even though Jesus’ death was predestined, the Pharisees and Sadducees were still responsible for their choices. God’s foreknowledge doesn’t mean they were puppets with no free will. The bible mentions wicked men being responsible for His death but these two groups didn’t have to be the wicked men in particular (if the shoe fits I guess). God’s plan was going to happen regardless, but that doesn’t mean the people involved were innocent. They acted out of their own wickedness, and God used their choices to fulfill His purpose.
Some Pharisees and Jews did repent and believe (Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Paul). This shows that even though many Pharisees rejected Jesus, their fate wasn’t sealed until they died in unbelief. It means that although the prophecy would have been fulfilled, God didn’t handpick the Pharisees and Sadducees to condemn them to hell. Even after crucifying Him, they still had the choice to repent and believe in Him (I mean they saw so many signs and wonders and were still stubborn to the end). They were not forced into condemnation; anyone who repents can be saved.
Think of it like this: If a criminal kills someone and later we find out it was prophesied, does that mean the killer is innocent? No, because he still chose to commit the crime. The same applies to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
God is all-knowing (Isaiah 46:9-10) and He has foreknowledge of everything so He knew that the Pharisees and Sadducees would eventually be the ones to fulfill the prophecy, but that doesn’t mean He forces people to make certain choices.
I sincerely pray that we are never put in a position where we fulfill a negative prophecy and suffer the consequences!
Stay Blessed x
Leave a Reply