Final answer:
The Pharisees and Sadducees were two prominent groups in Jewish society during Jesus' time. The Pharisees adhered to the letter of the law and believed in a coming messiah, while the Sadducees maintained that only priests needed to follow the full Mosaic law and did not believe in resurrection or a messiah.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Pharisees and Sadducees were two influential religious and political groups in Jewish society during the time of Jesus. The Pharisees were a sect that believed in strict adherence to the traditional and written law and thought that all Jews should follow the 613 commandments given by Moses. They promoted the concept that a messiah would arrive to fulfill the Biblical Covenant and bring about judgment. On the other hand, the Sadducees consisted mostly of powerful priests who claimed that only the Temple priests needed to follow the extensive Mosaic laws, while all Jews should keep to the Ten Commandments. The Sadducees generally held more aristocratic views, and they did not share the Pharisees' belief in the resurrection of the dead or in the coming of the messiah.
Differences between these groups often led to contrasting interpretations of Jewish law and practice, which is evident in their interactions with Jesus, as depicted in the New Testament. Jesus critiqued the Pharisees for their outward displays of piety yet inner corruption. These debates played an important role in the religious and social dynamics of the period.