Just for clarification, for those who think seminary students don't know anything, there were actually 4 different groups in Jesus' day who thought they had all the answers.
1. Pharisees - knew the bible well, tried to keep the law, because they didn't want to be taken away to Babylon for disobedience again. The name means "separate" because they finally listened to God, to separate themselves from the surrounding nations. Too little, too late? Some were saved, or wanted to know more, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethia. There is also an interesting reference to Jesus going to the house of Simon, a Pharisee. (Luke 7:35-50). They were all interested in hearing what Jesus had to say. Yes, the chief priest was a Pharisee, hard of heart, and a pawn of Satan, but not all were. Yes, they were instrumental in the crucifixion of Jesus. But then, God can use whoever he wants to accomplish his purposes.Oh yes, the Pharisees became our modern day Jews. After Jerusalem was destroyed, they sat down and codified the OT laws, coming up with interesting interpretations, like "do not boil a goat in his mother's milk" meaning, separate all your utensils into milk and meat, and never use the wrong one, or they will be contaminated. Kosher food laws, in other words.
2. Sadducees - these were the ones who didn't believe in the spiritual realm, the resurrection, and certainly not Jesus. They were not as powerful as the Pharisees, and they often fought with them over doctrine. They were wiped out after the fall of Jerusalem.
3. Essenes - these were the ones living in the caves in communities, trying to be spiritual through study and austere living. They sought holiness at all costs. They stored Scriptures in caves, in the desert, lived in communities. No one really knows what happened to them, suffice it to say, their traditions were wiped out with the fall of Jerusalem. Supposedly, John the Baptist was one, although Scripture doesn't confirm it, what he wore and ate certainly fits with the Essenes. I think they were really into bathing, too! Washing away their sins.
4. Zealots - These were the Jews who were rebels, wanted to set up an earthly Kingdom and overthrow the Romans. Simon the Zealot, listed in all 4 gospel disciple lists, and in Acts, was one of these. They started a revolt in 66 AD, which led to the Romans bringing in legions, and the sacking of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews. The last zealots died at Masada, by suicide, when the Romans laid seige to that mountain castle.
So, did Jesus pick a zealot, who didn't understand the spiritual side, without knowing what he stood for? This was an apostle! The only sect we don't hear of following Jesus was the Sadducees. Perhaps because they did not believe in angels, let alone the spiritual, there was no place for them?
In any event, I have no doubt, at least for 1, 3 and 4 above, that there were people who did have a spiritual relationship with God. Not every Pharisee was a chief priest out to get Jesus. Not every Zealot was closed to the possibility of a spiritual Kingdom of God. These were the Jewish denominations of those days.
Just as today, there are true believers in every denomination and non-denom! What did Jesus say about who true believers are, when asked by the Sadducees, and the Pharisees?
"And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions." Mark 12; 28-34
