Who's who? The Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees

The Pharisees:

They considered themselves to be the heirs of Ezra and believed the right exercise of their religion was centered upon strict observance of the Law, both the written Law and the oral traditions of the elders.  As such, they interpreted the obligations and prohibitions under the Law in the most severe way.  They believed in a future resurrection of the dead and in angels and spirits (Acts 23:8).  The Pharisees were very popular among the common people and are linked with the Scribes in the Gospels.(3)  The Pharisees are mentioned frequently in the Gospels as being hostile to Jesus' ministry.

The Sadducees:

They were numbered among the priestly aristocracy, and their supporters included the educated class of landowners and merchants.  The Sadducees only accepted the Torah of Moses as authoritative (first 5 books of the Old Testament).  They did not believe in a bodily resurrection of the dead (Mt 22:23; Lk 20:27), denied the existence of angels or spirits (Acts 23:8), and they supported peaceful cooperation with the Romans.  They were also hostile to Jesus, and they tried to trap Him on a question concerning levirate marriage and the resurrection (Mt 22:22-23).  The Sadducees were very hostile to the Apostles after Jesus' Ascension (Acts 4:1; 5:17).

The Scribes:

They are often mentioned with the Pharisees in Matthew's Gospel.  Scribes were men who received special training in reading, writing and record-keeping.  Most of the Levitical lesser ministers like St. Matthew were trained scribes.  In the Jewish community they often served as judges and synagogue leaders.  They also served as assistants to the chief priest, as teachers of the Law, and were often, like St. Matthew, appointed by the Romans to serve as province administrators.