The Pharisees and Sadducees were godly and knowledgeable groups. They knew scripture and were well versed in Jewish culture, yet John and later Jesus disparaged them for not being in touch with what God wanted them to be. They were too caught up in their own worlds and failed to address what was close to God’s heart. The general population needed love, health, food, and a personal connection to God. Matthew 3:7-10.