Martin Tanner describes the Jewish sects that existed about a century before the time of Christ, during the lifetime of Christ, and about a century after, including the Maccabees, Sadducees, Phrisees, Zealots, Essenes, Gelileans, and several Baptist groups. The Maccabees were the first sect within Judaism.  The Sadducees denied the resurrection.  The Pharisees were the "lawyers" of the New Testament era.  They knew the laws of Judaism.. The Zealots did not separate religion and politics, and were the terrorists of their day, killing with knives those who they thought were thwarting the truth.  The Essenes were the Dead Sea Scrolls community.  They though themselves to be the livers of the higher law.