Which of the following did NOT believe in the resurrection of the dead?

This question is asking which group of people did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The options provided are the Essenes, the Herodians, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. The correct answer is option D, the Sadducees.

The Sadducees were a Jewish sect that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They only accepted the Torah as scripture and rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, on the other hand, did believe in the resurrection of the dead and were known for their strict adherence to the oral traditions and interpretation of scripture.

The Essenes were another Jewish sect that lived a communal lifestyle and believed in the resurrection of the dead. The Herodians were a political group that supported the rule of the Herodian dynasty and their beliefs on the resurrection of the dead are not well documented.

In summary, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead while the Essenes and Pharisees did. The Herodians' beliefs on the subject are not clear.