Who were the Pharisees? Pt. 1
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Main Question for today...
Are the Pharisees who we think they are?
The purpose of this series is to use a biblical approach in studying the characters, themes, and teachings of the Bible in order to bring us to a more mature faith in God.
As we look at the Pharisees in the New Testament today, consider how your perspectives of the Pharisees changes as we learn from the biblical narrative of their story.
Opening thought
Imagine you are sharing your faith with someone who is not a Christian and they ask you "Hey, I've heard of the name 'the Pharisees' before, but I don't know anything about them. Tell me who the Pharisees were and tell me their story." What would you say?
Some of their stories may include...
Jesus calls them hypocrites, self-righteous, and legalistic - Matthew 23:1-36; Luke 11:37-54
They are said to only care about outward appearances - Matthew 23:1-36
They tried to trap Jesus on multiple occasions
Jesus calls them white-washed tombs, brood of vipers, and stiff-necked.
They missed the heart of Jesus' teachings and God's word
Some would say they directly stood in opposition to Jesus' mission
The Pharisees stand as a powerful example of what not to do when it comes to legalism and prioritizing tradition over God's word. But the Pharisees are not all that we think.
Compared to the other Judeo-religious sects, Jesus spent the most time with the Pharisees
What are the four major sects of Israelite beliefs during the time of Jesus?
Essenes: Religious separatists that believed the established religious institutions of Yahwism were corrupt, Practiced water cleansings, and a strict adherence to rules, regulations, and law codes--Far more than the other sects.
Zealots: Political upheavals that, through the use of physical violence, sought to overthrow the Roman empire through the commissioning of the Messiah to install Israel as the leading world power.
Sadducees: An upper-class group that compromised their general allegiance to YHWH by buddying up to the Roman empire. Believed only the Pentateuch was authoritative.
Pharisees: the People’s teachers who focused on accurate interpretation of the Law in an effort to protect it and Israel from false teachings and law-breaking. Overstepped when tradition and legalism took hold.
Of these groups, who is mentioned the most within the New Testament, especially in the Gospel accounts of Christ?
Why do you think that is?
Read Matt. 9:10-13, 12:1-2, 15:1-12; Mark 7:1-8; Luke 11:37-41, 14:1
What do these interactions look like between Jesus and the Pharisees?
Where are the other religious sects in all of this?
It's important to note that time spent does not equal correct theology, interpretation, motives, etc. However, it begs the question "why did Jesus spend so much time with the Pharisees?" Sure, there are always hecklers, but the Pharisees always seem close by. Why do you think that is given what we just talked about?
Pharisees were highly regarded by the people
Read Matthew 23:1-7
Jesus’ critique and corrections of the Pharisees aside, how are the Pharisees viewed by the people of Israel as religious leaders? Why do you think that is?
Note also that even Jesus instructs his followers to listen to and obey the words of the Pharisees. However, he warns them not to imitate the Pharisee's actions.
The Pharisees, throughout the New Testament, constantly strive towards a meticulous observance of the Law and traditions. Why is this significant and what does it say about their faithfulness to God?
Pharisees were viewed as guardians of Jewish tradition and Jewish identity in the face of Roman persecution and corruption. Pharisees were the equivalent of today's "Sunday School" teachers in synagogues and the temple. Remember, biblical Israel had always struggled with proper YHWH worship–which is why they went into exile. The Pharisees taught the people of Israel over the course of 200-300 years how to get back on track and stay true to YHWH. They just went too far in the other direction and became legalistic.
Read John 9:13-34
Notice the amount of Scripture, law codes, and understanding of Torah fills this passage
Next week we will pick up the second half of this lesson and address a few more silver linings the Pharisees had going for them.