Are You a Pharisee?
Two people are having a spiritual or ethical discussion, one is a conservative Christian and the other more liberal. The conservative calls a popular teacher false, or says a culturally accepted behavior is sin, and points to what the Bible says.
The liberal responds by playing the Pharisee card. “You’re so unloving and legalistic clinging to the Bible and your doctrines. You’re a Pharisee!” Bam! The conservative is instantly discredited, and their arguments are invalid. But more than likely it’s the other way around.
During the time of Jesus, Jewish communities were governed by the Sanhedrin, made up two factions known as the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
The Great Sanhedrin (3rd century B.C. – 4th century A.D.) consisted of 70 men and the high priest, and met in the temple in Jerusalem. Sanhedrin is from a Greek word that means assembly or council.
The Sadducees took a very literal interpretation of Scripture, to the extent that they denied the resurrection of the dead because they didn’t believe it was in the Scriptures.
The Sadducees:
- Founded by Zadok in the 2nd century B.C.
- Were from the aristocratic class and had wealth and power.
- The chief priests and the high priest were likely Sadducees.
- Took a literal interpretation of the Scriptures.
- Denied the resurrection of the dead.
The Pharisees were more liberal with the Scriptures, and gave oral tradition equal authority to the written word of God.
The Pharisees:
- Divided into two groups: the Shammaites and the Hillelites.
- Made up more middle class men and businessmen.
- A minority in the Sanhedrin, but popular among the people.
- Took a liberal interpretation of the Scriptures, and made oral tradition equal in authority to the written word.
So you could say the Pharisees added to God’s word while the Sadducees subtracted from it. Both were self-righteous and believed their works made them good.
You shall not add to the word I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)
If someone calls you a Pharisee for being faithful to Scripture, they do so in ignorance for the Pharisees weren’t faithful to Scripture. Jesus said of them,
“They honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9).
Jesus didn’t call people who were faithful to His word Pharisees. He called them disciples. In John 8:31, He said,
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,”
…When we understand the text!
(This video is by WWUTT. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central.)
