This is an excerpt from the Church Series: Counter Culture 2 themed: Learning from the Pharisees. The objective of the said series is to understand the genuine and Biblical way of serving the Lord.
Key Verse
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
— Matthew 5:20
Section 1: Who were the Pharisees
The word “Pharisee” is mostly found in the New Testament, especially on the Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
Pharisees: Number of Mentions in the Bible
Pharisees are Jewish sect, prominent in during the time of Jesus.
Biblical Descriptions:
- Political leaders of the Jews (Mt. 27:62–64)
- Members of the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:6)
- Leaders of the Synagogue (Jn. 9:13)
- Official Interpreters of the Law (Mt. 23:2)
- Strict observers of the Law of Moses (Mt. 12:2, 8–14)
- Strict adherents of Jewish traditions (Mt. 7:2–3)
- Believed circumcision is necessary (Ac. 15:5)
- Believed in the resurrection & in angels (Ac. 23:8)
- Tried to remain separate from sinners (Mt. 9:11)
- Promoted Judaism throughout the world (Mt. 23:15)
Famous Pharisees in the Bible:
- Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1)
- Gamaliel (Acts 5:34)
- Paul (Acts 23:6; Php. 3:5)
Section 2: What’s wrong with the Pharisees
Key verses:
I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge.
— Romans 10:2
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
— Matthew 3:7–8
Jesus Criticized the Pharisees for the following reasons:
- For their Lack of True Righteousness (Mt. 5:20)
- For their Questionable Teachings (Mt. 16:6, 11–12)
- For persecuting God’s Messengers (Mt. 21:33–46; Mt. 23:33–46)
- For failing to Understand Scriptures (Mt. 22:41–45)
- For their Hypocrisy (Mt. 23:1–32; Lk. 11:37–44; Lk. 18:9–14)
- For their Lack of Concern for People (Lk. 14:1–14)
- For their Love of Money (Lk. 16:14–15)
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
— 1 Peter 1:9
So perhaps it’s better to think of the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and experts of the Law this way: when Jesus came onto the scene, Israel needed a heart transplant, and these groups were like an overactive immune system, rejecting the very thing they needed to survive. — Ryan Nelson
Conclusion:
Pharisees alike, WE ALL NEED JESUS.
