The Pharisees were a prominent religious group in Judaism during the Second Temple period, known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions. They often found themselves in theological and ethical debates with Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament. These encounters are significant for understanding the dynamics between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time.

Context and Background

The Pharisees emerged as a distinct group during the intertestamental period, emphasizing purity, tithing, and Sabbath observance. They held significant influence over the Jewish populace and were often seen as the guardians of the Law. Their commitment to the Torah and the oral traditions set them apart from other groups like the Sadducees, who were more aligned with the priestly and aristocratic classes.

Encounters with Jesus

The Gospels frequently depict the Pharisees approaching Jesus with questions, often with the intent to test or trap Him. These interactions reveal both the Pharisees' concerns and Jesus' authoritative teaching.

1. Question of Authority: In Matthew 21:23, the Pharisees, along with the chief priests, question Jesus' authority: "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" . This question reflects their challenge to Jesus' actions and teachings, which often contradicted their interpretations of the Law.

2. Paying Taxes to Caesar: In Matthew 22:15-22, the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus with a politically charged question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus' response, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21), demonstrates His wisdom in navigating complex social and political issues.

3. The Greatest Commandment: In Matthew 22:34-40, a Pharisee, an expert in the Law, asks Jesus to identify the greatest commandment. Jesus replies, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39). This response encapsulates the essence of the Law and the Prophets, challenging the Pharisees' focus on legalistic observance.

4. Divorce and Marriage: In Matthew 19:3-9, the Pharisees question Jesus about the legality of divorce. Jesus refers them back to the creation narrative, emphasizing the sanctity and permanence of marriage: "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6).

5. Sign from Heaven: In Matthew 16:1-4, the Pharisees and Sadducees demand a sign from Jesus to prove His authority. Jesus rebukes them for their inability to interpret the "signs of the times" and points to the sign of Jonah as the only sign they will receive.

Theological Implications

The Pharisees' questions often reveal their misunderstanding of the heart of God's Law. Jesus consistently redirects their focus from external observance to internal transformation and genuine righteousness. His responses highlight the importance of love, mercy, and faithfulness over ritualistic adherence.

Conclusion

The interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees serve as a profound exploration of the nature of true righteousness and the kingdom of God. Through these encounters, Jesus challenges the prevailing religious norms and calls His followers to a deeper, more authentic relationship with God.Matthew 19:3
The Pharisees also came to him, tempting him, and saying to him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 22:15-22
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Nave's Topical Index

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the ...
... 1:15], there came upon him { ^b come ^a unto him ... and had, in no uncertain terms,
designated Jesus as immeasurably ... Now, if the Pharisees admitted that John was a ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cviii in reply to the.htm

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the ...
... c 16 [Jesus said] He will come and destroy ... [The quotation is from Psalm 118:22, 23,
which is here by Jesus applied as a prophecy to the Pharisees, who, in ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cviii in reply to the 3.htm

Discourse of Jesus against the Scribes and Pharisees.
... Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying ... Woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites ... from city to city: that upon you may come all the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/discourse of jesus against the.htm

Some Words and Works of Jesus
... told them a story to teach them not to be proud like the Pharisees. ... At the time when
Jesus lived on the earth, lepers were not allowed to come into cities ...
/.../anonymous/the good shepherd/chapter vi some words and.htm

Jesus the Christ.
... Jesus, reared at Nazareth, coming to Jerusalem from Galilee, was ... for his hour was
not yet come." (John 7 ... came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus the christ.htm

The Leaven of the Pharisees
... heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the ... prepares us for what is soon
to come, the contrast ... And Jesus, perceiving this, remonstrated in a series of ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 8 11-21 the leaven of.htm

The Murderous Rejection.
... unmoved by the cunning effort of the Pharisees to get ... the outside, non-Jewish world
brings to Jesus a vision ... The harvest can come only through the grain giving ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/the murderous rejection.htm

Jesus Before Caiphas.
... The Pharisees of Sephoris, with whom he had once ... and the witnesses appeared to come
forward for ... Council employed themselves in questioning Jesus, and turning ...
/.../chapter viii jesus before caiphas.htm

Jesus Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum.
... b 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him ... The Pharisees were not faulty in their
logic, but were ... As to this pronounced forgiveness of Jesus, two questions ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxxv jesus heals a paralytic.htm

Jesus Betrayed, Arrested, and Forsaken.
... men from the temple guard or Levitical police, Pharisees, scribes, servants ... a 56
But all this is come to pass ... The questions of Jesus, therefore, show two facts: 1 ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxxiv jesus betrayed arrested and.htm

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