Topical Encyclopedia 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 that they believed were equally authoritative. Their reasoning and interpretation of the Scriptures often brought them into conflict with Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament.Scriptural Basis The Pharisees are frequently mentioned in the Gospels, where their reasoning and actions are scrutinized. One notable instance is found in Matthew 12:1-2 : "At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, 'Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.'" Here, the Pharisees reasoned that picking grain constituted work, which was prohibited on the Sabbath according to their interpretation of the Law. In another instance, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar, attempting to trap Him in His words. Matthew 22:15-17 states, "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted to trap Jesus in His words. They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. 'Teacher,' they said, 'we know that You are honest and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance. So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'" Interpretation and Tradition The Pharisees were known for their emphasis on oral tradition, which they believed was handed down alongside the written Law. This tradition included detailed interpretations and applications of the Law, which they used to guide daily life. Mark 7:5-8 illustrates this: "So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: 'Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.' Jesus answered them, 'Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: "These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men." You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.'" Conflict with Jesus The reasoning of the Pharisees often led to conflict with Jesus, who challenged their interpretations and exposed their hypocrisy. In Matthew 23:23-24 , Jesus criticized their focus on minor details while neglecting the more important aspects of the Law: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." Legalism and Hypocrisy The Pharisees' reasoning was often characterized by legalism, an excessive adherence to the letter of the law rather than its spirit. This legalism sometimes led to hypocrisy, as they failed to live up to the standards they imposed on others. Jesus highlighted this in Matthew 23:27-28 : "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Influence and Legacy Despite their conflicts with Jesus, the Pharisees played a significant role in the development of Rabbinic Judaism. Their emphasis on the oral law and interpretation of the Scriptures laid the groundwork for later Jewish thought and practice. However, their reasoning, as depicted in the New Testament, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing human tradition over divine commandments. Nave's Topical Index Luke 5:21,22And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? Nave's Topical Index Luke 20:5 Library The True Sign Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch. With Jairus In Conflict with Scribes and Pharisees Woes on the Pharisees The Third Day in Pasion-Week - the Last Series of Parables: to the ... The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the ... The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees ... "The Light of Life" Teaching in the Temple on the Octave of the Feast of Tabernacles. Resources What is the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church? | GotQuestions.orgWhy won't God heal amputees? | GotQuestions.org What happened on Paul's second missionary journey? | GotQuestions.org Reasoning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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