The Pharisees were a prominent religious group within Judaism during the Second Temple period, known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions that they believed were essential to maintaining the purity of the Jewish faith. They held significant influence over the religious life of the Jewish people and were often seen as the custodians of Jewish law and tradition.

In the New Testament, the Pharisees frequently appear in the Gospels as opponents of Jesus Christ. Their encounters with Jesus often highlight the tension between their legalistic interpretation of the law and the spirit of the law that Jesus emphasized. One of the most striking criticisms Jesus directed at the Pharisees is found in the Gospel of Matthew, where He calls them "fools and blind guides."

Fools and Blind Guides

In Matthew 23, Jesus delivers a series of woes against the scribes and Pharisees, condemning their hypocrisy and misguided leadership. He accuses them of focusing on minor details of the law while neglecting its more significant aspects, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. In Matthew 23:16-17 , Jesus says, "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?"

Here, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their misplaced priorities and their failure to understand the true purpose of the law. By calling them "blind guides," He highlights their inability to lead the people in the ways of God, as they themselves are spiritually blind. The term "fools" underscores their lack of wisdom and discernment, despite their reputation for being learned and knowledgeable in the Scriptures.

Hypocrisy and Legalism

The Pharisees' emphasis on external observance of the law often led to hypocrisy, as they were more concerned with appearances than with genuine righteousness. Jesus points out their tendency to perform religious acts for the sake of being seen by others, rather than out of a sincere devotion to God. In Matthew 23:23-24 , He states, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, 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."

This critique reveals the Pharisees' failure to grasp the heart of God's commandments, which prioritize love and compassion over ritualistic precision. Their legalism blinded them to the transformative power of God's grace and the call to live out the deeper principles of the law.

Spiritual Blindness

The spiritual blindness of the Pharisees is a recurring theme in the Gospels. Despite their extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, they were unable to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and the fulfillment of the prophecies they studied so diligently. Their rigid adherence to tradition and their self-righteousness prevented them from seeing the new covenant that Jesus was inaugurating.

In John 9:39-41 , Jesus addresses this blindness, saying, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this and asked, "Are we blind too?" Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains."

This exchange underscores the irony of the Pharisees' condition: they believed themselves to be spiritually enlightened, yet they were unable to perceive the truth standing before them. Their refusal to acknowledge their need for spiritual insight left them in a state of culpable ignorance.

Conclusion

The Pharisees serve as a cautionary example of the dangers of legalism, hypocrisy, and spiritual pride. Jesus' rebuke of them as "fools and blind guides" calls believers to examine their own hearts and to seek a faith that is characterized by humility, love, and a genuine understanding of God's will.Matthew 23:17,24
You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Discourse of Jesus against the Scribes and Pharisees.
... heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ.
But ... enter. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/discourse of jesus against the.htm

Woes on the Pharisees
... The Saviour called His disciples to Him, and bade them ... Christ recognized the payment
of tithes as a duty ... The Pharisees were very exact in tithing garden herbs ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 67 woes on the.htm

Jesus' Last Public Discourse. Denunciation of Scribes and ...
... is in heaven.10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even the
Christ.11 But ... The Pharisees graduated oaths according to their own foolish ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cx jesus last public discourse.htm

Tuesday --The Day of Controversy.
... heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ.
But ... enter. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his last week/tuesdaythe day of controversy.htm

Of the Five Sacraments, Falsely So Called. Their Spuriousness ...
... For this reason our Saviour interogated the Pharisees as to ... allow this class of men
to be called apostles, and to be compared with the very apostles of Christ? ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 19 of the five.htm

Of Evil-Speaking in General.
... the perverse incredulity and stupidity in the Pharisees, their profane ... is he that
useth such language called a fool ... in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/of evil-speaking in general.htm

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
... Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and ... And hence it is that Christ calls
such kind of ... Pharisees hypocrites!' because by their gay outside they deceived ...
/.../justification by an imputed righteousness.htm

Sermons on Selected Lessons of the Gospels.
... evil, represented by Scribes and Pharisees sitting in ... through sin, therefore invitation
of Christ to rest ... represent Patriarchs and Prophets called early, and ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of.htm

A Preservative against Unsettled Notions, and Want of Principles ...
... be an over-righteousness, he would never have called him a ... men through Christ Jesus,
and, therefore, no friend to Christ? ... But woe to you scribes and Pharisees! ...
/.../a preservative against unsettled notions.htm

Three Homilies. On Our Lord.
... that while our Lord there called Himself the ... For those Pharisees who justified
themselves and despised all ... And Christ prophesied concerning that which her soul ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/three homilies on our lord.htm

What are the differences between the Sadducees and Pharisees? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees so harshly in Matthew 23:13 36? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Pharisees? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus