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 equally authoritative. They played a significant role in the religious and social life of Jewish society in the time of Jesus Christ and the early church. One aspect of their influence was their ability to gather disciples, individuals who followed their teachings and practices.

Scriptural References

The New Testament provides evidence that the Pharisees had disciples. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Himself acknowledges the existence of Pharisaic disciples. In Matthew 22:15-16 , it is recorded: "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 that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You do not show partiality.'"

This passage indicates that the Pharisees had their own disciples, who were sent to question Jesus. The presence of these disciples suggests that the Pharisees were not only teachers of the Law but also mentors to those who sought to learn and live according to their interpretation of Jewish tradition.

Role and Influence

The disciples of the Pharisees would have been instructed in the Pharisaic interpretation of the Torah and the oral traditions. This education would have included a focus on ritual purity, tithing, Sabbath observance, and other aspects of the Law that the Pharisees emphasized. The Pharisees' commitment to these practices was rooted in their desire to maintain a distinct Jewish identity and to live in a manner they believed was pleasing to God.

The influence of the Pharisees and their disciples extended beyond religious instruction. They were active in the synagogues, where they taught and interpreted the Scriptures. Their teachings would have shaped the religious understanding and practices of many Jews during this period.

Comparison with Other Groups

The Pharisees were not the only Jewish group with disciples. The Sadducees, another influential sect, also had followers, though their beliefs and practices differed significantly from those of the Pharisees. The Sadducees were more closely associated with the Temple and the priestly class, and they rejected the oral traditions upheld by the Pharisees.

In contrast, the Pharisees' emphasis on the oral law and their adaptability to different social contexts allowed them to have a broader appeal among the common people. This adaptability may have contributed to their ability to attract and maintain a following.

Interaction with Jesus and His Disciples

The relationship between the Pharisees and Jesus was often contentious, as Jesus challenged their interpretations of the Law and their emphasis on external rituals over internal righteousness. In Matthew 23:15 , Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their proselytizing efforts: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are."

This rebuke highlights the zeal of the Pharisees in making disciples, but it also underscores the spiritual danger that Jesus perceived in their teachings. Jesus' own disciples were often in direct conflict with the Pharisees, as seen in various Gospel accounts where the Pharisees question or challenge Jesus' actions and teachings.

Legacy

The Pharisees' emphasis on the oral law and their role as teachers and interpreters of the Torah had a lasting impact on Judaism. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, the Pharisaic tradition laid the groundwork for Rabbinic Judaism, which continued to develop the oral traditions and became the foundation for modern Jewish practice.

The presence of Pharisaic disciples in the New Testament serves as a testament to the group's influence and the widespread appeal of their teachings during the time of Jesus and the early church.Luke 5:33
And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but your eat and drink?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 22:3
I am truly a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Pharisees Attack the Disciples for Plucking Corn on the ...
... of error from which the conduct of the Pharisees proceeded. Had they known that
lore is greater than all ceremonial ... 457] For innocent the disciples were, who ...
/.../section 172 the pharisees attack.htm

Christ's Conversation with the Pharisees in Regard to the Mode of ...
... as probable that they joined themselves with the Pharisees, their bitter ... The fact
that the scribes had quoted the example of John's disciples may easily ...
/.../section 137 christs conversation with.htm

Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes who came and Inquired, Why do ...
... of Jesus, who gave to the Pharisees and scribes no ... the charge of transgression against
the disciples, as transgressing the ... of the elders, if they had had it in ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/8 concerning the pharisees and.htm

Christ's Discourse against the Merely Outward Cleanliness of the ...
... When the disciples called his attention to the offence which the Pharisees had taken,
he gave them to understand that this caused him no uneasiness: Every ...
/.../section 173 christs discourse against.htm

Concerning the Leaven of the Pharisees.
... offered, of which Jesus does not wish His own disciples any longer to ... to those who
gave up the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and had come to ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/5 concerning the leaven of.htm

The Pharisees' Sabbath and Christ's
... condition the quiet statement that the disciples were hungry ... is not likely that the
Master had fared better ... soon as they 'began,' the eager Pharisees, who seem ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the pharisees sabbath and christs.htm

Matthew the Publican Called from the Custom-House. --Familial ...
... What surprise and offence must the Pharisees have felt when ... a publican into the
immediate circle of his disciples. ... named Matthew; a man who had doubtless, like ...
/.../section 141 matthew the publican.htm

The Christian Sabbath --Peter's Confession of Faith.
... When the people had been sent to their homes, Jesus, with His disciples, took a
fishing boat and crossed the Lake only to find the Pharisees there ready to ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the christian sabbathpeters.htm

Jesus Sets Out from Jud??a for Galilee.
... that John was delivered up [and], ^d 1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees
had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxvi jesus sets out from.htm

Christ Warns his Disciples against the Pharisees. --The Power of ...
... hypocrisy of the sect, which Christ had just before ... no other sense is admissible;
the disciples might be ... usual with him, added Sadducees to Pharisees; and that ...
/.../section 167 christ warns his.htm

If Jesus condemned the Pharisees for praying out loud, should we pray aloud? | GotQuestions.org

What was Jesus writing in the dirt/sand when the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Herodians? | GotQuestions.org

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