The Pharisees were a prominent religious and political group in Judea during the time of Jesus Christ. Known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions, they held significant influence over the Jewish people. The Pharisees are frequently mentioned in the New Testament, often in opposition to Jesus and His teachings.

Background and Beliefs

The Pharisees emerged during the intertestamental period as a distinct group committed to preserving Jewish identity and religious practices amidst Hellenistic influences. They believed in the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels and spirits, and the coming of the Messiah. Their emphasis on ritual purity, tithing, and Sabbath observance set them apart from other Jewish sects, such as the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection and adhered strictly to the written Torah.

Conflict with Jesus

The Gospels depict numerous encounters between Jesus and the Pharisees, highlighting their growing animosity towards Him. The Pharisees often challenged Jesus, seeking to undermine His authority and discredit His ministry. They were particularly offended by His claims of divinity, His interpretation of the Law, and His association with sinners and tax collectors.

In Matthew 12:14 , after Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, the Pharisees "went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus." This incident underscores their willingness to conspire against Him, prioritizing their interpretation of the Law over the miraculous works of God.

Accusations and Attempts to Trap Jesus

The Pharisees frequently attempted to trap Jesus with questions designed to incriminate Him. In Matthew 22:15-18 , they asked whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, hoping to catch Him in a political or religious misstep. Jesus, perceiving their malice, responded with wisdom, saying, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s" (Matthew 22:21).

Their accusations extended to Jesus' miracles, as seen in Matthew 12:24 , where they claimed, "This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons." Such statements reveal their refusal to acknowledge the divine power at work in Jesus' ministry.

Denunciation by Jesus

Jesus did not shy away from denouncing the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and legalism. In Matthew 23, He pronounced a series of "woes" upon them, criticizing their outward displays of piety while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He likened them to "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27), beautiful on the outside but full of dead bones within.

Role in the Crucifixion

The Pharisees played a crucial role in the events leading to Jesus' crucifixion. They were part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council that sought to arrest and condemn Him. In John 11:47-53 , after the raising of Lazarus, the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council, fearing that Jesus' growing popularity would provoke Roman intervention. Caiaphas, the high priest, suggested that it was better for one man to die for the people, foreshadowing the sacrificial nature of Jesus' death.

Legacy and Influence

Despite their opposition to Jesus, the Pharisees' influence persisted in the early Christian church. Some Pharisees, like Nicodemus and Paul, eventually became followers of Christ, demonstrating the transformative power of the Gospel. The Pharisees' emphasis on the Law and tradition continued to shape Jewish thought and practice, even as Christianity emerged as a distinct faith centered on the teachings and resurrection of Jesus Christ.Matthew 12:14
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 21:46
But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 11:47,53,57
Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man does many miracles.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Manner in which Christ Served.
... This comes out so often in this second Gospel. ... "And the Pharisees came forth ... Compare
Mark 10:2. "And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/why four gospels/iii the manner in which.htm

B. The Second Period. Chs. 5:1 to 6:11
... with the question, "The disciples of John fast often, and make ... Jesus had aroused
the anger of the Pharisees by his claim ... Henceforth they sought to destroy him. ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/b the second period chs.htm

Jesus and Abraham.
... Too often churches seek to bring those who would obey ... the children of a murderer;
hence they sought to kill ... These Pharisees claimed to be of God, but proved ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus and abraham.htm

The Good Shepherd.
... believe that the truth is to be sought by a ... the Scribes, the doctors and the Pharisees,
who had ... any person of wide observation has seen illustrated too often. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the good shepherd.htm

Bourdaloue -- the Passion of Christ
... movement of the persecution which the Pharisees and the ... or interest after which we
sought, in violation ... How often divided between conscience which governed us ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/bourdaloue the passion of.htm

The Third Day in Pasion-Week - the Last Series of Parables: to the ...
... to these husbandmen, the chief priests and Pharisees could only ... of the labourers
for the Vineyard, sought at different ... The Kingdom' is here, as so often in the ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v the third day.htm

The Second Day in Passion-Week - the Barren Fig-Tree - the ...
... the exhaustion of that night, He hungered.' By the roadside, as so often in the
East ... Once more in their impotent anger they sought, as the Pharisees had done ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the second day.htm

John the Baptist's Person and Preaching.
... intercourse with the pagans, and sought to break ... systematically overcharged the people
and often brought false ... more readily than the self-righteous Pharisees. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xvii john the baptists person.htm

The Power of Christ's Resurrection
... of the law (as far as the Pharisees exposition of ... he says) those privileges I boasted
myself in, and sought to be ... He had often appealed to this as the last and ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the power of christs resurrection.htm

The vineyard and Its Keepers
... for obedience and trust, the fruits sought by God. ... its particles are different; and
the Pharisees and scribes ... which are carried on, though they often fail, and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the vineyard and its keepers.htm

What is the leaven of the Pharisees? | GotQuestions.org

Why did John the Baptist refer to the Pharisees as a brood of vipers? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Jesus refer to the Pharisees as a “child of hell” in Matthew 23:15? | GotQuestions.org

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