You may remember that in the New Testament the Pharisees are almost always portrayed as the bad guys. There is a reason why Jesus uses such negative words as “hypocrites” and “fools” to describe them.
However, you may be surprised to learn that He also had modern people in mind. For a better understanding, let’s take a closer look at what Pharisaism is.
Pharisaism is the teachings and practices of the ancient Jewish religious class called the Pharisees. It arose around the second century BC and flourished during the time of Jesus. It was a strict sect, consisting mainly of ordinary Jews, in contrast to the Sadducees, who were members of priestly families. The Pharisees were much more numerous than the Sadducees, but the Sadducees were more prestigious.
The Pharisees strictly observed the Mosaic Law, and supplemented it with countless rules that were difficult to follow. For example, they considered activities such as walking more than a kilometer from their city, carrying any load, or lighting a fire in their home to be work on the holy Sabbath, which were against the law. Their strict rules required compliance with the law to the smallest detail.
In Aramaic, Pharisee means “set apart.” The Pharisees were known for their adherence to traditions and strictness in observing religious rituals. They considered themselves head and shoulders above others and looked down on those who did not follow the same rules. The generally accepted understanding of Pharisaism as a model of self-righteousness seems fair, and is based on the attitude of Jesus towards representatives of this class.
The Free Dictionary gives us the following definitions of the word “pharisaism”:
The teaching and customs of the Pharisees.
Hypocritical adherence to the letter of a religious or moral law without regard to its spiritual nature; hypocrisy.
It is also said that pharisaism is the behavior of a sanctimonious and self-righteous person. One definition of bigotry is demonstrating moral superiority over other people. It can also mean demonstrating one’s morality, piety and holiness in accordance with one’s opinion of oneself, or to form a corresponding opinion of oneself in other people (often using a sad expression and even tears to convey a concerned seriousness). The Pharisees were experts in this matter. It is clear that the people perceived them as a smug mass.
But here’s the catch: we are all born Pharisees. We are all, without exception, born with a terrible predisposition to self-righteousness. This is the essence of original sin. In other words, self-justification is a defensive reaction. Self-defense is what we can see in the original sin of Adam and Eve. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, their self-righteousness and desire to justify themselves quickly surfaced. None of them considered themselves guilty. Not one of them said, “I have sinned and I ask for forgiveness.” It was the other way around.
Adam blamed Eve. “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12). You might even notice that Adam blamed God himself. He basically said, “The woman You gave me made me do this. It’s Your fault because You gave her to me.” Eve, in turn, blamed the serpent for seducing her. “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12). We do not need to be taught pharisaism, since it is as natural to us as eating apple pie. We are all born in the same form as Adam was after his fall. Not a single person since the fall of Adam in Eden was born sinless, as Adam was created from the beginning. The Bible tells us: “Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sin” (Ps. 51:7). We all “from birth go astray, speaking lies” (Ps. 58:4). Also written about this:
““There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f]” (Rom. 3:10-18).
In one word: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). We are sinners not only because we sin, but we sin because we are born sinners. The essence of sin is self-righteousness.
Thus, the question is not how to become a Pharisee, but how to get rid of Phariseeism. Is it possible to get rid of this completely? Paul said that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17). The more we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the less we justify and defend ourselves. We must constantly strive for this, for our self-righteousness is a serious problem in the eyes of God.
Excerpt from the 1st chapter of the book by R.T. Kendall “You Might Be a Pharisee If…” (Charisma House, 2021)
Author – R.T. Kendall /charismamag.com
Source: Почему мы все рождены фарисеями (ieshua.org)
Have you ever wondered why Jesus treated the Pharisees so badly? In the Gospels, He rebukes them again .....
As with all virtues, humility has an opposite: pride. It should not surprise us that revival and restoration .....
Barely emerging, the religious-political movement of the Pharisees became the vanguard of the popular opposition. The Pharisees opposed .....
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name . . . (Matthew 6:9) How many lips .....
Prayed the other day. Prayer of the Pharisee. I spoke words of love to those who are destroying .....
There are many Jesuses out there. Rav Sha'ul recognized this when he wrote: "For if one comes and .....
Very soon, the entire Christian world will celebrate the birth of Christ. Usually in Christian families, the anticipation .....
At first, it seems a little thing, A want unmet, a prayer unwinged. Voiceless, it interrogates the King, .....
Did Yeshua celebrate Hanukkah? I have had two people challenge me on John 10:22, claiming that the verse .....
Is any lostness worse than remaining lost while believing you’re found? Of all those who finally travel the .....