The Pharisees are some of the more interesting characters in the Bible.
They are a conflicting study in both what is good, and what is not so good about how we practice our faith. Pharisees were very devout in their devotion to God. They believed in the inerrancy of the (Old Testament) Scriptures. They were zealous to observe the Law of God – 613 commandments by their count. In short, they were the ultimate “rule keepers”. The written law, along with the unwritten laws passed down by the “Tradition of the Elders” (Mark 7:3) became an obsession with the Pharisees. The Nelson Bible Dictionary says the following regarding the practices of the Pharisees:
“According to the New Testament, the Pharisees were concerned about strictly interpreting and keeping the law on all matters (Acts 26:5), including the Sabbath (Mark 2:24), divorce (Mark 10:2), oaths (Matt. 23:16–22), the wearing of Phylacteries and Fringes (Matt. 23:5), and so on. But they showed special zeal in insisting that laws of tithing and ritual purity be kept (Matt. 23:23–26; Mark 7:1–13; Luke 11:37–42; 18:12)”
They looked down their spiritual noses at those who they considered to be sinners. Furthermore since they determined that other Jews might not be careful enough in keeping those laws, they felt it necessary to place limits on personal contact with non observant Jews and with Gentiles. This was carried out to the point that they would not even eat in the home of a non Pharisee, for fear that the food may not have been properly tithed or kept pure according to all the traditional rituals.
When we call someone a “Pharisee” today, it usually has a negative connotation, and for good reason.
Pharisees were often quite unfair to Jesus during His ministry. In fact, some of Jesus’ most withering comments were reserved for the Pharisees. The only folks I can find that Jesus harshly rebukes as hypocrites, were none other than the Pharisees. They tried to keep the Law “religiously” but often their hearts were far from God. They were all about keeping the rules by the letter of the Law, but they generally missed out on the blessings of understanding the spirit of the Law.
Don’t misunderstand me in this. I am not discounting the Law of God. Heaven forbid. God’s Law is holy, perfect, and unchanging. It shows us a holy God, and by comparison how sinful we are in relationship to Him. His Law has not changed, and His commandments are just that – commandments, not “suggestions”! However, often we, like the Pharisees sometimes tend to focus on the rules, seeking to justify ourselves in God’s sight. That is a losing battle. All of us have missed the mark. There is none righteous in ourselves, for to break one small point of God’s Law is to be guilty of the whole thing. That is why I am thankful for Jesus.
He always did the will of the Father. He kept every point of the Law – because it was HIS Law. He fulfilled the righteous demands of the Law, and then gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins that whoever would accept Him by faith, might be justified in God’s eyes. Wow!
That’s what Grace is all about. That is why John Newton called it “Amazing”!
I think it would do us all well to take note of what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23: 23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
When we sometimes tend to focus more upon rule keeping than upon Grace, let’s remember this. It is important for us to live according to the revealed will of God, but the weightier matters (in the words of Jesus) involve justice, mercy, and faithfulness, not just blind rule keeping. The 23rd chapter of Matthew carries some strong indictments against the Pharisees. Read it at your leisure, and take it to heart. I want to be honest enough to admit that I have been guilty in the past of some “Pharisaic” behavior. Chances are you have too. My prayer today is that I may be a person of Grace. Again, not ignoring the Holiness that God expects of us, but, having been a recipient of God’s Grace, may God allow me to be a conduit of that Grace to others.
That is the only way we will ever be able to effectively share the Gospel with others – by allowing Jesus to live through us, and exhibiting His Grace and mercy to needy sinners.
How about you? Will you join me in that prayer?
They are a conflicting study in both what is good, and what is not so good about how we practice our faith. Pharisees were very devout in their devotion to God. They believed in the inerrancy of the (Old Testament) Scriptures. They were zealous to observe the Law of God – 613 commandments by their count. In short, they were the ultimate “rule keepers”. The written law, along with the unwritten laws passed down by the “Tradition of the Elders” (Mark 7:3) became an obsession with the Pharisees. The Nelson Bible Dictionary says the following regarding the practices of the Pharisees:
“According to the New Testament, the Pharisees were concerned about strictly interpreting and keeping the law on all matters (Acts 26:5), including the Sabbath (Mark 2:24), divorce (Mark 10:2), oaths (Matt. 23:16–22), the wearing of Phylacteries and Fringes (Matt. 23:5), and so on. But they showed special zeal in insisting that laws of tithing and ritual purity be kept (Matt. 23:23–26; Mark 7:1–13; Luke 11:37–42; 18:12)”
They looked down their spiritual noses at those who they considered to be sinners. Furthermore since they determined that other Jews might not be careful enough in keeping those laws, they felt it necessary to place limits on personal contact with non observant Jews and with Gentiles. This was carried out to the point that they would not even eat in the home of a non Pharisee, for fear that the food may not have been properly tithed or kept pure according to all the traditional rituals.
When we call someone a “Pharisee” today, it usually has a negative connotation, and for good reason.
Pharisees were often quite unfair to Jesus during His ministry. In fact, some of Jesus’ most withering comments were reserved for the Pharisees. The only folks I can find that Jesus harshly rebukes as hypocrites, were none other than the Pharisees. They tried to keep the Law “religiously” but often their hearts were far from God. They were all about keeping the rules by the letter of the Law, but they generally missed out on the blessings of understanding the spirit of the Law.
Don’t misunderstand me in this. I am not discounting the Law of God. Heaven forbid. God’s Law is holy, perfect, and unchanging. It shows us a holy God, and by comparison how sinful we are in relationship to Him. His Law has not changed, and His commandments are just that – commandments, not “suggestions”! However, often we, like the Pharisees sometimes tend to focus on the rules, seeking to justify ourselves in God’s sight. That is a losing battle. All of us have missed the mark. There is none righteous in ourselves, for to break one small point of God’s Law is to be guilty of the whole thing. That is why I am thankful for Jesus.
He always did the will of the Father. He kept every point of the Law – because it was HIS Law. He fulfilled the righteous demands of the Law, and then gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins that whoever would accept Him by faith, might be justified in God’s eyes. Wow!
That’s what Grace is all about. That is why John Newton called it “Amazing”!
I think it would do us all well to take note of what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23: 23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
When we sometimes tend to focus more upon rule keeping than upon Grace, let’s remember this. It is important for us to live according to the revealed will of God, but the weightier matters (in the words of Jesus) involve justice, mercy, and faithfulness, not just blind rule keeping. The 23rd chapter of Matthew carries some strong indictments against the Pharisees. Read it at your leisure, and take it to heart. I want to be honest enough to admit that I have been guilty in the past of some “Pharisaic” behavior. Chances are you have too. My prayer today is that I may be a person of Grace. Again, not ignoring the Holiness that God expects of us, but, having been a recipient of God’s Grace, may God allow me to be a conduit of that Grace to others.
That is the only way we will ever be able to effectively share the Gospel with others – by allowing Jesus to live through us, and exhibiting His Grace and mercy to needy sinners.
How about you? Will you join me in that prayer?
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