Two Problems With The Pharisees

When Jesus argues with people in the gospel accounts, the religious group that most often clashed with him was the Pharisees. The Pharisees made up the largest sect of the Jews and were the most successful in reaching the common people. They were carefully attentive to the law of Moses and made stringent efforts to keep themselves uncontaminated from the world. Indeed, the very name “Pharisee” comes from a Hebrew word that means “to separate.” So why did they fight with Jesus so often? Mark 7.5-13 reveals two major flaws in how the Pharisees lived and thought.

1) They were elevating their own traditions above the law itself

In Mark 7, the Pharisees approached Jesus in shock because his disciples ate with unwashed hands, violating the “tradition of the elders.” Jesus countered that they were at fault for taking their own traditions and holding them above the level of God’s true law. The only hand-washing requirement in God’s law was for the priests to wash before sacrificing (Exodus 30.17-21). Ceremonial hand washing was not wrong in itself; but considering the ceremony holy and chastising others for not keeping it was going too far. Human beings don’t have tile authority to create regulations and turn them into sacrosanct rules on par with the Scriptures.

2) They honored God with their lips, but not their hearts

Some believe that the main problem with the Pharisees was a hyper-strict attitude toward their religion. Jesus, however, says in His rebuke of them in Mark 7 that they weren’t strict enough’ He specifically reprimanded those who failed to take care of their parents, which was a part of the original 10 commandments (Exodus 20. 12). They worshipped God with their outward appearance, but since their lives did not reflect His character, he rejected their worship.

Do we resemble the Pharisees in our own actions? Are we very concerned that other people do not follow our personal customs in their clothing, schooling, and relationships, but care very little about the salvation of their souls`.’ Are we extremely careful to not miss church services but frequently fail to show care and compassion towards our family or fellow Christians’? Do we pray for those who are kind and close to us, but make no serious efforts to care for the vulnerable people around us who cannot repay our kindnesses (James 1.27)? Do we furiously condemn the immorality of our country or government on public Facebook posts, but privately do nothing about glaring evils lurking in our own hearts? Do we make an outward show of following God, even though our private actions and inward thoughts deny it? If we are not making effort to resemble God, he will reject Out- worship of Him just as E-[e rejected the Pharisees and scribes. May our highest allegiance be to God and his laws, not our own traditions. and may we devote ourselves completely to His glory.

Nathan