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Lesson 3 for April 19, 2014
Who were the Pharisees?
“The conservative religious sect
or party of Judaism in
intertestamental and NT times. It
seems reasonably certain that
they were the successors of the
Hasidim (Chasidim or Assideans),
‘pious ones.’” (SDA Bible Dictionary)
The Pharisees refused to follow
Greek customs against the Law
of Moses. They supported the
Maccabean revolution against
the Greek. They quickly
became the moral conscience
of the people.
They were mentioned as
another group of people (Mt.
3:2), but they were Pharisees
assigned to a special mission,
interpreting the law.
The most famous scribes were
Hillel and Shammai (who lived in
Herod the Great times) and
Gamaliel (Paul’s teacher)
They were usually addressed as
“Rabbi” (my teacher)
The strengths of the Pharisees
eventually became their
worst weaknesses.
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that
observe and do…” (Matthew 23:2-3fp)
They were zealous keepers of the law.
The studied the law to teach it to the people. They tried to live according to the law.
STRENGTH
“…but do not do according to their works; for they say,
and do not do.” (Matthew 23:2-3lp)
They were hypocrites.
Their zeal for the law gradually became a mere external sign. They showed external attitudes just to be praised by men. They were “whitewashed tombs.” (Mt. 23:27)
WEAKNESS
The strengths of the Pharisees
eventually became their
worst weaknesses.
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that
observe and do…” (Matthew 23:2-3fp)
They taught the people.
The Rabbies used examples to teach how not to transgress the 613 rules in the law of Moses.
STRENGTH
“…but do not do according to their works; for they say, and
do not do.” (Matthew 23:2-3lp)
They replaced the law of Moses.
The examples that helped them to keep the great law became more important than the law. For example, the “Corban” law allowed to stop honoring one’s parents (Mt. 15:3-6)
WEAKNESS
“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” (Matthew 15:2)
It is a good thing to wash one’s
hands before eating, but no
divine law demanded that.
The “washing one’s hands” in
this text is a strict ritual. They
thought they had to purify
themselves just in case they
had touched something
unclean.
If there was no water, one could imitate
the gesture of the washing hands ritual.
It was a valid “dry ablution.”
Jesus confronted the tradition because
He wants us to grow a true spirit in our
heart, and not to seek mere religious
appearances.
“They carried the regulations of eating and drinking so far
that the mind was kept on a continual strain to discriminate
between what was considered clean and unclean, and to
follow out the multitude of injunctions imposed by the
priests. All the water was strained, lest the presence of the
smallest speck or insect might render it unclean, and
therefore unfit to use. The people were thus kept in constant
fear of infringing upon customs and traditions taught to
them as portions of the law; and life was made a burden by
these ceremonies and restrictions.
By their endless round of forms, the Pharisees fixed the
minds of the people upon external services, to the neglect of
true religion. They failed to connect the thought of Christ
with their ceremonies; and, having forsaken the fountain of
living water, they hewed out for themselves broken cisterns
that could hold no water.”
EGW (The Signs of the Times, June 9, 1887)
“He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.’” (Mark 7:9)
Jesus was asked about breaking the
traditions of the elders. He answered
by establishing priorities. First, the
divine law; then, the tradition of
elders.
Tradition: “Whoever says to his
father or mother, ‘Whatever profit
you might have received from me is
a gift to God’—then he need not
honor his father or mother.”
Divine law: “Honor your father and
your mother” (Ex. 20:12; 21:17)
“The law of God requires that a son should honor his
parents, and provide for their necessities, and tenderly care
for them when they are old. But these false teachers taught
that it was of far greater importance for children to
consecrate their property by a vow to the temple service.
Then when the parents applied to their children for
assistance, they could say, “It is Corban, devoted to God.”
They taught that it was sacrilege to recall the property once
given to the temple and appropriate it to the necessities of
the parents. When such a vow is made, it was held sacred; it
must be fulfilled; for, said they, has not God declared,
“When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou
shalt not slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God will surely
require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee”? Thus under a
semblance of piety these teachers excused the youth from
the obligations of the fifth commandment.”
EGW (The Signs of the Times, January 3, 1900)
“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
The Pharisaic righteousness was built
on self-effort and external behavior.
They tried to keep the law to the dot.
The righteousness Jesus seeks goes
beyond self-effort, external behavior
or keeping the law to the dot. It
demands an inner change, a loving
obedience.
“But this is the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the Lord: I will put
My law in their minds, and write it on
their hearts; and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people.”
(Jeremiah 31:33)
“A legal religion is insufficient to
bring the soul into harmony with
God. The hard, rigid orthodoxy of
the Pharisees, destitute of
contrition, tenderness, or love,
was only a stumbling block to
sinners.
EGW (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, cp. 3, pg. 53)
They were like the salt that had lost its savor; for their
influence had no power to preserve the world from
corruption. The only true faith is that which “worketh
by love” (Galatians 5:6) to purify the soul. It is as leaven
that transforms the character.”