The Pharisees (Pharisaioi) A pious sect of Judaism that existed during the Second Temple period (516 BCEโ70 CE). They emphasized strict adherence to the Law and the importance of Oral Law. While the Sadducees were the temple-centric aristocracy, the Pharisees were the scholarly pious group, mostly from the middle and common classes. They were actually closer to the general populace at the time.
In the New Testament, especially Matthew and Luke, Jesus frequently criticized the Pharisees. Because of this, the Pharisees have historically beenโand still areโregarded as a symbol of hypocrisy in Christianity. (e.g.: 'Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in peopleโs faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.' Matthew 23:13)
However, modern Judaism finds such expressions offensive. This is because they view themselves as the rightful successors of the Pharisees, and historically, modern Judaism is indeed the direct descendant of the Pharisaic movement after the destruction of the Second Temple.
In fact, if you look at the Bible, you can see that Jesus didn't criticize the 'entire' group of Pharisees wholesale. If you look at the context, Jesusโ criticism was less 'You are all bad and must be replaced' and more 'Many of you have forgotten the true meaning of the piety you yourself sought.' Jesus spoke closely and even ate with some Pharisees, and acknowledged their authority, calling them 'those who sit in Mosesโ seat' (Matt 23:2).
One representative Pharisee depicted favorably in the Bible is Nicodemus. He was curious about Jesus' teachings and responded favorably, defended him, and later attended Jesus' burial along with Joseph of Arimathea, who was also a Pharisee. (Some traditions say he converted to Christianity and was martyred.)
Another Pharisee and recognized authority in the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel, defended the apostles Peter and John when their lives were in danger. Furthermore, the book of Acts mentions that a significant number of early church members were from the Pharisee background, and Paul the Apostle was one of them.
Jesus actually had a lot of theological overlap with the Pharisees, such as their belief in resurrection, angels, and moral rigor. Today, various theologians and biblical scholars often view Jesusโ debates as 'internal criticism'โa call for deeper justice and mercy within the same Jewish tradition. They argue that the Pharisaic movement sought the internalization of the Law, and thus Jesusโ moral ideals and fundamental aims were somewhat similar.
The phrase 'The Pharisees killed Jesus' is also factually inaccurate. For Jesus' execution to be formally authorized, 13 of the 21 members of the Sanhedrin needed to vote in favor. Allegedly, the execution was repeatedly rejected because it failed to meet the 13-vote quorum. The truth of the matter is that High Priest Caiaphas semi-illegally transferred the case to Pilate, gathered supporting crowds, and then pushed the execution through in a surprise move.
Pope Francis also gave a sermon comparing hypocritical clergy to some Pharisees, which drew protests from the Jewish community. He subsequently apologized and gave a correction sermon, stating that the negative modern image associated with the Pharisees is unjust.
"We came here to defend the Pharisees from unfair slandering, but ended up in a holy war debating if modern pastors should have side hustles versus being fed by the flock."
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