Pharisees' View Of Sin And Righteousness
The Pharisees, a prominent Jewish religious party during the time of Christ, held distinct views on sin and righteousness that often brought them into conflict with Jesus [2, 3]. Their name, derived from the Aramaic perishin, meaning "separated," reflected their commitment to strict adherence to the Law and tradition [2, 3, 5].
The Pharisees believed that righteousness was achieved through meticulous observance of the Mosaic Law and the traditions of the elders [5]. They were known for their exactitude in interpreting and applying the laws [1, 3]. This included practices such as tithing even the smallest herbs, fasting regularly, and making broad their phylacteries [5, 6]. They were zealous for the law and tradition, and outwardly moral [5]. However, Jesus often critiqued their approach, stating that while they tithed mint and rue, they neglected "justice and the love of God" [6]. He also condemned their self-righteousness, comparing them to "whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones" [9].
Regarding sin, the Pharisees believed that individuals had the power to choose between right and wrong, even though they also acknowledged God's providence [1, 4]. They held that souls were incorruptible, and that the souls of the wicked would face eternal punishment, while the souls of the good would be rewarded [1, 4]. This belief in an afterlife with rewards and punishments for one's actions in life was a key distinction from the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, angels, and spirits [7].
The Pharisees' emphasis on outward observance and their self-perception of righteousness led them to view those who did not meet their standards as sinners [8]. They often murmured when Jesus associated with "sinners," as they believed such interactions were defiling [8]. This perspective contrasted sharply with Jesus's teaching, which emphasized an inward transformation and a righteousness that "exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees" [11, 12]. Augustine, for instance, noted that Jesus's teaching to the Pharisees was a lesson for his disciples that righteousness does not consist in mere bodily cleansing [14]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, highlights that true righteousness is "before God," not merely before men, and is achieved through Christ's righteousness, not by deeds of the law [13]. The Pharisees' focus on external acts and traditions ultimately led them to conspire against Jesus [10].
Sources
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 8: first mentioned, the Pharisees are those who are esteemed most skillful in the exact explication of their laws, and introduce the first sect. These ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action. They say that all souls are incorruptible, but that the souls of good men only are removed into other bodies,--but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment. But the Sadducees are t”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Pharisees — a religious party or school among the Jews at the time of Christ, so called from perishin, the Aramaic form of the Hebrew word perushim, "separated." The chief sects among the Jews were the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes, who may be described respectively as the Formalists, the Freethinkers and the Puritans. A knowledge of the opinions and practices of the Pharisees at the time of Christ is of great importance for entering deeply into the genius of the Christian religion. A cursory perusal of the Gospels is sufficient to show that Christ's teachi”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Pharisees — Separatists (Heb. persahin, from parash, "to separate"). They were probably the successors of the Assideans (i.e., the "pious"), a party that originated in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes in revolt against his heathenizing policy. The first mention of them is in a description by Josephus of the three sects or schools into which the Jews were divided (B.C. 145). The other two sects were the Essenes and the Sadducees. In the time of our Lord they were the popular party (John 7:48). They were extremely accurate and minute in all matters appertaining to the l”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 3: think fit; since their notion is, that it hath pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of man can act virtuously or viciously. They also believe that souls have an immortal rigor in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again; on account of which doctrines they are able gre”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Pharisees, The — A sect of the Jews -- Ac 15:5. The strictest observers of the Mosaic ritual -- Ac 26:5. By descent, especially esteemed -- Ac 23:6. Character of Zealous of the law. -- Ac 15:5; Php 3:5. Zealous of tradition. -- Mr 7:3,5-8; Ga 1:14. Outwardly moral. -- Lu 18:11; Php 3:5,6. Rigid in fasting. -- Lu 5:33; 18:12. Active in proselytising. -- Mt 23:15. Self-righteous. -- Lu 16:15; 18:9. Avaricious. -- Mt 23:14; Lu 16:14. Ambitious of precedence. -- Mt 23:6. Fond of public salutations. -- Mt 23:7. Fond of distinguished titles. -- Mt 23:7-10. Particular in pa”
- Luke “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. -- Luke 11:42”
- Acts “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. -- Acts 23:8”
- Luke “The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.” -- Luke 15:2”
- Matthew ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. -- Matthew 23:27”
- Matthew “But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. -- Matthew 12:14”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:20: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--The superiority to the Pharisaic righteousness here required is plainly in kind, not degree; for all Scripture teaches that entrance into God's kingdom, whether in its present or future stage, depends, not on the degree of our excellence in anything, but solely on our having the character itself which God demands. Our righteousness, then--if it is to contrast with the outward and formal righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--must be inw”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. IX.--21. "For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven;"[7] i.e., unless y (part 1): 11 fore, shall break those least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least; but whosoever shall do those least commandments, and shall teach men so, is not necessarily to be reckoned great and meet for the kingdom of heaven; but yet he is not so much the least as the man who breaks them. But in order that he may be”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 1:6: And they were both righteous before God,.... Not as the Pharisees, only righteous before men, but in the sight of God, who sees the heart, and whose judgment is according to truth; and therefore were not justified by the deeds of the law; for by them no man can be justified in the sight of God; but were made righteous through the righteousness of Christ, by which the saints were made righteous before the coming of Christ, as those after it: see Act 15:11. God beheld them in his Son, as clothed with that righteousness he engaged to bring in, and as cleansed from all sin i”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, LUKE XI. 39, "NOW DO YE PHARISEES CLEANSE THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP AND THE PLATTER," ETC. (part 1): 1. Ye have heard the holy Gospel, how the Lord Jesus in that which He said to the Pharisees, conveyed doubtless a lesson to His own disciples, that they should not think that righteousness consists in the cleansing of the body. For every day did the Pharisees wash themselves in water before they dined; as if a daily washing could be a cleansing of the heart. Then He showed what sort of persons they were. He told them wh”