“Take heed and beware of…the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

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“Take heed and beware of…the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” New Testament Commands of Christ Jesus: Bible study # 72 by Nolan McFadden Α Bible text: Matthew 16:6-12 “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6-12) In our Bible text is found one of the commands that Jesus gave to His followers. Jesus commanded, “Take heed and beware of…the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6-12) What does this mean? Who were the Pharisees and Sadducees referred to by Christ in this Bible passage? As biblical Christians, how do we apply this New Testament command of Jesus in our lives in the twenty-first century? Let’s consider these questions as we look to the Holy Scriptures for answers. I. Who were the Pharisees and Sadducees? A. The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect who lived in Judea during the Second Temple period. The Pharisees are traced to the Hasidaeans. The Hasidaeans were a pious society of Jewish men who were zealous for their religion. (1) B. In Matthew 16:6-12 the word “Pharisees” is translated from the Greek word Φαρισαίων. Also, the term is translated from the Aramaic word peras (Daniel 5:28) which means “to separate.” (2) Pharisees separated themselves “…to a different manner of life from that of the general public.” (3) Subsequently, Pharisees were Jewish separatists. They were, “…a scholarly class dedicated to the teaching of both the written and oral Law…of Judaism...The Pharisees developed their own body of interpretations, expansions, and applications of the Law that they came to regard as of divine origin (Mishnah, Aboth, 1:1)…” (4) The Pharisees were often the political opponents of the Sadducees. C. The Sadducees were a Jewish priestly sect who lived during the Second Temple period. The word “Sadducees” is translated from the Greek word Σαδδουκαίων in our Bible text of Matthew 16:6-12. The Sadducees were proceeded historically by a Jewish political movement of Hellenism. Likewise, the Sadducees embraced Hellenism and were the religious liberals of their time. (5) They were regarded as the political opponents of the Pharisees.

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II. What is Pharisaism? A. Pharisaism is: “1 The doctrine or practices of the Pharisees, especially strict observance of the traditional [oral law] and written law…1:1 The quality of being self-righteous or hypocritical. ‘to place a heavier expectation on others than on ourselves is Pharisaism’…” (6) III. What were the doctrines of the Sadducees? A. “The Sadducees were essentially secularists, a result of their exclusion of God (“Fate”) from human affairs and their conviction that humans can expect nothing beyond this life. In general it seems the Sadducees supported those interpretations and procedures that enhanced the prestige, power, and financial benefit of the priestly temple cult and the aristocracy…The Sadducees were inseparably bound to the external, political, social, and especially the temple-centered institutions of Judaism…” (7) B. The Sadducees embraced Hellenism. They were self-serving, worldly-minded elitists. C. In Acts 23:8 we discover that the Sadducees did not believe in the “resurrection” of the dead, angels or “spirit.” D. Jesus rebuked the Sadducees because of their unbelief regarding the resurrection of the dead (Matthew 22:23-32). Matthew reported, “Jesus answered and said unto them [the Sadducees], Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (Matthew 22:29-32) IV. What were the doctrines of the Pharisees? A. In Acts 23:8 we observe that the Pharisees believed in the “resurrection” of the dead, angels and “spirit.” B. The Pharisees were very zealous of the oral “traditions” of the elders (Matthew 15:2-6, Mark 7:1-13). C. The Pharisees criticized and condemned Jews who did not keep their oral “tradition” of the Law (Matthew 15:2-6, Mark 7:1-13). D. The Pharisees believed in tithing (Matthew 23:23). E. The Pharisees prayed and fasted often (Matthew 9:14). V. What were the specific practices of the Pharisees which Christ Jesus rebuked? A. The Pharisees practiced hypocrisy. In Matthew 23:28 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Luke reported, “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he [Jesus] began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1)

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B. The Pharisees prevented people from believing in Christ Jesus for salvation and thereby entering “the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 23:13) C. The Pharisees were greatly zealous about converting others to their sect of Judaism. However, Jesus rebuked them because their evil example made their converts twice as much a “child of hell” than themselves. (Matthew 23:15) D. The Pharisees tithed faithfully but disregarded the more important works of the Law of Moses including “judgment”; “mercy”; “faith”; and “the love of God.” (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42) E. The Pharisees washed their hands often (Mark 7:3). They were “clean” and “beautiful” in outward appearance. But their hearts were full of “iniquity,” “uncleanness,” “excess” and “hypocrisy.” (Matthew 23:25-29, Luke 11:39) F. The Pharisees taught for doctrines “the commandments of men” in place of obedience to the commandments of God clearly revealed in the written law of Moses of the Hebrew Scriptures (Mark 7:7-13) G. The Pharisees rejected literal obedience to God’s commandments and instead chose to keep their own oral “traditions.” (Mark 7:8-13) H. The Pharisees were self-righteous (Matthew 23:25-29, Luke 18:9-14). I. The Pharisees ridiculed Jesus (Luke 16:14). J. The Pharisees were hyper-critical of others (Luke 5:30-35). K. The Pharisees practiced formalism and had special clothing which distinguished them from other people (Matthew 23:5). L. The Pharisees loved the praise and approval of men more than God’s approval (Matthew 23:5). M. The Pharisees loved the “uppermost seats” (front seats) in the synagogues to obtain the recognition of others (Luke 11:43) N. The Pharisees loved to be greeted in public places (Luke 11:43). O. The Pharisees did their good works for the purpose of being noticed and esteemed of men (Matthew 23:5). P. The Pharisees were “covetous” people (Luke 16:14). Q. The Pharisees practiced murmuring (Luke 5:30). R. The Pharisees were too proud to recognize their own sins and errors (Luke 7:30). S. The Pharisees intimidated other Jews with the threat of excommunication from the synagogue if they publicly confessed belief in Jesus (John 12:42). T. The Pharisees were jealous of Christ’s influence and miracles (Luke 20:1-2, John 4:1-3; 11:4-7; 12:19). U. The Pharisees blasphemed Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit by falsely accusing Jesus of casting out devils “through the prince of devils” (Matthew 9:32-34; 12:2437, Luke 12:10). V. The Pharisees were spiritually “blind” (John 9:39-40). W. The Pharisees created loaded religious questions in order to trap people so that they might accuse them of wrongdoing (Matthew 19:3; 22:15, Mark 12:13).

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X. Rather than serving others in the works of God’s love, the Pharisees used their religious authority to harm and “destroy” people they despised including Jesus (Matthew 12:14; 26:59). Y. The covetous Pharisees devoured “widows’ houses” and prayed “long” prayers for the purpose of impressing others (Matthew 23:14). Z. Most of the Pharisees hardened their hearts and refused to believe in Jesus of Nazareth and confess Him as their Messiah, Savior and LORD. VI. Because of their unbelief and hypocrisy, Jesus condemned the “scribes and Pharisees” with strong words in Matthew chapter 23. A. Jesus referred to the scribes and Pharisees as “hypocrites.” B. Our Savior called the Pharisees and scribes “bind guides.” C. Christ described the scribes and Pharisees as “fools.” D. Jesus said Pharisees and scribes were “serpents” and a “generation of vipers.” VII. Due to their unbelief and hypocritical actions, Christ Jesus warned that the “scribes and Pharisees” would receive “the greater damnation” (Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47). A. Jesus declared, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” (Matthew 23:14) VIII. Consider the spiritual applications of Christ’s parable in Luke 18:9-14. A. Luke wrote, “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14) B. In this parable of Christ we find two examples of approaching God our Father in worship and prayer: 1) The Pharisee 2) The publican (tax collector) The Pharisee came to the temple full of religious pride and with an attitude of self-righteousness. But God did not receive his worship or regard his prayers. Whereas, the publican came to the temple truly seeking God with a humble, repentant heart recognizing his sin and great need of God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace. The publican prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” According to Christ Jesus, God received his prayer and the publican returned to his house “justified” (declared forgiven and righteous) in God’s sight. C. Notice in our Bible text the self-righteous contempt that the Pharisee had toward the publican as demonstrated by his comments. Yet, it was the publican who God

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chose to forgive and justify. As our Lord Jesus declared, “I came not to call the [self-] righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) After twenty centuries, human nature remains the same. It is easy for us to recognize the arrogant and hypocritical attitude of the Pharisee in Christ’s parable. But what about the self-righteous contempt of many in our day toward the poor, divorced people, single parents, foreigners, the elderly, the sick and those with handicaps? As Christians, are we sometimes guilty of harboring the attitude of a Pharisee in how we treat others? Do our attitudes, words and actions reflect the love of JESUS or the self-righteous contempt of the Pharisees? James reminds us, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons [prejudice].” (James 2:1) Likewise, our Savior commands us, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) D. As Christians living in the twenty-first century, what spiritual insights and applications can we make from this parable of Jesus? Share your thoughts in your own words on the lines below: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ E. We may learn much from the example of the Pharisees. Let’s consider the following insights: 1) The Pharisees were given the responsibility of teaching the laws of God. Tragically, however, they did not know the God of the laws in a personal relationship. Unlike Samuel, they had not learned how to walk with the living God of the law. (1 Samuel 3) 2) The Pharisees had become so full of religious pride and zeal that they ceased to recognize their own sinfulness and errors before God. Whereas, “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble…” (James 4:6) 3) The Pharisees had closed their eyes and hardened their hearts to the possibility that their oral interpretations of the law of God were wrong. They had become “blind guides.” (Matthew 23:16) 4) The Pharisees made the terrible error of regarding their own oral interpretations and “traditions” as equally authoritative to the law of God itself recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament of the Holy Bible). They made the true “word of God” (the Holy Scriptures) void through their worthless oral “tradition.” (Mark 7:10-13) 5) Tragically, the Pharisees had blindly rejected God’s only means of eternal salvation through personal faith in Christ Jesus and His sinless, one sacrificial death as payment for our sins (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy

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2:3-6, Hebrews 7:20-25, 1 Peter 3:18, Revelation 5:9-10). Jesus declared, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) In conclusion, as authentic followers of Christ, let us not allow ourselves to become self-righteous and full of religious pride. We are all in great need of God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy. As the apostle Paul testified in Romans 3:9-23, “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;…”

Like the humble and honest publican of Christ’s parable, may we humbly approach God our Father in prayer today confessing our sins and requesting His forgiveness, mercy and grace through Jesus Christ our Lord (Luke 18:9-14, 1 John 1:6-10; 2:1-4) Ω © 2017 Nolan McFadden copies permitted by author

End Notes: 1. W. E. Vine, VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS, (Iowa Falls, Iowa, RIVERSIDE BOOK AND BIBLE HOUSE), p. 863 2. Ibid., VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS, p. 863 3. Ibid., VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS, p. 863 4. www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/pharisees/ excerpt from “Pharisees” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, edited by Walter Elwell, (Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Books, 1996) 5. Ibid., VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS, p. 863 6. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pharisaism 7. www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sadducees excerpt from “Sadducees” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, edited by Walter Elwell, (Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Books, 1996)