The Pharisees - Who Were They and What Did They Believe?

Description of the Pharisees 

The Pharisees are evidently described in the New Testament as a social group that would strictly adhere to the traditional and written laws of the Mosaic Laws. At different points in history, the group was a political party, social movement and school of thought that would dictate the interpretation of Judaism. The groups encountered significant conflicts with the Sadducees, a rival group among the Jews, in the context of religious and cultural views. The latter group recognized the practice of Hellenization which is the spread of ancient Greek culture, language, and religion to foreign people usually after being conquered by the Greeks. 1 The Pharisees significantly resisted this practice identifying the importance of the Mosaic laws as a basis of their religious beliefs and emphasized upholding the teachings of these laws. According to historians, they accounted for a total population 6,000 at the time and received the approval and support of the common people. The primary reason may be the fact that the Sadducees were members of the upper class and failed to associate with the poor people. They would claim Mosaic authority in the land as they sought to enhance their influence among the Jewish people based on their ability to translate the laws dictated during Moses’ era. On the other hand, the Sadducees claimed priestly privileges as they emphasized their ancestor Zadok who officiated as High Priest during the reign of King Solomon. The group would come to an end as an active community sometime during the first century AD. 

Scholars who describe the group identify them as quite strict in their adherence of the Mosaic laws and practices in regulations for food, tithing, and hand washing. However, they fail to agree on the nature of the practices of the Pharisees particularly in political involvement during the epoch of Jesus. The history of the group can be traced back to the Hasmonean dynasty through the Maccabees during the early years of the second century B.C. At the time, the group was identified as the Hasidim or “pious ones”, representing strictly devout men who were participants in war and upheld the laws of the land. However, there is no clear indicator of how long this group was in existence. Their primary practice and cause for formation was to reject the practice of Hellenism. 2 This greatly influenced the growth of the group through it would split into the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. The group would be able to establish major movements as they produced great and charismatic leaders who demonstrated ascetic beliefs. Josephus, believed to be one of such leaders, the practices of the Pharisees in terms f political engagement. Such actions are depicted clearly during the Hasmonean, Herodian periods, and First Jewish Revolt. However, the New Testament emphasizes their role as interpreters of the law and critiquing the life of Jesus, his teachings, and his practices. The groups made significant efforts to demonstrate that Jesus was not the person he claimed he was to lower his approval from the common people. 

The New Testament particularly in the Gospels, information about the Pharisees is presented. These books discuss the group based on their interpretation of the law and the nature of their actions. 3 In this regard, a clear contrast is depicted between them and Jesus. There is a clear divide among the scholars on the influence that the Pharisees had in political issues and the religious dialogue during the lifetime of Jesus. However, it is well documented in the Gospels that the Pharisees engaged in significant dialogue with Jesus. These historical encounters were intended to show that they were key interlocutors for those who believed and followed Jesus. The Gospels present them as having critical concern on issues of purity including proper hand washing methods before meals, food laws, and tithing. These practices are comparatively similar to the early rabbinic norms a depiction made by Josephus historical record. They are also described to have had official political clout in the community at the very least towards the local authority. In this regard, they would make decisions on behalf of the Jews with collaboration with the chief priests. 

The account provided by the Gospel books present the Pharisees in a largely negative light. Nevertheless, there are various instances where they are depicted as having a neutral or positive trait. It is evident in Luke chapter 13 verse 31 that the Pharisees show concern for Jesus by warning him in the political trouble in the country. This action may demonstrate that the individuals believed that the issue was common to both parties hence the need to put aside their differences. 4 There is significant difference in the identification of the Pharisees. Matthew explicitly refers to them as antagonists of Jesus while Luke takes a more subtle approach and refers to them in general as multitudes, some of the people or others. 

Impact on how one would read Luke 7:36-50 

The reading of Luke 7:36-50 is a description of the significant relational encounters between the Pharisees and Jesus. Through the knowledge known about the former, it is better understood as the contrasting nature of relationship between the two. 5 On the one hand, the Pharisees are depicted as antagonists and a brood of vipers whose only intent is to tarnish the name of Jesus to the majority of the believers who followed him. In this practice, the negative image of the Pharisees is evidently seen. The passage in this study discusses the encounter of Jesus as he accepts an invite to dinner at the house of a Pharisee who in this case is Simon. There was a woman who saw Jesus reclining at the table and immediately took a jar of perfume and made His feet wet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 6 However, Simon took notice of this occurrence and began to publicly judge Jesus because he knew that this woman was a sinner. This passage is intended to show how Pharisees were strict with issues of purity. The woman who was known publicly for sinning should not have been anywhere close to a prophet such as Jesus. In this regard, Simon believes that Jesus as a person who believes in God and the Mosaic laws should not allow such an incident to occur. 

The anointing and washing of Jesus’ feet in this case is significantly different from that taking place in Bethany. The latter takes place at the house of Simon the Leper not the Pharisee mentioned here of the same name. 7 In this regard, the sinful nature of the woman is integral to the story. The passage is intended to highlight the significant ignorance of the Pharisees in their interaction with the people. While the group had significant influence among the ordinary citizens, they would still hold themselves to a higher standard than the rest of society. They thought of themselves to be holier than the community they served. 8 In this regard, Simon the Pharisee did not expect that a man of Jesus’ stature would allow himself to be touched by a woman who is publicly known as a sinner. In this passage, it is evident that Simon has found the perfect opportunity to discredit the supposed beliefs that Jesus was a major prophet even greater than John the Baptist before him. The interaction demonstrates something that the gospel of Luke has actively pursued from the beginning. The presence of the public available for the banquet shows that in one way or another, Simon the Pharisee was making a preparation to show that he indeed was better off than Jesus. He did not want to seek forgiveness but instead humiliate him and show the people that he was indeed a fraud. 9 However, Jesus would show the major contrasts in the life of the people as opposed to the Pharisees as self-worth through forgiveness was pitted against self-worth through righteous living. 

The reaction provided by Jesus is one that significantly demonstrates the nature of his relationship with the Pharisees. Simon had murmured utterances that were intended to discredit the credibility of Jesus as a prophet and to show that he was right to be critically against him. He believed that if Jesus was indeed who he said he was, he would have been able to know the nature of the woman who was touching him. However, possibly to surprise him and startle him, Jesus makes a response. Similar to his teachings in various areas, He uses a parable to describe the nature of the woman and that of Simon as the debtor who owed a lot and the one who owes little respectively. This practice was to show that while Pharisees had committed few sins, it was their pride and lack of humility that would hamper their ability to get close to God. Their continued quest to judge others and not themselves is a clear indicator of the lacking desire to undertake the sinners in the community and teach them the ways of following God. 

How this story interacts with contemporary culture 

In the society setting of this passage, it is evident that hospitality was basic measure of demonstrating a welcoming host particularly towards the guests. When Simon noted that the famous rabbi would be visiting his home, he prepared a large banquet to ensure that it becomes almost like a public event. He probably knew of that it would result in many questioning his encounter with Jesus and seeking signs to show that he was not who he proclaimed. The Pharisees as depicted in the last question were strict adherents of Mosaic laws. However, it seems that Simon was too involved in observing Jesus that he forgot to incorporate some of the cultural practices. These include providing water to dust off his feet, scented oil for the guest’s hair, and kissing the guests to show the host’s love and admiration for them. 10 However, Simon did not do any of the above. It is for this reason that Jesus points out that the sinful woman was by far more worthy of forgiveness than he was. The woman who comes with an alabaster jar of ointment seems to show that she had a previous encounter with Jesus and was coming to seek forgiveness and thanksgiving. 11 The very fact of her being labeled as a sinner does not refer to a particular sin but focuses on how repentant she was for her previous misdeeds. It shows her hospitable ways that were not evident in the Pharisee who proclaim to be better than the rest of society. 12 

Bibliography 

Aslan, Reza. Zealot: The life and times of Jesus of Nazareth . Random House Incorporated, 2013. 

Bock, Darrell L. Luke: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life . Zondervan, 1996. 

Bovon, François. Luke 1: A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke 1:1-9:50 . Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002. 

Cosby, Michael R. "Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Teach Biblical Studies in Christian Liberal Arts Colleges." Teaching Theology & Religion 4, no. 2 (2001): 71-80. 

Edwards Jr, O. C. "Luke 1: A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke 1: 1-9: 50." Sewanee Theological Review 46, no. 2 (2003): 295. 

Evans, Craig A., and Stanley E. Porter Jr, eds. Dictionary of New Testament background: a compendium of contemporary biblical scholarship . Downers Grove, IL; InterVarsity Press, 2010. 

Green, Joel B., Jeannine K. Brown, and Nicholas Perrin, (eds.), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition . Downers Grove, IL; IVP Academic, 2013. 

Nolland, John. Luke 1:1-9:20 . Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, 1989. 

O'Kernick, Patrick. "The Catholic Church as a Cultivator of Conscience: Toward Empowering Students to be Agents of the Maturation and Formation of their Consciences." Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal 4, no. 2 (2015): 31. 

Parsons, Mikael C. Luke. Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament . Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. 

1 Reza Aslan. Zealot: The life and times of Jesus of Nazareth . Random House Incorporated, 2013. 

2 Craig A. Evans, and Stanley E. Porter Jr, eds. Dictionary of New Testament background: a compendium of contemporary biblical scholarship . Downers Grove, IL; InterVarsity Press, 2010. 

3 Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, and Nicholas Perrin, (eds.), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition . Downers Grove, IL; IVP Academic, 2013. 

4 Patrick O'Kernick. "The Catholic Church as a Cultivator of Conscience: Toward Empowering Students to be Agents of the Maturation and Formation of their Consciences." Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal 4, no. 2 (2015): 31. 

5 François Bovon. Luke 1: A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke 1:1-9:50 . Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002. 

6 Ibid 6. 

7 Jr, O. C. Edwards. "Luke 1: A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke 1: 1-9: 50." Sewanee Theological Review 46, no. 2 (2003): 295. 

8 Mikael C. Parsons, Luke. Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament . Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. 

9 Ibid. 

10 Darrell L. Bock, Luke: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life . Zondervan, 1996. 

11 Michael R. Cosby, "Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Teach Biblical Studies in Christian Liberal Arts Colleges." Teaching Theology & Religion 4, no. 2 (2001): 71-80. 

12 John Nolland. Luke 1:1-9:20. Word Biblical Commentary . Dallas: Word, 1989.