Pharisees: Zeal for the Law, Blind to Grace

Series: When the Messiah Came – Factions, Expectations, and the Silent Years Part 2

Respected but Misguided

If you had asked the average first-century Jew who the most righteous people in the land were, the answer would have been clear: the Pharisees.

They were the scholars, the teachers, the men who knew the Law inside and out. They tithed not just on their income, but on their herbs. They fasted, prayed, and kept themselves ceremonially clean. They taught in the synagogues, debated in the public squares, and set the standard for piety. The Pharisees were not radicals or outcasts — they were the religious mainstream. They were admired.

But when Jesus arrived, He did something that no one expected: He confronted them.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” — Matthew 23:25

To many, this would have sounded like blasphemy. Why would the Messiah attack the very people who seemed to care most about God's Word?

The answer is sobering: Jesus did not rebuke the Pharisees for loving God’s Law — He rebuked them for using the Law to exalt themselves and burden others. Their zeal, once noble, had become twisted by pride.

They were not irreligious. They were not heretics. They were simply blind to their own blindness. And that made them dangerous.

Origins and Beliefs

The Pharisees did not emerge from nowhere. Their roots can be traced back to the second century B.C., during the time of the Maccabees. As Jewish society wrestled with the influence of Greek (Hellenistic) culture, a group of laymen rose up in opposition to compromise. These men were not priests, but ordinary Israelites who wanted to preserve covenant faithfulness through rigorous obedience to the Law.

The name Pharisee likely comes from the Hebrew word perushim, meaning “separated ones.” They believed that holiness required separation — not just from Gentiles, but from anyone who failed to live according to God’s commands.

Their theology included several key convictions:

• The Written and Oral Law: The Pharisees upheld the Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy) as God’s inspired Word, but they also believed in an oral tradition — teachings passed down through generations of rabbis. These traditions served as interpretations and applications of the Law, forming what would later become part of the Mishnah. In their view, both written and oral law were binding.

• Resurrection and Judgment: Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in life after death. They affirmed the resurrection of the righteous, final judgment, angels, and the supernatural.

• God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Pharisaic teaching held a complex view of divine providence. They believed that human choices mattered, but that God's will still governed history.

• Ritual Purity: The Pharisees developed an intricate system of purity laws, many of which went beyond the requirements of Scripture. They applied temple-level rituals (like handwashing) to daily life, even for laypeople.

• Legal Precision: Their goal was to “build a fence around the Law” — adding protective rules to prevent anyone from coming close to breaking God’s commands. For example, if the Sabbath law forbade work, they would define exactly how far one could walk or what counted as labor.

To many ordinary Jews, the Pharisees were heroes of the faith — men who defended Jewish identity under Roman occupation and called the people to holiness in a corrupt world.

But over time, their devotion to the Law became a devotion to their own system.

What began as a desire to preserve truth slowly hardened into a tradition that obscured the very God they claimed to honor.

What the Pharisees Got Right

It’s easy to treat the Pharisees as the villains of the Gospels — and Jesus certainly issued strong warnings against them. But not all Pharisees were hardened hypocrites. Some were deeply sincere, even if sincerely mistaken. And many of their convictions were, in fact, rooted in truth.

✦ They upheld the authority of Scripture

Unlike the Sadducees, who accepted only the five books of Moses, the Pharisees revered the entire Old Testament canon — the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. They studied the Scriptures diligently and taught them in the synagogues. Jesus Himself affirmed this aspect of their role:

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you…” — Matthew 23:2–3a

✦ They believed in the resurrection of the dead

One of the clearest theological differences between the Pharisees and Sadducees was the Pharisaic belief in bodily resurrection — a hope taught in passages like Daniel 12:2 and affirmed by Jesus and the apostles (see Acts 23:6). When Paul defended himself before the Sanhedrin, he identified with the Pharisees on this point.

✦ They resisted foreign influence

The Pharisees were not cozy with Rome. They rejected the theological compromises made by the priestly elite and stood firm against the spread of Greek and Roman customs that threatened Jewish identity.

✦ They called the people to personal holiness

Where the Sadducees focused on the temple and the priests, the Pharisees focused on the people. They brought the Law into homes and synagogues. They emphasized obedience, prayer, and purity in daily life. In a world where many had lost their distinctiveness, the Pharisees reminded Israel of her covenant with God.

In some ways, it is precisely because they were so close to the truth that their failure was so tragic. They had the form of godliness — but not the heart.

Where They Went Wrong

The Pharisees began as reformers. They ended as gatekeepers.

Their error was not law-keeping — it was heart-forgetting. Over time, they replaced the commands of God with the traditions of men. Their zeal became pride. Their purity became performance. Their religion became a burden.

“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” — Mark 7:8

✦ They made the Law a burden

Instead of leading people to love God, the Pharisees crushed them under the weight of endless rules. They expanded the law with layer after layer of detail — rules about washing, eating, walking, tithing — until obedience became an exhausting checklist.

“They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders…” — Matthew 23:4

✦ They confused outward behavior with inward righteousness

The Pharisees measured holiness by appearance. If you looked clean, fasted visibly, and tithed precisely, you were righteous — regardless of your heart. But Jesus saw through the mask.

“You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones…” — Matthew 23:27

✦ They exalted themselves

They sought the seats of honor, loved public recognition, and believed they were spiritually superior. Their faith had become a means of self-promotion.

“They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” — Matthew 23:5

✦ They missed the Messiah standing in front of them

Despite their devotion to the Scriptures, the Pharisees failed to see that all of it pointed to Christ. They searched the Word — but not for the One who is the Word made flesh (John 5:39).

They longed for a righteous teacher — and rejected the Righteous One Himself.

Christ’s Rebuke and Invitation

“Jesus saved His sharpest words for the most religious people in Israel — not because they were far from the Scriptures, but because they were close and blind.”

No group received more direct confrontation from Jesus than the Pharisees. And yet, His words were not fueled by hatred — they were born of lament.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…” — Matthew 23:13ff

The word woe is not a curse — it’s a cry of sorrow. Jesus wasn’t merely exposing their sin; He was grieving over it.

He saw how their religion had become a mask. He knew the spiritual danger of those who believe they are righteous when they are not. So He warned them — again and again.

But even in His rebukes, there was an invitation.

When Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus at night (John 3), Christ didn’t shame him. He called him to be born again. When Saul of Tarsus — a “Pharisee of Pharisees” — encountered the risen Christ, he was transformed into the apostle Paul, preacher of grace.

Jesus did not reject the Pharisees because they loved God’s Word. He rebuked them because they had distorted it — using truth as a weapon instead of a window into God's mercy.

And He still calls to those who are religious but far from God: Lay down your pride. Come to Me. I will give you rest.

The Pharisee in the Mirror: Lessons for Today

It’s easy to read about the Pharisees with a sense of detachment—shaking our heads at their pride, their blindness, their tragic refusal to embrace the Messiah. But if we’re honest, the spirit of the Pharisee isn’t ancient history. It’s alive and well, and it can show up in the most faithful church, the most rigorous Bible study, and yes—even in the most theologically sound believers.

The Pharisees remind us that devotion to truth can slowly mutate into self-righteousness. That love for God's Law can subtly become love for our own performance. That in our zeal to preserve sound doctrine, we might silence grace in our own hearts.

So what do their lives teach us? More than we might like to admit.

🧍 Externalism: Measuring godliness by appearance

The Pharisees were masters of spiritual optics. They tithed down to the herbs in their gardens. They wore Scripture on their garments. But Jesus said they were “whitewashed tombs”—clean on the outside, full of death on the inside (Matthew 23:27).

We may not wear phylacteries or seek praise in the marketplace, but we can still fall into the trap of performative religion. When our public image outpaces our private devotion, we’re walking familiar Pharisaical ground.

📜 Traditionalism: Trusting tradition over Scripture

The Pharisees weren’t just Bible teachers—they were defenders of the “oral law,” layers of man-made rules meant to protect the commands of God. But over time, those fences became walls. And the traditions they created eventually obscured the Word they claimed to honor.

This can happen in any church. When our denominational heritage, political culture, or ministry preferences become non-negotiable—equal to or above Scripture—we are no longer reforming. We’re retreating into the safety of the familiar rather than the authority of the Word.

🪓 Weaponizing Truth: Using doctrine to divide, not disciple

Truth matters. It must be defended. But the Pharisees used truth like a sword to wound rather than a scalpel to heal. They laid heavy burdens on others without lifting a finger to help them (Matthew 23:4).

How easy it is to win theological debates and lose people’s hearts. Reformed believers especially must take this to heart. We celebrate doctrinal precision—and we should. But if our theology makes us harsh, dismissive, or arrogant, we haven’t learned grace—we’ve just learned to argue.

💔 Pride in Piety: Confusing zeal for God with love of self

The Pharisees didn’t lack passion. But their zeal became a mirror in which they admired themselves. Jesus said they “loved the place of honor” at feasts and in synagogues (Luke 11:43). Their fervor, instead of drawing them toward God, became fuel for self-glory.

There’s a difference between fighting for truth and fighting for our ego. We must ask: Am I defending Christ, or defending my sense of being right?

Summary Reflection

The Pharisees didn’t go wrong by loving the Law—they went wrong by loving their own image more than the God who gave it. They remind us that proximity to truth does not equal submission to truth.

You can know your Bible, quote the creeds, and dress the part—and still be far from the heart of God.

But here’s the good news: Jesus rebukes the Pharisee not to destroy him, but to save him. And He still calls to us today—religious, proud, or weary:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Conclusion and Bridge

The Pharisees were devoted, disciplined, and deadly wrong.

They remind us that it’s possible to be close to the truth and still miss Christ. But they also remind us that no one is beyond redemption — not even the proud, not even the self-righteous.

Jesus calls sinners to Himself — even the religious ones.

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:20

He wasn’t pointing us to more effort — He was pointing us to Himself.

📚 Reflection Questions

Use these for personal devotion, small group discussion, or journaling:

1. In what ways might I resemble the Pharisees — clinging to religious performance rather than grace?

2. How can I guard against pride in my theological knowledge?

3. Am I more eager to correct others than to confess my own sins?

4. Have I learned to rest in the righteousness of Christ, rather than in my own?

📌 Coming Next in the Series:

Part 3: Sadducees – Temple Power and the Death of Hope We’ll look at the aristocratic guardians of the temple — and how their worldly compromise led them to crucify the very One they were meant to worship.

📚 For Further Reading – Understanding the Pharisees

1. D.A. Carson – Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the WorldA clear, theological exposition of Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5–7, including His contrasts with the righteousness of the Pharisees. Excellent for understanding the deeper intent of the Law.

2. Craig A. Evans – Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative StudiesA scholarly but readable analysis comparing Jesus’ teachings to various Jewish groups of His day, especially the Pharisees. Helpful for historical and theological contrast.

3. N.T. Wright – The New Testament and the People of GodThough not Reformed, Wright’s work gives detailed context to Second Temple Judaism, including a balanced treatment of the Pharisees and their expectations. Valuable for understanding worldview.

4. Michael Horton – Christless ChristianityA sobering warning about modern-day Pharisaism in evangelical churches — legalism, moralism, and gospel-less religion. Practical and theological.

5. R.C. Sproul – The Holiness of GodWhile not focused on the Pharisees directly, this classic work highlights the kind of holiness God actually requires — and how only Christ can fulfill it. Useful contrast to self-made righteousness.

6. Josephus – Antiquities of the Jews, Book 13 & 18A primary source account of the Pharisees’ origins, beliefs, and social influence. Offers firsthand insight into how they were viewed in their own time.