Pharisees

According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “in the time of our Lord, they (the Pharisees) were the popular party. They were extremely accurate and minute in all matters appertaining to the law of Moses.” Their religion was nothing more than that – a system without a personal relationship with Christ. They did not possess high moral values. Jesus referred to them as “a brood of vipers” . The Pharisees were prideful and self-righteous. Bitterness followed the Pharisees and they were enemies of our Lord and Savior. They did everything within their power to elude a religious exterior presence, however, their hearts were hardened and far from reflecting personal relationships with Christ.

Scriptures referencing the Pharisees, their actions and attitudes are advantageous for us to review and remember. Never do I want my life to reflect religion more than my relationship with the Lord.

Matthew 3:7 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, ‘You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ‘“

Matthew 5:20 “For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Matthew 12:14 “But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.”

Matthew 16:1 “The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.”

Matthew 23:13 "’Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.’”

Matthew 23:23 "’Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.’”

Matthew 23:27 "’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.’”

Mark 3:6 “The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.”

Luke 6:7 “The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.”

Luke 7:30 “But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.”

Luke 11:39 “The Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness’.”

Luke 11:43 “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces.”

Luke 12:1 “Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’.”

Luke 16:14 “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.”