The New Testament presents the Pharisees as a group that vehemently opposed the ministry of Jesus. Yet, a select few among the Pharisees were open to considering what Jesus taught and even defended his ministry. The Pharisees played a significant role in Jewish society and influenced much of Judaism in Israel and beyond. They were experts in the Jewish scriptures and were known for their strict adherence to the law. Their reaction to Jesus, however, showed that they selectively applied their beliefs when their authority was challenged.
Origin of the Pharisees
The Greek Empire under Alexander the Great split into four parts after his death. Israel was initially under the control of the Ptolemaic Empire, with its capital in Egypt, and Jews enjoyed relative freedom, independence, and even support to practice their faith and traditions. The Ptolemaic Empire tolerated the Jewish religion and culture and contributed to preserving the Hebrew scriptures. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ordered the translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Koine Greek, which most Jews residing in Alexandria spoke, having grown less familiar with Hebrew.
That tolerance ended when the Seleucid Empire, with its capital in Antioch (located in modern-day Turkey), took over Judea. Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposed Greek culture on all regions under his control and even rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem to Zeus. When he erected an altar to Zeus within the Second Temple compound, the Jews revolted. The Maccabean Revolt lasted from 167 to 160 BCE. The forced Hellenization led some of the Jews to embrace the idea of separating themselves from being assimilated into Greek society. This separatist group was called the Pharisees.
The word Pharisee is a transliteration of the Greek word Pharisaios which in turn originates from the Hebrew term parash, meaning “to separate” or “to be distinct.” Though being called “a separated one” was likely a slur initially, the separatists embraced it. Their core principle was to oppose assimilation by retaining their culture through strict observance of their religion and traditions. They were not isolationist by embracing an ascetic lifestyle like the Essenes did. Rather, they remained in cities and towns among others more open to Hellenization, but culturally preserved their heritage.
The boldness with which they opposed the Greek culture imposed on them made the Pharisees a popular sect among middle-class Jews. They provided a way for Jews to retain their cultural and religious identity in a world that was dominated by polytheistic religions. Almost all nations worshiped many gods, as is evident from the Greek pantheon or those of other cultures. Retaining their monotheistic religion resonated with the average Jew. They were not a political party, though they did hold some political sway.
As cultural gatekeepers, the Pharisees studied the Jewish religion and law in depth. They had a reputation for being experts on the Jewish Scriptures and its interpretation and Jews had much respect for them. Contrary to the biblical representation of the Pharisees as evil opponents of Jesus, Jews considered them cultural heroes who kept the Jews anchored to their religion, heritage, and culture.
The Beliefs of the Pharisees
To the Pharisees, the way they interpreted the law of Moses, rather than the Temple, was the unifying focus of their faith. Their faith experience was, therefore, not geographically centered on Jerusalem and the Temple but could be practiced in any part of the ancient world where the Jews had been scattered.
They had a practical approach to interpreting the law, and fasting, prayer, and almsgiving were emphasized. The focus on caring for the poor also popularized their scriptural interpretation with everyday Jews. They were not elitists, and social status was not a factor in joining their ranks. They believed anyone could be as holy as the priestly class. The only two requirements for membership were a pledge of dedication to the law, written and oral, and to separate themselves from commoners and sinners. Their ranks consisted of middle-class businessmen who often became scribes to teach the law as well. Not all Pharisees were scribes and not all scribes were Pharisees.
Unlike the Sadducees, who were from the aristocratic and priestly class, the Pharisees did not abandon their belief in the supernatural. They believed in angels, miracles, the resurrection of the dead, and an afterlife. They studied the Tanakh (Old Testament) and placed special emphasis on the Torah (Pentateuch or first five books of the Old Testament). The oral law, also called the Mishna when it was compiled and written down around 200 CE, expanded on the laws that were ambiguous in the Torah. The Talmud is a commentary on the Mishna and further elaborates on the laws and teachings of the Mishna.
The Pharisees were open to discussion and debate on any topic and this characteristic of the sect resulted in them not becoming a monolithic group. There was room for differences which resulted in different factions developing over time. The Shammai and Hillel schools of thought, named after the two Rabbis who founded these schools, are evidence of the openness to conversation within the Pharisaic sect.
Pharisees in the Bible and Afterward
The word “Pharisee” in singular or plural form appears almost 100 times in the Bible with all instances being from the gospels or Acts except for one. The exception comes from Philippians 3:5 where Paul indicates that his interpretation of the law before his conversion was according to the pharisaic tradition.
In the gospels, the Pharisees often engaged in discussion or debate with Jesus on the law and its interpretation. The negative view of the Pharisees that the Bible portrays is not a reflection of the popularity they enjoyed, or the support they had, among the people.
The conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees mainly concerned the additions to the written law. In Matthew 12:1, the Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking the Sabbath because they took ears of grain from the field and ate it. No such action is forbidden in the Bible, but it was according to the oral law.
The Pharisees tended to emphasize the letter of the law, neglecting the spirit of the law. They were focused on the outward expression, rather than the inward motives that were more significant. Jesus called the Pharisees out for this by using them as an example in the parable of the Pharisee who prayed publicly to be seen and heard and not with genuine repentance like the tax collector, who the Pharisees considered a sinner.
Instead of reaching out to sinners, they became exclusionary, losing the saving power of the message they should have conveyed. They also loaded believers with many additional laws they established to explain and expand on the Torah. In doing so, they often over-emphasized the details while neglecting major principles. Jesus highlighted this when he said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matthew 23:23-24).
The Pharisees plotted to convict and kill Jesus (Matthew 12:14; John 11:37-53). They collaborated with the Sanhedrin, of which they were a part, on Jesus’s trial (Mark 14:53-55), and used their influence when Jesus was on trial before Pontius Pilate to get the verdict they wanted (John 18:28-30).
Not all Pharisees were oblivious to the merits of Jesus and his teachings. Nicodemus was a prominent Pharisee who sought Jesus out in secret initially to learn more from him (John 3:1-15) and later defended Jesus’s right to a hearing publicly. Nicodemus’s care for the body of Jesus after his death suggests that he was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah.
Because of their belief that the sacred could be experienced outside of Jerusalem, the Pharisees were the only group that survived the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The sect continued to interpret the scriptures and develop their views, which they diligently recorded. Their work laid the foundation for what we know today as Rabbinic Judaism.
The Pharisees: In Conclusion
The idea that the Pharisees were a villainous sect in Judaism in the first century CE is not a fair portrayal of this group of men who dedicated themselves to the preservation of their religious and cultural heritage. Far from a monolithic group, they were open to discussion and debate as the Bible attests to.
As cultural and religious gatekeepers of Judaism, one would have expected them to recognize the Messiah, but the majority did not. They eventually played a significant role in the prosecution and execution of Jesus Christ. It is ironic that this group, dedicated to the law, plotted murder and violated their own laws with Jesus’s trial to have him executed.
The Pharisees were the only group of its kind among the Jews that survived the destruction of Jerusalem. Their heritage is preserved in the Rabbinic tradition that most Jews are familiar with today.
