The Pharisees were a group of Jewish men who thoroughly studied the law that God had given to Moses, known as the Torah. They were members of a religious movement that dedicated itself to the preservation of the one true faith, given by God. They had appointed themselves as its guardians. They lived, however, in a political setting that precluded observance of the full Torah. This led them to adapt the rules of Torah to the existing conditions, something being better than nothing.
Their intentions in this were good, but they carried out their purpose in their own wisdom. They were among the Jews who were zealous for Torah about whom Paul wrote in Romans 10:2: the zeal they had was not enlightened by God who gave the Torah. So, when Jesus, who embodied the Torah (Matthew 5:17, Romans 10:4), came, they did not receive him as the Christ. In making an idol of Torah, rather than faithfully pursuing the Lord, their service to the Torah became corrupt. Jesus said that one day they would be accused by Moses, whom they claimed to be following (John 5:45-47).
In scripture we see God raising prophets to correct His people when they strayed from His path. Part of the ministry of Jesus, when he lived on the earth, was as prophet to the Pharisees, to correct their idolatry. He pointed out that, even if they were able to observe some aspects of the letter of Torah, they had departed from its spirit, which is rooted in the character of God. This departure led to all kinds of abuses that grieved God. And they were not even faithful in observing the rules that they placed on others (Matthew 23:1-4).
The large majority of them, however, refused to accept that correction, which originated in God and was meant for their salvation. In fact, many of them actively opposed Jesus. The Pharisees, as a religious movement, joined with other forces that gathered to execute Jesus.
It’s easy for us to condemn them. But it’s also easy for us to stray from the path of faithfully pursuing the Lord. The apostle John ended his first letter with a warning: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” We who are starting out on the transformation trail should keep alert for anything, even if it was given to us by God Himself, that is or might become an idol. Jesus the mighty prophet is ready to reveal this to us. And he is willing and able, in love, to give grace for our deliverance.
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