What qualifies a person as a modern day Pharisee?

[The Unforgettable Fire]

?

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Jesus spent a lot of time with the Pharisees. I think he grew up as part of their sect of Judaism. The sect was not bad in and of itself. However, the leaders had made rules and regulation that were not in scripture. The base could be found in scripture, but all the extra added applications of sticking to that base had gone beyond what God said. In and of itself that also is not bad. All of our churches do it in some form or other. However, it's the forcing people to adhere to the man made rules outside of scripture is an issue. Or telling them they will lose their salvation if they don't/do do certain things that is expected in the church.

We are not to look around and try and find Pharisees though. We are to look inside our selves and see if there is a person acting like a Pharisee in there. Work at getting rid of that one and the world is already a better place.

 

[Simon Peter]

What qualifies a person as a modern day Pharisee?

Someone who pushes justification by the law, and other unscriptural doctrines.



peace,
Simon

 

[NannaNae]

that is easy.
did you know that the Pharisee and Saducees had agrued their stuff to such a ridiculous point that they were considering stopping sacrifices before Jesus got there.

they were completely and totally doing their own thing in God's name..

so if history is any indication.. lawlessness / knowledge of good and evil was most important =greeky self.. .. then wrapped in social agendas.... sprinkled with a little bit of that some golden calf at the real God's feet , and then bless it with a really pretty Positive sounding prayer, to give people faith. Just make it look holy so people will FEEL really positive about it.

but whatever it had turned into He seem "positive" it was an abomination to his Father !!

 

[Faulty]

Seems like all you have to do these days is point out lies of others who call themselves preachers and teachers of the scriptures. Poof! The accusation of "Pharisee" manifests.

 

[K2K]

Make not mistake about it; Jesus Christ loved the Pharisees, but their father was the devil.

He said His sheep hear His voice, and explained to them that they did not hear the word of God.

He explained that you must be born again, which would mean hearing the sound of the wind.

Not hearing the words of God certianly had it's effect on the Pharisees. They made it about religion and religious things instead of hearing the Lord our God. They studied the Scriptures and they made rules to live by, but they did not actually seek God, and instead they leaned on their own understanding.

Of course we don't battle with flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. So when Jesus said their father was the devil, who was He actually talking to?

A Pharisee must have been able to be born again (or born from above)- or why explain it? And will Jesus turn down anyone who comes to Him?

It is important to understand that Jesus had discussion (arguement?) with people that did not listen to His voice. His words are spirit, not sound waves. So if we are listening to Him and living by what He says, we are not like the Pharisees. If we are not hearing His spiritual words spoken to us, but instead are leaning on our understanding and the rules and teachings of men, they we have that same spirit the Pharisees had.

So look inside yourself, because the Word is near. And if anyone makes an "accusation of Pharisee", it should cause us to look at ourselves. If they were right, the accusation would then have been a great help. If wrong, it didnt't hurt to make sure. But if the accusation was made and we don't consider it, then it will hurt and might be right.

 

[The Unforgettable Fire]

Thanks for the replies. I was curious what others thought.

Here's my two cents.

The purpose of the law was to show them they couldn't keep it and lead them to the knowledge of their need for a Savior.

Jesus raised the bar far higher than it had ever been raised.

The Pharisees believed they were right with God by keeping the law.

Jesus came to show that no one is right with God by keeping the law, only through believing trust in what He would accomplish through his death and resurrection.

The Pharisees were dedicated to the thought of being right with God by keeping the law.

Christians are right because they believe in Jesus and His work on their behalf.

So there is a contrast.

True Christian = trusting belief in Christ as their Savior, not relying on being good, doing good or rules.

Pharisee = relying on being good, doing good or following rules, being their own savior.

 

[like eagleswings]

Thanks for the replies. I was curious what others thought.

Here's my two cents.

The purpose of the law was to show them they couldn't keep it and lead them to the knowledge of their need for a Savior.

Jesus raised the bar far higher than it had ever been raised.

The Pharisees believed they were right with God by keeping the law.

Jesus came to show that no one is right with God by keeping the law, only through believing trust in what He would accomplish through his death and resurrection.

The Pharisees were dedicated to the thought of being right with God by keeping the law.

Christians are right because they believe in Jesus and His work on their behalf.

So there is a contrast.

True Christian = trusting belief in Christ as their Savior, not relying on being good, doing good or rules.

Pharisee = relying on being good, doing good or following rules, being their own savior.

worse than that
alot of them but not all of them, were corrupt,they made up rules for power and money,over Gods people,thats why i think Jesus gave them strong rebuke. they knew it was wrong but they did not care.

 

[Svt4Him]

Jesus spent a lot of time with the Pharisees. I think he grew up as part of their sect of Judaism. The sect was not bad in and of itself. However, the leaders had made rules and regulation that were not in scripture. The base could be found in scripture, but all the extra added applications of sticking to that base had gone beyond what God said. In and of itself that also is not bad. All of our churches do it in some form or other. However, it's the forcing people to adhere to the man made rules outside of scripture is an issue. Or telling them they will lose their salvation if they don't/do do certain things that is expected in the church.

We are not to look around and try and find Pharisees though. We are to look inside our selves and see if there is a person acting like a Pharisee in there. Work at getting rid of that one and the world is already a better place.

That is worth quoting, as it's a great post!

 

[like eagleswings]

Seems like all you have to do these days is point out lies of others who call themselves preachers and teachers of the scriptures. Poof! The accusation of "Pharisee" manifests.

dont listen to them , we all need to get a back bone, in these last days ,no wonder the church gets so infiltrated, becuase the enemy has made us scared to speak out,he has been trying to make us dumb,(using the dont judge scripture). we are told to test things. and if there wrong to expose it.
Jesus did not mess about whith the pharisees, he told them how it is, if it was to day, some would tell Jesus to stop judging, could you imagine that.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Jesus told the people that what the Pharisee's taught was good, however, the actions in accordance with what they taught were not there. Jesus was not against what they taught, but HE was against what they did not follow of what they taught.

Matthew 23
Then Jesus spoke to the people and to his followers. He said, 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have the authority to tell you what the Law of Moses says. 3 So you should obey them. Do everything they tell you to do. But their lives are not good examples for you to follow. They tell you to do things, but they don’t do those things themselves. 4 They make strict rules that are hard for people to obey. They try to force others to obey all their rules. But they themselves will not try to follow any of those rules.


​

They knew the right thing to do but did not do it. (James 4:17) That qualifies a whole bunch of us as like the Pharisees.

​

 

[Frogster]

They were not all exactly these nice kinda guys.


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

Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”


Matthew 12:14
But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.


Matthew 16:6
Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”



Matthew 23:15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

What qualifies a person as a modern day Pharisee?

Generally, they're the elder son of the parable, they are the religious elite, they were born into the religion, the religion exists to nourish them, they use the teachings to control people, their reading of scripture takes everything written as a command, when every scripture .. is not written as a command, they expect much of others, but do not live up to the standard they heap upon others' shoulders

the modern day pharisees appear in every tradition, and usually they are the ones in control of the leadership structure .. especially if it is not the servant oriented model that Jesus taught .

any teaching becomes as a law with them, even grace, because they must be in control of your lives . this is what pharisees do .

 

[cyberlizard]

technically, pharisees were more concerned with setting aside the commandments to maintain traditions. in this regard, many christian leaders would fall into this category.


Steve

p.s. or are we using the word pharisee as a derogatory adjective.... i for one would appreciate some clarification.

 

[Frogster]

technically, pharisees were more concerned with setting aside the commandments to maintain traditions. in this regard, many christian leaders would fall into this category.


Steve

p.s. or are we using the word pharisee as a derogatory adjective.... i for one would appreciate some clarification.

Technically they were very much of the law too. Just so you know, thanks! forgster.


Acts 15:5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

 

[AbbaLove]

technically, pharisees were more concerned with setting aside the commandments to maintain traditions. in this regard, many christian leaders would fall into this category.

Steve

p.s. or are we using the word pharisee as a derogatory adjective.... i for one would appreciate some clarification.

The ruling Pharisees were blind to the fact that Jesus was the Son of GOD (and GOD the Son). Both Herod and Pilot concluded that Jesus had committed no crime(s) worthy of death.

John 14:9
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

In its most basic meaning a "pharisee" is one who doesn't believe that Christ Jesus is GOD the Son, so they couldn't believe Jesus could forgive someone's sins. Furthermore, they didn't believe that Jesus was resurrected from death. They came across as having a form of godliness (religious), but denying His anointing impartations of the Holy Spirit in His discipled Apostles. Apostles used to Glorify GOD whether it be healing the lame, opening blind eyes, creative miracles or resurrection of the dead. The Pharisees and intellectual scribes were literally surrounded by walking miracles and yet they went so far as to suggest Jesus was possessed by Satan.

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.

Today there are religious people who don't believe in the virgin birth. They don't believe that the nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit are still just as relevant for Christians today as they were to the early church.

Where do some Christians get the idea that the following words of Jesus only applied to the first Apostles and not to today's Apostles.

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

 

[gideons300]

I would think the greatest characteristic of a modern day Pharisee is one who thinks cleaning the cup from the outside in is all God expects from us. When we can go to church and all think well of us, but inside, we are dead, religious but unrighteous, with thoughts and secret actions that betray our outer show, and we are found content there, that is a Pharisee.

I have said it before. If sin is our daily companion, and yet, inside, in our heart, we weep for our weakness, we cry out in our prayers for victory, we repent when we fail to live as we know we are called to live, and fall short of loving as we are called to love, we will not fail to find the path that leads to life on the highway of holiness. God will move mountains if needs be to make sure such a one finds full deliverance and gives them the desires of their hearts...to be freed from the fallen nature that resists full surrender to His care.

If we are found to not be in this great company, vrying out for the deliverer to deliver us from sin's power, and instead found content with our sin's pardons, yet with no heart for a holy walk, pleasing our God, beware, for the darkness is great here. There is no time to lose, for to stay there is only giving satan more opportunity to harden our hearts even more. Let us flee the sins that bind us and cry out for God to break our hearts so He might gently heal them. Even some of the pharisees ended up champions for Christ. None is beyond His reach.... IF we cry out for Him with honest, hungry hearts.

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[JimB]

What qualifies a person as a modern day Pharisee?

Hypocrisy.

 

[lismore]

?

In defence of these people, many of them did believe in Jesus. Joseph, Nicodemus, Saul of Tarsus. Then there were others, like Gamaliel. The reason the trial of Jesus was held at night was that many of the Pharisees would have voted for him, not against him.

The alternative: sadducees who did not believe in angels or the resurrection!

 

[Messy]

In defence of these people, many of them did believe in Jesus. Joseph, Nicodemus, Saul of Tarsus. Then there were others, like Gamaliel. The reason the trial of Jesus was held at night was that many of the Pharisees would have voted for him, not against him.

The alternative: sadducees who did not believe in angels or the resurrection!

Yes that's true, they were not all that bad.