PHARISEEISM

The Pharisees were the strictest sect of the Jews (Acts 23:5). This was admirable, and strict adherence to God's word is something that we should emulate (Ja. 1:22-25). But this is about the only good thing that is said about the Pharisees in the New Testament.

Surveying their other attributes we find them to be: unrepentant (Mt. 3:7), judgmental (Mt. 9:11), false accusers (Mt. 12:2), conspirators (Mt.12:14), blasphemers (Mt. 12:22-32), evil and adulterous (Mt.12:38-39), transgressors (Mt. 15:3), tempters (Mt. 16:1), false teachers (Mt. 16:12), hypocrites (Mt. 13), murmurers (Lk. 5:30), covetous (Lk 16:14), self righteous (Lk. 18:9-14), and murderers (Jn. 11:53).

Now here is the paradox: how could those who were the most exacting at keeping God's law so guilty of such vile deeds?

Perhaps the most definitive insight into this can be attained from Lk.18:9-14: "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

In essence they were totally convinced that they were obeying God's will when, in reality, they were doing exactly the opposite. Their pride totally blinded them to this reality.

Perhaps if we identify with the publican in the story rather than the Pharisee, we too are blinded. Indeed, if we cannot see the Pharisee within ourselves, we have little hope to get it out.

The affliction of Phariseeism is not an excuse for abandoning our attempt to follow God's word as exactly to the letter as is possible (Mt. 7:21). This was not their shortcoming (see Mt. 11:42: "these ought ye to have done ..."). However, Christians cannot be totally dedicated to this endeavor without recognizing how very vulnerable we are to the attitude of Phariseeism. Let's fight it!