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The Pharisees at the time of Christ.
During the Lord's earthly ministry the Pharisees exercised great power and influence
over the mass of common people, and this in spite of the wealth, rank and connections of
their bitter opponents, the Sadducees. In all religious matters the people sided with the
Pharisees, so much so that even the Sadducees themselves had to give way against their
real views. The Sadducees exercised worldly influence, but the Pharisees dominated the
religious scene. The Lord Himself recognized their position:
"Then spake Jesus, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all
therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their
works: for they say, and do not" (Matt. 23: 1-3).
The scribes and Pharisees sat in the position of authority, Moses' seat. They were the
religious leaders of the people, the shepherd of Israel; unfortunately, many of them fitted
only too well the words of the Lord, "blind leaders of the blind" (Matt. 15: 14), "an
hireling . . . . . who careth not for the sheep" (John 10: 12, 13).
It seems strange then, that the Lord should encourage the multitude to "observed and
do" that which these Pharisees bade them, especially in the light of what he had already
taught his disciples:
"Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees . . . . . the doctrine of the
Pharisees" (Matt. 16: 6-12).
The solution to the problem is found by recognizing, with The Companion Bible, that
the words "observe and do" are in the indicative mood, not the imperative as translated in
the A.V. (There is no way of determining whether the mood is indicative or imperative
here, except by observing the context.) So that although the Lord recognized that the
Pharisees sat in the place of authority, and that the multitude observed and did that which
they taught, he did not himself bid them so to do. A revised translation would be:
"The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid
you observe, that ye observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do
not" (Matt. 23: 1-3).
It must no be imagined, however, that all of the teaching of Pharisaism or all of their
practice was to be condemned. Error is a more effective leaven when mixed with an
element of truth. Nor indeed must it be thought that all Pharisees were evil men. It is
reasonable to suppose that there were some, apart from those mentioned in the N.T., who
were good men, sincere in their convictions and seeking to serve God honestly according
to their light.
But Pharisaism as a system was to be condemned. It was occupied with things
infinitely small, whilst the weightier matters of the Law were neglected (Matt. 23: 23).
Its adherents gave alms liberally, but with great ostentation (Matt. 6: 2), and their fasting
and long prayers were made to the same end (Matt. 6: 5, 16; 23: 14). Both the
Pharisees and the Sadducees were denounced by John the Baptist (Matt. 3: 7), and the
Lord (Matt. 16: 1-4), and a whole chapter (Matt. 23:) is devoted to an exposure and