What is a true Pharisee?
I’ve lost count of all the times I’ve been called a Pharisee over the years. Any time that I bring to light the error, abuse, or obvious contradictions to scripture, that is the first moniker that is thrown my way. The second is that I have a religious spirit. The third is that I have a Jezebel Spirit. But those last two monikers will have to be in a different post. Today, I’ll be dealing with the question “What is a true Pharisee?”.

Since the Bible is our standard, our ruler, for all things pertaining to life and godliness as a believer (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:3) then let us take a look at Scripture at what is a Pharisee.

When I type the word Pharisee into my Literal Word Bible app on my phone, there are 93 verses that pop up for me to look at. Out of those 93 verses every single verse available is contained in the New Testament only. So why is that Important? I could go into a whole, long winded history lesson, but I’ll summarize it quickly, and then you, dear Reader, can go check it out for yourself. The Pharisees did not exist in the Old Testament! It has to do with the Babylonian exile, the 400 years of silence between the closing of the Old Testament and the starting of the New, and a book of over 600 manmade laws called “The traditions of the Elders” referenced in Mark 7. The Pharisees were a group of religious leaders who rose into prominence who were obsessed with following these “extra laws” and imposing manmade doctrines onto the people that aren’t actually contained in scripture. This will be an important distinction later on.

Perusing through these 93 references we quickly see many exchanges that Jesus had with the Pharisees and the multiple warnings that Jesus gave concerning them. It’s the multiple warnings that Jesus gives that makes me understand why people throw that moniker at others. They think they are warning against being like the Pharisees like Jesus did. But what we need, as believers, is to have a right understanding of what a Pharisee really is in order to rightly warn people. Let us ask some questions and see if we can answer them biblically.

The First Question: Were the Pharisees saved?

We do know from scripture that a few Pharisees actually came to saving faith in Jesus; Nicodemus and the Apostle Paul were former Pharisees. There were a few others (John 12:42) but most Pharisees didn’t come to repentance and belief in Jesus as their Savior and instead were active participants in His death and crucifixion. When looking through the 93 verses containing the word Pharisee, it is interesting to see the collection of descriptive phrases and names that they, the Pharisees, are labeled with: brood of vipers, leaven (unwanted yeast), hypocrites, robbers, self-indulgent, blind, fools, blind guides, unclean, whitewashed tombs, and dead men. None of those terms describe a believer. The practices of the Pharisees were not much better in those same 93 verses: sign seekers (Matt 12:38, Matt 16:1, Luke 17:20), false teachers (Matt 16:11,12), they plotted evil (Matt 22:15, Mark 3:6, John 7:32, John 11:57), they shut off the kingdom of heaven from people ( Matt 23:13), devouring widows houses which is taking advantage of the helpless (Matt 23:14), neglectful of others (Matt 23:23), superseding scripture with traditions of men (Mark 7:5), argumentative (Mark 8:11, Mark 10:2), full of robbery and wickedness (Luke 11:39), disregard justice and the love of God (Luke 11:42), love the place of honor (Luke 11:43), hostile (Luke 11:53), teaching falsely and being hypocrites (Luke 12:1), lovers of money (Luke 16:14), Scoffers, False accusers (John 8:3, 13, John 9:16). These lists are short lists honestly, based only on the scriptures that contain the word Pharisee. If I were to take the time to look at each verse in the surrounding context, the list would be much larger, but it’s clear to see from these two lists of the names and practices of the Pharisees, neither list resembles a true believer, a follower of Christ. So, is it OK to call another believer a Pharisee? The answer is clearly NO! Pharisees were not saved individuals! Plus, dear Reader, the last thing the Pharisees were doing was standing for the truth. They were against the truth, and instead they were for works and practices to earn their salvation. Those Pharisees clearly thought they were good enough for Salvation and clearly saw no need for a Savior! They were soooo self-righteous that they had it all figured out!

Together, let us take a look at the discourse Jesus had in regard to the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Reading that chapter alone should make anyone hesitant to call a brother or sister in Christ, a Pharisee. Jesus had not one good thing to say about them. In Fact, eight times Jesus says the words, “Woe to you….” addressing the scribes and the Pharisees. If you still question whether or not the Pharisees were believers consider verse 33 of the chapter where Jesus calls them, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?”. Clearly, the Pharisees are marked out for hell.
So again, I shall ask the question, should we be calling believers Pharisees? NO!

Do you know who sounds and acts just like the Pharisees? False teachers.

Dear Reader, I encourage you to go read 2 Peter chapter 2 regarding the false teacher. After reading through our short list above, does the false teacher not sound exactly like a Pharisee? He does because the Pharisee was indeed a false teacher. The two chapters, Matthew 23 and 2 Peter 2 actually have a ton of similarities. In 2 Peter 2, the false teacher has destructive heresies just like the Pharisee that burdens the people in Matt 23:4. The Pharisee has also denied the Master in verse one of 2 Peter 2. Jesus also promises their coming destruction in hell in both Matt 23:33 as well as in 2 Peter 2:3. Both the false teacher and the Pharisee are trained in greed, more concerned about money than the people (Matt 23:16-18, 2 Peter 2:14). It’s interesting that in 2 Peter 2:17 the false teacher is described as being a “spring without water”, which is a water source without actual water, and Jesus describes the Pharisees, as a clean cup on the outside that is full of robbery and self-indulgence. Essentially, it’s a pretty looking cup filled with filth. Both the spring and the cup are supposed to contain something good, life-giving water, but neither contains what it promises. Both are useless vessels. The False teacher speaks words of vanity, and the Pharisee tells you what to do without actually doing that himself. Pharisees and false teachers, both maligned the way of the truth, keeping those bound up with works, shutting the door to heaven. Both the Pharisee and the False teacher are accursed children, and both knew the way righteousness, but both turned away from the Holy commandment handed on to them (2 Peter 2:21).So looking at these two passages side by side, who then is the true Pharisee?
The answer: The true Pharisee is the False teacher.
Those who expose the False teachers in our midst…they are the ones standing for the truth and are following the example of their Master, Shepherd and Savior.