Difference Between Jesus And The Pharisees

What can we learn from this vivid account? It stirs our emotions, does it not? Imagine yourself in Simon's home. How would you feel? Would you respond as did Jesus, or would you feel a bit like his Pharisee host? Jesus was the Son of God, so we cannot feel and act exactly as he did. On the other hand, we may not be eager to think of ourselves as being like Simon, the Pharisee. Few would take pride in being a Pharisaic.

From a study of Biblical and secular evidence, we can conclude that the Pharisees though highly of themselves as guardians of the public good and the national welfare. They were not satisfied that God's Law was fundamentally clear and easily understood. Wherever the Law seemed to them to be unspecific, they sought to plug apparent gaps with defined applications to eliminate any need for conscience. These religious leaders attempted to devise a precept to govern conduct in all issues, even trivialities.

The first - century Jewish historian Josephus makes it obvious that the Pharisees considered themselves to be kind, gentle, just and altogether right for their task. Doubtless, some of them came fairly close to that. Nicodemus might come to your mind. (John 3:1, 2; 7:50, 51) In time, some of them embrace the Christian way. (Acts 15:5) The Christian apostle Paul wrote about certain Jews, such as the Pharisees. "They have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge." (Romans 10:2) However, the Gospels present them as they were seen by the common people - proud, arrogant, self-righteous, faultfinding, judgmental and demeaning.

Next time: Jesus' View