The Pharisees placed considerable emphasis upon the rigorous upholding of the law, particularly the traditional forms in which the law had been established by their predecessors.
Pharisaic interpretation of the law
Pharisees were the recognised custodians of the law
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Pharisees emphasised the traditions of the elders
Mark 7:3–4 For the Pharisees the oral law, the traditions of their predecessors, had an authority equal to that of the written law. See also Matthew 15:1–2 parallel Mark 7:5; Galatians 1:14
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.
Pharisaic observance of the law
The Sabbath
Matthew 12:1–2 parallels Mark 2:23–24, Luke 6:1–2 See also Luke 13:14
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
Fasting
Matthew 9:14 parallels Mark 2:18, Luke 5:33 See also Luke 18:9–12
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Tithing
Matthew 23:23 parallel Luke 11:42
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Pharisaic doctrine
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
Pharisaic proselytism
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.