Bible Study Jesus and The Pharisees.

[ChristineES]

Anyone who has read the The four Gospels knows that Jesus often spoke against The Pharisees. They seemed more concerned with the following of The Law then they did about the people and the worship of God. Jesus and John the Baptist certainly had some things to say to them.
John the Baptist:

Mat 3:6 And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mat 3:7 But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Jesus:
Mat 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw, they said to His disciples, Why does your master eat with tax-collectors and sinners?
Mat 9:12 But when Jesus heard, He said to them, The ones who are whole do not need a physician, but the ones who are sick.
Mat 9:13 But go and learn what this is, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mat 15:11 Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
Mat 15:12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?

Mat 16:6 And Jesus said to them, Take heed, and beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Mat 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Luk 11:47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

There are many Christians nowadays who act exactly like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They care more about keeping all the rules than the worship of Jesus. (I am not talking about anyone on this board). You should beware of them now, as Jesus said to back then.

 

[Sothenes]

There are many Christians nowadays who act exactly like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They care more about keeping all the rules than the worship of Jesus. (I am not talking about anyone on this board). You should beware of them now, as Jesus said to back then.

In Matthew 23, the Pharisees were described as not having entered heaven and refusing to permit other people from entering heaven (Matt. 23:13) but Jesus didn't say that their rules were entirely wrong: Jesus said,"..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."-Matthew 23:2-3

It is good for you to follow what they say in the law but we aren't supposed to follow what they don't do.

Some rules are not wrong and the Lord wrote in His Holy word "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statues of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."-Psalm 19:7-8

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

[ChristineES]

I am not saying that we should ignore rules (or The Law). I am saying that worshipping God is more important, and people are more important than mere rules. That is what Jesus said, so I am just repeating it.

 

[soma]

ChristineES you move and write with spiritual and moral discipline from the first step of learning simple moral rules through the higher levels of the mind to moral action, please continue on the path of Christ until you give complete devotion to God. Not satisfied with mere lip-sincerity, you are the person who has realized your soul proving your honesty with righteous conduct, and is transformed when the ego submits to the soul. You are a person who has no fear, nor is this type of person sad because the ideals include harmony with nature, peace and unity. Life works perfectly and naturally for this person because the soul is the master of the situation, no matter how negative it seems because it gives a peaceful state of mind. This person’s self-control is strength, the pure thoughts are mastery, and the calmness is power. Keep up the good work you will help many people who don't feel the spirit.

 

[Sothenes]

I am not saying that we should ignore rules (or The Law). I am saying that worshipping God is more important, and people are more important than mere rules. That is what Jesus said, so I am just repeating it.

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbouras thyself."-Galatians 5:14

"..the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."-Romans 7:12

"..the law is spiritual.."-Romans 7:14

It is true that the Christian is under grace and not law but there were two tables of the law. About half of the ten commandments teach us to love God and the other half teach us to love man.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

In other words, if you fulfill Galatians 5:14, you fulfil the two tables of the law or the ten commandments.

 

[Sothenes]

Again:

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."-Matthew 5:19

 

[ChristineES]

Let me explain this again.
Following Jesus commandments are important. They are part of being a Christian. But, people are important, too.
The pharisees got on Jesus case for healing on the Sabbath. They were more worried about Jesus' following the rule than that of his stopping someone from suffering.
When Jesus ate with the sinners, the Pharisees were more concerned about Jesus' company (who He was eating with), than the fact that Jesus was teaching these sinners to be less sinful and live a good life.
And so on.
You are missing the point I am trying to make here, Jesus words, again.
God made The Sabbath for man, Jesus said, not the other way around.
I would never dismiss Paul's teaching (as they are from God), but some Christians put Paul's teachings ahead of what Jesus Himself said in the Gospels.

 

[Sothenes]

Let me explain this again.
Following Jesus commandments are important. They are part of being a Christian. But, people are important, too.

I think you are right because I think the commandments were made partly to show us to love other people but it also was a school master to point other people to Christ.

 

[stovebolts]

Hello All,
It always intrigues me that when the Pharasis get brought up, the law always follows.

But we forget that Paul was a Pharasis, and he along with Jesus himself both state that salvation is first for the Jews, then the gentiles...

What about Nichodemus? (sp) in John 3? Isn't this the same Nichodemus in Luke and the burial of Jesus? I know it's kinda vague and I'm not providing any details... but all of the pharasis were not bad...

Jesus stated just before he died, "Forgive them for they no not what they do..." and after the passover meal he also stated that there would be those who would persecute them and believe that they were doing the will of God...

So why do we argue about the law so much? Isn't the real issue how we view and respond to those around us?

When Jesus asked the scibe who his neighbor was, the scribe responed, "The one who showed mercy"... Are we the good neighbor?

Peace.

 

[Sothenes]

So why do we argue about the law so much? Isn't the real issue how we view and respond to those around us?

The purpose of the law was to show people they couldn't do it all themselves and that they need Jesus to save them. Its a form of telling people that they are dead.

Jam 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

All law with no mercy means that God can treat us like we treated others.

Jam 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jam 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

 

[Georges]

So why do we argue about the law so much? Isn't the real issue how we view and respond to those around us?

The purpose of the law was to show people they couldn't do it all themselves and that they need Jesus to save them. Its a form of telling people that they are dead.

That is the biggest Christian myth that has ever been perpetrated...The Law was created to show people how to live righteously, period. It wasn't created to squash them, it was brought forth to lift them above pagan mankind. By obeying God's Law Israel was supposed to be the example to the rest of the world of Godly living...sadly, this won't be accomplished untill the Messianic Kingdom period arrives.

Jam 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

All law with no mercy means that God can treat us like we treated others.

Again, the myth surfaces....God always shows mercy to those who repent of their sin....For all of the Laws found in the Torah, God provides a way to righteousness to atone for the sin if any are broken....you are only condemned if you do not repent....that is what the Torah teaches.

Jam 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jam 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

 

[soma]

ChristineES you are right. The ten commandments are so we will respect and think of our fellow man. We should follow the signs and not run them over. I think you are following closer to Christ and his intentions while most Christians are just trying to stay on the path. Bless you

 

[gingercat]

There are many Christians nowadays who act exactly like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They care more about keeping all the rules than the worship of Jesus. (I am not talking about anyone on this board). You should beware of them now, as Jesus said to back then.

Pharissees' examples are very complicated. They are showing hypocricy in many ways. They are good examples of hypocricy. How about this countries' Christians? You are right. They are showing many kinds of hypocricies, too. People who are trying to follow all of Jesus' teachings in the NT are not like pharisees. We have to be very careful who we finger pointing at.

 

[Sothenes]

Pharissees' examples are very complicated. They are showing hypocricy in many ways. They are good examples of hypocricy. How about this countries' Christians? You are right. They are showing many kinds of hypocricies, too. People who are trying to follow all of Jesus' teachings in the NT are not like pharisees. We have to be very careful who we finger pointing at.

Jesus died for hypocrites.

 

[gingercat]

Jesus died for hypocrites.

Are you saying that we do not have to repent? Are you saying that Jesus is giving us certificate of hypocricy as long as we believe trinity?