The Pharisees: Law Keepers, Teachers, and Jesus’ Closest Conversation Partners
Last time, I said we’d dig into the Jewish sects that shaped Jesus’ world, and we’re starting this discussion with the Pharisees. We all have a picture in mind of what we think a Pharisee is. Most of the time, we view them as the bad guys who were always arguing with Jesus and trying to trap Him in some kind of trouble. Often, we use the term “Pharisee” in our modern context to describe someone who is obsessed with rules or a hypocrite.
But the more I’ve learned about who the Pharisees actually were, the more I’ve realized that we often mischaracterize them. Yes, they were opponents of Jesus, but they had a lot more going on than we might realize.
The Pharisees were a major part of the religious landscape in Jesus’ day, and they were actually quite popular with the common people. But before we get into who they were and how they fit into Jesus’ world, let’s take a look at where they came from.
Where They Came From
If we were to search the Old Testament for the origins of the Pharisees, we wouldn’t find them. The development of this Jewish sect traces back to the Second Temple period, when the Jewish people were returning from exile and trying to restore what had been lost with the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem the first time around.
When they came back and rebuilt everything, they quickly realized things weren’t quite like they once were. Throughout this period—between the Old and New Testaments—there was a constant transfer of power, and many Jewish people struggled to find balance and understand what true faithfulness to God looked like. Amid oppression from numerous nations and the relentless push of Hellenization, a group of Jewish people emerged who were committed to resisting cultural assimilation. These were the Pharisees.
(Side note: Hellenization was the cultural push from Alexander the Great for all conquered nations to adopt Greek culture and way of life.)
The Pharisees rejected this cultural shift and sought to stay as true as they could to the Scriptures. They were committed to non-conformity and preserving Jewish identity through strict adherence to the Law.
Contrary to what you might think, the Pharisees were not of the priestly class and did not hold any official offices. You might find them in the Temple occasionally, but they were mostly found in synagogues, teaching the Law and oral traditions to the people. They focused their teachings on the Torah and additional oral traditions they traced back to Sinai.
Driven by a desire to see the Messiah come, they believed that if they could get everyone in Israel to live out the Law and traditions perfectly, the Messiah would come to restore the nation. Anyone who got in their way of bringing about this outcome was ultimately seen as a roadblock or even an enemy.
What They Believed
The Pharisees believed that both the written and oral Law were the ultimate foundation for living close to God. Unlike some other Jewish sects we’ll discuss later, the Pharisees believed in the supernatural—angels, spirits, and resurrection.
They also believed that God was sovereign over everything but still upheld personal responsibility. Their ultimate goal was to make the people holy enough to usher in the Messiah. To do this, they developed additional oral traditions, constructing a sort of “fence” around the Law to keep people from breaking it.
Anyone who didn’t live up to these standards was seen as an impediment to their goal. This is why you see them have such disdain for Jesus and the sinners He associated with.
Why They Matter
The Pharisees are woven into so much of what Jesus says and does. I once learned this lesson in London when I told a story about forgetting my special pants for a wedding—only to find out that “pants” in the UK means underwear, not trousers. Context changes everything. When we understand the context of a situation like where it takes place, who is speaking, and who they are speaking to we are able to understand what is being said. By understanding who the Pharisees are we better understand their interactions with Jesus and others in the gospels.
The Pharisees show up in the Gospels asking, “How do we live for God in a tough world?” Jesus asks the same question—but His answer digs deeper. They were focused on the rules; He was focused on the heart.
Think of Matthew 23, where He calls them “whitewashed tombs”—beautiful on the outside but empty inside. It’s a sharp rebuke, but it’s not out of nowhere. They cared deeply about holiness and shaped how people saw it. But Jesus was pushing them to see the real point. Their questions, their struggles—they make His words stand out.
Pharisees in Jesus’ World
The Pharisees weren’t the elite or the radicals—they saw themselves as the voice of the people, standing firm against Rome’s puppets. When Jesus came teaching with authority and healing freely, He was stepping into their space.
They weren’t just annoyed by some random rabbi; they were challenged by someone who seemed to embody the Law’s true spirit in a way they didn’t expect. Their debates—over the Sabbath, purity, righteousness—were heated because they were so close to what He was about, yet so far.
What’s Next
Next, we’ll turn to the Sadducees—the priestly group with a completely different take. How did they fit into Jesus’ world? What did they see that the Pharisees didn’t? We’ll explore that together.
Tim Carter graduated from Southwest Baptist University in 2010 with a B.S. in Economics and Finance. He began serving at Cornerstone Baptist Church in June of that same year as the Student and Administrative Pastor, a role he held full-time until 2019. During that time, Tim transitioned to serve as a Lay Elder and Executive Pastor, continuing his dedication to Cornerstone in a volunteer capacity. In 2022, he returned to full-time ministry as the Executive Pastor.
Tim holds a Master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Columbia Evangelical Seminary and has actively engaged in defending the Christian faith through moderated debates, academic presentations, and apologetics conferences. He enjoys deep theological discussions and interacting with cults and speculative theologies, driven by a passion for equipping believers and fostering a deeper understanding of the Christian worldview.