Who Were the Pharisees — Meaning Explained

The Pharisees ('separated ones') were a prominent Jewish sect in Jesus' day. They believed in the resurrection, angels, and the authority of both written and oral law (Acts 23:8). Their zeal for the law was commendable — Paul himself was 'a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee' (Acts 23:6). However, Jesus reserved His harshest criticism for their hypocrisy. In Matthew 23, He pronounced seven 'woes' against them: they laid heavy burdens on others but didn't lift a finger themselves (v.4); they practiced religion for show (v.5); they tithed herbs but neglected justice, mercy, and faith (v.23); they were 'whitened sepulchres' — clean outside, corrupt within (v.27). They elevated human traditions above God's commandments (Mark 7:8-9). They plotted Jesus' death because He threatened their authority and exposed their hearts. Yet not all Pharisees opposed Jesus — Nicodemus (John 3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43) were sympathetic, and Paul's Pharisaic background was transformed by grace.