There are three Christian forums (some prefer the Latin plural “fora”) to which I post now-and-then, in two of which (in the USA and NZ) I have Administrator and/or Moderator duties, and the third being the Anglican Mainstream Forum based in the United Kingdom. I hasten to add that I don’t hang out on forums all of the time as real life frequently intervenes and takes me elsewhere. But on one of those forums, all those with orthodox or traditional Christian beliefs are constantly challenged by those prefering a more liberal theology, and get to be called “Pharisees” for resisting the revision to our faith which has been handed down from the Apostles and taught by the Church for almost 2,000 years.

Well, it just ain’t so! That does not make one a Pharisee. No, not at all.

Why object to this term? Because it is used to derogate, to depreciate another, to imply a self-righteous judgemental attitude held by the one so called, and most usually, it is applied quite incorrectly as well. The semi-common usage of this term is to describe a hypocritical and arrogant person who places the letter of the law above the spirit of the law. It is used as ad hominem in a debate, is often a “red herring”, and unless ignored or refuted can obscure the issue. The use of the term needs to be addressed, and it’s meaning clarified for all who would bandy it around improperly.

Back in New Testament days the Pharisees were the “conservative party” within Judaism, holding very strictly to the Torah and the Talmud, and paying strict attention to detail in the observation of both. They were obsessed with adherence to the minutiae of doctrine, and their doctrine went far beyond that of Scripture to that instead of man-made tradition - “the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:9b). Thus their judgements of others were not based on Scripture, but on their own (and those of their predecessors) vain legalistic imaginations.

The heart of Pharisaism is found in Luke 18:9 - “confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else” (NIV); “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (NASB); “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought” (ASV); “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (KJV).

The Pharisees epitomized self-righteousness, and they were zealous. But their zeal was not according to the knowledge of the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is that based in the atonement - the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, imputed to all believers. Not anything of our doing, but a gift of grace from God. The Pharisees sought to establish their own righteousness. Trusting in themselves, they based their righteousness on their own nit-picking law-keeping and believed themselves above all others. They looked down on, viewed with contemp, set at nought and despised - we are told.

The Pharisees were hypocrits. They believed that their own law-keeping recommended them to God, and in believing that, they believed that all law-breakers were not in favour with God. They judged others, but in denying the imputation of righteousness made through grace, they did not have that imputed righteousness themselves, the only righteousness that satisfied God’s demand - their own self-righteousness fell far short. They were sinners deserving of damnation and did not know it. Their standard was the wrong standard. They exalted themselves through their own efforts rather than boasting in the cross of Christ (Galations 6:14).

So what distinguishes a modern-day Pharisee? They are those who elevate themselves and despise others, ignoring the fact that we are all sinners whose salvation can not come from our own efforts but only from the imputed righteousness of Christ. They are those who make false judgements of others, not judging with the righteous judgement (John 7:24) as Christ has told us to do, but with the hypocrisy where in their hearts they deny their own sin and need for His mercy and forgiveness as well.

So, pointing out God’s moral law is not in itself “being a Pharisee” and doing so to teach or rebuke is not either, if the manner in which it is done is not one of self righteousness and superiority. But how quickly one is accused of being so if the other does not want to hear, does not want to know, or simply does not agree with the Scriptures that so clearly state it as so. No, no and no - it just ain’t so!