SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you close the Kingdom of Heaven to men, for you yourself do not enter and you do not allow those who want to enter.
Jesus Christ
GOSPEL
Jesus Christ (Savior)
A Warning from the Scribes and Pharisees
The scribes and Pharisees sat on Moses' seat; So whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but do not act according to their deeds, for they say and do not do: they bind heavy and unbearable burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves do not want to move them with a finger; yet they do their deeds so that people can see them: they expand their storehouses and increase the length of their clothes; They also love to be presented at feasts and preside over synagogues and greetings in public assemblies, and for people to call them: “Teacher! teacher!" But you do not call yourself teachers, for you have one Teacher - Christ, yet you are brothers, and do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven, and do not be called mentors, for you have one Teacher - Christ. Let the greatest of you be your servant: for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:2-12).
Woe to the scribes and Pharisees
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you close the Kingdom of Heaven to men, for you yourself do not enter and you do not allow those who want to enter. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour the houses of widows and hypocritically pray for a long time: for this you will receive all the more condemnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you go around sea and land to convert even one; and when this happens, you make him a son of Gehenna, twice as bad as you. Woe to you, blind leaders, who say: “If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is guilty.” Mad and blind! What is greater: gold, or the temple consecrating gold? Also: “if anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on it, he is guilty.” Mad and blind! What is greater: the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? So he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it; and he who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven swears by the Throne of God and Him who sits on it. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you tithe mint, anise and caraway seeds, and have abandoned the most important things in the law: judgment, mercy and faith; this had to be done, and this should not be abandoned. Blind leaders, straining out a mosquito and devouring a camel!
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you cleanse the outside of the cup and platter, while inside they are full of robbery and unrighteousness. Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside of them may also be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness; So, on the outside, you seem righteous to people, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and say: “If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their accomplices in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus, you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets; complete the measure of your fathers. Serpents, spawn of vipers! How will you escape from condemnation to Gehenna? Therefore, behold, I send you prophets and wise men and scribes; and some you will kill and crucify, and others you will beat in your synagogues and drive from city to city; May all the righteous blood shed on earth come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachi, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation (Matt. 23:13-36).
Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes and love greetings in public assemblies, presiding in the synagogues and presiding at feasts, who devour widows' houses and hypocritically pray for a long time, they will receive all the more condemnation (Luke 20:46,47).
Condemnation of Pharisaism
Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter, but your insides are full of robbery and deceit. Foolish! Didn't the same One who created the external also create the internal? Better give alms from what you have, then everything will be clean for you. But woe to you Pharisees, for you give tithes of mint, rue and all kinds of vegetables, and neglect the judgment and love of God: this should have been done, and not forsaken. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love presiding in synagogues and greetings in public assemblies. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like hidden tombs over which people walk and do not know it. To this one of the lawyers said to Him: Teacher! By saying this, You offend us too. But He said: woe to you lawyers too, because you impose unbearable burdens on people, but you yourself do not even touch them with one finger. Woe to you, for you build tombs for the prophets whom your fathers killed: by this you testify to the deeds of your fathers and agree with them, for they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Therefore, the wisdom of God said: I will send prophets and apostles to them, and some of them will be killed and others driven out, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the creation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the temple, may be required from this generation. She, I tell you, will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers, because you took the key of understanding; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who entered (Luke 11:39-52).
Apostle John the Theologian
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Him
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And in the morning he came to the temple again, and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery, and, placing her in the middle, they said to Him: Teacher! this woman was taken in adultery, and Moses commanded us in the law to stone such people: What do you say? They said this, tempting Him, in order to find something to accuse Him of. But Jesus, bending low, wrote with his finger on the ground, not paying attention to them. When they continued to ask Him, He bowed down and said to them: He who is without sin among you, be the first to throw a stone at her. And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground. They, having heard this and being convicted by their conscience, began to leave one by one, starting from the eldest to the last; and only Jesus remained and the woman standing in the middle. Jesus, standing up and not seeing anyone but the woman, said to her: woman! where are your accusers? no one judged you? She answered: no one, Lord. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more (John 8:1-11).
Apostle Matthew
The Pharisees, having heard this word, were offended.
Then the scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem come to Jesus and say: why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded: “Honor your father and mother” and: “Whoever curses his father or mother, let him die.” And you say: if someone says to his father or mother: “What you would use from me is a gift to God,” he may not honor his father or mother; Thus you have made void the commandment of God by your tradition. Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied well about you, saying: “This people draws near to Me with their lips, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, but in vain they worship Me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.”
And calling the people, he said to them: listen and understand! It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth defiles a person. Then His disciples came and said to Him: Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this word, they were offended? He answered and said: Every plant that My Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted; leave them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind, and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. Peter answered and said to Him, Explain this parable to us. Jesus said: Do you also not yet understand? Do you still not understand that everything that goes into the mouth goes into the belly and is thrown out? and what comes from the mouth - comes from the heart - this defiles a person, for from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, blasphemy - this defiles a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person (Matt. 15:1-20).
Apostle Luke
Jesus condemns the Pharisees and lawyers
While He was saying this, a certain Pharisee asked Him to have dinner with him. He came and lay down. The Pharisee was surprised to see that He did not wash His hands before dinner. But the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter, but your insides are full of robbery and wickedness. Foolish! Didn't the same One who created the external also create the internal? Better give alms from what you have, then everything will be clean for you. But woe to you Pharisees, for you give tithes of mint, rue and all kinds of vegetables, and neglect the judgment and love of God: this should have been done, and not forsaken. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love presiding in synagogues and greetings in public assemblies. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like hidden tombs over which people walk and do not know it. To this one of the lawyers said to Him: Teacher! By saying this, You offend us too. But He said: woe to you lawyers too, because you impose unbearable burdens on people, but you yourself do not even touch them with one finger. Woe to you, for you build tombs for the prophets whom your fathers killed: by this you testify to the deeds of your fathers and agree with them, for they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Therefore, the wisdom of God said: I will send prophets and apostles to them, and some of them will be killed and others driven out, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the creation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the temple, may be required from this generation. She, I tell you, will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers, because you took the key of understanding; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who entered. When He told them this, the scribes and Pharisees began to come hard at Him, forcing Him to answer many things, looking for Him and trying to catch something from His mouth in order to accuse Him (Luke 11:37-54).
A warning against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Encouraging Bold Confession
Meanwhile, when thousands of people had gathered so that they crowded each other, He began to say first to His disciples: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be known. Therefore, what you said in the darkness will be heard in the light; and what was spoken in the ear within the house will be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, My friends: do not be afraid of those who kill the body and then are unable to do anything more, but I will tell you whom to fear: fear the one who, after killing, can throw you into Gehenna: I tell you, fear him. Are not five small birds sold for two assars? and not one of them is forgotten by God. And even the hairs on your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid: you are worth more than many small birds. But I tell you: everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess before the angels of God, but whoever denies Me before men will be rejected before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; and whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. But when you are brought before the synagogues, before the principalities and powers, do not worry how or what to answer, or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you should say (Luke 12:1-12).
Pharisee and publican in the temple
He also spoke to some who were confident about themselves that they were righteous, and humiliated others, the following parable: two men entered the temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing, prayed to himself like this: “God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this tax collector: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I acquire.” The publican, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven; but, hitting himself on the chest, he said: “God! be merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you that this one went to his house justified more than the other: for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18:9-14).
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
The success of evil on earth
When the human race spent many millennia in cruel enslavement to a fallen angel, then the Redeemer promised by God appeared on earth. Before we begin to describe this greatest and most wonderful event, let us take another look at the state of the unfortunate world at the time when the Lord descended to earth and became man for the renewal and salvation of mankind. The world was immersed throughout its entire space in idolatry. People, hating each other, envying each other, watered the entire surface of the earth with their blood in fierce battles, in which numerous peoples were exterminated and disappeared, reaped by the sword and deprived of their nationality through slavery and sale on the markets of the universe like cattle or soulless goods. The misfortunes and destruction of mankind are recognized as the greatest glory for mankind, and the conquerors, stained with the blood of their brethren, were declared their gods during their lifetime. Other villains, distinguished by vile vices, were given divine honor upon their death. Satisfaction of the most shameful passions was considered the highest pleasure. Some of the most rejected people entered into open relations with Satan, having clothed themselves with his power, they helped strengthen his dominion over the earth and humanity (Exodus, chapter 7, etc.). This dominance has reached full development. The chosen people of Israel also bowed under this dominion. Extremely diminished in number and fallen in civil terms, this people fell under the rule of idolatrous peoples.
His inner, essential power, which consisted in communication with God through knowledge and fulfillment of His will, was exhausted. Life according to the commandments of God, which forms in a person the purity of mind and heart, which is overshadowed by Divine Grace, enlightening a person with true spiritual reason and theology, has been replaced for the most part by the school study of the Law, combined with neglect of living pleasing to God, which the scribes and Pharisees - that was the name of the Jewish scholars of that time time - they tried to replace it with pretense and hypocrisy. These scientists, darkened by satanic pride, filled with contempt and hatred for all other classes of the people, slaves of passions, incapable of faith due to their unlimited and frenzied attachment to earthly glory and earthly advantages, capable of all kinds of crimes due to this attachment, the perpetrators of these crimes, seized power their creed, rejected the Commandments of God from it, introduced into it their own absurd traditions, themselves striving in their blindness for destruction, and attracted the people led by them to it. Few, very few people remained faithful to God through their very lives and from such a life dependent and shining true knowledge of God. Their holy names are in the Holy Gospel.
Now we move on to the most gratifying sight. Let us prepare, let us cleanse ourselves with tears of repentance and, having distracted our minds and hearts from all earthly concerns, let us join the hosts of the Holy Angels, in order to indulge together with them in the sacred contemplation of the incarnation of God the Word, so that together with them in sacred surprise and joy we can sing: Glory to God in the highest , and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14)…
Evfimy Zigaben
Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
CHAPTER 15
Verse 1 - 2. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying: Why are your disciples transgressing the tradition of the elder; They never wash their hands when they eat bread.
There were scribes and Pharisees in all 12 tribes; but those from Jerusalem were angrier than the others, as they lived in the capital and were therefore more arrogant. Seeing the great faith of the people, they tried to reduce it. Since they cannot blame anything in Jesus Christ, they accuse the disciples of violating not the law, but a human commandment, since it was not the Divine Law, but the elders of the people who commanded not to eat before washing. Mark says: For the Pharisees and all Judah, unless they wash their hands, do not eat, holding the traditions of the old man: and from the market, unless they are bought, they do not eat. And there are many other things that you can hold: immersion in glass bottles and swagger and a cauldron and a bed. This is what Mark says (7:3-4). To wash thoroughly means to wash up to the elbow. They washed bowls, mugs, cauldrons and benches, thinking to consecrate them in this way. They made many other innovations, breaking the law and observing these ridiculous things. But the disciples, not following this, often ate with unwashed hands. Why is this so? Never observing anything of the kind, but caring only about virtue, they despised bodily needs, since this could not harm the soul in the least.
Verse 3. He answered and said to them, “Why are you also transgressing the commandment of God because of your tradition?”
He did not say that the disciples were doing good in their transgressions, so as not to give the Jews a reason to argue; he did not say that they were doing bad things, so as not to confirm this kind of tradition; in the same way, he does not condemn those who passed on this tradition, so that the scribes and Pharisees themselves would not turn away from Him as arrogant, but immediately, on His part, accuses them of a greater crime, showing that those who transgress the commandment of God should not reproach those who transgress human tradition. Then he says what commandment of God they are breaking, and for the sake of what their tradition, and reveals the most widespread crime at that time.
Verse 4. God commanded, saying: Honor your father and mother: and whoever curses his father or mother, let him die.
Both of these commandments are found in the book of Exodus.
Verse 5. But you say: whoever says to his father or mother: a gift, which you would use from me...
The arrangement of words here is difficult, especially if the content is not first explained. The elders of the Jews taught young men, under the guise of piety, to despise their parents. If one of the parents wanted to take a sheep or a calf, or something else from their son, they taught them to say: a gift to God is what you would use from me, i.e. what you would like to acquire from me is dedicated to God. Thus, they taught not to honor parents and to break the law, since deceiving parents by children is disrespect on the part of the latter and a violation of the law: they deprived parents of the necessary things under the pretext of a gift from God, and did not bring them to God. That's the point here. Now we need to explain the expressions themselves. You say, i.e. you explain, you teach deception to the person who says to his father or mother: a gift that you would use from me, i.e. what you would like to receive from me.
(Others explain this expression elliptically: God commanded both, and you, rejecting this, say that anyone who tells his father or mother a corvan, that is, a gift to God, is free from guilt. They say that this omitted as known to the Jews to whom the speech was addressed).
Verse 5. And let him not honor his father or mother.
And such a person, having become shameless, will then no longer honor his parents.
Verse 6. And destroy the commandment of God for your tradition. Having clearly proven that they teach to break the law, he thereby freed from accusation his disciples who did not keep the tradition of those who themselves did not keep the commandments of God.
Verse 7. Hypocrites, Isaiah prophesied well about you...
He called them hypocrites, because apparently they were the only ones who kept the law, but in fact they broke it. He also brings the prophet, who once accused them of the same thing that He accuses them of, and shows that it was He Himself who spoke through the prophet.
Verse 7 - 9. Verb: These people draw near to Me with their lips, and with their lips they honor Me; but their heart is far from Me; but in vain they honor Me, often with teaching, with the commandments of men.
Having said: lips draw near to Me, he explained this by adding: and with their lips they honor Me, recognizing Me as God, Creator and Lord of the universe. But their heart is far from Me, not approaching My desires. So in vain do they honor Me, because they do not keep My commandments, but teach such doctrines. which are the commandments of men, and not of God. Let us also, the people of Christ, fear that this will not be said against us.
Verse 10. And having called the nations, he said to them...
Having shamed and silenced them, he left them as incurable, and turned his word to the people, as more worthy.
Verse 11. Hear and understand.
Listen to what I say and understand it. He says this as an honor to them, so that it is easier to accept what he intends to say.
Verse 11. What does not enter into the mouth defiles a person..., defiles, i.e. makes you unclean.
So, he says: it is not uncleanness from unwashed hands that enters the mouth along with food that defiles a person, since it does not touch the soul, but only sin defiles, since it harms the soul. This is the closest explanation of this saying. But they say that something deeper is hidden here, namely: that nothing that comes from God can be unclean by nature. Moses says: And God saw everything that was created: and every thing was good (Gen. 1:31). This deeper explanation, they say, rejects the discernment observed by the Jews regarding food. While the food law has a symbolic meaning, the Jews, not being able to understand anything sublime, understood everything physically and paid attention to appearance.
Verse 11. But what comes from the mouth defiles a person.
Every word comes out of the mouth, but here it speaks only of evil, which has its source in the heart. Then he explains what is not clearly stated here.
Verse 12. Then His disciples approached Him and said to Him: Weigh, as the Pharisee heard the word and was offended. What word? It is obvious that what is not in the mouth defiles a person. - since it destroyed the tradition of the elders.
Verse 13. He answered and said: Every garden that my heavenly Father does not plant will be uprooted. The tradition of the elders and the commandments of men here call a garden.
Verse 14. Leave them... as incurable. Therefore, he does not heal their temptation, knowing that nothing will benefit them.
Verse 14. Leaders are blind to the blind.
He calls them blind because the flow of passions has blinded their spiritual eye, and they cannot look at the light of truth. Moreover, they themselves are the leaders of those blinded due to ignorance of the Scriptures. It is a great evil to be blind, but given your own blindness, to be the leader of another blind man is, of course, a double evil.
Verse 14. But if a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.
It's clear.
Verse 15. Peter answered and said to Him: Tell us this parable. Mark (7:17) said: And as He went into the house from the people, He asked His disciples about the parables.
When Peter began, others also asked questions together. Jews call a parable a mysterious and any unclear saying. Since Christ said above: what comes from the mouth defiles a person (Matthew 15:11), and then, as Mark says (7:16), he added: if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear, then these words seemed unclear to them , and therefore, calling them a parable, they ask about these words.
Verse 16 - 17. Jesus said (to them): Are you also without understanding? Don’t you mean that everything that goes into the mouth goes into the belly and comes out through the aphedrone? Alone, instead of: hitherto still.
All this should be read interrogatively. Mark (7:19), having said: and proceeds from the aphedro, adds: destroying all the waste, i.e. leaving clean. The uncleanness, which was mentioned above, goes out into the aphedron, and all the clean food remains inside - of course, as much as nature can hold.
Verse 18. But what comes from the mouth comes from the heart, and it defiles a person.
And in the twelfth chapter. (v. 34) said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. First, a desire appears in the heart, and then we express this desire with our lips. What enters from without then comes out, and what comes out from within then remains inside and defiles.
Verse 19. From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, blasphemy.
Mark (7:22) enumerates in more detail: covetousness, (offenses) wickedness, flattery, deeds, the evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. To put it briefly and simply, evil thoughts are harmful wishes: murder, theft, perjury, extortion, flattery and pride are understandable; - adultery - enters into the one who has a husband, - fornication - into the one without; blasphemy is insulting God, or ingratitude towards Him, or blaming Him; wickedness - malicious intent against someone or an assumption about him that should not exist; adultery, sodomy and any other kind of debauchery; He calls envy the evil eye; madness is primarily ignorance of God: the speech of a fool, it is said, in his heart: there is no God (Ps. 13:1). There are many other types of evil, but Christ omitted them here, because those listed are sufficient to distinguish them. He said that they come from the heart, because from it they originate. The beginning of this is thoughts, usually flowing from the heart. And if they come out of the heart, then, of course, they also come out of the mouth, since from boiling in the heart, like a bad liquid, the excess must be erupted.
Verse 20. This is what defiles a person: but the hand of food that is unwashed does not defile a person.
Knowing what defiles a person, we will reject the uncleanness that defiles the soul. Wash your body with whole rivers; nothing will help if that which is washed with tears and the purity of virtues is unclean.
Rev. John of Kronstadt
“Woe to you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites”
The elders of the Jews, convicted by the light of Christ’s teaching, hated Him Himself and plotted to betray Him to the Roman government as a people’s troublemaker, dreaming of becoming the king of the Jews, and therefore an opponent of Caesar. The Council of High Priests and Pharisees, out of hatred for the Messiah, became a feigned guardian of the iron power of Rome. I had to give my personal accounts the character of a supposed political and patriotic necessity, for the sake of which the best individuals could be sacrificed to the public good. And so they did, these blind leaders of a blind people.
A select few from this blind people understood and accepted the teachings of Christ the Savior when He preached and proclaimed the Kingdom of God. The people did not join these chosen ones, but retreated from them and from the Messiah, because materialism overcome not only the high priests and elders, but also the masses. These masses were chasing the Messiah not to see miracles, but for the bread with which He fed them in abundance twice. “You seek Me, not because you saw miracles, but because you ate bread and were filled,” Christ said to the people who were looking for Him. And indeed, for this saturation, the people were even ready to make Him a king (John 6:15-26) and only asked, as a sign that He was sent from God, to “give them manna from heaven,” as Moses did for their fathers in the wilderness (John 6:31). In a word, there was only constant concern for the bread of the earth, but they could not even listen to the Kingdom of God. The Holy Prophet Isaiah proclaimed about this blinded and petrified people from the face of God, saying that Israel “has blinded their eyes and canceled their hearts, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and convert, so that I may heal them” (Isa. 6:10). With the ingrained concept of righteousness inherited from Abraham, preaching about the need for virtue became incomprehensible and even unnecessary. But those who were burdened with public contempt, such as tax collectors and fornicators, listened carefully to the gospel of the restoration of fallen human dignity and fervently surrendered to Christ, leaving their former vicious way of life. Others, satisfied with their descent from God's friend Abraham, only dreamed of the benefits that they would receive from the glorious reign of the Messiah, the king of the Jews. Such were the perverse concepts, as a result of which the people longed to see in the Messiah not only a liberator from the iron yoke of Rome, but also a conqueror of the universe for the Jews. The cause of these errors was materialism, which, in the words of the prophet, blinded their eyes and petrified their hearts. I don’t even mention anything above, but all my thoughts are on the earthly idol. What could such persistent crawling on earth lead to, if not to the rejection of such a Messiah, who teaches us to philosophize about heavenly things, and not about earthly things.
The educated class understood that the teachings of Christ were aimed at correcting a vicious life, but even less than the people were inclined to follow the teachings of the Messiah, who proclaimed the Kingdom, but not of this world, freedom from the iron yoke, not the Roman, but sinful, from sinful shackles , in which the prince of this world shackled people, placing on them the mark of curse and eternal death. Could the promise of such freedom please those who believed freedom in the unbridledness of sybaritic lusts? Could this liberation from the iron yoke of sins please the Pharisees, when they did not know any sinful yoke, recognizing all their actions as doubly righteous, both by their sacred origin from Abraham, and by their declared zeal at every step in the outward observance of the law, in worries about external cleansing (with complete disregard for the internal cleansing of the soul). In addition to these merits, they were considered representatives of God's chosen people, zealots of their political freedom, and therefore saints, worthy of the earthly and heavenly kingdom.
Let's see if this was the opinion of these imaginary saints of the Messiah Himself?
In the last days of his earthly life, our Lord Jesus Christ uttered a great accusatory word in the Jerusalem Temple to the blind leaders of the blind people of the Jews, leaders who rested on the law, but did not fulfill it.
“Woe to you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites” (Matthew 23). Like thunder, this terrible warning thundered over them eight times, striking the abomination of their inner desolation. The scribes and Pharisees were not only examples of lawless life, but also teachers of vice. They inspired disrespect for the most important commandments of God for the sake of respect for the commandments of vain human wisdom. “The leaders are blind, straining out a mosquito and devouring a camel.” They were full of theft and untruth, despite plausible external ethics. “Woe to you, hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness; So, on the outside, you seem righteous to people, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Their learning was full of the most impenetrable ignorance. “Woe to you, blind leaders, who say: If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; and if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is guilty.” They were great zealots in small things and did not lift a finger in the great virtues: truth, love for mankind, truth. By doing little things, they considered themselves to have accomplished everything, neglecting the most important. They ate up the widows' wealth, robbing them of their last grains, and even covering up these atrocities by hypocritically performing long prayers.
At the conclusion of his accusatory word, Christ the Savior pointed out to the scribes and Pharisees their hypocritical repentance with which they condemned their fathers for beating the prophets. The bloodthirstiness of their ancestors was even more inherent in them, as He saw for Whom there is nothing hidden in the secret plans of men. Therefore, is it surprising that Christ the Savior was well aware of the true purpose of the restoration of the prophetic tombs, which they boasted of, as if boasting of the murder of the prophets for fear that the memory of the audacity of their ancestors would not perish along with the destruction of the monuments.
“Complete the measure of your fathers.” With these words, Christ seems to foreshadow the murder of Himself and His Holy disciples and apostles, which completed the measure of God’s long-suffering.
“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape from condemnation to Gehenna.” With these words, Christ brought to their memory the accusatory sermon of John the Baptist, because he also called them that, reminding them of the future Last Judgment. But since neither judgment nor Gehenna frightened them at all, partly because they did not believe, and partly because it seemed to be in the distant future, then Christ the Savior denounces and threatens those close to us with the judgment of God, which will break out over the same contemporary generation of Jews , and says: “Behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some you will kill, and others you will beat in your synagogues, and drive from city to city; May all the righteous blood shed on earth come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachi, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation” (Matt. 23:34-36).
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you, how often have I wanted to gather your children together, as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and you were not willing. Behold, your house is left to you empty. For I say to you, you will not see Me from now on until you cry, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39).
“Behold, your house is left to you empty.” By this, Christ predicts the desolation of the temple of Jerusalem, just as the abandonment of the Jewish synagogue, announced at the same time by Christ in the parable of the evil vinedressers, who killed not only those who were sent, but also the son of the owner of the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-41), and added aloud to the elders and The scribes have a formidable definition of the truth of God: “I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a people bearing the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). This same definition was expressed on the same day in the morning by a special sign over a fig tree, which had only leaves instead of fruit. “Let there be no fruit from you forever,” said Christ. “And immediately the fig tree withered away” (Matt. 21:18,19). The same judgment of God was soon to take place, even in the same generation, over Jerusalem and the Jews.
Monk Nicodemus
At His first Coming to earth, the Lord Jesus Christ called scribes and Pharisees those servants of the Old Testament church who outwardly only resembled them, but were inwardly corrupted by the lusts and passions of this world. In modern language they would be called mummers, i.e. having only the outward vestment of piety, while inwardly not burdening themselves with fulfilling the commandments of the Master whom they strived to serve. Why do they not have within themselves the saving Grace of the Spirit of God, and at the end of their earthly existence, they will be condemned along with the infidels and the wicked.
You can find many of these in our earthly churches; just look at one appearance and behavior, which reveals their internal structure, which is why the media does not stop criticizing the church clergy for their desire for a luxurious life at the expense of taxes from parishioners and donors for church services. case.
Of course, no one likes to hear the truth about themselves, but this is the property of the Truth; in our fallen world no one likes it at all (except those who love God), because it exposes the crafty slaves of sin, as it did the same in ancient times, for which crucified Christ, the Son and Messenger of God. But the problem of the scribes and Pharisees, both those who lived in former times and those still alive, is that only in it (the truth, or a clear conscience) is there salvation, because the Lord Himself is the Truth, and His Word is the judge, as well as He revealed to us with the Gospel:
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).
He who rejects Me and does not accept My words has a judge for himself: the Word that I have spoken will judge him at the last day. John 12:48.
Well, the evil ones, if they do not have time to repent before the departure of their souls from their perishing bodies, will be greatly disappointed in the next world when they find themselves naked from hypocrisy and lies; they will see in a mirror as they really are, and not disguised as pious scribes and Pharisees.
Many will say to Me on that day: “Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and didn’t they do many miracles in Your name?” And then I will declare to them: “I never knew you; Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22–23).
Historical description
The term "Phariseyism" arose in Ancient Judea around the 2nd century. BC. and meant a sect of devout righteous people who were distinguished by extreme religious fanaticism and meticulousness in fulfilling the instructions of the Torah. Followers of this movement broke away from the main religious movement of Judaism, and the term "Pharisee" literally meant " separate ".
This sect or even religious caste was quite influential during its heyday. The Pharisees interpreted the Torah in their own way and, according to the philosopher and historian Josephus, refused to swear allegiance to Herod. Josephus also compared them with the Greek Stoic movement. But, if at the beginning of its existence this movement promoted strict observance of all the requirements of the Jewish religion for the salvation of its people, then later it degenerated, leaving only fanaticism and casuistry. This happened at the time of the appearance of Jesus Christ.
The Pharisees were a group that persisted in their righteousness and religious observance. In other words, the Pharisees used righteousness as the basis and justification for the snobbery that manifested itself in their activities.
The Pharisees started as a political party but became a religious tradition
The Pharisees were originally more of a political party than a religious doctrine. They pitted themselves against the Sadducees, the upper class people pitting themselves against the lower classes.
Only over time did Pharisaism acquire an increasingly pronounced religious spirit. However, as we can already see, among the Jews everything was quite closely connected. Which, by the way, did not suit the Pharisees. They believed that a clergyman could not rule the state, because the ruler had always been the representative of the warriors, the defender of his state.
Gustave Dore "The Dispute of Christ with the Pharisees"
This approach, of course, did not suit the Sadducees, who held on to their influence.
The different attitudes toward the Law of Moses among the three Jewish sects are noteworthy:
- Sadducees: “We can keep the law to the fullest extent possible, we don’t care about the rest.”
- Essenes : “It is impossible to observe the law in all its complexity in the world, so we will lock ourselves in the community and follow it there.”
- Pharisees : “The Law must be revised so that every Jew can keep it.”
The Pharisees came from the people, and these people willingly became adherents of the tradition that protected them. Religious, social, and political struggle were mixed here.
The confrontation took place with varying degrees of success. There were also armed clashes. It is interesting to note that the Pharisees were supporters of the subordination of Judea to the Roman Empire. They set priorities in such a way that independence in political life could in no case be more significant than peace and quiet.
By the first years BC, the Pharisees had completely withdrawn from political activity. They were interested only in religious life, and the movement itself was divided into two:
- School of Shamai - strictly observed the letter of the Law of Moses. They became the reason for the defeat of Judea by the Romans, as they called on the Jews to rebel against the empire.
- The School of Hillel is a less strict and more influential movement. They advocated peace with the Roman Empire.
Essenes
In modern religion, the Essenes are perceived as an ancient sect of supporters of Christianity. They kept all of God's Commandments exactly. But they had their own way of life and did not accept strangers.
The historical fact of the existence of the Essenes has been confirmed by archaeologists. During excavations in 1947, near the Dead Sea, the remains of settlements, manuscripts, utensils and other household items were found. Numerous manuscripts found in those places were made public and were called the “Dead Sea Scrolls.”
The Essenes revered God, but did not believe in the resurrection of Christ. They strived in every possible way for a righteous life, and the sinfulness of big cities oppressed them.
Gradually the Essenes gathered into a large community. They did not recognize marriages, but accepted and raised “other people’s” children. They had all their property in common. They dined on one dish and bread. Everyone at the table was silent. They differed from all other Christian communities in the absence of division into masters and slaves. The Essenes had complete equality.
It was difficult to join the community; everyone had to prove loyalty to the faith and the ability to observe traditions. The probationary period lasted 3 years. They expelled those who stumbled and violated the laws of the community. Not adapted to independent life, observing the ban on accepting food from the hands of others, most of them died. There were cases when the repentant was forgiven and accepted back.
Modern common sense of the concept of “pharisaism”
Pharisaism is a personality trait
The word “pharisaism” has long ago turned from the name of a religious movement into a common noun, rather negatively colored concept. As noted above, this is one of the negative personality traits, moral fanaticism for the sake of morality itself, accompanied by duplicity in actions and hypocrisy . Pure, highly moral thoughts coming from the heart are not as important as the outward appearance of observing morals and rituals.
In a society that has nothing to do with religion, for example, a socialist one, pharisaism is:
- careerism,
- immorality,
- opportunism under the guise of moral purity.
Moral principles are presented as truisms and are a means of external supervision; they acquire an official and bureaucratic character.
Pharisees in modern Christianity
Nowadays, Pharisaism is also manifested in Christian communities; this can often be observed. A person comes to Church with the hope of turning to God, but he encounters a lot of obstacles. There are those who will gladly tell you how to dress when coming to church, how to bow, how to stand, where to look. Perhaps this is not a manifestation of pharisaism, as hypocrisy, but as a blind fanatical adherence to rituals - yes. And these imposed rules can for a long time discourage a person from seeking the path to God.
According to the philosopher Oleg Torsunov, in Christianity, pharisaism also manifests itself in dry formal prayer, but according to all the rules. This artificial, theatrical worship is condemned in spiritual traditions. Sincere prayer is giving, sacrifice, in return for which grace comes. This is how the process of personal development takes place spiritually.
The Pharisee prays formally, but at the same time they arrogantly believe that they are doing everything as it should, and the rest, not so highly moral people, are sinners who shade his righteousness.
To summarize, we can say that Pharisaism was once a movement of Judaism, but having changed its original meaning, this word began to mean a negative personality trait. A Pharisee is someone who looks at the world and the actions of other people through the prism of double morality, hypocrisy and hypocrisy.
