THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES.
Although there were a number of
parties or sects among the Jews, all of which had their adherents among the
common people, such as the Herodians, the Essenes, and the political parties of
various times, yet none were so influential nor exerted their sway over the
people for a longer period of time than the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The most powerful of the Jewish
sects was that of the Pharisees, the representatives of extreme Hebraism, the
orthodoxists among the Jews.. Their members were selected only from the richer
and more distinguished ranks of society. They adhered strictly to the literal
sense of the Mosaic Law. To the authority of Scriptures they added that of
tradition, the rules and regulations of the elders. But they introduced also
some of the speculative tenets from the philosophy or religion of the Eastern
nations. These ideas had been adopted by the Jews during the exile, and were
founded upon the Persian dualism. The doctrine of fate or predestination, of
angels and demons, and of a future state of rewards and punishments, were among
the newly formulated articles of belief. The Pharisees tried to compromise
between the revealed religion and these obscure tenets, adopting those parts
which were not expressly condemned in the Old Testament. Since they believed in
fate, they maintained that it cooperated in every action of man, and stated that
to act what is right or the contrary, is principally in the power of man. They
moderated the doctrine of the transmigration of souls in so far as to say that
all souls are incorruptible, but the souls of good men only are removed into
other bodies, while the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment. 181)
Their doctrine is repeatedly
referred to in the New Testament, since Christ was often obliged to expose the
falseness of their claims, to warn against the leaven of their false doctrine.
Matt. 16, 12; Mark 8, 15. They adhered with the greatest severity to the 613
precepts of the Great Synagog, thereby making their own lives and those of their
followers an intolerable burden. Incidentally they disregarded entirely the evil
condition and the wicked desires of the heart, priding themselves only on their
external show of holiness. They lived meanly and fasted oftener than the Law
required; they despised delicacies in diet, Luke 18, 12. They forbade even the
most necessary works and deeds of mercy on the Sabbath, Matt. 12, 1-8. 9-13;
Luke 13,14-16; Mark 2, 27; John 7, 23. Christ calls their slavish adhering to
the traditions of the elders a vain worship, Mark 7, 2-7. 9.
These doctrines were continually
revealed in the feigned virtue of the Pharisees' lives; in fact, the two were so
closely related that a sharp division is hardly possible. The passage above.
Matt. 23, is a complete denunciation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They
managed to cast sand into the eyes of the people to such an extent that
whatsoever they did about divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices was accepted
without question, and many cities gave great attestation to them on account of
their entire
Since they thus both in their
doctrine and in their religious practices held a position which was directly
opposed to Christ, it is not surprising that they were filled with venomous
hatred toward the Nazarene. They tempted Him, Matt. 16, 1; Mark 8, 11; they
tried to entangle Him in His talk, Matt. 22, 15; Mark 12. 13; Luke 20, 20; they
took counsel to destroy Him, Mark 3, 6; John 11, 47-53. And after having
succeeded in removing the Master, they persecuted the disciples in the same way,
Matt. 23, 34; Acts 7, 58; 8, 3; 9, 1. 2; Gal. 1, 13. 14. 23; Acts 23, 6-9. It is
the world-old story of righteousness and truth being hated by unrighteousness
and hypocrisy.
The bitter enemies of the Pharisees
and their opponents in doctrine, but united with them in their hatred of Christ,
were the Sadducees, the representatives of the extreme ultra-development of
Hellenism, with Greek characteristics. They were recruited only from the richest
people, with leanings toward pagan culture. They were the rationalists among the
Jews, with modern tenets of philosophy. They denied
Christ was obliged, for the sake of
the truth, to warn against their false doctrines, Matt. 16, 6. 12. He confuted
them and their doctrine of marriage, a problem which they had invented to mock
Him, Matt. 22, 32. Upon other occasions, also, the Sadducees were exposed and
their arguments overthrown with the same decisive frankness, Matt. 16, 4; 3, 7.
And therefore their relation toward the Prophet of Nazareth was anything but
friendly. To be termed a wicked and adulterous generation, Matt. 16, 3. 4, and
be told that they knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God, Matt. 22, 29;
Mark 12, 24, roused their anger in such a measure that they gladly joined with
the Pharisees in the council, the Synedrion, consulting how they might take
Jesus by subtilty and kill Him, Matt. 26, 3. 4. And after the death of Jesus
they persecuted His disciples. Acts 4, 12; 5, 18, since the most influential in
the nation belonged to their sect, Acts 5, 17. But the Word of God remained
victorious.