Matthew 16:5-12 Who Are The Pharisees?

Pharisees often challenged Jesus When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” Mt. 9:11 NAS At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” Mt. 12:1-2 NAS

Pharisees often challenged Jesus Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” Mt. 15:1-2, NAS The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. Mt. 16:1, NAS

Pharisees often challenged Jesus Then the disciples *came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit. Mt. 15:12-14, NAS

Pharisees often challenged Jesus Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Mt. 16:12, NAS

Who were the Pharisees? 1.Noted conservatives 2.Strict law observers 3.Adopted the elders traditions 4.An exclusive group 5.An evangelistic group

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘H ONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘H E WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Mt. 15:2-6, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 ‘T HIS PEOPLE HONORS M E WITH THEIR LIPS, B UT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM M E. Mt. 15:7-8, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. Mt. 23:5, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.. Mt. 23:6-7, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 8 But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. Mt. 23:8-10, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment 5.Mt. 23:8-10 wore religious titles of respect

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Mt. 23:13, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment 5.Mt. 23:8-10 wore religious titles of respect 6.Mt. 23:13 kept others from the kingdom of heaven

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Mt. 23:14, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment 5.Mt. 23:8-10 wore religious titles of respect 6.Mt. 23:13 kept others from the kingdom of heaven 7.Mt. 23:14 used religion to take advantage of poor

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Mt. 23:15, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment 5.Mt. 23:8-10 wore religious titles of respect 6.Mt. 23:13 kept others from the kingdom of heaven 7.Mt. 23:14 used religion to take advantage of poor 8.Mt. 23:15 made people worse, not better

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Mt. 23:23-24, NAS

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? 1.Mt. 15:3-6 by traditions made God’s word void 2.Mt. 15:7-8 taught one thing, practiced another 3.Mt. 23:5 did their deeds to seen of men 4.Mt. 23:6-7 loved attention & special treatment 5.Mt. 23:8-10 wore religious titles of respect 6.Mt. 23:13 kept others from the kingdom of heaven 7.Mt. 23:14 used religion to take advantage of poor 8.Mt. 23:15 made people worse, not better 9.Mt. 23:23-24 sticklers only for certain commandments while ignoring others

Who are the real Pharisees today? Those who stress obedience, and the keeping of God’s commandments? Like Jesus? “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Jn. 14:15, NAS He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Jn. 14:21, NAS Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; Jn. 14:23NAS

Who are the real Pharisees today? Those who stress obedience, and the keeping of God’s commandments? Like Paul? Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. 1 Corinthians 7:19, NAS Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, NAS

Who are the real Pharisees today? Those who stress obedience, and the keeping of God’s commandments? Like John? 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 1 John 2:3-5

Who are the real Pharisees today? Those who stress obedience, and the keeping of God’s commandments? Like John? The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. 1 John 3:24, NAS For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3, NAS

Who are the real Pharisees today? Those who stress obedience, and the keeping of God’s commandments? OR those who… 1.Teach/practice the traditions of men 2.Teach one thing and practice another 3.Do things to be seen of men, get attention 4.Do not show people the true way 5.Build fortunes on the backs of the poor 6.Stress some laws and ignore others

Are WE willing… To trust God rather than men’s traditions? To practice the things of God? To please God rather than men? To do all that God requires?