Who Are The Pharisees?

The Pharisees were highly regarded as a popular sect of Judaism, with over 6,000 members in the first century C.E. This group particularly set standards of faith by demanding strict observance of the Law, and sought ideologies such as their homes being extensions of the temple. Further insight into the background of the Pharisees appears from their history and tradition, a depiction by Josephus, and details provided about their influence by the stories in the four Gospel books.

First, the origin of the Pharisee philosophy began out of that of the Hasidim, a group that separated themselves from the views of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. By their strict observance of Israel’s Law and requirements of ritual purity and tithing, the Pharisees set out

The scholar argued that the Pharisees themselves were a school of thought in comparison to other Jewish sects at the time which included the Sadducees and the Essenes. By examining their desire for political influence and strong views of how Jewish culture should be interpreted, Josephus understood the Pharisees to be a reformist sect. The Pharisees sought after to promote traditions that were popular with the people, and even Josephus aligned with the ideologies of the Pharisees. The political influence that the Pharisees maintained was not direct and only a very few number of prominent leaders of the group had power in the government

A deeper understanding of the Pharisaic culture and their interactions with Jesus in the early first century set helps the reader to develop a sense of security with the text. There remain certain questions that readers may have in deciphering the message conveyed by the author of Luke. One question the reader might ask is how may the Pharisee view their home? Pharisees view their homes as extensions of the temple. In comparison to the average Jewish believer, the Pharisee is viewed as going above and beyond to set themselves apart and take to follow certain practices of faith. In relation to the story of Luke, this means that the Pharisee typically reserves mealtime for themselves, and would suggest that Jesus and the other guest would not be allowed in the home in the first place. Another question to be asked is how might the Pharisee view the actions of the woman in the story? A passage in the gospel of Luke says, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39, NIV). This verse suggests the overall dissatisfaction that the Pharisee has with the actions of the woman and further justifies the lack of effort on the part of the woman to “strive to