The
Pharisees. Much has been said about this
group of religious leaders. Songs have
been written about their strange ways--most not flattering. Jesus also provides some very strong
commentary on their hypocrisy. I do not
recall reading anything in Christian literature that is unequivocally positive,
although it can be argued they were the pillars of religious society in Jesus'
time.
They
are religious leaders, and as such they protect the traditions established in
the hope of honoring God and his law.
The people of Israel have been exiled because of their unfaithfulness to
the expressed will of God. The Pharisees
want to ensure this will never happen again.
They will, by all means available to them, prevent the nation from
falling into idolatry and unfaithfulness.
This does not seem like a bad thing, does it? How can you fault them from trying to protect
the people from false prophets and wannabe-Messiahs that pop up on the religious
radar with regularity?
But
it is the "dark side" of Pharisee-ism that transforms them into the
greatest threat to genuine spirituality and faith. First, behavior becomes the end-all measure
of all spirituality. Living a life that portrays
allegiance to the Law is the goal. They
believe if the entire nation can do this for even one day, the Messiah will
come. But this quest for strict
obedience leads to a second malady-- hypocrisy.
By definition hypocrisy is being something other than what you portray yourself
to be outwardly. It is an inconsistency
between what you say and how you live--between the principles you claim to
honor and the things you do when no one is looking. I have a lot to learn about the Pharisees, hopefully
with the result that I will not duplicate their demeanor or the unintended damage
their wreaked on themselves and others.
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