Pharisees (sources)

Early Jewish sources

Josephus, Jewish War

War I -- [5,2] And now the Pharisees joined themselves to her (i.e. Salome Alexandra), to assist her in the government. These are a certain sect of the Jews that appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws more accurately. low Alexandra hearkened to them to an extraordinary degree, as being herself a woman of great piety towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves into her favor by little and little, and became themselves the real administrators of the public affairs: they banished and reduced whom they pleased; they bound and loosed [men] at their pleasure; and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of the royal authority, whilst the expenses and the difficulties of it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the management of great affairs, and intent always upon gathering soldiers together; so that she increased the army the one half, and procured a great body of foreign troops, till her own nation became not only very powerful at home, but terrible also to foreign potentates, while she governed other people, and the Pharisees governed her.

War II -- [8,2] For there are three philosophical sects among the Jews. The followers of the first of which are the Pharisees; of the second, the Sadducees; and the third sect, which pretends to a severer discipline, are called Essens... [8,14] But then as to the two other orders at first mentioned, the Pharisees are those who are esteemed most skillful in the exact explication of their laws, and introduce the first sect. These ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action. They say that all souls are incorruptible, but that the souls of good men only are removed into other bodies, - but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment. But the Sadducees are those that compose the second order, and take away fate entirely, and suppose that God is not concerned in our doing or not doing what is evil; and they say, that to act what is good, or what is evil, is at men's own choice, and that the one or the other belongs so to every one, that they may act as they please. They also take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the punishments and rewards in Hades. Moreover, the Pharisees are friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of concord, and regard for the public; but the behavior of the Sadducees one towards another is in some degree wild, and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them. And this is what I had to say concerning the philosophic sects among the Jews.

Josephus, Jewish Antiquities

Ant XIII -- [5,9] At this time there were three sects among the Jews, who had different opinions concerning human actions; the one was called the sect of the Pharisees, another the sect of the Sadducees, and the other the sect of the Essens. Now for the Pharisees, they say that some actions, but not all, are the work of fate, and some of them are in our own power, and that they are liable to fate, but are not caused by fate. But the sect of the Essens affirm, that fate governs all things, and that nothing befalls men but what is according to its determination. And for the Sadducees, they take away fate, and say there is no such thing, and that the events of human affairs are not at its disposal; but they suppose that all our actions are in our own power, so that we are ourselves the causes of what is good, and receive what is evil from our own folly. However, I have given a more exact account of these opinions in the second book of the Jewish War.

Ant XVIII - [1.2] The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees; of which sects, although I have already spoken in the second book of the Jewish War, yet will I a little touch upon them now. [1,3] Now, for the Pharisees, they live meanly, and despise delicacies in diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and what that prescribes to them as good for them they do; and they think they ought earnestly to strive to observe reason's dictates for practice. They also pay a respect to such as are in years; nor are they so bold as to contradict them in any thing which they have introduced; and when they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since their notion is, that it hath pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of man can act virtuously or viciously. They also believe that souls have an immortal rigor in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again; on account of which doctrines they are able greatly to persuade the body of the people; and whatsoever they do about Divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices, they perform them according to their direction; insomuch that the cities give great attestations to them on account of their entire virtuous conduct, both in the actions of their lives and their discourses also. [1,4] But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies; nor do they regard the observation of any thing besides what the law enjoins them; for they think it an instance of virtue to dispute with those teachers of philosophy whom they frequent: but this doctrine is received but by a few, yet by those still of the greatest dignity. But they are able to do almost nothing of themselves; for when they become magistrates, as they are unwillingly and by force sometimes obliged to be, they addict themselves to the notions of the Pharisees, because the multitude would not otherwise bear them.

Early Christian sources

Gospel of Mark

Mark 2:16; see Recruiting the Tax Collector -- And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Mark 2:18 ; see Question about Fasting -- Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Mark 2:24; see Lord of the Sabbath -- And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Mark 3:6; see Man with a Withered Hand -- The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Mark 7:1; see Tradition of the Elders -- Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem ... 7:3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders ... 7:5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

Mark.8:11; see Demand for a Sign -- The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

Mark.8:15; see Beware of Yeast -- And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.

Mark 10:2 ; see Teaching about Divorce -- And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

Mark.12.13; see Tribute to Caesar -- ' And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.

Gospel of Matthew

Matt 3:1-12 Preaching of John the Baptist -- [7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matt 5:17-20 Teaching about the Law -- [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matt.9:9-13 Recruiting the Tax Collector -- [11] And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Matt.9.14-17 Question about Fasting -- [14] Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Matt.9:32-34 Dumb Man -- [34] But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Matt.12.1-8 Lord of the Sabbath -- [2] But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

Matt 12:9-14 Man with a Withered Hand -- [14] But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Matt 12:22-32 Jesus and Beelzebul -- [24] But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

Matt.12.38 Demand for a Sign -- Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

Matt 15:1-20 Tradition of the Elders -- [15:1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ... [15:12] Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

Matt 16:1-4 Demand for a Sign -- 16.1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

Matt 16:5-12 Beware of Yeast -- [16:6] Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ... 16.11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ... 16.12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matt 19:3; see Teaching about Divorce -- And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”

Matt.21.45; see Wicked Husbandmen -- When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

Matt.22.15; see Tribute to Caesar -- Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his talk.

Matt.22.34; see Great Commandment -- But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

Matt.22.41; see Question about the Son of David -- Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,

Matt 23:1-36; see Woe to the Scribes -- [23:2] “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat... [23.13] “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in... [23:15] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves... [23.23] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others... [23:25} “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence... [23.27] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness... [23:29] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous...

Matt 27:62; see Guard at the Tomb -- Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate

Gospel of Luke

Luke 5.17-26 Paralytic at Capernaum -- [17] On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal... [21] And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Luke 5:27-32 Recruiting the Tax Collector -- [30] And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Luke 5:33-39 Question about Fasting -- [33] And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.”

Luke 6:1-5 Lord of the Sabbath -- [2] But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

Luke 6:6-11 Man with a Withered Hand -- [7] And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.

Luke 7:18-35 Messengers from John the Baptist -- [30] but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

Luke.7.36-50 Anointing of Jesus -- [36] One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.

Woe to the Scribes Luke.11.39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness... [42] "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others... [43] Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces... [53] As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things,

Luke.12.1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luke.13.31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

Luke.14.1-6 Man with Dropsy -- [1] One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully... [3] And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”

Luke 15:1-7 Lost Sheep -- [2] And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Luke.16.14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.

Luke.17.20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,

Luke.19:28-40 Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem -- [39] And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

Gospel of John

John.1.24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)

John.3.1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

John.4.1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

John.7.32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

John.7.45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?”

John.7.47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?

John.7.48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?

John.8.3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

John.8.13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”

John.9.13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

John.9.15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

John.9.16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

John.9.40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”

John.11.46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

John.11.47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.

John.11.57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

John.12.19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

John.12.42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

John.18.3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Acts of Apostles

Acts.15.5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

Acts.23.6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” [23.7] And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. [23.8] For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. [23.9] Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”