Modern Pharisees

"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 7:5

Modern Pharisees - HAH Podcast

The recent events at Asbury University have gotten virtually the entire churched world in an uproar, creating as much division as it has seemed to create unity. It's not my intention to comment extensively on the so-called “Asbury revival.” It looks like almost every Christian commentator with a platform has that covered. But in the middle of reading threads and watching interviews, I was reminded of a term that inevitably comes up when skeptics venture to voice biblical concerns over situations of revivalism. I happen to be a “skeptic” myself. 

It’s a common insult, one we’re all familiar with: Pharisee. While hyper-charismatic sects of the visible church seem to have all the fun—experiencing revival, walking by the Spirit, receiving fresh revelations—those of us with a more fundamental backdrop to our faith seem to walk around with a chip on our shoulder, and are reminded of it regularly. Pharisaical, legalistic, coming down on people with the law, some of them don’t even believe in the Holy Spirit. 

But is this true? Are we the modern Pharisees?

Photo by zhenzhong liu on Unsplash

Fundamentalism vs. Modernism

Skepticism tends to come from fundamentalist Christians, the opposite being modernist Christians. Fundamentalists tend to stick to orthodox Christian beliefs, while modernists tend to be charismatic in their doctrine. Fundamentalists emphasize the doctrine of scripture, while modernists emphasize spiritual experience. The modernist would be the one to say “You can’t put God in a box", while the fundamentalist would say “God put himself in a box and that box is the Bible.”

Though there is a hyper-fundamentalism that teaches a form of legalism, it’s not necessarily the fundamentalists who resemble the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. As counterintuitive as it sounds, it’s actually the modernist charismatics who are more appropriated to the title “Pharisee”—specifically hyper-charismatics.

(A delineation must be made between the terms “charismatic” and “hyper-charismatic.” “Charismatic” can, in its simplest definition, refer to a person who believes in a continuation of spiritual gifts, as opposed to a “cessationist.” I am choosing to use the term “hyper-charismatic.” from this point forward to refer to those whose practices are extra-biblical.)

False human mediators

In general, we talk about the Pharisees as people who were “by-the-book,” who insisted on following the Torah in a very legalistic fashion. While that may be true in a sense, they were actually notorious for adding extra-biblical revelations to scripture. The rabbinical teachers would sit around and discuss the law written in the Torah, adding their own interpretations or, more accurately, their own Oral Law to supplement the teachings of scripture. This Oral Torah, which Jewish leaders claim was spoken to Moses at Mount Sinai alongside the Torah, became known as “The Tradition of the Elders” and was passed down word-of-mouth for centuries before finally being written down about 1800 years ago. 

In Mark 15:1-9, Jesus addresses the Pharisees regarding exactly this:

“Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

When questioning Jesus, the Pharisees were not talking about Mosaic law from the Old Testament. They were talking about their traditions that they added to scripture. And esoterically so, for no one else could know, let alone keep, the Tradition of the Elders as they were known only by the rabbinical order at the time and had to be dispensed by these teachers if the common man was to have any hope of abiding by what he thought was the law of God. 

A similar time followed in later centuries when the Catholic popery interpreted the biblical canon from latin for the laity before the scriptures were available to the common Christian. These human mediators, both pharisees and popes, were the only hope of understanding God’s word in the minds of the indoctrinated. The exact same thing occurs today in hyper-charismatic congregations who claim that the offices of Prophet and Apostle are still active and dispensing words from God outside of the closed canon. These are the gatekeepers, the unauthorized human mediators of God’s law and gospel. Christ, the one and only mediator between God and man, rebuked the Pharisees for this in his day:

“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.” - Matthew 23:13-14

“Righteousness” rendered achievable 

There is a path on which we are commended to stay to enter the kingdom of heaven, turning neither to the right nor to the left. While hyper-fundamentalists fall into one ditch based on an intensely literal interpretation of biblical texts, this is not the same thing that the Pharisees were doing. 

Sadducees

Hyper-fundamentalism more closely resembles the Sadducees of Jesus’ day, who completely rejected the Oral Law in favor of an intensely literal adherence to the Torah and temple ordinances. So much so that they missed the forest for the trees. That is to say, they were so concerned with the letter of the law that they missed the spirit of it. Which is ultimately what God is most concerned with. This adherence to the letter at the expense of the spirit is, of course, a form of legalism. It is essentially taking away from scripture. Likely the kind of legalism critics of fundamentally-minded believers have in mind when accusing them of being Pharisees. They are correct in a sense, but should first, reconsider their terms and, second, look in the mirror, for it is that which they accuse others of which they themselves are guilty.

Pharisees

While the Sadducees were legalistic about adhering to an overly-literal interpretation of the biblical law, the Pharisees added to scripture and were legalistic about adhering to their own oral interpretations of the law—i.e. “The Tradition of the Elders.” Ironically, adding these extra traditions, resulted in a watering down of the actual Old Testament law. Which sounds backwards. At first glance, the watering down of scripture does not appear to mesh with the image we have of the Pharisees. We might imagine that adding to the law would just make the law more complicated for us to follow. No doubt you’ve heard the dreadful mention of the 613 laws the Israelites were already expected to keep under the Old Covenant and how the Pharisees just made it more difficult. How could that sort of intensification have a diluting effect?

Watered-down law = impotent gospel

God’s perfect law, codified in the books of the Pentateuch, demonstrates to us how high his standards are—to the point of being unattainable, even without the Pharisees help. For even the breaking of only one law makes a sinner guilty of breaking them all and liable to eternal condemnation. Galatians 3:19-22 puts it this way: 

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

The law was given to convict beyond doubt, so that anyone faced with the law could no longer plausibly deny culpability. To water it down was to render it dangerously impotent.

Imagine a concentrated lemon juice—sour, bitter, and potent, an effective substance depending on the job you want it to do. This is the law. Sour, bitter, potent and effective at giving us the taste of the gall of our sin. But if you add a bunch of water to it, diluting the concentration, no longer will the original acidic substance be effective. No longer will it bite and cause that recoiling. Instead, it is palatable, perhaps even a desirable flavor if you add a little sugar in the form of charming sermon illustrations. I digress. This is the addition of manmade doctrines to the law. This is real pharisaism.

With the watering-down of God’s law via manmade traditions, the Pharisees fashioned the law into a palatable alternative—something they could achieve by their own efforts. Consequently, they rendered the gospel of no effect. As Christ said in his rebuke, “You have made void the word of God.” And this not only for themselves, but even more so for all those they proselytized along their way to hell:

“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.”
- Matthew 23:15

Will the real Pharisees please stand up

Contrary to what is commonly accused, it’s actually hyper-charismatics who more closely resemble the Pharisees, not fundamentalists. Rather than preaching a legalism that adheres to the letter at the expense of the spirit, as the Sadducees did, hyper-charismatics add to scripture, thereby achieving the same legalistic end by a different avenue. 

You would probably not be surprised to hear me cite hyper-charismatic megachurches Bethel and Hillsong as some of our best examples of modern pharisaism. You could probably throw churches like Elevation and Saddleback in there as well, though their style is a bit more seeker friendly on the surface than hyper-charismatic. Nevertheless, the main theological issue these giants have in common is the teaching that the listener bears the responsibility of unleashing God’s power in the world. It is not God who is sovereign, but ultimately the hearer. You have to do more and do better in order for God to move. Unwittingly, they are doing the exact same thing the Pharisees did, namely, adding manmade traditions to the scripture and, consequently, rendering the actual law unable to convict and, therefore, the actual gospel unable to save. This is the gospel of works, which is no gospel at all. 

Again, both the Sadducees and Pharisees were guilty of misleading people on the basis of legalism. The problem was that both had a zeal for adhering to laws of their own making, rather than to the law of God. 

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

- Romans 9:30-33; 10:1-4

Mysticism

There is another aspect of this that we have to factor in. Adding to scripture can be done in a way that is methodical, dry, and uninspired. But that isn’t what the Pharisees did, and it’s not what hyper-charismatics do today. Instead, both the Pharisees and hyper-charismatics derive their rule of law by claiming special revelation from God. This is done through their contemplation of their own self-aggrandizing interpretations of scripture. 

Narcigesis is a term you may have heard by now—inserting oneself into the text to derive its meaning. But take it one step further and you have mysticism. Not only are you the center of the text, but you are the center based on a Word you “received” from God telling you so. Mysticism is not exclusively an ancient practice or Jewish practice, but has been imported into many churches to varying degrees today and is preached weekly from the pulpits of churches modeled after the aforementioned Bethel, Hillsong, Elevation, Saddleback, etc.

Babylonian & Jewish mysticism

We could reach all the way back to Genesis to find the origins of mysticism, but, for the purpose of this post, we will let the origins of pharisaical mysticism suffice. 

In 597 BC the Israelites went into captivity in Babylon, fulfilling prophecies by the prophet Jeremiah. The Babylonians practiced mystical religion, as do all religions outside of biblical Christianity. The “Tradition of the Elders” mentioned by the Pharisees in Mark 15 arguably began with this captivity when the Israelites returned to their homeland and brought Babylonian mystical practices with them. 

Before captivity, the offices of Sadducee and Pharisee did not exist. They were not part of the Old Testament temple order. But it is supposed that they “rose to power,” so to speak, during the intertestamental period—an approximately 400 year period when God did not speak and scripture was not being written. This was after the second temple was built and before Christ came. During this time, corruption crept into Israel and Babylonian mysticism was integrated with the Mosaic law, forming Jewish mysticism, and the religion of Judaism essentially replaced the Old Testament covenant religion of the Israelites.

Modern Jews and Judaism are not the same as the Israelites of the Old Testament who kept the law of Moses. Rather than teaching the Israelites to obey the law of God as written, the false rabbinical order taught “The Tradition of the Elders” to the people of Israel, thus giving a wrong interpretation of scripture. This false religion was one of the primary reasons Israel rejected Christ when he walked among them. And the reason he so harshly rebuked the Pharisees for their vain religion—even going so far as to call them sons of the Devil. The Jews were looking for a savior to set up an earthly kingdom and make them rulers over the whole world, not a spiritual kingdom as Christ came teaching. And especially not a spiritual kingdom that included Gentiles. All this based on a manmade special revelation taught by a false rabbinical order.

The infiltration of Christianity

Today, the church has been steadily infiltrated by modern Pharisees—hyper-charismatic prophets and apostles and their followers—who still perpetuate a set of mystical beliefs of their own making. They are false mediators of the Word of God. Emphasis is placed on personal revelation, works righteousness derived from an improper division of law and gospel, the setting up of an earthly kingdom (much like the Pharisees falsely taught Israel), and a practical denial of the sufficiency of scripture. While a form of godliness is displayed, they deny its power (2 Tim. 3:5), ironically while claiming they are the ones who have the power. While grace is found in statements of belief, the necessity of signs, wonders and works are preached, rendering both the law of God and the gospel unable to convict and save. Ironically while claiming those who question their theology are the legalistic Pharisees.

The whore of Babylon

Today, the Babylonian mysticism that evolved into the “Tradition of the Elders” is written in the Talmud. Rather than relying on solely what is written in scripture, Judaism’s holiest book is considered to be these extra-biblical commentaries and revelations. Likewise, hyper-charismatics today do not abide in the teaching of Christ, but, for all intents and purposes, consider the inspired Word to be only a starting point while preferring the extra-biblical revelations they claim to personally receive or receive by proxy through false prophets and apostles.

The end result of all this is a manmade law, an fruitless gospel, a works-based faith, and a false Christianity. A lawless religion which trusts in its own works and takes God’s name in vain.

“Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
- 2 John 1:9

For those who are called

Was the Asbury revival a real move of God? I wasn’t there, but I have my suspicions. Ultimately time and the fruit of it will tell and I leave that for you to judge. But making a definitive judgment on Asbury wasn’t actually the point of this post. It was a current event that reminded me of the often misused label “Pharisee.” And it presented an opportunity to clarify what exactly is a Pharisee and a moment to offer a related exhortation; to both those who are tired of being dismissed for their discernment and those who falsely label those concerned: As we watch and wait to see what comes of such instances of so-called “revival,” we, the concerned, can be confident that a healthy, biblical skepticism of such things is not the modern equivalent of the Pharisees. In fact, quite the opposite. But we also must give grace to those who may, in the end, be saved or sanctified despite these moments of spiritual upheaval.

Whether real or contrived, there is nothing God can’t use in his sovereignty to accomplish his will and build his true church. Despite revivalism, despite manmade religion. Despite false human mediators. Despite Sadducees. Despite Pharisees.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28