Leaving Ignorance Behind: Pharisees, part 3

In the first two posts in this series, I broached the idea that we are rather too smug in our assumptions about the pharisees of the Bible, and are all-too self-congratulatory toward our own humility (how very Pharisaical of us, right?). I promised that in this post I would deal with our assumption that the pharisees the Jews who rejected Jesus believed that you earned your salvation by keeping the Law.

After all, we are taught that the writers of the New Testament were always contrasting the  works of the law of the Jews vs. the grace that Jesus was bringing. And Paul told us that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be saved.” So it is only natural to assume that the Jewish leaders and teachers, with the pharisees leading the charge, taught that obedience to the Law earned salvation.

Leaving Ignorance Behind: Pharisees, part 2

In my last post, I began to look at the purblind ignorance of the Church and Christians when it comes to the Jewish nature and context of our faith. As I said, we just don’t have a clue about how little we really don’t know, and it makes me want to weep.

My first subject for examination is our idea of those evil villains of the New Testament, the pharisees (*boo* *hiss*). But in examining the beliefs of the pharisees vs. the beliefs of the other religious sects in first-century Palestine, we find that the closest group to the Church (as far as beliefs go) is the pharisees! But if we share so much, spiritually, with the pharisees, then why do we feel that they are the ultimate baddies of the Bible?

Leaving Ignorance Behind: Pharisees, pt. 1

I have been doing a lot of reading and studying these past two years into the Jewish roots of our Christian faith. I am reading material on some great websites; I have about 10 great books I’ve read (and more on the way); I’ve taken several online classes/seminars that have been extremely informative and eye-opening; I am accessing excellent teachings series, whether online or on DVD. I’ve even purchased a new study bible that is translated with Hebrew terminology and great accompanying study notes and commentary. Basically, my Christian mindset is undergoing a major renovation because of what I am learning.

But there is one fly in my ointment, folks: I’m mad!  At myself.