The Real Pharisees (Part 11): The Pharisees Were Lovers of Money

The Real Pharisees

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him” (Luke 16:14).

Luke identified the Pharisees as ones who were “lovers of money” as he described them “scoffing” at the things Jesus was teaching. These were not two unrelated facts about the Pharisees. Being lovers of money and scoffing at Jesus’ message were intrinsically connected to one another.
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The Real Pharisees (Part 10): The Pharisees Were Hypocrites

The Real Pharisees

The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them” (Matthew 23:2-3).

A hypocrite is one who says one thing and does another. Jesus repeatedly called the Pharisees hypocrites in this chapter (Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29). In those verses, Jesus talked about many ways in which their hypocrisy was manifested. But what was the root cause that led them to be hypocrites?
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The Real Pharisees (Part 9): The Pharisees Were Arrogant

The Real Pharisees

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:9-14).

This was a parable, not an actual event of two men who went to pray. But parables were based in reality. In this parable, Jesus focused on two individuals and highlighted a particular character trait in order to contrast them with each other.
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The Real Pharisees (Part 8): The Pharisees Were Corrupt in Their Hearts

The Real Pharisees

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:25-28).

At the beginning of this study, we noticed how the Pharisees were not as careful with the Law as we tend to think – or as their reputation suggested. Jesus made a similar point in the verses above. The Pharisees would “outwardly appear righteous” (Matthew 23:28), but they were not truly righteous. Their hearts were corrupt.
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The Real Pharisees (Part 7): The Pharisees Shut Off the Kingdom of Heaven from Others

The Real Pharisees

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13).

We have already discussed the fact that the Pharisees had “rejected God’s purpose for themselves” (Luke 7:30) by refusing to obey Him and be saved. Therefore, they would be left out of the Lord’s kingdom. However, in addition to this, they were also preventing others from entering the kingdom.
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The Real Pharisees (Part 6): The Pharisees Took Advantage of Others

The Real Pharisees

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses…therefore you will receive greater condemnation” (Matthew 23:14).

When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for devouring “widow’s houses,” He was condemning them for taking advantage of others. However, the Pharisees did not take advantage of just anyone. Jesus used widows in His example for a reason. These were ones who typically were in need of assistance from others. Yet the Pharisees not only failed to help these ones in need, they also took advantage of them for their own benefit.
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The Real Pharisees (Part 5): The Pharisees Rejected God’s Purpose for Themselves

The Real Pharisees

But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John” (Luke 7:30).

People often wonder if they have some special purpose in life. Of course, we all have the same general purpose – to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). But there are few in history that have had a specific purpose from God.

One individual with this type of specific purpose was John the Baptist. Jesus mentioned him in the context of His discussion of the Pharisees rejecting God’s purpose for themselves. Jesus said, “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You’” (Luke 7:27; cf. Malachi 3:1). When John came, he had a specific purpose – to prepare the way for Christ.
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