I'm not sure of the spelling, but who are the "Pharases" mentioned in the bible?

Question

I'm listening to the bible on cd and this word is in it a lot, and I'm not too sure who it refers to. It seems to be associated with people who are hypocritical or something, not sure.

Answer 1

The PHARISEES=Who Were The Pharisees?

Of the three major religious societies of Judaism at the time of the New Testament (the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes), the Pharisees were often the most vocal and influential. The origin of the Pharisees is uncertain, but their movement is believed to have grown from the Assideans (i.e. the "pious"), who began in the time of the Maccabean Revolt (see The Maccabees) against the Greek/Syrian ruler Antiochus IV, or "Antiochus Epiphanes," around 165 B.C. It was during that roughly 4 centuries between the end of the Old Testament record and the birth of Jesus Christ, prior to the rise of the Roman empire (see Ancient Empires - Rome), that the idolatrous Greek influence was at its peak in Jerusalem (see Ancient Empires - Greece, The Ptolemies and The Seleucids). The first direct mention of the Pharisees was by the Jewish/Roman historian Flavius Josephus in describing the three sects, or schools, into which the Jews were divided in 145 B.C.
The name Pharisee in its Hebrew form means separatists, or the separated ones. They were also known as chasidim, which means loyal to God, or loved of God - extremely ironic in view of the fact that by His time, they made themselves the most bitter, and deadly, opponents of Jesus Christ and His message.

The Pharisees perhaps meant to obey God, but eventually they became so devoted and extremist in very limited parts of The Law (plus all that they themselves added to it), that they became blind to The Messiah when He was in their very midst. They saw His miracles, they heard His Words, but instead of receiving it with joy, they did all that they could to stop Him - eventually to the point of getting Him killed because He truthfully claimed to be the Son of God.

Answer 2

The Pharisees constituted a prominent sect of Judaism in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. They tried to keep themselves separate from others, including fellow Jews. The name “Pharisees” may, in fact, mean “separated ones.” The exact origins of this sect of Judaism are unknown today. By the latter half of the second century B.C.E., however, the Pharisees already were an influential body.

Writing of this period in the time of John Hyrcanus, the Jewish historian Josephus says of them: “These have so great a power over the multitude, that when they say any thing against the king, or against the high priest, they are presently believed.”

Answer 3

The Pharisees were the section of Jews who followed the written and oral law. They are the ancestors of current Judaism. The other groups, like the Essenes and Saduccees (and Karaites) have mostly disappeared.

Answer 4

The Pharisees were the leading religious sect in Israel at the time of Jesus. They were pretty much the catholics of Judaism. They set the rules, and anyone who didn't like it was punished. FYI, Jesus was probably an Essene.

Answer 5

It was one of the two ruling bodies of the Jewish religion at the time of Christ.
There was also the Sadducee's.
Another sect, though not as powerful were the Essenes.

Answer 6

the pharasees were a more liberal group than the sadducees. the sadducees didn't believe in the resurrection, the pharasees did. the sadducees(at the time of jesus) were the temple priests; and the pharasees and the essenes didn't like them. they considered them a bunch of roman puppets in the house of god. of course the pharasees endured the longest, being the forefathers of rabbinical judaism.

Answer 7

It was a branch of the Jewish religion, I am not Jewish so I do not know if it still exists. Maybe the Jews on this forum can inform us about this point.

Answer 8

Teachers of the law who were too obsessed with rules to listen to Jesus

Answer 9

PHAR'ISEE, n. [Heb. to separate.] One of a sect among the Jews, whose religion consisted in a strict observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders,and whose pretended holiness led them to separate themselves as a sect, considering themselves as more righteous than other Jews.



http://www.biblebelievers.com/SimpleSalvation.html

Answer 10

A prominent religious sect of Judaism existing in the first century C.E. According to some scholars, the name literally means “Separated Ones; Separatists,” referring perhaps to avoidance of ceremonial uncleanness or to separation from Gentiles. Just when the Pharisees had their beginning is not precisely known.
Wrote Josephus: “And so great is their influence with the masses that even when they speak against a king or high priest, they immediately gain credence.”—Jewish Antiquities.

Josephus also provides details concerning the beliefs of the Pharisees. He observes: “They believe that souls have power to survive death and that there are rewards and punishments under the earth for those who have led lives of virtue or vice: eternal imprisonment is the lot of evil souls, while the good souls receive an easy passage to a new life.” (Jewish Antiquities.)
The Christian Greek Scriptures reveal that the Pharisees fasted twice each week, tithed scrupulously, and did not agree with the Sadducees in saying that “there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit.” (Ac 23:8) They prided themselves on being righteous (actually, self-righteous) and looked down on the common people. To impress others with their righteousness, the Pharisees broadened the scripture-containing cases that they wore as safeguards and they enlarged the fringes of their garments. (Mt 23:5) They loved money (Lu 16:14) and desired prominence and flattering titles. (Mt 23:6, 7) The Pharisees were so biased in their application of the Law that they made it burdensome for the people, insisting that it be observed according to their concepts and traditions. (Mt 23:4) They completely lost sight of the important matters, namely, justice, mercy, faithfulness, and love of God. The Pharisees went to great lengths in making proselytes.

The main issues over which they contended with Christ Jesus involved Sabbath observance, adherence to tradition, and association with sinners and tax collectors. The Pharisees apparently thought that defilement resulted from association with persons who did not observe the Law according to their view of it. Therefore, when Christ Jesus associated and even ate with sinners and tax collectors, this prompted them to object. The Pharisees found fault with Jesus and his disciples because of their not practicing the traditional washing of hands. But Jesus exposed their wrong reasoning and showed them to be violators of God’s law on account of their adherence to man-made traditions. Rather than rejoicing and glorifying God in connection with the miraculous cures performed by Christ Jesus on the Sabbath, the Pharisees were filled with rage over what they deemed a violation of the Sabbath law and therefore plotted to kill Jesus. To a blind man whom Jesus had cured on the Sabbath they said concerning Jesus: “This is not a man from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.”—Joh 9:16.

The attitude the Pharisees displayed showed that they were not righteous and clean inside. Like the rest of the Jews, they were in need of repentance. But the majority of them preferred to remain spiritually blind (Joh 9:40) and intensified their opposition to the Son of God.
The mob that later seized Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane included Pharisees (Joh 18:3-5, 12, 13), and Pharisees were among those who requested that Pilate secure Jesus’ tomb so that the body could not be stolen.—Mt 27:62-64.

During the earthly ministry of Christ Jesus, the Pharisees exerted such great influence that prominent persons were afraid to confess him openly. One of such fearful ones evidently was Nicodemus, himself a Pharisee. There may also have been Pharisees who did not manifest bitter opposition or who later became Christians. For example, the Pharisee Gamaliel counseled against interfering with the work of Christians (Ac 5:34-39), and the Pharisee Saul (Paul) of Tarsus became an apostle of Jesus Christ.—Ac 26:5