Christians and other non-Jews, what does the word "Pharisee" mean to you?

Answer 1

From what I've read, they were the people who kept the Torah and Talmud teachings and taught them to others to do the same. They were scribes and sages that kept themselves apart for a life of purity.

But, as usual, I am willing to learn from Jews how THEY define their terms. I know it's completely different from the christian version of the word.

Answer 2

A Pharisee means a certain Jewish priesthood. They had 'issues' with Jesus. And vice versa. Pharisees in the time of Jesus were corrupt, making many fall due to their lack of righteousness. They were Legalists in their approach, and would murder Jesus for what He said, and who He was. They were not all bad that way, but those in control were. Some Pharisees actually turned towards Jesus, and believed in Him.

Today, we have modern day Pharisees. They might be Christian, they might not, but what they have in common with the old Pharisees is that they tend to rely on the Law, or parts of it, in order to place a burden upon those who would believe that they are saved because they trust God for righteousness. They think that they can please God by the works of the Law, which is crap. It won't save anyone. The Law being put there to convince us of the fact that we are sinners.

Anyone who understands Romans 3 will know this.

Answer 3

Pharisee a sect of Judaism that had branched off during the second temple era and held particular ideas about free will verses predestination, aforeknowledge of God and as well in the resurrection. Love in Christ, ~J~

Answer 4

The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group that zealously followed the Old Testament laws as well as their own religious traditions. They were highly respected in the community, but they hated Jesus because he challenged their proud attitudes and dishonourable motives.

Answer 5

People who understand the letter of the law but don't understand how to put it into practice with their hearts. It brings to mind, one of those highly educated Preachers in the large churches, who thinks having a large congregation is great, and bringing in all that money is great and forgets to feed the people with the word of God..He has such prepared sermons, you could almost preach it with him. No feeling for the word,,,just a smooth performance.

Answer 6

There were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They could be compared to liberals and consevatives.

Answer 7

Oh! An EASY question!!

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 8

A member of a Jewish sect of the intertestamental period noted for strict observance of rites and ceremonies of the written law and for insistence on the validity of their own oral traditions concerning the law

Answer 9

I believe it's Hebrew for "separated," also the name for a Jewish sect in the the Second Temple Era.

Common usage, of course, is for people who focus on legalism to determine their mode of right-living.

Answer 10

It describes a person who has put their faith in a religion and their understanding of that religion or the Bible, without ever having a personal relationship with GOD or Jesus.

That is why Jesus states. "I never knew you."