Can you please tell me who were the Pharisees from the Bible?

Question

their social position,their attitude to Temple and God.. and what did Jesus told about them, and Saint John the Baptiser...

Answer 1

*** w77 6/15 pp. 380-381 The Influential Pharisees ***

The Influential Pharisees

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.”

WHEN Jesus was on earth the Pharisees’ influence was so strong that prominent men were afraid to acknowledge openly that he was indeed the Christ. The Bible reports: “Many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess him, in order not to be expelled from the synagogue; for they loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God.”—John 12:42, 43.

As a body, the Pharisees were concerned about establishing their own righteousness. They scrupulously paid the tenth of such small products as mint, dill and cummin. (Matt. 23:23) On a regular basis, they would fast for religious reasons. (Matt. 9:14) They were concerned about observing traditions to the letter, especially in connection with Sabbath observance and the washing of hands.—Matt. 12:1, 2; 15:2.

Along with this, the Pharisees wanted to impress others with their righteousness and therefore made a public display of it. They did this even in their dress. The Mosaic law required the Israelites to have fringed edges on the skirts of their garments. This was to serve as a reminder to them of their holy standing before Jehovah God and the need to observe his commands. (Num. 15:38-41) The Pharisees took this a step farther. They enlarged the fringed edges of their garments in order to stand out among the people. Similarly, while the custom had developed among the Jews to wear small scripture-containing cases on the forehead and the left arm, the Pharisees stood out by wearing larger ones.—Matt. 23:2, 5.

Because of what they did, the Pharisees felt superior to fellow Israelites who did not observe the Law according to the Pharisees’ traditional interpretation. Their attitude is reflected in a prayer that Jesus Christ, in one of his illustrations, represents as being spoken by a Pharisee: “O God, I thank you I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give the tenth of all things I acquire.” (Luke 18:11, 12) The Pharisees actually looked with contempt upon those who failed to observe the great body of rabbinic tradition. When officers sent to arrest Jesus came back empty-handed because of having been impressed by his teaching, they said: “You have not been misled also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he? But this crowd that does not know the Law [that is, the rabbinic interpretation given to it] are accursed people.”—John 7:45-49.

Confident of their own righteousness, the Pharisees believed that they were entitled to special privileges and that others should acknowledge their superior standing. When entertained at evening meals, they expected to have the most prominent places. At the synagogue, they preferred the front seats. These seats faced the audience and were reserved for the presiding officer and distinguished guests. Even in busy marketplaces they wanted to be given special attention and to have their presence acknowledged by greetings. It pleased them when people called them “Rabbi” (Teacher).—Matt. 23:6, 7.

Due to trusting in their own righteousness the Pharisees were among the foremost enemies of Jesus Christ. He often did not act according to their traditional interpretation of the Law. That is why they condemned him.

Answer 2

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. The writings of the Jewish historian Josephus indicate that in the time of John Hyrcanus I (latter half of the second century B.C.E.) the Pharisees already formed an influential body. 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, XIII, 288 (x, 5).

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, XVIII, 14 [i, 3]) “Every soul, they maintain, is imperishable, but the soul of the good alone passes into another body, while the souls of the wicked suffer eternal punishment.” Regarding their ideas about fate or providence, Josephus reports: “[They] attribute everything to Fate and to God; they hold that to act rightly or otherwise rests, indeed, for the most part with men, but that in each action Fate co-operates.”—The Jewish War, II, 162, 163 (viii, 14).

Answer 3

The Pharisees are today's Rabbis. They were a movement that valued making all of the Jewish population "holy." And to this end, they advocated priestly behaviors for everyone. Specifically, they looked to embrace what today we know as "kosher" rules for everyone -- rules that were originally applied only to Priests and Levites. These were in effect ways to be mindful of God in everyday activities.

They had an oral tradition to aid in decisions about appropriate actions and behaviors. This tradition was eventually recorded as the Talmud.

They did not feel religiousness had to be exclusively tied to the Temple ritual life. And they valued education -- the Pharasaic Rabbis were instrumental in the spread of synagogues for spiritual education of the Jewish populace.

Since they were not focused on Temple ritual for their spiritual lives, when the Romans ultimately destroyed the Jewish Temple and dismantled the Jewish state, theirs was the only form of Judaism to survive (along with the Jesus movement). So essentially all of what is known as Judaism today comes from the efforts of those Pharsaic Rabbis to preserve their form of religious practice and spiritual lifestyle.

Tragically, the kind of debate between the Jesus movement and the Pharsaic Rabbinical movement about how to live a spiritual life -- Jesus' posture included questioning religious rules, while the Rabbis were focused on finding the holy and riltually pure way to do things -- in later generations that became fodder for the eventually dominant Christian culture to denigrate and persecute Rabbinical Judaism.
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Answer 4

Zaira,
The Pharisees were of the Judaic Religious Order. They were the ones who knew the Judaic Laws completely. They spent most of their time studying and teaching those principals to others. Additional Information may be found below. Have a wonderful weekend and a Glorious LORD'S DAY.
Thanks,
Eds


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Answer 5

23And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

24And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

25And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

26How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

27And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

28Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Pharisees were the Jewish sect that still believed in the Prophets and were looking for a Messiah to fulfill them.
Totally obedient to the law and would not be swayed.

Answer 6

The word Pharisee is derived from an Aramaic word meaning, “separated.” They were a group that held to the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the dead, and punishment in future life. They believed that punishment was based upon how one behaved in this life. The souls of the wicked would be in prison forever under the earth. Those who were righteous would live again.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all (Acts 23:8).

In Jesus’ day the Pharisees practiced righteousness externally – they were more concerned with the outward appearance than the inward feeling.

They Added Tradition To Scripture

The Pharisees also added an enormous amount of traditional material that was passed down from one generation to the next.

“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And he answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? . . . And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition (Matthew 15:2,3,6).

They were the worst persecutors of Jesus and the objects of His strongest criticism.

They Appeared At John’s Baptism
We find them at the baptism of John where they were met with stern words from John.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Matthew 3:7).

The Pharisees Accused Jesus Of Demonic Practice
The Pharisees accused Jesus of demonic practices.

But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons” (Matthew 9:34)

The Pharisees Plotted Jesus’ Death
The Pharisees plotted the death of Jesus over His breaking of the Sabbath.

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus (Matthew 12:14).

We also read.

Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap him in what he said (Matthew 22:15).

Jesus Condemned The Pharisees In The Strongest Of Terms

Jesus’ strongest words of condemnation were aimed at the Pharisees.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to (Matthew 23:13).

Summary
The Pharisees were the religious conservatives. They were at odds with the Sadducees and the Herodians however they all joined together against their common enemy – Jesus. The Pharisees were Jesus’ chief persecutors. They rejected His claims to be the Messiah and were the ones who plotted to have Him killed. Jesus’ strongest words of condemnation were aimed at them. BLUE LETTER BIBLE

Answer 7

The pharisees were essentially a political group. they were a school of thought that was predominate in 563 BCE - 70 CE.


have a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisees

Answer 8

the sanhedrin court was the jewish religious authority at the time of jesus. it was made up of pharisees and sadducees. the major idfference was that the sadducess did not believe in the resurrection of the body.

Answer 9

Pharisees are like many of the people in here who try and disprove God and the bible,they wanted to do things their way

Answer 10

They knew of God but they didn't know God.