A member of a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 BCE–70 CE). The movement was ultimately the basis for most contemporary forms of Judaism.
According to one scholar, the Pharisees taught that one should neither trust these with valuables, nor trust their testimony, nor entertain them as guests, nor be their guests, nor even buy from them.
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
(Ex 12:6) This view is supported by some scholars, as well as by the Karaite Jews and Samaritans, although the Pharisees and Rabbinists considered it to be the time between the beginning of the sun’s descent and the real sunset.
As Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt and is hailed by the multitude of the disciples as “the One coming as the King in Jehovah’s name,” the Pharisees call on him to rebuke his disciples.
(Romans 10:2, 3) As a Pharisee, Paul himself had been extremely zealous, though his zeal was misguided, not based on Jehovah’s righteousness. —Galatians 1:13, 14; Philippians 3:6.
Regarding that hypocritical system of worship practiced by the Pharisees, he said: “Nobody sews a patch of unshrunk cloth upon an old outer garment; for its full strength would pull from the outer garment and the tear would become worse.”
Such inconsistencies remind us of Jesus’ words to the Pharisees: “You cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of plunder . . .
As he believed in the resurrection and was “a son of Pharisees,” Paul identified himself as a Pharisee and thus succeeded in setting the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, against the Pharisees and vice versa. —Ac 22:23–23:10.
A shameful example of unrighteous judgment comes from the parable of the lost sheep, when the Pharisees and scribes ill-judged both the Savior and His dinner company, saying, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2)—they were oblivious to the fact that they were sinners themselves.