The Pharisee
Good morning. Our Thursday Bible character “thought for the day” this week will focus on that group known as the Pharisees. I will attempt to tell their story by presenting a fictional character who would be an honest representative of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
My name is Samuel, and I am proud to be a Pharisee. When I was eight years old Uzziah, the Pharisee who led our synagogue, determined that of all the young boys I had the greatest potential. At his recommendation I was chosen. This meant that I left my family behind and immediately began the training that could, if I proved worthy, end with my inclusion into the blessed brotherhood of Pharisees. I proved worthy, and after great study and trial, I was honored to join the brotherhood of “the separate ones,” which is the phrase translated from the word “Pharisee.”
I have now served the interests of the Pharisee for over 50 years. In that time, I have seen much. Our interests have been opposed by the group known as the Sadducees. These blasphemers were always much fewer in number, only 150 or so, but because they are selected from the wealthiest landowners, they have great treasure. They controlled the office of the High Priest, which is sickening since they do not believe in God’s Word. They deny the miraculous, they deny the existence of heaven and hell, they even deny the promise of the Messiah. They were a hateful and idolatrous group, but we have ended them!
We, the Pharisees, recognized our political weakness when compared to that of the Sadducees. They had too much wealth, and with wealth they gained too much power. Thank God for the Romans! Yes, you read correctly, I give praise for the Romans. When we aligned with them politically our power rose above that of our enemies. When the Sadducees led the people in a revolt against Rome, we sided with the Romans. When the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem in year 70, we, the Pharisees, secretly opened the city gates and let them in. When the Romans approached the temple, they found that the priests were already dead. That is because we killed them! The temple priests were the lackies of the Sadducees and it was a pleasure to see them dead. After the Romans destroyed the temple, we led them to each place where the Sadducees would be hiding, and the Romans killed them all. Praise God! Now we, the Pharisees, rule in Jerusalem. It is true that we rule at the direction of the Romans, but that is a small price to pay for our victory.
There is only one task left to be done to ensure that our rule is unopposed. We must work with the Romans to seek out and destroy this sect called “Christians.” It is infuriating that they use that name, for it refers to the Christ, the Messiah of God. They believe that the Messiah was Jesus, a man whom we gladly killed, again with the help of our partners of Rome. These Christians must all be found and put to death, it is the only way ensure our authority.
This Jesus, whom they worship as the Son of God, claimed to be the Messiah. What nonsense! Every Pharisee knows that the true Messiah will arise from within our own ranks. The Messiah of God will be a Pharisee, that is the only thing that makes sense.
On several occasions I heard Jesus speak, and he seemed to take pleasure in condemning us. He called us a “brood of vipers.” I wished that I were a viper, one that could use my bite to kill him. I can still hear his words as he pointed to a group of us. He said “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
The audacity of the man. We have the power. It is my group, the separate ones, called the Pharisees that make the decisions of life and death. For him, we chose death. Once again, we called upon the Romans. We needed to pay Pilate a significant sum, and he still seemed reluctant to use Rome’s power to silence this man called Jesus. But we applied our pressure, and the deed was done. Oh, how I love politics!
I, Samuel, am proud to be a Pharisee, for we have won! These Christians will amount to nothing. We will have the Romans kill them just as they murdered the one called Jesus. Yes, I say “murdered.” It is the truth and why should we hide from it? We did what needed to be done. What does it matter that some should die as long as the power of the Pharisee is lifted up? In a few hundred years no one will remember this Jesus or any of the fools that follow him, but everyone will bow before the authority of the Pharisee!
In truth, the Pharisees did enjoy unopposed power in the Judean region from 70-214 AD. Ultimately, they would be all but forgotten, except for the history written in the New Testament. Meanwhile, it is the name of Jesus that is, now and always, the name of victory!
Have a great day!
Vern