What Does It Mean to Be Pharisaical?

The Historical Context of the Pharisees

In the first century the term “Pharisee” referred to a Jewish religious group that emphasized strict adherence to the Mosaic Law and the oral traditions that accompanied it. The Gospels repeatedly encounter them as opponents of Jesus, not merely because they disagreed on doctrine but because they represented a particular attitude toward righteousness. Jesus’ own words make clear that the problem was not the keeping of the law itself, but the motive and heart behind it (see Matthew twenty-three:13‑15).

Biblical Portraits of Pharisaical Behavior

The New Testament records several vivid criticisms that define what it means to be Pharisaical. In Matthew twenty-three:23 Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” The same accusation appears in Luke 11:42, where the same three herbs are mentioned and the neglect of justice and love is highlighted. The focus on minute details while ignoring core virtues is a hallmark of Pharisaical thinking.

Jesus further condemns the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in Matthew twenty-three:24: “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” The image of obsessively avoiding a tiny insect while swallowing a massive animal illustrates an extreme imbalance—prioritizing trivial regulations over essential moral truths.

Beyond the legalistic focus, the Pharisees also displayed a self‑righteous confidence that closed them off from the kingdom of God. Matthew twenty-three:13 records Jesus’ rebuke: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who are entering to go in.” Their outward piety created a barrier, both for themselves and for others seeking the gospel.

The Core Elements of a Pharisaical Attitude

From the passages above three interlocking elements emerge:

1. Legalistic Exactness – An obsessive concern for external rules, often to the neglect of broader biblical principles. This is seen in the tithe of herbs while ignoring justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

2. Hypocritical Self‑Presentation – A desire to appear righteous before others while the heart remains far from God’s standards. The “blind guides” who strain out a gnat are a prime illustration.

3. Exclusionary Spirit – A belief that one’s own religious performance grants exclusive access to God’s favor, thereby “shutting the kingdom of heaven” to others (Matthew twenty-three:13).

The apostle Paul echoes this pattern when he warns believers not to become “wise in the flesh” (1 Corinthians 3:18‑20) and to avoid the “proud spirit” that “does not submit to God’s authority” (James 1:21). Though Paul does not name the Pharisees, the underlying attitude he cautions against mirrors the biblical portrait.

Modern Applications: When Righteousness Becomes Legalism

Today the Pharisaical tendency often surfaces in subtle ways. Consider a church member who insists that every believer must attend a Sunday school class in order to be considered a “good Christian.” He may quote Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…” and claim that the class is a safeguard against hypocrisy. Yet his insistence creates a barrier much like the Pharisees’, turning a gracious invitation into a compulsory rule that alienates those unable to attend due to work or health constraints.

Another common scenario occurs in workplace ethics. An employee might obsess over filing every expense receipt correctly, while ignoring the larger issue of honest communication with a client. When confronted about a dishonest sales practice, the employee rebukes the colleague for “breaking the rules” yet fails to see that the real breach is a violation of integrity—echoing the gnat‑and‑camel image.

Both examples illustrate the shift from “law obedience” to “self‑justifying performance.” The biblical remedy is found in Jesus’ call to “practice justice

For further study on this topic, iBible Answers is a helpful resource: https://ibibleanswers.com/