Bible Lexicons

Φαρισαῖος, Φαρισαίου, ὁ, a Pharisee, a member of the sect or party of the Pharisees (Syriac )SYrP [], rabbinic writings פְּרוּשִׁין, from פָּרַשׁ, 'to separate', because deviating in their life from the general usage; Suidas, under the word, quotes Cedrenus as follows, Φαρισαῖοι, οἱ ἐρμηνευόμενοι ἀφωρισμένοι. παρά τό μερίζειν καί ἀφορίζειν ἑαυτούς τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων εἰς τέ τό καθαρωτατον τοῦ βίου καί ἀκριβεστατον, καί εἰς τά τοῦ νόμου ἐντάλματα). The first and feeble beginnings of this sect seem to be traceable to the age immediately succeeding the return from exile. In addition to the books of the O. T. the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition (see παράδοσις, 2) a standard of belief and life (Josephus, Antiquities 13, 10, 6; Matthew 15:1; Mark 7:3). They sought for distinction and praise by the observance of external rites and by the outward forms of piety, such as ablutions, fastings, prayers, and alms-giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works. They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah; and they cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him and be requited each according to his individual deeds. In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herods and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country's cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. According to Josephus (Antiquities 17, 2, 4) they numbered more than 6,000. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affectation of piety in order to gain notoriety: Matthew 3:7; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 7:29 Lachmann; Lachmann omits; ; (); ; Mark 2:16, 18, 24; Mark 3:6; Mark 7:1, 3, 5; Mark 8:11, 15; ( L in brackets T); : Luke 5:17, 21, 30, 33; Luke 6:2, 7; Luke 7:30, 36f, 39; Luke 11:37-39, 42-44 (but in G T Tr WH omit; L brackets the clause),; 1; John 1:24; John 3:1; John 4:1; John 7:32, 45, 47; John 8:3, 13 (9:(),; ; Acts 5:34; Acts 15:5; Acts 23:6-9; Acts 26:5; Philippians 3:5. Cf. Winers RWB, under the word, Pharisäer; Reuss in Herzog xi., p. 496, and the works referred to above under the word Σαδδουκαῖος, at the end (especially Sieffert's dissertation in Herzog edition 2 (vol. xiii., p. 210ff) and the copious references at its close). An admirable idea of the opinions and practices of the Pharisees may be gathered also from Paret, Ueber d. Pharisäismus des Josephus, in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1856, No. 4, p. 809ff.