The Pharisees: My Response to the New Barna Study

The new Barna study asks this question: “Are Christians more like Jesus or more like the Pharisees?” Historians know this question is a question about the Torah practice of Jesus vs. the Torah practice of the Pharisees. In other words, it’s a question about how best to observe Torah — Jesus’ Torah theology vs. the Pharisees’ Torah theology. Unfortunately, the word “Pharisee” in this survey means “hypocrite” so the real question is Are Christians less or more hypocritical and more or less loving toward those who are different? Those are better questions.

Here’s the big idea: there are no fewer hypocrites among Jesus’ followers than there are among Jews, than among Muslims, than among Hindus, than among atheists. Hypocrisy is a human problem not a Jewish problem or a Christian problem. Because it is a human problem it is a problem for all of us.

What does the word “Pharisee” mean in your church?

Every time someone calls someone a Pharisee ask two questions: Are you talking about a specific form of Torah observance? Are Christians just as prone to hypocrisy as Jews?

Here’s my response, which reposts some revised an earlier post because we need to get better at the use of this term “Pharisee.” It seems I need to remind us of this problem three or four times a year.

It’s time to revisit the Pharisees, in part because their story needs to be told so we don’t forget and in part because some like to use the “Pharisee” in ways that concern me. It is a standard procedure to say “Pharisee” and mean “legalist, bigot, hypocrite, or picayune meddler into other people’s religious business.” Look at any dictionary. But this is in and of itself a caricature and stereotype, for no one (I hope) would think that all Pharisees have always been religious bigots. Paul, after all, remained a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). Such language spells danger down the road in ways that might surprise us. Even more, we have tended to download anger or extreme disagreement with others onto this term “Pharisee.” So, when I call someone a Pharisee I do not mean anything nice or even charitable. Which, in and of itself is dangerous because no group (well, there are exceptions) is always wrong and always bad. Read more

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Are Christians More Like Jesus or More Like the Pharisees?