
In the Bible, are the Pharisees the good guys, or the bad guys? This past Sunday, we saw that the Pharisees in Luke, and the Gospels, are spoken of pretty harshly. At various points, Jesus condemns their “greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). He pulls no punches when confronting hypocrites who claim to represent God and his word, but who twist the scriptures for personal gain and fail to acknowledge the Messiah these scriptures all pointed to. However, there’s another side to the story that sees the Pharisees as Pharisees as not just the purely evil, hopeless bad guys. The only characters in scripture who are presented as evil beyond the pale are Satan and his demons. In the Bible, the Gospels and Acts periodically present the Pharisees in a positive – or at least not an entirely negative – light. After all, it’s the Pharisees who keep inviting Jesus to dinner, and at first this seems to be a genuine interest in hearing Jesus. Many scholars think that the theological school of the Pharisees actually matched Jesus’ own doctrine more clearly than any of the other leading sects at the time. You see this most clearly in the fact that the Pharisees believed in the bodily resurrection, while others like the Sadducees did not. Later in Luke, it’s some Pharisees who warn Jesus that Herod is trying to kill him (Luke 13:31). Another interesting detail is that in Luke, once Jesus enters Jerusalem, the Pharisees are no longer mentioned as Jesus’ opponents, but rather the chief priests, scribes, and rulers. Perhaps Luke is forecasting a change in the winds, as some Pharisees will not remain opponents, but will be redeemed. The famous Pharisee, Nicodemus, who comes to Jesus under cover of night to learn more about this intriguing new teacher (John 3), is genuinely seeking. Nicodemus later defends Jesus’ right to present his case before judging him (John 7:51). In the end, Nicodemus comes after the crucifixion to help prepare his body for burial. Through a few snapshots in his Gospel, John presents a redeemed Pharisee. Paul, who is one of if not the most influential among the apostles in the establishment of the church and its teaching, is himself a redeemed Pharisee. On Sunday, I emphasized how wicked the Pharisees, along with many of the other religious leaders, were in Jesus day. This is the only way to make sense of how they are presented in the Gospels, and how intensely Jesus critiques them. But, when we look at all the biblical passages involving Pharisees, Jesus’ harshness in many places doesn’t mean the Pharisees are beyond hope, or have nothing good about them whatsoever, or are worth only scorn and derision. In our world, we’re encouraged to think of people as simplistic cartoons based on their political affiliation, cultural background, particular views on this or that subject, or even their past or present sins. While we can and should understand and speak clearly to all of these things, we have the duty of love – even if it can only be love for our enemies – to understand our real or imagined opponents, and view them with the grace and truth that Jesus views his enemies. In his dying moments, Stephen, surely echoing Jesus’ own forgiveness on the cross, prayed that God would not hold the sin of those unjustly murdering him against them. (Acts 7:60)
May we embody this same radical forgiveness and love for those who oppose us. And, if we can do this for our enemies, how much more should we be able to forgive and love those who are not opposed to us, but who simply have a different perspective.
Scott Limkeman