Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

Pharisees?

When most people hear the name Pharisee today, they immediately assume that it is talking about a religious group of people who lived during Messiah’s time, whom He used as an example of how His followers should not live. The Concise Encyclopedia of Judaism defines the Pharisees as a Religious sect of the Second Temple period, mentioned first during 160 BCE. The name Pharisee is transliterated in Hebrew as ‘Perushim’ meaning ‘the separated ones’ (which is similar to what we believe we become when we are immersed in Messiah’s name and we start our walk with Him  - that is when we are ‘set-apart’ by the Spirit of Elohim).The Pharisees were scrupulous in their observance of the written and oral Torah. They taught in the Synagogues and their beliefs, particularly in the resurrection of the dead and the coming of Messiah, influenced the majority of the Jewish nation. At times they came into conflict with the Sadducees, and at one stage they were excluded from the Sanhedrin. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the sacrificial system came to an end, and the Pharisees became the dominant group in the Jewish community.

During the first century the Second Temple was still the center of worship for all Jews in Jerusalem. Animal sacrifices were offered daily and the priests were the administrators of Torah. The teachers of Torah were referred to as Rabbis, but there were no religious hierarchies. Most of the people went up to Jerusalem three times a year during the three pilgrimage Feast Days of Elohim, but attended local synagogues during weekly Sabbaths, where they prayed and studied Torah for the rest of the year. The Jewish people who attended these synagogues spoke Hebrew as evidenced by the abundance of Torah Scrolls and prayers still available. It was through the Hebrew language that the Jewish people resisted the paganism of Greece and remained loyal to Torah. Their Torah entrenched faith in the ONE true Elohim, created the environment in which Yahshua taught His Jewish disciples.  Most scholars in Israel today, agree that the written and spoken language of the Jews in the land of Israel two thousand years ago was definitely Hebrew. Jewish scholars of our time, including Pinchas Lapide, David Flusser and Moshe Bar-Asher agree that the book of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew.

Scholars like Hyam Maccoby and David Flusser claim that Yahshua was a Pharisee. His actions did not violate the Torah according to the way the Pharisees interpreted it and if He was not a Pharisee, He definitely agreed with the majority of their interpretations of the Torah.  Around the time during which Yahshua lived the Hasidim (a devoutly religious group) lived in the area of Galilee. Even though they did not occupy official positions, they performed important spiritual functions. They, in agreement to what Yahshua taught His disciples had little attachment to material possessions and some of them were healers and exorcists. Yahshua was a typical Jew of His age, with ties to the Pharisees and the Galilean Hasidim; He was not a sectarian, nor an extremist, at odds with His fellow Jews. No, He fit in well with the Jews of His day. Only Christian partiality would suggest that Yahshua thought all Pharisees of His time to be hypocrites – He never made a distinction between ceremonial and moral laws in the Torah, as many in Christianity do today and want us to believe.  He kept the Sabbath (Luke 4: 16), wore tzitzit (or fringes) on His garments (Luke 8: 44), and kept the Feast Days of Elohim with His fellow Jews (John 7: 37 and John 10: 22). Yahshua preached regularly in the synagogues – something which He could not do if His doctrines had been different from the Pharisaic beliefs of His time.  In fact Messiah never criticized the way the Pharisees interpreted Torah, but He criticized them for being Hypocritical in their observance of Torah.

Yahshua’s main enemies were the Sadducees, who were the priests – they questioned His authority and His belief in the resurrection from the dead.  It is similar to the relationship that exists between the Karaites and the rabbis of traditional Judaism today. We see that it was Pharisees who continued to protect Messiah’s disciples and followers, even after His death and resurrection. One example in given in Acts 5: 34 – 39, as follows: ‘But a certain Pharisee name Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. (35) And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do to these men. (36) For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. And he was slain; and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. (37) After this man Judas of Galilee arose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him, he too perished, and those who followed him were scattered. (38) And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; (39) but if it is of Elohim, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against Elohim.”

It was also the Sadducees who persecuted Messiah’s disciples after His ascension to heaven, as witnessed in Acts 4: 1 - 3 in this way: ‘And as they were speaking to the people, the priest and the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, came upon them, (2) being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Yahshua the resurrection from the dead. (3) And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.’ A second witness comes from Acts 5: 17 & 18, as follows: ‘But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy; (18) and they laid hands on the apostles, and put them in a public jail.’ We see further that the Pharisees later also defended Rav Shaul in Acts 23: 6 – 9, in this way: ‘But perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Shaul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” (7) And as he said this, there arose a dissention between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. (8) For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all. (9) And there arose a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”’

Messiah’s moral teaching on becoming perfect was balanced by His teachings about (YHVH)’s compassion and mercy for sinners to bring them back to Torah observance. He taught about (YHVH)’s willingness to forgive if only we return to obey Him. He gave His disciples just the opposite view of what Christianity teaches their followers about our merciful and loving heavenly Father. This is also how our heavenly Father who is the Eternal, testified in Ezekiel 18: 23, in this way: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares YHVH Elohim, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?” YHVH was actively seeking out the lost sheep of Israel, by sending Yahshua to specifically reconcile them back to Him and His Torah. Yahshua’s mission was to the sinners amongst His people, not the righteous, as He confirmed in Mark 2: 17, saying: “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Whilst Messiah’s claim was to redeem those who strayed from the truth of Torah, He restricted His attention and that of His disciples to the lost tribes of Israel. In fact He specifically forbid His disciples to seek the gentiles and the Samaritans in Matthew 10: 5 & 6, saying to them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; (6) but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Yahshua was involved in His mission to sinners and not from any claim that He, as the Messiah was above the Torah which His fellow Jews were obliged to keep. Yahshua did not die for the Christian gospel nor did the Jews kill Him because they were opposed to His teachings.  In fact we see that He willingly laid His life down for His sheep, as He said in John 10: 14 – 18, in this way:  “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, (15) even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep (the lost sheep of the house of Israel). (16) And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold (of the house of Judah); I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd. (17) For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. (18) No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority (or power) to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”  Yahshua was put to death by a method of execution used by the Romans. As the Messiah the Romans knew that anyone claiming to be the Messiah was the King of Israel, which was a direct challenge to their domination and authority, so they gladly assisted in His death. If He died for a religious reason, it can be said that He died to reconcile His people Israel back to the Father and for the sins of the world – not specifically for Christians only, as some believe. We read accordingly from Acts 5: 31, “He is the one who Elohim exalted to His right hand as a prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” We read further about Him in Isaiah 45: 15, in this way: ‘Truly, Thou art an Elohim who hides Himself, O Elohim of Israel, Savior!’ This and Hosea 13: 4 proves the fact that Yahshua is YHVH in the flesh, as follows: ‘Yet I have been YHVH your Elohim since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any g-d except Me, for there is no savior besides Me.’ As the visible image of the invisible Elohim (Colossians 1: 15), Yahshua is the word of Elohim who became flesh (John 1: 14) to explain the Father to us as recorded in John 1: 18.

Having said that let’s consider the influence of the Pharisees on the Nazarene Ecclesia during Messiah’s life time and after His death and resurrection. The administration of justice and right ruling are precious in the sight of YHVH our Elohim. The essentials of impartiality in judgment and the rejection of bribes are emphasized over and over. When YHVH brought the children of Israel out of Egypt he did not give them a treatise in ‘Systematic Theology’, but a legal system instructing them how to conduct themselves towards Him their Creator and Sustainer, and towards their fellow human beings. In continuity with the system of the house of judgment (Beth Din), from the time of the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai and later again when He renewed the covenant in the land of Moab, before the children of Israel entered the Promised Land – the administration of government and rulings how to walk (or Halakah), were assigned to the Levites who sat in the seat of Moses, as recorded in Deuteronomy 17: 8 – 12 and again in Moses’s blessings of the tribes in Deuteronomy 33, and specifically the Levites in verses 8 – 11, in this way: “And of Levi he said, “Let Thy Thummim and Thy Urim belong to Thy godly man, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, with whom Thou didst contend at the waters of Meribah; who said of his father and his mother, ‘I did not consider them’; and he did not acknowledge his brothers, nor did he regard his own sons, for they observed Thy word, and kept Thy covenant. (10) They shall teach Thine ordinances to Jacob, and Thy law to Israel. They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt offerings on Thine altar. (11) O YHVH, bless his substance, and accept the work of his hands; shatter the loins of those who rise up against him, and those who hate him, so that they may not rise again.”

According to Deuteronomy 18: 18 & 19, Yahshua is the only ‘person’ other than Moses and those who sit in his seat, who may tell us how to walk the way (derech) of Elohim, and He did so in Matthew 5: 17 – 48. It is in this section of the Scriptures that Yahshua magnified the Torah, as Isaiah prophesied about Him, saying in Isaiah 42: 21: ‘YHVH was pleased for His righteousness’ sake to make the law great and glorious.’ Even though Messiah had authority to change the way the Levites interpreted Elohim’s Halakah, He only changed the day on which He kept His last Passover as a ‘human being’ on earth, when He kept it the night during which He was betrayed, twenty-four hours before the Jews of His day and today keep it. Messiah’s sermon in Matthew 5 where He expanded the Torah is comparable to the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai and later again in Moab. So we see that the Torah itself was not in question in His teachings, it was the way He interpreted it in the light of the full realization of the Kingship of YHVH in one’s life. It was not a new interpretation, but a well-grounded interpretation in the Tanach or the traditional Jewish teachings of the sages that were later incorporated in the Talmud. His teachings in Matthew 5 do not deviate from the teachings of the Pharisaic sages, since there are many Talmudic parallels to these teachings. Only those set-apart (by immersion into Yahshua’s saving name) are able to live strictly according to Messiah’s teachings.

Messiah taught that avoidance of a particular negative command is not sufficient for true righteousness in the Kingdom of Elohim. The proper inner condition of faithfulness would be the root for the appropriate outward deed. He expands the commandment not to murder to include anger without cause and the command not to commit adultery to include not to lust after women. There is suitable evidence that Yahshua forbid divorce in all situations, the exception being for immorality and adultery. His teaching on oaths merely entails that anyone who has to back up his words with an oath is already considering the possibility of breaking it. His teaching on an ‘eye for an eye’ simply means that the punishment should meet the crime and in the Hebraic mind it refers to monetary compensation for an injury - it is not interpreted literally as Christianity wants one to believe. Notice that Yahshua says: “You have heard that it was said (not written).” Every one of His teachings in Matthew 5 is within the context of Torah as given to Moses. Few realize that Yahshua’s interpretation of Torah is within the parameters of the teachings of traditional Judaism of His time.   

Let’s consider Messiah’s teachings in Matthew 5 with parallel teachings in the Tanach and the Talmud by comparing (note I will only mention the comparative Scripture from the Tanach and the Talmud):

Matthew 5: 3, “Blessed are the poor (or humble) in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” With Proverbs 29: 23, “A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.”

Matthew 5: 4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” With Psalm 147: 3

Matthew 5: 5, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” With Psalm 37: 11.

Matthew 5: 6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”  With Psalm 5: 13.

Matthew 5: 7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  With Talmud Shabbat 151b.

Matthew 5: 8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim.” With Psalm 24: 3 - 4

Matthew 5: 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of Elohim.” With Psalm 34: 15.

Matthew 5: 10, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And Matthew 5: 11, “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.” With Talmud, Baba Kamma 93a.

Matthew 5: 23 & 24, “If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” With Talmud, Avot 5: 14.

Matthew 5: 27 & 28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTARY’; but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.’ With Exodus 20: 14 and Talmud, Kallah 1.

Matthew 5: 31 & 32, “And it was said, ‘WHOEVER DIVORCES HIS WIFE, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DISMISSAL’’ but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the cause of un-chastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” With Talmud, Gitten 90a.

Matthew 5: 42, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.’ With Psalm 37: 21 & 26.

Matthew 5: 43 & 44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” With Proverbs 25: 21.

Matthew 5: 48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” With Leviticus 19: 2 and Talmud Shabbat 133b.

Yahshua’s teachings developed a systematic interpretation for sanctification of everyday life for His disciples, but also for us His modern day disciples. It is a practical system demanding a very high standard of personal self-discipline and commitment to Him as their Master. Yahshua taught that there must be a purification of inward motives for Torah observance – we obey Torah because we know and therefore love Elohim. The spiritual condition of a person is reflected by outward actions.

Even though some teachers who are associated with the Karaite movement teach that Messiah and His disciples were much like the Karaites, since they rejected the Oral Torah of the Pharisees, the following examples disprove this idea:

1. Yahshua said in Matthew 8: 14 & 15 that it is wrong to fast in the presence of a bridegroom – the Scriptures says nothing in this regard. However the Talmud (Oral Torah) teaches this in Talmud Bavli, Tractate Sukkah 25b and Talmud Tosefta, Tractate Berakhot 2: 10.

2. Yahshua said that the priests are innocent of breaking the Shabbat even though they carry out physical labor on the Sabbath – This comes from Talmud Bavli, Tractate Shabbat 132b.

3. The written Torah instructs Israelites to pray after meals (Deuteronomy 8: 10). Yahshua consistently prayed before meals, and so do His disciples until today. This is also taught in the Oral Torah Mishnah, Tractate Berakhot 6.1. Pharisees used to say at least 100 blessing per day all beginning with the words: “Blessed are you, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe.” This is transliterated in Hebrew as: ‘Baruch atah YHVH Eloheynu, Melekh ha-olam’.

4. Yahshua’s words in Matthew 24: 20 imply that traveling is restricted on the Sabbath. We also see in Acts 1: 12 that Messiah’s followers are forbidden to walk more than a certain distance on the Sabbath. This ruling comes from Oral Torah Talmud Bavli, Tractate Eruvim 4.5.

5. We see from Matthew 26: 20 and Luke 22: 14 that Messiah and His disciples ‘reclined’ whilst partaking of the Passover. The written Torah says nothing in this regard, but the Oral Torah records this in Mishnah in Tractate Psachim 10: 1.

6. Healing on the Sabbath as was done by Messiah, is permitted in the Mishnah in Tractate Shabbat 22.5.

7. In John 7: 50 & 51, ‘Nicodemus said to them (the rulers of the Pharisees) (he who came to Him before, being one of them),”Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”’  Mishnah  Rabah on Exodus 23: 1 rules that an accussed must be given an opportunity to speak in his own defense – Messiah knew and also taught this.

8. Even though Torah states that contact with a corpse makes one unclean, it does not state that overshadowing a tomb makes one unclean.  We understand by reading Luke 11: 44 that Messiah considered walking over a tomb to inflict uncleanliness. This ruling is stated in Mishnah, Tractate Ohalot 16.1 – 2.

9. At Messiah’s last Passover, He poured wine and shared it with His disciples. The written Torah says nothing about having wine at Passover. This was in fact a Pharisaic tradition where wine is served at the Passover meal.

10. In James 4: 8 Yaa’cov said: ‘Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.’ This figure of speech would have had no meaning if his audience stopped washing their hands or if Messiah abolished the practice. The Nazarene Jewish followers of Messiah obviously followed the tradition of the Pharisees in washing their hands before meals.

Finally, it needs to be said that even though the Karaite movement uses the clashes Yahshua had with the Pharisees in Matthew 23 as proof that He rejected everything the Pharisees stood for, including calendar and other issues. Any attempt to read into Yahshua’s arguments with the Pharisees that He rejected their calendrical system is without truth. Except for the Passover Yahshua kept all the Feast Days of Elohim according to the Hebrew calendar, as may be seen from John 7. In fact Yahshua even kept Chanukah (the Feast of Dedication) with them, as may be seen from John 10: 22. We also see from Acts 2, that Yahshua’s followers kept the Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost on the same day as the Jews.

Yahshua’s enmity with the religious leaders of His day was not petty calendric issues, as the Karaites want us to believe, but it was against their excessive obedience to their traditions, rather than Torah.  When Messiah comes again he will first go to the Jews in Jerusalem and when they see His hands, He will be welcomed and led by a believing Sanhedrin that will proclaim Him Messiah, saying: ‘Baruch Haba BeShem Adonai’—Blessed is He that comes in the name of YHVH. We as Nazarene Israelites are in fact a sect of the Pharisees as may be understood by reading from Acts 15: 5; Acts 24: 5 and 24, in this way: ‘But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed (in Yahshua), stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”’ (24: 5) “For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” (24: 14) “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way (halakah) which they call a sect I do serve the Elohim of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law, and that is written in the Prophets.”

Oddly enough this is also how the fourth century “Church father” Epiphanius described the Nazarenes, as follows: ‘But these sectarians…did not call themselves Christians – but “Nazarenes,”…However they are simply complete Jews. They use not only the New Testament but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do… They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion except for their belief in Messiah, if you please! For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead and the divine creation of all things, and declare that G-d is one, and that his son is Y’shua the Messiah. They are trained to a nicety in Hebrew. For among them the entire Law, the Prophets, and the …Writings… are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by the Jews. They are different from the Jews, and different from Christians, only in the following. They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Messiah; but since they are still fettered by the Law…circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest...they are not in accord with Christians…they are nothing but Jews…. They have the Goodnews according to Matthew in its entirety in Hebrew. For it is clear that they still preserve this, in the Hebrew alphabet, as it was originally written.’

 

Should we as Nazarene Jews/Israelites be concerned with what the Karaites (who in their webpage refer to themselves as the modern day Sadducees), have to say about what we should believe or not? We read what Yahshua had to say about the Sadducees when some of them questioned Him in Matthew 22: 23 - 28, about the resurrection in which they did not believe, as recorded in verse 29, in this way: ‘But Yahshua answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of Elohim.”’ If we follow Yahshua, we should not believe what the Sadducees teach, as they do not understand the Scriptures. But, what did He have to say about the Pharisees? We read from Matthew 23: 1 - 3, ‘Then Yahshua spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, (2) saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; (3) therefore all they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.”’ So, we should listen and believe what the Pharisees (the modern day Rabbinical Jews) tell us about calendar matters, the Koshering of food and the Hebrew language, but should not do what they do, since they tell us to keep the Torah, but do not always do as they teach. Their problem was hypocrisy, in that they wanted to look better than what they really were, as we read from Matthew 23: 28. This is a typical problem with many ‘pious’ people, even today. Enough said!

 

Note: a great deal of the information obtained from teachings by Rabbi Nydle of The Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations.