Doctrine of The Pharisees

“Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matt. 16:6, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1), “Then they (The Disciples) understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the DOCTRINE of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:12)

“Doctrine” translated to the Greek word didachēs means “instructions” and “teachings.” This command to beware of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees were meant for anyone who call themselves “Christian” (disciples of Jesus Christ). So why is it that so many professing Christians cannot seem to identify this teaching and are so easily deceived? Its simple, Christians are more involved in the religious aspects of Christianity rather than the Truths of God’s Word…ironically we set aside the “Doctrine” of Christ and embrace the very thing He warned us about—the Doctrine of the Pharisees.

I would NEVER embrace such falsehood, such horrific and blatant anti-Christian teachings! You say? But on the contrary, there are more Christians today embracing the teachings of the Pharisees than the teachings and instructions of Christ. Lets take a look at Scripture regarding the Pharisaical way:

They attributed the works of Christ to Satan (Matt. 12:24)

It never ceases to amaze me how these Word Faith / Positive Confession type teachers associate “Teaching, Preaching, Rebuking, Exhorting, and Correcting” to something that is influenced by Satan. As we learned in yesterday’s lesson, these false leaders love to use their “own way” of teaching, with most of these leaders considering these things to be “Judgmental” and the cause of “Division.” In my own experience, while trying to find my way out of the Word Faith Movement, I clearly remember how I was made fun of for praying and reading my bible, it was said “Satan is leading your brother to read his bible on his own” Amazing isn’t it?

Signs and wonders was what they longed for (Matt. 12:38, 16:1)

Charlatans and counterfeits like Benny Hinn, Aimee Semple McPherson, Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton, Morris Cerrulo, and almost everyone else from the Trinity Broadcast Network have been feeding the people with “Signs and Wonders” for decades. It is impossible to claim “We don’t support the Doctrine of Pharisees” yet support movements like these.

They transgress the commandment of God for their own religious traditions and rituals (Matt. 15:1-6)

In the context of Matthew 15 it’s significant to point out what Jesus was referring to here, how these selfish religious leaders ignored the commandment to Honor thy Father and Mother by proclaiming it is better to give to God (or their church) than giving to your parents: “But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” There is no doubt we see this very thing happening within these Word Faith Positive Confession type of movements all over television, they continually ask for money making it seem what you give is for the Kingdom of God. This definitely is leaven left from the doctrine of the Pharisees.

They draw near to God with their mouth and honor Him with their lips, but their heart are far from  Him. (Matt. 15:8)

Like Satan who can also come as an Angel of Light (2 Cor. 11:4), these false teachers with their smooth talk and convincing ways can easily deceive the sincere naive Christian who is carried-away with every wind of doctrine. With their words and style of preaching (see: Lesson on Parables) they may seem to honor God with their lips but by their “fruit”, even a bible student can recognize how far their hearts are.

Easily offended by the Word of God (Matt. 15:12, Luke 6:11, Luke 11:53)

This is another dead give-away that the Doctrine of the Pharisees have influenced our Christian walk. If the Words you speak from scripture is not encouraging, nice, uplifting, and kind, those who inherited the Pharisees teachings are ALWAYS offended. They seem to openly embrace anything that makes them “feel good,” however when God’s Word corrects and rebukes their lifestyle and those they support they are quickly offended; accuse you of judging them; and end up despising everything you say.

They do not practice what they preach (Matt. 23:3)

When you do a Google search for Scandals within the Evangelical movement you’ll come across this link. There are a lot of familiar names here, but first on the list is Aimee Semple McPherson (Founder of the Foursquare Gospel). Comparing her life with what she preached seem to be a stark contrast all together. Nevertheless, it is the same for every other false teacher out there.

Everything they do is done for people to see, to be noticed by man (Matt. 23:5)

Bishop TD Jakes announced publicly a few years ago how he was to assist Africa with their needs, in fact his own website states he has a “nexus of charitable works.” However Jesus taught: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1) We see people announcing their good deeds and righteous acts throughout the charismatic realm, this public display for all to see is nothing more than an emulation of the Religious False Leaders of Jesus’ time.

They love honor, special seats, respectful greetings, and want to be called Rabbi (or Bishop, Father, Pope) by men (Matt. 23:6-7, Luke 11:43)

Like TD Jakes there are many who label themselves as “Bishop”, they seem to take pride in designating a leadership title connected to their name. These same people crave the attention and honor they get when announcing their righteous acts and feeding the congregation comfortable and loving messages. And like those on the Trinity Broadcast Network who sit on gold plated thrones, it is ironic how they accuse people who rebuke and correct them as Pharisees, when they themselves are clearly displaying who the true Pharisee really is.

They devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers (Matt. 23:14, Mark 12:38-40)

These False Teachers do not care whether you are scraping the barrel for your last dollar or living as a widow…they want everything you have, then attribute your donation as “Giving to the Lord.” Like the poor widow who gave all she had in Mark 12:41-44, this was not a lesson how she gave out of her heart but a lesson and warning on how greedy and selfish these religious leaders were. For if you re-read the entire episode in context, right before this happened Jesus warned the disciples how the Pharisees “devour widows’ houses…” (Mark 12:40) As for long prayers? Well, just turn on your television to one of these charismatic preachers and you judge for yourself.

They travel around on sea and land to make one convert; and when he becomes one, they make him twice as much a son of hell as themselves (Matt. 23:15)

I believe it was Mark Driscol and James MacDonald who Grace To You was referring to when they wrote “The Sin of Counting.” This obsession with counting converts and publicly announcing it makes me cringe just thinking about it. So many churches have fallen into this trend of mass conversions, that is seems church multiplication and converting by the thousands are more important than “Teaching” the words of Christ. Ironically, they use Jesus’ last commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19) as a basis for their actions, but seem to have forgotten the last few words He left with them which was to: “TEACH THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.” (Matt. 28:20)

The gold (or money) is more important than the House of God (Matt. 23:16-22, Luke 16:14)

This is a no-brainier. These money hungry, self-indulging religious charlatans are so good at deceiving the people that millions are convinced money, success, and prosperity is more important than anything else.

Tithes (giving) is more significant than Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness (Matt.23:23,24, Luke 11:42)

Ditto from the last explanation. But let me just state a personal experience while attending a Word Faith Positive Confession church here in Hawaii called Word of Life. Within one church service, the Pastor conducted three Tithes and Offering, in the same church, they also requested everyone to hold their wallets above their head and reach in and grab everything and give it to God. Nuff said.

Very good at camouflaging the outside to look and act “Christian” but inside are filled with self-indulgence, hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matt. 23:25,28, Luke 11:39)

Word Faith / Positive Confession, and Pragmatic movements of today consider Preaching on Hell, Sin, Repentance, and Fire and Brimstone as a “Religious Tradition” an “Old-style” of preaching. But not only do they have a distorted idea of scripture regarding this view, but they refuse to teach this style of preaching because truthfully they want everyone to “like” them. As mentioned before, these counterfeit Christian teachers will do anything to gain the approval of men. Whether it is announcing their good deeds, publicly informing the people of their countless converts, feeding the congregation with uplifting positive message, and entertaining the people with worldly theatrics…whatever can be done to make people perceive them as what they believe to be “Christian” they will do.

I know that was a long read, but as Christians (Disciples of Christ) we are to identify these teachings and guard ourselves against it. This is not an Old Testament rule or a religious tradition, but a commandment given from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Nevertheless now that we’ve looked over the Doctrine (teachings) of the Pharisees, we now need to ask ourselves are we really heeding to the instructions of Jesus Christ and GUARDING ourselves from the Doctrine of the Pharisees or are we 1) Supporting it, or 2) a Pharisee ourselves? Think About It.

In Christ,
Marc