Patty,

             Thank you very much for responding.

Up front, I want to let you know that I absolutely, 100% agree with you that the Pharisees were severely hypocritical.

The Pharisees sought to justify themselves, and I certainly don’t want to try and justify them now.

I was only trying to ask if it was possible, since the Pharisees were very deceived, that they may have possibly even thought that they were doing right, even though they were not.

 

You had written:

“No, the pharisees didn't think they were actually keeping the commandments”

and

“How can you actually think you're keeping the commandments when at the same time seeking to kill Jesus?”

 

First, because of the following indictment:

 

Jeremiah 17:9 ¶ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

 

Secondly, because of a certain Pharisee, who did think he was keeping the commandments, even when seeking to kill Christians, and that was Saul of Tarsus:

 

Philippians 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

 

Saul the Pharisee had considered himself blameless, regarding the law – that is what he thought.

How could have young Saul of Tarsus even think that he was keeping the commandments while at the same time seeking to kill Christians?

Because, Jesus had said that they would “think” that they were serving God:

 

John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

 

Paul later made it clear that he had been a true, blue, dyed-in-the-wool, Pharisee:

 

Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

 

Acts 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

 

Acts 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

 

What about those Pharisees’ thoughts of themselves?

 

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

They had righteousness that they sought after, by the law, but as you indicated, it was hypocritical self-righteousness.

 

Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

Jesus didn’t even come to call those that “thought” that they were righteous, i.e. that self-righteousness.

 

Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

 

The Pharisee really believed he was doing right, and even said as much to the LORD in prayer, even though he was deceived about the real condition of his heart.

 

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

 

Nicodemus, the Pharisee, didn’t understand the things that Jesus was speaking about – none of the Pharisees did (until the LORD opened some of their eyes).

 

John 7:45 ¶ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

 

In line 47, the Pharisees asked the officers, “Are ye also deceived?” - when in fact, they were the ones that were deceived.

Jesus even prayed to the Father from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.

 

John 9:39 ¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

 

The Pharisees asked him, “Are we blind also?” - the answer is yes, they were blind, they were deceived.

 

John 5:9 ¶ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

 

The Pharisees thought that they had eternal life from keeping the commandments.

They thought that as long as they weren’t actually getting into bed with another woman, that they were keeping the commandment.

Jesus, though, said that “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.

Then when they were ready to stone the woman taken in adultery, they were convicted by their own conscience.

 

Romans 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

 

Israel, typified in the Pharisees, sought righteousness, but never attained it, they sought it by the works of the law.

 

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

 

Israel, typified in the Pharisees, did go about trying to establish their own righteousness.

 

                          Thank you again, for responding,

                                       Gino