SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
1/13/2020 11:03 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “Pharisees”
My Worship Time Reference: Matthew 3:7a
Message of the
verse: “But when he saw many of the
Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism”
We have discussing where the Pharisees actually came from
and I want to continue that discussion as I begin this SD. There are many scholars who believe that the
Pharisees, and also the Essenes too descended from the Hasidim. John MacArthur writes “The word Pharisee means ‘separated ones,’ and
members of the sect diligently tried to live up to their name. Admission to the group was strictly
controlled by periods of probation lasting up to one year, during which the
applicant had to prove his ability to follow ritual law. They separated themselves not only from
Gentiles but from tax collectors and any others whom they considered to be base
‘sinners’ (Luke 7:39). They even looked
with disdain on the common Jewish people, whom a group of Pharisees in Jerusalem
once referred to as ‘accursed’ (John 7:49).
After leaving the marketplace or any public gathering, they would as
soon as possible perform ceremonial washings to purify themselves of possible
contamination from touching some unclean person.”
As one reads through the gospels and looks at what Jesus
had to say about these people we find that not much that He said, or what we
will see that John the Baptist had to say was good. The problem with them and many others is that
they thought that they could do good works in order to get into heaven, and
that will never happen because we are all born sinners, as a friend of mine
said “we are born wrong.” The Bible says
that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Think for a moment about that word
“all.” All is all. No one left out. This being true then why do people think and
act like they are better than others, and we have this problem in our country
today as many of us have been called deplorable. What makes people think that they are better
than other people? I realize that we
have to respect those in authority over us, but that does not mean that they
are better than us for as stated we are all in the same sinful boat. This kind of thing can even happen in
Christianity, and that does not make it right.
Again we are to obey our leaders, as long as they are doing what is
right.
John MacArthur finishes his comments on the
Pharisees: “By the time of Christ, the
Pharisees had lost most of whatever nationalism they may earlier have had. Another sect, the Zealots, had become the
association for those whose primary concern was Jewish independence. The Pharisees’ single loyalty was to
themselves, to their traditions and to their own influence and prestige. By their strict adherence to those traditions
they expected ro reap great reward in heaven.
But they were the epitome of religious emptiness and hypocrisy, as Jesus
often pointed out. The Pharisees ‘outwardly
[appeared] righteous to men, but inwardly [were] full of hypocrisy and lawlessness’
(Matt. 23:28).
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I do not want to
ever act like these Pharisees, and if I am convicted of doing that then it is
my desire to confess that sin.
My Steps of Faith for Today: There are some things that I need to get done
for my own spiritual health today. It is
my desire to have joy as I study and read the Word of God, joy that comes from
the Lord.
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