In opposing Pharisees, do not become a Sadducee
In today’s world it is acceptable to bash on “Pharisees.” It can even be cool and hip.
But as readers can tell from my earlier post titled “Are you a Pharisaical anti-Pharisee?”, I am concerned for the direction and outcome of those who sometimes zealously attack others as “Pharisees.” With the previous post I specifically addressed how some who oppose “Pharisees” (whether real or imagined) can hypocritically and ironically be quite Pharisaical themselves. In this current post I want to address another issue concerning the direction of those who are zealous in opposing “Pharisees.”
Please note that in this and the previous post I am not defending Pharisees or Phariseeism (what I mean by that is the idea that we can be self-righteous before God by our own works and that we can add more laws more higher than God’s laws). Instead my intention is to point out our own possible blind spots in opposing Pharisees.
In opposing Pharisees, please do not become a Sadducee.
What do I mean by Sadducee? We need to take a step back and consider who the Sadducees were during Jesus’ day. The Sadducees were one of the religious groups of the time. According to the Bible in Matthew 22:23, Mark 12:18-27 and Acts 23:8, Sadducees were known for denying the resurrection of the dead. Acts 23:8 goes further to tell us that they also denied the existence of angels and spirits which the Pharisees believed.
One can see from the above that the Sadducees denied doctrines that are clearly biblical. A modern-day example of Sadducees would be similar to today's theological liberals who have a low view of God’s Word and His teaching.
Yet both Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Jesus. And Jesus in opposing the Pharisees never became a Sadducees or vice versa.
Let this be a lesson for all as well: In opposing Pharisees, please do not become a Sadducee.
Sadly we see that all over the internet today people have done exactly that. Many who have left "Pharasaical" church movements end up going further to deny sound biblical doctrine. They have swung too far on the theological pendulum instead of coming to Jesus Christ who is the source of both grace and truth. The Pharisees are known for not having grace. The Sadducees are known for not embracing truth. But in reality the Pharisees and Sadducees are bickering cousins, for they are two different forms of unbelief. Turn to Jesus as revealed in the Bible for the truth and for grace.
But as readers can tell from my earlier post titled “Are you a Pharisaical anti-Pharisee?”, I am concerned for the direction and outcome of those who sometimes zealously attack others as “Pharisees.” With the previous post I specifically addressed how some who oppose “Pharisees” (whether real or imagined) can hypocritically and ironically be quite Pharisaical themselves. In this current post I want to address another issue concerning the direction of those who are zealous in opposing “Pharisees.”
Please note that in this and the previous post I am not defending Pharisees or Phariseeism (what I mean by that is the idea that we can be self-righteous before God by our own works and that we can add more laws more higher than God’s laws). Instead my intention is to point out our own possible blind spots in opposing Pharisees.
In opposing Pharisees, please do not become a Sadducee.
What do I mean by Sadducee? We need to take a step back and consider who the Sadducees were during Jesus’ day. The Sadducees were one of the religious groups of the time. According to the Bible in Matthew 22:23, Mark 12:18-27 and Acts 23:8, Sadducees were known for denying the resurrection of the dead. Acts 23:8 goes further to tell us that they also denied the existence of angels and spirits which the Pharisees believed.
One can see from the above that the Sadducees denied doctrines that are clearly biblical. A modern-day example of Sadducees would be similar to today's theological liberals who have a low view of God’s Word and His teaching.
Yet both Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Jesus. And Jesus in opposing the Pharisees never became a Sadducees or vice versa.
Let this be a lesson for all as well: In opposing Pharisees, please do not become a Sadducee.
Sadly we see that all over the internet today people have done exactly that. Many who have left "Pharasaical" church movements end up going further to deny sound biblical doctrine. They have swung too far on the theological pendulum instead of coming to Jesus Christ who is the source of both grace and truth. The Pharisees are known for not having grace. The Sadducees are known for not embracing truth. But in reality the Pharisees and Sadducees are bickering cousins, for they are two different forms of unbelief. Turn to Jesus as revealed in the Bible for the truth and for grace.
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