Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?

The Pharisees Are Alive And Well

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2020-01-21

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver examines the parable of the Pharisee and the publican in Luke 18:9-14, arguing that the self-righteous, contemptuous spirit of the Pharisees persists in modern churches and political movements. He contrasts the Pharisee's prideful prayer with the publican's humble repentance, emphasizing that God justifies the humble and resists the proud. The sermon warns against trusting in one's own righteousness, despising others, and adopting the hypocritical, tradition-elevating attitudes of the Pharisees, calling believers to a servant-hearted humility.

[John Weaver] Luke chapter 18 Luke chapter 18 and we're going to read verses 9 through 14 Luke chapter 18 verses 9 through 14 the title of the message is the Pharisees Alive and well So notice if you would please Luke chapter 18 Beginning there with verse 9. Our Lord is speaking and the Bible said And he spake this parable and asserted which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Two men went up into the temple to pray the one a Pharisee and the other a publican 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.

[John Weaver] I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone that exalted himself shall be abased, and he that humbled himself shall be exalted.

[John Weaver] Pharisaism is alive and well. We tend to think that the Pharisees died out many, many years ago, but that certainly is not true. In fact, our Lord in the New Testament warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees. It was the Pharisees, along with the Sadducees and the Herodians that led the attack against the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, later on, even the Apostle Paul some of the other apostles as well, but the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians always tried to entrap our Lord in his words and then they tried to provoke him to get him to say things in order that they may charge him with some particular crime.

[John Weaver] They were unrelenting, they were cruel, and they were vicious. Now Let me give you several passages just so you can understand and I'm going to talk about these three groups momentarily but in Matthew 16 in verse 1 the Bible says the Pharisees along with the Sadducees came and tempting him desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. So here you have the Pharisees the Sadducees together. When you get to Mark 3 and verse 6, the Bible says, And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians, that they might destroy him. So now you have the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and Herodians. And John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, did not mince words when he saw the Pharisees the Sadducees come to his baptism for he said in Matthew 3 in verse 7 but when he saw many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees come to his baptism he said of them old

[John Weaver] generation of vipers who have warned you to flee from the wrath to come so he called them a bunch of serpents a bunch of snakes and And he said, why are you who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Of course later on our Lord tells us That they cannot escape a damnation as well But if you will turn in your Bibles whole Luke 18, but if you will turn to Matthew chapter 5 verse And verse 20 you'll see that our Lord certainly did not think too much of the Pharisees and especially of their Pretended righteousness for in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 20 our Lord made this statement Watch carefully Matthew 5 verse 20. He said for I say unto you that that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. You have to remember that all the Pharisees had was merely external and physical.

[John Weaver] Because of their misinterpretation of the word of God and the law of God, they thought as long as they had never stuck a knife in someone's heart, they were not guilty of murder. because they limited everything to the externals. And our Lord, of course, corrected all that. He said, he that hated his brother in his heart is guilty of murder as well. But I want to point out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day in which Christ lived. And when I say the fundamentalists, I mean this.

[John Weaver] At least they professed to believe the truth. They professed to believe the law. They did not really believe it, but they professed to believe it. They also believed in the resurrection They also believed in angels and spirits. So The Pharisees would be counted the fundamentalist the Sadducees would be counted the liberals for instance if you will turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 23 and look at verse 8 and and hold that passage because we'll look at it a few more verses momentarily. But look at Acts 23 in verse 8, the Bible says, for the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both. So the Sadducees then were the ones who denied the bodily resurrection from the dead. They denied angels, they denied spirit beings, et cetera. The Pharisees would be considered the fundamentalists. The Sadducees would be considered the liberals.

[John Weaver] And now you have the Herodians. The Herodians were basically a political party, even though they were basically made up of what you and I would call Hellenistic Jews, that is Jews that had been influenced by Greek culture and philosopher. The Herodians held political power And most scholars believe that the Herodians were just simply a political party that supported King Herod Antipas. Now the Herodians ruled Palestine from about 4 BC to AD 39. You have to remember also that Herod was ruling over a certain portion of Palestine, but he was appointed by the Roman emperor. So the Herodians then were people who supported Herod. Directly and indirectly, they supported the Roman Empire because he was appointed, Herod was appointed by the Roman Empire. So they were the ones who gave in to what you and I would call political expediency.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand this. The Herodians control politics. The Sadducees control the temple. The Pharisees controlled the people. And so now you have the political power, the religious power and the popular power all directed against the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, you have to remember this. Each one of these groups desired to maintain their own position and their own power. And consequently, they were against anyone or anything that would hinder or threaten their power at all. So it was the Pharisees and the Sadducees that plotted against Jesus Christ. It was the Sanhedrin that was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees that condemned Christ. And it was the Roman government of which Herod was a representative that crucified Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] So if you look in Acts chapter 23 and let's read verses six and seven. Just to show you that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were involved in the Sanhedrin. Notice if you would verse six, but when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council and then in brethren, I'm a Pharisee of the son of a Pharisee and of the hope of the resurrection of the dead. I'm called in question. And when he so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. And then verse eight, for the Sadducee says that there is no resurrection, neither angel or spirit, but the Pharisees confess both. So the apostle Paul used a little strategy in the council there. When he saw that there were two conflicting groups, he said, well, look, I'm on this side.

[John Weaver] And of course, he then got them fussing and feuding between themselves. But our Lord certainly did not consider the Pharisees to be biblical in any sense of the word. If you look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 23, let me read a passage just to show you how our Lord condemns the Pharisees. Now He also condemns the scribes. The scribes were those who were supposed to be transcribing Scripture, but usually these were transcribing the traditions of the elders and the interpretations and rather than the Scripture. And so if you look in Matthew 23 beginning there with verse 13, look what he says and notice all these woes. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer, therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, For you compass see in land to make one proselyte and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves What are you you blind guides which say whosoever shall swear by the temple?

[John Weaver] It is nothing but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple. He is debtor. I you fools and blind for whether it's greater the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold and whosoever shall swear by the altar it is nothing but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it he is guilty you fools and blind for whether it's greater the gift or the altar that sanctified the gift whoso therefore shall swear by the altar swears by it and by all things their own And who so shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

[John Weaver] Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of men. and Anais and Cuman, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith, these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone, you blind guides, which strain in a gnat and swallow a camel. Warned are you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Warned are you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. One, do you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, you be witnesses to yourselves that you are the children of them which kill the prophets. Fill you up then the measure of your fathers, you serpents, you generation of vipers, how Can you escape the damnation of hell?

[John Weaver] Now, I think just simply by reading that passage, you can understand that the Pharisees were wicked, wicked people. They were wicked in far more ways than one. Their theology was wrong. Their attitude was wrong. Their lives were wrong. Their applications were wrong. Even what they considered right was wrong. Everything about them was wrong. So the Pharisees do not need and should not be emulated at all. Since we understand their doctrine was wrong and everything about them was wrong, here's a question.

[John Weaver] And I want you to listen carefully because I'm going to try to answer this for you. If everything about the Pharisees is wrong, and if everything about the Pharisees were condemned by Christ, each thing was condemned by Christ, why are there so many Pharisees in the church today? And why are there so many Pharisees in political circles today?

[John Weaver] Now, years ago, I preached a message from Matthew 15 and Mark 7, which I entitled Pharisaical Christians. And I went down through those passages and demonstrated how many professing Christians are nothing more than Pharisees. Maybe I need to re-preach that message. I haven't preached it in many, many years. But our Lord gave very serious warnings concerning the Pharisees. I want you to look in Matthew chapter 16.

[John Weaver] And let's begin their reading with verse six. I will not take time to read the entire passage, but I want you to see this. Look at Matthew chapter 16 in verse six. Then Jesus said unto them, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Now he's telling his disciples they need to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Well, they begin to reason it's because they didn't bring any bread. But if you'll skip down to verse 11 and 12, our Lord corrects their false reasoning. And he asked, how is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread? But that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Then understood they how that he made them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. So now our Lord is condemning their doctrine, that is, their false teaching. It is called leaven. It is called that which is wrong, that which is wicked.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would turn over to Luke chapter 12, There's even more concerning the 11 of the Pharisees, Luke 12 and verse 1. Note, if you would, what he says here, Luke 12 and verse 1. In the meantime, when they were gathered together, an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples, first of all, beware of the 11 of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. So the level of the Pharisees is wrong doctrine and hypocrisy as well. We should never fall into the trap of Pharisee ism with wrong doctrine. And we should never fall into the trap of Pharisaism with hypocrisy as well. You see, what they did, if you would read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, they took their traditions, they took humanism, they took what they had been taught and placed it above the Word of God.

[John Weaver] In fact, they asked our Lord, why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they eat bread with unwashing hands. And our Lord looked at them and said, Why do you with your traditions transgress the Word of God? In other words, you make the Word of God of none effect with your tradition. So they place their tradition above the Word of God. So obviously, we have many Pharisees today who want to follow tradition more than anything else. I've always said tradition can be a blessing if it is biblical, but it can be a curse if it is unbiblical. And usually most people do things because that's the way we've always done things. That's the way it's been done.

[John Weaver] We could care less about truth. But our Lord, in this text of Luke chapter 18, reveals, I think, even some more stunning details about Pharisees. The Pharisees, like I pointed out, not only were wrong doctrinally, but they were hypocrites. They professed one thing, and they lived something totally and completely different. But I want you to look in Luke chapter 18 in our text, and I want to talk to you just momentarily about the Pharisee and the publican.

[John Weaver] But watch, if you would please, verse 9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.

[John Weaver] Now, before I go further, and I'm going to repeat this several times, I want you to note there are two things that go together always. He said in verse 9, and he spake this parable and asserted which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. In other words, if you hold yourself as the standard If you believe you are the number one, if you're the apex, if you're the height. Then you're going to automatically despise everyone else because no one else is going to measure up to your particular standards, you see. So these two things always go together.

[John Weaver] Now, I pointed out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day. You remember, it was the apostle Paul. who stated in Acts 26 in verse five, he said, those who know me, if they would testify, would testify that according to the straightest sect of the Pharisees, I was raised. So even the Pharisees had different sects or divisions in them. And Paul said, I was raised under the strictest sect of the Pharisees.

[John Weaver] So our Lord in this passage is talking about a Pharisee that goes up to pray. Now, let me just point this out again. You remember the Pharisees, as I said earlier, believed mostly in externals in that which was physical. You remember Paul was giving his, uh, his list in Philippians chapter three, I think it is where he said, uh, he was a Pharisee, the Pharisees. as touching the righteousness of the law blameless." Now, was the Apostle Paul blameless in touching the law? Of course not.

[John Weaver] But according to his pharisaical interpretation, he would have said yes, you see, because if they had not taken a knife and plunged it in someone's heart, then they did not view themselves guilty of murder, et cetera. So the Pharisees just emphasize totally the externals, okay?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to watch this. So here's the Pharisee that goes up to pray, and the next one is the publican.

[John Weaver] Now, the republican and the publicans were the most despised of all people. Now, the Greek word for publican is actually derived from the word telones, which literally refers to a tax collector or a collector of tolls, one employed by, in this instance, the Roman government to collect taxes. The collectors as a class were detested and despised because not only of what they did, but their greed. and their destruction of people.

[John Weaver] Much like the IRS today. You know, I'm just simply saying, here's what these tax collectors would do. If the Roman government came up to Steve and said, well, your taxes are 100 bucks. If I am a tax collector, I would tell Steve, your taxes are 200 bucks. And that means I'd only get paid by the Roman government. I now steal 100 bucks from him. They were notorious thieves.

[John Weaver] Do you remember when Zacchaeus got converted? He said those which I've taken wrongly from I restore fourfold. No, he had stolen as well So these people were hated they were absolutely despised So here is a Pharisee on the one hand and here's a publican on the other hand now The Pharisees if you look in your Bibles at verse 9 and Luke 18 verse 9, and he spake this parable uncertain, which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. So our Lord is saying that the Pharisee is someone who trusts in himself. In other words, he has his own moral code. He has his own standard of righteousness, his own standard of holiness, his own standard of perfection.

[John Weaver] So let me put it to you like this. I can be as holy as I want to be. As long as you allow me to define holiness. See, I can be as righteous as I want to be, as long as I can define righteousness. I can jump flat footed from the floor 20 feet straight up in the air. As long as you let me define 20 feet.

[John Weaver] So the Pharisees then had their own standard. They had their own traditions. They had their own interpretations. And they consider themselves absolutely right and righteous. Listen carefully. Therefore, you are not allowed to disagree with them. If you disagreed with them, you were wrong. You were wicked. You were evil. They were right.

[John Weaver] Now, the word righteous here is the Greek word, Dikaios, which actually means that which is righteous, that which is just, that which is meet. And the word righteous is used different ways in scripture. But in this particular instance, It is used to show their unrighteousness. They said they were righteous, but in reality, they were unrighteous. So they trusted in themselves. They trusted in their own moral code. They trusted in their own interpretation. They trusted in their own interpretations and their own traditions.

[John Weaver] And they believe, therefore, that they were accepted by God. They prided themselves on their knowledge, on their understanding, and their position. They prided themselves on their virtue, whether that virtue was either real or imagined. So, it's not only now the sense of pride and arrogance and haughtiness that is being condemned by our Lord. But the very fact that they despised others. They despised others who were not Pharisees.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you like this. They despised others who did not live like they lived. They despised others who did not believe like they believed. They despised others who would not bow to them and submit to them. The truth of the matter is, The Pharisee believed that he was almost one of the untouchables like they had in India. You remember that time when the woman came into our Lord. He was sitting at a table of a Pharisee.

[John Weaver] And she began to weep and wash his feet with her tears and dried with her hair. And the old Pharisee sat over there and said, this man cannot be of God. For if he was, he would not allow this man or woman to touch him. Hmm. If he if he was really God, he would know what kind of woman this is. He would not allow her to touch him.

[John Weaver] And our Lord said, Simon, let me ask you a question. And I'll paraphrase it for you. Here's someone that owes you ten thousand dollars. And here's someone that owes you one dollar. And you, frankly, forgive them both. Which one is going to love you the most? Well, he said, I suppose the one for whom I forgave the most. He said, you're right. And this woman whose sins are many are forgiven. In other words, you love little because you think you sin little. She loved much because she knew she's a great sinner and she's been forgiven. So here's the Pharisees.

[John Weaver] Now, they they just despise anyone who did not live the way they live and act the way they act and believe what they believe. Now, if you want to see the absolute contempt that the Pharisees had for others, then you need to look, if you would please, at verse nine again. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Now the word despised is the Greek word exuthenao, which is translated in our Bibles as to despise. But it means not only to despise, but to set it not, to esteem the least, to hold in contempt.

[John Weaver] Let me kind of put it to you very plainly. What it means is this. It means that you, you look at people and you say that they are no account. They're absolutely worthless. They're useless. And all you have for that individual is absolute contempt. And that's exactly what this word meant. So this Pharisee then even looked down at this publican and held him in great disdain and contempt as well.

[John Weaver] Now to show you the attitude of the Pharisees. They not only had a holier-than-thou attitude, they also had a smarter-than-thou attitude. In other words, we know and you don't. We understand and you don't. I want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 7. Let me show you. John chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 45. Now, the Pharisees had sent the soldiers to arrest Christ, and they came back without him. John chapter 7, look in verse 45. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said unto them, Why have you not brought him? We sent you to arrest him. Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Now watch. Then answered them the Pharisees. Are you also deceived?

[John Weaver] Are you out of your mind? Are you crazy? Watch this. Verse 48. Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Did you see what they just said? They just said, are you deceived? You don't know what we know. If you knew what we knew, you'd arrested him. If you believe like we believe, you'd have brought him back. Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed? Of course not. And the people who know not this law are cursed. Well, that was not God's law. That was their interpretation of God's law.

[John Weaver] And therefore, they are assuming this holier than thou, smarter than thou attitude. And anyone who disagrees with them, Happens to be a curse. I think of that passage in Job chapter 12 Verse 2 I quote it often. It's one of my favorite verses Job's three Insolent friends who actually came to comfort him ended up condemning him Job 12 to Job said to his friends and no doubt you are the people and wisdom shall die with you In other words, you know it all And when you're dead, it's all gone.

[John Weaver] Well, that was the Pharisees. They knew it all. And if you didn't agree with them, you were just a dumb, ignorant, cursed individual. It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 65. Hold Luke 18. Look in Isaiah 65. Here is the attitude of a Pharisee. Watch carefully. Isaiah 65. and verse six, and this is a stench and a smoke in God's nostrils. He says so. Look in Isaiah 65 and verse five, which say, stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. God says, these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. So what did I say? Stand by the James, don't come near me, I'm holier than you.

[John Weaver] And that is, you know, that's what these people would do. Look at me. That's why they prayed in public. That's why they gave in public. They wanted everybody to look at them and and and see how holy they really were.

[John Weaver] Now, what our Lord does in Luke 18 is he demonstrates the pharisaical attitude when he demonstrates the differences between the prayers of the Pharisee and the publican. So, let's look at them. Look, if you would please, at verses 11 and 12. Here is the prayer of the Pharisee. 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.

[John Weaver] I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess."

[John Weaver] Now, I like to read this. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. He probably just prayed to himself. He may have been addressing God and he said, God, I thank thee. But he just prayed. And here you see the pride of his heart and the justification of his own self in his self-righteousness. He coughs out scorn and contempt for this publican. He demonstrates His own attitude of superiority when he said, I thank thee that I'm not as other men. I'm not unjust, but he was. I'm not an extortioner, but he was. I'm not an adulterer, but he was.

[John Weaver] Or even as a Republican. And then he said, I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. Well, here's a man that prayed with himself. Probably he even stood by himself. He probably would not even be close to this publican. And so he's just simply praying by himself and acknowledging his own self-righteousness. It seems to me that this attitude is very prevalent today. I know Christians. who will not associate with other Christians because they don't believe exactly the way they believe. I know pastors who will associate with other pastors because they don't agree with them. And not only do they castigate them, but they encourage other people not to fellowship with them either because they disagree with them. Wow. If that's not a pharisaical attitude, I don't know what in the world is.

[John Weaver] It seems like the modern day Pharisees, like the Pharisees of old, have forgotten some of the seven things that God hates that are listed in Proverbs chapter six. And he goes on to say in the last thing there that God hates is a false witness that speaketh lies and he that soweth discord among the brethren. Old John Trapp, the Puritan, summarized the Pharisees prayer when he says this, He shows not his want, but his worth, and stands not only upon his comparisons, but upon his disparisans.

[John Weaver] I am not as this publican. He declared not his wants, but his worth. Lords, look at me, God. I'm just not like other men. And I do this and I do this and I do this. Albert Barnes, in his commentary, says this about the Pharisee. He says there was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an appearance of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him and that he had a right to his gratitude for it. Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion of any class of men.

[John Weaver] They know the truth and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion and who may be really wrong. We're not to judge of the piety of men by the fact that they admit the truth or even that they use it often in their prayers. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that He's kept us from the gross sins which other men commit.

[John Weaver] But it should be done. But it should not be done in an ostentatious manner, nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees. So Barnes is saying it is not right or it is not wrong, I should say, for a man to be thankful that he's not engaged in the sins of others. I tell people I'm thankful that God has saved some dopeheads. I'm thankful God has saved some drunkards. I'm thankful that God has saved whoremongers. But let me tell you something. The same God that saves the drunkards and the dopeheads and the whoremongers can equally save those who've never committed those sins. This is what Barnes is saying. You can be thankful that you don't engage in some of those sins.

[John Weaver] I remember when I joined up in the military. I was 17 years old. My father had to sign for me. I had just gotten out of high school. And I was standing with my father at the bus station waiting to go to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. And one of my father's friends, and I don't know who he was. I wish I did know. I'm sure he's dead now. But when he found out I was heading for Fort Jackson, South Carolina, He looked at me, he said, son, do you smoke? I said, no, sir.

[John Weaver] He said, do you drink? I said, no, sir. He said, do you chase women? I said, no, sir. He looked at me, he said, when you come out, you'll be doing all three. Well, although I'd been raised in church, I was really not saved until later on. I looked at him and I said, no, sir, not me. And God just used that to, I guess, put a little glue in my backbone, because I never smoked. I've never had a beer in my entire life. I've never even tasted a beer. Don't want one. And the only woman I chased, I caught, and I've kept her. So, I mean, you know, I can be thankful I haven't done any of those things, but that doesn't mean that I'm better than someone, you know, God just sovereignly withheld me in those areas. But I can't look down on somebody who's done some of those things because, you know, that's, you know, I often think Frank Kersey and I were born the same day, same year that we had so much in common.

[John Weaver] And I've been Frank and I've talked about this. Frank has had heart surgery. He's had brain surgery. He's had all kind of problems. I've never had a problem, period. Yeah But you know God brought him and here's what I said God Sovereignly brought you through all of those things and he has sovereignly kept me from going through all of those things And I'm just as thankful that he brought you through them as he as I am that he kept me from them so we can be thankful that God has kept us from certain sins, but that does not make us a any better or more righteous than someone else.

[John Weaver] And so we can't despise them. Now, one author has said this, listen carefully, the essence of the Pharisee's prayer, if prayer can be called, was not a confession of sin, nor an expression of need, but a thanksgiving, and this not for what God had done and had been for him, but for what he himself was. He was not Like the rest of men, violent and corrupt, not even as the tax gatherer of whom he cannot speak without a tinge of contempt, this publican, this tax collector.

[John Weaver] Well, if you can comprehend the pharisaical mentality. If you understand their self-righteous attitude and their vehement contempt for anyone who disagrees with them, and their absolute disdain for those who refuse to bow to them and their whims and their ideas and their opinions, then you're going to have a perfect picture of a modern-day politically correct social justice warrior. Look at Antifa. Look at Black Lives Matter. Look at all, I don't care what color, black, white, pink, purple. If it's a social justice, listen, we may be for justice, but it is for biblical justice and not someone's idea of what they consider justice to be. Goodness.

[John Weaver] Stop and think if you would, please. What has happened in this country all down through the ages is there's been a group of individuals who thought that they had an absolute right to tell everybody else how to live, what to do, what to think, and how to die. I mean, that's social justice warrior. And if you do not bow to their whims and their ideas, you're considered the scum of the earth. I just read the other day where some social justice warrior Out in California now, he had a glass shard in his hand and it threatened to kill a Trump supporter twice. And it showed a picture of him grinning with this evil grin and the glass shard in his hand.

[John Weaver] Look at the people has been spit on and hit. Why? Because someone has their own idea of justice. And if you disagree with them, then you're the scum of the earth. So here's the Pharisee. Now, if you look down at the publican in verse 13. And the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Now, here's a vast difference between the Pharisee and the publican. The publican was a sinner. He knew he was a sinner. He knew that he did not deserve anything from God except justice, and he did not want that. He was so convicted of his own unworthiness, of his own wickedness, that he would not so much as even lift his eyes to heaven, but he smote himself on his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

[John Weaver] His attitude, his actions, and his prayer all indicated genuine repentance. Now, I want you to hold Luke 18, but look in your Bibles, if you would, to Jeremiah chapter 31, and you will see this given to us very clearly in this passage, Jeremiah 31 and verse 19. Jeremiah 31, verse 19. Here it is. Jeremiah 31 verse 19 Surely after that I was turned that is God sovereignly turned and granted repentance Surely after that I was turned I repented.

[John Weaver] I And after that, I was instructed. I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yet even confounded because I didn't bear the reproach of my youth. But note, if you would, once God turns as repentance and once you have repented and you're instructed, you get sorrowful and you get grief for your sins and you get ashamed. And that's what he said. And even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

[John Weaver] And this is what this old publican is doing. He's smiting his breast and he's saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. The very fact that he did that expresses grief and sorrow for sin. Albert Barnes, in talking about the publican, says this. The prayer of the publican was totally different from that of the Pharisee. He made no boast of his own righteousness toward God or man. He felt that he was a sinner, and feeling it was, willing to acknowledge it. This is the kind of prayer that is acceptable to God. When we are willing to confess and forsake our sins, we shall find mercy. The publican was willing to do this in any place, in the presence of any persons, amid the multitudes of the temple, or alone. He felt most that God was a witness of his actions, and he was willing, therefore, to confess his sins before Him. While we should not seek to do this publicly, yet we should be willing at all times to confess our manifold transgressions to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by God's infinite goodness and mercy.

[John Weaver] It is not dishonorable to make acknowledgment that we have done wrong. No man is so much dishonored as he who is a sinner and is not willing to confess it, as he who has done wrong and yet attempts to conceal the fault, thus adding hypocrisy to his other crimes as well. Well, there's a vast difference between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of the publican. There's a vast difference between their persons and their attitudes. The Pharisee is proud and haughty and arrogant and condemns others in his superior. Attitude.

[John Weaver] He believes he has the knowledge. He believes he has the answer. He believes he is right. And yet this publican is humble. And repentant and displays a sense of unworthiness and is broken and contrite. The publican took the attitude of Jacob and Genesis 32 in verse 10, where Jacob is praying to God. And he said, I'm not worthy of the least of thy mercies and of all the truth, which thou has showed to thy servant. And that is true. Anyone who's a real, genuine Christian understands that we're not worthy of any of God's mercies. Anything and everything that we have, we have only by the grace and the mercy of God. Anything and everything we ever will be and ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God.

[John Weaver] And so, here this man is confessing and acknowledging it. I do not see how any real, genuine Christian can remain unhumbled.

[John Weaver] Now, that doesn't mean that pride is eradicated from our hearts. Everyone struggles with pride. It is a root sin. There's no two ways about that. But a real genuine Christian cannot come up and say, well, I deserve this. The only thing we deserve is justice, and we do not want justice. The publican is the one who is forgiven, not the Pharisee. If you're a genuine Christian, you cannot despise anyone. Now, listen to me.

[John Weaver] You may not like the person. You may not agree with the person. There may be attitudes, there may be Attributes, there may be attitudes, there may be things about that individual that you just do not like. But you don't despise them. I mean, that's the way God made them. And of course, you can teach them, you can rebuke them, you can do whatever is necessary to help them. But you don't necessarily despise. Why? Because every individual is created in the image of God. And God has a purpose for every individual. So obviously we cannot go around just despising people. We can certainly despise what they do. We can despise what they are, but we cannot despise them as individuals. Okay. Now we certainly cannot despise the brethren. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] First John three and verse 14. We know that we've passed from death into life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. One of the ways that we know that we're real genuine Christians is we love the brethren. Do I agree with all the brethren? No. Do I like everything all the brothers do? No. But they don't like everything that I do and they don't agree with me. So? But we can still love each other and we can still get along with each other.

[John Weaver] We cannot be a Pharisee. Now, let me make some applications. Here are two things that our Lord wants us to be delivered from. A self-righteous attitude and despising others. If you look in verse 14, it was the publican that our Lord says this concerning. I tell you, this man, that is the publican, went down to his house justified rather than the other. And then he says, for everyone that exalted himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Let me tell you something.

[John Weaver] Here is a biblical fact and a biblical truth. You exalt yourself, you will get knocked down. Not only does the Bible say pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall, but the Bible also says in James 4 in verse 6, but he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. And the word resisteth means he fights against the proud. So you become an arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, prideful individual, God will knock the wind out of your sails.

[John Weaver] That's all there is to it. If you want to be exalted, he said, you humbled yourself. I never will forget an illustration that I read years ago about an individual who had lived a Christian life many, many years. And he said, I often thought in my Christian life that God placed his best gifts on the high shelf. And the more we grew, The more we were able to reach those gifts. He said, I discovered later that God's best gifts are on the lowest shelf. The more humble we are, the more gracious and beneficial those gifts.

[John Weaver] It was Calvin who said this, there are two faults at which Christ glances and which he intended to condemn wicked confidences in ourselves. and the pride of despising the brethren, the one of which springs out of the other. It is impossible that he who deceives himself with vain confidence should not lift himself up above his brethren, nor is it wonderful that he should be so. For how should that man not despise his equals who vaults against God himself? Every man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on an open war with God, to whom we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves. That is by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness and relying on his mercy alone. And that's true.

[John Weaver] The second application of this, we need to make sure. that we pray that we are to be delivered from the attitude as well as the actions of modern-day social justice warriors who are nothing more than Pharisees. May I remind you that there are Pharisees in the church, just like there are Pharisees in the political realm. When you get to 3 John, you read about a man by the name of Diotrephes. The Bible says that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence when the Apostle John went there and some of the other brethren Diotrephes refused to receive them and he kicked many out of the church Because they didn't agree with him And he had control and he was going to show them that he was the one May I remind you that our Lord came as a servant In Matthew 20 and verse 28, he said, even as a son of man came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. When you get to the book of Luke 22 and verse 27, he asked this question, who is greater, he that serveth or he that sitteth at meet?

[John Weaver] But I am among you as one that serveth. So if we're going to take the attitude of Lord Jesus Christ, we have to have a servant's attitude. The apostle Paul in Philippians chapter three, or chapter two it is, he says this, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. Watch, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than himself. So that means I should esteem Gary better than myself. Gary should esteem me better than himself. We should esteem. David and Francis better than ourselves, they should esteem others, but in lowliness of mind, that's what he's saying. In other words, we are avoiding the doctrine of the Pharisees, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the attitude of the Pharisees and the actions of the Pharisees. If you and I obey the word of God and bring our lives in conformity to it, we will never, ever be Pharisees. But when we begin to despise the brethren and we begin to take the attitude that we're smarter, we're more intelligent, we're more righteous, and we think that everyone should bow to us and follow us, And do as we say, we are Pharisees.

[John Weaver] Social justice warriors wanting something other than that which God has ordained. So Phariseeism is alive and well in the church of Jesus Christ. We need to guard ourselves and make sure that we do not become one of them. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, that you have told us that we are not to be self-righteous.

[John Weaver] We're not to despise the brethren. You've told us, Lord, that we should be holy and godly and that our lives should be conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] so

The Pharisees Are Alive And Well

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	DggbyJCnFkc
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-01-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 081: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 1 — Chapter 24
Source Timed Segments	79

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to the Parable and the Pharisees

Reading of Luke 18:9-14 and introduction to the parable. The speaker asserts that Pharisaism is still present today, contrary to common belief.

Luke chapter 18. Luke chapter 18, and we're going to read verses 9 through 14. Luke chapter 18, verses 9 through 14. The title of the message is "The Pharisees Are Alive and Well." So notice, if you would please, Luke chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9. Our Lord is speaking, and the Bible said,

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:9-14

"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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." "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Pharisaism is alive and well. We tend to think that the Pharisees died out many, many years ago, but that certainly is not true. In fact, our Lord in the New Testament warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees. It was the Pharisees, along with the Sadducees and the Herodians, that led the attack against the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, later on, even the Apostle Paul and some of the other apostles as well, but the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians always tried to entrap our Lord in his words, and then they tried to provoke him to get him to say things in order that they may charge him with some particular crime.

Historical Context of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians

Description of the three groups that opposed Jesus: Pharisees (fundamentalists), Sadducees (liberals), and Herodians (political party). Their combined opposition and control over different spheres.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:1

"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven."

So here you have the Pharisees and the Sadducees together. When you get to Mark 3 and verse 6, the Bible says, "And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him." So now you have the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and Herodians. And John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, did not mince words when he saw the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, for he said in Matthew 3 and verse 7, "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

So he called them a bunch of serpents, a bunch of snakes. And he said,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 3:7

"Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

Of course, later on our Lord tells us that they cannot escape the damnation as well. But if you will turn in your Bibles—hold Luke 18—but if you will turn to Matthew chapter 5 and verse 20, you'll see that our Lord certainly did not think too much of the Pharisees, and especially of their pretended righteousness. For in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 20, our Lord made this statement. Watch carefully, Matthew 5 verse 20. He said, "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." You have to remember that all the Pharisees had was merely external and physical.

Because of their misinterpretation of the word of God and the law of God, they thought as long as they had never stuck a knife in someone's heart, they were not guilty of murder, because they limited everything to the externals. And our Lord, of course, corrected all that. He said, "He that hateth his brother in his heart is guilty of murder" as well. But I want to point out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day in which Christ lived. And when I say the fundamentalists, I mean this. At least they professed to believe the truth. They professed to believe the law. They did not really believe it, but they professed to believe it. They also believed in the resurrection. They also believed in angels and spirits. So the Pharisees would be counted the fundamentalists; the Sadducees would be counted the liberals. For instance, if you will turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 23 and look at verse 8, and hold that passage because we'll look at a few more verses momentarily. But look at Acts 23 and verse 8, the Bible says, "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both." So the Sadducees then were the ones who denied the bodily resurrection from the dead. They denied angels, they denied spirit beings, et cetera. The Pharisees would be considered the fundamentalists. The Sadducees would be considered the liberals.

And now you have the Herodians. The Herodians were basically a political party, even though they were basically made up of what you and I would call Hellenistic Jews, that is, Jews that had been influenced by Greek culture and philosophy. The Herodians held political power. And most scholars believe that the Herodians were just simply a political party that supported King Herod Antipas. Now the Herodians ruled Palestine from about 4 BC to AD 39. You have to remember also that Herod was ruling over a certain portion of Palestine, but he was appointed by the Roman emperor. So the Herodians then were people who supported Herod. Directly and indirectly, they supported the Roman Empire because Herod was appointed by the Roman Empire. So they were the ones who gave in to what you and I would call political expediency.

Now, I want you to understand this. The Herodians controlled politics. The Sadducees controlled the temple. The Pharisees controlled the people. And so now you have the political power, the religious power, and the popular power all directed against the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, you have to remember this. Each one of these groups desired to maintain their own position and their own power. And consequently, they were against anyone or anything that would hinder or threaten their power at all. So it was the Pharisees and the Sadducees that plotted against Jesus Christ. It was the Sanhedrin that was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees that condemned Christ. And it was the Roman government, of which Herod was a representative, that crucified Jesus Christ.

Jesus' Condemnation of the Pharisees

Reading of Matthew 23 woes against the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy, false teaching, and external righteousness.

So if you look in Acts chapter 23, and let's read verses 6 and 7, just to show you that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were involved in the Sanhedrin. Notice if you would verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Acts 23:6-8

"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. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided."

And then verse 8,

Scripture Reading — Acts 23:6-8

"For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both."

So the apostle Paul used a little strategy in the council there. When he saw that there were two conflicting groups, he said, "Well, look, I'm on this side."

And of course, he then got them fussing and feuding between themselves. But our Lord certainly did not consider the Pharisees to be biblical in any sense of the word. If you look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 23, let me read a passage just to show you how our Lord condemns the Pharisees. Now He also condemns the scribes. The scribes were those who were supposed to be transcribing Scripture, but usually these were transcribing the traditions of the elders and the interpretations rather than the Scripture. And so if you look in Matthew 23 beginning there with verse 13, look what he says and notice all these woes. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple,

it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon."

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."

"Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Now, I think just simply by reading that passage, you can understand that the Pharisees were wicked, wicked people. They were wicked in far more ways than one. Their theology was wrong. Their attitude was wrong. Their lives were wrong. Their applications were wrong. Even what they considered right was wrong. Everything about them was wrong. So the Pharisees do not need and should not be emulated at all. Since we understand their doctrine was wrong and everything about them was wrong, here's a question.

The Leaven of the Pharisees: Doctrine and Hypocrisy

Explanation of Jesus' warning about the leaven of the Pharisees from Matthew 16 and Luke 12, identifying it as false doctrine and hypocrisy. The Pharisees elevated tradition above God's Word.

And I want you to listen carefully because I'm going to try to answer this for you. If everything about the Pharisees is wrong, and if everything about the Pharisees were condemned by Christ—each thing was condemned by Christ—why are there so many Pharisees in the church today? And why are there so many Pharisees in political circles today? Now, years ago, I preached a message from Matthew 15 and Mark 7, which I entitled "Pharisaical Christians." And I went down through those passages and demonstrated how many professing Christians are nothing more than Pharisees. Maybe I need to re-preach that message. I haven't preached it in many, many years. But our Lord gave very serious warnings concerning the Pharisees. I want you to look in Matthew chapter 16.

And let's begin there reading with verse 6. I will not take time to read the entire passage, but I want you to see this. Look at Matthew chapter 16 in verse 6.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:6, 11-12

"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

Now he's telling his disciples they need to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Well, they begin to reason it's because they didn't bring any bread. But if you'll skip down to verses 11 and 12, our Lord corrects their false reasoning. And he asked,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:6, 11-12

"How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

So now our Lord is condemning their doctrine, that is, their false teaching. It is called leaven. It is called that which is wrong, that which is wicked.

Now, if you would turn over to Luke chapter 12, there's even more concerning the leaven of the Pharisees. Luke 12 and verse 1. Note, if you would, what he says here. Luke 12 and verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:1

"In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

So the leaven of the Pharisees is wrong doctrine and hypocrisy as well. We should never fall into the trap of Pharisaism with wrong doctrine. And we should never fall into the trap of Pharisaism with hypocrisy as well. You see, what they did, if you would read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, they took their traditions, they took humanism, they took what they had been taught and placed it above the Word of God.

In fact, they asked our Lord, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." And our Lord looked at them and said, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" In other words, you make the Word of God of none effect with your tradition. So they placed their tradition above the Word of God. So obviously, we have many Pharisees today who want to follow tradition more than anything else. I've always said tradition can be a blessing if it is biblical, but it can be a curse if it is unbiblical. And usually most people do things because that's the way we've always done things. That's the way it's been done.

The Pharisee's Prayer: Self-Righteousness and Contempt

Analysis of the Pharisee's prayer in Luke 18:11-12, showing his trust in himself, his moral code, and his despising of others, especially the publican.

We could care less about truth. But our Lord, in this text of Luke chapter 18, reveals, I think, even some more stunning details about Pharisees. The Pharisees, like I pointed out, not only were wrong doctrinally, but they were hypocrites. They professed one thing, and they lived something totally and completely different. But I want you to look in Luke chapter 18 in our text, and I want to talk to you just momentarily about the Pharisee and the publican.

But watch, if you would please, verse 9. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican." Now, before I go further, and I'm going to repeat this several times, I want you to note there are two things that go together always. He said in verse 9, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." In other words, if you hold yourself as the standard, if you believe you are the number one, if you're the apex, if you're the height, then you're going to automatically despise everyone else because no one else is going to measure up to your particular standards, you see. So these two things always go together.

Now, I pointed out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day. You remember, it was the apostle Paul who stated in Acts 26 and verse 5, he said,

Scripture Reading — Acts 26:5

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

So even the Pharisees had different sects or divisions in them. And Paul said, "I was raised under the strictest sect of the Pharisees." So our Lord in this passage is talking about a Pharisee that goes up to pray. Now, let me just point this out again. You remember the Pharisees, as I said earlier, believed mostly in externals, in that which was physical. You remember Paul was giving his list in Philippians chapter 3, I think it is, where he said, "...touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Now, was the Apostle Paul blameless in touching the law? Of course not.

But according to his pharisaical interpretation, he would have said yes, you see, because if they had not taken a knife and plunged it in someone's heart, then they did not view themselves guilty of murder, et cetera. So the Pharisees just emphasized totally the externals, okay? Now, I want you to watch this. So here's the Pharisee that goes up to pray, and the next one is the publican.

Now, the publicans were the most despised of all people. Now, the Greek word for publican is actually derived from the word telones, which literally refers to a tax collector or a collector of tolls, one employed by, in this instance, the Roman government to collect taxes. The collectors as a class were detested and despised because not only of what they did, but their greed and their destruction of people. Much like the IRS today. You know, I'm just simply saying, here's what these tax collectors would do. If the Roman government came up to Steve and said, "Well, your taxes are 100 bucks." If I am a tax collector, I would tell Steve, "Your taxes are 200 bucks." And that means I'd only get paid by the Roman government. I now steal 100 bucks from him. They were notorious thieves.

Do you remember when Zacchaeus got converted? He said, "...if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." No, he had stolen as well. So these people were hated; they were absolutely despised. So here is a Pharisee on the one hand and here's a publican on the other hand. Now, the Pharisees, if you look in your Bibles at verse 9, Luke 18 verse 9, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." So our Lord is saying that the Pharisee is someone who trusts in himself. In other words, he has his own moral code. He has his own standard of righteousness, his own standard of holiness, his own standard of perfection.

So let me put it to you like this. I can be as holy as I want to be, as long as you allow me to define holiness. See, I can be as righteous as I want to be, as long as I can define righteousness. I can jump flat-footed from the floor 20 feet straight up in the air, as long as you let me define 20 feet.

So the Pharisees then had their own standard. They had their own traditions. They had their own interpretations. And they considered themselves absolutely right and righteous. Listen carefully. Therefore, you are not allowed to disagree with them. If you disagreed with them, you were wrong. You were wicked. You were evil. They were right.

Now, the word righteous here is the Greek word dikaios, which actually means that which is righteous, that which is just, that which is meet. And the word righteous is used different ways in scripture. But in this particular instance, it is used to show their unrighteousness. They said they were righteous, but in reality, they were unrighteous. So they trusted in themselves. They trusted in their own moral code. They trusted in their own interpretation. They trusted in their own interpretations and their own traditions.

And they believed, therefore, that they were accepted by God. They prided themselves on their knowledge, on their understanding, and their position. They prided themselves on their virtue, whether that virtue was either real or imagined. So, it's not only now the sense of pride and arrogance and haughtiness that is being condemned by our Lord, but the very fact that they despised others. They despised others who were not Pharisees. Let me put it to you like this. They despised others who did not live like they lived. They despised others who did not believe like they believed. They despised others who would not bow to them and submit to them. The truth of the matter is, the Pharisee believed that he was almost one of the untouchables like they had in India. You remember that time when the woman came unto our Lord. He was sitting at a table of a Pharisee.

And she began to weep and wash his feet with her tears and dried with her hair. And the old Pharisee sat over there and said, "This man cannot be of God. For if he was, he would not allow this woman to touch him." Hmm. "If he was really God, he would know what kind of woman this is. He would not allow her to touch him." And our Lord said, "Simon, let me ask you a question." And I'll paraphrase it for you. "Here's someone that owes you ten thousand dollars. And here's someone that owes you one dollar. And you frankly forgive them both. Which one is going to love you the most?" Well, he said, "I suppose the one for whom I forgave the most." He said, "You're right. And this woman whose sins are many are forgiven." In other words, you love little because you think you sin little. She loved much because she knew she's a great sinner and she's been forgiven. So here's the Pharisees.

Now, they just despise anyone who did not live the way they live and act the way they act and believe what they believe. Now, if you want to see the absolute contempt that the Pharisees had for others, then you need to look, if you would please, at verse 9 again. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." Now the word despised is the Greek word exoutheneo, which is translated in our Bibles as "to despise." But it means not only to despise, but to set at nought, to esteem the least, to hold in contempt. Let me kind of put it to you very plainly. What it means is this. It means that you look at people and you say that they are no account. They're absolutely worthless. They're useless. And all you have for that individual is absolute contempt. And that's exactly what this word meant. So this Pharisee then even looked down at this publican and held him in great disdain and contempt as well.

Now to show you the attitude of the Pharisees. They not only had a holier-than-thou attitude, they also had a smarter-than-thou attitude. In other words, we know and you don't. We understand and you don't. I want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 7. Let me show you. John chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 45. Now, the Pharisees had sent the soldiers to arrest Christ, and they came back without him. John chapter 7, look in verse 45. "Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?" We sent you to arrest him. Why have you not brought him? "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." Now watch. "Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?"

Are you out of your mind? Are you crazy? Watch this. Verse 48. "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." Did you see what they just said? They just said, "Are you deceived? You don't know what we know. If you knew what we knew, you'd have arrested him. If you believed like we believe, you'd have brought him back. Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed? Of course not. And the people who know not the law are cursed." Well, that was not God's law. That was their interpretation of God's law.

And therefore, they are assuming this holier-than-thou, smarter-than-thou attitude. And anyone who disagrees with them happens to be a curse. I think of that passage in Job chapter 12, verse 2. I quote it often. It's one of my favorite verses. Job's three insolent friends who actually came to comfort him ended up condemning him. Job 12:2, Job said to his friends, "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you." In other words, you know it all. And when you're dead, it's all gone.

Well, that was the Pharisees. They knew it all. And if you didn't agree with them, you were just a dumb, ignorant, cursed individual. It's just that simple.

Now, let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 65. Hold Luke 18. Look in Isaiah 65. Here is the attitude of a Pharisee. Watch carefully. Isaiah 65 and verse 5, and this is a stench and a smoke in God's nostrils. He says so. Look in Isaiah 65 and verse 5, "Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day." So what did they say? "Stand by thyself, don't come near me, I'm holier than you."

And that is, you know, that's what these people would do. Look at me. That's why they prayed in public. That's why they gave in public. They wanted everybody to look at them and see how holy they really were.

Now, what our Lord does in Luke 18 is he demonstrates the pharisaical attitude when he demonstrates the differences between the prayers of the Pharisee and the publican. So, let's look at them. Look, if you would please, at verses 11 and 12. Here is the prayer of the Pharisee. "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." "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."

Now, I like to read this. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself." He probably just prayed to himself. He may have been addressing God and he said, "God, I thank thee." But he just prayed. And here you see the pride of his heart and the justification of his own self in his self-righteousness. He coughs out scorn and contempt for this publican. He demonstrates his own attitude of superiority when he said, "I thank thee that I'm not as other men. I'm not unjust," but he was. "I'm not an extortioner," but he was. "I'm not an adulterer," but he was.

The Publican's Prayer: Humility and Repentance

Contrast with the publican's prayer in Luke 18:13, demonstrating genuine repentance, unworthiness, and a plea for mercy. The publican is justified, not the Pharisee.

"Or even as this publican." And then he said, "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Well, here's a man that prayed with himself. Probably he even stood by himself. He probably would not even be close to this publican. And so he's just simply praying by himself and acknowledging his own self-righteousness. It seems to me that this attitude is very prevalent today. I know Christians who will not associate with other Christians because they don't believe exactly the way they believe. I know pastors who will not associate with other pastors because they don't agree with them. And not only do they castigate them, but they encourage other people not to fellowship with them either because they disagree with them. Wow. If that's not a pharisaical attitude, I don't know what in the world is.

It seems like the modern day Pharisees, like the Pharisees of old, have forgotten some of the seven things that God hates that are listed in Proverbs chapter 6. And he goes on to say in the last thing there that God hates is "a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Old John Trapp, the Puritan, summarized the Pharisee's prayer when he says this, "He shows not his want, but his worth, and stands not only upon his comparisons, but upon his disparisons." "I am not as this publican." He declared not his wants, but his worth. "Lord, look at me, God. I'm just not like other men. And I do this and I do this and I do this." Albert Barnes, in his commentary, says this about the Pharisee. He says, "There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an appearance of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him and that he had a right to his gratitude for it. Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion of any class of men."

"They know the truth and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion and who may be really wrong. We're not to judge of the piety of men by the fact that they admit the truth or even that they use it often in their prayers. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that He's kept us from the gross sins which other men commit." "But it should be done—but it should not be done in an ostentatious manner, nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees." So Barnes is saying it is not right—or it is not wrong, I should say—for a man to be thankful that he's not engaged in the sins of others. I tell people I'm thankful that God has saved some dopeheads. I'm thankful God has saved some drunkards. I'm thankful that God has saved whoremongers. But let me tell you something. The same God that saves the drunkards and the dopeheads and the whoremongers can equally save those who've never committed those sins. This is what Barnes is saying. You can be thankful that you don't engage in some of those sins.

I remember when I joined up in the military. I was 17 years old. My father had to sign for me. I had just gotten out of high school. And I was standing with my father at the bus station waiting to go to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. And one of my father's friends—and I don't know who he was. I wish I did know. I'm sure he's dead now. But when he found out I was heading for Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he looked at me, he said, "Son, do you smoke?" I said, "No, sir."

He said, "Do you drink?" I said, "No, sir." He said, "Do you chase women?" I said, "No, sir." He looked at me, he said, "When you come out, you'll be doing all three." Well, although I'd been raised in church, I was really not saved until later on. I looked at him and I said, "No, sir, not me." And God just used that to, I guess, put a little glue in my backbone, because I never smoked. I've never had a beer in my entire life. I've never even tasted a beer. Don't want one. And the only woman I chased, I caught, and I've kept her. So, I mean, you know, I can be thankful I haven't done any of those things, but that doesn't mean that I'm better than someone. You know, God just sovereignly withheld me in those areas. But I can't look down on somebody who's done some of those things because, you know, I often think Frank Kersey and I were born the same day, same year, and we had so much in common.

And I've been—Frank and I have talked about this. Frank has had heart surgery. He's had brain surgery. He's had all kind of problems. I've never had a problem, period. Yeah. But you know, God brought him through, and here's what I said: God sovereignly brought you through all of those things, and He has sovereignly kept me from going through all of those things. And I'm just as thankful that He brought you through them as I am that He kept me from them. So we can be thankful that God has kept us from certain sins, but that does not make us any better or more righteous than someone else.

And so we can't despise them. Now, one author has said this, listen carefully: "The essence of the Pharisee's prayer, if prayer it can be called, was not a confession of sin, nor an expression of need, but a thanksgiving, and this not for what God had done and had been for him, but for what he himself was. He was not like the rest of men, violent and corrupt, not even as the tax gatherer of whom he cannot speak without a tinge of contempt, 'this publican,' this tax collector." Well, if you can comprehend the pharisaical mentality, if you understand their self-righteous attitude and their vehement contempt for anyone who disagrees with them, and their absolute disdain for those who refuse to bow to them and their whims and their ideas and their opinions, then you're going to have a perfect picture of a modern-day politically correct social justice warrior. Look at Antifa. Look at Black Lives Matter. Look at all—I don't care what color, black, white, pink, purple. If it's a social justice—listen, we may be for justice, but it is for biblical justice and not someone's idea of what they consider justice to be. Goodness.

Stop and think, if you would please. What has happened in this country all down through the ages is there's been a group of individuals who thought that they had an absolute right to tell everybody else how to live, what to do, what to think, and how to die. I mean, that's social justice warrior. And if you do not bow to their whims and their ideas, you're considered the scum of the earth. I just read the other day where some social justice warrior out in California now, he had a glass shard in his hand and he threatened to kill a Trump supporter twice. And it showed a picture of him grinning with this evil grin and the glass shard in his hand. Look at the people that have been spit on and hit. Why? Because someone has their own idea of justice. And if you disagree with them, then you're the scum of the earth. So here's the Pharisee. Now, if you look down at the publican in verse 13. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Now, here's a vast difference between the Pharisee and the publican. The publican was a sinner. He knew he was a sinner. He knew that he did not deserve anything from God except justice, and he did not want that. He was so convicted of his own unworthiness, of his own wickedness, that he would not so much as even lift his eyes to heaven, but he smote himself on his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

His attitude, his actions, and his prayer all indicated genuine repentance. Now, I want you to hold Luke 18, but look in your Bibles, if you would, to Jeremiah chapter 31, and you will see this given to us very clearly in this passage. Jeremiah 31 and verse 19. Jeremiah 31, verse 19. Here it is. Jeremiah 31 verse 19:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:19

"Surely after that I was turned, I repented;" "and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."

But note, if you would, once God turns us to repentance and once you have repented and you're instructed, you get sorrowful and you get grief for your sins and you get ashamed. And that's what he said.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:19

"And even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."

And this is what this old publican is doing. He's smiting his breast and he's saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." The very fact that he did that expresses grief and sorrow for sin. Albert Barnes, in talking about the publican, says this: "The prayer of the publican was totally different from that of the Pharisee. He made no boast of his own righteousness toward God or man. He felt that he was a sinner, and feeling it, was willing to acknowledge it. This is the kind of prayer that is acceptable to God. When we are willing to confess and forsake our sins, we shall find mercy. The publican was willing to do this in any place, in the presence of any persons, amid the multitudes of the temple, or alone. He felt most that God was a witness of his actions, and he was willing, therefore, to confess his sins before Him. While we should not seek to do this publicly, yet we should be willing at all times to confess our manifold transgressions to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by God's infinite goodness and mercy."

"It is not dishonorable to make acknowledgment that we have done wrong. No man is so much dishonored as he who is a sinner and is not willing to confess it, as he who has done wrong and yet attempts to conceal the fault, thus adding hypocrisy to his other crimes as well." Well, there's a vast difference between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of the publican. There's a vast difference between their persons and their attitudes. The Pharisee is proud and haughty and arrogant and condemns others in his superior attitude.

Applications: Avoiding Pharisaism Today

Practical applications: deliverance from self-righteousness and despising others; warning against modern social justice warriors as Pharisees; call to humility and servant-heartedness.

He believes he has the knowledge. He believes he has the answer. He believes he is right. And yet this publican is humble and repentant and displays a sense of unworthiness and is broken and contrite. The publican took the attitude of Jacob in Genesis 32 and verse 10, where Jacob is praying to God. And he said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant."

And that is true. Anyone who's a real, genuine Christian understands that we're not worthy of any of God's mercies. Anything and everything that we have, we have only by the grace and the mercy of God. Anything and everything we ever will be and ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God.

And so, here this man is confessing and acknowledging it. I do not see how any real, genuine Christian can remain unhumbled. Now, that doesn't mean that pride is eradicated from our hearts. Everyone struggles with pride. It is a root sin. There's no two ways about that. But a real genuine Christian cannot come up and say, "Well, I deserve this." The only thing we deserve is justice, and we do not want justice. The publican is the one who is forgiven, not the Pharisee. If you're a genuine Christian, you cannot despise anyone. Now, listen to me.

You may not like the person. You may not agree with the person. There may be attitudes, there may be attributes, there may be things about that individual that you just do not like. But you don't despise them. I mean, that's the way God made them. And of course, you can teach them, you can rebuke them, you can do whatever is necessary to help them. But you don't necessarily despise. Why? Because every individual is created in the image of God. And God has a purpose for every individual. So obviously we cannot go around just despising people. We can certainly despise what they do. We can despise what they are, but we cannot despise them as individuals. Okay. Now we certainly cannot despise the brethren. Listen carefully.

First John 3 and verse 14: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." One of the ways that we know that we're real genuine Christians is we love the brethren. Do I agree with all the brethren? No. Do I like everything all the brethren do? No. But they don't like everything that I do and they don't agree with me. So? But we can still love each other and we can still get along with each other.

We cannot be a Pharisee. Now, let me make some applications. Here are two things that our Lord wants us to be delivered from: a self-righteous attitude and despising others. If you look in verse 14, it was the publican that our Lord says this concerning: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Let me tell you something. Here is a biblical fact and a biblical truth. You exalt yourself, you will get knocked down. Not only does the Bible say "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall," but the Bible also says in James 4 and verse 6,

Scripture Reading — James 4:6

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

And the word resisteth means He fights against the proud. So you become an arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, prideful individual, God will knock the wind out of your sails.

That's all there is to it. If you want to be exalted, he said, you humble yourself. I never will forget an illustration that I read years ago about an individual who had lived a Christian life many, many years. And he said, "I often thought in my Christian life that God placed His best gifts on the high shelf. And the more we grew, the more we were able to reach those gifts. He said, I discovered later that God's best gifts are on the lowest shelf. The more humble we are, the more gracious and beneficial those gifts."

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9

It was Calvin who said this: "There are two faults at which Christ glances and which he intended to condemn: wicked confidence in ourselves, and the pride of despising the brethren, the one of which springs out of the other. It is impossible that he who deceives himself with vain confidence should not lift himself up above his brethren, nor is it wonderful that he should be so. For how should that man not despise his equals who vaults against God himself? Every man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on an open war with God, to whom we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves, that is, by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness and relying on his mercy alone." And that's true. The second application of this: we need to make sure that we pray that we are to be delivered from the attitude as well as the actions of modern-day social justice warriors who are nothing more than Pharisees. May I remind you that there are Pharisees in the church, just like there are Pharisees in the political realm. When you get to 3 John, you read about a man by the name of Diotrephes. The Bible says that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. When the Apostle John went there and some of the other brethren, Diotrephes refused to receive them and he kicked many out of the church because they didn't agree with him. And he had control and he was going to show them that he was the one. May I remind you that our Lord came as a servant. In Matthew 20 and verse 28, he said, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." When you get to the book of Luke 22 and verse 27, he asked this question, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth?"

"But I am among you as he that serveth." So if we're going to take the attitude of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have to have a servant's attitude. The apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 2, he says this: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." So that means I should esteem Gary better than myself. Gary should esteem me better than himself. We should esteem David and Francis better than ourselves, they should esteem others, but in lowliness of mind, that's what he's saying. In other words, we are avoiding the doctrine of the Pharisees, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the attitude of the Pharisees, and the actions of the Pharisees. If you and I obey the word of God and bring our lives in conformity to it, we will never, ever be Pharisees. But when we begin to despise the brethren and we begin to take the attitude that we're smarter, we're more intelligent, we're more righteous, and we think that everyone should bow to us and follow us and do as we say, we are Pharisees.

Social justice warriors wanting something other than that which God has ordained. So Phariseeism is alive and well in the church of Jesus Christ. We need to guard ourselves and make sure that we do not become one of them. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, that you have told us that we are not to be self-righteous.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Self-Righteousness

Summary: The Pharisee trusted in his own righteousness based on external actions and his own standards, not God's grace.

Evidence: Verse 9: 'certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous' and the Pharisee's prayer listing his own deeds.

Hypocrisy

Summary: The Pharisees professed belief but lived contrary to it, focusing on externals while inwardly corrupt.

Evidence: Matthew 23:27-28: 'whited sepulchres... full of hypocrisy and iniquity'; Luke 12:1: 'leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy'.

Humility and Repentance

Summary: The publican's humble posture and prayer for mercy exemplify the attitude that leads to justification.

Evidence: Verse 13: 'standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes... God be merciful to me a sinner'; verse 14: 'this man went down to his house justified'.

Despising Others

Summary: Self-righteousness inevitably leads to contempt for those who do not meet one's own standards.

Evidence: Verse 9: 'despised others'; the Pharisee's prayer: 'or even as this publican'; Isaiah 65:5: 'Stand by thyself... I am holier than thou'.

Tradition vs. God's Word

Summary: The Pharisees elevated human traditions above Scripture, making God's Word ineffective.

Evidence: Mark 7 and Matthew 15: 'Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?'

God's Opposition to the Proud

Summary: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble; self-exaltation leads to abasement.

Evidence: Verse 14: 'every one that exalteth himself shall be abased'; James 4:6: 'God resisteth the proud'.

Key Arguments

Pharisaism persists in modern churches and politics.

Summary: The speaker argues that the same self-righteous, contemptuous spirit of the Pharisees is evident in contemporary Christians and social justice movements.

Evidence: References to 'Pharisaical Christians', modern-day social justice warriors, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and pastors who refuse fellowship with those who disagree.

Self-righteousness and despising others are inseparable.

Summary: Trusting in one's own righteousness inevitably leads to looking down on others who do not meet that standard.

Evidence: Verse 9: 'trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others'; explanation that if you hold yourself as the standard, you automatically despise others.

The Pharisee's prayer reveals pride, not piety.

Summary: The Pharisee's prayer was self-congratulatory, listing his own deeds and comparing himself favorably to others, rather than confessing sin.

Evidence: Verses 11-12: 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men... I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess'.

The publican's humility is the model for justification.

Summary: The publican's recognition of his sinfulness and plea for mercy, not his works, led to his justification.

Evidence: Verse 13: 'God be merciful to me a sinner'; verse 14: 'this man went down to his house justified rather than the other'.

True Christians cannot despise others.

Summary: Genuine believers love the brethren and recognize all are made in God's image, though they may disagree with actions or beliefs.

Evidence: 1 John 3:14: 'We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren'; explanation that we can despise what people do but not the individuals.

Humility is the path to exaltation.

Summary: God's principle is that those who humble themselves will be exalted, while the proud will be brought low.

Evidence: Verse 14: 'he that humbleth himself shall be exalted'; James 4:6; Proverbs 16:18.

Scripture References

Luke 18:9-14

Context: The primary text of the sermon, the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.

Matthew 16:1

Context: Pharisees and Sadducees tempting Jesus for a sign.

Mark 3:6

Context: Pharisees taking counsel with Herodians to destroy Jesus.

Matthew 3:7

Context: John the Baptist calling Pharisees and Sadducees a generation of vipers.

Matthew 5:20

Context: Jesus stating that righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the kingdom.

Acts 23:6-8

Context: Paul's strategy in the Sanhedrin, highlighting the doctrinal differences between Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 23:13-33

Context: Jesus' woes against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.

Matthew 16:6, 11-12

Context: Warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, identified as their doctrine.

Luke 12:1

Context: Leaven of the Pharisees identified as hypocrisy.

Acts 26:5

Context: Paul stating he lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect.

Philippians 3:6

Context: Paul's claim of being blameless according to the law's external righteousness.

John 7:45-49

Context: Pharisees' contempt for the people who know not the law, showing their smarter-than-thou attitude.

Job 12:2

Context: Job's sarcastic remark to his friends: 'No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.'

Isaiah 65:5

Context: God's disgust at those who say 'Stand by thyself... I am holier than thou.'

Jeremiah 31:19

Context: Repentance accompanied by smiting the thigh and shame, paralleling the publican's actions.

Genesis 32:10

Context: Jacob's prayer: 'I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies.'

1 John 3:14

Context: Evidence of passing from death to life is love for the brethren.

James 4:6

Context: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 16:18

Context: Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

3 John 1:9

Context: Diotrephes, who loved preeminence and refused to receive the brethren, as an example of a church Pharisee.

Historical References

Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians

Context: Three groups that opposed Jesus: Pharisees (fundamentalists believing in resurrection, angels, spirits), Sadducees (liberals denying resurrection, angels, spirits), Herodians (political party supporting Herod Antipas and Roman rule).

Herod Antipas and Roman Empire

Context: Herodians supported Herod Antipas, who ruled part of Palestine under Roman appointment from about 4 BC to AD 39.

Sanhedrin

Context: The council composed of Pharisees and Sadducees that condemned Jesus.

Publicans (tax collectors)

Context: Despised class employed by Rome to collect taxes, notorious for greed and extortion.

Zacchaeus

Context: A tax collector who, upon conversion, promised to restore fourfold anything taken by false accusation.

John Trapp (Puritan commentator)

Context: Quoted summarizing the Pharisee's prayer: 'He shows not his want, but his worth.'

Albert Barnes (commentator)

Context: Quoted on the Pharisee's prayer having an appearance of religion and on the publican's acceptable prayer of confession.

John Calvin (Reformer)

Context: Quoted on the two faults of wicked self-confidence and pride of despising brethren, and the war with God inherent in self-confidence.

Antifa and Black Lives Matter

Context: Mentioned as modern examples of social justice warriors with a pharisaical mentality.

Important Quotes

The Pharisees are alive and well.

Significance: Central thesis of the sermon, asserting the contemporary relevance of the pharisaical spirit.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

Significance: Key verse identifying the dual sins of self-righteousness and contempt that the parable addresses.

God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Significance: The Pharisee's prayer exemplifying self-righteousness and despising of others.

God be merciful to me a sinner.

Significance: The publican's humble plea, contrasting with the Pharisee's pride and leading to justification.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Significance: Jesus' conclusion on the parable, establishing the principle of humility leading to exaltation.

Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Significance: Jesus' warning to disciples about the pervasive, corrupting influence of false doctrine and hypocrisy.

Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

Significance: God's strong disapproval of the holier-than-thou attitude, directly applicable to the Pharisee's spirit.

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Significance: Foundational biblical principle that God actively opposes the proud, reinforcing the call to humility.

Discussion Questions

In what ways might we unknowingly adopt a pharisaical attitude of self-righteousness in our own lives?

Context: The sermon emphasizes that Pharisees trusted in their own moral code and standards. How can we examine our hearts for similar tendencies?

How does despising others manifest in modern church contexts, and what does genuine love for the brethren look like when we disagree?

Context: The speaker notes that Pharisees despised those who didn't live or believe as they did. How can we maintain unity without compromising truth?

What is the difference between being thankful for God's restraining grace and falling into the Pharisee's error of comparing ourselves favorably to others?

Context: Albert Barnes is quoted saying it's not wrong to thank God for keeping us from gross sins, but it must be done humbly. How do we strike that balance?

How can we identify and resist the 'leaven' of false doctrine and hypocrisy in our own beliefs and practices?

Context: Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees. What steps can we take to ensure our traditions don't override Scripture?

In what ways might social justice movements today reflect a pharisaical spirit, and how should Christians respond?

Context: The speaker compares modern social justice warriors to Pharisees. How do we pursue biblical justice without adopting a self-righteous, contemptuous attitude?

What does the publican's prayer teach us about the nature of true repentance and the posture of heart that God accepts?

Context: The publican wouldn't lift his eyes and smote his breast. How does this physical expression relate to inner contrition?

How does the principle 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble' practically work out in our daily walk with God?

Context: The sermon states that God actively fights against the proud. What might that look like, and how can we cultivate humility?

What are some practical ways we can esteem others better than ourselves, as Philippians 2 commands, especially when we disagree with them?

Context: The application calls for a servant's attitude. How can we live this out in our families, workplaces, and church?

Applications

Examine your heart for self-righteousness.

Summary: Believers must guard against trusting in their own moral code or standards for righteousness, recognizing that all righteousness comes from Christ.

Evidence: Verse 9: 'trusted in themselves that they were righteous'; the Pharisee's prayer listing his own deeds as basis for acceptance.

Reject a despising attitude toward others.

Summary: Christians should not hold contempt for those who differ in beliefs or lifestyle, but love them as image-bearers of God.

Evidence: Verse 9: 'despised others'; 1 John 3:14; explanation that we can despise actions but not individuals.

Cultivate humility and repentance.

Summary: Like the publican, believers should acknowledge their sinfulness and unworthiness, relying solely on God's mercy.

Evidence: Verse 13: 'God be merciful to me a sinner'; verse 14: 'he that humbleth himself shall be exalted'.

Beware of elevating tradition above Scripture.

Summary: Ensure that church traditions and personal interpretations do not nullify or supersede the clear teaching of God's Word.

Evidence: Mark 7: 'making the word of God of none effect through your tradition'; warning about leaven of doctrine.

Adopt a servant's heart, not a domineering spirit.

Summary: Follow Christ's example of serving others rather than seeking preeminence or control, as Diotrephes did.

Evidence: Matthew 20:28; Luke 22:27; Philippians 2:3; 3 John 1:9.

Resist the pharisaical spirit in social and political engagement.

Summary: While pursuing justice, avoid the self-righteous, coercive tactics of modern social justice warriors that mirror the Pharisees' contempt.

Evidence: Comparison of modern movements to Pharisees who imposed their standards and despised dissenters.

Pray with genuine humility, not self-congratulation.

Summary: Model prayers after the publican's confession of need rather than the Pharisee's boastful listing of accomplishments.

Evidence: Contrast between the two prayers in verses 11-13.

Love the brethren despite disagreements.

Summary: Demonstrate genuine Christian love by maintaining fellowship with other believers even when they hold different opinions on non-essential matters.

Evidence: 1 John 3:14; rebuke of pastors who refuse fellowship over disagreements.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:53:15Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:11:17Z

Clean Transcript

The Pharisees Are Alive And Well

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Luke chapter 18. Luke chapter 18, and we're going to read verses 9 through 14. Luke chapter 18, verses 9 through 14. The title of the message is "The Pharisees Are Alive and Well." So notice, if you would please, Luke chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9. Our Lord is speaking, and the Bible said, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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."
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"I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
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Pharisaism is alive and well. We tend to think that the Pharisees died out many, many years ago, but that certainly is not true. In fact, our Lord in the New Testament warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees. It was the Pharisees, along with the Sadducees and the Herodians, that led the attack against the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, later on, even the Apostle Paul and some of the other apostles as well, but the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians always tried to entrap our Lord in his words, and then they tried to provoke him to get him to say things in order that they may charge him with some particular crime.
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They were unrelenting, they were cruel, and they were vicious. Now let me give you several passages just so you can understand, and I'm going to talk about these three groups momentarily. But in Matthew 16 and verse 1, the Bible says, "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven." So here you have the Pharisees and the Sadducees together. When you get to Mark 3 and verse 6, the Bible says, "And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him." So now you have the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and Herodians. And John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, did not mince words when he saw the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, for he said in Matthew 3 and verse 7, "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"
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So he called them a bunch of serpents, a bunch of snakes. And he said, "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Of course, later on our Lord tells us that they cannot escape the damnation as well. But if you will turn in your Bibles—hold Luke 18—but if you will turn to Matthew chapter 5 and verse 20, you'll see that our Lord certainly did not think too much of the Pharisees, and especially of their pretended righteousness. For in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 20, our Lord made this statement. Watch carefully, Matthew 5 verse 20. He said, "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." You have to remember that all the Pharisees had was merely external and physical.
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Because of their misinterpretation of the word of God and the law of God, they thought as long as they had never stuck a knife in someone's heart, they were not guilty of murder, because they limited everything to the externals. And our Lord, of course, corrected all that. He said, "He that hateth his brother in his heart is guilty of murder" as well. But I want to point out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day in which Christ lived. And when I say the fundamentalists, I mean this.
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At least they professed to believe the truth. They professed to believe the law. They did not really believe it, but they professed to believe it. They also believed in the resurrection. They also believed in angels and spirits. So the Pharisees would be counted the fundamentalists; the Sadducees would be counted the liberals. For instance, if you will turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 23 and look at verse 8, and hold that passage because we'll look at a few more verses momentarily. But look at Acts 23 and verse 8, the Bible says, "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both." So the Sadducees then were the ones who denied the bodily resurrection from the dead. They denied angels, they denied spirit beings, et cetera. The Pharisees would be considered the fundamentalists. The Sadducees would be considered the liberals.
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And now you have the Herodians. The Herodians were basically a political party, even though they were basically made up of what you and I would call Hellenistic Jews, that is, Jews that had been influenced by Greek culture and philosophy. The Herodians held political power. And most scholars believe that the Herodians were just simply a political party that supported King Herod Antipas. Now the Herodians ruled Palestine from about 4 BC to AD 39. You have to remember also that Herod was ruling over a certain portion of Palestine, but he was appointed by the Roman emperor. So the Herodians then were people who supported Herod. Directly and indirectly, they supported the Roman Empire because Herod was appointed by the Roman Empire. So they were the ones who gave in to what you and I would call political expediency.
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Now, I want you to understand this. The Herodians controlled politics. The Sadducees controlled the temple. The Pharisees controlled the people. And so now you have the political power, the religious power, and the popular power all directed against the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now, you have to remember this. Each one of these groups desired to maintain their own position and their own power. And consequently, they were against anyone or anything that would hinder or threaten their power at all. So it was the Pharisees and the Sadducees that plotted against Jesus Christ. It was the Sanhedrin that was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees that condemned Christ. And it was the Roman government, of which Herod was a representative, that crucified Jesus Christ.
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So if you look in Acts chapter 23, and let's read verses 6 and 7, just to show you that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were involved in the Sanhedrin. Notice if you would verse 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. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided." And then verse 8, "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both." So the apostle Paul used a little strategy in the council there. When he saw that there were two conflicting groups, he said, "Well, look, I'm on this side."
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And of course, he then got them fussing and feuding between themselves. But our Lord certainly did not consider the Pharisees to be biblical in any sense of the word. If you look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 23, let me read a passage just to show you how our Lord condemns the Pharisees. Now He also condemns the scribes. The scribes were those who were supposed to be transcribing Scripture, but usually these were transcribing the traditions of the elders and the interpretations rather than the Scripture. And so if you look in Matthew 23 beginning there with verse 13, look what he says and notice all these woes. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple,
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it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon."
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"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."
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"Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
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Now, I think just simply by reading that passage, you can understand that the Pharisees were wicked, wicked people. They were wicked in far more ways than one. Their theology was wrong. Their attitude was wrong. Their lives were wrong. Their applications were wrong. Even what they considered right was wrong. Everything about them was wrong. So the Pharisees do not need and should not be emulated at all. Since we understand their doctrine was wrong and everything about them was wrong, here's a question.
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And I want you to listen carefully because I'm going to try to answer this for you. If everything about the Pharisees is wrong, and if everything about the Pharisees were condemned by Christ—each thing was condemned by Christ—why are there so many Pharisees in the church today? And why are there so many Pharisees in political circles today?
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Now, years ago, I preached a message from Matthew 15 and Mark 7, which I entitled "Pharisaical Christians." And I went down through those passages and demonstrated how many professing Christians are nothing more than Pharisees. Maybe I need to re-preach that message. I haven't preached it in many, many years. But our Lord gave very serious warnings concerning the Pharisees. I want you to look in Matthew chapter 16.
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And let's begin there reading with verse 6. I will not take time to read the entire passage, but I want you to see this. Look at Matthew chapter 16 in verse 6. "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Now he's telling his disciples they need to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Well, they begin to reason it's because they didn't bring any bread. But if you'll skip down to verses 11 and 12, our Lord corrects their false reasoning. And he asked, "How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." So now our Lord is condemning their doctrine, that is, their false teaching. It is called leaven. It is called that which is wrong, that which is wicked.
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Now, if you would turn over to Luke chapter 12, there's even more concerning the leaven of the Pharisees. Luke 12 and verse 1. Note, if you would, what he says here. Luke 12 and verse 1: "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." So the leaven of the Pharisees is wrong doctrine and hypocrisy as well. We should never fall into the trap of Pharisaism with wrong doctrine. And we should never fall into the trap of Pharisaism with hypocrisy as well. You see, what they did, if you would read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, they took their traditions, they took humanism, they took what they had been taught and placed it above the Word of God.
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In fact, they asked our Lord, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." And our Lord looked at them and said, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" In other words, you make the Word of God of none effect with your tradition. So they placed their tradition above the Word of God. So obviously, we have many Pharisees today who want to follow tradition more than anything else. I've always said tradition can be a blessing if it is biblical, but it can be a curse if it is unbiblical. And usually most people do things because that's the way we've always done things. That's the way it's been done.
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We could care less about truth. But our Lord, in this text of Luke chapter 18, reveals, I think, even some more stunning details about Pharisees. The Pharisees, like I pointed out, not only were wrong doctrinally, but they were hypocrites. They professed one thing, and they lived something totally and completely different. But I want you to look in Luke chapter 18 in our text, and I want to talk to you just momentarily about the Pharisee and the publican.
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But watch, if you would please, verse 9. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican."
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Now, before I go further, and I'm going to repeat this several times, I want you to note there are two things that go together always. He said in verse 9, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." In other words, if you hold yourself as the standard, if you believe you are the number one, if you're the apex, if you're the height, then you're going to automatically despise everyone else because no one else is going to measure up to your particular standards, you see. So these two things always go together.
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Now, I pointed out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day. You remember, it was the apostle Paul who stated in Acts 26 and verse 5, he said, "Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." So even the Pharisees had different sects or divisions in them. And Paul said, "I was raised under the strictest sect of the Pharisees."
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So our Lord in this passage is talking about a Pharisee that goes up to pray. Now, let me just point this out again. You remember the Pharisees, as I said earlier, believed mostly in externals, in that which was physical. You remember Paul was giving his list in Philippians chapter 3, I think it is, where he said, "...touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Now, was the Apostle Paul blameless in touching the law? Of course not.
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But according to his pharisaical interpretation, he would have said yes, you see, because if they had not taken a knife and plunged it in someone's heart, then they did not view themselves guilty of murder, et cetera. So the Pharisees just emphasized totally the externals, okay?
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Now, I want you to watch this. So here's the Pharisee that goes up to pray, and the next one is the publican.
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Now, the publicans were the most despised of all people. Now, the Greek word for publican is actually derived from the word telones, which literally refers to a tax collector or a collector of tolls, one employed by, in this instance, the Roman government to collect taxes. The collectors as a class were detested and despised because not only of what they did, but their greed and their destruction of people.
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Much like the IRS today. You know, I'm just simply saying, here's what these tax collectors would do. If the Roman government came up to Steve and said, "Well, your taxes are 100 bucks." If I am a tax collector, I would tell Steve, "Your taxes are 200 bucks." And that means I'd only get paid by the Roman government. I now steal 100 bucks from him. They were notorious thieves.
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Do you remember when Zacchaeus got converted? He said, "...if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." No, he had stolen as well. So these people were hated; they were absolutely despised. So here is a Pharisee on the one hand and here's a publican on the other hand. Now, the Pharisees, if you look in your Bibles at verse 9, Luke 18 verse 9, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." So our Lord is saying that the Pharisee is someone who trusts in himself. In other words, he has his own moral code. He has his own standard of righteousness, his own standard of holiness, his own standard of perfection.
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So let me put it to you like this. I can be as holy as I want to be, as long as you allow me to define holiness. See, I can be as righteous as I want to be, as long as I can define righteousness. I can jump flat-footed from the floor 20 feet straight up in the air, as long as you let me define 20 feet.
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So the Pharisees then had their own standard. They had their own traditions. They had their own interpretations. And they considered themselves absolutely right and righteous. Listen carefully. Therefore, you are not allowed to disagree with them. If you disagreed with them, you were wrong. You were wicked. You were evil. They were right.
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Now, the word righteous here is the Greek word dikaios, which actually means that which is righteous, that which is just, that which is meet. And the word righteous is used different ways in scripture. But in this particular instance, it is used to show their unrighteousness. They said they were righteous, but in reality, they were unrighteous. So they trusted in themselves. They trusted in their own moral code. They trusted in their own interpretation. They trusted in their own interpretations and their own traditions.
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And they believed, therefore, that they were accepted by God. They prided themselves on their knowledge, on their understanding, and their position. They prided themselves on their virtue, whether that virtue was either real or imagined. So, it's not only now the sense of pride and arrogance and haughtiness that is being condemned by our Lord, but the very fact that they despised others. They despised others who were not Pharisees.
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Let me put it to you like this. They despised others who did not live like they lived. They despised others who did not believe like they believed. They despised others who would not bow to them and submit to them. The truth of the matter is, the Pharisee believed that he was almost one of the untouchables like they had in India. You remember that time when the woman came unto our Lord. He was sitting at a table of a Pharisee.
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And she began to weep and wash his feet with her tears and dried with her hair. And the old Pharisee sat over there and said, "This man cannot be of God. For if he was, he would not allow this woman to touch him." Hmm. "If he was really God, he would know what kind of woman this is. He would not allow her to touch him."
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And our Lord said, "Simon, let me ask you a question." And I'll paraphrase it for you. "Here's someone that owes you ten thousand dollars. And here's someone that owes you one dollar. And you frankly forgive them both. Which one is going to love you the most?" Well, he said, "I suppose the one for whom I forgave the most." He said, "You're right. And this woman whose sins are many are forgiven." In other words, you love little because you think you sin little. She loved much because she knew she's a great sinner and she's been forgiven. So here's the Pharisees.
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Now, they just despise anyone who did not live the way they live and act the way they act and believe what they believe. Now, if you want to see the absolute contempt that the Pharisees had for others, then you need to look, if you would please, at verse 9 again. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." Now the word despised is the Greek word exoutheneo, which is translated in our Bibles as "to despise." But it means not only to despise, but to set at nought, to esteem the least, to hold in contempt.
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Let me kind of put it to you very plainly. What it means is this. It means that you look at people and you say that they are no account. They're absolutely worthless. They're useless. And all you have for that individual is absolute contempt. And that's exactly what this word meant. So this Pharisee then even looked down at this publican and held him in great disdain and contempt as well.
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Now to show you the attitude of the Pharisees. They not only had a holier-than-thou attitude, they also had a smarter-than-thou attitude. In other words, we know and you don't. We understand and you don't. I want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 7. Let me show you. John chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 45. Now, the Pharisees had sent the soldiers to arrest Christ, and they came back without him. John chapter 7, look in verse 45. "Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?" We sent you to arrest him. Why have you not brought him? "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." Now watch. "Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?"
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Are you out of your mind? Are you crazy? Watch this. Verse 48. "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." Did you see what they just said? They just said, "Are you deceived? You don't know what we know. If you knew what we knew, you'd have arrested him. If you believed like we believe, you'd have brought him back. Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed? Of course not. And the people who know not the law are cursed." Well, that was not God's law. That was their interpretation of God's law.
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And therefore, they are assuming this holier-than-thou, smarter-than-thou attitude. And anyone who disagrees with them happens to be a curse. I think of that passage in Job chapter 12, verse 2. I quote it often. It's one of my favorite verses. Job's three insolent friends who actually came to comfort him ended up condemning him. Job 12:2, Job said to his friends, "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you." In other words, you know it all. And when you're dead, it's all gone.
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Well, that was the Pharisees. They knew it all. And if you didn't agree with them, you were just a dumb, ignorant, cursed individual. It's just that simple.
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Now, let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 65. Hold Luke 18. Look in Isaiah 65. Here is the attitude of a Pharisee. Watch carefully. Isaiah 65 and verse 5, and this is a stench and a smoke in God's nostrils. He says so. Look in Isaiah 65 and verse 5, "Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day." So what did they say? "Stand by thyself, don't come near me, I'm holier than you."
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And that is, you know, that's what these people would do. Look at me. That's why they prayed in public. That's why they gave in public. They wanted everybody to look at them and see how holy they really were.
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Now, what our Lord does in Luke 18 is he demonstrates the pharisaical attitude when he demonstrates the differences between the prayers of the Pharisee and the publican. So, let's look at them. Look, if you would please, at verses 11 and 12. Here is the prayer of the Pharisee. "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."
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"I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."
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Now, I like to read this. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself." He probably just prayed to himself. He may have been addressing God and he said, "God, I thank thee." But he just prayed. And here you see the pride of his heart and the justification of his own self in his self-righteousness. He coughs out scorn and contempt for this publican. He demonstrates his own attitude of superiority when he said, "I thank thee that I'm not as other men. I'm not unjust," but he was. "I'm not an extortioner," but he was. "I'm not an adulterer," but he was.
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"Or even as this publican." And then he said, "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Well, here's a man that prayed with himself. Probably he even stood by himself. He probably would not even be close to this publican. And so he's just simply praying by himself and acknowledging his own self-righteousness. It seems to me that this attitude is very prevalent today. I know Christians who will not associate with other Christians because they don't believe exactly the way they believe. I know pastors who will not associate with other pastors because they don't agree with them. And not only do they castigate them, but they encourage other people not to fellowship with them either because they disagree with them. Wow. If that's not a pharisaical attitude, I don't know what in the world is.
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It seems like the modern day Pharisees, like the Pharisees of old, have forgotten some of the seven things that God hates that are listed in Proverbs chapter 6. And he goes on to say in the last thing there that God hates is "a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Old John Trapp, the Puritan, summarized the Pharisee's prayer when he says this, "He shows not his want, but his worth, and stands not only upon his comparisons, but upon his disparisons."
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"I am not as this publican." He declared not his wants, but his worth. "Lord, look at me, God. I'm just not like other men. And I do this and I do this and I do this." Albert Barnes, in his commentary, says this about the Pharisee. He says, "There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an appearance of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him and that he had a right to his gratitude for it. Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion of any class of men."
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"They know the truth and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion and who may be really wrong. We're not to judge of the piety of men by the fact that they admit the truth or even that they use it often in their prayers. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that He's kept us from the gross sins which other men commit."
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"But it should be done—but it should not be done in an ostentatious manner, nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees." So Barnes is saying it is not right—or it is not wrong, I should say—for a man to be thankful that he's not engaged in the sins of others. I tell people I'm thankful that God has saved some dopeheads. I'm thankful God has saved some drunkards. I'm thankful that God has saved whoremongers. But let me tell you something. The same God that saves the drunkards and the dopeheads and the whoremongers can equally save those who've never committed those sins. This is what Barnes is saying. You can be thankful that you don't engage in some of those sins.
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I remember when I joined up in the military. I was 17 years old. My father had to sign for me. I had just gotten out of high school. And I was standing with my father at the bus station waiting to go to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. And one of my father's friends—and I don't know who he was. I wish I did know. I'm sure he's dead now. But when he found out I was heading for Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he looked at me, he said, "Son, do you smoke?" I said, "No, sir."
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He said, "Do you drink?" I said, "No, sir." He said, "Do you chase women?" I said, "No, sir." He looked at me, he said, "When you come out, you'll be doing all three." Well, although I'd been raised in church, I was really not saved until later on. I looked at him and I said, "No, sir, not me." And God just used that to, I guess, put a little glue in my backbone, because I never smoked. I've never had a beer in my entire life. I've never even tasted a beer. Don't want one. And the only woman I chased, I caught, and I've kept her. So, I mean, you know, I can be thankful I haven't done any of those things, but that doesn't mean that I'm better than someone. You know, God just sovereignly withheld me in those areas. But I can't look down on somebody who's done some of those things because, you know, I often think Frank Kersey and I were born the same day, same year, and we had so much in common.
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And I've been—Frank and I have talked about this. Frank has had heart surgery. He's had brain surgery. He's had all kind of problems. I've never had a problem, period. Yeah. But you know, God brought him through, and here's what I said: God sovereignly brought you through all of those things, and He has sovereignly kept me from going through all of those things. And I'm just as thankful that He brought you through them as I am that He kept me from them. So we can be thankful that God has kept us from certain sins, but that does not make us any better or more righteous than someone else.
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And so we can't despise them. Now, one author has said this, listen carefully: "The essence of the Pharisee's prayer, if prayer it can be called, was not a confession of sin, nor an expression of need, but a thanksgiving, and this not for what God had done and had been for him, but for what he himself was. He was not like the rest of men, violent and corrupt, not even as the tax gatherer of whom he cannot speak without a tinge of contempt, 'this publican,' this tax collector."
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Well, if you can comprehend the pharisaical mentality, if you understand their self-righteous attitude and their vehement contempt for anyone who disagrees with them, and their absolute disdain for those who refuse to bow to them and their whims and their ideas and their opinions, then you're going to have a perfect picture of a modern-day politically correct social justice warrior. Look at Antifa. Look at Black Lives Matter. Look at all—I don't care what color, black, white, pink, purple. If it's a social justice—listen, we may be for justice, but it is for biblical justice and not someone's idea of what they consider justice to be. Goodness.
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Stop and think, if you would please. What has happened in this country all down through the ages is there's been a group of individuals who thought that they had an absolute right to tell everybody else how to live, what to do, what to think, and how to die. I mean, that's social justice warrior. And if you do not bow to their whims and their ideas, you're considered the scum of the earth. I just read the other day where some social justice warrior out in California now, he had a glass shard in his hand and he threatened to kill a Trump supporter twice. And it showed a picture of him grinning with this evil grin and the glass shard in his hand.
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Look at the people that have been spit on and hit. Why? Because someone has their own idea of justice. And if you disagree with them, then you're the scum of the earth. So here's the Pharisee. Now, if you look down at the publican in verse 13. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Now, here's a vast difference between the Pharisee and the publican. The publican was a sinner. He knew he was a sinner. He knew that he did not deserve anything from God except justice, and he did not want that. He was so convicted of his own unworthiness, of his own wickedness, that he would not so much as even lift his eyes to heaven, but he smote himself on his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
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His attitude, his actions, and his prayer all indicated genuine repentance. Now, I want you to hold Luke 18, but look in your Bibles, if you would, to Jeremiah chapter 31, and you will see this given to us very clearly in this passage. Jeremiah 31 and verse 19. Jeremiah 31, verse 19. Here it is. Jeremiah 31 verse 19: "Surely after that I was turned, I repented;"
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"and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." But note, if you would, once God turns us to repentance and once you have repented and you're instructed, you get sorrowful and you get grief for your sins and you get ashamed. And that's what he said. "And even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."
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And this is what this old publican is doing. He's smiting his breast and he's saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." The very fact that he did that expresses grief and sorrow for sin. Albert Barnes, in talking about the publican, says this: "The prayer of the publican was totally different from that of the Pharisee. He made no boast of his own righteousness toward God or man. He felt that he was a sinner, and feeling it, was willing to acknowledge it. This is the kind of prayer that is acceptable to God. When we are willing to confess and forsake our sins, we shall find mercy. The publican was willing to do this in any place, in the presence of any persons, amid the multitudes of the temple, or alone. He felt most that God was a witness of his actions, and he was willing, therefore, to confess his sins before Him. While we should not seek to do this publicly, yet we should be willing at all times to confess our manifold transgressions to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by God's infinite goodness and mercy."
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"It is not dishonorable to make acknowledgment that we have done wrong. No man is so much dishonored as he who is a sinner and is not willing to confess it, as he who has done wrong and yet attempts to conceal the fault, thus adding hypocrisy to his other crimes as well." Well, there's a vast difference between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of the publican. There's a vast difference between their persons and their attitudes. The Pharisee is proud and haughty and arrogant and condemns others in his superior attitude.
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He believes he has the knowledge. He believes he has the answer. He believes he is right. And yet this publican is humble and repentant and displays a sense of unworthiness and is broken and contrite. The publican took the attitude of Jacob in Genesis 32 and verse 10, where Jacob is praying to God. And he said, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant." And that is true. Anyone who's a real, genuine Christian understands that we're not worthy of any of God's mercies. Anything and everything that we have, we have only by the grace and the mercy of God. Anything and everything we ever will be and ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God.
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And so, here this man is confessing and acknowledging it. I do not see how any real, genuine Christian can remain unhumbled.
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Now, that doesn't mean that pride is eradicated from our hearts. Everyone struggles with pride. It is a root sin. There's no two ways about that. But a real genuine Christian cannot come up and say, "Well, I deserve this." The only thing we deserve is justice, and we do not want justice. The publican is the one who is forgiven, not the Pharisee. If you're a genuine Christian, you cannot despise anyone. Now, listen to me.
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You may not like the person. You may not agree with the person. There may be attitudes, there may be attributes, there may be things about that individual that you just do not like. But you don't despise them. I mean, that's the way God made them. And of course, you can teach them, you can rebuke them, you can do whatever is necessary to help them. But you don't necessarily despise. Why? Because every individual is created in the image of God. And God has a purpose for every individual. So obviously we cannot go around just despising people. We can certainly despise what they do. We can despise what they are, but we cannot despise them as individuals. Okay. Now we certainly cannot despise the brethren. Listen carefully.
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First John 3 and verse 14: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." One of the ways that we know that we're real genuine Christians is we love the brethren. Do I agree with all the brethren? No. Do I like everything all the brethren do? No. But they don't like everything that I do and they don't agree with me. So? But we can still love each other and we can still get along with each other.
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We cannot be a Pharisee. Now, let me make some applications. Here are two things that our Lord wants us to be delivered from: a self-righteous attitude and despising others. If you look in verse 14, it was the publican that our Lord says this concerning: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Let me tell you something.
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Here is a biblical fact and a biblical truth. You exalt yourself, you will get knocked down. Not only does the Bible say "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall," but the Bible also says in James 4 and verse 6, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." And the word resisteth means He fights against the proud. So you become an arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, prideful individual, God will knock the wind out of your sails.
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That's all there is to it. If you want to be exalted, he said, you humble yourself. I never will forget an illustration that I read years ago about an individual who had lived a Christian life many, many years. And he said, "I often thought in my Christian life that God placed His best gifts on the high shelf. And the more we grew, the more we were able to reach those gifts. He said, I discovered later that God's best gifts are on the lowest shelf. The more humble we are, the more gracious and beneficial those gifts."
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It was Calvin who said this: "There are two faults at which Christ glances and which he intended to condemn: wicked confidence in ourselves, and the pride of despising the brethren, the one of which springs out of the other. It is impossible that he who deceives himself with vain confidence should not lift himself up above his brethren, nor is it wonderful that he should be so. For how should that man not despise his equals who vaults against God himself? Every man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on an open war with God, to whom we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves, that is, by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness and relying on his mercy alone." And that's true.
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The second application of this: we need to make sure that we pray that we are to be delivered from the attitude as well as the actions of modern-day social justice warriors who are nothing more than Pharisees. May I remind you that there are Pharisees in the church, just like there are Pharisees in the political realm. When you get to 3 John, you read about a man by the name of Diotrephes. The Bible says that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. When the Apostle John went there and some of the other brethren, Diotrephes refused to receive them and he kicked many out of the church because they didn't agree with him. And he had control and he was going to show them that he was the one. May I remind you that our Lord came as a servant. In Matthew 20 and verse 28, he said, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." When you get to the book of Luke 22 and verse 27, he asked this question, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth?"
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"But I am among you as he that serveth." So if we're going to take the attitude of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have to have a servant's attitude. The apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 2, he says this: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." So that means I should esteem Gary better than myself. Gary should esteem me better than himself. We should esteem David and Francis better than ourselves, they should esteem others, but in lowliness of mind, that's what he's saying. In other words, we are avoiding the doctrine of the Pharisees, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the attitude of the Pharisees, and the actions of the Pharisees. If you and I obey the word of God and bring our lives in conformity to it, we will never, ever be Pharisees. But when we begin to despise the brethren and we begin to take the attitude that we're smarter, we're more intelligent, we're more righteous, and we think that everyone should bow to us and follow us and do as we say, we are Pharisees.
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Social justice warriors wanting something other than that which God has ordained. So Phariseeism is alive and well in the church of Jesus Christ. We need to guard ourselves and make sure that we do not become one of them. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, that you have told us that we are not to be self-righteous.
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We're not to despise the brethren. You've told us, Lord, that we should be holy and godly and that our lives should be conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:53:15Z

The Pharisees Are Alive And Well

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver examines the parable of the Pharisee and the publican in Luke 18:9-14, arguing that the self-righteous, contemptuous spirit of the Pharisees persists in modern churches and political movements. He contrasts the Pharisee's prideful prayer with the publican's humble repentance, emphasizing that God justifies the humble and resists the proud. The sermon warns against trusting in one's own righteousness, despising others, and adopting the hypocritical, tradition-elevating attitudes of the Pharisees, calling believers to a servant-hearted humility.

Introduction to the Parable and the Pharisees

Reading of Luke 18:9-14 and introduction to the parable. The speaker asserts that Pharisaism is still present today, contrary to common belief.

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:9-14

"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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." "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Historical Context of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians

Description of the three groups that opposed Jesus: Pharisees (fundamentalists), Sadducees (liberals), and Herodians (political party). Their combined opposition and control over different spheres.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:1

"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven."

So he called them a bunch of serpents, a bunch of snakes. And he said,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 3:7

"Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

Jesus' Condemnation of the Pharisees

Reading of Matthew 23 woes against the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy, false teaching, and external righteousness.

So if you look in Acts chapter 23, and let's read verses 6 and 7, just to show you that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were involved in the Sanhedrin. Notice if you would verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Acts 23:6-8

"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. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided."

And then verse 8,

Scripture Reading — Acts 23:6-8

"For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both."

So the apostle Paul used a little strategy in the council there. When he saw that there were two conflicting groups, he said, "Well, look, I'm on this side."

The Leaven of the Pharisees: Doctrine and Hypocrisy

Explanation of Jesus' warning about the leaven of the Pharisees from Matthew 16 and Luke 12, identifying it as false doctrine and hypocrisy. The Pharisees elevated tradition above God's Word.

And let's begin there reading with verse 6. I will not take time to read the entire passage, but I want you to see this. Look at Matthew chapter 16 in verse 6.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:6, 11-12

"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 16:6, 11-12

"How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

So now our Lord is condemning their doctrine, that is, their false teaching. It is called leaven. It is called that which is wrong, that which is wicked.

Now, if you would turn over to Luke chapter 12, there's even more concerning the leaven of the Pharisees. Luke 12 and verse 1. Note, if you would, what he says here. Luke 12 and verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:1

"In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

The Pharisee's Prayer: Self-Righteousness and Contempt

Analysis of the Pharisee's prayer in Luke 18:11-12, showing his trust in himself, his moral code, and his despising of others, especially the publican.

Now, I pointed out that the Pharisees were considered the fundamentalists of the day. You remember, it was the apostle Paul who stated in Acts 26 and verse 5, he said,

Scripture Reading — Acts 26:5

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

Well, that was the Pharisees. They knew it all. And if you didn't agree with them, you were just a dumb, ignorant, cursed individual. It's just that simple.

The Publican's Prayer: Humility and Repentance

Contrast with the publican's prayer in Luke 18:13, demonstrating genuine repentance, unworthiness, and a plea for mercy. The publican is justified, not the Pharisee.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:19

"Surely after that I was turned, I repented;" "and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:19

"And even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."

Applications: Avoiding Pharisaism Today

Practical applications: deliverance from self-righteousness and despising others; warning against modern social justice warriors as Pharisees; call to humility and servant-heartedness.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:10

"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant."

Scripture Reading — James 4:6

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

And the word resisteth means He fights against the proud. So you become an arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, prideful individual, God will knock the wind out of your sails.

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9

It was Calvin who said this: "There are two faults at which Christ glances and which he intended to condemn: wicked confidence in ourselves, and the pride of despising the brethren, the one of which springs out of the other. It is impossible that he who deceives himself with vain confidence should not lift himself up above his brethren, nor is it wonderful that he should be so. For how should that man not despise his equals who vaults against God himself? Every man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on an open war with God, to whom we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves, that is, by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness and relying on his mercy alone." And that's true. The second application of this: we need to make sure that we pray that we are to be delivered from the attitude as well as the actions of modern-day social justice warriors who are nothing more than Pharisees. May I remind you that there are Pharisees in the church, just like there are Pharisees in the political realm. When you get to 3 John, you read about a man by the name of Diotrephes. The Bible says that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. When the Apostle John went there and some of the other brethren, Diotrephes refused to receive them and he kicked many out of the church because they didn't agree with him. And he had control and he was going to show them that he was the one. May I remind you that our Lord came as a servant. In Matthew 20 and verse 28, he said, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." When you get to the book of Luke 22 and verse 27, he asked this question, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth?"

The Pharisees Are Alive And Well

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	DggbyJCnFkc
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-01-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 081: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 1 — Chapter 24
Source Timed Segments	79

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to the Parable and the Pharisees: Reading of Luke 18:9-14 and introduction to the parable. The speaker asserts that Pharisaism is still present today, contrary to common belief.
Historical Context of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians: Description of the three groups that opposed Jesus: Pharisees (fundamentalists), Sadducees (liberals), and Herodians (political party). Their combined opposition and control over different spheres.
Jesus' Condemnation of the Pharisees: Reading of Matthew 23 woes against the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy, false teaching, and external righteousness.
The Leaven of the Pharisees: Doctrine and Hypocrisy: Explanation of Jesus' warning about the leaven of the Pharisees from Matthew 16 and Luke 12, identifying it as false doctrine and hypocrisy. The Pharisees elevated tradition above God's Word.
The Pharisee's Prayer: Self-Righteousness and Contempt: Analysis of the Pharisee's prayer in Luke 18:11-12, showing his trust in himself, his moral code, and his despising of others, especially the publican.
The Publican's Prayer: Humility and Repentance: Contrast with the publican's prayer in Luke 18:13, demonstrating genuine repentance, unworthiness, and a plea for mercy. The publican is justified, not the Pharisee.
Applications: Avoiding Pharisaism Today: Practical applications: deliverance from self-righteousness and despising others; warning against modern social justice warriors as Pharisees; call to humility and servant-heartedness.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Pharisaism persists in modern churches and politics.

The speaker argues that the same self-righteous, contemptuous spirit of the Pharisees is evident in contemporary Christians and social justice movements.

References to 'Pharisaical Christians', modern-day social justice warriors, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and pastors who refuse fellowship with those who disagree.

Self-righteousness and despising others are inseparable.

Trusting in one's own righteousness inevitably leads to looking down on others who do not meet that standard.

Verse 9: 'trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others'; explanation that if you hold yourself as the standard, you automatically despise others.

The Pharisee's prayer reveals pride, not piety.

The Pharisee's prayer was self-congratulatory, listing his own deeds and comparing himself favorably to others, rather than confessing sin.

Verses 11-12: 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men... I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess'.

The publican's humility is the model for justification.

The publican's recognition of his sinfulness and plea for mercy, not his works, led to his justification.

Verse 13: 'God be merciful to me a sinner'; verse 14: 'this man went down to his house justified rather than the other'.

True Christians cannot despise others.

Genuine believers love the brethren and recognize all are made in God's image, though they may disagree with actions or beliefs.

1 John 3:14: 'We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren'; explanation that we can despise what people do but not the individuals.

Humility is the path to exaltation.

God's principle is that those who humble themselves will be exalted, while the proud will be brought low.

Verse 14: 'he that humbleth himself shall be exalted'; James 4:6; Proverbs 16:18.

Scripture References

Luke 18:9-14: The primary text of the sermon, the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.
Matthew 16:1: Pharisees and Sadducees tempting Jesus for a sign.
Mark 3:6: Pharisees taking counsel with Herodians to destroy Jesus.
Matthew 3:7: John the Baptist calling Pharisees and Sadducees a generation of vipers.
Matthew 5:20: Jesus stating that righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the kingdom.
Acts 23:6-8: Paul's strategy in the Sanhedrin, highlighting the doctrinal differences between Pharisees and Sadducees.
Matthew 23:13-33: Jesus' woes against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.
Matthew 16:6, 11-12: Warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, identified as their doctrine.
Luke 12:1: Leaven of the Pharisees identified as hypocrisy.
Acts 26:5: Paul stating he lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect.
Philippians 3:6: Paul's claim of being blameless according to the law's external righteousness.
John 7:45-49: Pharisees' contempt for the people who know not the law, showing their smarter-than-thou attitude.
Job 12:2: Job's sarcastic remark to his friends: 'No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.'
Isaiah 65:5: God's disgust at those who say 'Stand by thyself... I am holier than thou.'
Jeremiah 31:19: Repentance accompanied by smiting the thigh and shame, paralleling the publican's actions.
Genesis 32:10: Jacob's prayer: 'I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies.'
1 John 3:14: Evidence of passing from death to life is love for the brethren.
James 4:6: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
3 John 1:9: Diotrephes, who loved preeminence and refused to receive the brethren, as an example of a church Pharisee.

Historical References

Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians: Three groups that opposed Jesus: Pharisees (fundamentalists believing in resurrection, angels, spirits), Sadducees (liberals denying resurrection, angels, spirits), Herodians (political party supporting Herod Antipas and Roman rule).
Herod Antipas and Roman Empire: Herodians supported Herod Antipas, who ruled part of Palestine under Roman appointment from about 4 BC to AD 39.
Sanhedrin: The council composed of Pharisees and Sadducees that condemned Jesus.
Publicans (tax collectors): Despised class employed by Rome to collect taxes, notorious for greed and extortion.
Zacchaeus: A tax collector who, upon conversion, promised to restore fourfold anything taken by false accusation.
John Trapp (Puritan commentator): Quoted summarizing the Pharisee's prayer: 'He shows not his want, but his worth.'
Albert Barnes (commentator): Quoted on the Pharisee's prayer having an appearance of religion and on the publican's acceptable prayer of confession.
John Calvin (Reformer): Quoted on the two faults of wicked self-confidence and pride of despising brethren, and the war with God inherent in self-confidence.
Antifa and Black Lives Matter: Mentioned as modern examples of social justice warriors with a pharisaical mentality.

Important Quotes

The Pharisees are alive and well.

Central thesis of the sermon, asserting the contemporary relevance of the pharisaical spirit.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

Key verse identifying the dual sins of self-righteousness and contempt that the parable addresses.

God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

The Pharisee's prayer exemplifying self-righteousness and despising of others.

God be merciful to me a sinner.

The publican's humble plea, contrasting with the Pharisee's pride and leading to justification.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Jesus' conclusion on the parable, establishing the principle of humility leading to exaltation.

Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Jesus' warning to disciples about the pervasive, corrupting influence of false doctrine and hypocrisy.

Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

God's strong disapproval of the holier-than-thou attitude, directly applicable to the Pharisee's spirit.

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Foundational biblical principle that God actively opposes the proud, reinforcing the call to humility.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways might we unknowingly adopt a pharisaical attitude of self-righteousness in our own lives?

[Context]

The sermon emphasizes that Pharisees trusted in their own moral code and standards. How can we examine our hearts for similar tendencies?

[Question]

How does despising others manifest in modern church contexts, and what does genuine love for the brethren look like when we disagree?

[Context]

The speaker notes that Pharisees despised those who didn't live or believe as they did. How can we maintain unity without compromising truth?

[Question]

What is the difference between being thankful for God's restraining grace and falling into the Pharisee's error of comparing ourselves favorably to others?

[Context]

Albert Barnes is quoted saying it's not wrong to thank God for keeping us from gross sins, but it must be done humbly. How do we strike that balance?

[Question]

How can we identify and resist the 'leaven' of false doctrine and hypocrisy in our own beliefs and practices?

[Context]

Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees. What steps can we take to ensure our traditions don't override Scripture?

[Question]

In what ways might social justice movements today reflect a pharisaical spirit, and how should Christians respond?

[Context]

The speaker compares modern social justice warriors to Pharisees. How do we pursue biblical justice without adopting a self-righteous, contemptuous attitude?

[Question]

What does the publican's prayer teach us about the nature of true repentance and the posture of heart that God accepts?

[Context]

The publican wouldn't lift his eyes and smote his breast. How does this physical expression relate to inner contrition?

[Question]

How does the principle 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble' practically work out in our daily walk with God?

[Context]

The sermon states that God actively fights against the proud. What might that look like, and how can we cultivate humility?

[Question]

What are some practical ways we can esteem others better than ourselves, as Philippians 2 commands, especially when we disagree with them?

[Context]

The application calls for a servant's attitude. How can we live this out in our families, workplaces, and church?

Applications

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