Who were the Pharisees?

The Pharisees were a separatist sect of Jews. The historian and chronicler Josephus estimates their number at about 6,000 men. (in those days, women and children were not counted).  They were strict adherents to the Jewish Tradition, refusing to be Hellenized.  Their philosophy was setting themselves apart with a strict adherence to rules. So when they asked, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” They are talking about rituals they had practiced and protected over time. This group equated blind obedience to faith.

 

It is very interesting to come to this particular Gospel after having gone through the Bread of Life Discourse.  On first glance, it seems random, but Jesus is really again teaching how to live in faith, and not just going through the motions in Life.  In a lot of ways, that’s what the Pharisees are doing.  Jesus does not criticize the rules, rather why we are following them.  We have Jesus in the Eucharist, God with us every week. It is more than rules or a meeting.  It is about the Presence of God.

Traditions are a neutral concept, the word means, something handed down.  Jesus isn’t criticizing what the Pharisees do – he is criticizing the Pharisee’s judgement of Jesus Disciples for NOT following the traditions. He goes further, saying an important teaching, that we can defile ourselves from the inside.  Evil thoughts are the extreme version of this, but self-doubt, jealousy, greed, and other emotions like this are things, that if not kept in check, can be the ruin of us.

There is a nice podcast on Catholic Answers with Cy Kellen and James Aiken called, “Why do Catholics Follow “Traditions of Men” When the Bible Says Not To?”  You can find it here.