Musing – How do we know that Jesus was a Pharisee?

 Hebraic Musing – How do we know that Jesus was a Pharisee?

And how do we know He was not a Sadducee, Essene, or one of the other sects?  Let’s look at the four styles of Pharisaical teachings.  The Pharisees understood their Biblical mandate was to urge parents to teach their children in the ways of YHWH.  “These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,  so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Deut. 6:1-3 NIV and stressed “on your hearts… talk about… sitting… walking…lying down… getting up… tie symbols, etc.”   And we know Jesus was keeping that basic family-oriented command as He taught and mingled.  This was an educational mandate to ensure righteousness from Pharisees’ leadership.  And Jesus was born into a Pharisee family!

The Pharisees were quite different from the Sadducees in belief and in practice.  The Sadducees accepted only the first five books of the Bible; and they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, angelic beings, Satan/demons, prophecy or a messiah.  The Sadducees only believed that proper observance of Temple Rites can impart righteousness!  Isn’t that like our “Sunday go to meeting Christians”?  Observance of the Temple rites was all they thought they needed to be considered righteous, blameless before God.  They had no afterlife as a reward, so money and political power became their focus in life; and possession of those things was considered evidence of being favored y God.  And the Sadducees had no messianic views or perspective because their only messiah would be a national on because they could not see any possibility of defeating Rome!  Isn’t this like the politicians and others today who claim to be Christians but not doing what Jesus taught?

Pharisees, by contrast, felt observance of the traditions of the fathers to be important.  And thus, they tended to have “fence” laws to avoid breaking the traditions and temple rules.  Mark 7:2 is a classic example – “Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.”

In the first century, Pharisees were the authority on matters of Scripture interpretation and doctrine; Sadducee priests were focused on Temple matters.  Meanwhile, the Pharisees were more eclectic, popular, and more democratic.

Another perspective, in the Sanhedrim, the Sadducees were the aristocratic monarchists; most were political appointees of Rome!  Apostle Paul knew these significant differences and he used them to his advantage in Acts 23:6-7 – “But when Paul perceived that 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; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’ And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.” And the Commander had to take over!

There are many examples of Jesus correcting the Pharisees around Him, but if we read carefully, we see that He was condemning their actions and not their personage.  It is a very typical Rabbinic style only used by the Pharisees.  Jesus was not concerned about the general teachings of the Pharisees, but only their prioritizing traditions over the priority of Scripture.

Points to Ponder

Jesus quoted nothing from the Sadducees, Essenes or any other group, just the Pharisees!

Was Jesus in favor of Home Schooling?

BTW – In which group was the apostle, Paul?
Acts 23:6 “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee”

The Sadducees did not believe in an afterlife, that is why the Sadducees were “sad you see”. (>:

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                       February 3, 2026            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by “Jesus, the Pharisee Messiah” Chap. 3, by Blizzard III & John Ingle.