The Pharisees and Sadducees
February 7, 2021
Commentary
We find John rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees were the most influential of the Jewish sects of that day. They were usually orthodox in doctrine and followed good qualities: They knew the Scriptures – Matthew 23:2They tithed – Luke 18:12They fasted – Matthew 9:14They prayed – Mark 12:40However at the same time they were:
Hypocritical – Matthew 23:15Self righteous – Luke 18:9Persecutors of the Lord – Matthew 9:3The Sadducees came largely from the priesthood and upper class. They denied the truth of the bodily resurrection, of the future punishment and reward and of the existence of angels (Acts 23:8). These two groups usually fought each other but when it came to opposing Christ they united forces. They believed that as physical sons of Abraham they were automatically qualified for the Messiah’s kingdom. As a result they were startled when John and Jesus preached the necessity of an introducer of the Messiah. John’s baptism was a sign of a person’s need of repentance while Christian baptism today identifies us with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection which had not yet occurred. “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (v. 8). Genuine repentance leads not only to a change in attitude, but also to a change in behavior. Merely feeling sorry for some wrong action does not constitute repentance.
Application
As I think about the characteristics of the Pharisees do I see any similarities to people in churches today? I need to constantly be searching my own life in these areas.
Matthew 3:7– 12 (NET)
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, 9 and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 10 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am—I am not worthy to carry his sandals! He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire!”
Illustration: Sanders Influence of Dr John Geddie
Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed: When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen. (Spiritual Leadership, J. O. Sanders, p. 24).