PHARISEES

Some of my more progressive Christian friends have recently been posting articles written by a well-known progressive pastor. This man seems to consider a majority of conservative Christians to be his enemies. (Especially if they hold a certain former president in esteem to any degree.) He spills a lot of ink denigrating them. 

He goes out of his way to stir his liberal audience against these "Pharisees". 

Have you noticed that the accusation of "Pharisee" is deployed in the church in similar ways to how "Nazi" is in the world?  When we Christians search our arsenal for some label to lob in-house to cause maximum destruction, we can't do better than "Pharisee". 

Like Nazis:

• Pharisees have a well-deserved bad reputation.
• Pharisees are figures from history but are still around today, just not quite as organized and official.
• Pharisees make a convenient enemy. A great punching bag. You can verbally beat up a Pharisee with impunity. After all, who is going to step in to defend a Pharisee? 

Furthermore, Jesus Himself fought against the Pharisees. (So they are enemies of God!) He called them snakes and whitewashed tombs. He told them they were children of Satan. 

Still - he said these things to their faces. 

Jesus never whipped up a crowd of His disciples to hate the Pharisees. 

Yes, He confronted them. 

No, He didn't badmouth them behind their backs.*

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He did once warn His disciples not to adopt the attitudes of the Pharisees but his words were simple, straightforward, and free of hyperbole and self-righteousness. He simply said, "Guard yourselves against the yeast of the Pharisees."