What are the parallels in attitude of John and Jesus towards Pharisees and Sadducees?
• There are many parallels. John’s distinct title for the Pharisees and Sadducees (“Broods of Vipers”) were also used by Jesus in Mat 12:34 and Mat 23:33. Their arguments with Jesus regarding Abraham is mentioned in John 8:31-59. • This goes to show that they did not learn from John’s advice of “producing fruits in keeping with repentance” in Mat 3:8. • All four Gospels seldom mention any Pharisee or Sadducee coming to Jesus as a seeker, but mostly as a accuser, doubter or a skeptic. It is often religious, pious people who failed to recognize Jesus due to their self righteousness. • These religious leaders remind us of the danger of having righteousness of our own. Paul rightly says in 2 Cor 11:30: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” In Gal 6:14, Paul says again, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The first of the beatitudes (Mat 5:3) is “Blessed are the poor in the spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” This is a f
