Why did Jesus condemn the Pharisees?
We are accused of being pharisaical because we teach the necessity of obedience as well as righteous motives. However, much of the misapplication of the letter and the spirit of the Law debate is based on a misunderstanding of what was wrong with the Pharisees. Some would say that Jesus condemned them because they obeyed the Law of God too strictly or too closely. But where does Jesus ever say that? Where does God ever condemn people for being too good? What verse leads us to believe that obedience is a bad thing? When did God say to the Pharisees, Hey! Loosen up, guys. If you keep taking my words so seriously youre going to end up lost? So what are the reasons that are actually given in the Bible for their condemnation? They were condemned for blatant hypocrisy (Matthew 23:3). They placed their human traditions and customs ahead of scriptures, in violation of them (Matthew 15:3). They were self-righteous (Luke 18:9). They served God for human praise and recognition (Matthew 6:1). They
