Woes of the Pharisees Puns

What reasons did the Pharisees have to believe in Jesus?

They should’ve believed based on the miracles he performed. The problem with this is that Satan is also capable of performing miracles. One might ask, “But why would Satan heal diseases and cast out demons? Wouldn’t that be counterproductive to his own ends?” Well let’s think about it from Satan’s perspective: If, by healing the sick and performing a stunt where you cast out your own demons, you could lead billions astray from the true God to worshipping a human being, would you do it? Of course you would. It would be a genius plan! Miracles alone, therefore, are not enough to authenticate Jesus’ ministry.

What about Jesus’ teachings? Surely that demonstrates he was sent by God. Well, what did Jesus teach? One of the things he taught implicitly was that the God of Israel had a son who was co-equal with the Father. He implied that he, a human being, was the God of Israel. Any Jew who was remotely trained in the Law would understand how blasphemous of a statement that was. In fact, Deut 13:1-3 states that if a miracle-worker comes and teaches you to follow a god you do not know, it’s the Lord testing you to see if you’ll remain faithful to his Law. A triune God was certainly “a god they did not know.”

What reasons did the Pharisees have to disbelieve in Jesus?

Jesus was one of many. Scholars have long pointed out that Jesus existed in a time where alleged “miracle-workers” were a dime a dozen. Several figures in Jesus’ day had gained a following, and the Pharisees were all too familiar with these conmen. The likelihood that Jesus would be an exception to the rule was extremely low.

Jesus preached a god that was foreign to them. As mentioned before, Jesus implicitly taught that Yahweh had a son who was co-equal with Him. This was a completely foreign concept and the Pharisees were right to be extremely skeptical.

Jesus didn’t fit the description of Messiah. The Messiah is depicted in the OT as a political figure who reinstates the Davidic dynasty in Israel. Jesus, on the other hand, was more of a spiritual leader who seemed to have no intention of becoming king anytime soon. Perhaps Jesus was a great prophet, but by all indications, he was no Messiah.

**Jesus made radical statements that he knew the Pharisees w

Our current SP finds the littlest things to make a "stake policy" for and nag everyone about.

The one that got me to speak out about when I was in ward council one day was on how the priests were kneeling when they blessed the sacrament. He had seen some priests kneeling on one knee and then decreed that practice to be "unbecoming of a priesthood holder." Kneeling on just one knee was apparently too close to positions sports players used to celebrate on the field so the only acceptable way to kneel when blessing the sacrament was with both knees.

At this point my shelf was basically broken (although I hadn't admitted that to myself). I'd had enough of stupid policies like this and in ward council said that if the SP could point to some sort of doctrinal backing for this policy I would play along. Otherwise my vote was to not make a big deal of it with our young men as they had too many other important things to actually worry about.

The culture of the church and all of its handbook rules breed this kind of silliness. Now that I'm out, I kind of hope that these kinds of leaders continue so that others will see the stupidity of it all!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEqPEKy2FpE

I'm reading the NT more because I'm a SS teacher for the youth. I'm still closeted, but this is actually my favorite calling. I just straight up teach what Jesus teaches, and ignore the church manual, which leads to pretty subversive lessons and indictments against the church.

Anyway, my thoughts. TSCC is

• Obsessed with rules, especially over trivial things
• Puts a big emphasis on how special they are because they are the "chosen'" people of God (the one true church)
• Love the chain of authority, and tolerate no disrespect or disobedience by people further down the chain
• Make up rules frequently than just make life harder for most people
• Focus on superficial measures of spirituality rather than the weightier matters of the Gospel (they'd be more likely to frown upon not attending church while on vacation than, say, being okay with children being locked up in concentration camps)

Here are some Jesus traits I see lacking

• Love your enemies no matter what (they are particularly vindictive against exmormons!)
• Love and spend time with sinners (they opt for avoiding the appearance of evil and loudly judging from afar)
• Willingness to call out authority (NT Jesus spent half his time doing miracles/teaching, and the other half arguing with church leaders. How often do we see that in TSCC?)
• Perform miracles (sorry, changing church times is not a miracle)

Just some random thoughts. Obviously, there are exceptions, but this definitely applies to more leaders/zealots that I've known

Hey all, I came across a post on the Christianity subreddit where a user was praising Jesus for protecting Mary Magdalene from being stoned by the Pharisees, who said they were acting on the behalf of the law of Moses (John 8:1-11). Jesus of course scolds them, telling them if any of them are without sin cast the first stone.

Thinking about this, regardless if the Pharisees were hypocritical holy men, weren't they acting correctly? Leviticus 20:10 indicates they were doing exactly as God had commanded them. This also applies to other moments where Jesus criticized them for following the law of Moses. So like, if I understand this correctly, isn't this.....really weird? Jesus, who is God, is now amending his established codes of conduct and then criticizing the Pharisees for following them? Acting like he's this peaceful man of love when the very laws he's scolding the Pharisees for following are the ones he made up?

Then the disciples came and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees were stumbled at hearing what you said?” In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:12-14)

The Pharisees were offended - They were so zealous of their traditions that they could not endure that their absurdities should be exposed.

Mat_15:13

Every plant ... - Religious doctrine is not inaptly compared to a plant. See 1Co_3:6-8. It is planted in the mind for the purpose of producing fruit in the life, or right conduct. Jesus here says that all those doctrines of which his Father was not the author must be rooted up or corrected. The false doctrines of the Pharisees, therefore, must be attacked, and it was no wonder if they were indignant. It could not be helped. It was his duty to attack them. He was not surprised that they were enraged; but, notwithstanding their opposition, their doctrine should be destroyed.

Mat_15:14

Let them alone - That is, do not be troubled at their rage.

Be not anxious about it. This result is to be expected. They are greatly attached to their traditions, and you are not to wonder that they are indignant. They lead, also, the blind. They have a vast influence over the multitude, and it is to be expected that they will be enraged at any doctrines that go to lessen their authority or influence. By commanding them “to let them alone,” Christ does not mean that they were to be suffered to remain in error without any attempt to refute or correct them, for this he was doing then; but he meant to charge his disciples not to mind them or to regard their opposition - it was to be expected.

If the blind lead the blind ... - This was a plain proposition. A blind man, attempting to conduct blind men, would fall into every ditch that was in the way. So with religious teachers. If these Pharisees, themselves ignorant and blind, should be suffered to lead the ignorant multitude, both would be destroyed. This was another reason for confuting their errors, or for rooting up the plants which God had not planted. He wished, by doing it, to save the deluded multitude. (Albert Barnes)

It is also noteworthy that the Greek word for stumble “scandalizo” also means offend. The Watchtower often gives the impression that Witnesses are allowed to make choices based on their Bible

In Ezekial, God brings dry bones back to life. Ezekial is part of the old testament, which is the text that the Pharisees and Sadducees believe in. So, why didn't they believe that a man could be resurrected?

If the Mormons were right and white European Jesus returned what would you expect him to look like?

"The worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlots and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming, their careful observance of all the rules, their precious concern for status symbols, their strict legality, their pious patriotism...the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances."" -Hugh Nibley in a quote slamming the BYU Honor Code "Pharisees."

In Matthew 12, Jesus supposedly heals a blind man by casting out a demon. The pharisees mock him by saying he does miracles by the spirit of Beelzebub.

Beelzebub is more accurately "Ba'al Zebub." It's a derogatory pun of the Philistine god "Ba'al Zebul." Ba'al Zebub literally translates to "lord of the flies." The fun is in the cultural context of this, though - there was an implicit understanding that flies feasted on poop.

By saying the spirit of this god was in Jesus, the Pharisees were literally telling Jesus that he was full of shit.