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Pharisees
[Bible]The Pharisees were a group within Judaism in the New Testament era. They strictly observed the Law of Moses and "the tradition of the elders," and in the Gospels they appear chiefly as opponents who dispute with Jesus.
Tradition of the Elders
[Bible]The "tradition of the elders" is a New Testament expression for the regulations, handed down from generation to generation outside the Law of Moses, that the Pharisees and scribes observed. It appears in the dispute over handwashing in Matthew 15 and Mark 7.
Luke 17:20–21
[Bible Verses]Luke 17:20–21 records Jesus' reply to the Pharisees when they asked when the kingdom of God would come. A central question in both translation and interpretation is whether "the kingdom of God is within you" refers to a kingdom within the heart or to a kingdom already present among those he addressed.
Matthew 23:23
[Bible Verses]Matthew 23:23 records Jesus' rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees, who tithed even small herbs such as mint, anise, and cummin while neglecting justice, mercy, and faith. The verse distinguishes the weightier matters of the law from the lesser ones. In Korean Protestant churches, it is frequently cited in discussions of tithing.
The Door of the Sheep
[Bible]"The door of the sheep" is the expression Jesus uses in John 10, where he compares himself to the door of a sheepfold, saying, "I am the door of the sheep." It is commonly read to mean that salvation and life are reached through him.
Parable of the Prodigal Son
[Bible]The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 15:11-32. It tells of a father who welcomes home his younger son after the son has squandered his share of the estate. It is also known as the parable of the "returning prodigal."
The Good Shepherd
[Bible]The Good Shepherd is a figurative expression Jesus used of himself in John 10. It portrays the true leader as a shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, in contrast to the hireling and the thief.
Parable of the Great Banquet
[Bible]The Parable of the Great Banquet is a parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 14:15–24. When the invited guests make excuses and fail to come, the host calls in the poor and people from the roadsides to fill his banquet.
Parable of the Lost Sheep
[Bible]The Parable of the Lost Sheep is a parable of Jesus in which a shepherd with a hundred sheep goes in search of the one that has gone astray and rejoices when he finds it. It appears in Luke 15 and Matthew 18.
Simon the Pharisee
[People]Simon the Pharisee was the host who invited Jesus to a meal at his house in Luke 7. When a woman known as a sinner anointed Jesus' feet with ointment, Simon inwardly objected, and Jesus answered him with the parable of the two debtors.
Hosea 6:6
[Bible Verses]A declaration that God desires steadfast love rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Jesus quoted the verse twice in disputes with the Pharisees, and it is a key text on the relationship between worship and life, and between ritual and love.
Mark 10:2-12
[Bible Verses]The passage in which the Pharisees ask Jesus whether divorce is lawful, and Jesus answers by appealing to the order of creation: "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." It is among the texts most frequently cited in discussions of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, and interpreters differ over whether it allows any exceptions.
Mark 12:13-17
[Bible Verses]In this passage, the Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus whether tribute should be paid to Caesar (the Roman emperor), and Jesus answers, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). The passage is frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between church and state.
John 10:11–15
[Bible Verses]In this passage Jesus presents himself as the "good shepherd" who lays down his life for the sheep, in contrast to the hireling who flees in the face of danger. It is frequently cited in discussions of the meaning of the crucifixion, the debate over the extent of the atonement, and the proper conduct of pastors.
Mark 7
[Bible]Mark 7 records Jesus' dispute with the Pharisees and scribes over the tradition of the elders, his teaching that what defiles a person comes from the heart, and his healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter and of a deaf man with a speech impediment.
Luke 17:22–24
[Bible Verses]In this passage Jesus tells his disciples that the day of the Son of Man will come like lightning, visible to the whole world. It is often cited as evidence that the Second Coming will be openly manifest to all, and as grounds for caution against claims that the returned Christ is "here" or "there."
Matthew 23:4
[Bible Verses]A verse in which Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for laying heavy burdens on others while refusing to lift a finger themselves. It is frequently cited as a warning against legalism and against inconsistency between the words and deeds of religious leaders.
Matthew 16
[Bible]Matthew 16 is the chapter in which Jesus rebuffs the Pharisees and Sadducees who seek a sign, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ at Caesarea Philippi, and Jesus first foretells his own suffering and resurrection.
Matthew 9:13
[Bible Verses]In this verse Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to the Pharisees, declaring that God desires mercy rather than sacrifice and that he has come to call sinners. It is frequently cited in discussions of grace and evangelism and of the relationship between outward form and mercy.
Herodians
[Bible]The Herodians were a group mentioned in the New Testament Gospels and are generally understood to have been supporters of the Herodian dynasty. They are portrayed as joining with the Pharisees in seeking to destroy Jesus or to entrap Him in His words.