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Pharisees
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
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
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.
The Door of the Sheep
"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.
Matthew 23:23
In this saying, Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees who tithed even small herbs such as mint, anise, and cummin while neglecting justice, mercy, and faith. The verse distinguishes between the weightier and lesser matters of the law and is frequently cited in Korean churches in discussions of tithing.
Parable of the Prodigal Son
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 called the "Returning Prodigal."
The Good Shepherd
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
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 roads to fill his banquet.
Parable of the Lost Sheep
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
Simon the Pharisee 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
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
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.
Luke 15:20
In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, this verse describes the father seeing his returning younger son from a distance, running to him, embracing him, and kissing him. Because the father reaches his son before the son confesses his wrongdoing, the verse is widely cited as an illustration of God's grace and forgiveness.
Mark 12:13-17
In this passage, the Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus whether taxes 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." The passage is frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between church and state.
John 10:11–15
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
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
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 he is "here" or "there."
Matthew 23:4
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
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
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.