If You Had Been a Pharisee Would You Have?
--- title: "If You Had Been a Pharisee Would You Have?" date: series: "Sermons 2001 Rewritten" text: "Matthew 15:1–14" speaker: Ed Rangel location: Waupaca Church of Christ bibleversion: NASB 1995 type: Topical status: draft tags:
sermon
sermons-2001-rewritten
pharisees
tradition
worship
kingdom
obedience
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tpt-sermon
tpt-sermon-outline
tpt-mode-outline
---
If You Had Been a Pharisee Would You Have?
Learning Objectives
Explain how the Pharisees allowed human tradition to overrule God’s word.
Identify the danger of worship that honors God with lips while the heart remains far from Him.
Show why blind religious leadership destroys both teacher and follower.
Warn against practicing religion for human praise rather than God’s approval.
Call hearers to enter Christ’s kingdom through obedient submission to His word.
Thesis
The Pharisee spirit is exposed when tradition replaces Scripture, worship becomes lip service, religion seeks human praise, and men refuse the kingdom Christ came to establish.
It is easy to condemn the Pharisees from a safe distance. We read Matthew 15 and Matthew 23 and think, “How could they be so blind?” But the harder question is not what they did then. The harder question is what we would have done if their traditions were our traditions, their crowd was our crowd, their religious pride was our inheritance, and Christ stood before us correcting what we had always assumed was right.
Introduction.
The Pharisees were known as a strict religious sect.
They valued the traditions of the elders.
They treated those traditions as binding.
In practice, those traditions often became more important than the written Law.
Their beginning may have had zeal and concern for covenant faithfulness, but by the time of Christ their religion had become corrupt.
They loved preeminence.
They practiced outward display.
They burdened others.
They used tradition to nullify God’s word.
They opposed Christ.
Jesus did not speak mildly about their hypocrisy.
He exposed them in Matthew 15.
He rebuked them in Matthew 23.
He called them blind guides.
He said their worship was vain.
The danger is not locked in the first century.
A person can still use tradition to avoid obedience.
A person can still sing and pray with a heart far from God.
A person can still guide others while spiritually blind.
A person can still love man’s praise more than God’s approval.
A person can still refuse the kingdom and hinder others from entering.
So the question must be asked honestly.
If you had been a Pharisee, would you have invalidated the word of God?
Would you have honored God with lips only?
Would you have been a blind guide?
Would you have done your deeds to be seen by men?
Would you have entered the kingdom?
I. Would You Have Invalidated the Word of God for Tradition?
The Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of violating tradition.
Matthew 15:1–2 records the charge.
Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem.
They asked why Jesus’ disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders.
The issue was hand washing before eating bread.
Their concern was not first God’s written command.
They were defending the tradition of the elders.
They treated human regulation as binding law.
They measured faithfulness by inherited religious practice.
Their attack on the disciples was also an attack on Christ.
If the disciples were acting under the Master’s teaching, then the accusation reached the Master.
They were not merely correcting men.
They were challenging the Lord’s authority.
Jesus exposed the real transgression.
Matthew 15:3 asks, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?”
Jesus did not accept their premise.
He turned the charge back on them.
They accused His disciples of breaking tradition while they were breaking God’s commandment.
Jesus used the command to honor father and mother.
God had spoken clearly.
Children owed honor and responsibility to parents.
The Pharisees had built a tradition to escape that duty.
Their tradition allowed a man to claim his resources were devoted to God while withholding help from his parents.
It sounded religious.
It looked pious.
It excused disobedience.
It invalidated the word of God.
Tradition becomes sinful when it overrules Scripture.
Matthew 15:6 says they invalidated the word of God for the sake of tradition.
That is not a small charge.
Tradition did not merely distract them.
Tradition cancelled obedience.
Mark 7:8 says they neglected the commandment of God and held to the tradition of men.
They let go of what God said.
They held tightly to what men had handed down.
Their grip was backwards.
The same thing can happen now.
A family tradition can outrank Scripture.
A denominational practice can outrank Scripture.
A preacher’s opinion can outrank Scripture.
A religious label can outrank Scripture.
Examples still exist.
Some defend infant baptism, though Scripture shows believers being baptized.
Some wear religious names and titles Scripture does not authorize.
Some defend denominational identity because they were born into it.
Some say, “I was born this way religiously, and I will die this way.”
The issue is not whether tradition is old.
Error can be old.
Human tradition can be emotionally powerful.
The final question is still, “What did God say?”
II. Would You Have Honored God with Lip Service?
Jesus said their worship problem was a heart problem.
Matthew 15:8 quotes Isaiah.
“This people honors Me with their lips.”
“But their heart is far away from Me.”
Isaiah 29:13 gives the same charge.
They drew near with words.
They honored God with lips.
Their hearts were removed far from Him.
Their reverence was tradition learned by rote.
God has never been satisfied with mouth religion.
Words without heart do not please Him.
Ritual without submission does not honor Him.
Worship without truth is not acceptable worship.
Lip service makes worship vain.
Matthew 15:9 says, “But in vain do they worship Me.”
Worship can be offered and still be vain.
Sincerity alone does not make worship acceptable.
Tradition can make worship useless when it replaces God’s command.
The problem was teaching human precepts as doctrine.
They did not merely have personal customs.
They taught those customs as binding.
They turned man’s word into God’s law.
Vain worship still exists.
Worship that God did not authorize is vain.
Worship performed without heart is vain.
Worship driven by entertainment, display, and tradition is vain.
Worship that ignores the teaching of Christ is vain.
Acceptable worship must be in spirit and truth.
John 4:24 says God must be worshiped in spirit and truth.
Spirit reaches the heart.
Truth reaches the standard.
God requires both.
Prayer must come from the heart with understanding.
Not empty phrases.
Not religious performance.
Not speech meant to impress others.
Singing must come from the heart with understanding.
Not rote sound.
Not tradition without thought.
Not music built on man’s preference while ignoring God’s authority.
Worship is not ours to redesign.
God receives what He authorizes.
God rejects what men invent as doctrine.
The Pharisee spirit says, “Our way is good enough.”
Faith says, “God has spoken.”
III. Would You Have Been a Blind Guide of the Blind?
Jesus called the Pharisees blind guides.
Matthew 15:12–14 shows the disciples’ concern.
They told Jesus the Pharisees were offended.
Jesus was not intimidated by their offense.
He said every plant not planted by the Father would be rooted up.
Jesus said, “Let them alone.”
That is severe.
There comes a point when religious pride refuses correction.
There comes a point when blind teachers are left to the consequence of their blindness.
If the blind lead the blind, both fall into a pit.
The teacher is responsible.
The follower is responsible.
Religious sincerity does not keep either one out of the ditch.
They were blind because they refused God’s word as written.
They did not understand the Law rightly.
Yet they interpreted it to others.
They held authority over people.
They spoke as guides while lacking sight.
Their blindness was not innocent.
They were prejudiced.
They held tradition over truth.
They did not want the Law as God gave it.
They wanted the Law filtered through their system.
John 9:40–41 shows their guilt.
They asked whether they were blind too.
Jesus said their claim to see made their sin remain.
Claimed sight with rejected truth is dangerous.
Blind guides bind what God has not bound and neglect what God has bound.
Matthew 23:24 says they strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel.
They obsessed over small matters.
They neglected weightier matters.
They appeared careful while practicing spiritual absurdity.
Religious blindness often looks strict.
It can be precise about human rules.
It can enforce man-made standards harshly.
It can still miss truth, mercy, justice, and obedience.
We must not follow blind guides today.
Do not follow a preacher who will not stay with Scripture.
Do not follow a church that replaces Christ’s authority with tradition.
Do not follow a family religion that cannot survive an open Bible.
Do not follow a man into the ditch because he speaks confidently.
Every guide must be tested by the word of God.
Teaching must be examined.
Claims must be tested.
Authority must be shown from Scripture.
The blind cannot safely lead souls.
IV. Would You Have Done Your Deeds to Be Seen by Men and Refused the Kingdom?
The Pharisees wanted religious recognition.
Matthew 23:5 says they did all their deeds to be noticed by men.
They broadened their phylacteries.
They lengthened their tassels.
They dressed religion for display.
They loved places of honor.
At banquets.
In synagogues.
In public greetings.
In religious titles.
Their religion was aimed at man’s eyes.
They wanted to look righteous.
They wanted to be called important.
They wanted public honor more than humble obedience.
Human praise can silence confession.
John 12:42–43 says many rulers believed in Jesus but would not confess Him because of the Pharisees.
They feared being put out of the synagogue.
They loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.
Their faith was strangled by fear of people.
This still happens.
Some know the truth but fear family reaction.
Some see the error but fear losing friends.
Some know denominational doctrine is wrong but fear leaving the crowd.
Some will not obey Christ because men may disapprove.
Man’s praise is a poor god.
It changes.
It flatters.
It threatens.
It cannot save.
It cannot forgive sins.
The Pharisees shut off the kingdom from men.
Matthew 23:13 says they did not enter and did not allow others to enter.
That is a terrifying indictment.
They were not content to reject Christ themselves.
They hindered others from coming to Him.
The kingdom had been promised and preached.
Isaiah 2:2–4 looked forward to the mountain of the Lord’s house.
Daniel 2 foretold God’s kingdom.
Joel 2 pointed to the pouring out of the Spirit.
Christ announced and established the kingdom.
The Pharisees refused the King.
They did not accept Jesus as Messiah.
They opposed His teaching.
They poisoned others against Him.
They placed burdens on people instead of bringing them to Christ.
Men still hinder others from the kingdom.
False teachers do it.
Traditions do it.
Denominational systems do it.
Family pressure does it.
Fear of man does it.
The kingdom is not future-only or postponed.
Christ is reigning now.
Colossians 1:13–14 says Christians have been transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son.
The kingdom is connected to redemption and forgiveness.
A man outside Christ is outside that kingdom.
Entrance into the kingdom requires obedient submission to Christ.
Matthew 16:18–19 connects the church and the kingdom.
Jesus promised to build His church.
He spoke of the keys of the kingdom.
Christ owns the church.
Mark 16:16 says the one who believes and is baptized shall be saved.
Faith is required.
Baptism is required.
Disbelief condemns.
A person does not enter the kingdom by defending tradition.
Not by denominational name.
Not by family religion.
Not by lip service.
Not by public respectability.
By submitting to Christ.
Application.
For the religious person.
Do not assume you are safe because your religion is old.
The Pharisees had tradition, zeal, influence, and Scripture language.
They still invalidated God’s word.
For the worshiper.
Do not offer God lips while withholding the heart.
Worship must be in spirit and truth.
Anything less is not acceptable merely because it is familiar.
For the teacher and preacher.
Do not guide others unless you are willing to be guided by Scripture.
The blind guide does not fall alone.
Souls are too precious for confident ignorance.
For parents and the next generation.
Do not hand children a tradition that cannot be defended from the Bible.
Teach them to ask what God said.
Teach them to value Christ’s approval over man’s praise.
A generation raised on human tradition will treat Scripture as optional.
For the sinner.
Do not let any man shut you out of the kingdom.
Do not let family, tradition, titles, fear, or pride keep you from Christ.
Enter the kingdom on the Lord’s terms.
Conclusion.
The Pharisees are easy to condemn until we see ourselves in the mirror.
Tradition can still replace Scripture.
Lip service can still replace worship.
Blind teachers can still lead blind followers.
Religious display can still replace humility.
Men can still refuse the kingdom and hinder others.
The question is not whether the Pharisees were wrong.
Jesus already settled that.
The question is whether we are repeating their sin.
If you had been a Pharisee, would you have listened to Christ?
Would you have let go of tradition?
Would you have worshiped from the heart in truth?
Would you have humbled yourself?
Would you have entered the kingdom?
Do not answer with words only.
The Pharisees had words.
God wants obedience.
Christ calls you to submit to His word now.
Plan of Salvation
Hear the word.
Faith begins when the sinner hears the message of Christ.
The Pharisee spirit resists the word, but honest faith receives it.
Reference: Romans 10:17.
Believe Christ.
The sinner must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
He is the King, not merely a teacher to admire.
Reference: John 8:24.
Repent.
Repentance turns the heart from sin, pride, tradition, and self-rule toward God.
God commands all people everywhere to repent.
Reference: Acts 17:30.
Confess Christ.
Faith must not remain hidden because of fear of men.
The sinner must confess Christ as Lord.
Reference: Romans 10:9–10.
Be baptized for the remission of sins.
The sinner must submit to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness.
Baptism is not a symbol after salvation; Scripture connects it with forgiveness, new life, and entrance into Christ.
References: Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3–4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21.
Live faithfully.
The Christian must stay with Christ’s teaching and refuse the traditions of men when they conflict with God.
The Lord calls His people to faithfulness until death.
Reference: Revelation 2:10.
Word Study.
| Word | Original | Meaning | Use in Text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tradition | παράδοσις / paradosis | What is handed down. | The Pharisees elevated human tradition over God’s command. |
| Transgress | παραβαίνω / parabainō | To go aside, violate, break. | The Pharisees accused the disciples while they themselves transgressed God’s command. |
| Invalidated | ἀκυρόω / akyroō | To cancel, nullify, make void. | Jesus says they made God’s word ineffective for the sake of tradition. |
| Worship | σέβομαι / sebomai | To worship, revere. | Their worship was vain because human precepts were taught as doctrine. |
| Blind | τυφλός / typhlos | Blind, unable to see. | Describes religious leaders unable or unwilling to see truth. |
| Hypocrite | ὑποκριτής / hypokritēs | Actor, pretender. | Jesus used this word for religious pretense without true obedience. |
| Kingdom | βασιλεία / basileia | Reign, rule, kingdom. | The kingdom of heaven was refused and hindered by the Pharisees. |
|---|---|---|---| | Tradition | παράδοσις / paradosis | What is handed down. | The Pharisees elevated human tradition over God’s command. | | Transgress | παραβαίνω / parabainō | To go aside, violate, break. | The Pharisees accused the disciples while they themselves transgressed God’s command. | | Invalidated | ἀκυρόω / akyroō | To cancel, nullify, make void. | Jesus says they made God’s word ineffective for the sake of tradition. | | Worship | σέβομαι / sebomai | To worship, revere. | Their worship was vain because human precepts were taught as doctrine. | | Blind | τυφλός / typhlos | Blind, unable to see. | Describes religious leaders unable or unwilling to see truth. | | Hypocrite | ὑποκριτής / hypokritēs | Actor, pretender. | Jesus used this word for religious pretense without true obedience. | | Kingdom | βασιλεία / basileia | Reign, rule, kingdom. | The kingdom of heaven was refused and hindered by the Pharisees. |
Scripture Interlock Table.
| Testament | Reference | Original Context | Connection to Main Text | Doctrinal Use | Sermon / Teaching Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Testament | Isaiah 29:13 | God rebukes people who honor Him with lips while their hearts are far away. | Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 15. | Shows vain worship is not new. | Supports Point II. |
| Old Testament | Isaiah 2:2–4 | Isaiah looks forward to the Lord’s house and word going forth from Zion. | Connects to kingdom promise. | Shows God’s kingdom plan was foretold. | Supports Point IV. |
| Old Testament | Daniel 2:44 | God promises to establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. | Supports the kingdom expectation rejected by many Jewish leaders. | Shows the kingdom belongs to God and is enduring. | Supports Point IV. |
| Old Testament | Joel 2:28–32 | God promises the pouring out of His Spirit and salvation for those who call on Him. | Points toward the kingdom age fulfilled in Acts 2. | Shows God’s redemptive plan. | Supports Point IV. |
| New Testament | Matthew 15:1–14 | Jesus confronts Pharisees for elevating tradition and becoming blind guides. | Main text. | Exposes tradition, vain worship, and blind leadership. | Governs Points I–III. |
| New Testament | Matthew 23:5–13 | Jesus rebukes Pharisees for public display, titles, and shutting off the kingdom. | Shows the fuller Pharisee problem. | Exposes pride and kingdom rejection. | Supports Point IV. |
| New Testament | Matthew 16:18–19 | Jesus promises to build His church and speaks of the keys of the kingdom. | Connects the church and kingdom. | Shows Christ owns the church and authorizes entrance. | Supports Point IV. |
| New Testament | Mark 7:6–13 | Parallel account of Jesus’ rebuke regarding tradition and Corban. | Confirms the tradition problem. | Shows God’s word cannot be set aside by human rules. | Supports Point I. |
| New Testament | Mark 16:16 | Jesus states that the one who believes and is baptized shall be saved. | Shows entrance into salvation on Christ’s terms. | Supports baptism and obedient faith. | Supports Plan of Salvation. |
| New Testament | John 4:24 | Jesus teaches worship must be in spirit and truth. | Corrects lip-service worship. | Establishes heart and truth in worship. | Supports Point II. |
| New Testament | John 9:40–41 | Pharisees ask whether they are blind, and Jesus exposes their guilt. | Shows claimed sight increases guilt when truth is rejected. | Warns religiously confident people. | Supports Point III. |
| New Testament | John 12:42–43 | Some rulers believed but would not confess Christ because they loved man’s approval. | Shows fear of man and desire for approval can silence obedience. | Warns against public praise over God. | Supports Point IV. |
| New Testament | Colossians 1:13–14 | God transfers Christians from darkness into the kingdom of His Son. | Shows the kingdom is present, not postponed. | Refutes future-only kingdom doctrine. | Supports Point IV. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Old Testament | Isaiah 29:13 | God rebukes people who honor Him with lips while their hearts are far away. | Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 15. | Shows vain worship is not new. | Supports Point II. | | Old Testament | Isaiah 2:2–4 | Isaiah looks forward to the Lord’s house and word going forth from Zion. | Connects to kingdom promise. | Shows God’s kingdom plan was foretold. | Supports Point IV. | | Old Testament | Daniel 2:44 | God promises to establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. | Supports the kingdom expectation rejected by many Jewish leaders. | Shows the kingdom belongs to God and is enduring. | Supports Point IV. | | Old Testament | Joel 2:28–32 | God promises the pouring out of His Spirit and salvation for those who call on Him. | Points toward the kingdom age fulfilled in Acts 2. | Shows God’s redemptive plan. | Supports Point IV. | | New Testament | Matthew 15:1–14 | Jesus confronts Pharisees for elevating tradition and becoming blind guides. | Main text. | Exposes tradition, vain worship, and blind leadership. | Governs Points I–III. | | New Testament | Matthew 23:5–13 | Jesus rebukes Pharisees for public display, titles, and shutting off the kingdom. | Shows the fuller Pharisee problem. | Exposes pride and kingdom rejection. | Supports Point IV. | | New Testament | Matthew 16:18–19 | Jesus promises to build His church and speaks of the keys of the kingdom. | Connects the church and kingdom. | Shows Christ owns the church and authorizes entrance. | Supports Point IV. | | New Testament | Mark 7:6–13 | Parallel account of Jesus’ rebuke regarding tradition and Corban. | Confirms the tradition problem. | Shows God’s word cannot be set aside by human rules. | Supports Point I. | | New Testament | Mark 16:16 | Jesus states that the one who believes and is baptized shall be saved. | Shows entrance into salvation on Christ’s terms. | Supports baptism and obedient faith. | Supports Plan of Salvation. | | New Testament | John 4:24 | Jesus teaches worship must be in spirit and truth. | Corrects lip-service worship. | Establishes heart and truth in worship. | Supports Point II. | | New Testament | John 9:40–41 | Pharisees ask whether they are blind, and Jesus exposes their guilt. | Shows claimed sight increases guilt when truth is rejected. | Warns religiously confident people. | Supports Point III. | | New Testament | John 12:42–43 | Some rulers believed but would not confess Christ because they loved man’s approval. | Shows fear of man and desire for approval can silence obedience. | Warns against public praise over God. | Supports Point IV. | | New Testament | Colossians 1:13–14 | God transfers Christians from darkness into the kingdom of His Son. | Shows the kingdom is present, not postponed. | Refutes future-only kingdom doctrine. | Supports Point IV. |
Invitation.
Hear the word.
Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Believe Christ.
John 8:24 warns that unless you believe that Jesus is He, you will die in your sins.
Repent.
Acts 17:30 says God commands all people everywhere to repent.
Confess Christ.
Romans 10:9–10 teaches confession with the mouth and belief in the heart.
Be baptized for the remission of sins.
Acts 2:38 commands repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
Live faithfully.
Revelation 2:10 calls the Christian to be faithful until death.
