Episode The Pharisees | Week 1
When you read the Gospels, the Pharisees play a prominent role. So, when you hear the word "Pharisee," what do you think of? The dictionary defines a Pharisee as "a self-righteous person; a hypocrite." But were all Pharisees self-righteous hypocrites? Did all Pharisees reject Jesus? Or is it possible that how we think about the Pharisees is more of a stereotype? Of course, there are good reasons for the stereotype, but does the stereotype ever break down? Join the group as they lean into a few passages that may shine a new light on "The Pharisees."
Chapter 1
Stereotype is a word that usually carries negative connotations, doesn’t it? But are stereotypes always completely accurate? For example, we are critical of the Pharisees during Jesus’ day for what they did . . . or didn’t do. But what if our stereotype of them has missed some of the good by being so focused on the bad? This week on Discover the Word, Daniel Ryan Day, Elisa Morgan, Rasool Berry, and new group member Vivian Mabuni explore some things about the Pharisees that may impact our stereotypical view of them.
Chapter 2
For most of us, the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament feels like one big question mark. But it was during that 400 year “intertestamental period” that a group called the Pharisees formed to help Israel figure out what it meant and what it looked like to be devoted to God. In this episode, the group provides some much-needed context into the confusing realities the Pharisees were still facing in Jesus’ time. Were their questions often our questions?
Chapter 3
What is your first reaction to the word, law? Well, for the Pharisees their minds immediately went to Torah. And it was up to them to protect the truth of God’s Words, not just for them, but for all people. In this episode of Discover the Word, the group explores how the Pharisee’s best intentions didn’t always translate into the best action. Sound familiar?
Chapter 4
When you think about the Pharisees, do any specific names come to mind? The Bible only gives us a few, but the ones who are named play quite an interesting role that we may tend to overlook. In this episode, the Discover the Word team introduces us to a Pharisee who intentionally chose to meet Jesus at a specific time of day when no one would know. But what if that “hidden” act showed an openness that affected his entire life? Meet Nicodemus in this conversation on Discover the Word.
Chapter 5
One of the things that stands out in Nicodemus the Pharisee’s first encounter with Jesus was the questions he asked. Honest questions that indicated an openness to who Jesus was. In this episode of Discover the Word, Daniel, Rasool, Elisa, and new group member Vivian Mabuni look at the two other points in Scripture where we see Nicodemus’ name . . . and reflect on how his thoughts and actions completely go against what we normally think of the Pharisees.