To See Like A Pharisee

SUN., JUNE 12, 1994, 7:09 AM
HAMA’S CAB’A, HONOLULU

In My time in the earth as Jesus there were Pharisees. Most of these were good men who knew the Scriptures and held to a doctrine that these Writings and traditions were supreme… THE Word of Yahweh. There were commandments and an ongoing story of relationships, out of which came many statements of what should be done and not done… and how. It was a stern religion… and a rather safe one.

The culture of that time gave some of these Pharisees the opportunity to meet with others regularly and reinforce their learnings. The “rules of life” became clearer as they were discussed. Finally, there would be a Messiah. They looked for this, but with certain Scriptures as their guide… and not the ones now cited by Christians as the pertinent ones.

Thus good Pharisees were fundamentalists who saw “The Book” as that which defined their religion. They had faith that God had given them these “rules of life”, and no more would be needed. When the Messiah would come to “rescue” them, as promised, He would be recognizable by power and might. And there certainly would be rewards for keeping the traditions, and urging others to do so, with punishments for those who didn’t.

Even the Roman government of that time tended to accept that a Messiah “might come” and would be a threat to the peace of their regime. So when I was born and word came that I might be that King who would liberate the Jews from Roman rule Jewish babies of My age were killed, and I was taken away by My parents to a safer place. According to the Scriptures I did nothing, as I grew in childhood and on into manhood, that was worrisome to Pharisee traditions.

Oh, there was the one incident where I impressed some of the learned men in the temple with My questions, but I did not challenge them. I was not yet ready for ministry, and so I went back to Nazareth as a dutiful child.

I began My ministry, as Jesus, by being baptized by cousin John, who “spread the word” that I was someone special… even the promised Messiah. Now it is one thing to expect a Messiah, but quite another to be told that He is here, in your midst. Surely He will abide by all of the rules and traditions… but can we trust that any man has the powers that we have taught that He has? If He comes short in even one respect we must be cautious.

And, of course, I was not the perfect Messiah, as defined by “the Book.” Therefore I must be opposed. As Jesus I spoke out against these who represented the faith and the tradition so well. I told stories that were not in the tradition. I talked with some of whom we did not approve, diluting the purity which God demanded. Every now and again I would do something that appeared to be a miracle… nothing political or military, but enough to help crowds of people interested.

I was asked if I was the Son of God, and I replied, “You have said it.” Occasionally, I would rail against these “protectors of the faith” for their lack of love and of spirit.