The Pharisees Thought They Were Right… and That Was the Problem

When Wanting Things Perfect Gets in the Way

I have a confession to make, and I have a feeling some of you might recognize yourselves in this. I can be a bit of a control freak. I am trying to change, but some habits take longer than others.

I love hosting events and parties. If I am the one planning the gathering, then I want everything to feel just right. It does not have to be elaborate or over the top, but I like things to look beautiful and welcoming. In my mind, the event has my “stamp” on it, so naturally, I want it to turn out perfectly.

It could be something simple like a dinner party or decorating the house for Christmas. Either way, I want every detail to feel just right. And this is where things can get a little ridiculous.

I have caught myself walking behind someone who was helping me decorate and quietly moving something an inch or two because I thought it looked better in a slightly different spot.

Even as I type that, I am laughing because I know how silly it sounds.

The truth is, everyone helping me usually wants the same thing I want. They want the outcome to be beautiful, too. My standards are not necessarily the “right” standards. They are simply the ones I have become comfortable with over the years. Most of the decorating rules I follow are ones I created in my own mind anyway.

Yet there I was, trying to enforce my version of “right” on everyone else. Thinking about that made me realize something else entirely.

The Lesson Hidden in the Pharisees

If you have ever watched The Chosen, you may have noticed something interesting about the Pharisees. They are not always portrayed as obvious villains who wake up every morning plotting how to do something evil. In many scenes, they genuinely believe they are protecting God’s law.

Watching those moments made me pause. What if the Pharisees believed they were doing exactly what they were supposed to do? What if they were simply so focused on enforcing the rules that they could not see anything beyond them?

Everything became black or white. Right or wrong. Acceptable or unacceptable. There was no room for anything in between. I am sure they believed they were doing the right thing. But believing you are right does not always mean you are seeing the full picture.

In Matthew 23, you can almost feel the weight behind Jesus’ words.

When Rules Matter More Than the Heart

Matthew 23:1-4

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

The problem was never the law itself. The law had meaning and purpose. The problem was the heart behind it.

The Pharisees had become experts at pointing out what everyone else was doing wrong. They enforced the rules with precision and authority, but somewhere along the way they forgot something important. They forgot mercy. They forgot humility. They forgot the spirit behind the law.

Jesus continues later in the chapter with even stronger words.

Matthew 23:23–24 (NIV)
²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Jesus wasn’t criticizing their knowledge of scripture. In fact, the Pharisees knew the law better than almost anyone. The issue was that they were so focused on enforcing the rules that they lost sight of the heart behind them.

They measured faith by behavior instead of by love. They judged people by outward appearance instead of looking at the condition of the heart.

And that is where the problem began.

Looking Good on the Outside Isn’t the Same as Being Right

Later in the same chapter, Jesus describes the Pharisees in a way that would have shocked the people listening.

Matthew 23:25–28 (NIV)
²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

He compares them to cups that are spotless on the outside but dirty on the inside. He also compares them to whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the surface but contain decay within.

Those are strong images. The Pharisees looked righteous. They followed the rules. They were respected in their communities. On the outside, everything appeared to be exactly the way it should be.

But Jesus was pointing out something deeper. The inside did not match the outside.

Their actions might have been correct according to the law, but their hearts had become hardened by pride and judgment.

The Lesson for All of Us

When I think about that, it makes me pause and look at my own life.

Maybe my little decorating habit is not quite the same thing as what the Pharisees were doing, but the root of the problem is surprisingly similar. It is the quiet belief that my way is the right way, and that everyone else should see things the same way I do.

That mindset can sneak into all kinds of areas of life. We might find ourselves judging someone’s decorating style, their writing, their singing voice, the way they dress, how much money they make, the job they have, or even how they choose to live their lives.

Sometimes we do it without even realizing it. The Pharisees remind us how easy it is to focus on the outward things while missing the bigger picture.

Faith was never meant to be about looking perfect on the outside. It has always been about the condition of the heart.

Grace Matters More Than Perfection

The more I think about it, the more I realize that my desire for things to be perfect should never take away from the real purpose behind what I am doing.

When I host a dinner or plan a gathering, the goal is not to have the decorations placed exactly where I think they should be. The goal is to love the people who walk through the door.

The Pharisees knew the law, but they missed the spirit behind it. And if we are not careful, we can do the same thing in our own lives.

Instead of focusing on where someone falls short, maybe we should choose to extend a little more grace. Instead of measuring people by our own standards, maybe we should take a moment to look inward and ask ourselves if our hearts are in the right place.

Because in the end, God sees far more than what is on the surface.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!

Let’s End With a Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for reminding us that faith is about far more than appearances or rules. You see what we cannot see, the thoughts of our hearts and the intentions behind our actions.

Help us to guard our hearts against pride and judgment. When we are tempted to believe that our way is the only right way, gently remind us to show grace and humility instead.

Teach us to focus on the things that matter most: love, mercy, compassion, and kindness. Help us to treat others with the same grace that you have shown us.

Lord, soften our hearts so that we never become so focused on being right that we forget to love people well.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

More Faith Based Posts:
* When God Uses Ordinary Moments to Remind Us He Is Near
* When God Writes a Different Ending Than We Expect