Pharisees
Ancient scriptural purists
Pharisees were members of an ancient Jewish sect known for strict observance of religious law and oral tradition.
In the New Testament, they often appear as Jesus's critics and opponents, which gave rise to the extended meaning: a pharisee (usually lowercase) is someone self-righteous or hypocritical about their own virtue, particularly in matters of religion or morality.
He's such a pharisee about other people's drinking habits.
Jewish high court
- scribesProfessional document copiers
- synagogueJewish house of worship
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- GalileeBiblical northern territory
Torah · Second Temple · Judaism · Mosaic law · purity laws · Leviticus · Deuteronomy · Israelites
Pretense of virtue
- sanctimonyFeigned moral superiority
- self-righteousnessSmug moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
insincerity · legalism · judgmental · condemning · censorious · smug · pious · pietistic
Undefiled state for worship
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
- tithingReligious tenth contribution
- dietary lawsRules governing permitted foods
- kosherPermissible by Jewish law
ceremonial · meticulous · scrupulous · strictness · commandments · precepts · ordinances · traditions
Sanhedrin
Jewish high court
- scribesProfessional document copiers
- synagogueJewish house of worship
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
Galilee · Torah · Second Temple · Judaism · Mosaic law · purity laws · Leviticus · Deuteronomy · Israelites · Hebrew
hypocrisy
Pretense of virtue
- sanctimonyFeigned moral superiority
- self-righteousnessSmug moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
pretense · insincerity · legalism · judgmental · condemning · censorious · smug · pious · pietistic · moralizing
ritual purity
Undefiled state for worship
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
- tithingReligious tenth contribution
- dietary lawsRules governing permitted foods
kosher · ceremonial · meticulous · scrupulous · strictness · commandments · precepts · ordinances · traditions · fasting
Essenes
Ancient ascetic Hebrew sect
- sectarianRigidly devoted to faction
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- HalakhaFormal Jewish legal system
Mishnah · Talmud · Midrash · afterlife · angels · scribal · scholarly · separatists · devout · observant
teachers
Those who instruct students
- scholarsExperts in a field
- rabbisOrdained Jewish spiritual leaders
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
leadership · teachings · doctrine · respected · learned · elite · pedagogy · disciples · schools · debates
- ancient sectsEssenes, Gnostics, Nazarenes, Free Spirit, mystery cults
- Ancient IsraelIsraelites, Jerusalem, Israel, twelve tribes, Judea
- Jewish HistoryHolocaust, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon
- Ancient JudeaSecond Temple, Judea, Jerusalem, Masada, Herod the Great
- early churchapostles, early church, Church Fathers, apostolic fathers, Acts of the Apostles
- GospelsJesus, gospels, Jesus Christ, apostles, Gospel of Mark
Phariseesdisciples
Devoted followers of teachings
apostles · early Christians · believers · the church · Nazarenes