The Cult of Paul

Contrast #04: their affiliations with and towards the Pharisees...

For the entirety of his ministry, Paul - wherever it suited him - openly proclaimed to be a devout member of the conservative Jewish sect known as the Pharisees. I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees.^{Acts 23:6. See also Acts 26:5, Galatians 1:14, Philippians 3:4-5}

Jesus, on the other hand entirely, both frequently and vociferously denounced the Pharisees and their teachings^{(and encouraged his followers to do the same)} - calling them blind guides of the blind,^{Matthew 15:12-14; juxtaposed intriguingly with Paul losing his sight 011 the Road to Damascus in Acts 9:3-9} warning his followers to beware the yeast of the Pharisees [that is to say] the teachings of the Pharisees.^{Matthew 16:6-12 cf. Mark 8:15} This is potently juxtaposed with the admonitions, Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but rather goes beyond it, does not know God; whereas whoever abides in [Christ's] teaching has both the Father and the Son,^{2 John 1:9} and If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will thereby know the truth, and the truth will set you free.^{John 8:31-32} Jesus even told his followers do not do as [the Pharisees] do, for they do not practice what they teach,^{Matthew 23:3 cf. Luke 12:1} and openly denouncing his Pharisee critics, saying Isaiah prophesied rightly about you, you hypocrites! For just as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines' so you too abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.^{Mark 7:6-8.}

Beware the yeast of the Pharisees.^{Matthew 16:6}

• § The Pharisees were one of the more popular and more influential sects of Judaism in Jesus' day...
• § They were high judgmental of others,^{(Matthew 23:15.)} and hypocritically emphasized strict obedience to the Law over sincere worship from the Heart...^{(Luke 12:1.)}
• § The Pharisees were conservatives through and through; valuing traditional interpretations of the Scriptures as highly as the Scriptures themselves...
• § They were narrow-minded exclusivists -- believing that they and they alone understood the "true" meaning of the biblical texts, and that anyone who disagreed with them was ignorant and "lost".
• P.S. Paul was a self-proclaimed Pharisee.^{(Acts 23:6-8 and Acts 26:4-5.)}