On a few leading theological points the Pharisees were decidedly pronounced, and to these we particularly call attention, as they were largely influential under the Christian economy.
a. In regard to a future slate. Josephus presents the ideas of the Pharisees in such a light to his Greek read- ers that, whatever interpretation his ambiguous lan- guage might possibly admit, lie obviously would have produced the impression on Greeks that the Pharisees believed in the transmigration of souls. Thus his state- ment respecting them is, "They say that every soul is imperishable, but that the souls of good men only pass over (or transmigrate) into another body— jxt-afiaivuv tit: 'trtpov aiopia— while the souls of bad men are chas- tised I iy eternal punishment" ( War, ii, 8, 14; comp. iii, 8, 5; Ant. xviii. 1,3; and Bbttchcr. A- Inferis, p. 519, 552). There are two passages in the Gospels which might countenance this idea : one in Matt, xiv, 2, where Herod the tetrareh is represented as thinking that Jesus was J. dm the B\ptist risen from the dead (though a differ- ent color is given to Herod's thoughts in the corre- sponding passage, Luke ix, 7-9); and another in John ix. 2, where the question is put to Jesus whether the blind man himself had sinned, or his parents, that he was bom blind V Notwithstanding these passages, how- ever, there does not appear to lie sufficient reason for doubting that the Pharisees believed in a resurrection of the dead very much in the same sense as the early Christians. This is most in accordance with Paul's statement to the chief priests and council (Acts xxiii,
PHARISEE
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6) that he was a Pharisee, the bod of a Pharisee, and that be was called in question for the hope and resur- rection of the dead a statement which would have been peculiarly disingenuous if the Pharisees had merely believed in the transmigration of souls; and it is like- wise almost implied in Christ's teaching, which does not insist "ii the doctrine of a future life as anything new. but assumes it as already adopted liy his hearers, ex- cept by the Sadducees, although he condemns some un- spiritual conceptions of its nature as erroneous i Man. xxii. 30; .Mark xii. 25; Luke xx, 34 36). On this head the Mishna is an illustration of the ideas in the Gospels, as distinguished from any mere transmigration of souls : and the peculiar phrase "the world to come," of which (') aith}' 6 tpxofttvos was undoubtedly only the translation, frequently occurs in it iNzn DPIS!"!, Aboth,u,7; iv,16; comp. Mark x, 30 ; Luke xviii, 30). This phrase of Christians, which is anterior to Chris- tianity, but which di»s not occur in the O.T., though fully justified by certain passages to be found in some of its latest books, is essentially different from Greek conceptions on the same subject; and generally, in con- tradistinction to the purely temporal blessings of the Mosaic legislation, the Christian ideas that this world is a stale of probation, and that every one after death will have to render a strict account of his actions, were
expressed by Pharisees in language which it is impos- sible to misunderstand: -This world may he likened to a court-yard in comparison of the world to come ; there- fore prepare thyself in the antechamber that thou may- cst enter into the dining-room" (A both, iv. 16). "Ev- erything i> given to man on security, and a net is spread over every living creature; the shop is open, and the merchant, credits; the hook is open, and the hand records: and whosoever chooses to borrow may <•< • and borrow: for the collectors are continually go- ing around daily, and obtain payment of man, whether with his consent or without it; and the judgment is true justice; and all are prepared lor the fast" tiii. L6). "Those who are horn are doomed Lo die, the dead to live, and the quick to be judged; to make us know, understand, and he informed that he is Cod: lie is the Former, Creator, Intelligent Being, Judge, Witness, and suing parly, and will judge thee hereafter. Blessed he lie: lor in his presence there is no unrighteousness, for- getfulness, respect of persons, nor acceptance of a bribe; for everything is his. Know also that, everything is done according to the account, and let not thine evil imagination persuade thee that the grave is a place of refugi forthee: for against thy will wast thou formed. and against thy will wast thou horn: and against thy will dost thou live, .and against thy will wilt thou die: and against thy will must thou hereafter render an ac- count, and receive judgment in the presence of the Su- preme King of kings, the Holy God, blessed is he" (iv, 22 i. Siill it must he borne in mind that the actions "I
Which such a Strict aCCOUnl Was to he rendered were
not merely those referred to by the spiritual prophets Isaiah and Micah (Isa. i. If', 17; Mic. vi. 8). nor even those enjoined in the Pentateuch, hut included those fabulously supposed to have been orally transmitted by
Mount Sinai, and the whole body of the tra- ditions of the elders. They included, in fact, all those
cere tial "works." against the efficacy of which, in