Jesus, the Pharisee?

Bernard J Lee says that, while it does not seem likely that Jesus was literally a Pharisee, his teaching and his style are clearly Pharisaic.

J T Pawlikowski concurs, saying:

"In a way it is immaterial whether we classify Jesus as an actual Pharisee or not.  What we can say without hesitation is that the major ideas of the Pharisaic revolution exercised a profound influence on his teachings and the shape of his ministry.  He stood much closer to Pharisaism than to any other Jewish movement of the period."

Bernard J Lee is Professor of Theology at St Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas.

John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Ph.D., is Professor of Social Ethics and Director of Catholic-Jewish Studies at the Catholic Theological Union, part of the ecumenical cluster of theological schools at the University of Chicago.