Ancient and Modern Pharisees by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 7, 1871

Ancient and Modern Pharisees.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

ALL Christians unite in condemning the bigotry, exclusiveness, and sectarianism, of the ancient Pharisees. They opposed Christ and his apostles, and did all they could to impede the progress of the gospel. They were sure that they and their doctrine, it being the old and commonly-received theory, were right, and that all new doctrines must necessarily be wrong. For this they are justly condemned by all Christians; yet if we look a little more carefully at their conduct we shall see that they were really more liberal than the old and most popular sects of Christians at the present time.

It is now quite generally almost impossible for an Adventist minister to obtain the privilege of speaking in their churches. The doors are locked against him whenever he comes. Much less is he allowed to preach to their congregations in their houses at their regular appointed seasons of worship. If he has the privilege of the house at all, he must do it at some other time, and run his risk of a congregation.

This is something that the ancient Pharisees, with all their bigotry and hatred of the Christians, did not do. Everywhere they went, the apostles were not only freely allowed the use of their synagogues (their meeting-houses), but they were invited to preach to them at their regular assemblies of worship. This we read in a few passages which will give us an idea how they did in those times. Acts 9:20: “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” Chapter 13:5, 14, 15: “And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John to their minister.” “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.” Here we see that Paul not only spoke by permission, but by request. Acts 14:1; 17:1, 2, 17: “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.” “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews; and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” “Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.”

By this we see that they would allow Paul to come into their synagogues and dispute with them and argue his cause. Acts 18:4: “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Many more places might be quoted, showing the same conduct. This ought to put to shame our modern Pharisees who are even more selfish and exclusive than their ancient fathers.

D. M. CANRIGHT.