Consider MT 23:1-3
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
Jesus seems to agree with the pharisaic interpretation of the Law as opposed to the Sadducees. I think one may say that Jesus, if he identified with a political party, it would be the Pharisees.
We don't have to speculate on how Jesus 'interpreted' the law, that is Biblically referenced in various places.
The thread question here is literally if Jesus was a Pharisee, as opposed to another group in general identity, /which Israelite group He was associated with.
All of the groups mentioned in the scripture are Israelite/Hebraic based religious groups, using the same Hebraic basis of religious belief.
Now, considering the differences noted in book association etc between christianity and modern Judaism, it can be speculated as to when those divergenges occured, however the basis of religion tradition are the same for Essenes, Pharisees, the Church of God, 》
the early christian church, and whatever differences were extant in Israel at the time.
|The thread question being, was Jesus a 'Pharisee' when He was referencing the Pharisees, or 'not a Pharisee', when He was referencing the Pharisees.