A Jewish faction in the time of Rabbi Yeshua. Their name comes from the Hebrew, parush, separated one. The Pharisees, prushim, separated themselves from the other Jewish sects to live according to the Mosaic law.
They recognized all of Hebrew Scripture as inspired by God. St. Paul was “educated according to the strict manner of the law,” Acts 22:3 “a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” Acts 23:6.
The Pharisees were mainstream Jews who did not care for their Roman captors, but above all wanted Judaism to survive, so they tried to live with the Romans while visibly practicing Torah Judaism. Many had become ambitious for power and prestige. After AD 70 Pharisaic Judaism became Rabbinic Judaism.
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