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In the Gospels the Pharisees have a strong, but not predominant, position in the Sanhedrin. The Herodians - with their Roman alliance - and Sadducees - by their inherited skill in political intrigue - held the reins of government. If we might believe the Talmudic representation, the Pharisees were in the immense majority in the Sanhedrin; what would be called a "president" and "prime minister" today were positions held by Pharisees in Jesus' time.  This division of power, it should be noted, may have been the result of the imagination of the Talmudic writers.

In the Gospels the Pharisees have a strong, but not predominant, position in the Sanhedrin. The Herodians - with their Roman alliance - and Sadducees - by their inherited skill in political intrigue - held the reins of government. If we might believe the Talmudic representation, the Pharisees were in the immense majority in the Sanhedrin; what would be called a "president" and "prime minister" today were positions held by Pharisees in Jesus' time.  This division of power, it should be noted, may have been the result of the imagination of the Talmudic writers.

Outside of the Sanhedrin the Pharisees are ubiquitous, in Jerusalem, in Galilee, in Peraea and in the Decapolis, and in the New testament they are always coming in contact with Jesus. The Pharisees appear in the ''Book of Acts'' to be in a latent way favorers of the apostles as against the high-priestly party. The personal influence of Gamaliel, which seems commanding, was exercised in their favor. The anti-Christian zeal of Saul the Tarsian, though a Pharisee, may have been to some extent the result of the personal feelings which led him to perpetuate the relations of the earlier period when the two sects were united in common antagonism to the teaching of Christ. He offered himself to be employed by the Sadducean high priest (Acts 9:1,2) to carry on the work of persecution in Damascus. In this action Saul appears to have been in opposition to a large section of the Pharisaic party. The bitter disputes which he and the other younger Pharisees had carried on with Stephen had possibly influenced him. When he was brought before years later before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem - this time as the Christian apostle Paul - the Pharisaic party were numerous in the Council and they readily became his defenders against the Sadducees, even if they did not the majority.

Outside of the Sanhedrin the Pharisees are ubiquitous, in Jerusalem, in Galilee, in Peraea and in the Decapolis, and in the New testament they are always coming in contact with Jesus. The Pharisees appear in the ''Book of Acts'' to be in a latent way favorers of the apostles as against the high-priestly party. The personal influence of Gamaliel, which seems commanding, was exercised in their favor. The anti-Christian zeal of Saul the Tarsian, though a Pharisee, may have been to some extent the result of the personal feelings which led him to perpetuate the relations of the earlier period when the two sects were united in common antagonism to the teaching of Christ. He offered himself to be employed by the Sadducean high priest (Acts 9:1,2) to carry on the work of persecution in Damascus. In this action Saul appears to have been in opposition to a large section of the Pharisaic party. The bitter disputes which he and the other younger Pharisees had carried on with Stephen had possibly influenced him. When years later he was brought before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem - this time as the Christian apostle Paul - the Pharisaic party were numerous in the Council and they readily became his defenders against the Sadducees, even if they did not the majority.

From Josephus we learn that with the outbreak of the war with the Romans the Pharisees were thrust into the background by the more fanatical Zealots, Simon ben Gioras and John of Gischala (BJ, V, i). The truth behind the Talmudic statements that Gamaliel removed the Sanhedrin to Jabneh and that Johanan ben Zakkai successfully entreated Vespasian to spare the scholars of that city is that the Pharisees in considerable numbers made peace with the Romans. In the Mishna we have the evidence of their later labors when the Sanhedrin was removed from Jabneh, ultimately to Tiberias in Galilee. There under the guidance of Jehuda ha-Qadhosh ("the Holy") the Mishna was reduced to writing. It may thus be said that Judaism became Pharisaism, and the history of the Jews became that of the Pharisees. In this later period the opposition to Christianity sprang up anew and became embittered, as may be seen in the Talmudic fables concerning Jesus.

From Josephus we learn that with the outbreak of the war with the Romans the Pharisees were thrust into the background by the more fanatical Zealots, Simon ben Gioras and John of Gischala (BJ, V, i). The truth behind the Talmudic statements that Gamaliel removed the Sanhedrin to Jabneh and that Johanan ben Zakkai successfully entreated Vespasian to spare the scholars of that city is that the Pharisees in considerable numbers made peace with the Romans. In the Mishna we have the evidence of their later labors when the Sanhedrin was removed from Jabneh, ultimately to Tiberias in Galilee. There under the guidance of Jehuda ha-Qadhosh ("the Holy") the Mishna was reduced to writing. It may thus be said that Judaism became Pharisaism, and the history of the Jews became that of the Pharisees. In this later period the opposition to Christianity sprang up anew and became embittered, as may be seen in the Talmudic fables concerning Jesus.