The Positive Side of the Pharisees
1. They were a separated people.
They separated themselves from the pagan influences of another culture.

2. They were men of God's Word.
They recognized the authority of Scriptures.

3. They were men of the people.
They represented the man on the street.

4. They were men of tradition.
Much of the Old Testament was carried on through oral tradition.

5. They were men of great detail.
They were absolutely specific about the carrying out of the law.


The Dark Side of the Pharisees.
1. Separation led to hypocrisy and externalism. (Vs. 39-41; Matthew 23:25-28)

2. Allegiance to Scriptures led to legalistic oppression. (Vs. 46; Matthew 23:13-19)

3. Being from among the people led to self-righteousness and selfish recognition. (vs. 43; Matthew 23:5-7)

4. Love of tradition led to vain worship. (Matt. 15:1-9)

5. Obsession with detail led to reversed priorities.​ (vs. 42; Matthew 23:23-24)

The Bible is a miracle. (II Peter 1:21)
theo = God        pneustos = breath


The Bible as literature
1. Plot or story line
a. beginning – God created us.
b. development – God reveals Himself to us
c. climax – Jesus came to live with us and die for us.
d. Ending – judgment or reward


2. Characters
What does this person's life tell you about what God loves and values? About what God hates and rejects?
What does God do in the life of this person as a result of His actions.


3. Setting
Why Palestine?
a. best possible land for a nation to be established and Abraham's descendants multiplied
b. ideal location to influence all the different world powers c. ideal center for the spread of the gospel


4. Mood
By reading the Bible, we are moved by what moves God.
It is essential that we comprehend the hopeless despair of sinfulness so we can appreciate the wonderful, hopeful optimism of a God of salvation.


5. Theme
The message of the Bible calls us into action.
The Bible is more than literature. It is life itself!

James 4:2- “You have not because you ask not.”

1. Ask Immediately. (47)
Too often, prayer is not our first option.
We only ask when we get desperate and don't know where else to turn.

Matthew 7:7 This is not a one-time request; it's a continual prayer.


2. Ask Defiantly. (48)
You sometimes have to defy those around you and ask anyway.

We must make sure that in our defiant prayer that our defiance is not against God.


3. Ask Specifically. (51)

a. Bartimaeus knew exactly what he wanted
b. Bartimaeus asked for it all.

The act of asking demonstrates your faith.

The real benefit Bartimaeus received that day was that he got to follow Jesus.