Why did Jesus have a Problem with the Pharisees?

When we read the Gospels in the New Testament, it is easy to notice that Jesus and the Pharisees did not get along. Jesus seemed more gracious, gentler and compassionate when He spoke and related with the common people during His ministry. However, with the Jewish leaders such as the Pharisees, Jesus appeared to be combative and intolerant with the Pharisees.
Why did Jesus have a problem with the Pharisees? Why did the Pharisees hate Jesus?

1. The Pharisees were narcissists – The Pharisees had religious pride. They loved the admiration and praise of men and they used religion in order to gain self-recognition and control of people. They were self-righteous and believed they were better than everyone (Luke 18:9-14).
In Matthew 23:5-7 NLT, Jesus describes the pride and narcissism of the Pharisees in the following way: “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.”

2. The Pharisees were oppressive and legalistic – In Matthew 23:4 NLT, Jesus describes the oppressive behavior of the Pharisees by stating: “They crush people with impossible religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.”
Jesus opposed the Pharisees’ strict adherence to the law and man-made religious traditions, which led to a lack of compassion and understanding. They prioritized adhering to tradition instead of showing such virtues as love, compassion, kindness or understanding. For example, the Pharisees opposed people being helped or healed on the Sabbath day (Mark 3:1-6; Matthew 12:1-14).

3. The Pharisees were hypocritical and exploitive – Jesus was not afraid to expose the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. They focused on outward appearances yet inwardly they were morally bankrupt. The Pharisees did not practice what they preached (Matthew 23:3-4).
They also used religion simply to create wealth for themselves, which is why Jesus chased them out of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:1-17).
In Matthew 23:25-28 NLT Jesus described the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in the following way: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

4. The Pharisees were religious but they did not have a relationship with God – The Jewish leaders knew the written law and preached it. However, they did not have a personal relationship with God.
To the Pharisees, the Scriptures were just a tool they used to elevate themselves above others and to use as a means to control others through the misinterpretation of Scripture.
If the Pharisees truly sought a relationship with God, then they would have recognized the deity of Jesus and not plotted to kill Him (John 10:30-39). However, the Pharisees opposed godly principles that were taught by Christ and resisted any teachings that may expose their greed and hold on power, money and control over the people.
So despite Jesus teaching godly values and performing miracles to prove His deity, the Pharisees did not see Jesus Christ as being God in the flesh. Instead they were motivated to kill Jesus because they saw Him as a threat to their own religious authority.

5. The Pharisees were a hindrance to the eternal salvation of people – The Pharisees taught that salvation was through obeying the works of the law inclusive of the twisted rules and traditions they had created. They were false teachers.
Their misinterpretation of the Scriptures, their failure to recognize Jesus as the true Messiah and their hypocritical lifestyle was a recipe for disaster to anyone who followed the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were practically blind leaders who were leading blind followers into the pit of hell (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39).
In Matthew 23:13-15 NLT, Jesus describes the Pharisees as false teachers who were leading people to hell when He says the following: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. 15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!”

Conclusion
Jesus had a problem with the Pharisees because they were ultimately working as enemies of God. They did not live to glorify God, but they lived to glorify themselves and seek admiration from people.
They sought to fulfill their narcissistic desires. They used religion as a means to control, manipulate and exploit people for their own personal gain.
Jesus sought to free people from deception and from the false teachings of the Pharisees. Jesus sought teach people the true nature and character of God and not the legalistic version taught by the Pharisees.
Jesus sought to teach the people that God was a personal God who intimately loved us and that God was full of grace and compassion towards all kinds of people despite our faults or weaknesses.
Ultimately Jesus came to save sinners from eternal punishment. Christ took the punishment that we deserved so that we may be eternally forgiven and have an everlasting relationship with God.