Matthew 3:7

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees, etc.] This being the first place in which mention is made of the Pharisees and Sadducees, it may not be amiss to give some account of them once for all, and to begin with the Pharisees, and first with their name. Some derive this word from Urp pharatz to “divide”, to “make a breach”, from whence Phares had his name (<013829>Genesis 38:29) so Jerom f164, who observes, that “the Pharisees, who separated themselves from the people as righteous persons, were called “divisi, the divided.”” And in f165 another place, “because the Pharisees were “divided” from the Jews on account of some superfluous observations, they also took their name from their…”

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them--astonished at such a spectacle. O generation of vipers--"Viper brood," expressing the deadly influence of both sects alike upon the community. Mutually and entirely antagonistic as were their religious principles and spirit, the stem prophet charges both alike with being the poisoners of the nation's religious principles. In Mat 12:34; Mat 23:33, this strong language of the Baptist is anew applied by the faithful and true Witness to the Pharisees specifically--the only party that had zeal enough actively to diffuse this poison. who hath warned you--given you the hint, as the idea is. to flee from the…”

“Pharisees and Sadducees - The Jews were divided into three great sects - the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. In addition to these, some smaller sects are mentioned in the New Testament and by Josephus: the Herodians, probably political friends of Herod; the Galileans, a branch of the Pharisees; and the Therapeutae, a branch of the Essenes, but converts from the Greeks. The three principal sects are supposed to have originated about 150 years before Christ, as they are mentioned by Josephus at that time in his history. Of course nothing is said of them in the Old Testament, as that was finished about 400 years before the Christian era. I. The Pharisees were the most numerous and…”

“The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews. They took their name from a Hebrew word, which signifies to separate, because they separated themselves from all other men. They were outwardly strict observers of the law, fasted often, made long prayers, rigorously kept the Sabbath, and paid all tithe, even of mint, anise, and cummin. Hence they were in high esteem among the people. But inwardly, they were full of pride and hypocrisy. The Sadducees were another sect among the Jews, only not so considerable as the Pharisees. They denied the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul, and by consequence the resurrection of the dead. Ye brood of vipers - In like manner, the…”

“3:7 The Pharisees’ name derives from the Hebrew term perushim, meaning either separated ones or exact interpreters. • The Sadducees, a priestly class, probably derive their name from Zadok the priest (2 Sam 15:24-29; Ezek 44:10-16).”

“the Pharisees: Mat 5:20, Mat 12:24, Mat 15:12, Mat 16:6, Mat 16:11, Mat 16:12, Mat 22:15, Mat 22:23, Mat 22:34, 23:13-28; Mar 7:3-5, Mar 8:15, Mar 12:13, Mar 12:18; Luk 7:30, Luk 11:39-44, Luk 16:14, Luk 18:11; Joh 1:24; Joh 7:45-49, Joh 9:40; Act 4:1, Act 4:2, Act 5:17, Act 15:5, Act 23:6-9, Act 26:5 O generation: Mat 12:34, Mat 23:33; Gen 3:15; Psa 58:3-6; Isa 57:3, Isa 57:4, Isa 59:5; Luk 3:7-9; Joh 8:44; Jo1 3:10; Rev 12:9, Rev 12:10 who: Jer 6:10, Jer 51:6; Eze 3:18-21, Eze 33:3-7; Act 20:31; Rom 1:18; Heb 11:7 flee: Rom 5:9; Th1 1:10; Th2 1:9, Th2 1:10; Heb 6:18; Rev 6:16, Rev 6:17 Matthew 3:8”