Pharisaism, Its Aim and Its Method

In an era when "Pharisee" had become a byword for hypocrisy, R. Travers Herford dared to ask: what if we got them wrong? This 1912 work, born from lectures at Oxford, fundamentally challenges centuries of Christian misunderstanding. Herford argues that to comprehend the New Testament's portrayals of the Pharisees, one must first understand them as they understood themselves: as sincere spiritual seekers dedicated to interpreting and living the Torah. The book traces Pharisaism from its origins in the time of Ezra through its development into the foundation of Rabbinic Judaism, illuminating how their emphasis on Torah study and the synagogue shaped Jewish religious life. Rather than antagonists to early Christianity, Herford presents them as a legitimate religious movement with coherent theology and genuine spiritual ambition. This book remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the New Testament's context, the historical Jesus, or the origins of Rabbinic Judaism. It is a pioneering work of interfaith dialogue, written when such a thing was rare, and it still rewards readers willing to engage with its dated but passionate argument.