“But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:11 HCSB

This blindness is the spirit of the Pharisees. Someone who thinks they are in the truth but are walking in the opposite direction. Listen to what Jesus said to the Pharisees in His day.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher punishment. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are! 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’ Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel! 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! Blind Pharisee! First, clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also become clean. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins!”

Matthew 23:13-17, 23-32 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.23.13-17,23-32.hcsb

Three times Jesus called them blind.

Verse16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing.’

Verse 19 “Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?”

Verse 26 “Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also become clean.”

The Pharisee does not see people but rather rules to follow. They live in judgment of people. They look around and condemn people because other people do not act in accordance with what they believe. As I write this I think of a Christian denomination that lives by a strict moral code but are judgemental of those who do not.  

The spirit of the pharisee holds higher the law rather than the principle behind the law. They preach obedience to the law but neglect the simpleness of the gospel. In the law they begin the hate those who do not follow the law “as they do” but in reality, they only preach it and will not follow their own guidance. 

They have moved from a loving seeing people, to a hating blind people. They forget obedience to God is better than sacrifice to God.

So let us not be a blind guide! Love people! Teach them to love God and not rules made up by men to keep them in bondage.

“And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works,”

Hebrews 10:24 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/heb.10.24.hcsb