PHARISEES.
Behold how thy disciples do a thing
Which is not lawful on the Sabbath-day,
And thou forbiddest them not!
The Annotated Edition
PHARISEES. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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This brief poem takes on the voice of the Pharisees from the New Testament, questioning Jesus about his disciples violating Sabbath laws.
- Themes
- doubt, faith, freedom
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
This brief poem takes on the voice of the Pharisees from the New Testament, questioning Jesus about his disciples violating Sabbath laws. Longfellow captures this moment in three sharp lines, allowing the accusation to linger without a response. The result is a subtle focus on the tension between strict adherence to rules and the values of compassion and freedom.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
Behold how thy disciples do a thing / Which is not lawful on the Sabbath-day,
Editor's note
The speaker, a Pharisee, accuses Jesus's followers of breaking the rules on the holy day of rest. The word "Behold" serves as a dramatic invitation to observe, like a lawyer presenting evidence in court. The accusation focuses solely on the legal aspect, ignoring any mention of harm or wrongdoing beyond simply breaking the rules.
And thou forbiddest them not!
Editor's note
The final line shifts the blame from the disciples to Jesus himself. By not intervening, Jesus is seen as equally guilty in the eyes of the Pharisees. The exclamation mark adds an indignant, self-righteous tone to the line. Longfellow concludes here, providing no defense or counterargument — the absence of Jesus's response is central to the poem's message.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
The tone feels accusatory and self-righteous, reflecting someone focused more on following the law than on showing mercy or understanding. The lines have a cold, clipped quality—there's no warmth or curiosity, just a sense of prosecution. Longfellow completely removes his own voice, which makes the Pharisee's rigidity stand out even more.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- The Sabbath
- The Sabbath represents religious law as a means of control. In this context, it isn't seen as a day of rest and renewal; instead, it's a boundary designed to catch people off guard and instill guilt.
- The disciples' unnamed act
- The phrase "is not lawful" is intentionally vague, reflecting the Gospels (where the disciples pick grain to eat) while also making the accusation more universal—any minor human action can be deemed a crime when the law is enforced without compassion.
- Silence (the missing reply)
- The poem concludes without any words from Jesus. This silence symbolizes the divide between legalism and grace; the Pharisee's words occupy the void, yet the reader senses the heaviness of all that remains unspoken.
§06Historical context
Historical context
Longfellow published a series of short dramatic poems inspired by biblical and classical sources throughout his career. This piece fits into the tradition of verse that reinterprets scripture instead of commenting on it directly. The source moment is Matthew 12:1–2 (along with similar passages in Mark and Luke), where the Pharisees challenge Jesus after his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath. In 19th-century America, discussions about religious legalism versus liberal Christianity were very much alive. Unitarianism, which Longfellow supported, emphasized the spirit of religion over strict adherence to doctrine. By presenting the Pharisees' words without a counterargument, he makes a pointed choice: it allows their accusation to speak for itself. The poem serves as a subtle argument for compassion over compliance, conveyed entirely through dramatic irony.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
It captures a scene from the Gospels where Pharisees — Jewish religious leaders recognized for their strict adherence to the law — accuse Jesus's disciples of violating the Sabbath. Longfellow presents only the accusation, without any defense, allowing the reader to sense how empty rigid rule-following can feel.
That silence carries the entire argument. By halting at the accusation, Longfellow compels the reader to confront the Pharisee's self-righteousness and realize how it stands on its own. The absence of a reply is more impactful than any rebuttal could be.
In the Gospel of Matthew (12:1–2), the disciples were walking through grain fields and picking heads of grain to eat since they were hungry. The Pharisees viewed this as harvesting, which they believed was prohibited work on the Sabbath.
The Pharisees were a significant Jewish religious group in first-century Judea known for their strict adherence to Mosaic law and oral traditions. In the New Testament, they often appear as opponents of Jesus, and today, their name is commonly used in English to refer to hypocritical or excessively rigid piety.
It critiques legalism—following rules just for the sake of it instead of from true compassion or faith. Longfellow had a sympathetic view of Unitarianism, which prioritized the essence of religion over strict doctrines, so the poem aligns well with that perspective without directly confronting religion.
The brevity is intentional. Longfellow reduces the scene to a simple accusation — three lines, one voice, and no context. This compression makes the Pharisee's complaint seem trivial and insignificant because there's nothing else in the poem to lend it any weight.
The main technique is **dramatic monologue** — where a single speaker talks to someone (Jesus) as the reader listens in. The speaker's character comes through in their words, and the irony lies in the fact that the Pharisee believes they are presenting a strong argument while actually revealing their own lack of compassion.
Longfellow frequently referenced biblical and classical sources to convey moral lessons through storytelling and voice instead of straightforward declarations. His poem cycle *Christus: A Mystery* reflects this tendency to dramatize scripture. "Pharisees" serves as a shorter example of that broader approach — allowing the characters to express themselves lets the meaning emerge naturally.
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