What are we to think of the Pharisees? They were religious, but not godly; orthodox, but not spiritual; they knew the words—God, prayer, kingdom of God, Messiah—but they had not come to look on the realities, of which these words are the outward designation. Had they possessed New Testament expressions, they would have used them also; and, therefore, men who speak nowadays of heaven, and Christ’s blood, and faith, but who have not received the Spirit of God, and so do not prefer heavenly and spiritual things to temporal and present enjoyments, and do not understand the power of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, and do not live a spiritual life, Jesus dwelling in their heart by faith—although they are far from hypocrisy and a desire to deceive others—yet occupy the same place as the Pharisees of old, nominally believing in the Messiah, virtually denying and rejecting Him. Such men are generally the most inaccessible to the influence of gospel truth; the most rousing and powerful words have become to them meaningless; while they imagine that they possess a reality they are only clinging to the form and outward sign. Yet the Lord is able to save to the uttermost. 

Jesus And The Sinner - Adolph Saphir