Why did John the Baptist refer to the Pharisees as a brood of vipers?

Answer

John the Baptist denounced the Pharisees and Sadducees as a “brood of vipers” in Matthew 3:7. A “brood of vipers” refers to a “family of snakes.” Since vipers are venomous, John was essentially labeling the religious leaders as “deadly sons of serpents.” It was a bold condemnation, reiterated by Jesus to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:34.

During the time of John the Baptist and Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees served as the religious authorities in Israel. The Pharisees were known for upholding the Law and traditions, while the Sadducees belonged to the wealthier ruling class. Over time, these well-intentioned groups became corrupt, legalistic, and hypocritical, eventually playing a role in the crucifixion of the Son of God. The title “brood of vipers” they received carried a deeper significance than initially apparent.

The viper was considered an evil creature due to its deadly venom and deceptive nature. For instance, the viper that bit Paul was hidden in the firewood «And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. », (Acts 28:3). In the Hebrew Scriptures familiar to the Pharisees, the serpent is associated with Satan in Genesis 3. By likening the Pharisees to a “brood of vipers,” John implied they exhibited satanic traits. This notion is explicitly expressed by Jesus in John 8:44, where He identifies the unbelieving Jews as “belonging to [their] father, the devil.” When John and Jesus referred to the Pharisees as a “brood of vipers,” they were highlighting the deceitful, dangerous, and wicked nature of these individuals—deceitful because they were hypocrites «Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. », (Matthew 23:15); perilous because they were blind guides of the blind «Leave them alone: they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit. », (Matthew 15:14); and sinful because their hearts were filled with murder «I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place in you. », (John 8:37).

Another intriguing detail is discovered in Jesus’ use of the term “brood of vipers” to refer to the Pharisees. In Matthew 23:33, He declares, “You brood of vipers, how will you escape being condemned to hell?” Farmers, both then and now, often burned the stubble of their fields to prepare the land for the next planting season. As the fires approached the vipers’ nests, the snakes would slither away from the flames, but many times they could not avoid being consumed. Snakes fleeing from the fire was a familiar sight, and Jesus’ words to the Pharisees would likely have brought this image to their minds. How could they believe they would elude God’s judgment fire by depending on their own deeds, which were neither honest nor good? John’s and Jesus’ labeling them a brood of vipers was intended to confront them with their own wickedness and urge them to repent.