Final answer:
The Pharisees gained support from the common people through their teachings emphasizing devotion to all of the laws of Moses and the coming of a messiah, unlike other Jewish groups of the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the first century CE, the Pharisees gained the support of the common people by teaching Jewish families to practice the Torah's teachings with greater devotion. They insisted that all Jews should abide by all of the laws of Moses and preached the arrival of a messiah, which resonated with the common populace. The Pharisees differed from the Sadducees, which included powerful priests who believed that only they needed to follow the extensive laws, while the Essenes emphasized asceticism and mysticism, and the Zealots were revolutionaries who called for armed revolt against Romans.