Good morning- what a great weekend!! I hope you all had a chance to get out and enjoy the beauty that we were gifted with!
The tensions between Jesus and the Pharisees/ Sadducees is really beginning to build. We are getting close to the end of the Passover week. Jesus is slowly chipping away at the control of the religious establishment, beginning to really push the envelope even more and show His divinity and mission to earth. This entire chapter is devoted to Jesus slamming the Pharisees and Sadducees and how they look like good people- but they really aren't that good! The target audience for this chapter is the crowds and the disciples. I'm sure the Pharisees and Sadducees were listening and I am sure they were getting angrier by the minute!
Jesus begins with a compliment and does give them authority since they are holding an office of God (vv 1-3). These men do have an important job and they should be given respect for the office they hold. However, Jesus continues, they are poor examples as they demand more form others than they demand from themselves (v 4). They tell you what to do, yet they don't do it themselves. Know any "religious authorities" like that?! They created the burdens, Jesus relieved the burdens.
These religious authorities liked to show off and would so things so people could see them (v 5). They were advertising their good works so people would think highly of them. The "boxes" described in v 5 are the phylacteries-- small leather boxes with tiny scrolls in them that were tied to their left arm and head with leather straps, usually only at morning prayer. These are still worn by Conservative and Orthodox Jews. They are worn based on Deuteronomy 6:8: " You shall also tie them as a sign to your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead." The Pharisees assumed that the bigger they were- the more religious they were!
Jesus then warns the people and says not to imitate the Pharisees- they think they are more important than they really are! Jesus reminds the people that they are all equal- no one is higher than anyone else. The only real teacher is Jesus/God (v 8). Do we sometimes place religious authority on a pedestal? Do they think they are better than others? We all have teachers and fathers/mothers in an earthly sense, but don't forget that God is the ultimate Father/Mother/ Teacher (v 10). Jesus then reminds us of the servant- master relationship- that we are to be servants to all and all are servants. Rank is often determined by how many people serve you or are "under you" (as in a company), but Jesus says that our "worth" is determined by how many we serve! McDonalds must be the most humble company I know- they have served over one billion! Jesus gave us a model of humble servantship, yet I think many religious authority people today use the Pharisee model of leadership! Why is that so?
Jesus now really digs into the Pharisees and scribes with the "eight woes" (that contrast the beatitudes). It is typical for Hebrew prophets to list the "woes" to a certain group of people. Jesus lists them and then tells why they are "wrong" in their actions. Shutting the doors to the kingdom because their man made rules are "greater" than the God's rules (v 13). My Bible does not have a v 14! Many translations have omitted it! It should say something like "devouring widow's homes and making pretentious long prayers..." (dishonesty with widows and falsely spiritual prayers asking for large donations!). Their religious zeal brought in many people (v 15)- but the people were to give large donations and serve the temple- definitely not God oriented! They would construct elaborate oaths (v 16) committing people to extensive "gift giving" and servanthood to the priests. The religious authority was more interested in the trivial aspects of life and not paying attention to the larger issues (v 23). The gnat- camel reference is a joke about a man so following the kosher laws that he would pick a gnat out of his wine because it wasn't bled properly, but yet would consume a whole camel. Its about proportions and paying attention to the small things and not the big things. Do we sometimes only see the small things and not see the big things? Jesus then accuses them of being unclean both on the outside and the inside (v 25). They appear righteous (washing the outside of the cup) yet are filthy inside. It was Jewish custom to clean the tombs and whitewash them prior to Passover so that they could be clean. That way, if someone were to accidentally touch one- they will still be considered "clean" The Pharisees and scribes look like the nice and clean tombs that everyone is proud of yet they have the rotting remains of bodies in them (v 27+)! They appear righteous, yet they are far from it. They say that they venerated the old prophets, but they don't pay attention to the living ones (Jesus). Saying that means that they are like the son of the people that murdered those old prophets since they don't really believe (v 30). We say similar things- "I wouldn't have denied Jesus like the people of the time did." These were some really harsh words from Jesus and I can imagine the Pharisees and scribes just fuming mad! I wonder what the people were thinking? Were they on the side of Jesus of the side of the religious authority? Jesus was the "whistle blower" of the day. Someone has to do it!
Jesus closes this discourse with lament for Jerusalem. Jesus has the desire to protect the city and its inhabitants. He wants to give them comfort, peace, warmth and security (like a mother hen does for her chicks), yet "they" are refusing. Do we reject Jesus' offers today? Does Jesus lament over us and our churches?
Tensions continue to tighten and rise. Tomorrow we hear about the destruction of the temple (both literally and figuratively). The end of Jesus' life and ministry is drawing to a close and he begins to really be honest and truthful. We will see that more tomorrow and the next day.
I hope you have a good day and enjoy the time we are blessed with.
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
Jesus actually criticizes the Pharisees of not practicing what they preach. Often today we all are very guilty of this very same thing.
ReplyDeleteJesus wants us to be servants and serve one another, often we put ourselves above others thinking we are better for something we have done. we are like the Pharisees with that thinking. I love your reference to Mac Donalds serving over a billion I brought a large guffaw from me. Oh to be able to completely serve only one that being
Jesus. (we often fail) Jesus is becoming more critical of the leaders now His being critical is angering the leaders more and more and probably leading to their wanting to do away with Him.
And it isn't just clergy that don't practice what they preach!!
DeleteSome people definitely have a servant heart- yet others not so much. Why does that happen? Why do some people feel entitled or better than others?
God point Clara!
Thank you, Pastor Paul, for clarifying the last few versus in the last Chapter. It did make sense to me after reading your explanation.
ReplyDeleteJesus is definitely going to great lengths to get his point across. I almost feel His urgency in telling people as much as He can, knowing His time is almost done. Even with this very long chapter on being hypocrites, we still are. Even though I don't think I am a hypocrite - one who KNOWS they are saying something they are not - but I do, sometimes, like "credit" for the things I do. But I do try to talk the talk AND walk the walk. I guess it's human nature BUT that doesn't make it right. But I do know that in my heart what I say I am , I feel I am. I just hope that other people see/feel that about me. Vs. 37-39 are very sad. And I can imagine that Jesus was very sad when he said it!
"Just doing my job!"
DeleteYou can hear the urgency and stress in Jesus' voice (via Matthew).
Unfortunately- the church has many hypocrites. Saying one thing and doing another- some intentional- some not so much.
Even me!
It is hard both walking and talking- especially when others are not looking!
You can feel the pain in Jesus. Is that pain still for the church today?
Good points Donna.
I'm so conflicted. Every time we get to these points I still think that people who believe other ways surely believe that God will save them and they will go heaven. I believe that for those of us who believe Jesus will save us, it's true. But I don't think God forsakes Jews, Muslims, Hindu and other religious people who are trying to live in the way that they think God wants them to, are not saved. We cannot even fathom the greatness of God. If God made all people in his image why would only save people who believe in Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThere were people who lived and died long before Jesus was born. What happened to them?
Sometimes I think about how these books were written long after Jesus died. There cannot be quotes! How could someone quote someone who had died 50 years before?
And what about this? Don't we make our own opinions about other things like slavery, divorce, subservience of women and more? It would certainly be hard to believe that slavery is supported by the Bible so it must be OK.
Well, I hope I don't upset anyone with my comments but this is what I really think.
Cathy, I have often thought about what you said in your blog. This was especially true after I read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. This is a novel, but it addresses the issue of Christ's life and if it was real or a hoax. I'm not saying that I believe it was a hoax, but this book gives one a lot to think about, especially since the Synoptic Gospels were all written 50+ years after Jesus's life on earth. After reading the book, I was convinced that the story of Jesus as a hoax, and I still struggle with it to this day.
DeleteCathy and Jack- you both bring up excellent points. It is had to wrap our heads around the ideas God has and the love that God extends. In my mind, my God saves all people that are really trying hard to be good people. In my mind, my God shows no partiality between the different world religions. We will all be united.
DeleteMany of the holy texts were written well after the life of Christ. Just as in the "telephone game: we would play as kids, stories get inflated and skewed. The audience of the texts determines word choice. When I was teaching, I would change the words and examples based on the group of kids I was teaching. Teaching to Gentiles would require different words and examples than teaching Jews. For example, for northerners, it was the "Civil War"; for southerners, it was the "War of Northern Aggression."
I do believe Jesus was a real person and I do believe the resurrection happened. Did all the stories happen exactly the way Matthew Mark and Luke said they did? Probably not!
It is a struggle to understand- but that helps our faith. When we really sit and think and talk- it is when we are most vulnerable and open to God's strength.
Very good thoughts!
Jack and Cathy - my husband died when he was young - but I still tell the kids stories about him, things he used to do, things he did when the kids were young and even things that he said. I am sure we all remember things that our parents or grandparents said, things they did with us - wouldn’t that be the same with the disciples and Jesus? Just something to think about!
DeleteJack and Cindy - just another thought I had. These stories about Jesus, His life and His words may have been written some 50/60 years later BUT the stories were verbally told immediately - over and over again as the disciples traveled from place to place. Jesus' great commission was to go forth and make disciples - so I am thinking that, like all verbal history that is passed down from generation to generation, the stories were told so often that the disciples, and others, knew them by heart when they finally got around to writing them down. Make sense?
DeleteFires! Do we have fires! I was just watching the news and, I guess the smoke from them is visible in the Northeast. I feel for the poor folks fighting these fires since it is going to be in the mid to upper 90s all week. It is tinder dry and we sure could use some rain. Other than sprinkles, that is not in the picture, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteJesus is really stirring the pot in this chapter. He accuses the Pharisees of not practicing what they preach. I do not know of religious leaders who do this, but I can think of several politicians on both sides of the aisle who are guilty, and I know I have done it myself. In fact, fi a person says he or she has never done anything like this, then that person is a liar or is deceiving himself or herself.
Cathy, I have often thought about what you said in your blog. This was especially true after I read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. This is a novel, but it addresses the issue of Christ's life and if it was real or a hoax. I'm not saying that I believe it was a hoax, but this book gives one a lot to think about, especially since the Synoptic Gospels were all written 50+ years after Jesus's life on earth. After reading the book, I was convinced that the story of Jesus as a hoax, and I still struggle with it to this day.
Between the smoke from the fires in the west and the sires from Canada- our air quality is decreased. I was looking at some Catskill posts yesterday on FB and many of the mountain tops are covered with a smoky haze and the smoke can be smelled!
ReplyDeleteOne reason I like Jesus so much is that he was always stirring the pot! Several years before I retired, after one faculty meeting when I was very vocal, one of the home and careers people came up and gave me wooden spoon- so I could continue stirring that pot! When I left, I gifted it to my chemistry teacher next door and said it is now up to her to keep the pot stirred!
Great thoughts!