Sins of Legalists
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42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
Introduction
Context. JC is invited as guest to Pharisee's home but he didn’t wash (11:38). This is not about hygiene, but it is about purity ritual. JC speaks about the purity inside. Stern message today, we can be church goers but private lives are not Christlike.
JC criticises the Pharisees for being legalistic. Luke 11:37-54 – 6 woes.
Matt. 23:13-36 – 7 woes
Look at 3 of them today, how they focus on externals and fine details and judgemental but neglecting loving God 1st, justice and accepting of others.
Luke 11:42-46 Jesus’ three denunciations of Pharisees, 3 criticisms, apply to us all.
1. They concentrated on the externals.
2. They focused on the details.
3. They burdened people with rules they didn't keep themselves.
They neglected things that matter.
They concentrated on the externals.
Externals were all that mattered to them. They could be filthy on the inside; lacking love and justice as long as they did the right rituals at the right time. Outward works camouflage inward ungodliness. They did ritual. Tithe 10% of household Inc (OT law). In NT it morphed to meaning not just income but produce eg herbs. Made them look good.
Their religion was showy & empty. They are self-righteous.
You may be a regular church goer, tithing, but ungodly, immoral thoughts, gossip & judging others but outward appearances and keeping the ritual you may be like the Pharisees, neglecting the things that matter – loving God, loving others.
Burdens
Burdens (v46). The experts of the law laid down countless burdens of ceremony & laws to observe. But they didn’t keep them themselves.
Eg Sailors tying Knots was forbidden on Sabbath. But women could tie the knot on her girdles. So a girdle cord could be used to tie up a vessel on the sabbath! A knot with a girdle could be tied to lower a bucket into a well for water. It was a way round the detail of keeping the Sabbath. The burden of religious observance was heavy. Incredible that they thought God would have rules like that.
Scribes & Pharisees called Jesus irreligious. Jesus calls them out for being legalistic.
Jesus is not afraid to challenge them and say that their religion is a sham. The HS has not renewed nor transformed them. They are closed to the new birth that JC spoke to Pharisee Nicodemus about. They cleanse the outside of the vessel but inside is wickedness and dishonesty (extortion, guile). They have not been changed by HS. You can see why JC said to Scribes & Pharisees (x6), ‘woe to you,’ you make having faith a burden (Luke 11:42,43,44,46,47,52). 6 woes! As faith leaders, they had a responsibility for expounding the word and leading people to truth - Christ - but were spiritually dead themselves, misleading their congregations. I could even be speaking about Priests and Bishops! ). Enough Said!
Hypocrites
Hypokritēs is a Greek word for actor. Pharisees were like actors, playing to the crowd, enjoying applause (11:43). Acting a part, outward show – they are not like that off stage. An actor is a pretender. Actor in costume takes a bow, standing ovation & later we see them running out the stage door to their cars and off for a pint. How can they switch so quickly? It is an act, a pretence, a show. Their religion had nothing to do with a transformed life.
This is a warning to those of us who have a responsibility to expound a text to the fellowship. Heed the word, do not revise it, do not redact it, don’t soften it, that will only blunt the instrument which is said (Heb 4:12) to be ‘living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.’
That living word is why many come to repent & turn from their self-centred ways, that word is why many are being baptised in our sea around this IoW. Let us not be so focused on our religion that we neglect our everyday living with Jesus
[Closing story] My mother-in-law’s testimony: ‘I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t use cosmetics’
Cover Photo Jason Swain Photography https://jasonswain.co.uk/
