TO LOVE
Opening Prayer
God of justice, give me Your heart today.
Read Matthew 23:13–24
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14] [a]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Footnotes:
a Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What situations of injustice are you aware of, either in today’s news or in the lives of those around you?Jesus’ severe language follows the conventions of an ancient polemic as he exposes the hypocrisy of the scribes and the Pharisees. What specific examples of hypocrisy does he highlight in this passage?
In their preoccupation with the minutiae (24), whether in taking oaths (16–22) or giving away a tenth (23), the religious leaders have completely missed the point. Jesus has already summed up the whole goal of following the law with a command to love God and neighbor (22:37,38).
The Old Testament and the New Testament stress what’s really important—justice, mercy and faithfulness (Hosea 6:6; Mic. 6:8; Jas. 1:27). The lack of justice shown by the religious teachers reveals the hollowness of their outward religious observances. In contrast, Jesus’ followers, aided by the Holy Spirit, will live servant-hearted (11), transformed lives of faith and love.
German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Christians… must share in Christ’s large-heartedness by acting with responsibility and in freedom… Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action” (Theology of Liberation, Diolog, Vol. 34, Winter 1995, 26).
Apply
How can you show a commitment to justice and mercy in your life? Is there a situation that has been tugging on your heart?
Closing prayer
Loving God, show me where You want me to share Your love today.
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