Chapter 23 is a long, angry, thorough indictment on the Pharisees and on any who chose religion over relationship. Jesus lets all of his anger and disdain out for the Pharisees, and I believe for all who walk in that way.
His condemnation should be read by every religious leader with an eye towards self examination. read these verses and stop and ask periodically, "Lord, where am I living this way?"
"They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi." Matthew 23:4-7 NRSV. A phylactery is a Greek term for tefillin, leather boxes worn on the arm and head. This was done to fulfill the command in scripture found in the law, "You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem* on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth." Deuteronomy 11:18-21 NRSV. During this era it was common for adherents to exaggerate the size of these boxes to show how holy they were. Outward showy signs of religion can not substitute for inward holiness.
The entire 23rd chapter is a painful indictment on all who make religion and its practices their god and so miss worshipping the God of creation. Be careful, friends, lest we fall into the same trap as those we read about here!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
This is a powerful chapter because it is so easy to see where we can fall into these behaviors. When do we follow the little 'laws' - the mint, dill and cummin laws, and neglect justice, mercy, and faith?
Remarkably, Jesus ends with such a tender image, wanting to gather Jerusalem as a hen gathers her brood. Amazing grace!
This chapter was really wild to read, after all the miracles and fun stories of Jesus living life...then we have all the anger that Jesus had about the people living the religion at the time. With all that anger, doesn't it seem even more incredible that Jesus was able to go through the whole crucification without speaking a word of this concern...
But these words can speak directly to us, can't they? I thought about how being a teacher (in my future career), and how it will be great to be respected by the students and looked up to...but that's not how I should feel about it. What I have and what I know is what comes from God. I need to remember that.
Let us not fall into the same traps that he speaks of.
Thank God for Him!
ttys,
Marshall Bailey
Post a Comment