“The acting of a stage player.” That’s the definition of the Bible word “hypocrisy.” Wrestling up images of Broadway and our local theatres, that definition conveys the meaning well. When we think of a hypocrite we imagine those who have lied to us: those who have pretended to be our friends only to betray us later. We may think of politicians and preachers. Especially the ones who have led crusades against things they are later involved in. Like the minister who gets caught in adultery or a homosexual relationship. When we imagine a hypocrite we see someone who has taken advantage of us. Whether they betrayed our confidence or let us down, they are people who have offended our sense of what is right and just.
This is the word Jesus chose to describe the Pharisees. No chapter of the Bible illustrates this better than Matthew 23. In Matthew 23 Jesus tells His disciples to avoid being like the hypocritical Pharisees at any cost. He lists reason after reason why the Pharisees represented everything that was wrong with organized religion. Whether it was their public prayers that they said only for attention, or the way they demanded things from their neighbors that they were unwilling to do themselves, Jesus was clear; do as they say but not as they do.
But this comes as no surprise. Most people know that Jesus clashed with this group of religious elitists. This fact has even given birth to a form of religious slur. If you have ever been called a “Pharisee” or “pharisaical” you probably realized it was not a compliment. If you thought it was, I’m sorry to break it to you, but these days that’s about the worst thing you can be called in religious circles. If somebody slings this arrow at you, you can be sure they meant to tell you something. Likely, what they meant to say is that you’re hypocrite, or a legalist, or a two faced lying jerk…to put it nicely.
I’ve been called a Pharisee before. Perhaps you have. It’s not pleasant but it happens. More often than not the “Pharisee” barb is hurled when someone perceives that you’re making strict rules that (they think) don’t matter. It’s hard to hear a person say this. When you know that if they’d just listen to you they’d realize that what you’re telling them is right. So what do you do?
First; listen to them – they maybe right. As heart breaking as it may be to hear someone insult us for our convictions often the sting is our own conscience telling us they’re right. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus says; "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” This is the passage that immediately precedes that famous verse about “straining out gnats and swallowing camels.” These two verses stand as a condemnation of the empty religion that is found in many churches today. The saddest truth of all is that many Christians today are a lot more like the Pharisees than they are willing to admit or even realize.
You see the Pharisees started out with good intentions. Men who wanted to preserve the religious traditions and practices of their people should be admired for that. Yet, their desire for being “right” religiously soon gave way to fanatical legalism. They made laws that God had never made and they bound practices that God had never required. Incessant hand washing became a hallmark of the 1st century Pharisees. So much so that on one occasion they accused Jesus’ disciples if eating while unclean. But Jesus did not play around with these zealots. Whether they condemned Him for eating with sinners, or His disciples for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus was quick to remind them that there are some things that are more important than specific rules. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus calls these things the “weightier matters of the law” which (by definition) make them more important. And what were these things? Was it sacrifices or tithing? No. Jesus tells them that justice, mercy and faithfulness are the things they need to focus on.
What does that have to do with us? Have we developed the same culture that the Pharisees did? Are we more concerned about minor things and tedious practices than we are with the over arching themes of God’s character? Have we focused so much on the externals that we have forgotten that being connected with God through Jesus is the primary purpose of our calling?
What would it look like if every one of us awoke with the thought of faithfulness on our mind? What if we rose to a new day and asked God to use us in His service and to grow our faith? And what if He actually did it? Imagine the spiritual revolution that could be started if each of us spent a little more time looking “in the mirror instead” of “out the window.” So how do we begin? Jesus answered that question when He told His disciples and all who we’re listening to “deny self…and follow me.” So maybe we could begin by giving up our efforts to “drag” people to Jesus. Instead, let’s just ask Him to help us follow as closely and as humbly as we can…and keep your eyes open. Because I think that soon you’ll look over your shoulder to see a crowd gathering. True discipleship is unasked faith that needs no stage. That’s the opposite of hypocrisy. That’s the answer.
This is the word Jesus chose to describe the Pharisees. No chapter of the Bible illustrates this better than Matthew 23. In Matthew 23 Jesus tells His disciples to avoid being like the hypocritical Pharisees at any cost. He lists reason after reason why the Pharisees represented everything that was wrong with organized religion. Whether it was their public prayers that they said only for attention, or the way they demanded things from their neighbors that they were unwilling to do themselves, Jesus was clear; do as they say but not as they do.
But this comes as no surprise. Most people know that Jesus clashed with this group of religious elitists. This fact has even given birth to a form of religious slur. If you have ever been called a “Pharisee” or “pharisaical” you probably realized it was not a compliment. If you thought it was, I’m sorry to break it to you, but these days that’s about the worst thing you can be called in religious circles. If somebody slings this arrow at you, you can be sure they meant to tell you something. Likely, what they meant to say is that you’re hypocrite, or a legalist, or a two faced lying jerk…to put it nicely.
I’ve been called a Pharisee before. Perhaps you have. It’s not pleasant but it happens. More often than not the “Pharisee” barb is hurled when someone perceives that you’re making strict rules that (they think) don’t matter. It’s hard to hear a person say this. When you know that if they’d just listen to you they’d realize that what you’re telling them is right. So what do you do?
First; listen to them – they maybe right. As heart breaking as it may be to hear someone insult us for our convictions often the sting is our own conscience telling us they’re right. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus says; "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” This is the passage that immediately precedes that famous verse about “straining out gnats and swallowing camels.” These two verses stand as a condemnation of the empty religion that is found in many churches today. The saddest truth of all is that many Christians today are a lot more like the Pharisees than they are willing to admit or even realize.
You see the Pharisees started out with good intentions. Men who wanted to preserve the religious traditions and practices of their people should be admired for that. Yet, their desire for being “right” religiously soon gave way to fanatical legalism. They made laws that God had never made and they bound practices that God had never required. Incessant hand washing became a hallmark of the 1st century Pharisees. So much so that on one occasion they accused Jesus’ disciples if eating while unclean. But Jesus did not play around with these zealots. Whether they condemned Him for eating with sinners, or His disciples for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus was quick to remind them that there are some things that are more important than specific rules. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus calls these things the “weightier matters of the law” which (by definition) make them more important. And what were these things? Was it sacrifices or tithing? No. Jesus tells them that justice, mercy and faithfulness are the things they need to focus on.
What does that have to do with us? Have we developed the same culture that the Pharisees did? Are we more concerned about minor things and tedious practices than we are with the over arching themes of God’s character? Have we focused so much on the externals that we have forgotten that being connected with God through Jesus is the primary purpose of our calling?
What would it look like if every one of us awoke with the thought of faithfulness on our mind? What if we rose to a new day and asked God to use us in His service and to grow our faith? And what if He actually did it? Imagine the spiritual revolution that could be started if each of us spent a little more time looking “in the mirror instead” of “out the window.” So how do we begin? Jesus answered that question when He told His disciples and all who we’re listening to “deny self…and follow me.” So maybe we could begin by giving up our efforts to “drag” people to Jesus. Instead, let’s just ask Him to help us follow as closely and as humbly as we can…and keep your eyes open. Because I think that soon you’ll look over your shoulder to see a crowd gathering. True discipleship is unasked faith that needs no stage. That’s the opposite of hypocrisy. That’s the answer.
-JC3
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