Luk 11:38-39 | KingComments | STEP | The people have not let in the light that brought them the blessing. Now the Lord turns the light as a spotlight of truth on their religious leaders. The Pharisee does not have the faintest idea of this when he invites the Lord to have lunch with him, for he has totally different thoughts. The Lord accepts the invitation and reclines at the table. When the Pharisee sees that He has not first ceremonially washed before He uses the lunch, he marvels. It is not a question of hygiene, but it is a religious ritual, a ceremony. According to the Pharisees’ thoughts, the Lord can never be a good Jew if He does not keep the religious precepts as they themselves have set them up and keep them as the right thing to do. The Pharisee can only think of external things. He notes that the Lord does not keep to their traditions. What we see in this man is the characteristic of legalism. Legalism is adding to Scripture and imposing these additions on others, whereby the external behavior is important and normative and the inner unimportant. But an outwardly indisputable behavior is not necessarily proof of an inner good mind. That was true then and it is still true today. The Lord’s reaction is therefore important to take to heart, for the Pharisee is in each of us. The Lord knows the Pharisee is surprised and the reason for it. He doesn’t ask for permission to speak, but takes on the role of Host and starts immediately with a stern speech. His speech is harsh for the religious leaders, but it is also grace for others that He clearly denounces these leaders, so that they will not be deceived by them. He actually had not come to use the lunch with the Pharisees, but to shed light on their actions and their way of judging. In this Pharisee he speaks to the whole company of Pharisees. The words which He addresses to them are not gentle. They are a discovering light. He tells them how they are alert to a clean outside, but that their inside is full of robbery and wickedness. They rob others and above all they rob the honor of God. They are full of wickedness, they have a bad eye. Except that they are corrupt inside, they are also unwise, or because they are corrupt, they are also unwise. They have forgotten God as the God Who made not only the outside, but also the inside. It is foolish to think only of the outside, to focus on it and to own the inside for oneself and to think that others can’t come to it. They have to do with Someone Who knows both sides perfectly because He has made both sides. God desires truth in the innermost being ( ), but they are concerned only for what people see. The Lord looks at the heart, but they do not think about that. The reason is clear: they seek the honor of men and not the honor of God. He points out to them that all outer things will be truly clean if they offer their innermost being to God and open it to Him. For those who are clean within, all outer things are clean ( ). With this, He puts an end to all legalism that has leavened the church of God through the ages ( ). By giving the smallest, they think they go the furthest in accuracy, all to their own credit, of course, to stand out above the crowd that only brings the ordinary tithes. However, they have no understanding whatsoever of God’s judgment or assessment, how God assesses true piety, how He judges their revelation. That must always be a question for us. The last thing they think of is the love of God, or worse still, they don’t think of it at all, they pass it by. They ignore both the judgment of God and the love of God. That is a terrible insult to God. The Lord reminds them of their duty in this. If they came into the right relationship with God, they could also give the tithes. The Lord pronounces a second “woe” to the Pharisees because of their predilection for prestige. They like to receive tributes from people. They demand that tribute by sitting on the first seats, the front seats, where everyone can see them. That caresses their sense of honor. And when they walk on the markets, where there are many people, they hope there are people who greet them enthusiastically and praise them loudly, so that many see and hear it. Their sense of honor is therefore particularly caressed. Everything revolves around themselves, whether in a confined room or in public. A third “woe” goes to the Pharisees because they are concealed tombs, while the people who come into contact with them do not know. They, who are so keen on external impurities, are themselves polluting creatures. By their hypocritical religion they drag people into ruin without them noticing.

‏ Luke 11:38-39

Speech Against the Pharisees

The people have not let in the light that brought them the blessing. Now the Lord turns the light as a spotlight of truth on their religious leaders. The Pharisee does not have the faintest idea of this when he invites the Lord to have lunch with him, for he has totally different thoughts. The Lord accepts the invitation and reclines at the table.

When the Pharisee sees that He has not first ceremonially washed before He uses the lunch, he marvels. It is not a question of hygiene, but it is a religious ritual, a ceremony. According to the Pharisees’ thoughts, the Lord can never be a good Jew if He does not keep the religious precepts as they themselves have set them up and keep them as the right thing to do. The Pharisee can only think of external things. He notes that the Lord does not keep to their traditions.

What we see in this man is the characteristic of legalism. Legalism is adding to Scripture and imposing these additions on others, whereby the external behavior is important and normative and the inner unimportant. But an outwardly indisputable behavior is not necessarily proof of an inner good mind. That was true then and it is still true today. The Lord’s reaction is therefore important to take to heart, for the Pharisee is in each of us.

The Lord knows the Pharisee is surprised and the reason for it. He doesn’t ask for permission to speak, but takes on the role of Host and starts immediately with a stern speech. His speech is harsh for the religious leaders, but it is also grace for others that He clearly denounces these leaders, so that they will not be deceived by them. He actually had not come to use the lunch with the Pharisees, but to shed light on their actions and their way of judging.

In this Pharisee he speaks to the whole company of Pharisees. The words which He addresses to them are not gentle. They are a discovering light. He tells them how they are alert to a clean outside, but that their inside is full of robbery and wickedness. They rob others and above all they rob the honor of God. They are full of wickedness, they have a bad eye.

Except that they are corrupt inside, they are also unwise, or because they are corrupt, they are also unwise. They have forgotten God as the God Who made not only the outside, but also the inside. It is foolish to think only of the outside, to focus on it and to own the inside for oneself and to think that others can’t come to it. They have to do with Someone Who knows both sides perfectly because He has made both sides. God desires truth in the innermost being (Psa 51:6a), but they are concerned only for what people see.

The Lord looks at the heart, but they do not think about that. The reason is clear: they seek the honor of men and not the honor of God. He points out to them that all outer things will be truly clean if they offer their innermost being to God and open it to Him. For those who are clean within, all outer things are clean (Tit 1:15). With this, He puts an end to all legalism that has leavened the church of God through the ages (Gal 5:9).

By giving the smallest, they think they go the furthest in accuracy, all to their own credit, of course, to stand out above the crowd that only brings the ordinary tithes. However, they have no understanding whatsoever of God’s judgment or assessment, how God assesses true piety, how He judges their revelation. That must always be a question for us.

The last thing they think of is the love of God, or worse still, they don’t think of it at all, they pass it by. They ignore both the judgment of God and the love of God. That is a terrible insult to God. The Lord reminds them of their duty in this. If they came into the right relationship with God, they could also give the tithes.

The Lord pronounces a second “woe” to the Pharisees because of their predilection for prestige. They like to receive tributes from people. They demand that tribute by sitting on the first seats, the front seats, where everyone can see them. That caresses their sense of honor. And when they walk on the markets, where there are many people, they hope there are people who greet them enthusiastically and praise them loudly, so that many see and hear it. Their sense of honor is therefore particularly caressed. Everything revolves around themselves, whether in a confined room or in public.

A third “woe” goes to the Pharisees because they are concealed tombs, while the people who come into contact with them do not know. They, who are so keen on external impurities, are themselves polluting creatures. By their hypocritical religion they drag people into ruin without them noticing.