11:37 While He was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so He went in and took His place at the table.
11:38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that He did not first wash before dinner.
11:39 Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
11:40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
11:41 So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.
11:42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.
11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.
11:44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it." Luke 11:37-44
A pastor of mine once said, “The Christians of one generation tend to become the Pharisees of the next.” The Pharisees had started out on the right track; they wanted to live for God. But keeping the law became an end in itself. They forgot that the law was meant to draw them closer to God. Today’s reading shows what happens when our focus on outward cleanliness becomes an obsession, blocking out the more important part of the inner life. Jesus’ words cause us to step back and look carefully at what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
The three “woes” in today’s reading remind us not to focus on appearances while the inner life is in disrepair.
The first tells us that if we love God, we will desire justice and give to the poor.
Then Jesus says that if we are humble, we will not care about having the “important” seats.
Finally, if we neglect the inner life, Jesus tells us, we will become like an unmarked grave, trampled underfoot. But if we nurture it, we will be vital and spiritually alive.
11:38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that He did not first wash before dinner.
11:40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
11:41 So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.
11:42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.
11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.
11:44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it." Luke 11:37-44
The three “woes” in today’s reading remind us not to focus on appearances while the inner life is in disrepair.
The first tells us that if we love God, we will desire justice and give to the poor.
Then Jesus says that if we are humble, we will not care about having the “important” seats.
Finally, if we neglect the inner life, Jesus tells us, we will become like an unmarked grave, trampled underfoot. But if we nurture it, we will be vital and spiritually alive.
Prayer
Dear God, help us to remain focused on loving and serving you. Amen.
Prayer focus - Those who worry about keeping the rules