52. Woe, Pharisees

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[hanks]

1. Why do you think Jesus and His disciples didn't follow the Pharisees' practice of ritual washing before meals? (11:38; see also Mark 7:14-23) 
Jesus did not follow the Pharisees’ practice of ritual washing before meals as it was an oral tradition that had been passed on from one generation to another. This had nothing to do with hygiene – it was all about the fear of ceremonial defilement. This ceremony/ritual was part of many ceremonial regulations regarding hundreds of matters that were constantly handed down as if salvation itself depended on its total obedience. Jesus was annoyed by the legalistic burden the Pharisees had laid upon the Jews. This had taken the joy of living as God’s chosen people and made it a burden to worship Him. Jesus knew exactly what his host was thinking when He sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Reading his thoughts Jesus rebuked him for such hypocrisy and concern for outward appearances; reminding him that what really counts is not the cleanliness of the outside of the cup but the inside. Jesus told His host that the Pharisees observed these ceremonial rules to make them feel and appear righteous, but inwardly they were crooked and wicked (11:39). “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7b). 
 

[hanks]

2. What modern-day examples can you think of that illustrate cleansing the outside of the vessel but leaving the inside unwashed? (11:39-40) 
I can think of a church that is beautiful on the outside but inside we have false doctrines being preached and taught. One can only imagine this church causing division and distress among the congregation by leading people away from the truth, as they distort or contradict the revealed truth of God. As Jesus said, on the inside you are full of greed and wickedness, which would apply to this church. Paul also warns us about these ungodly teachers (Romans 16:17-18) who are not obedient to our Lord Jesus Christ. They obey their own appetites by deceiving unsuspecting people with their lies. 
 

[hanks]

3. How could giving food to the poor bring about spiritual cleansing, as implied by 11:41? 
The Pharisees were careful to keep the outside of cups and dishes spotlessly clean, but when it came to the insides, where the food was found, they were not so careful. Jesus uses this food as an image of sin – meaning that by giving some of this food, on the inside, to the poor will result in spiritual cleansing. That is why Jesus could say that they wanted to look holy, whereas they were actually full of greed and wickedness. All that mattered was that they appeared spiritual to others. The only way to be clean in the eyes of God is to defeat greed, and Jesus suggests in 11:41 that this can only be accomplished by being generous to the poor. When one gives food (image of sin) to help the poor escape their destitution, it becomes a medicine for the soul and heals the greed that has consumed them. 
 

[hanks]

4. Did Jesus fault the Pharisees on their scrupulous tithing or compliment them? Where did He find fault with them? (11:42) 
The Lord did not rebuke them for tithing, for that was the Law. The Pharisees were most careful in giving a tenth to God. Even being overly careful in observing this, tithing every kind of food, not only major crops - going so far as to giving a tenth of their garden herbs. This practice was not wrong in itself. But they were always over applying the law as seen in their hand-rinsing, fasting, and sabbath-observance rules and regulations. Then they would make sure that everyone knew and saw what they were doing. They were so proud of their actions which created a holier than thou attitude. Jesus pointed out that they had got their priorities wrong. They were keeping the tiniest details of law, ceremony, custom, and tradition, but at the same time they were completely neglecting the larger issues that were far more important - such as dealing correctly and fairly with people and building a relationship with God. Being overzealous about trivialities and neglecting the basic duties of life. They oppressed the poor and failed to love God. By ignoring deeds of mercy, they become guilty before God. As Micah 6:8 says, God requires us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 
 

[hanks]

5. What is wrong with seeking to be seen and approved of by others? (11:43) What in us might tempt us to seek acclaim? 
It is wrong for us as a Christian to be self-centred and focusing on our own glory, and not on God’s glory. The root of this sin is pride – hypocritical, self-centred, self-righteous, loveless, without justice or mercy, covering our sins. We don’t see ourselves as sinners saved by grace, No, we are a notch above other sinners – we don’t rob or murder! We love status and want to be loved, admired, accorded reverence, have elevated positions, and have all kinds of titles - so that somehow people will think we are holy. We seek acclaim forgetting God gave us our abilities and opportunities in life, and everything we are/own is because of His great mercy and grace. Without Him we would be nothing, and we owe Him our gratitude. 
 

[hanks]

6. Did Jesus go out of His way to insult the Pharisees with 11:44? What purpose did His comment serve, if any? 
Jesus did not go out of His way to insult the Pharisees, but rather He was reprimanding them, telling them what they really were, and at the same warning the people about them. Jesus told them that they were hypocritical and that they defile people by their very nature. He mentioned that they were spiritually dead within, and have become hidden graves, the same imagery as the “whitewashed tombs” in Matthew 23:27. This resulted in the people, who were unaware of their true nature, becoming defiled by the mere contact with the Pharisees internal corruption. They gave everyone the impression that they were devout religious leaders, a model of piety, when in fact they were full of corruption and uncleanness, infecting others with their externalism and pride – like unmarked graves. 
 

[hanks]

7. In what ways do you see Pharisaical attitudes in yourself? What are you doing to counter them? 
I feel that one sure mark of the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart is that I see myself as a terrible sinner in God’s sight. I know that I deserve His judgment because of my pride, selfishness, and rebellion. I need to be often reminded that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Prov 3:34; James 4:6). It is so easy for me to take all the glory for my achievements forgetting that without God this could not have happened. I forget to acknowledge Him in everything I do, and to give Him all the glory. Instead of comparing myself with others and thinking that I’m basically good, rather I must compare myself with God and realise that no good thing dwells within me. I will now see my need and flee to the Cross for mercy. We are all continually vulnerable to falling into the trap of desiring the spotlight. Pride is a subtle sin that can creep up on us when we least expect it. So, I need to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). Asking my Heavenly Father to expose every wicked thought so that it can be confessed and forgiven. Amen. 
 

[Irmela]

1.  Why do you think Jesus and his disciples didn't follow the Pharisees' practice of ritual washing before meals? (11:38; see also Mark 7:14-23)

The practice of ritual washing was beyond what the Law required. It was part of the Tradition of the Elders (an accepted interpretation of the Law) . This was what had been added onto the Law. The washing of the hands was not to get rid of germs on the hand but rather they believed it would prevent spiritual defilement to enter the body. Jesus knew that it was what was in the heart that defiled the body spiritually (wrong thoughts etc). Because the ritual washing was not a physical cleansing Jesus did not take part in it. 

[Irmela]

2.  What modern-day examples can you think of that illustrate cleansing the outside of the vessel but leaving the inside unwashed? (11:39-40)

So often one hears of relief funds in disaster stricken areas having been mis managed. Or where parcels are made up for the needy. Some indeed get handed out. Big public show gets made of it. How good of the organization to do it. Looking further into it not half the parcels were handed to the poor but the greedy "already haves" have taken for themselves. 

So we have the poor and needy having been used as a means to get at the money or provision to satisfy their own greed. 

So outwardly it looks all good and great but inwardly it is full of greed (unwashed) 

[Irmela]

3.  How could giving food to the poor bring about spiritual cleansing, as implied by 11:41?

Greed and selfishness can so easily become or be part and parcel of a person. An antidote for this greed (something to squash or do away with this greed) is to give to the poor or to help the poor, selflessly. In doing this you combat greed or selfishness and are so to say cleaning the inside or ridding your heart of the impurity. So thereby you have brought about spiritual cleansing of the heart. 

[Irmela]

4.  Did Jesus fault the Pharisees on their scrupulous tithing or compliment them? Where did he find fault with them? (11:42)

In one way He did fault them but in another way He complimented them. It was in the way they did it. They wanted all and sundry to know that that is how they tithed. He wanted them to carry on tithing but not with all pomp and pride in the fact that that is what they did. Do it, but low key. Check out the motive behind it. 

What He did find fault with was their attitude to and their handling of the poor. They neglected justice, i.e., fair treatment of the poor and the downtrodden of society. They neglected to reflect 'love of God'. If and when they truly love God they would also treat people (poor or rich) with mercy. Humbleness would be part of their character too. (Haughtiness or pride is not of God) 

[Irmela]

5.  What is wrong with seeking to be seen and approved of by others? (11:43) What in us might tempt us to seek acclaim?

If we seek to be seen and approved by others, then we have received our reward already. ( Much rather to have our reward given by God.) 

Self-aggrandizement or in plain English, arrogance, conceit or pride tempts us to seek acclaim. Be it because we feel we are important or because of what we achieved or accomplished. 

[Irmela]

6.  Did Jesus go out of his way to insult the Pharisees with 11:44? What purpose did his comment serve, if any?

I don't believe Jesus would have purposely insulted them. I do believe He would have been honest and very seriously told them the truth so that they could repent and amend their lifestyle. 

Not only did théy hear about it but also the people who they were trying to influence. The (common) people were being defiled by their teachings and practices and were unaware of it. Now the people were told the truth and did not need to continue blindly following them. 

[Irmela]

7.  In what ways do you see Pharisaical attitudes in yourself? What are you doing to counter them?
When someone gives a spiritual teaching and that person is in any way overjeweled or "painted" or dressed unseemly, I tend to block out the teaching. With God's help I try to look beyond the outer and 'see' the heart. I find I have become very unobservant as to what a person looks like. 

Yeah!! What "hanks" quoted from Psalm 139:23&24 is a good request to make of God so I can stop that behavior in my life and any other aspect that I may not have noticed. 

Truly God, search me, so that I will not continue in any unseemly conduct. 

[Katy]

Q1. Jesus didn’t follow the ritual of hand washing before meals because it was a man made law followed by tradition, not for cleansing the hands before a meal but in the hope of keeping spiritual defilement  away. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were more interested in looking as though they were holy rather than really trying to be holy. They thought that by carrying out different rituals they could make themselves right with God, while at the same time ignoring the sin going on inside them, greed, selfishness, and being judgemental.

Q2. I think of preachers who charm people but are in fact teaching wrong doctrines to their congregations. I think of men in Asia who promise young girls and their families good jobs and then sell them into slavery. I think of charities who do good work but it comes to light that those in charge are creaming money into their own pockets. Unfortunately there are so many examples of greed and wickedness in this world, but  this will not go on indefinitely because Jesus has the victory! 
Q3.By giving food to the poor , we are distracted from selfish thoughts and deeds and think about others and their needs and this helps with spiritual cleansing.

Q4.Although the Pharisees were scrupulous about tithing they made a ritual out of it. Making sure that they gave a tenth of all they had, but their was no generosity of spirit there. You can almost imagine them being concerned they might make a mistake and given a little extra! And this would deprive them! 2Corinthians 9v7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Q5. If we are followers of Christ we try to follow His example. Jesus never displayed anything but humility! If we are seeking to be seen and approved by other we are not imitating Jesus. We are all prone to fail at times and this may happen in this area especially if our lives call us to live or work in the public’s eye but as soon as we realise what we are doing we must repent and seek to walk in humility. If we are proud and self assured it is easy to slip into this kind of sin but we are blessed to have a forgiving God who is always ready to welcome us back into His fold.Romans 12v3 Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Q6.Jesus may have been using shock tactics to drive a very serious message home to the Pharisees. Hopefully some of them may have stopped in their footsteps and thought about what Jesus had said and examined themselves to see if their was any truth in His harsh words. In the next few verses Jesus continues to accuse them of wrong doing and the Bible records that they oppose Him and besieged Him with questions. But hopefully even one Pharisee may have accepted what Jesus said.

Q7.My nature is sinful so although I am saved by grace, I can easily get distracted and sin. I find if I am not constantly aware of my tongue , my attitudes and my actions I can slip into sin. I need the Lord each day to help and to guide me. Which He does. 

[haar]

1.    Why do you think Jesus and his disciples didn't follow the Pharisees' practice of ritual washing before meals? (11:38; see also Mark 7:14-23)

  Because their actions were mere immersion of their hands in water that did no clean them physically (as they did not really scrub their hands properly ) nor clean their hearts spiritually.

2.    What modern-day examples can you think of that illustrate cleansing the outside of the vessel but leaving the inside unwashed? (11:39-40)

 Any action that seeks to attract human attention and praise but does seek to pleases the Lord God Almighty. Such can be giving anything just to attract human attension.

3.    How could giving food to the poor bring about spiritual cleansing, as implied by 11:41?

 This can be done with the right motive of meeting the need of the poor in line with the will of God especially if the action is brought about by having a repentant heart that is now obedient to the will of God. God thus forgives the repentant giver and this thus leads to cleansing of the giver’s pharisaic heart.

 4.    Did Jesus fault the Pharisees on their scrupulous tithing or compliment them? Where did he find fault with them? (11:42)

Jesus did not fault them for their scrupulous tithing but He rather faulted their wrong attitude of trying give every kind of tithe but ignore the needy among them.

 5.    What is wrong with seeking to be seen and approved of by others? (11:43) What in us might tempt us to seek acclaim?

 What is wrong is seeking self-attention and is motivated by pride that makes people feel great and important.

 6.    Did Jesus go out of his way to insult the Pharisees with 11:44? What purpose did his comment serve, if any?

 Some of their self- imposed laws and actions can and lead others to sin as per the picture Jesus gave of unmarked tombs that people unknowing step on them and become ceremonially unclean.

 7.    In what ways do you see Pharisaical attitudes in yourself?

 My wife calls me a Pharisee because I always want to do everything the Bible says. For example I remove my tithes first before spending the balance. I also round up the figures of my tithe and will not round it down to avoid under paying the exact amount.

 

 

What are you doing to counter them?

 

However, when I showed her the list of Pastor Ralph’s list of what a modern Pharisee is/ does; she then changed her mind and said that I was not a Pharisee then!  I give the Lord God Almighty the glory. Please see below:

Modern-Day Pharisees

We face Jesus' sharp rebuke today, too, when we:

·  Are more concerned with how we look to other people than how we look to God,

·  Fail to show mercy to the poor,

·  Fail to tithe,

·  Fail to do justice,

·  Have hearts motivated by greed, or

·  Seek positions where we will be acclaimed.

[Godswriter]

1.    Why do you think Jesus and his disciples didn't follow the Pharisees' practice of ritual washing before meals? (11:38; see also Mark 7:14-23)

 I believe that it was because the Lord knew that they were customs that were actually man made for when the Lord rebuked the Pharisees; He confronted them about their worship as well saying that they worship Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him.

2.    What modern-day examples can you think of that illustrate cleansing the outside of the vessel but leaving the inside unwashed? (11:39-40)esDoing rosary and repenting to a Priest and not actually choosing to sin no more as Christ told the adulteress. For Christ said to her, "Neither do I condemn you, so go and sin no more. This is what Christ means by doing what is right.

3.    How could giving food to the poor bring about spiritual cleansing, as implied by 11:41?

We also are learning to be less greedy and not focus on the monetary benefits in life but choosing to rely on Christ instead.

 4.    Did Jesus fault the Pharisees on their scrupulous tithing or compliment them? Where did he find fault with them? (11:42) He found fault in it because it was not out of love or devotion for Him. It was for man's praise. They forsook the justice and love of God for man's praise instead.

 5.    What is wrong with seeking to be seen and approved of by others? (11:43) What in us might tempt us to seek acclaim? It can become our God and cause us to do things that are against the Lord. Our sinful nature.

 What is wrong is seeking self-attention and is motivated by pride that makes people feel great and important. It causes to become self-important and want to seek man's praise and not God's.

 6.    Did Jesus go out of his way to insult the Pharisees with 11:44? What purpose did his comment serve, if any? No He was telling them that they were empty spiritual tombs who had no desire for the Lord. He was telling them their actions were not out of love or devotion.

 7.    In what ways do you see Pharisaical attitudes in yourself? What are you are doing to counter them? Not doing what I promise to do for my mom. Choosing to be lazy and not work and also pointing fingers when I am no different. 

[kreilly]

Why do you think Jesus and his disciples didn't follow the Pharisees' practice of ritual washing before meals? (11:38; see also Mark 7:14-23)

I wonder about that.  Did he never do it?  Or did he skip it on this occasion so that he could teach this lesson?  We know he washed feet.  Maybe because He is God in the flesh and was already clean, but that wouldn't explain why his disciples didn't wash.  

What modern-day examples can you think of that illustrate cleansing the outside of the vessel but leaving the inside unwashed? (11:39-40)

I think anytime we lose sight of the big picture--Jesus and building His Kingdom--and focus on the minutiae--men's traditions, small details.  I once went to a church where there was a rift about the songs being sung.  The young people had gone to camp and wanted to sing the more upbeat songs from the camp.  The elderly people didn't want to sing the new songs because they didn't know them.  Instead of loving one another, they bickered and passive aggressively complained about the other group.  As a new Christian, it was so obvious to me this was wrong and easily solved with a little communication and putting others first, but they couldn't see it in themselves because they had lost sight of the church's mission. 

What is wrong with seeking to be seen and approved of by others? (11:43) What in us might tempt us to seek acclaim?

Whether seeking to be seen and approved of because of selfishness and pride or a desire for people pleasing, anytime we take our focus off pleasing the Lord, first and foremost, it is wrong.  The age old inner desire to be worshiped and take the place of God tempts us to seek acclaim.

In what ways do you see Pharisaical attitudes in yourself? What are you doing to counter them?

I find myself taking a Pharisaical attitude when I hear about someone who has committed some great sin and I somehow imagine myself to be better than them.  I think that if I had lived through those circumstances, I would have made better decisions, done things differently, etc.  But the older I get the more I realize I can't know that I would have done anything better because I haven't walked in their shoes...There but for the grace of God go I.  We are all equally dependent on His grace for forgiveness, and all equally lost without trusting Him for salvation--no matter how "good" a life we lived