May the mumbling commence!
Jesus was not hesitant to speak truth to the religious leaders of his day. Yes, Jesus spoke truth to religious power holders. Woe to them he said. Read from Luke chapter eleven:
When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.
Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."
Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say. (Verses 37-54)
The Pharisees and the experts in the Law were indignant because Jesus did not follow the tradition of the elders to wash his hands before he ate. This exacting manner towards human tradition raised Jesus’ ire. And the woes began to pour from Jesus’ mouth.
Woe to you! You worry only about outside appearances and hide your greed and wickedness. Share what you have with the poor and God will cleanse you from your wickedness. Ouch! Those words sting and insult, indeed!
Woe to you! You get caught up in the tithe and forget justice and love. You forget that the tithe is a minimum not a maximum. Seek the justice and love of God – upon these concepts are built the reason for the tithe.
Woe to you! You love to be important and forget that it is God who is to be worshiped. Talk about walking on the broad path to death! Load the burdens of the Law on others to make yourself feel better. Refuse to lift a finger to help others. Try and show honor to God’s prophets by decorating their graves! Follow what they have taught instead! You have the knowledge. Use it! Or at least stop hindering those people who are trying to use it.
Harsh words! But Jesus spoke this way to them because they had much learning. Much was expected of them – just as much is expected of you and me because we know the way of the Lord through Jesus. Read from Luke chapter twelve:
“That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Verses 47-48)
We know enough of God’s will for our lives through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is high time to get ourselves ready and do what is required of us – generosity, justice, love…
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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