The Blindness of External Religion
Luke • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Introduction:
There are two, and only two, systems of righteousness that exist among human beings.
Holy works in hopes to prevent God’s anger.
God’s work through Christ to appease his anger.
These two systems have many of the same features, and in an age that rejects truth, it becomes difficult to distinguish between them.
Both use the word of God.
Both worship.
Both acknowledge the Trinity.
Both see value in the crucifixion and the resurrection.
Both anticipate resurrection.
Jesus is exposing the emptiness of the external religion constructed by the rabbis, Pharisees, and Scribes who tried to prevent any future expression of the wrath of God.
613 laws
39 kinds of labor prohibited on the Sabbath.
Structure of the section:
Luke introduces a lawyer.
Jesus directs three more “woe” statements at the lawyers (scribes).
Each woe has an explanation.
In the middle, v. 49, Jesus explains the consequences of the lawyers’ woeful actions.
*45 Ἀποκριθεὶς δέ τις τῶν νομικῶν λέγει αὐτῷ·* διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα λέγων καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑβρίζεις.
*45 Ἀποκριθεὶς δέ τις τῶν νομικῶν λέγει αὐτῷ·* διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα λέγων καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑβρίζεις.
*45 Ἀποκριθεὶς δέ τις τῶν νομικῶν λέγει αὐτῷ·* διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα λέγων καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑβρίζεις.
Note that the question by the lawyer implies that Jesus' criticism of the Pharisees also insults them. This coincides with our understanding that the lawyers or scribes mainly, though not always, belonged to the Pharisaic party.
He accuses Jesus of insulting them through his three woes pronounced on the Pharisees.
Note that the question by the lawyer implies that Jesus' criticism of the Pharisees also insults them. This coincides with our understanding that the lawyers or scribes mainly, though not always, belonged to the Pharisaic party.
46 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα,* καὶ αὐτοὶ ⸆ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων °ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε ⸋τοῖς φορτίοις⸌.
46 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα,* καὶ αὐτοὶ ⸆ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων °ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε ⸋τοῖς φορτίοις⸌.
46 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα,* καὶ αὐτοὶ ⸆ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων °ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε ⸋τοῖς φορτίοις⸌.
46 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα,* καὶ αὐτοὶ ⸆ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων °ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε ⸋τοῖς φορτίοις⸌.
Jesus exposes the oppressive system of the minutiae of Pharisaic casuistry.
His point either is that they have no interest in relieving the onerous burdens of the system, or that they impose this system but have no intention of keeping it themselves.
Note where the point seems to be the latter.
47 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν προφητῶν, ⸂οἱ δὲ⸃ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς.* 48 ἄρα ⸂μάρτυρές ἐστε⸃ ⸄καὶ συνευδοκεῖτε⸅ τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν,* ὅτι αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἰκοδομεῖτε⸆.* *49 διὰ τοῦτο ⸋καὶ ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν·⸌ ⸀ἀποστελῶ εἰς αὐτοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἀποστόλους, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσιν καὶ ⸁διώξουσιν,* 50 ἵνα ἐκζητηθῇ τὸ αἷμα πάντων τῶν προφητῶν τὸ ⸀ἐκκεχυμένον ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου ⸁ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης,* 51 ἀπὸ ⸆ αἵματος Ἅβελ ⸇ ἕως ⸆ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου ⸂τοῦ ἀπολομένου μεταξὺ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου⸃· ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐκζητηθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης.*
47 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν προφητῶν, ⸂οἱ δὲ⸃ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς.* 48 ἄρα ⸂μάρτυρές ἐστε⸃ ⸄καὶ συνευδοκεῖτε⸅ τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν,* ὅτι αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἰκοδομεῖτε⸆.* *49 διὰ τοῦτο ⸋καὶ ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν·⸌ ⸀ἀποστελῶ εἰς αὐτοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἀποστόλους, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσιν καὶ ⸁διώξουσιν,* 50 ἵνα ἐκζητηθῇ τὸ αἷμα πάντων τῶν προφητῶν τὸ ⸀ἐκκεχυμένον ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου ⸁ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης,* 51 ἀπὸ ⸆ αἵματος Ἅβελ ⸇ ἕως ⸆ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου ⸂τοῦ ἀπολομένου μεταξὺ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου⸃· ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐκζητηθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης.*
47 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν προφητῶν, ⸂οἱ δὲ⸃ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς.* 48 ἄρα ⸂μάρτυρές ἐστε⸃ ⸄καὶ συνευδοκεῖτε⸅ τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν,* ὅτι αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτούς, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἰκοδομεῖτε⸆.* *49 διὰ τοῦτο ⸋καὶ ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν·⸌ ⸀ἀποστελῶ εἰς αὐτοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἀποστόλους, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσιν καὶ ⸁διώξουσιν,* 50 ἵνα ἐκζητηθῇ τὸ αἷμα πάντων τῶν προφητῶν τὸ ⸀ἐκκεχυμένον ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου ⸁ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης,* 51 ἀπὸ ⸆ αἵματος Ἅβελ ⸇ ἕως ⸆ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου ⸂τοῦ ἀπολομένου μεταξὺ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου⸃· ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐκζητηθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης.*
Jesus seems to point out the unnoticed significance of the construction of the prophets' monuments by the lawyers/Pharisees.
The logic seems to go like this: by building the monuments to the prophets, the scribes are honoring the manner in which they died. Yet, since their fathers killed the prophets, they are not honoring the prophets, they are unwittingly, or not so, approving of the actions their fathers took in killing them.
Jesus seems to point out the unnoticed significance of the construction of the prophets' monuments by the lawyers/Pharisees. The logic seems to go like this: by building the monuments to the prophets, the scribes are honoring the manner in which they died. Yet, since their fathers killed the prophets, they are not honoring the prophets, they are unwittingly, or not so, approving of the actions their fathers took in killing them. Perhaps the key logic here is as follows: there are two sides to the killing of the prophets, and one of them, Jesus' generation of scribes/lawyers appears not to have considered. Namely, it was their fathers who killed the prophets, and they are expressing approval of their manner of death by constructing the monuments to their martyrdom. Would it not have been better for the prophets to have lived? Would it not mean that Israel had repented at the word of God? The prophets were not killed by outsiders. Their own brethren murdered them instead of repenting upon hearing the truth.
Perhaps the key logic here is as follows: there are two sides to the killing of the prophets, and one of them, Jesus' generation of scribes/lawyers appears not to have considered. Namely, it was their fathers who killed the prophets, and they are expressing approval of their manner of death by constructing the monuments to their martyrdom. Would it not have been better for the prophets to have lived? Would it not mean that Israel had repented at the word of God? The prophets were not killed by outsiders. Their own brethren murdered them instead of repenting upon hearing the truth.
Notice how Jesus links all generations of Israelites together by the word “generation.” He intentionally does not distinguish them from their First Temple forbears.
What motivated such hostility? What blinds Jesus’ contemporaries to their tacit approval of the past actions?
52 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς,* ὅτι ⸀ἤρατε τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς γνώσεως·* ⸆ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσήλθατε καὶ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἐκωλύσατε
52 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς,* ὅτι ⸀ἤρατε τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς γνώσεως·* ⸆ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσήλθατε καὶ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἐκωλύσατε
52 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς,* ὅτι ⸀ἤρατε τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς γνώσεως·* ⸆ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσήλθατε καὶ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἐκωλύσατε
52 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς,* ὅτι ⸀ἤρατε τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς γνώσεως·* ⸆ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσήλθατε καὶ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἐκωλύσατε
Herein lies part of the deception.
They had no real interest in entering the Kingdom of God through understanding the revelation of scripture.
Scripture became a means of parsing to prevent not understanding to repent.
But, those who learn from them are prohibited from entering the Kingdom of God too.