Matthew 23:25-36
Let’s remember to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” Jesus continues his chastisement of the scribes and Pharisees. A couple of things I noted… First, this verse always troubles me: So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (v. 28) I know others can say the same thing, but I feel like Jesus is addressing me, that outwardly I look righteous (translate, religious?), but inwardly I know myself – a self that I am happy others do not see. On a number of earlier occasions I have written that I am sympathetic to the Pharisees. I have no sympathies here, but I am recognizing who I really am. Just that…
The second item is verse 34: Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city… As translated here in the NASB, Jesus is perfectly predicting the future of persecutions for His followers and for those who come after them. A bit of confusion comes with other translations. Both the ESV and the NKJV translate “I am sending…” as “I send”. That present tense “I send” could also be interpreted as past tense. As an example, “I send you to the store for five items and you forget the main thing!” However, later in that verse both of the other translations have “…will kill..” and “…will crucify/flog…”, so the NASB translation reads more clearly, and Jesus is in fact predicting the future. All the way into the 21st century…!!
Slava Bohu!
Fred, I am finally catching up after several days. I know for myself and likely for at least some others, I need to add mea culpa to your soul baring. May our Lord keep us honest on our tendency to hypocrisy and Pharisee-ism.
I need to hold on to what Jesus affirms as weighty matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith; and what He notes as the essential traits for a leader: servanthood and humbleness.