Luke 11:37-52
Dear RTB’ers,
In 2019 our RTB group focused solely on the gospels. I looked back at what I had posted back then: “No doubt Jesus was speaking truth, but as a dinner guest He was less than courteous in His speech. More to the point, it was outright condemnation that He spoke. Surely there was love in what He said, but He comes off in the same judgmental tones as an Old Testament prophet. I’m not surprised at the Pharisees getting defensive and quickly turning on Him. I wonder how I would have reacted at Him “painting with a broad brush” toward me and my colleagues. Probably every bit as defensive…”
I sounded pretty harsh to Jesus’ words in that post, and I felt the same way at first glance this morning. But then in re-reading the passage I noticed that the Pharisee had brought it on himself by first attacking Jesus: The Pharisee was astonished to see that He did not first wash before dinner. (v. 38) So today I see Jesus’ words as simply a response to the Pharisee’s charge that becomes a fundamental teaching, a response that we hearken to still today – what’s inside a person is more important than what’s outside!
But the thing I love most about today’s reading is the lawyer jumping into the fray: One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” (v. 45) Like shaking your finger in front of a rattlesnake – of course he’s going to bite!! So Jesus deals with lawyers just as he had done with Pharisees. “Woe to you Pharisees!” (v. 42a) “Woe to you lawyers as well!” (v. 46a) So if I find myself disagreeing with Jesus, I don’t bait Him. He’s God, I am not!!
Blessings!