Luke 11:37-44

37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you. 42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”  (ESV)

Discussion Question

In verses 37 to 54, Jesus condemns two classes of religious leaders.  He points out specific practices that have hindered belief in him.  We’d like to look at this section over two weeks dealing with each class separately.

Why did these four specific practices of the Pharisees hinder belief in Jesus?

Discussion Summary

Reminders to read these “woes” in conjunction with:

  • Acknowledgment that the leaders had a legitimate role.  Matthew 23:2
  • Some of the religious leaders were sincere.  John 3
  • These leaders were not living up to their professions of holiness.  Isaiah 29:12

Jesus pronounced “woes” or judgments against the leaders.  He was identifying specific problems (selfishness, pride, hypocrisy, ambition) that hindered belief in him.

  • Verses 39-41:  The focus on outward rituals makes one blind to the need for inward spirituality.
  • Verse 42:  Tithes were to be collected for those who did not have “jobs” – the religious leaders.  Insisting on taking from the poor to give to those who were not as poor defeats the purpose.
  • Verse 43:  To those in positions of authority, there is always a danger of developing pride.
  • Verse 44:  Those in positions of authority are accountable if they lead people astray by focusing on the wrong things.

Jesus still gave constructive ways for the religious leaders to self-correct:

  • One way to translate verse 41 is “cleanse what is within, then nothing will be unclean.”  (Moffat Translation)  In other words, fix your motivation for your actions.
  • Another way to translate verse 41 is “give away rather its contents as alms, and all will be clean for you.” (Anchor Yale Bible Translation)  This recommendation is similar to Luke 18:18-23.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *