Ep. 69: Hypocrisy!

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LUKE 12:1 – 13:17

The record of Jesus’ last warning to the Pharisees and of their hateful response is followed by a summary of his teaching to the disciples. The tone is still that of warning, but entirely different from that to the Pharisees. It is a warning of sin that threatened, not of judgment that awaited; it was for prevention, not in condemnation. He was protective of those who were his people and wanted the very best for them.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees! There is no need to point out the connection between this warning and the denunciation of Pharisaism and traditionalism at the Pharisee’s table. Although the word ‘hypocrisy’ had not been spoken there, it was the sum and substance of his contention that Pharisaism, while pretending to be what it was not, concealed what it was. And it was this ‘leaven’ that permeated the whole system of Pharisaism. It wasn’t that as individuals they were all hypocrites, but that the very system was hypocrisy.

We think of the differences between this time and when previously Jesus sent out the Apostles on their mission. Earlier it had been in the form of a warning, now it was that of comforting reassurance; there it was near the beginning. Here near the close of his ministry. Again, as before, it was followed by advice and consolation, followed by a caution to dismiss fear and to speak out publicly what had been told them privately.

On the other hand, when now addressing his disciples, while the same caution is given, it was as spoken to disciples rather than to preachers. Lastly, whereas the Twelve were told not to fear and therefore to speak openly what they had learned privately, the disciples now are forewarned that they were not to be afraid of the possible consequences to themselves.

His final teaching to them came in three sections. The first regarded the disciples as servants in the absence of their Master. In this parable. He is supposed to be at a wedding and the exact time of his return could not be known. In these circumstances, they should hold themselves in readiness, that whatever hour it might be, they should be able to open the door at the first knocking. Such eagerness and devotion of service would naturally meet its reward, as they watched for his return. Hungry and weary as they were from their zeal for him. He would now, in turn, minister to their personal comfort.

We suppose them to be sleeping when the house might be broken into. Of course, if one had known the hour when the thief would come, sleep would not have been indulged in, but it is just this uncertainty and suddenness - the coming of the Christ into his Kingdom would be equally sudden.

Peter interrupted to ask, to whom did this parable apply about ‘the good man’ and ‘the servants’ who were to watch? To the Apostles, or to all? Jesus was clear that, if the Apostles or others are rulers, it is as stewards and their reward of faithful and wise stewardship will be advance to higher service. But as stewards, they are servants of the Messiah and ministering servants in regard to the other and general servants. There was a warning and a sober instruction here; the Church had a work to do in his absence, the work for which he had come.

Here he could only repeat what on a former occasion he had said to the Pharisees, let them not think that all this only concerned the disciples. No, the struggle would involve the widest consequences, to all the people. Were they so blinded as not ‘to know how to interpret the time’? Could they not read its signs, they who had no difficulty in interpreting it when a cloud rose from the sea, or the sirocco blew from the south?

It appears that some people told Jesus about some Galileans, whom Pilate had ordered to be cut down while engaged in offering their sacrifices. It seems strange that, although the Jews connected special sins with special punishments, they should have regarded it as the Divine punishment of a special sin to have been martyred by Pilate in the Temple, while engaged in offering sacrifices. Very probably these Galileans were ruthlessly murdered because of their real or suspected connection with the Nationalist movement, of which Galilee was the focus. Somehow guilt by association was intended here as if Jesus himself was involved in this, so he refuted this with a story of his own.

He drew their attention to the tower at the Pool of Siloam, that had fallen on eighteen persons and killed them, perhaps in connection with that construction of an aqueduct into Jerusalem by Pilate, which provoked violent opposition, that the Roman so terribly avenged. As good Jews, they would probably think that the fall of the tower, which now had eighteen unfortunates buried in its ruins, was a just judgment of God! But Jesus argued that it was as wrong to believe that Divine judgment had overtaken his Galilean countrymen, as it would be to judge that the Tower of Siloam had fallen to punish these Jerusalemites.

The fact was that the whole nation was guilty and the coming storm would destroy all unless there was spiritual repentance on the part of the nation. And yet wider than this is the underlying principle that, when a calamity befalls a district or a population, we ought not to judge possible causes, but to think spiritually of its general application. And conversely, this holds true regarding deliverances. Having thus answered the implied objection, the Lord next showed, in the parable of the fig tree, the need and urgency of national repentance.

Next, we are confronted by the clumsy zeal of a chief ruler of a synagogue who is very angry, but not very wise, who admits Jesus’ healing power and does not dare to attack him directly but, instead, rebukes, not him, not even the woman who had been healed, but the people who witnessed it, at the same time telling them to come for healing on other days rather than the Sabbath!

He was easily and effectually silenced and all who sympathised with him were put to shame. ‘Hypocrites!’ spoke the Lord - on your own admissions your practice and your Law condemn your speech. The retort was unanswerable and irresistible; it did what was intended, it covered the adversaries with shame.

This is an extract from the book, Jesus : Life and Times, available for £10 here (Finalist for Academic Book of the year at 2023 CRT awards)