The Danger of Hypocrisy

MEMORY VERSE: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” —Luke 12:34

LUKE 11:37-44; 12:29-34

THE Pharisee who invited Jesus to dine with him marveled that his guest did not wash his hands before eating. This was a ceremonial washing which the scribes and Pharisees were very careful to practice. Jesus pointed out to his host that the important thing was not ceremonial cleansing, but an inward purity of the heart. This is the thought expressed in one of the Beatitudes—“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”—Matt. 5:8

One might wash his hands ceremonially and “make clean the outside of the cup and the platter,” while his inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” Such a one would be a hypocrite, and Jesus did not hesitate to tell the scribes and Pharisees of his day that as a class they were in this category.

We cannot judge the heart condition of others. We have no way of determining whether or not the professions of righteousness on the part of others are from the heart or merely an outward display of sanctity—unless, of course, there is gross misconduct apparent to all, which belies their professions. Such situations would come under the ruling made by Jesus when he said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”—Matt. 7:20

Tithing was one feature of the Law given to Israel at the hand of Moses. This was the giving of a tenth of all one’s income to the Lord. The scribes and Pharisees were very scrupulous about this, as well as about certain other things. Jesus said to his host, “Ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs.” However, as Jesus added, while very exact in their tithing, they failed, or passed over, “judgment and the love of God.”

It was good to be strict in paying tithes, but this was of little merit in the Lord’s sight when the lessons of the Law in this and in other matters were ignored. The Prophet Micah wrote, “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” (6:8) Today the requirement is the same. Faithfulness in outward forms of righteousness does not take the place of practicing justice and love, and walking humbly with our God.

Jesus said that the scribes and Pharisees were like graves “which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.” That is, they concealed their real intentions and their true characters from the public. In Matthew 23:14 Jesus gives us an illustration of this. He says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation,” or condemnation. The thought seems to be that while they offered long prayers for widows, they exploited the very ones for whom they were praying. What depth of hypocrisy!

The second part of our lesson stresses the importance of faith in the Heavenly Father’s care and in his ability to provide for our material needs. The Christian’s chief concern is not to be “what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, … for all these things do the nations of the world seek after.” The Heavenly Father knows that we have need of these things, and while we are to make proper efforts for ourselves and for those who depend upon us, we are not to neglect our spiritual interests, and we should ever keep in mind that we have covenanted to give up our earthly interests in sacrifice as we lay down our lives following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Jesus speaks of this as seeking the kingdom of God and assures us that when we do this “all these [other] things shall be added.” Then comes that wonderful promise. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” In seeking first the kingdom of heaven, it is not to be with fear concerning our earthly needs. The Lord’s pleasure is based upon the degree of earnestness and wholeheartedness we display in sacrificing the flesh and its interests that we may attain a place in the spiritual phase of the kingdom.

Sometimes the word “kingdom” is used in the Bible when reference is to the subjects of that kingdom and the earthly blessings they will receive through obedience to its laws. But in our lesson the reference is to rulership in the kingdom. The Scriptures assure us that if we suffer and die with Jesus we will live and reign with him. It is by faithfulness thus in following Jesus into death that we seek a place with him as rulers in his kingdom—that future messianic kingdom.

QUESTIONS

What is the nature of the “washing” referred to in the lesson?

What important lesson did the Pharisees fail to learn from the Law and its ceremonies?

What example of their hypocrisy did Jesus give?

How do we seek the kingdom?

What aspect of the kingdom do we seek?

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