Matthew-088

Today, we continue with our exposition and we go on now to Matthew Chapter 23, which is well-known as the teaching against the Pharisees. It has some parabolic statements, but particularly, it is a condemnation of the Pharisees.

Hypocrisy: Not practice what you preach or profess

Here is a heavy condemnation of the Pharisees and the scribes. It is most important that we approach this passage with the right attitude. If we approach it with the wrong attitude, not only will we not be blessed by it, but it will also actually become a curse to us. Things which are meant to be a blessing can turn out to be a curse if they are not approached with the right attitude or used in the right way. That is why Paul says that he himself and the ministry of the gospel can be a savor of life to some but a savor of death to others. The same gospel of life can actually become an instrument of death to those who approach it with the wrong attitude.

How should we approach this passage? What is the attitude we should have? If we use this passage as an instrument to beat our opponents over the head as we compare them to hypocrites and Pharisees, then we have already approached it with the wrong attitude. If we approach it with the attitude that this is a very exact definition of many people whom we know—excluding ourselves of course—then we have again come with an entirely wrong attitude, because that is precisely the attitude of the Pharisees. The attitude of the Pharisees is depicted in Luke 18:10-14, in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in which the Pharisee there says, “I thank you God, that I am not like that man.” And I suspect that when we read Matthew Chapter 23, many of us say, “I thank you God that I am not like these Pharisees. I don’t do any of those things. These are hypocrites, but not me. I always practice what I preach.” Now the moment we think this way, we become precisely the kind of people that this chapter describes.

Once we bear this in mind, we begin to realize that this chapter is extremely precious. Why is it extremely precious? If we study this chapter well, we will understand what symptoms of spiritual diseases could prove fatal to us. And if we want not only to remain spiritually healthy but also be able to grow, we must watch for these symptoms. So you can say that this chapter is as it were, a brief handbook on the spiritual diseases of any person who considers himself to be spiritual. Only if we approach this chapter in this way will it become a real blessing to us. But if we ever consider this chapter as a means to attack or insult our opponents, we have entirely missed the spirit of Christ within it.

I would like to say this so that this chapter becomes a blessing to us and we don’t go away with the attitude of the Pharisees: “Other people are like this, particularly the Pharisees, but I thank God that I’m not like that.” If we study the symptoms of these spiritual diseases carefully, we will soon see that time and again, we ourselves have manifested these kinds of symptoms.

We must never imagine that the word “hypocrite” means that the Pharisees were insincere people. That is not the Biblical definition of hypocrisy at all. But we will return on another occasion for a deeper understanding of what hypocrisy is. The basic definition of hypocrisy is given to us right here: It is to preach or profess some­thing and not do it. This doesn’t mean that you intentionally don’t do it. It simply means that whatever the reasons, you have not done it. That is hypocrisy. I am a hypocrite if I have preached something or exhorted others to do something, but I myself don’t do it. I might be very genuine in my commitment to what I preach, but if I don’t do what I preach, I am seen to be a hypocrite.

We must not have the misunderstanding to suppose that Pharisees simply put up a show. This is simply not true historically, as anyone who has taken the trouble to study the Pharisees carefully would know. Moreover, as you know, the apostle Paul himself was a Pharisee. When he was tried in front of the Jewish courts, he did not say, “I was a Pharisee,” he still said, “I am a Pharisee.” He had not given up being a Pharisee when he was a Christian. And no one would charge the apostle Paul with hypocrisy, or insincerity of any sort even when he was not a Christian. It is simply a popular misunderstanding to imagine that hypocrisy here means insincerity. That certainly is no part of its meaning. Hypocrisy simply is that we profess something, we hold to a certain doctrine but we don’t do it, like so many Christians. Which of you have consistently practiced what you profess? Once I put it like this, we realize that this chapter is speaking to us. And the Lord Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. What is the leaven of the Pharisees? Here it is. What are the symptoms of the Pharisaic disease? They are here. Hypocrisy strikes all religious people. So let us try to understand this passage in somewhat greater detail.

Studying the Bible is not an antidote to hypocrisy

Notice that the Lord Jesus speaks to the crowds and also to his disciples, as he is not saying to his disciples, “You are so good. I’m just saying this to the crowds.” In verse 2, the scribes are theolo­gians, Bible experts, and this shows you that knowing the Bible very well does not safeguard you from hypocrisy by any means. Studying the Bible is not an antidote to hypocrisy. Studying the Bible in fact, may make you a bigger hypocrite than you really already are. Precisely because you know more, you should be practicing more, but instead, you practice just as little as you did before. When the level of your practice remains unchanged, the gap between knowledge and action widens even more as your Bible knowledge increases. This failure to act accordingly only renders you (and me) increasingly hypocritical.

Moses was the deliverer of the Law, and so the scribes or theolo­gians, and the Pharisees who “sit on Moses’ seat” are the teachers of the Law. Not only were the Pharisees and scribes doctrinally the teachers of the Law but they also administered justice in Israel. In fact, they pronounced judgments in the Jewish courts of law. They were both teachers and leaders in the society of Israel, and the Lord Jesus does not charge them as false teachers because of their position. He said, “Practice and observe whatever they tell you.” Their teaching may be right and their pronouncements of judgment in matters of civil or criminal law are to be obeyed, “but do not do what they do.” Don’t follow their example although they are very good at teaching. Their knowledge is not in question, but their practice is highly questionable.

The religious leaders teach with a lack of compassion, of love

Also, notice their unloving attitude in verse 4:

They seem to set higher standards for others than for themselves. They bind heavy burdens of legal requirements upon others that are very hard to bear, while they don’t lift a finger to help. They seem to take particular pleasure in making life difficult for others and doing nothing to make it easier for them. So what they teach is good, but they teach it in an attitude that lacks love.

They practice their religion on the outside to be seen by men

The Lord Jesus says in verse 5 that the problem with them is their carnal thinking, so “they do their deeds to be seen by men.” And what do they do? They practice all their religion on the outside. Their religion is displayed outwardly for others to see, allowing them to admire how devout they appear. When religion is something which has a high value set upon it, then many people will practice religion for the wrong reasons, namely, for people to see. Then they make their prayers very long, so people will think, “How pious he is to pray for the whole of ten minutes!” They are not thinking that they might exhaust their hearers with this very lengthy prayer. We think that because we pray so long we must be very religious, and we think the person who prays short prayers is not very spiritual. So in order to impress other people, they do their deeds to be seen by men.

What else do they do? “They make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.” What are phylacteries? Phylacteries are still used among the Jews today. A phylactery is a tiny little box, the size of a ring box and in it was put a piece of paper rolled up in one roll. And on that piece of paper were written these particular passages Exodus 13:3-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. These passages were regarded as key passages concerning the Law, and expressing the heart of the Word of God in the Old Testament. So they were written on a little roll of paper, which was tucked into two small boxes resembling ring boxes. One was placed the forehead, secured around the head with a strip of leather, cloth, or whatever material was available. If you look at pictures of people in Israel, you will notice that there is a box right on their forehead and you will be wondering, “What’s this guy doing with this box on his head?” When a Jew goes for religious worship, he would take this box and bind it around his head and put his prayer shawl over his head. Then he would take another box with the same verses inside and tie it in his left upper arm at the level of his heart, and it is very important to be at the right level. So he would have one box on his forehead and one box on his arm. Those are phylacteries, which are still being used today.

Why do they do all this? They thought this is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 6:8. What does Deuteronomy 6:8 say? Having given the law to Israel, Moses goes on to say,

So it is on the forehead “as frontlets between your eyes,” and it is on the arm as “upon your hand.” The word “hand” in Hebrew does not necessarily mean just the hand but also the arm, so they bind it on the arm near to the heart. I wonder why they did not just tie it around the chest because that would even be nearer the heart without the gap in between the arm and the heart. They decided that Scripture says the hand or the arm, so the phylactery goes on the upper arm. Now what the Word of God in Deuteronomy 6:8 is saying is figurative, and it means that we are to meditate upon the law constantly. To bind it on your arm means that we are to meditate and do it. It’s remarkable how we tend to literalize and reduce the practice of God’s Word to superficiality, and so instead of practicing it, you just tie a box on your hand and you can do anything else you like after that.

They make their phylacteries broad means they make the boxes big so that people can see. Perhaps if you bind a bigger box on your head and arm, you might be regarded as more religious. It’s like someone who holds a very small Bible is not as good as someone who has a very big one, because a big Bible shows that you give much more attention to the Word of God than the one who is trying to read a small one with a magnifying glass. Presumably, he has a small Bible because he doesn’t think it is very practical. So “they make broad their phylacteries” for the same reason.

The second thing mentioned here are the fringes of tassels. They thought a fringe also fulfills Numbers 15:38. When we read from verses 37-40, the tassels are mentioned quite literally.

The tassels are designed to serve as a visual reminder of God’s commandments and obeying them. At the edges of their long, flow­ing garments, on the fringes, they are to attach tassels with cords of blue—a heavenly color (or violet, as in the Hebrew tradition). As they walk, these tassels act as a constant reminder to obey God’s commands and to remain holy before Yahweh, their God. But the only thing is God didn’t mention how long the tassels should be, therefore of course, the Pharisees determine that the longer the tassel, the more holy one might be. So they make their fringes long with long tassels.

Here you can see again the whole matter of reducing the spiritual life to external performance and superficial observances. Sometimes, it’s very good to use something to remind you to walk with God. In fact, the Lord Jesus does not condemn the use of these tassels or even the phylacteries. Presumably, he would have used these things from time to time as most of the Jews did in those days. He is simply saying that it is the spirit in which one uses the tassels that is wrong. One must do these things with the right spirit.

Now we often use things to help us remind ourselves. For example, we use wall plaques, which is very useful. You can write a passage of Scripture on the wall so that every time you look at that passage, it reminds you of what you are called to do. Sometimes I write a passage of Scripture and put it beside my desk, like the tassel, to remind me to pursue towards that goal. So using these things is in no way harmful, but the problem is the attitude when we use them. Do you want to show other people who come into your room these Scripture verses all over the wall, so that they conclude that you are a very, very spiritual person? That would be the wrong attitude if you write them for others to see rather than for yourself. The externalizing of our religious life is a danger.

God’s people should use titles in the right spirit, not to glorify man

Let us go on to the next passage, verses 7-12. Here the Lord Jesus immediately tells the disciples to beware of this kind of behavior. He is concerned not just to say something about the Pharisees but he also wants his disciples to learn these pitfalls. In verse 7, he says that the Pharisees love to be saluted in the market places. The market place in those days, was a public gathering ground where everyone could meet. You could meet your friends, or have a cup of tea, or stand up and make political speeches in the market place. Or as Paul often did, stand t in the market place and preach the gospel. It was a kind of place where everyone interacted with one another. And these Pharisees liked to be called “rabbi,” an address for a teacher, but the word “rabbi” actually means my great one, not teacher. It’s a title of honor. “Ra” means high, exalted, great, and “bi” means my great one, my glorious one, my exalted one, the one that I exalt, that I glorify. This title was simply one of praise and the Lord Jesus forbids it in verse 8(-12):

Here we have to watch for some pitfalls as well. To say that we may not call anyone “teacher” would be a very strange thing because when my daughter goes to school, she will not address her teacher as “teacher.” And if the teacher asks why, she will say, “Because the Bible says there is only one teacher, so we don’t address anyone as ‘teacher.’” If that person is your teacher, you should address that person as “teacher.”

Then it goes on to say, “Call no man father on earth.” That means to say you will go home tonight and say to your father, “I’m sorry, from now on I can’t call you father anymore.” And if your father inquires why, you will say because the Bible says very distinctly that we must not call anyone on earth “father” because only God in heaven is our Father.” I think your father would think that either you have gone out of your mind, or the Scriptures are utterly ridiculous! How are you going to call your father if you don’t address him as “father”? Are you going to call him “Mr. so and so”? And if you did say “Mr. so and so,” you are in trouble again because it says here, “Call no man ‘master.’” The word “mister” is simply another form of the word “master.” So in future, you shall call no man “Mr.” anymore because the Scripture says you may not call any man “Mr.” or “master.” Presumably, you would simply call him by his name, which would likely get you into very serious trouble with your boss or with anyone else. As for your boss, you must not address him as “boss” or “chief” because those are just different forms of the word “master.” This means that your relationship with people could be in all kinds of trouble, beginning with your father, then your teachers at school, and your boss in the office! This way of understanding it would be quite to mistake the idea. Presumably, you have to address your father in some form or fashion that admits he is your father. I am saying this because some people do in fact deal with Scripture in this way and it really brings utter discredit to it.

In fact, as you look further in Scripture, both in the Old Testament and in the New, the word “father” is constantly used not only to address God but also to address men. So Scripture entirely endorses the use of the term “father” for someone who is your father. What Jesus is saying here is we may call our father “father” but we don’t go around just exalting people as father who are not our fathers. We must not use these titles to glorify men.

In fact, the rabbis were called by these titles. One rabbi was addressed by these titles in doubled form. For example, this rabbi was addressed as “Rabbi, Rabbi”, “Father, Father”, “Lord, Lord.” These titles were not only addressed to him once but doubled. Like the Jews, the Cantonese people also double the title for example, “公公” (“Gong Gong”) to our grandfather or “婆婆” (“Po Po”) to our grandmother. We don’t just say “公” (“Gong”) or “婆” (“Po”). It gives a sort of added emphasis.

So the spirit by which we do things is very important. The Lord Jesus wanted to build a society of God’s people in which we don’t put the preacher or the pastor on a pedestal. Of course, the Scripture does say to give honor to those who are in authority in the churches and also in the world, but not in such a way as to make him take the place of God. God is always supreme. God must always be the One exalted above all else. And no portion of the glory should be given to man which belongs to God.

The seven “woes”: warnings against spiritual diseases that ruin

There follow the seven “woes” of the Pharisees, and studying them makes these spiritual diseases even more explicit. We will cover only a few of these because of time, and we will continue the next time.

First of all, let us carefully concentrate on understanding the princi­ple involved in each of these woes because these are the specific symptoms of the spiritual disease that will destroy us if we are not careful.

The first is to notice the word “woe.” What does the word “woe” mean? We don’t use that in normal English speech, at least not too often. What does it mean in Scripture? “Woe” in Scripture is an expression of grief or distress and also warning. So it is something that expresses grief in the first instance, but grief that is so intense that it gives us distress and pain. In that distress and pain, it also becomes a warning because what pains us means that it is dangerous. It is something that will cripple us. It will ruin the person who indulges in this kind of spiritual disease or behavior.

First symptom: Pride

The first of these “woes” is in verse 13:

Let us examine ourselves carefully whether we do these things or not. You will say, “Surely, I don’t do that! I’m going straight for the kingdom of God. I don’t prevent anyone else.” To think like this is to miss the point. Ask yourself this question. Perhaps you don’t delibe­rately try to hinder other people from going into the kingdom, but is there something in your or my conduct, which may hinder others from entering the kingdom? And that particular thing that I do, or the way I think will hinder myself from entering the kingdom indeed, but even worse, it will also prevent others from entering. On the Day of Judgment, I wonder how many Christians will be arraigned before the heavenly court because not only have they failed to enter the kingdom but have also prevented others from entering.

In what way do Christians block others’ entrance into God’s king­dom? We have become familiar with the complaint: “I don’t wish to become a Christian because the Christians I know disgust me.” Now those Christians obviously think themselves to be not too bad, but others who have observed their life and conduct are put off by them. Isn’t that exactly what it says here?

The Pharisees intend to enter the kingdom. In fact, they thought themselves to have special seats in the kingdom of God let alone not being able to enter. They were under the impression that if any place had a special welcome for them, it would be the kingdom of God because of all the Jewish people, the Pharisees were the most religious, the most ardent defenders of the law. Never did they think of themselves as preventing others.

The Lord Jesus is telling the Pharisees this is how God evaluates them. This is the first principle of the spiritual life, that we let God and other people evaluate us because we always evaluate ourselves far too optimistically, don’t we? Just because we think we are going to heaven does not mean that we are actually going to heaven. Just because the Pharisees think they are going into the kingdom of heaven does not mean they are actually entering. This is one of the most important things to observe. There is nothing so dangerous as to think that “I’m all right. I’ve been baptized.” And the strangest thing is that the church encourages us to have this so-called “assurance.” If anyone had assurance, the Pharisees had it, because they were certain that not only will they be in the kingdom of heaven but they will be very high up in the kingdom of heaven, for they were the leaders of the religious community; they were the teachers of the Word of God.

Arrogant thinking: “We are the elect”

It’s just like some of us pastors, we are very certain of ourselves that our seats will be very high up in the kingdom of God, aren’t we? Just look at Eric Chang! All the poor, humble multitude is down there below, but Eric Chang will be high up there. You can be sure that when you get into the kingdom of God you will see him up there. Hypocrites that we are! I can thank God for his mercy if I so much as enter, let alone think of myself as somewhere high up there! But we so easily think so. “Look at the work that I have done! Look at how well known I am!” What does it matter if you are in fame (留芳百世 liu fang bai shi) or notoriety (一臭萬年 yi chou wan nian)? It all comes to the same thing. Either way you are very famous, therefore that guarantees your high status in the kingdom of God. So we deceive ourselves and make fools of ourselves; and we go about calling this kind of thing “assurance.” Is that the Scriptural definition of assurance? There was no one as utterly assured as were the Pharisees. That was seen even in the way they walked about with utter confidence in themselves. If you would like to have this kind of assurance, go ahead. As for me, I cannot walk humbly enough. The trouble with me is that I have too much pride, and I don’t need any more assurance to make me any prouder than I already am.

And if you say, “Surely, as a preacher, you know that assurance has to do with the grace of God.” Exactly! We are very humble because we are the elect! God in his inscrutable wisdom and mercy has chosen the likes of me! And because I have been predestined to be an elect in the councils of God before the world began, it’s not easy to be humble about my very high status. At least we are boasting about the grace of God that is so good especially to me! Now if you like that kind of assurance, you are welcome to it. I can’t take that away from you. But look at what the Lord Jesus says here in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” But people with this kind of assu­rance says, “No, I don’t exalt myself, it is God who exalts me! I can’t help feeling rather good being exalted by God!” And so we don’t have to humble ourselves too much.

There is something very dangerous about Christian dogma when presented in this way. It’s so dangerous that it frightens me. Doctrines of election, doctrines of grace defined in this kind of way are extremely dangerous. You don’t have to be very intelligent and far-sighted to see that. It has been historically very difficult for Christians, who always consider themselves to be the elect of God, to be humble. The Jews have a very hard time being humble because they still regard themselves as the chosen people today. How can you be humble when you are chosen? That is very difficult to do. The only way to do it is to recognize the constant danger of our being self-deceived.

Consider this question very carefully: Do you find yourself having a little tinge of pride that you have been chosen by God above all those common people out there on the street? Do you think, “Just look at those wretches who go to discos, taverns and pubs, and do other disgusting things like read newspapers, or go to the cinema on Sunday. As for me, I don’t condescend to such depths of vulgarity because I am the elect.” How can you feel humble when you think in this way? So let us consider carefully the pitfalls, the symptoms of spiritual disease. Be very honest with yourself.

My pride scares me!

I will be honest with you. I often feel the sense of pride, and it scares me. I feel the pride that God has chosen me to be his servant, that God has equipped me to preach his Word and to preach it with some measure of power. Of course, it’s all his grace but that grace is manifested in me and through me! I am the focal point of this grace so that even though it is of grace, it is still me in whom that grace is manifested. And I feel proud! Think of my position. Think of the regard I am held in for better or for worse by some. Pride comes. It’s very, very dangerous indeed. We must learn to overcome this evil in us. I may put off other people by my arrogant behavior, and I didn’t realize that I was arrogant. In fact, I would think that I was quite justified. I may call it the joy of being a Christian. Others would call it something else.

As a result of pride, one of the prime diseases of the Pharisees, they neither enter the kingdom nor allow those who would enter to go in. You see the connection of verse 13 with the previous verses is very clear. Pharisees exalted themselves; they were proud. They loved the salutations, the best seats at the table, the glory that was given to them. I mean, clearly you don’t put a prominent man in an insignificant seat at a feast. He must be put at the head table all the time. So he always gets the best seats; he always gets glory. It’s a very dangerous thing. Therefore, let us consider carefully this very, very fatal disease, and its symptoms that will strike and destroy us. It worries me that we often excuse ourselves with these feelings of glory and exaltation by saying that it is of grace, that God gave us all this, therefore it is God’s doing. He exalted us. He put us to where we are. He made me a preacher of his Word. He gave me the kind of reputation that I have. Therefore, it’s all of grace, but I feel proud of that grace being manifested in me. Let us watch carefully this very serious danger that will cripple us.

Second symptom: Hyperactivity

Let us come to the second symptom: hyperactivity, which is very closely connected to the first. By the way, if you are using an ESV, RSV or any modern translation, you will notice that verse 14 is omitted and quite correctly so. Verse 14 does not belong here but it belongs in Mark 12:40, and you will see verse 14 in the margin. Some manuscripts have transposed it from Mark 12:40 to this place where it doesn’t belong. So verse 15 is the second woe:

And what is a proselyte? A convert to Judaism was called a proselyte. A proselyte was generally not a Jew but a Gentile (a Greek or Roman or a person of any other nationality), who embraced Judaism, and these were called proselytes, God-fearers.

Now the second woe is concerned with missionary zeal. Missionary zeal is actually a pitfall for an elect. You admire the zeal many churches show for missionary activities. There is “Missionary Week-end” and “Missionary Bazaar” and “Missionary this and Missionary that.” Churches comb land and sea in their missionary zeal. The preacher stands up and exhorts us to be missionaries, exhorts us to go to the jungles of Africa, and to the ice of the Arctic to evangelize. Missionary activity is the mark of the vitality of the evangelical church, isn’t it? If you judge the vitality of an evangelical church by its missionary zeal, you can be so self-deceived.

Understand one thing. We cheat ourselves too easily into thinking that our missionary zeal is equivalent to our zeal for God. There is no necessary nexus between these two things. The Pharisees couldn’t be beaten for missionary zeal. They were willing to comb land and sea. This word translated as “travel” in the ESV, or “traverse” in the RSV, means to go circling about through land and sea, showing the energy expended to make one convert. They were satisfied if they combed the whole world and got one convert. That was not a waste of effort if there was just one convert. That sounds very familiar to me too. If all these things we have done results in one person being saved then it would have been worth it, and the Pharisees also thought so!

The Lord Jesus strikes us precisely at the marks of unspirituality where we have been entrenched in our confidence: our election in grace, our missionary zeal. We think these are places which are sacred. Is there nothing sacred left that you have to attack these things too? But it is precisely that we hide our unspirituality behind these spiritual-sounding activities. It is precisely our activeness in church, busyness in doing and organizing activities that become our means of self-deception. When I am invited to speak at this meeting and that convention, I think to myself, “I must be so spiritual because everyone wants to listen to my preaching.” Then I become the biggest fool of all! We think that these activities are the guarantee of our place in heaven because we are so zealous! What does the Lord Jesus say? “All that you have succeeded in doing is to produce someone who is twice as worthy of hell as yourself” (v. 15b). That really got stuck in our throats!

What matters is the spirit in which you do things

It’s not outward activity that we use to convince ourselves of our spirituality. It’s what we really are inside that counts. What are you inside? Even election and God’s calling are external to us. That is not something inside of us. We think that because we made some sort of response to God we are all right. These things all remain external to us. What matters is the heart of man. So don’t think because you are so active in the CCF (Chinese Christian Fellowship), you are so active in church, or in reading your Bible, you are so good and spiritual. There is nothing wrong with the activities. Again, it is the spirit in which we do them that matters.

I implore you to understand that you can become a missionary even with the wrong spirit. You can become a pastor for the wrong reasons. If being a pastor gives you social status as indeed it does in the West, then that already will be a pitfall because you want to become a pastor for the wrong reason. You seek that kind of position. Of course, you would never admit it to yourself or to any­one else for that matter. That is very, very dangerous. You can see that there are so many spiritual pitfalls that we must constantly check whether our spirit is right. You may be a leader in your Christian Fellowship, so you are somebody, and you think you are all right. In fact, the fall out rate of so-called “leaders” is among the highest because they have walked straight into these pitfalls without being careful. So let us watch this very closely.

Third symptom: Spiritual blindness

Let us come to the third woe, our last point for today. The third woe extends from verses 16-22:

What do we see is the third spiritual symptom here? There is the lack of spiritual discernment, blindness. The word “blind” is used three times – “blind guides” in verse 16, “blind fools” in verse 17, and the third time in verse 19, “blind men.” Three times the Pharisees are spoken of as being blind. The greatest misery of all is the Pharisees were the last people who think of themselves as blind! They certainly didn’t admit to being blind as you see in the John 9:40. And presumably, neither would you nor I admit to being blind. We all think that we see but the Lord Jesus says to the very people who think they see that they are blind. And what is more, they are “blind guides.” They guide other people when they themselves don’t see! How dangerous that is! Those of us who have responsibilities of leading a group, or a Bible study at church or in a Christian Fellowship, you are a guide. A guide is someone who leads the other person. And when the guide himself is blind, then what is left of those who follow? That is a terrifying thought!

What is the cause of their blindness? It is a lack of commitment to the truth. You see the Pharisees’ casuistry. Their way of expounding Scripture was such that they regarded certain oaths as binding and certain oaths as not binding. Isn’t that amazing that you can say something on oath, “I swear” and then you don’t do it? Why? Because the oath is not binding. So why have an oath at all? This shows you the lack of commitment to the truth. For example, here is the case. If a Pharisee swore by the temple, and he says, “I swear to you by the temple that I will do so and so,” that oath is not binding. If he says, “I swear by the holy altar in the temple of God,” that oath is not binding. But if he says, “I swear to you by the gold of the temple,” that oath is binding.

So you have to know enough Scripture not to be tricked by a Pharisee because according to his definition, certain oaths are binding, while certain oaths are not. So why have an oath at all? Or if he swears by the gift that is on the altar, he regards that oath as binding. This is deceitfulness, not necessarily intentional deceitful­ness, but deceitfulness nonetheless because he knows the pathways of his own so-called “interpretations of oaths.” In fact, in the Mishnah, the Jewish book of law, there is a whole section that deals with the technicalities of oaths.

For example, if a Pharisee said to his father, “I swear by the temple that I will give you $500, he doesn’t have to give him a cent because he swore by the temple and the oath is not binding. So if the poor father were not aware of that, he would never get his $500. And yet the Pharisee thinks that he is right. In other words, it’s too bad for you that you don’t know that the oath is not binding for him. You should have studied more into the Pharisaic teaching. It’s your fault that you are foolish, that you did not study this teaching. This shows you a lack of commitment to the truth.

The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t swear at all. Don’t make any oaths at all. If you say yes then it’s yes, if it’s no then it’s no. If you say you will do a thing, then you will do it. You don’t have to take an oath of any sort.” It’s a commitment to the truth in one’s spirit. If you do not have this kind of deep commitment, you will soon find yourself to be spiritually blind.

Be so open to God that he will show us what we are

Don’t say to yourself, “But I always do what I say.” Do you indeed always do what you say? I know Christians who have committed themselves to full-time service who don’t do it. Or have withdrawn from their commitment having entered full-time service. Is this truthfulness or is it falsity? Did you raise your hand at some meeting and committed yourself to something or other, and you didn’t do it? Or did you say to someone that you would do this or that, and you never did it? Do not say to ourselves that we are always honest. How many times our prayers to God have not been matched by our actions? We say such lovely things to God in prayer and how many times did we do it? And when we don’t do it, we say, “Well, it’s God’s fault. After all, everything is by grace and since he didn’t give me the grace to do it, don’t put the blame on me. It’s God’s fault that I didn’t do it.” So again, we are self-deceived. Let us then search our hearts to see just how deep is our love of the truth.

We will continue next week to examine the other four symptoms of spiritual disease and let us take very carefully to heart these warn­ings or “woes.” The Lord Jesus has spoken as much to his disciples, as to all who have ears to hear. Let us be utterly honest before God without any self-deception whatsoever, that God will truly search us to see what we are. If we are so open to God in this way, then in his mercy and kindness, we may have a place in his kingdom.