I would have been so uncomfortable. Talk about awkward.
The inciting incident came when he didn’t wash his hands before the meal. As in he didn’t perform the required ceremonial washings necessary.
When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
I’m guessing he did this on purpose. He was getting ready to provoke them.
It worked.
He was a guest at the Pharisees house. When they pointed that out to him his social faux pax, Jesus responded with truth bombs they couldn’t handle.
He told them they cared more about keeping the rules, rituals and regulations of their outer life than they did about their inner life. They may have had clean hands, but they did not have clean hearts. They were filled with greed and wickedness.
Can you imagine what the dinner host was feeling at about this point?
Next he told them they were great at tithing, but they neglected the more important matters of righteousness and justice. They should practice both.
Third he said they cared mostly about being respected by the people. They loved the important places and the way people looked at them. They cared more about what men thought of them then what God did
Fourth, he said they were like unmarked graves that people walked over. They really didn’t have much substance or significance.
At this point an expert in the law spoke up. Because it was getting uncomfortable.
He told Jesus that their feelings were getting hurt by his strong words.
One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
It wasn’t modern times. Jesus cared about their feelings but he more cared about truth.
So he continued.
He told them they loaded people down with burdens of the law. People do not feel the joy and peace of serving God. They are crushed but all the rules they had to follow given to them by the religious leaders.
Next he said they build tombs for the prophets, the very prophets that were killed by their forefathers. So in some way they stood in support of their forefathers by their actions. Then he says this generation will be held responsible for the spilling of the blood of prophets.
Finally he pronounced woe on them because not only have they removed true knowledge, but they have hindered those who want to enter into the kingdom.
Doubtless to say everyone was furious. Quite the dinner party where they had come to hear Jesus.
“When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.”
So how are we to take this? Are we to go blast everyone like Jesus? I don’t think that’s the appropriate response. Jesus was perfect righteousness.
Instead I believe we are to listen to the message he brings. Because we are all in danger.
1) If our faith is an outward one only, we have missed the point. It’s not about all the laws and rituals but a deep transformation of the soul. This is what spills out and overflows from us.
2) We are still to participate in things like tithing and the spiritual disciplines, but these do not make us righteous. We must give ourselves to the weightier matters of love, justice, righteousness and holiness.
3) It’s not about gaining the respect of men but it is about living humbly before God. If every man turned against us, who would we be?
Here’s the truth. I wonder why Jesus said all these things when he was a dinner guest. It was obviously the guest and his friends who received the brunt of Jesus’ words.
Here’s another truth. Am I more uncomfortable that Jesus broke social norms and politeness than I am that he called people out for their external only spiritual life?
When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.