Pick, pick, pick. That was the Pharisaic way. The Pharisees looked for every flaw—real or imagined. They kept people on the defensive and reminded them of their failures. The Pharisees prided themselves on tithing the tiniest herbs, like mint, dill, and cumin. They advertised their piety by their dress and tried to direct the nation. Surely, if our actions are to be in harmony with Jesus’ example, we must avoid the tendency of always looking for and highlighting the flaws in others. The first-century Jewish historian Josephus makes it obvious that the Pharisees considered themselves to be kind, gentle, just, and altogether right for their task. Doubtless, some of them came fairly close to that. Nicodemus might come to your mind. (John 3:1, 2; 7:50, 51) In time, some of them embraced the Christian way. (Acts 15:5) The Christian apostle Paul wrote about certain Jews, such as the Pharisees: “They have zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) However, the Gospels present them as they were seen by the common people—proud, arrogant, self-righteous, faultfinding, judgmental, and demeaning. Jesus castigated the scribes and Pharisees as hypocritical. “They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.” Yes, the load was heavy, and the yoke imposed on the people was harsh. Jesus went on to call the scribes and Pharisees “fools.” A fool is a menace to the community. Jesus also called the scribes and Pharisees “blind guides” and asserted that they had “disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness. Jesus warned: “All the works they do they do to be viewed by men; for they broaden the scripture-containing cases that they wear as safeguards, and enlarge the fringes of their garments. They like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men.” (Matt. 23:5-7) Contrast their attitude with that of Jesus. Although he was the perfect Son of God, he was humble. When a certain man called him “good,” Jesus said: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.” (Mark 10:18) On another occasion, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, thereby setting a pattern of humility for his followers.—John 13:1-15.” Who would want Jesus to think of him as Pharisaic?—Matthew 23:1-4, 16, 17, 23. Those who listened to Jesus and became his disciples appreciated the truth of his declaration: “My yoke is kindly and my load is light.” (Matthew 11:30) They never felt burdened, harassed, or harangued by him. They were freer, happier, and more confident about their relationship with God and with one another. (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 9:49, 50) From him they learned that being a spiritual leader calls for being refreshing to others, manifesting lowliness of mind and heart.—1 Corinthians 16:17, 18; Philippians 2:3.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 04:50:17 +0000
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