³⁹ 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. ⁴⁰ You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.   ⁴² “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.   ⁴³ “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.   ⁴⁴ “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” ⁴⁵ One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” ⁴⁶ 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.   ⁴⁷ “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. ⁴⁸ So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ 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.’ ⁵⁰ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, ⁵¹ 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.   ⁵² “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.”

Meditation:

1. When eating at the home of a Pharisee, Jesus identified six common sins of the “religious” of his day that kept them from seeing the light.  The Pharisees and experts in the law were furious and attacked Jesus.  Reading these verses should not cause us to criticize the Pharisee then.  Rather, they should draw us to examine ourselves.
2. With a humble heart, go through the following questions and ask: “God, do I……?”

• Do I spend more time trying to look holy, or seeking to be holy? (vv39-41)
• Do my priorities reflect God’s? (v42)
• Do I treasure the approval of others, or the approval of God? (vv43-44)
• Do I make living a Christian life harder for people by my expectations, or do I encourage and help them? (v46)
• Do I resist God’s word brought by his ministers, or am I open and teachable? (vv47-51)
• Do I distort the gospel by a legalistic attitude and approach to Christian faith? (v52)

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Why did Jesus scold the Jewish leaders?  What would Jesus rebuke you and your family if Jesus is at your home today?

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:21-23

²¹ With much seductive speech she persuades him;  with her smooth talk she compels him. ²² All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast ²³     till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare;  he does not know that it will cost him his life.