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JESUS VERSUS HYPOCRITES (II)
MONDAY, JULY 21
Luke 11:45-12:12

Acts 4:8-21

 

“…Beware ye of the leaven of

the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

 

JESUS VERSUS HYPOCRITES (II)
 
Jesus rebuked the law-experts for their hypocrisy as well. They had applied double standards. They had made many burdensome extra-biblical laws for the people to bear, but they themselves did not keep them. Their fathers had killed God’s prophets. Now they sought to honour the prophets by decorating their tombs. What they did was not true repentance but false pretension. They did it not because they were sorry for what their fathers had done; they did it to impress the people in an outward show of false piety. Jesus intimated they were simply putting the finishing touches to what their fathers had started. They were like their fathers who had killed the prophets. In due time, the Lord Jesus Himself would be killed by them. The apostles themselves would die in their hands, viz, James (Acts 12:2) and Peter (John 21:18-19). Jesus said that the blood of all the prophets, from the first to the last, would be required of them.
 
Jesus had enemies galore who were bent on killing Him. He told His disciples not to be afraid. They may kill the body, but they cannot touch the soul. The Lord also threatened those who intended to persecute or kill His people and servants. They ought to think twice before doing so for God has the power to cast both body and soul into hell. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).
 
Jesus enjoined His disciples to be courageous. They ought not to be ashamed of confessing His name. When believers are hauled up by the authorities for questioning, they ought not to worry about how to answer their persecutors. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit “shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” The Spirit will grant believers the power of thought and speech at the critical moment (eg. Peter in Acts 4:8‑14,19,20; and Paul in 21:39-22:21; 23:1,6; 24:10-21; 26:1-23).
 
THOUGHT: “Hypocrisy is always proud and cruel.” (Calvin)

PRAYER: Father, help me to be humble and merciful.

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