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Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Jesus extended forgiveness to the worst of sinners, but there was a group of people with whom Jesus demonstrated little patience. Jesus confronted the Pharisees and called them “hypocrites,” a stinging word that described play-actors in the Greek theatre. In today’s passage, Jesus likened the Pharisees to “whitewashed tombs.”
Graves line the hillside outside of Jerusalem. The vaults are whitewashed to keep them looking attractive on the outside. Everyone knows, however, that a tomb is filled with the decaying flesh and bones of the dead. The Pharisees loved to walk around in their religious garb, reciting their religious prayers. People are impressed with the outward appearance, but God sees the heart. Jesus did not like what He saw under the religious pretense.
It’s not that hard to impress people with religious stuff. Flowery prayers, citing memorized passages, and pithy sayings impress people, but God looks beneath the surface of our lives and takes note of what’s really going on in our hearts. The question is: Does God like what He sees?
Father, what do You see in my heart? Give me the courage to own my issues and the strength to address any hypocrisy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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