Luke 11, Part Two

Singularity of purpose (vs. 33-36)--Jesus had already taught the people that His followers were to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). Light is meant to be seen, not hidden; what good is a light that placed "in a secret place or under a basket"? (v. 33). The idea of "the lamp of the body is the eye" (v. 34) is to indicate the priority of purpose that Jesus is trying to teach in this section. Let your "eye" be good—fixed totally on spiritual things and obedience to God--for if it is bad—double-minded—"your body also is full of darkness" (v. 34). Such a life is neither of much use to the Lord nor of much aid to mankind. But it isn't easy to do, either, because of the pull of the world. We must strive to resist the temptation to follow the multitude to do evil (Ex. 23:2).

The hypocrisy of the religious leaders (vs. 37-54)--Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with a Pharisee. Washing before eating was a religious requirement for the strict Pharisees, and this man marveled when Jesus didn't do it. Jesus uses the occasion to level a stern blast at Phariseeism. Some of this discourse is found also in Matthew 23; there is no reason to suppose that Jesus wouldn't have spoken these words on more than one occasion. The chief accusation was hypocrisy. The Pharisees "make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness" (v. 39). As Jesus taught so many times, outward manifestations of righteousness are simply not enough; we must be inwardly pure as well. "Blessed are the pure in heart" (Matt. 5:8). A person who is truly "pure in heart," pure inwardly, cannot help but be pure outwardly. But an individual can be "righteous" outwardly but impure inwardly. The Pharisees, and too many like them, made no effort to keep their hearts and minds free from wickedness. But they wanted the praise of men. Jesus' harshest words are for such an attitude. "Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?" (v. 40). A great question. The same God who commands outward conformity to the law expects inward compliance as well. Your inward purity will be demonstrated by outward actions (v. 41). Then Jesus rattles off a series of "woes" that expose the Pharisees for what they truly were. They tithed down to the simplest things they owned, but "pass by the justice and love of God" (v. 42). Tithing is fine, indeed, required, Jesus says; but so is justice and love. These fake religious leaders loved to be acknowledged for their positions of power (v. 43), and do everything they can to cover their sins where men will not see them (v. 44). A lawyer--one skilled and versed in the Law of Moses--was in the audience and felt the sting of Jesus' words: "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also" (v. 45). Jesus didn't deny it, indeed, unloads on them as well. The lawyers are the one who placed all these extra burdens on people, but made no attempt themselves to adhere to them (v. 46). Their attitude was no different from that of their forefathers who killed the prophets (vs. 46-51); the same kind of people. They had learned nothing of the will of God through all the generations and centuries. "Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation" (v. 51), probably a veiled reference to the destruction of Jerusalem about 40 years hence. The lawyers had "taken away the key of knowledge" (v. 52), had so obfuscated the Law of Moses that not only they could not enter the kingdom, but hinder those who wanted to. We've seen before how flawed the apostles' understanding of Jesus' mission was. That inaccuracy could be laid at the feet of those who taught them--the lawyers. Not surprisingly, Jesus' words set the Pharisees on a rampage, and they "began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him” (vs. 53-54). Jesus knew there was no hope of ever converting these people. Thus, He exposed them for others to see, hopefully to destroy their influence. Over the long run, it didn't really work, as very few Jews, on the whole, would obey the gospel and follow Jesus.