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In the gospels which narrate events two thousand years ago, a group
of people called Pharisees occupied a prominent position. There were
frequent confrontations between them and Jesus.
Luke 12:1
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they
were trampling on one another, Jesus began
to speak first
to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast
of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Jesus
warned his disciples to be on their guard against the yeast of the
Pharisees. This warning applies to his disciples
today as well.
The spirit behind the Pharisees of Jesus’ day remains as active
as ever today. How can modern-day Pharisees be identified?
The yeast of the Pharisees is hypocrisy
Jesus
clearly taught that the yeast of the Pharisees is hypocrisy. One
major characteristic of yeast in dough is that it spreads quickly
and causes it to rise and grow in size. However, there is little substance
to it because it is mostly air. The physical context in Luke 12 where
Jesus taught about the yeast of the Pharisees is significant. At
that moment,
a crowd of many thousands had gathered around Jesus. Swirling about
this man from Galilee who could perform unparalleled miracles were
whispers that he might be the promised Messiah. There were so many
people that they were trampling on one another. It was neither an
orderly
nor an obedient crowd. It was a carnal crowd drawn by the promise of
spectacular miracles. It was in this heady atmosphere that Jesus warned
his disciples to be on their guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.
Why? These can be the conditions where the yeast of hypocrisy can
spread quickly.
Let’s define hypocrisy in a very simple manner. It’s saying
and teaching one thing, but secretly doing and practicing something
very different. The Pharisees were very good at this. According to
Strong’s, the Greek word for hypocrisy (hupocrisis) carries the
strong flavor of pretense and deceit.
Matthew
23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The
teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So
you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what
they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy
loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are
not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they
do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the
tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets
and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted
in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’
Let’s
examine what was in their hearts which motivated them. First of all,
they loved to receive honor from people.
They loved to
be recognized by people as men of God. Moreover, the Pharisees were
motivated by the love of money---the root of all evil.
The love of money
Luke 16:14
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering
at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who
justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What
is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.
Mark 12:38
As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers
of the law.… 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show
make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”
Matthew
23:25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and
dish, but inside
they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Jesus
clearly taught that the Pharisees loved the praise of people and
loved money. They preyed on widows who had possessions. It was not
that the Pharisees were stingy. No, they knew how to give; they were
faithful
with their
tithes.
But
they did
not obey the spirit of the law.
Matthew
23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and
cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,
mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without
neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but
swallow a camel.
The severest punishment
Jesus also revealed that Pharisees looked very spiritual and righteous
on the outside, but that on the inside they were full of hypocrisy
and wickedness.
Matthew
23:27 “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 dead men’s bones
and everything unclean. 28 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
condemned these men more harshly than he condemned anyone else, including
gentiles and outsiders. They would be punished
most severely
(Mark 12:40). It was because outwardly they appeared to be righteous
and God-fearing, but in reality they were sons of the devil (John 8:44).
Therefore they were the perfect deceivers of God’s people. They
were ferocious wolves in sheep’s clothing about which Jesus warned
His flock in Matthew 7:15.
Matthew
23:29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
you hypocrites! …33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How
will you escape being condemned to hell?
How can we identify the Pharisees of today?
Matthew
13:33 He told them still another parable: “The
kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into
a large amount
of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
The yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy spreads quickly through
the kingdom of heaven, making it appear to grow and become large. But
there is little substance involved. What kind of hypocrisy can do this?
Today
in the Church there are teachers, citing mostly references from the
Old Testament, who say that God wants every believer
to be a millionaire.
While on a mission trip to Southeast Asia, I saw a poster in a church
promoting a meeting by a successful Christian businessman which
trumpeted in bold letters, “How to get rich.” The purpose
of this poster was to draw the lost to the meeting to hear the gospel.
Those who would attend the meeting would of course likely be those
who wanted to get rich.
1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and
a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into
ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds
of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith
and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The love
of money and lavish earthly comfort, disguised as a holy desire for
God’s
blessings, has spread quickly through parts of the Church like yeast.
Many Christians now gather to fill churches---big and small---every
Sunday in search of God’s blessing here and now. It is not
that God does not want to provide for our needs or that He does not
desire
to bless
us here
on earth. But some in the Church have crossed the line. Relatively
few are the teachings that train us to live holy and fruitful lives
on
earth in order to receive our eternal reward in heaven. Rather, many
teachings tell us what to do in order to receive God’s various
blessings here on earth so that we may become “successful” and “fulfilled.” Becoming
a blessing to others has become simply a pretext and an afterthought
to seeking God's earthly blessings for oneself.
Scripture
teaches us otherwise.
Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set
your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand
of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When
Christ, who is your a life, appears, then you also will appear with
him in glory.
Big
crowds drawn by the spectacular can be like dough puffed up by yeast
Those
teachers who focus on earthly prosperity do so with the ultimate
purpose of enriching themselves on the offerings of their ever-increasing
number of disciples, as well for financing their big ministries.
They love the earthly rewards of their teaching---material gain and
many
adoring
followers.
Outwardly
they
appear to be servants
of God, but on the inside they are full of greed and the desire to
become like Hollywood celebrities. They can draw huge crowds of people
with spectacular miracles or promises, but these crowds of carnal
Christians, like dough puffed up by yeast,
are mostly air. They are fertile ground for yeast. Many of them have
not come to learn to serve and obey Christ in holiness, but only
to hear about God's
earthly
blessings
in this
life. The
teachers
are more than willing to tickle their ears with empty words.
Such servants
of God are
among the Pharisees of today.
Luke 12:1 Meanwhile,
when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were
trampling on one another, Jesus began
to speak first
to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard
against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Matthew
7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit
you will recognize them. ...21 “Not everyone who says to
me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will
enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my
Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out
demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them
plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Ephesians
5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy
person—such
a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of
Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty
words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those
who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
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