Jesus Charged With Having Unclean Hands

Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
^{Tuesday July 09, 2024}

Luke 11:37-54

Father, I want to be transformed from the inside to the outside. Please change my heart so that I desire to serve and obey You. Please change my heart so that I reflect Your good character. Please help me to totally surrender my life to You, not holding anything back for myself. Please help me to not put any obstacles in the way of the gospel. Amen.

Father, Your Word tells us that Jesus received an invitation from a Pharisee to enjoy a meal at the Pharisee’s home, which was somewhere in the region of Galilee to enjoy a meal. However, the Pharisee who invited Jesus to the meal commented that Jesus didn’t wash up before eating. It is clear from Jesus’ reaction that He was becoming weary of the Pharisees and their incessant legalism that burdened people. Jesus responded with passion (the text below is paraphrased):

1. You Pharisees clean the outside of a dish but leave the inside dirty. You talk about washing your hands, but your hearts are full of greed and wickedness. You lack love for others, as evidenced by your lack of generosity for the poor. Your Father in heaven has made both the hands and the heart. You are fools to think the Father is pleased that you wash your hands but don’t clean your heart. Do you want to please your Father in heaven? Be generous to the poor.
2. You Pharisees give to the Father a tenth of things grown in your garden, such as mint and rue and other herbs. However, you neglect justice for others and showing people the love of God. You should do both.
3. You Pharisees love being the center of attention, whether in the synagogues or in the marketplace. You are proud. However, I feel sorry for you. The truth is no one will remember you after you have passed away. People will walk by your graves without noticing them.

A Pharisee in attendance, perhaps the owner of the home, said that these words insulted the Pharisees, implying that Jesus should stop if He wants to make peace with them. Instead, Jesus continued with more judgement of the Pharisees. He was not about to compromise the truth.

1. You Pharisees give people all kinds of rules that are next to impossible to obey. But do you help them? No. Not at all. You have no compassion for others.
2. You Pharisees have rejected my call to confession and repentance. Years ago, the prophets were killed by people just like you, people who also rejected the call to confession and repentance. Your building of tombs for the prophets shows your allegiance to their murderers, completing the task of burying those who spoke for the Father. The Father’s wrath is coming upon humanity for the rejection of His call for confession and repentance. Your heart attitude is the same as those who murdered the prophets and, therefore, you are guilty of their murder. The blood of all those who spoke for the Father, from Abel to Zechariah, is crying out to the Father for justice and you will be responsible for it.
3. You Pharisees keep the gospel away from the people who long for it. The gospel is the key to all knowledge and understanding. It’s one thing when you choose to reject the truth, but it is worse that you prevent others from hearing it.

The text tells us that Jesus’ response to this Pharisee intensified the resistance against Him. The Pharisees, instead of listening to the wisdom and warnings of the Son of God, dug in their heels and intensified their determination to discredit Him. Amen.