Holy Tuesday
By Dean Collins
Was it seven “woes” or seven “whoa”? It might have been both. On Holy Tuesday we all have to make a decision about how we see and understand what Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees and whether we might have similar issues.
Jesus directed his message to the crowds on Holy Tuesday. And while I believe we can find ourselves in this teaching, he called out the scribes and the Pharisees who were viewed as the religious leaders of the Jews who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. As one who has been in positions of spiritual leadership in a variety of places, hearing what Jesus said would have certainly been shocking. His basic message was that because of the spiritual authority the scribes and Pharisees had, you should do what they say but not do what they do. Ouch! This might have been the moment that a Pharisee thought, “Whoa, Jesus. That is a step too far.”
And then came the seven woes. It is helpful to look back and consider the blessings Jesus offered at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount and contrast them to the woes he pronounced at the end of his public ministry. The contrast speaks to how badly the religious leaders had missed the mark in both their understanding of the kingdom of God and in their practice of righteousness according to the ethics and behaviors of the kingdom of God.
In the Greek language, the word for woe serves to express grief, lament, as well as prophetic warning. In these seven proclamations, Jesus spoke of how the scribes and Pharisees were:
· Shutting people out of the kingdom of God instead of inviting them in
· Condemning people, especially the down and out, instead of comforting them
· Seeking all they could gain versus giving to those in need
· Acting with judgment instead of mercy
· Focused on the outward appearance and not the heart
· Misleading people in ways that would lead to their destruction instead of offering life
· Making righteous living harder than Jesus did
We know that the scribes and Pharisees had a strong reaction of “whoa” or “hold on there, Jesus,” because the plot to get rid of Jesus only intensified through Holy Week, culminating in the demand to Pilate that Jesus be crucified.
As we move together through Holy Week, we have an opportunity, and honestly a need, to hear the words of Jesus with fresh ears and consider the many ways we have avoided both the call of Jesus in many of these same areas that he spoke to the crowds and the Pharisees about on Holy Tuesday. When we take the time to consider our present state, I suspect we might do well to grieve and lament over our sin so that we can embrace the life of Christ fully.
Father, we read the strong message of Matthew 23 and realize how far from your righteousness we have drifted. Forgive us of our selfishness, our pride, and our disobedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 5:3-12, 23:1-13, 15-39 ESV
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