A Pharisee Marvels - Luke 11:38

The beloved physician Luke wrote about Jesus, “a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat”, and in chapter eleven and verse thirty-eight of his book Luke shared, “when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed” where we read:

And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.

The verse reads, “And when the Pharisee saw it, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “the Pharisee saw it” which means “the religious leader who belonged to the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life”. Luke shared referred how the “Pharisee” noticed that Jesus went directly to the table and was reclining to eat.

The verse goes on to say, “... he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.” Luke continued with the words, “he marveled” or “the Pharisee wondered, was in awe and amazed” “that he had not first washed which means “that Jesus did not dip repeatedly, immerse, submerge, cleanse and make clean with water” “before dinner” or “in advance of and prior to eating the meal”. Luke shared how the “Pharisee” was “amazed” that Jesus did not perform the “ceremonial” cleansing of His hands in advance of being seated to eat.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn about a “tradition” observed by this “Pharisee”. Because he performed a “ceremonial washing” of his hands before he ate, he presumed that Jesus would follow this way as well. When Jesus came to eat at the “Pharisee's” home, it was expected that He would “cleanse” His hands by “raising His hands in an upward position, allow water to be poured over them, rub them together, point them toward the floor, allow water to be poured over them again so the “dirt” would flow toward the ground and then dry them” before He reclined to consume a meal. Because Jesus did not follow this tradition, the “Pharisee” wondered about Him. God desires a personal, loving relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and many times they have to forsake their “traditions” in order to “relate” to Him. Those who are wise will submit themselves to Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord” and put away any “tradition” that becomes a “superior minded” way of living in this world.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".