The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Woe unto you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets”, and in chapter eleven and verse forty-four of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “you are as graves which appear not” where we read:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for you are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
The verse reads, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” Luke began with the words, “woe unto you” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover alas as a word of warning to the scribes” “scribes” which means “men learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings and served as interpreters and teachers” “and Pharisees” which refers to “the religious 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”, “hypocrites” which means “actors, stage players, dissemblers and pretenders”! Luke shared how Jesus warned the religious leaders known as “scribes and Pharisees” as He called them “stage players and pretenders”.
The verse goes on to say, “for you are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.” Luke continued with the words, “for you are as graves” or “because, since and on account that the scribes and Pharisees are like memorials, sepulchral monuments and tombs” “which appear not” which means “that are not manifest, indistinct, uncertain and obscure”, “and the men” or “and the people whether male or female” “that walk over them” which means “who amble across the graves, tombs or sepulchers” “are not aware of them” or “do not perceive, notice, discern or discover the graves, tombs or sepulchers are beneath them”. Luke shared how Jesus likened the “scribes and Pharisees” to “uncertain and obscure” burial places where the people walking over them are unaware of their existence.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus called out these “religious leaders” for the “stage actors” and “pretenders” they were. Rather than being legitimately connected to God and His ways, these “scribes and Pharisee” were like “hidden graves” that were being “walked” over by people who were unaware of their existence. The idea was the “scribes and Pharisee” were totally neglecting the important matters of relating to God, following His ways and aligning with His desire to “save” people from their sins by His Son Jesus Christ. Many people follow “religious rules” and have no relationship with God, and though outwardly they may seem to do everything “right”, their “soul” is far from His purposes and plan. Let all who read these words examine themselves to be certain they are not simply “religious rule followers” who “pretend” before others and “walk over” the “graves” of a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Next time Luke shares, “then answered one of the lawyers”, 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".
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