I Denounced Religious Leaders

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

January 24, 2020

I Denounced Religious Leaders

Page 240-242

Matthew 23:1-36

In this passage Jesus used the expression, “What sorrow awaits you,” seven times as he criticized the religious leaders and teachers of law. However, Jesus wasn’t speaking to the religious leaders! He was talking to his disciples and the crowds gathered around him. I recall hearing about a music teacher who began her class and noticed that a few of her students were missing. She said, “Woe to those who do not practice every day. They will soon lose their gift of music.” While her words were directed toward the students not present, her words were also intended to encourage the students who were present.

The seven woes Jesus pronounced contrast the difference between living under the law and living under grace. The difference is like a “chain-gang’ of prisoners cleaning a roadside ditch. On each end of the group of prisoners is a guard holding a shotgun. The prisoners work under the watchful eyes of the guards. Jesus said the religious leaders laid on the people a heavy burden of religious and social rules and regulations for daily life. Then they stood by and did not lift a finger to help the people fulfill these standards.

Contrast the “chain-gang” with a father and his son working side-by-side as they clean out the culvert of their driveway. The Apostle Paul defined living under grace this way: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13). Do you see the difference? Under law you work alone. Under grace, God comes alongside of you and helps you.

When Jesus spoke of titles such as rabbi and teacher, he didn’t want to be taken literally. Not long after this, some of his own followers would be called Apostle or Bishop or Deacon or Pastor or Teacher or Preacher. The difference is whether the title is used to denote function within the Body of Christ, or perceived status.

My Takeaway: When Jesus chastised the religious leaders, the disciples were not cheering him on, shouting “Yeah! Give it to them Jesus.” They are thinking about their own life. I need to do that as well. Perhaps there is something in these pronouncements of Jesus that might apply to my life. Perhaps there is something within these seven woes that will help me become more of a fully-devoted follower of Jesus: Maybe I need to read them again.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.