Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees

Pleasing God

Ken

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5 KJV). Some would say Enoch was raptured or caught up to God. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Greek, harpazō] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:17). Without speculating whether Professed Christianity is following the pattern of Enoch, his testimony of pleasing God is walking with Jesus. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). And, nothing short of continual, heartfelt pisteuō commitment to Jesus can be acceptable to God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

Can God sustain His people in a continual state of pleasing Himself? Yes, even in the OT, God’s people were kept by God in a continual state of peace, when they were trusting Him. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Examine God’s interactions with us, even now. Look for His provisions for sustaining us. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). Pleasing God cannot be any inherent quality about us, i.e., physical, social, racial, economic, political, but must be entirely moral and volitional. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2Chronicles 16:9). 

Should we think it too much not to descend into the pit of despondency being overcome by passion for impatience, anger, fear, bewilderment, attractions of the flesh, desires of the eyes, or the pride of life? Jesus set our example. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21). It would be unwise to estimate our capacity to please God by measuring others’ success or failure in doing so. “Comparing themselves among themselves, [they] are not wise” (2Corinthians 10:12). Wouldn’t it be strange, if the Creator could not design a system in which His people could not please Himself without their retreating to a Heavenly circumstance? 

Do our NT circumstances give us better opportunity to please God? Yes. And, “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). The promised Holy Spirit is the inspiration for our obedience, not the mechanical trigger to force it. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). Since the Spirit is “given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32), any predisposition to repent, believe, and obey cannot be separated from our necessity to do so. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Believing gives us the Spirit, who in turn, gives us the inspiration to obey. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). 

Ours is to keep our eyes on Jesus. 

What is the most important thing? 

Focus squarely on Jesus. He is at the intersection of our doing everything we are supposed to be doing (on one hand), while not being concerned about what anyone else thinks we should or should not be doing (on the other hand). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

On one hand, the Pharisees made keeping the law their objective. It is true that we need to walk in obedience to God, but we should not attribute our obedience to our goodness. “1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:1-12).

On the other hand, the antinomians — the other extreme, which rejected the restrictions of the law — attempted to emphasize their lack of necessity of keeping the law as a goal; but instead, to concentrate on being happy. “Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die” (Isaiah 22:13). It is also true that we are not under the law. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). But, Paul anticipated the natural tendency of disregarding the law, which is to sin and continue in it. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (6:15). If we are truly in Jesus, how can we live in sin? 

As we get closer to the end, we shall see a paradox of more signs of God’s people understanding what is going on — “them that look for Him” (Hebrews 9:28) — while we shall also see signs of Professed Christians entirely without a clue about truly focusing on Jesus. “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). 

Father, we desire to be like Jesus and Enoch, that we would please You. Guide us by Your Spirit how not to walk in the flesh, for “they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Help us not to become prideful as the Pharisees in our conforming to your Law of Love. Teach us not to be like the antinomians, and more like the Thessalonians, “how [we] ought to walk and to please God, so [we] would abound more and more” (1Thessalonians 4:1). Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen. 

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees

Ken

“Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1 KJV). What were the Pharisees known for? Keeping the letter of the law or a literal interpretation of the law. Take the instance in which “a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted [Jesus], saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (10:25). Jesus said, ‘You, tell me what the Law says,’ or “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” (10:26). The lawyer correctly answers, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (10:27).

Our NT minds immediately react with, ‘The Law cannot save us. It only gives us the knowledge we are sinners.’ But then, Jesus agrees with the Jewish lawyer, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (10:28). ‘Wait,’ our NT mind says, ‘don’t let him get away thinking that! Jesus, aren’t You going to confuse Your NT readers before Paul can teach us ye are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)?’ 

[This is a bit longer. Scan ahead to pace yourself.]

Let us settle down our NT minds and breathe calmly. Obviously, OT saints were dying and going to be with Yahweh in Paradise long before the earthly ministry of the Messiah, His atoning sacrifice on the cross, and His ascension into Heaven. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). The Ceremonial Law of offerings and sacrifices was done away in Christ, but not the “Perfect Law of Liberty” (James 1:25), which Jesus endorsed as correct in His statement to the Jewish lawyer, i.e., “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (10:28). 

The Perfect Law, the Moral Law, or the Law of Love, which was summarized by the Jewish lawyer (Luke 10:27), is a synopsis of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). Why then were the Pharisees at odds with Jesus? Because Jesus saw through the utter hypocrisy of their claim of obedience — outwardly conforming without giving heartfelt submission to the law. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). 

Jesus protested: 

(1) the Jews’ ‘loop holes of, who the law was applied to,’ i.e., “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29). 

(2) the Pharisees’ ‘public displays of praying,’ i.e., 

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:5).

(3) the scribes and Pharisees’ high talk and low walk, i.e., “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:1-4). 

(4) the lack of heart, for which Jehovah always faulted wayward Israel, i.e., “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [from the heart] is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1Samuel 15:22). 

Messiah Jesus was sent to fulfill prophecy, which looked forward to the Perfect Sacrifice of the Messiah — “not for Himself” (Daniel 9:26) — and, we look back at the Once for All Sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10). But, the Sacrifice is only a necessity because of the same root cause — a lack of heart or right heart for obeying God. This was the reason why the Messiah said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not” (Luke 13:34).

Unless we seek God with our whole heart, how are we any different from the Jews, who rejected Jesus at His First Advent? Remember, the Leaven of the Pharisees was a hypocritical heart. They agreed with the requirement of love and obedience, but their ‘displays of giving-to-be-seen-as-giving,’ made their obedience sin and salvation impossible. Couple that with Yahweh progressing to unveil His New Covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31), requiring the suffering and perfect sacrifice of an unblemished volunteer, which would result in the forgiveness of sins of all that would repent (Matthew 26:28), and prepare for the sending of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7) to inspire future and total obedience (Ezekiel 36:27). 

Father, cause us to be Your children in sincerity and in truth. May the sacrifice of Your Son make us holy and without blame before You in love. Inspire us by Your Spirit to walk with You in loving obedience. May Your kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.