Jesus Pokes the Bear, “Religious People”

Luke 11:42-54

The "woes" that Jesus pronounces on the Pharisees and Lawyers in this passage are a combination of condemnation, regret and sorrow. The Pharisees were so careful to do everything right and look the part of the most pious of people yet their actions caused other to think that they could attain the needed requirements of heaven on their own. In reality they were all hopelessly defiled and headed to hell.

The Lawyers, experts in the Jewish scriptures, added all kinds of rules and regulations not in the scriptures themselves and made them a burden for anyone who would try to follow them. Even they themselves could not possibly do so. These kind of religious people would even kill those who did not fit their particular kind of devotion, the many Prophets before and ultimately Jesus Himself. How dare Jesus, God Himself, tell them how to follow God's laws. They are so caught up in their own system that they no longer can distinguish their laws from God's and lead others to do the same. In essence they now worship their own created religion and no longer God at all.

None of us should ever let our preferences or cultural customs elevate over scripture. We see this happen so often, over and over again whether it's over music, or dress, or strategy. Let us not crucify Jesus all over gain but let us always go back to His words and follow Him where ever He leads, after all, He never gets lost.