'The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them (Lk. 11:39-46).'
Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a Pharisee. Both Scribes and Pharisees were also in attendance at the meal. Jesus addressed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees which they tried to disguise with legislation. The Pharisee was amazed that Jesus did not observe the ritual washing of hands before the meal. Jesus told them that they should be more concerned with their interior life than exterior rituals. They should give alms from the heart instead of just for others to see. Almsgiving was a part of the Jewish culture so Luke in his gospel was also making it an essential part of the Gentile Christian life (Mt. 6:3). The Gentile Christians would not have been familiar with the practice of almsgiving. Based on Jesus’ teaching, those who had were expected to share with those who did not have (Acts 4:32) and in so doing they would be made ‘clean’. For the Pharisees and Scribes that would not have been acceptable since one is only made clean through ritual practices. The Scribes and Pharisees demonstrated neither love of God nor love of neighbor. Jesus does not condemn the Pharisees for their excessive laws. However, such excesses turn people away from worshipping God by the burdens they put on worshipping God.
Almighty God, you give back to everyone according to his works, and it is only by your grace that we can attain to sincere works of charity. You have given us the gift of faith to believe all that your Son taught and did. O Lord, you are our hope and we trust in you. You are our rock and our salvation and we believe that you will bring us safely home to eternal rest in your kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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