Luke 11:42-46
Chapter 11
42
Woe to you, Pharisees! You give a tenth of all, including mint, rue, and other herbs, to the temple, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These should be done without ignoring the other obligations.
43
Woe to you, Pharisees, because you love the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplace.
44
Woe to you, for you are like tombstones of the dead, which are hard to see; people don’t notice them and make themselves unclean by stepping on them.
45
Then a teacher of the law spoke up and said:
“Master, when you speak like this, you insult us too.”
46
And Jesus answered:
“Woe to you also, teachers of the law. You prepare unbearable burdens and load them on the people, while you yourselves do not lift a finger to help them.
Commentaries
Invective Against the Pharisees and Doctors of the Law – Against Hypocrisy.
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes, warning them of the consequences of their actions. He condemns the Pharisees for focusing too much on external purification rather than inner transformation; their obsession with minor issues at the expense of justice and kindness; and their lack of self-awareness, as they do not realize they are ‘unmarked graves’ that, in effect, ‘contaminate’ others. Jesus also criticizes the scribes for imposing heavy burdens on the people without being willing to carry them themselves; for their arrogance; and for distancing themselves from the true God, making it hard for others to access Him. Due to these condemnations, it’s not surprising that his opponents are constantly seeking ways to eliminate him (53).