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Matthew 5-7 – Religious People Today and Yesterday’s Pharisees
Religious people love impugning the Pharisees for three reasons. One, it is universally agreed that the Pharisees were wrong, which makes their denouncement both unanimous and safe. Two, the sins of the Pharisees are overtly obvious to us today, making them easy targets for denunciation. Three, never are we guilty of the same misguided attitudes, tendencies or sins as the Pharisees. Never. Ever. Ever. Innocence is our cloak of condemnation. Within each of these delusions, we see the power of association and the focus on “otherness.” Finding acceptance even through condemnation is powerful. Both social and anti-social groups merge together on the need to both accept and reject. Seeing large groups of people rightfully condemn the Pharisees provides safety in numbers. Religion is not always focused on who is right, but on how many together claim to be right. Then there is the emphasis on “otherness.” Seeing others by focusing on them makes it easier to be blind to ourselves and our associations. In religion “one-way vision” is easily encouraged. Religion is not always focused on who is right, but who else is wrong. Looking back to the three delusions we notice that first, loving to discuss the wrongness of others is thinking we are spiritually superior to them, which is Pharisaical. Jesus speaks about the sins of others, but never is there a hint of joy, just sadness or anger. Second, not making specific and accurate applications to us can lead us to our own modern-day Pharisaism, a danger that must be more than just mentally acknowledged. Third, not unmasking ourselves to see ourselves truly and fully is again Pharisaical. If the best sermons we ever hear are always: 1) about someone else’s shortcoming; 2) things we already agree with; 3) how we have always been right…we just might be a Pharisee. The only one who ever lived not guilty of these delusions and tendencies is Jesus. Not only do we know what He taught about the Pharisees; we also know He loved them enough to die for them.
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