Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Luke 11:37-54
A friend once bought a used car that looked amazing in the pictures.
The paint shined, the seats looked spotless, and the seller said, “It runs great.”
When he went to see it in person, he honestly felt a little relieved.
It looked like the kind of car you could park in your driveway and be proud of.
The kind of car you could pull up somewhere and feel like you made a good decision.
He handed over the money, drove it home, and for the first couple days it seemed fine.
But then the little things started.
A strange smell.
A noise that came and went.
A warning light that flickered and then disappeared.
Finally, a week or so later, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree.
He took it to a mechanic he trusted.
The mechanic didn’t start with the shiny paint.
He didn’t compliment the detailing.
He popped the hood.
He got underneath it.
He checked what you can’t see in a picture.
After a while he came back and said something that my friend really didn’t want to hear.
“Somebody cleaned this up to sell it.”
“They made it look right.”
“But they didn’t fix what mattered.”
That story stuck with me, because it’s a perfect picture of what can happen spiritually.
There is a kind of religion that is really good at the outside.
It learns how to look “together.”
It learns the vocabulary.
It learns when to smile.
It learns when to nod.
And if we’re not careful, we start to believe our own presentation.
We start to think, “As long as I look clean, I must be clean.”
“As long as I’m doing the routine, I must be doing alright.”
But Jesus is not impressed by spiritual polish.
Jesus is not fooled by religious detailing.
Jesus is not searching for a life that photographs well.
Jesus is after truth in the inward parts.
And in Luke 11, Jesus sits at a Pharisee’s table, and what happens next is both uncomfortable and merciful.
It is uncomfortable because Jesus says out loud what everybody else politely avoids.
It is merciful because Jesus loves people too much to let them hide behind a mask.
This passage is not mainly about “those Pharisees back then.”
This is Christ calling every one of us to stop settling for appearance and start pursuing reality.
Some of us have a public life that looks pretty clean.
But the private life is chaotic.
The thoughts are unchecked.
The attitudes are sharp.
The spirit is critical.
The conscience is heavy.
And we keep trying to solve inside problems with outside solutions.
We keep trying to fix what’s under the hood with a fresh coat of paint.
So before we read this text like a weapon to aim at somebody else, we need to read it like a mirror for our own souls.
Because when Jesus rebukes hypocrisy, He is not trying to embarrass you.
He is trying to rescue you.
He is calling you to a faith that is not just correct on the outside, but cleansed on the inside.
He is calling you to a life where your walk with God is real when nobody is watching.
And the clearest way to hear His voice today is to let Him speak through this dinner-table confrontation in Luke 11:37–54.
I. Let Jesus Search Your Heart, Not Just Your Habits
I. Let Jesus Search Your Heart, Not Just Your Habits
37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
These verses show a shockingly uncomfortable dinner conversation.
Jesus refuses to play the game of outward performance.
When Jesus points out their obsession with the outside, He is warning us about the same trap.
A. Stop Measuring Spirituality by What People Can See
A. Stop Measuring Spirituality by What People Can See
The Pharisee “marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.” (Luke 11:38).
They were more disturbed by a missed ritual than a missed righteousness.
It is possible to be more concerned with appearing clean than being clean.
It is possible to be more afraid of embarrassment than of sin.
Proverbs 16:2 reminds us that…
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But the Lord weigheth the spirits.
That means God is not fooled by my explanations or my image.
Ask yourself plainly.
If the Lord removed your “good reputation” tomorrow, would your walk with Him still be strong today.
The outside of a refrigerator can be wiped spotless while still being full of moldy food.
One is visible.
One is hidden.
One gets attention.
One quietly poisons the whole house.
B. Bring the “Inside” to Christ for Cleansing, not Concealment
B. Bring the “Inside” to Christ for Cleansing, not Concealment
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Jesus is not asking for them to act better.
Jesus is calling for honest repentance.
1 John 1:9 says,
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
That means the path to cleansing is confession, not covering-up.
If you are hiding something, you are not protecting your life, you are strangling your soul.
If you have grown skilled at looking right while living wrong, Christ is calling you to come into the light.
Augustine confessed, “Our heart is restless until it rests in Thee,”
The restlessness you feel may be God refusing to let you settle for half-hearted religion.
C. Let Grace Change What your Hands Do with What Your Heart Loves
C. Let Grace Change What your Hands Do with What Your Heart Loves
Jesus said, “But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.” (Luke 11:41).
He is not teaching salvation by charity.
He is exposing the grip of greed and self-love.
A heart being cleansed by God will stop clutching at life like it is ours.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
That means your spending, your giving, and your generosity reveal your worship.
If your Christianity never loosens your grip, something is wrong inside the cup.
That dinner table scene forces a question we cannot dodge.
Are you trying to impress God with your outside, or are you letting God transform your inside?
II. Let Love and Justice Become More Important Than Your Lists
II. Let Love and Justice Become More Important Than Your Lists
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
In these verses Jesus is warning us that religious precision can hide spiritual emptiness.
A. Don’t Use “Obedience” to Excuse Disobedience
A. Don’t Use “Obedience” to Excuse Disobedience
Jesus said, “Ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God.” (Luke 11:42).
They were careful about tiny details while ignoring weighty duties.
Micah 6:8 tells us what God requires of us:
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?
That means that God is not pleased with our religious math if we are cruel, unfair, or unloving.
Ask yourself.
Are you strict with others and soft with yourself.
Are you demanding about preferences while dismissing clear commands.
It is like arguing about the font on a warning sign while ignoring the bridge that is out.
B. Refuse the Craving to Be Seen, Celebrated, and Seated
B. Refuse the Craving to Be Seen, Celebrated, and Seated
Jesus said, “Ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.” (Luke 11:43).
They wanted recognition more than righteousness.
They wanted the honor more than the Lord.
Proverbs 29:25 says,
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
People-pleasing will trap you into hypocrisy.
If you need applause to obey God, you will eventually compromise when applause demands it.
Choose the lower seat.
Choose the hidden faithfulness.
Choose to be known by God more than noticed by men.
It is said the last written words of Martin Luther were humble words, “We are beggars, This is True”
This is a needed reminder that we bring nothing to God but our need, and we should never act like we deserve the best seat.
C. Take Sin Seriously Because Your Influence Is Real
C. Take Sin Seriously Because Your Influence Is Real
Jesus said, “Ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.” (Luke 11:44).
An unmarked grave made a person ceremonially unclean without them knowing it.
Jesus is saying hidden hypocrisy spreads quiet harm.
1 Timothy 4:16 says,
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Your private life will eventually touch other people’s lives.
Parents, your kids do not just learn your words.
They learn your real worship.
Church member, your example is preaching to someone who is watching.
If there is secret bitterness, secret lust, secret dishonesty, secret pride, it will leak.
When Jesus confronts our hypocrisy, He is not being harsh.
He is being merciful.
He is stopping the poison before it spreads.
And then the lawyers speak up, and Jesus turns the light on them too.
III. Let God’s Word Make You a Helper, Not a Burden
III. Let God’s Word Make You a Helper, Not a Burden
45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
These verses targets the religious experts who used Bible knowledge to control people instead of shepherding people.
A. Don’t Crush People with Expectations You Won’t Carry Yourself
A. Don’t Crush People with Expectations You Won’t Carry Yourself
A lawyer said, “Thus saying thou reproachest us also.” (Luke 11:45).
Jesus replied, “Ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.” (Luke 11:46).
It is easy to preach standards without supplying strength.
It is easy to demand change without offering help.
Galatians 6:2 says,
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Biblical leadership—and real Christianity—doesn’t stand back and just demand change.
It steps toward people, walks with them, and helps them follow Christ.
Husbands, you can weaponize “headship” to get your way, or you can use it to serve your wife.
Parents, you can demand perfection, or you can disciple patiently.
Church members, you can become a critic, or you can become a encourager and a helper.
A coach who only yells from the sidelines but never shows the play is not building a team.
He is building resentment.
B. Don’t Honor the Truth-tellers of the Past while Rejecting the Truth Today
B. Don’t Honor the Truth-tellers of the Past while Rejecting the Truth Today
Jesus said they built tombs for the prophets their fathers killed. (Luke 11:47–51).
They acted like they loved the prophets while acting like the people who hated them.
We can do the same thing.
We say we love preaching, but we resist conviction.
We say we honor the Bible, but we argue with it when it touches our pet sins.
James 1:22 says,
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The best way to honor God’s messengers is to obey God’s message.
If you want to respect the prophets, submit to the God who sent them.
If you want to honor Christ, obey Christ.
C. Don’t Lock the Door to God for Yourself or for Others
C. Don’t Lock the Door to God for Yourself or for Others
Jesus said, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Luke 11:52).
Religion can become a gatekeeping system.
It can become rules without rescue.
It can become knowledge without new birth.
John 5:39 says,
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
The Bible is meant to lead people to Christ, not to pride.
If your Bible knowledge makes you harder, you are using the key wrong.
If your convictions make you unkind, you are using the key wrong.
If your standards keep sinners away from Jesus instead of guiding them to Jesus, something is deeply off.
John Owen warned, “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you,”
The first sin to kill is often religious pride because it convinces you that you are fine when you are far from God.
By this point in the passage, the tension is thick.
The room is angry.
The opposition is rising.
And that brings us to the final call.
IV. Let Rebuke Soften You, Not Harden You
IV. Let Rebuke Soften You, Not Harden You
53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
These verses show the leaders pressing Jesus, provoking Him, and trying to trap Him.
What can we do with their example?
A. Decide What You Will Do When the Word Confronts You
A. Decide What You Will Do When the Word Confronts You
They responded to correction with hostility.
They tried to “catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.” (Luke 11:54).
A hardened heart does not repent.
It retaliates.
Hebrews 3:15 says,
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Every time God speaks to you, something happens inside you.
You either humble yourself, or you fortify yourself.
If you keep resisting, your conscience gets quieter and your sin gets louder.
B. Come to Jesus as Your Savior, Not as Your Opponent
B. Come to Jesus as Your Savior, Not as Your Opponent
The Pharisees treated Jesus like a threat.
But Jesus is the only One who can cleanse the inside of the cup.
Titus 3:5 says it is
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
That means the answer to hypocrisy is not doubling down on religion.
It is not about what we have done, it is only about what Christ has done.
The answer is the mercy of God in Christ.
If you are lost, you need Christ to save you.
If you are saved but cold, you need Christ to restore you.
If you are wounded by hypocrisy, you need Christ, not cynicism.
C. Walk Out with a Clean Heart and an Open Hand
C. Walk Out with a Clean Heart and an Open Hand
When Jesus exposes sin, He is inviting you to freedom.
When Jesus confronts hypocrisy, He is offering you wholeness.
Psalm 139:23–24 says,
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
That means the healthiest prayer after this passage is not, “Lord, show them.”
It is, “Lord, show me.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
This is a hard passage because Jesus is not playing games.
But it is a loving passage because Jesus is not letting us die under a mask.
If your Christianity is mostly outside, Jesus calls you to come clean.
If you have been more passionate about rules than love, Jesus calls you back to His heart.
If you have been crushing others instead of helping them, Jesus calls you to repent and rebuild.
If you have resisted rebuke and grown defensive, Jesus calls you to soften and surrender.
Right where you are, tell the Lord the truth.
Confess the hidden sin.
Admit the pride.
Lay down the need to be seen.
Ask Him to cleanse the inside.
Then ask Him to make your life a blessing instead of a burden.
And if you have never been saved, do not leave the table with Jesus still outside your heart.
Come to Christ by faith.
Believe that He died for your sins and rose again.
Call on Him for mercy.
Let the Savior do what religion never can.
