Holy Tuesday: Parables and Woes
Matthew 23:13–33; 21:28–44
Thank you for joining us for Day 3 of Tables, Tears, and Triumph, a devotional through Holy Week.
Imagine you were walking with the apostle John. We believe his perspective would have looked something like this:
Yesterday was hard. Emotions were high, and Jesus was in rare form with cursing fig trees and flipping tables in the temple.
Today, back in the temple, he is going after the religious leaders in a very personal way. Attacking their character and their practices. He’s shouting, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” Seven times he did this. I can hear his grief, his sorrow. I can also see the anger boiling under their faces. This is not going well. I am getting nervous for our safety, especially Jesus's.
Our only saving grace is that so many people have gathered to listen to Jesus. He started with his usual teachings, parables. But even with all the adoration and love from those around us, now that his attention and teaching have ventured toward the Pharisees and Sadducees, I can only focus on the priests’ clenched fists.
I glance to find my brother James in the crowd. He nods knowingly and motions to Peter standing up on the wall, watching as the crowd gathers. At least we are all on guard for whatever may come from this.
Jesus’s ministry seems to be on the precipice of change. We all sense it. Three years of being with him day in and day out, and now every day feels like balancing tension on the edge of a knife. Nothing feels as easy as it once did.
Was this his plan all along? What am I missing? How is attacking our religious leaders going to build a new kingdom? I have so many questions. I remind myself that my trust in him outweighs my questions. But on days like today, I sure would love some answers.
Commentary:
Jesus does indeed address the scribes and Pharisees with seven specific grievances, or “woes” as they’re called in Matthew 23:13-29. But before he does, Jesus begins by acknowledging these religious leaders carry a measure of legitimate authority, saying, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:2-3)
He is not encouraging the crowd to neglect what their leaders are teaching. Rather, Jesus is warning them not to imitate their hypocrisy. What follows are the seven woes: evidences of their duplicitous ways that do great harm to others, actually making it harder for those truly seeking God to find him. Jesus ends with a public lament over Jerusalem, mourning the people’s rejection of him, his heart broken. From this point on, Jesus will continue to teach his disciples, but we do not read of any further ministry or teaching to the public at large.
For reflection:
In your own life, when were you like the crowds, hungry to receive the teachings of Jesus?
When were you like the religious leaders, practicing one thing publicly, but privately doing the opposite?
