This is the second awkward meal involving Jesus and a Pharisee that Luke records.  Before (7:36-50), the meal was dinner.  In this text, it’s lunch.  Regardless of the time of day, it’s pretty much a given that planning a get-together around food for Jesus and a Pharisee is not going to end well.  In both cases, the Pharisee gets offended by Jesus’ actions and Jesus responds by calling out the hypocrisy of the Pharisee.  These aren’t happy meals.  What they are, however, are vehicles for teaching us what true belief looks like and what self-righteousness can do to a soul.

37-41
After Jesus finishes his lengthy answer to those who accused Him of serving Satan and then demanded a sign from Him to prove His credibility (vss 17-36), a Pharisee asks Him to lunch.  What’s odd about the invitation is that it comes right after Jesus finishes castigating the religious leaders (almost certainly including Pharisees) for their lack of faith and hypocrisy.  The first phrase of verse 37 – Now when He had spoken – seems to imply that the Pharisee hears everything Jesus says but still responds with an invitation.

Jesus:             “Pharisees are evil, hypocritical, and full of darkness.”

Pharisee:       “Hey, want to have lunch?”

It calls into question the Pharisee’s motive.  Does he sincerely want Jesus to come over so he can learn more from Him, or does he invite Jesus with the intent of making Him look bad or ambushing Him with other Pharisees?  There’s no way to know, but it’s definitely an intriguing scenario.  And it’s always interesting how Jesus accepts all dining invitations.  He never misses an opportunity to connect with (or rebuke) people over a meal.

Jesus enters the Pharisee’s house (where apparently there are other Pharisees and religious leaders invited to lunch also) and reclines at the table (‘reclines’ means the guests lie on couches with their heads toward the table and their feet behind them, pointed away from the table – they rest on their left elbow and eat with their right hand).  Jesus does this without first washing His hands and this shocks the Pharisee.

The reason this surprises/horrifies the Pharisee has nothing to do with hygiene.  He doesn’t expect Jesus to wash up before eating so as to make sure Jesus doesn’t have dirt on His hands.  The washing is ceremonial, and it’s done to make sure the hands are ceremonially clean.  The thinking is that it’s possible throughout the day to unknowingly come into contact with something unclean.  If you were then to eat with unclean hands, you would ingest unclean food, and your inner parts would become unclean too.  That would result in complete uncleanness and the inability to study the Torah and pray.  This is not something that only the religious do; it’s expected of any respectable guest at dinner.  That Jesus doesn’t do it is likely perceived as an insult by the Pharisee.  At a minimum, it’s very much a faux pas.  It’s also likely VERY obvious – everyone else at the table absolutely does it before sitting down (or perhaps does it immediately after sitting).  Only Jesus comes to the table without worrying about it. 

It’s important to understand that hand washing is not required by the Mosaic Law.  Only priests are required to wash their hands before eating.  The expectation that all do it comes from requirements that have grown up around the actual law.  It’s based on oral tradition, not God’s commands.

That Jesus doesn’t wash before sitting has to be intentional.  Since Jesus is Jesus, it’s not like He forgets.  He likely does it to provoke the Pharisees and continue His rebuke of their religiosity and dark hearts.

The Pharisee doesn’t actually say anything, but Jesus knows His thoughts (just like He did back in vs 17 – this has to be maddening for His doubters) and responds to him.  Jesus doesn’t exactly pull any punches or try to sugar-coat His rebuke.  He goes right after the Pharisee and all who are like him (likely others at the table).  He says, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.” [Come on Jesus, how do you really feel?]

Jesus tells him that God is concerned with motives and attitudes, not just externals.  The Pharisees think their walk with God is transactional; just do the right things and outwardly obey the Law and all will be well.  Jesus says they’re horribly wrong.  Their motives and attitudes are all selfish; thus they get no credit for their actions (Matt 6:1).  And their giving is all about them; they give for the praise of others and to earn credit with God.  They don’t give out of love or concern or thanksgiving.  They give externally, not internally.  Jesus tells them to give internally and all things will be clean for them.  He thus answers the Pharisee’s concern about ceremonial cleanness.  It’s not about washed hands; it’s about heart attitudes.

42-44
Jesus doesn’t stop with His initial condemnation.  He goes on to warn the Pharisees about their over-the-top religiosity.  They tithe of EVERYTHING – down to the spices in their kitchen – because they think it proves their commitment and obedience to the Law.  They do this, however, while disregarding justice and the love of God.  The tithing of the Pharisees is all well and good – note that Jesus says they should not neglect it – but it means nothing apart from a heart devoted to the virtues of the kingdom.  The Pharisees don’t really care about people, though.  The poor and the oppressed are invisible and unimportant to them.  They miss the spiritual forest for the trees.  They major on the minors and then congratulate themselves for their religious adherence to the Law. 

It’s interesting what Jesus says they neglect.  We would expect Him to say they neglect the love of others instead of the love of God.  However, neglecting justice and ignoring the needs of others IS neglecting the love of God.  There is no such thing as loving God without loving others; that’s the lesson of the two greatest commandments (Matt 22:36-40).  It’s why John says it’s impossible to love God without loving our brother (I Jn 4:20).

The Pharisees also love public recognition of their religious standing.  They love the prominent seats in the synagogue and respectful greetings in the marketplace.  They love the respect and admiration of men; what God thinks about them isn’t on their radar at all.  Again, it’s all about externals.

Since they are self-righteous and motivated only by selfish desires and the praise of men, they are worthless in the kingdom of God.  Even more, their selfishness makes them unclean in and of themselves.  They are like unmarked graves that people could walk over and become unclean (contact with the dead makes a person ceremonially unclean per the Mosaic Law) without knowing it. 

This last comment is the most damning of all.  The Pharisee was horrified that Jesus didn’t ensure He was ceremonially clean before eating, and Jesus tells him that regardless of what he does with his hands, he makes others unclean simply by being around them and teaching them because of his self-righteousness.

45-52
A lawyer (an expert in the law, a/k/a ‘scribe’) who apparently is at the meal speaks up and says, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.”  He says this because as the experts, the lawyers are the ones who come up with the interpretations of the law that Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for.  The traditions and oral requirements come from the lawyers.  If the Pharisees are living wrongly – as Jesus says – then the source of their error is the interpretation of the lawyers.  And for Jesus to criticize the lawyers is unheard of.  This man is incredulous.  He’s not accustomed to having anyone question his credentials or what he says about the law.  He essentially says to Jesus, “Do you realize you’re also criticizing the very men who know the most about the law??”  [There does seem to be a little bit of a ‘Captain Obvious’ element to the lawyer’s question.  Of COURSE Jesus rebukes him as well – he thinks Jesus doesn’t know that?  We might expect Jesus to respond with, “Well I guess I can’t sneak anything past you, eh?  Now I see why you’re a lawyer!”]

Jesus doesn’t hesitate in His response. He condemns the lawyers because they interpret the law such that it weighs down the common people with layers of complex regulations and requirements.  The law becomes so convoluted that it’s impossible to follow.  People give up because it’s so complicated and difficult.  And while mercilessly weighing others down with traditions and rules, the lawyers themselves know how to circumvent the burdensome interpretations because of their knowledge of the law.  They do not lift the same loads as others but do nothing to allow others the same freedom they enjoy.

They also build tombs (or perhaps monuments) for the prophets that their ancestors killed, signaling that if they were alive back in the day, they wouldn’t have gone along with the killing.  Jesus says their hearts and actions show the opposite; they absolutely would’ve joined in and so they are as guilty as their forbears.  And even worse than their ancestors, they are part of the generation that rejects the Messiah.  Even more, all the prophets sent to Israel that have been persecuted or killed – from Abel (the first person murdered in the Bible, though not typically identified as a prophet he was essentially killed for his obedience) to Zechariah (the last person murdered in the Old Testament – recorded in II Chron 24:20-22 – the last book in the Hebrew Bible) are laid at the feet of this generation because they continue with the same unbelief that rejected and killed the prophets and will someday kill the Messiah (and His followers).  This generation of Israel’s history has been privileged to witness the culmination of salvation history.  They have had the opportunity of accepting the gospel of the kingdom and seeing God establish His righteousness in Israel.  But instead, like those other wicked people in Israel’s history who spilled innocent blood, the religious people of this generation will continue to spill martyrs’ blood – Jesus and His messengers.  And the crowds will follow their lead in asking for Jesus’ death (Matt 27:20), with the result that the people of Israel of this generation will declare, “Let His blood be on us and our children!” (Matt 27:25) – Michael J. Wilkins; Matthew; The NIV Application Commentary.  [That Abel to Zechariah is ‘A to Z’ is coincidental – A to Z has no meaning in Greek or Aramaic.]

In Matthew’s version of this condemnation, Jesus ends by saying, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?” (Matt 23:33).  Their treatment of prophets is especially meaningful to the One who will someday be executed by these same men.

Jesus goes on to say the lawyers actually do the very opposite of their life’s work and calling.  They are experts in the law and their mission is to interpret it so others can believe and worship more effectively.  However, what they actually do because of their self-righteousness and unbelief is hinder people from understanding the law at all.  They’ve made things so convoluted with their extrabiblical traditions that they’ve taken away the key of knowledge – the ability to understand the law.  So they are now obstacles to belief instead of catalysts.  They are lost and cause others to be lost along with them.  They don’t understand the meaning of the law and lead everyone who listens to them straight to hell.

53-54
Not surprisingly, when Jesus finishes this scathing criticism it’s not received well by the religious leaders.  No way to know when during the meal Jesus gives this monologue, but it likely doesn’t do anything for the atmosphere (“Okay…so…who saved room for dessert?”).  When Jesus leaves, the Pharisees and scribes become more hostile toward Him and question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him, to catch Him in something He might say.

Thoughts
Jesus HATES hypocrisy and self-righteousness.  The main characteristic of Jesus’ ministry throughout His time on earth is compassion.  We see it all through the gospels.  When Jesus comes into contact with a sinner or someone who’s hurting or sick, He responds with compassion.  Second to compassion, however, is anger at hypocrisy and self-righteousness.  Jesus goes after the religious leaders repeatedly for this.  Nothing seems to be worse in Jesus’ eyes than someone holding himself up as devoted to God when in fact he’s devoted only to himself.  Outward righteousness for the sake of self is worse than simple disregard for the law.  It’s better to sincerely sin than hypocritically obey.

What we must come to grips with in light of this passage is how easy it is to be a Pharisee.  To be a Pharisee, all we have to do is: seek first the approval and respect of men; live as if there isn’t a next life; study the scriptures for the sake of knowledge and expertise; focus on outward appearances and actions without worrying about attitudes and motives; reduce Christianity to a set of dos and don’ts; ignore people and their needs as we pursue our own comfort and prosperity; always be seen doing the right things and make sure our private lives stay private.

If Pharisaism isn’t our goal, then we must remember that as disciples we are tasked with becoming more like our Teacher and Leader.  Love as God loves.  Serve others humbly as Jesus did.  Give generously as God gives to us.  Seek to know our Father through His word and through prayer.  Continually look to the next life in His kingdom as we serve Him now in a fallen world.  And examine ourselves to make sure that we are in fact more concerned with pleasing our heavenly Father and becoming like Him than we are about pleasing those around us. 

If we’re disciples, we’re in a relationship, not a religion.