Jesus addresses the Scribes and Pharisees in one of the Pharisees’ own homes. As always, He goes right to the heart of the situation and brings the issue before them. The role of these leaders was to guide the Jews in Palestine closer to God and keep their zeal burning, but they had drifted very far from this mission.
While the Scribes had the very important task of preserving what we now know as the Old Testament, they had become hyper-focused on petty man-made minutiae. For example, lifting or carrying was forbidden on the Sabbath. Rather than focusing on keeping the Sabbath holy, they argued about tiny details regarding how to “not work” (Can you lift a lamp from one place to another? Can you lift your child on the Sabbath?, etc.) They specified over 600 commands nearly impossible to follow.
They became experts of the Law, but also at weaving in loopholes which only they could understand and exploit. Then they prided themselves on exacting attention to the externals, condemning the vast majority of Jews who could not keep up with them. The regulations and traditions they had added became more important than the Law itself; they preserved the letter of the Law, but lost the spirit in many ways.
This is what Jesus confronts them about in the many interactions He has with them. They accuse Jesus of repeatedly violating the Law (by gathering grain or healing someone on the Sabbath, for example). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares that the righteousness of the scribes is not enough to get anyone to Heaven. He repeatedly strikes at their sense of superiority and arrogance. As he nears the end of his life, His tactics to shake them out of their complacence become more intense as He condemns them for their hypocrisy and their refusal to show any true understanding of the Law and the prophets. Jesus’ strong criticism does not rise from any loss of patience or personal offense; in His steady love, He is determined to get their attention so they don’t miss what is right in front of them. It is a “tough love” approach to gather them into the Kingdom.
Wherever there are man-made rules, there is the risk of becoming a Pharisee, judging righteousness by outward adherence. The lesson for each of us in Jesus’ words is that God wants more than outward acts of righteousness. He wants an inward change of heart that is constantly yielding in love and obedience to Christ.
Jesús se dirige a los escribas y fariseos en una de las casas de los fariseos. Como siempre, va directo al meollo del asunto y les plantea el problema. El papel de estos líderes era guiar a los judíos de Palestina para que se acercaran a Dios y mantuvieran vivo su celo, pero se habían alejado mucho de esta misión.
Si bien los escribas tenían la importante tarea de preservar lo que hoy conocemos como el Antiguo Testamento, se habían centrado excesivamente en nimiedades humanas. Por ejemplo, estaba prohibido levantar o cargar objetos en sábado. En lugar de centrarse en santificar el sábado, discutían sobre pequeños detalles sobre cómo “no trabajar” (¿Se puede levantar una lámpara de un lugar a otro? ¿Se puede levantar a un hijo en sábado?, etc.). Especificaron más de 600 mandamientos casi imposibles de seguir.
Se convirtieron en expertos en la Ley, pero también en encontrarle resquicios que solo ellos podían comprender y explotar. Luego se enorgullecieron de exigir atención a lo externo, condenando a la gran mayoría de los judíos que no podían seguirles el ritmo. Las normas y tradiciones que habían añadido se volvieron más importantes que la Ley misma; preservaron la letra de la Ley, pero perdieron el espíritu de ella en muchos sentidos.
Jesús los confronta sobre esto mismo en muchas de las interacciones que tiene con ellos. Acusan a Jesús de violar repetidamente la Ley (al recoger grano o sanar a alguien en sábado, por ejemplo). En el Sermón del Monte, Jesús declara que la justicia de los escribas no es suficiente para llevar a nadie al Cielo. Se dirige repetidamente a su sentido de superioridad y arrogancia. Al acercarse al final de su vida, sus tácticas para sacarlos de su complacencia se intensifican al condenarlos por su hipocresía y al ver que se negaban mostrar una verdadera comprensión de la Ley y los profetas. La fuerte crítica de Jesús no surge de ninguna pérdida de paciencia ni de ninguna ofensa personal; En su amor constante, Él está decidido a captar su atención para que no pasen por alto lo que tienen enfrente de sus ojos. Es una estrategia de “amor duro” para reunirlos en el Reino.
Donde hay reglas humanas, existe el riesgo de convertirse en fariseos, juzgando la justicia por la observancia externa. La lección para cada uno de nosotros en las palabras de Jesús es que Dios quiere más que actos externos de justicia. Quiere un cambio interior de corazón que se rinda constantemente en amor y obediencia a Cristo.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: cottonbro studio, pexels.com/photo/a-person-reading-a-scroll-5986495/
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