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Jesus’ Last Visit to the Temple
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the law, justice, mercy, and truth were neglected. “These,” Christ
said, “ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Other laws had been perverted by the rabbis in like manner. In
the directions given through Moses, the use of swine’s flesh and of
certain other animals was prohibited, as likely to fill the blood with
impurities and to shorten life. But the Pharisees went to unwarranted
extremes. The people were required to strain all the water used,
lest it should contain the smallest insect, which might be classed
with the unclean animals. Contrasting these trivial exactions with
the magnitude of actual sins, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Ye blind
guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”
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“You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beau-
tiful, but within they are full of dead men’s bones and all unclean-
ness.” RSV. The whited and beautifully decorated tomb concealed
the putrefying remains within. So the outward holiness of the priests
and rulers concealed iniquity.
Jesus continued: “You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn
the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days
of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding
the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves, that
you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.” RSV.
A superstitious regard was cherished for the resting places of
the dead, and vast sums of money were lavished on their decoration.
In the sight of God this was idolatry. It showed that they did not
love God supremely, nor their neighbor as themselves. Today many
neglect the widow and the fatherless, the sick and the poor, in order
to build expensive monuments for the dead. Duties to the living—
duties which Christ has plainly enjoined—are left undone.
The Pharisees said one to another, If we had lived in the days
of our fathers, we would not have united with them in shedding the
blood of God’s servants. At the same time they were planning to
take the life of His Son. This should open our eyes to the power of
Satan to deceive the mind that turns from the light of truth. Many
wonder at the blindness of the Jews in rejecting Christ. Had we lived
in His day, they declare, we would never have been partakers in
the guilt of those who rejected the Saviour. But when obedience to
God requires self-denial and humiliation, these very persons refuse
obedience. They manifest the same spirit as did the Pharisees.