Luke
By Joyce Webb 2020
Chapter 11 Verse 37-54
Verse 37 Jesus was speaking to the people. A Jewish church leader from the group called Pharisees, asked Jesus to come to his house for a meal.
Jesus went with him. They had come to the table to eat. The Pharisee saw that Jesus had not washed his hands before he came to the table.
The Jewish people had a custom that a person was to do a washing of the hands in a certain way—like a ritual or ceremony–before eating. It was something that was done in a way that was not just the ordinary washing your hands before you eat.
The Pharisee said something to Jesus about not doing this special washing of his hands.
Jesus said, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and plate clean, but the inside part of you is full of evil and wickedness.
You are foolish. God made the outside of us and he made the inside of us.
Jesus was telling him—you are so careful to wash the outside of you—but the inside of you is full of sin, being greedy (wanting more than you should have) and wrong doing.
Vs. 41 You Pharisees are careful to give tithes (1/10) of your money and other things —-such as spices, and herbs—but you ignore showing the love of God to others—and being just and right in how your treat others.
Yes, you should tithe, but you should do what is right, also.
Vs. 43 Judgment will come to you Pharisees. You love to have the best seats in the Jewish church, at dinners, and other places.
You love to have the respect and greetings of the people as you walk in the market place.
Vs. 44 Judgment will come to you scribes (those men who wrote letters, and copied the scriptures in writing) You are hypocrites.
(someone who pretends to be or do something —but he really does not do it)
You are like a grave that is not marked. (The Jews take great care not to step on a grave. But if the grave does not have a marker on it and you can not see the outline of it—then you do not know where to step. You do not know if you have stepped on a grave or not.)
People would step on a grave and not know that under their feet was dead bones that were rotting to dust.
(Jesus was saying that the Pharisees and scribes were like that.
People thought they were “holy” men, but inside, in their hearts —they were mean, greedy, selfish, and cheated people.)
Vs. 45 One of the lawyers said, Master, by saying that you are saying that we, also, are like them.
Vs. 46 Jesus said, Judgment will come to you lawyers, too.
For you make up laws and rules that are not from scripture— these rules are burdens to people—to have to obey all those things.
You make all those religious demands —but you do nothing to help lift the burdens of the people.
Vs. 47 Judgment will come to you. You make large grave boxes and markers for the prophets and say you are showing them honor.
And yet, your fathers of long ago, killed them.
Vs. 48 You agree with your fathers that they should have been killed.
Vs.49 God said, long ago, I will send prophets and apostles—some of them will be killed, some of them will be hurt and treated badly.
Vs. 50, 51 This generation of Jewish leaders will be held responsible also, for the way the prophets and apostles were treated. (Jesus had been sent from God, and his disciples were called by God—the Jewish leaders hated them.)
Vs. 52 Judgment will come to you lawyers. You have taken away knowledge from the people. You will not enter into the kingdom of God and you keep others from entering into God’s kingdom.
(They tried to influence the people not to listen to Jesus and not to believe in him.
The Jewish leaders were against Jesus and his disciples. In many ways they tried to stop them, make trouble for them, —they talked against them, they tried to catch Jesus to kill him several times.)
Vs. 53 As Jesus was talking to them telling them these things, the Jewish leaders asked him questions, and tried to get him to say things that they could blame him for wrong teaching.
Vs. 54 They listened carefully trying to find something that they could blame him and take him into their Jewish court to punish him or kill him.