Words of Instruction
Following Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers, Jesus exhorted his disciples with words of instruction.
Beware of Hypocrisy
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is feigning to be what one is not or claiming to believe what one does not; it is behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel. The Pharisees were guilty of all of hypocrisy according to all of these definitions.
In Lk 12:1 their leaven was hypocrisy. In Matt 16:6 the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees was their doctrine, Matt 16:12. They professed to be law abiding, but they only abided by their tradition.
They claimed to be clean, yet they were full of extortion and excess, Matt 23:25. They appeared to be clean, but they were full of dead men’s bones and uncleanness, Matt 23:27. And they appeared righteous, but inwardly they were full of hypocrisy and in iniquity, Matt 23:28.
They claimed to believe Jesus was true and that he taught the way of God in truth, Matt 22:16. But they didn’t believe what they claimed. Jesus perceived their wickedness, v.17, and so he called them hypocrites. They were just trying to entangle him, v.15.
In Lk 11:47-51 they pretended to be pious toward the prophets their father’s killed. Their behavior in killing Jesus contradicted what they claimed to believe.
In Lk 12:2 Jesus said there was nothing covered that would not be revealed; or hidden that would not be known. You can’t see leaven in the dough. But, in time, you can see the rising, and know absolutely that leaven is present. Can’t hide that fact.
The Pharisees tried to hide their hatred for Jesus but it came out. In Jn 7:19-25, Jesus asked them, “why go ye about to kill me”? They replied, “Thou hast a devil; who goeth about to kill thee”? Some said, “Is not this he, whom they seek to kill”? You see, some already knew, and in time, everyone knew that these were bloody killers.
The reason that Jesus said beware is two-fold. First, don’t be fooled by their hypocrisy. Second, don’t do their hypocrisy. In Lk 12:3 “whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light… in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops”. My saying is, “If you don’t want it repeated in public, don’t say it in private”. These are excellent words of instruction.
Jesus instructed his disciples to preach in public what he had said, Matt 10:27. A man like Jesus, who is not a hypocrite, can say this. The Pharisees couldn’t say this. See Matt 26:3-5, Matt 28:11-15, for example. They couldn’t keep their secrets secret. Jesus, on the other hand, didn’t have any secrets, Jn 18:19-21.
Fear God
Be not afraid of them that kill the body. In order to stop the spread of the gospel, the Pharisees tried threats and then death. And Jesus told his disciples to not be afraid of them, because they can only kill the body and nothing more, Lk 12:4.
Instead, fear him that can kill and then cast into hell, Lk 12:5. That is, fear God. When you fear God, the fear of man diminishes or even vanishes.
Religious pharisees of all religions keep their congregants in subjection by fear. Jesus said don’t fear them. They can kill your body but when they die they’re going to hell. The Pharisees were going to be cast into hell, Matt 23:33, 23:15. Fear God and don’t go to hell with them.
Furthermore, five sparrows are sold for two farthings. Compare Matt 10:29, two sparrows are sold for one farthing. A farthing was 1/4 of a penny. That’s a bulk discount. Pay two farthings and we’ll throw in an extra sparrow. And not one of them, not even that extra sparrow, is forgotten before God.
Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, Jesus said, ye are of more value than many sparrows. You don’t have anything to worry about. He has his eye on you. Important words of instruction.
Confess Jesus Before Men
In the context of the fear of being killed, Jesus said confess me before men, Lk 12:9-10. This can be very hard to do because of the persecution of men. Among the Pharisees there were those who believed. But they didn’t confess him because they didn’t want to be put out of the synagogue, Jn 12:42-43.
After what Jesus went through for us, he expects us to go through something for him as well, Lk 9:26, and not be ashamed of him or deny him, Matt 10:32-33. When he comes with his holy angels, 2 Thes 1:4-12, Matt 25:31, those who stood for him, despite tribulation or reproach, are going to reign with him, 2 Tim 2:10-13, and be glorified together with him, Rom 8:17-18. And those who didn’t are going to be denied a reign. These are timely words of instruction for us.
Listen to the Holy Ghost
In Lk 12:10 Jesus said that “unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven”. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is defined in Mk 3:28-30, as saying about Jesus, “He hath an unclean spirit”. The Pharisees were saying that he cast our devils by the devil. This wasn’t true. He cast them out by the Spirit of God, Matt 12:28. Thus, they blasphemed the Holy Ghost.
Again, in the context of fearing what someone with authority to kill you might do if you confess Christ, Jesus said in Lk 12:11-12, “take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer”. He didn’t want them to rehearse their defense.
He said, “the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say”. A person under threat of death might say anything to get their “neck out of the noose”. The Holy Spirit will have a completely different idea about what they should say. Look at Stephen’s last words in Acts 7:51-60. God used those words, no doubt, to prick Paul’s conscience.
Conclusion: like the disciples, we’ll face the Pharisees of our day. An awe are to beware of their hypocrisy, as well. Fear God, Confess Jesus Christ, and listen to the Holy Ghost. These are Jesus’s words of instruction to us, as well as them.
To study the previous lesson, see Pharisees Scribes and Lawyers. To study the next lesson, click on Possessions and Necessities.