Luke

Sinful human nature enjoys double standards, so much so that the problem can be found in everybody (Romans 3:10).  The Pharisee who invited Jesus for conversation over a meal followed strict religious rules about washing before eating.  This was not a matter of personal hygiene but to ensure that the food was not ritually contaminated by any possible contact with 'unclean' things which may have been accidentally touched along the way.  It was ‘holiness by ritual’ which involved no change of heart; and therefore, it was not holiness at all.

Tithing was a part of being a true Jew - giving to God a tenth of one's income.  There were three main tithes in the Old Testament: the sacred tithe (Genesis 14:18-20; Numbers 18:21-24), the tithe at the feasts (Deuteronomy 14:22-27), and the tithe for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).  Each tithe was an obedient response to God’s command to give the best to Him.  The tithes supplied the personal needs of the priests, and the poor, and was a God-honouring personal or family sacrifice.

Religion seems to attract both the needy and those who exploit them.  Of course, that is not the whole story, but arrogant pride (however sweetly camouflaged) can never sit well with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.  The Pharisees wanted to be admired for their wisdom, righteousness, and holiness.  They wanted to be respected as being close to God.  They were towards the top of the social tree in Jesus' day, maintaining their self-importance by having special seats in the synagogue and receiving reverential greetings in the marketplace.

Jesus rebuked the religious rulers for missing the whole point of God's kindness and favour to the nation.  Instead of gratitude and heartfelt worship, they were arrogant and proud of their controlling positions in society.  So, Jesus unmasks them.  He likens them to unmarked graves.  In their religion, the dead were unclean, and to physically contact a grave would defile their holiness (Leviticus 21:11).  Burial grounds were best avoided in case they might unknowingly walk over a dead body.  

Christless religion, in its many forms, has a common central feature: if you obey the regulations, you will be accepted.  Some religious philosophies also seem to offer a balance of good versus bad, in which acceptance is achieved by doing more of what is good than bad.  Jesus lived among people who believed that the people who followed the religious rules perfectly were most loved by God.  Many tried to do that.  

Every culture knows the importance of honouring the dead.  Family funerals help us to remember that we would not be who we are without the influence of those who have preceded us.  Yet grief and loss is often mixed with guilt as we recall occasions in which we did not love as we might, nor care as we could (John 11:21).

Jesus had been pointing out the foolish inconsistency of one generation rejecting the truth and killing the prophets, while their children made heroes out of the dead men but continued to ignore the truth they proclaimed (Luke 11:47-49).  Jesus made the people of His day responsible for the persecution of all God's prophets over the previous 4,000 years.  But that might not seem fair.  Why would His generation be responsible for their deaths? Surely, they could not have been involved, as they were not yet born!

Most people have mislaid keys at some time or another.  Sometimes keys have been accidentally lost overboard from a boat, in a vast field or on public transport.  But only foolish people deliberately throw away a key they will need.  In these verses, Jesus is telling the religious teachers and theological academics that, instead of treasuring God's truth and opening it up to others, they have personally refused to accept God's way and go through His door of Salvation.

Although there were many people who wanted to hear Jesus and see His miracles, the twelve apprentice-apostles were His first ministry priority.  They would soon have the task of leading the fast-growing church which would eventually spread to every country.  So, they needed to be clear about all the essentials so that they could help many others to believe in Jesus and follow Him.   

One of the most common commands in the Bible is, "Don't be afraid"!  Fear is a complex emotion which is triggered by the threat of loss - loss of life, loss of well-being, loss of freedom, and loss of face.  Tempting people to fear is one of the most potent weapons in Satan's limited armoury as it is just as effective whether the threat is real or not (which is how terrorism works).  The antidote to fear is love: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.