Here, Christ says many things to a Pharisee in the privacy of the Pharisee’s own home. Soon, Jesus will declare the same thing in public (Matt 23:1-39). There is no hypocrisy in Jesus, what He does in private is what He does in public. Jesus is just as clean inside as out. He’s not ignorant to the customs of His day, yet He intentionally chooses not to wash his hands before eating. This illuminates the obvious thinking of His host, just as Jesus knows it will. This Pharisee is well aware of the signs (miracles) of Jesus, and even if he doesn’t recognize Him as the Christ/Messiah, he is profoundly educated in recognizing a true prophet of God. Even so, he is unwilling to embrace the prophet’s reproof.
The Pharisees love the most important seats in the synagogues and love to receive respectful greetings in public. Jesus does not take issue with the fact that they are the ones who should be so seated. Jesus’ issue is with their love. They have this wonderful God-given capacity to love, it’s just not for the Lord.
It is this disrespect of the Lord that Jesus hates, and for which He calls the Pharisee out. Oh, sure this Pharisee tithes, as we all should. And his tithing is well known publicly. In fact, the Pharisees strictly tithe down to the herbs they grow at home for their personal use (v 42). The Pharisees work includes building tombs for the prophets (vv 47-48) whom their fathers killed, which is an outward display of respect for the prophets. But Jesus knows their hearts and knows that today’s Pharisees are just like their fathers, anxious to kill the next prophet (Jesus). Note that Jesus does nothing wrong or even illegal in calling the Pharisee out – even in his own home. This is why he and his cohorts now plot to goad Him into actually making a mistake (vv 53-54).
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
What is in your heart? Do you love how serving the Lord brings Him honor, or do you love how serving the Lord makes you appear to be good?
