Hello my faithful blog readers :) I haven't died or anything but I have been delayed in posting anything by the length of this latest chapter. Do I try and blog a devotional about the whole thing? If not how do I split it up? or what to leave out?
In the midst of my debating we have Easter ... with its importance, its focus, its busy-ness. Hmmm.
Easter also brings different music. This year our choir is singing a new (new to me at least) rendition of the hymn "Jesus see me at thy feet, nothing but thy blood can cleanse me" The music has been playing in my mind for the last three days. The message has been sinking into my soul. You can hear an 'okay' version of the song on YouTube at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiKnRbU8L-o
What's really interesting is that the message of this song has spoken to me about the Pharisees in chapter 12...
I'm interested too in the concept of the Sabbath. I've been reading through the Bible since January. In reading the Old Testament books I've come across God's command to observe the Sabbath - to keep it holy. I'm convicted about this. What does it mean exactly?? And how does that relate to this passage where it says, 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
In Mark it says: Mark 2:27
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Does this mean that the old command is nullified? Or is Jesus just clarifying what the Pharisees had mixed up?
Jesus, as recorded by Matthew, really seems to 'hammer' or criticize the Pharisees for their interpretation and expansion of the law. They complicated it and looked at the most miniscule detail blowing it out of proportion. Jesus seems to be trying to bring them back to what God intended with the law: good for His people.
It seems too that the more Jesus tries to correct the Pharisees and bring to light their warping of the law, the more angry they get with Him. Conflict is increasing. In this chapter plans are made to solve the problem of Jesus.
The Pharisees didn't like to be criticized. They were the ones who were trying so hard to keep God's law. They were the ones who were the religious elite, who saw themselves as good and upright. It must've been quite a slap in the face to be told that they were off base.... to be told their whole way of thinking had to change. Who would have stood for that? Only people who were wishy washy in their thinking. I think we have to give the Pharisees that - they were not wishy washy - they stood up for what they believed was right, they took action to do away with one they thought was a heretic. They were wrong of course, but they were active.
Why was Jesus so opposed to the Pharisees anal interpretation of God's law? I think, at least in part, it has to do with the fact that they believed that they could do it. They believed that it was up to them, it was their effort that made them holy. And in this belief they went against the very core of Jesus' mission: to provide the only way for reconciliation with God - through his death and resurrection.
I was practicing the music for the song I mentioned above and as I was singing the words of Easter the Pharisees floated through my mind and an 'aha' moment occurred.
As they tried to be holy in their own strength, on their own merit, they missed the point. Thankfully this Easter I was reminded again... nothing but thy blood can cleanse me.
4 comments:
Amen.
Beautiful new blog look, btw.
So true, Alison -- and isn't it funny how it's often a song that gives us one of those "aha" moments?
I like the new look of your blog:)
In my devotions time with my kids, we've been reading Matthew in The Message. And mostly we've been realizing that Jesus was all about integrity - making sure our motives are pure. The Pharisees were doing what they did for the optics of it - to look strong, to keep the upper hand. Their holiness was phony. Whereas Jesus calls us to be real.
"All that I can do is vain, I cannot remove one stain - nothing but thy blood can save me."
Thanks Dawne :)
I've just re-realized this Easter (is that a word) Paula how music can do that ... the 'aha' from God.
Kerry ... I agree their holiness was phony, I've wondered though if they realized it was or if they were sincere (albeit sincerely wrong). I know when I was a kid they were always portrayed (at least from what I remember) as being phony but I'm not sure where I got this idea that they weren't ... but that they were just off base. They were strict. They were the religious officials. Some were probably corrupt but perhaps some weren't. I need to look that up ...
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