Getting to Know Jesus' Passion #2

As we saw yesterday, at the end of Luke 20, Jesus had silenced His greatest opponents: the religious elite, made up of Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Chief Priests of the temple. He then asked a question they could not answer about His identity as the Messiah. He then turned to His disciples to give a warning:

45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

On the one hand, we know that Jesus was reminding His disciples to not be intimidated by the false religiosity of this men: it was all external and self-centered, but on the other hand, I think the warning also included this idea: beware you do not become like them. We have already seen that the apostles had disagreements about who would be greatest in the kingdom, and they would have them again that week. We all are vulnerable to the desire for recognition, to have others respond to our instruction, and to show others how wonderful and religious we can be. Before we know it, we too can harm others spiritually with our religiosity. That's not the way to go. With everything we know, we are more accountable for it.