One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say. (Luke 11:45-54)

Introduction

If you weren’t here last Sunday, I shared that in speaking from Luke 11:37 to 12:12, I would speak of 10 characteristics of hypocrisy that Jesus lays out for us to examine in this text. The first four were the following: 1) Hypocrites focus on external appearances rather than internal holiness (vv. 37-41), 2) Hypocrites have a selective view in their obedience to God (v. 42), 3) Hypocrites crave man’s attention and applause (v. 43), and 4) Hypocrites are spiritually dead without even realizing it (v. 44). Hopefully you understood that in some way we are all hypocrites, but in view of Christ’s redemptive work, we can be freed from the power and burden of hypocrisy. But just in case, you might have felt you were one of the few who did not believe you were hypocritical in any way, let me share with you today in verses 45-54 three more areas of our lives that we are potentially hypocrites. Thus the fifth characteristic of a hypocrite is that hypocrites impose spiritual burdens on others without grace in verses 45-46.

Hypocrites Impose Spiritual Burdens On Others Without Grace (vv. 45-46)

Luke records for us in verses 45-46: “One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” After Jesus was finished rebuking the Pharisees, one of the lawyers was bold enough to speak out against Jesus. Now Jesus was not talking about the lawyers of today, those who interpret civil law. But rather, these were those who interpreted religious law. Most Jews depended on these lawyers to figure out just what was required of them, or so they were taught to do. Again, the problem with these lawyers, like the Pharisees, was their self-centeredness and self-righteousness. Their view of Moses’ law was so burdensome, that it made following the law virtually impossible. They had turned the law of God, that was intended to represent God’s grace and care over His people, to something that led to only judgment, criticism, and weariness. And the sad fact is, that we see this throughout the church today.

Perhaps you have been part of churches where this type of spiritual leadership rules the church. I know of churches where public rebuke is the norm for tardiness, for drinking wine, for dating a person who is unapproved. I have seen pastors scream at their congregants for failing to memorize Scripture or rebuke members for their inability to stay awake during a 24 hour prayer chain. I know of one church that asked everyone who was fasting for 40 days to stand, and by doing so, those who did not stand were shamed for their ‘lack of faith.’ Fasting, praying, memorizing Scripture, all of these are blessings from the Lord and a means of grace to help us in our lives to trust in God. But like the lawyer, who is well-intentioned in his own eyes but blind to his hypocrisy, pastors and church leadership can fail to see that we drive people away from the Lord when we apply non-biblical application to biblical exhortations.

But what makes this act even worse, is the second part of verse 46. The lawyers load on the burdens, but do nothing to help others with their burdens, and do not even fulfill the law themselves. Jesus probably saw many instances where the same Pharisees and lawyers heaped on regulations but failed to keep the very same laws. This is probably why Jesus gives this illustration in Luke 13:10-17. The synagogue ruler was indignant because Jesus had healed a woman who was burdened with an ailment for 18 years on the Sabbath. Jesus points out his hypocrisy in verse 15-16: “Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” I’m sure this synagogue ruler was furious because he believed Jesus was breaking the law. But Jesus probably had observed how often these same sticklers of the Sabbath were so careful with their prized possessions, their oxen and donkey and had no care or concern for people in need.

This is a warning for people like me, for pastors, for church leadership, for ‘disciplers,’ and Bible Study leaders. You should not walk away from Sunday or Homegroups or Leadership Training sessions feeling as though you have been guilted to follow Christ or to obey church leadership. If so, then you need to seriously ask whether this church, or any church or ministry is acting in a legalistic manner. The church’s ministry should lead you, not to more burdens, but rather a lifting of burdens. This doesn’t mean that the church should not give you responsibilities or call you to service. But it does mean that your service and ministry and sacrifices and tithing is out of your love for Christ, not merely out of your obligation for him or the church. The Lord doesn’t need any of us to serve Him. This church will go on without you or me. And if it should forever close its doors because we left it or you left it, it would mean that He wanted the doors closed forever. It ultimately is not because you or I was so necessary to this church. Ministry, care, serving must be out of our delight for what He has done for us. Sure we won’t always feel like serving today (for whatever reason), but ultimately we serve because we want to, because it is our joy to because He has bought me by His blood, and I want to make the most of every opportunity to honor Him. Contrast Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 to the lawyer’s idea of the law, and you’ll find that Jesus longs for burdens released and a joy in following Him: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Hypocrites Strive to Appear Righteous (vv. 47-51)

The sixth characteristic of a hypocrite is that hypocrites strive to appear righteous. Listen to what Jesus says in verses 47-51: “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.” Jesus calls the lawyers on their blatant hypocrisy, their erecting of tombs and monuments to honor the prophets, while disregarding anything they taught. You see, what good is it to create nice tombs (for those whom their fathers murdered), and fail to heed what they said? The prophets were God’s spokesmen who would continually call the Israelites to change from their legalistic and self-justifying ways. They warned the people that they faced God’s full judgment if they did not repent. And for this message, the prophets were often brutally tortured and murdered. And so Jesus condemns the religious establishment for perpetuating the same sins. He mentions Abel, who was in a sense the first prophet killed by one who looked to honor God by his own standards and righteousness (Cain) and Zechariah who most likely is the Zechariah of 2 Chron 24:20-25 and the last prophet in the Hebrew canon who was murdered. By listing these two men, Jesus condemns the Pharisees and lawyers through the testimony of all of the prophets, from the first prophet Abel to the last prophet Zechariah. And the final culmination of this rejection of God’s prophetic voice, was to reject His Son.

You see, they strove to appear righteous without actually turning from their sin and trusting in God, the very hallmark of hypocrisy. Once again, they believed that by building the ornate tombs, they would be honoring the prophets. But Jesus’ point is clear. The prophets are in the grave. They care less about what type of tomb they’re in. To honor them would be to heed their words, to repent and wait for the King that they had foretold. But instead, they reject Him as He stands right in front of them. They again repeat the sins of their fathers.

My friends, we must be ever vigilant about our hypocrisy regarding the appearance of holiness and righteousness. Hypocrites love to look holy before others. There was a time when I would wake up and read the Bible so that my wife would see me doing it. Then she would know ‘all is well.’ What a crock! What a hypocrite! Oh how we must never strive to merely ‘appear’ righteous. No, we must actually strive for holiness. That’s why Jesus tells us about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” So whether it’s fasting or prayer or reading the Bible or working at the Food Bank or a trip to Moz to work with the orphans or going door to door to tell people about Jesus, if we are doing all of this so that we can outwardly boast about our holiness, or perhaps even secretly boast about out holiness, then we are doing nothing more than erecting ornate tombs to the prophets while ignoring messages their message.

Hypocrites Hinder And Oppose The Gospel (v. 52)

The seventh characteristic of a hypocrite is that hypocrites hinder and oppose the Gospel. Luke writes in verse 52: “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” Shua and I spent our first fourth of July in the Bay Area sitting on the steps of our doorway. We had a church barbeque with some folks and then when we arrived back home, I realized that I had forgotten our house key. And since it was a national holiday, it was quite difficult to find a locksmith. We did finally find one but it took quite a while for him to arrive. And boy did I feel bad, not only did I lock myself out but my pregnant wife as well. That’s the thing about forgetting or losing your keys. Not only are you utterly helpless, but those who are dependent on you become helpless as well. And this is what Jesus is saying in verse 52. The lawyers who failed to live up to their own standards, and yet were heaping it upon others, were hindering their listeners from experiencing the Gospel of grace. They had spent their whole lives learning what God’s Word meant, and yet, they were doing nothing to help people apply what they had learned.

So what’s the key of knowledge that Jesus is speaking about here in verse 52? The key is Himself, His Word, His Work, His promises. That’s why Jesus says such things as John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” and John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” The Pharisees and lawyers refused to believe that Jesus was the answer to their pursuit of God because to believe Jesus was sent from God would have nullified every work of righteousness they were pursuing. They had lived their whole lives devoted to the study, interpretation, practice, and teaching of the law. To have Jesus come into their lives and tell them that He was the key to their studies and knowledge in their minds, would have invalidated their core identity since they could not accept that someone from the outside made them righteous. They believed righteousness came from within.

You see, hypocrites, because they cannot fathom a world where they are not in control of their own salvation, where they have to work for their salvation at some point, are quick to put these same burdens that are on themselves upon others and by doing so, they hinder people from either the joy of salvation and perhaps even salvation itself. When I first became a Christian, I was taught by well-intentioned teachers and youth pastors and pastors that I was saved through Christ, but to be a Christian I had to do certain things. And once I went into ministry myself I reproduced the only thing I knew, the Christian life was Christ + something. And so for many years, that something was discipleship programs like Experiencing God or Purpose Driven Life or Survival Kit or the Nav 2:7 Series. I thought the Christian life meant that you had to have a really great fellowship where people really connected and ‘got into each others’ lives,’ and so that was campus ministry, youth groups, good Christian friends. I thought it meant having dynamic, intimate, passionate worship through song with emotions and hand raising. I thought it meant experiencing charismatic gifts, being slain in the Spirit, going to the Toronto Blessing. I thought it meant reaching the unreached, having a desire to go overseas and give my life for Christ. I thought it meant social justice, a deep concern and compassion for the orphan and the widow. Perhaps you have had the same experience. I think most of us who have been Christians for a while who have not drunk deeply from the wells of the Gospel, have been in this place. Like the rich ruler in Luke 18:18 who had kept all of the moral, religious, righteous commandments, we have often believed that we are now righteous. Isn’t that why we feel so good about ourselves (and perhaps not so thankful to God) when we have a ‘quiet time’? And isn’t that why we feel so guilty when we have been too busy for God? Like that ruler, we have believed our commandment-keeping made us righteous and just before God. And so, with that mindset, we can easily slip into salvation equaling Christ plus something else. And we can also easily slip into teaching Christ and something else leads one to Christ. And that my friends is hypocrisy. And that’s me, a hypocrite who has hindered others from the Gospel of Christ.

And perhaps that’s you as well. We must be ever so careful that we are not hindering others from seeing Christ. No matter how well-intentioned we are, we must not forget how prone we are to hypocrisy. As long as we are sinners, in our attempts to spur one another on, in our passions for holiness, we must not forget that if our attempts do not make much more of Christ than any outcome of following Christ (examples would be anything I had listed, including an attempt to be ‘Gospel-centered’), then perhaps we are being hypocritical. We should always be checking ourselves to make sure we are not hindering others from seeing and knowing Christ, especially when we lay down rules for others to follow or in our judgments of others’ failures.

Last Sunday, I met with some of the singles in our church and we had a very important discussion about the ways in which Wellspring could minister to those who are unmarried. And I discovered that one way in which Wellspring could serve singles is when married couples are mindful that there are actually those who are unmarried in our midst. For example, if a single woman is in the company of women, and most are married, it is not loving when their whole conversation is about caring for toddlers. It is not loving when married guys talk about their wives continuously without any regard for their single brothers. As a church that is striving to extend grace and love to all whom the Lord should bring, we must be sensitive to each other simply because we long for the love of Christ to become made known to all. We’re willing to adjust and adapt to circumstances so that the Gospel will be advanced.

That’s why Paul wrote 1 Cor 9:22-23: “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” Paul doesn’t have to be weak. He wasn’t a ‘weak’ person. But he is all things to all people because he longs for people to be saved and to enjoy salvation. And here is the promise of verse 23: By actually caring for people and being sensitive to them in this way, you share in blessings. You begin to see singles come to know Christ, and you see more come to enjoy the Gospel with you, even though you are quite different from them. Now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with hypocrisy. Well, let’s say I’m turned off by someone’s prejudice against me. I think, “I’m single and so-and-so doesn’t treat me so well. I think I’ll just turn against him.” But my friends, we are all prejudiced because prejudice simply means that I am the one who determines what is right and good for me. And when a person doesn’t fit what that means for me, then I will shun them. And so, singles will be prejudiced against married, married against single. A young person will feel an older person is irrelevant and has nothing to learn from him. An older person will feel a young person is foolish and experienced and will feel he has nothing to learn from him. Someone who is white, or yellow, or black, or brown will feel as though his culture has more to offer than others. We isolate people with our language, our ethnocentricism. Those who are more educated dismiss those who didn’t go to college as an ‘unintellectual.’ Maybe going out to eat is no problem for some, but for others who are just making ends meet, going out to eat is an unintentional bias. There are so many ways we can be prejudiced and unloving against another, all hindering us from experiencing Jesus. That’s why we must remember that we were all once aliens and strangers and outsiders, but now in Christ we are one family as Paul reminds us in Eph 2:18-19: “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” As long as we take our focus off of Jesus, we will be hypocrites. There is no hope but to be hypocritical because we’ll always see our viewpoint as the only one that matters, that determines what is right and good for me. But in Christ, we do exactly what the lawyers did not want to do. We find our identity and hope and security not in ourselves, but in Him alone.

The Cure

So again, what is the cure for such a soul? Thus far, all of the characteristics of hypocrisy have one foundational feature, they all start from self-righteousness. They all reflect an innate belief in every person that I am right most of the time, I need to protect my reputation all of the time, I need to put down others or keep them at arm’s length most of the time. But this is exactly what Jesus condemns. There is a better way, a cure from such a heart, and it is to find our righteousness not within but apart from us, from Jesus Christ who is truly the only person who has ever lived who was perfectly righteous. M. Lloyd-Jones makes this clear for us:

The man who has faith is the man who is no longer looking at himself, and no longer looking to himself. He no longer looks at anything he once was. He does not look at what he is now. He does not [even] look at what he hopes to be as the result of his own efforts. He looks entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, and he rests on that alone. He has ceased to say, ‘Ah yes, I have committed terrible sins but I have done this and that…’ He stops saying that. If he goes on saying that, he has not got faith… Faith speaks in an entirely different manner and makes a man say, ‘Yes, I have sinned grievously, I have lived a life of sin… yet I know that I am a child of God because I am not resting on any righteousness of my own; my righteousness is in Jesus Christ, and God has put that to my account.’” (D. M. Lloyd-Jones, quoted by Timothy Keller in The Message of Romans (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2003), 59.)

This is great news, isn’t it.