"Woe Unto You Hypocrites!"

Jesus had only 3 days left before his arrest and crucifixion. He had cleansed the temple a second time, throwing out again the moneychangers and all them that bought and sold. He then remained in the temple to teach and to heal.

But the temple was still contaminated.
Those who had taken upon themselves to be the spiritual leaders of the Jews were plotting murder in the very presence of the Savior and in the house of the Lord.

"And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,  And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him."  Luke 19:47-48
"Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk." Matthew 22:15

Who were the Pharisees?
From the Bible Dictionary:

A religious party among the Jews. The name denotes separatists. They prided themselves on their strict observance of the law and on the care with which they avoided contact with things gentile. Their belief included the doctrine of immortality and resurrection of the body and the existence of angels and spirits. They upheld the authority of oral tradition as of equal value with the written law. The tendency of their teaching was to reduce religion to the observance of a multiplicity of ceremonial rules and to encourage self-sufficiency and spiritual pride. They were a major obstacle to the reception of Christ and the gospel by the Jewish people. For the Lord’s judgment on them and their works see Matt. 23; Mark 7; Luke 11:37–54.

 

"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:  For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." John 12:42-43

Hypocrites.

After he had been confronted by all the Jewish leadership, Jesus turned to the multitude and his disciples to give one last public warning and denunciation of the whole Pharisaic system:

"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:13-14, 28

And then she was there.

The poor widow. Coming to the temple to pay her tithing. A bright light shining in the midst of the corruption. Walking right through the middle of it. Alone. Surrounded by the rich and men who had achieved great status in their own eyes and in the eyes of their community. Did she feel insignificant? I would have. And yet her faith and desire for obedience carried her forward as she placed what would have appeared to worldly eyes to be the smallest of offerings into the treasury. Next to nothing.
Or.....maybe she had endured such trials throughout her life that what would have felt to me like a horribly intimidating situation seemed totally insignificant to her. Had she been so strengthened and refined by her trials that anything other than her total commitment to the Lord and her desire to give all to Him was beneath her notice? Had she filled her heart with such great faith that fear could have no place in her?

There was one in the temple that day who did notice and understood the extent of her sacrifice. One who notices every sacrifice made by each one of us.
"And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this ^apoor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:43-44

 

Courage, determination, obedience, faith, strength.

Great love for the Lord.

Selflessness

 

I don't think she realized that the Savior would be there watching in person as she made her sacrifice.  I don't think she knew that her story would be written and handed down through generations.

 

She was just paying her tithing.

 

I don't think we always realize the Savior is there watching in person as we make our own sacrifices.

We are just paying our tithing.

 

We are just trying to get our whole family together in one place long enough to kneel together in family prayer.

 

We are just stopping to visit that one sister that has been on our mind.

 

Just all those little things we do. Such small things.

He notices.

They make all the difference

 

Posted by Sister Montgomery