Matthew 15:8-9

Scripture:Matthew 15:8-9 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁹in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” 

Observation:The prophet Isaiah was inspired to first write these words over 700 years before Jesus quoted them. In both cases the context was the same. People who by any outside measure, appeared to be religious and who seemed to be acting in a God pleasing way were in actuality hypocrites. These seemingly pious people were not acting with the intent of pleasing God. Instead, these people were acting in a way that was intended to please and/or impress other people. In short, they were not what they appeared to be. Jesus spoke directly to the issue of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27-28. Jesus was standing before a crowd of people who had gathered near the southern entrance to the Temple mount when he said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed ²⁸So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Jesus often used real life imagery as he taught. In this case the image was found just a few hundred feet to the east. The image was the great cemetery on the Mount of Olives. This huge cemetery was littered with one whitewashed tomb after another. From the vantage point of the Temple steps this created a pleasing picture. I can imagine Jesus motioning with his hands as he pointed to the tombs covering the Mount of Olives. The tombs looked clean and protected observers from seeing their unclean contents. The cemetery on the Mount of Olives “looked clean” but in fact it was full of dead man’s bones that would make a Jewish person who came into contact with them ceremonial unclean. Jesus’ example was clear. People who only appear to be faithful while in reality remaining steeped in sin are just like the cemetery on the Mount of Olives. Just like the whitewashed graves, the hypocrite looks beautiful but is, on the inside, dirty, disgusting and anything but beautiful. 
tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 

Application:This, of course, raises a question that requires both introspection and external observation. From the introspective standpoint we need to ask ourselves if we are acting in a way meant to please or impress others or are we acting to please God. In regard to the external observation - we must exercise discernment regarding the actions and teachings of others while recognizing that we are unable to judge the heart of another person. The prophet Jeremiah wrote about this very issue saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?¹⁰‘I the Lord search the heart and test the mind (Jeremiah 17:7-10).’” So, how are we to discern whether the actions of another are self-serving or serving the Kingdom of God? Jesus provides us with the answer. In his answer he provides both a caution and his criteria for discernment. Jesus says in Matthew 7:15-20, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” We can’t judge the heart or the motives of another person, that is clearly God’s job and his job alone. However, we can judge actions of another based on the fruit of their actions.

Prayer: Dear Lord, give me the discernment to evaluate my own motives. Give me the discernment to properly judge the fruit of other people while not daring to tread upon your role of judging another person’s heart. Protect me and your people from false prophets who are only whitewashed tombs and filled with self-serving deceit. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit (Psalms 51:10-12).” Amen.

Dwight Enfield