Reflective Bible Study

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, the leaders of a number of different segments of society try to trick and trap Jesus. Most notable among these groups were the Pharisees. Perhaps this is because the Pharisees were the strongest or the largest of these groups, but whatever the reason, the Pharisees seemed to be the most opposed to Jesus and His ministry.

One of the tricks the Pharisees brought stands out in my mind as being truly exceptional. Of all the tricks and traps that were ever brought to Jesus, this one stands out as extra significant, and incredibly insightful. Matthew tells us this was carefully thought out. “Then the Pharisees left that place and made plans to trap Jesus in saying something wrong.” (v. 15)

For this trap, they team up with a group of people that they really dislike, but instead of focusing in on the actual question they ask, I find how they set the question up as being very fascinating.

Before asking the question, they set the stage by giving Jesus a compliment. In the last part of verse 16, the Pharisees start by saying, “Teacher, we know that you are an honest man and that you teach the truth about God’s way. You are not afraid of what other people think about you, because you pay no attention to who they are.” This setup almost certainly tips Jesus off to the Pharisees insincerity. While Jesus probably already could tell this even before they begin talking, how these people set the stage for their question reveals their insincerity.

The insincerity comes from their first three descriptive phrases. First they address Jesus as “Teacher”, which is correct, but they have not really aligned themselves with what He taught. Next, they call Jesus “an Honest Man”, and while they knew this to be true from what they had seen, they were seeking out a way to make Jesus appear dishonest. Their ultimate question was designed to make Jesus appear dishonest to either God or to the government.

Lastly, these leaders describe Jesus as One who teaches “the truth about God’s way”. While this is also technically correct, nothing in the lives of these Pharisees says they believed this about Him. If they really believed Jesus spoke the truth about God’s way, they would obey and act upon what He taught. If they believed Jesus, they wouldn’t be bringing Him a trap.

This brings us to the idea that we should be cautious when anyone tries to compliment us in a way that is insincere or counter to their beliefs. We can learn from how these Pharisees open their challenge to Jesus that a trap is coming, and understanding how these leaders set up their question helps us be aware of traps that may come our way.

During Jesus’ resurrection, one thing that stands out as interesting in my mind is that women decided to visit the tomb early on Sunday morning. We have no idea what prompted them to do this, but perhaps it was the Holy Spirit telling them to go. It might also have been that they didn’t think the men had prepared Jesus’ corpse properly as they were in a rush to get Him buried before the Sabbath began.

Whatever prompted the women to make the trip to the tomb, they did not go expecting to find the tomb empty. They may have even been wondering along the way how to convince the guards to let them in, or how to even get the stone rolled away. (Mark 16:3)

Luke and Mark include in their gospels that the women brought the spices and perfumes they had prepared to put on Jesus’ body. These women did not believe Jesus had risen from the dead. They simply wanted to give His body the respect and attention it deserved in death.

But they are surprised by an earthquake on the way, and I wonder if this made them question what was happening at the tomb ahead. Matthew tells us that on hearing the angel’s news about Jesus, “The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell Jesus’ followers what had happened.” (v. 8)

However, the reaction the followers give is mixed. Both Mark and Luke tell us that on hearing the report from the women, the disciples didn’t believe them. Luke even describes the disciples’ response, “They did not believe the women, because it sounded like nonsense.” (Luke 24:11)

But Peter and another disciple (traditionally believed to be John) believed enough to go investigate the situation personally. While they didn’t know what was happening, they wanted to find answers. John describes what happened when these followers arrive at the empty tomb. “So Peter and the other follower [John] started for the tomb. They were both running, but the other follower ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and looked in and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. Then following him, Simon Peter arrived and went into the tomb and saw the strips of linen lying there. He also saw the cloth that had been around Jesus’ head, which was folded up and laid in a different place from the strips of linen. Then the other follower, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. He saw and believed. (They did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead.)” (John 20:3-9)

Seeing the empty tomb prompts John, “the other follower”, to believe.

These followers are a lot like us. They want to see it with their own eyes in order to believe it. We can believe their testimony is valid because they are honest about their unbelief, and what actually changes their minds. John didn’t believe until he personally saw the empty tomb and the strips of linen folded up neatly. This picture would be cemented in his mind for the rest of his life as the foundation for his faith in Jesus!

During the weekend of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we find an interesting event in John’s gospel that centers on Mary Magdalene looking for Jesus. Early on resurrection morning, she had come to the tomb, saw the stone rolled away, ran to get the disciples, and had come back with the disciples to confirm the empty tomb. However, after the disciples see for themselves that the tomb was empty, they leave to confirm Mary’s story to the rest of the disciples.

But Mary stayed in the garden crying. “While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. “Woman, why are you crying?” they asked her.” (v. 11-13a)

To those who know the whole story of what happened, the reality that any of Jesus’ followers cried is amazing. The angels know that Jesus had risen from the dead, and on several occasions, Jesus even tried to tell the disciples what was going to happen.

But all the predictions Jesus tried to give His followers fell on deaf ears. His followers were not able to understand what Jesus was trying to tell them.

Mary was among those who believed Jesus was dead. She responds to the angels by saying, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” (v. 13b)

Then looking up, she sees a person standing near her. This person asks the exact same question as the angels, “Woman, why are you crying?” (v. 15a)

John tells us that while Mary believes this person is the gardener, she is actually talking to Jesus Himself. Part of me wonders if Jesus’ appearance had changed significantly enough that she couldn’t recognize Him, or perhaps Jesus looked the same, but Mary’s belief that Jesus had died blinded her from recognizing Him at first.

It is only after Jesus says her name that He breaks through her grief. If this person was the gardener, there would be no way he could have known her name. But perhaps the way Jesus says her name is familiar enough for her to open her mind to the possibility that Jesus is standing there in front of her.

This event is amazing to me because it tells us that even when we are in our darkest moments of sorrow, and even when we cannot recognize it at first, Jesus is right there with us in our grief. We might not recognize Him, but if we are open to letting Him speak to us, He will bring life back into our hearts.

Part of me wonders if Jesus ever got tired of the Pharisees and other religious leaders challenging Him about things He and His followers did or did not do. While many times, the Pharisees are upset for something that is done that they don’t feel is right, we can learn something powerful in Jesus’ response during one of the times they challenged Jesus’ disciples over what they did not do.

In this event, the Pharisees challenge Jesus’ followers over not washing their hands before they eat. While a rule about washing one’s hands seems very petty while also being sanitary, the Pharisees had taken this health instruction and made it into a spiritual requirement.

Jesus’ response to their challenge may seem to go overboard, but instead of simply answering the question that is on the surface, Jesus challenges the foundation that had prompted the question. He even quotes from the prophet Isaiah who said:

“All of you praise me
    with your words,
but you never really
    think about me.
It is useless for you
    to worship me,
when you teach rules
    made up by humans.” (v. 6-7 [Isaiah 29:13])

Jesus then goes on to describe some of the ways these religious people had elevated their rules over God’s laws. However, Isaiah’s words, and his description of the people, are what stand out to me.

Isaiah describes a group of people who praise God with their words, but they really don’t think about what they are doing. While Jesus takes Isaiah’s description and applies it to people in the first century, I wonder if the same could be said for many of those living today.

The phrase that stands out in Isaiah’s description is when He quotes God saying, “It is useless for you to worship me”. When we look at how this quote is structured the uselessness of these people’s worship is connected to the fact that they are not thinking about God.

Why is this?

The opening and closing phrases tell us. The people talk a good talk, but their actions tell a different message. Their thoughts are on things that are not aligned with God, which makes their worship useless.

This passage emphasizes and reminds me that talk is cheap, but when our thoughts, words, and actions are aligned together, then our worship to God will be useful, meaningful, and beneficial for both God and us.