Matthew 23:5 “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours,”

“They do their deeds to be noticed by men,” Jesus speaking of the Pharisees, Matthew 23:5

“Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely yours, G.K. Chesterton”  (Early in the 20th century the London Times asked a number of scholars and authors to write on the topic, "What's Wrong with the World?" Chesterton's {1874-1936} submission was by far the shortest.)

“What angered Jesus during His last week was not the apostles’ confusion.  He wasn’t upset by the people’s demands.  He didn’t lose his temper with the soldiers and their whips nor explode with Pilate and his questions.  But the one thing he could not stomach was two-faced faith:  Religion used for profit and religion used for prestige.” (Max Lucado, And the Angels Were Silent)

In Matthew chapter 23, Jesus is exposing the scribes and Pharisees for who they really are.   It was the scribes, Pharisees and others who repeatedly tried to trap Jesus while He was teaching in the temple. (Matthew 21:23-22:46).    The most condemning statement, I believe, is when Jesus takes us into the heart of the Pharisees. He says, “They do all their deeds to be noticed by men” (v. 5). 

Christ then gives a specific example: “for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments” (v. 5).  According to the Ryrie Study Bible, “A phylactery was a square leather box which contained four strips of parchment on which were written Deuteronomy 11:13-21, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Exodus 13:11-16, and Exodus 13:1-10.   During prayer one was worn on the forehead between the eyebrows and another on left arm close to the elbow.   They were held in place by leather bands, which the Pharisees made broad to attract more attention to themselves.” 

Devout Jews also wore tassels based on the Lord’s instructions to Moses as recorded in Numbers 15:38.  The tassels reminded the Jews to obey God’s commandments. Jesus upheld this law and was wearing tassels when a sick woman touched the tassels and was healed (see Luke 8:44).  As Ryrie mentions in his study Bible, “Christ criticizes not the custom itself but the spirit that corrupted it.” 

No other group was as vehemently opposed to Jesus as the scribes and Pharisees; Jesus openly condemned them.  Even though it is easy to criticize the Pharisees, we must guard against the Pharisee in us all.    Why did Jesus renounce the Pharisees?  After all, they obeyed the Law of Moses.   They let their light shine.   They didn’t hide their faith.   They seemed to be the perfect church member.   Why was Jesus so hard on them?  Motive.  Yes, they were religious people but for the wrong reasons.   Jesus said, “They do all their deeds to be noticed by men” (v. 5).  The Pharisees did not seek to glorify God; rather they sought to use God to glorify themselves.  

In what ways do we today broaden our phylacteries and lengthen our tassels?   The bigger the church, the godlier the congregation, right?   The more others see us share our faith, the more spiritual we are, correct?   The broader our area of responsibility, the more valuable we are, true?   We shun the broken, the burned-out and those at the bottom of the job chart.  Sometimes I notice inner tension when I write a prayer letter or update our blog.  On one-hand, I want to show God’s faithfulness.   On the other, I can be tempted by pride while telling others I am sharing Christ in a faraway land.   When pride wins, I’ve just lengthened my tassels.

This hurting world does not need us to shove our phylacteries in their noses to be reminded of how they don’t measure up.   They don’t need to see us “whip our tassels back and forth” to be shown we got it all figured out.   I cringe when we wear our Christian phylacteries into the political arena (I am guilty of this).  Now Christ is about “us vs. them” instead of “God loves you.”  Instead of broadening our phylacteries, we need to remember the greatest commandment: love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind and the second: love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).   We need to exalt the sufficiency of Jesus and not our own perceived sufficiency; we need to reveal our own brokenness and not remind others of their brokenness. 

I never met her, except on Facebook.  Her religious and political views were polar opposites of mine. Her sarcastic comments and atheistic boastings I found to be toxic.  We never really talked, rather we ranted at each other.  I wanted to win the argument about Christ more than I wanted to introduce her to Christ.  I flaunted my tassels before her.  I just found out she was killed in a car accident over the weekend.  Now she has been ushered before the very God she denied and argued against.  My heart hurts.

What’s wrong with the world?  We value religion over relationship. We value man’s glory over God’s glory.    We treasure our phylacteries more than treasuring the condition of our neighbor’s soul.  What’s wrong with the world?  Chesterton was spot on.