Exposed

Why did the Pharisees, the religious leaders of Israel, reject Jesus? It is curious that the very people who claimed to be looking for His coming became his most ardent enemies. I was thinking about this recently when I came upon the following verse:

John 3 verse 19 – "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil"

And I had to wonder, does this explain why the religious leaders hated Jesus?

In their mind the Messiah would come as a King, breaking the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire and setting up a grand new Kingdom; a kingdom in which they expected to play a great part. They were the best of the best, the righteous ones in the land, who prayed long prayers and discussed the tithing of herbs and spices.

But Jesus didn't come on a horse, with a crown. He came riding a humble donkey. Jesus was gentle and compassionate, taking time to sit with Children, dining with the rejects of Society and sleeping in the houses of sinful men. He showed grace to the humble, mercy to the oppressed and love to the unlovely.

Jesus showed the religious leaders up.

He shown a light that exposed the darkness hiding between the many folds of the Pharisees religious garments, crouching behind their legalistic tithes and eloquently spoken prayers. They had turned the words of truth into a religion of pride and rules, taking care to appear righteous in the eyes of men but neglecting where only God can see: the man inside.

But it is always easy to look back and point the finger; really I should look to myself. The Pharisees are a hazardous warning sign, urging me to examine myself carefully. Am I trying to create a faÃ§ade of righteousness to appear good in the eyes of men, or even to myself? Am I trying to cover the dross I have inside with an umbrella of religious activity and good deeds? I hope not, but I know I do it.

So often I would rather bind myself with outward rules to follow than actually allow God to work in my life, shining his light and exposing me for who I am. It is so much easier to just obey a rule than to actually deal with my bad thoughts, bad attitudes, and bad desires. But God is doing His work, and though at times it hurts, I see a change being made in me.

And I am resolved to not become a Pharisee, loving the lie of my flickering nightlight of perfection so much that I turn to shadows to hide from the revealing light and truth of the perfect God.

Thomas Devenish lives in Hobart, Tasmania. One of nine children, He works as a motion graphics editor and enjoys photography and the creative arts.

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