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Day 153

Luke 11:37-54 "ANOTHER INVITATION FOR A MEAL"

Day 153 – Luke 11

Text: Luke 11:37-54

ANOTHER INVITATION FOR A MEAL

Luke recorded instances when Jesus would go to a home to have a meal. In Luke 7, he recorded Jesus going to the home of Simon the Pharisee. Simon proved to be an ungracious host. The normal “niceties” were not accorded to Jesus at all. He was not even given basic things like water to wash Himself. He was not given the customary kiss of greeting normally extended to an honoured guest (Luke 7:36-50).

Luke once again recorded another instance where Jesus was invited to have a meal in the home of a Pharisee (Luke 11:37). How did this Pharisee fare? Was he a better host than Simon?

ANOTHER UNGRACIOUS HOST

Sad to say, this particular Pharisee also proved himself to be an ungracious host as well. When Jesus sat down the meal, we read about the critical remarks made against Him by His host.

“When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled
that He (Jesus) had not first washed before dinner.”
Luke 11:38

It is important to know that Luke was not saying that Jesus was not concerned about hygiene. The Pharisee was disturbed because Jesus obviously did not observe the typical Pharisaic cleansing of the hands. The main concern was not hygiene but the performance of a ritual. Only when the ritual is perfectly done can the individual be said to have “washed”. Any other way of washing the hands would not be considered sufficient. The individual would be seen as one who “had not washed before dinner”.

Jesus was no Pharisee, that was plain to see. If the Pharisee had wanted a perfect guest who knew all the rituals of washing, then he should not have invited Jesus to his home. To invite Jesus home for a meal, and then to despise Him, would reveal more about the host than the guest. The Pharisaical host was a most ungracious one indeed.

“NOW YOU PHARISEES MAKE THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH CLEAN…” Luke 11:39

We know that the above interpretation is correct when we study the response of the Lord Jesus to his host. Obviously, Jesus was not just having a quiet meal with just one man. The man probably opened up his home to others. Among the people who sat down for a meal would be a group of Pharisees. That would not be very surprising, because the Pharisees normally did not mix with other people easily.

Jesus knew the Pharisees rather well. His remarks about how fastidious the Pharisees were when it came to the external, reflected what was generally known about them! What Jesus said was “common knowledge” However, His addressing the Pharisees directly – that was NOT a common approach at all. It was uniquely Jesus’ way of dealing with the problem at hand.

“BUT YOUR INWARD PART IS FULL OF GREED AND WICKEDNESS” Luke 11:39

There was nothing wrong with observing customs, or even rituals. However, if religion only comprised the external features, and nothing else, that “faith” is nothing more than a shell.

If on closer investigation, the inward part of a person is examined, and there is found “greed and wickedness ” – then that person’s religion is truly in vain!

“TRULY CLEAN” – GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

The Pharisee’s concept of being “truly clean” in God’s sight was to be ritualistically perfect! Jesus openly challenged the understanding of the Pharisee of “ritualistic cleanness”.

He argued from a Biblical-theological perspective, which was in opposition to the traditional-ritualistic approach.

“Foolish ones!
Did not He who made the outside
make the inside also?”
Luke 11:40

To have a religious concept that emphasizes only one aspect is surely lopsided! Ultimately, all religious practices must take into consideration God’s perspective! There is nothing wrong with wanting to look at the external features of a religion. However, at no time must the internal aspects be neglected!

“BUT RATHER GIVE ALMS OF SUCH THINGS AS YOU HAVE; THEN INDEED ALL THINGS ARE CLEAN TO YOU.” Luke 11:41

That Jesus should bring up the matter of alms giving is most interesting. Quite obviously, the Pharisees were not famous for having generosity of soul!

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus warned His Disciples that when they practised alms giving, they must not be like the “hypocrites”. There were some who were not concerned about the poor at all. There were others who appeared to care for the poor, but they were more concerned about earning a good name for themselves, through the giving of alms (Matthew 6:1-4). It would not be terribly surprising to discover that Jesus was, among others, referring to the rich Pharisees though they were unnamed in the passage.

One should indeed be desirous of being clean in the sight of the Lord! However, the individual cannot be considered “clean” if only the external, ritualistic forms are observed!

However, if the heart is concerned for the poor, and that concern is appropriately expressed in the giving of alms to them, then God would truly approve of that individual. The good deeds done would not merit salvation. Alms giving manifests true salvation. The individual then stands before God as cleansed.

“All things are (then) clean…” Jesus was NOT unclean in the sight of God, even though the Pharisees might think so. The Pharisees were the ones in need of cleansing, rather than Jesus! How “clean” are we in the sight of God?