Let’s take a look at one of the most interesting dynamics in the New Testament: Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of their time, the ones who knew the Scriptures backward and forward. They followed the letter of the law so meticulously you’d think they were living human highlighters. Yet, time and time again, they clashed with Christ, accusing Him of blasphemy. You’d think they’d be the first to recognize God among them, right? But no, they were too focused on politics, wealth, and their own standing in the world.
Now, fast forward to modern Christianity. Many churches today seem to spend more time quoting Paul than they do talking about the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—Christ’s own words and actions. Which is kind of ironic, isn’t it? These gospels are supposed to be the direct teachings of Jesus, yet we hear more about Paul’s letters, his take on the faith, and his opinions on the nitty-gritty of how to live. I mean, Paul’s got some solid points, but if you’re building a religion around a guy, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on what He said?
Let’s go back to the Pharisees for a second. These guys were so deep into their religious studies and rituals that they completely missed the point when God was literally standing in front of them. They accused Jesus of blasphemy for claiming to be God, which was essentially their way of saying, "How dare you claim to know God better than we do!" They were more concerned about their political power and their gold than the fact that the Messiah was eating lunch at the next table over. Sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it?
In today’s world, we see some parallels. Some Christian leaders focus so much on wealth, politics, and maintaining the status quo that they overlook the essence of Christ’s teachings—love, compassion, humility, and serving the least among us. They’re caught up in what the Pharisees were caught up in: power, prestige, and preserving their place in the hierarchy. It’s like history repeating itself, but now we have Twitter.
Modern Christianity sometimes feels more like a battle for political dominance than a movement based on the teachings of Christ. There’s this strange tension between preaching the gospel and using faith as a tool for influence. Jesus didn’t care about earthly power; He preached about a kingdom not of this world. Meanwhile, the Pharisees—then and now—are still busy with their own empires.
The question is, will we follow the way of the Pharisees, with all their obsession with the external, or will we dig deeper into the actual words of Christ? Will we care more about looking religious than living out the radical message Jesus preached?
That’s the challenge for us modern Christians. Don’t be a Pharisee. Keep your focus on Christ and His teachings. If you don’t, you might just miss Him—again.
by Dan and Bonkers
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