ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: The Trap of Hypocrisy
MARK 7:6-8
#kingjesus
USE AUDIO BIBLE: Mark Chapter 7:1-37 [5:00]
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Mark.7
INTRODUCTION… It’s a Trap
“It’s a trap!” is a line from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The character Admiral Ackbar, while engaging in an ambush on the large dangerous enemy Death Star… an enemy weapon… is informed that enemy ships have arrived after they begin their attack. Realizing that the enemy army was aware of their plans, was waiting, and prepared to defend itself, he exclaims “It’s a trap!”
I think we see something similar happen in Mark 7 which happens over and over throughout Jesus’ ministry. The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law are always trying to trap Jesus in some manner to discredit Him. This passage is one of those times.
The Pharisees and other folks from Jerusalem ask why Jesus’ disciples don’t wash their hands before they eat. This is not an innocent question, but meant to point out that Jesus and His disciples were not following the extra laws the Pharisees set up over the years… often called ‘the traditions of the elders.’
You see, Exodus 30:17-21 prescribes that a basin of bronze was to be made and set up for the priests to wash before they go before the Lord and make sacrifices and minister before the people. Over the years, the religious leaders expanded this for all people before meals and at other times. The ‘tradition’ added to what God commanded.
The people from Jerusalem mean to point out wrongdoing on Jesus’ part. This is meant to weave doubt into the minds of the disciples. The crowds are meant to ask why Jesus acts differently than what is expected. Jesus was not breaking God’s Law in any way, but they made it seem like He was doing just that. The question is a trap.
Jesus does not answer the trap by falling into it, but rather goes on the offensive. He usually asks His own question or wisely sidesteps the trap, but here Jesus goes on the offensive, quotes from Isaiah, and narrows down the issue He sees in the Pharisees. It is an issue that you and I deal with as well.
OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND
Before we focus exactly on what Jesus says, I want you to know that what Jesus says to the Pharisees is rooted in Scripture. He directly quotes from Isaiah 29, but Isaiah is not the only book that He is drawing from. Other prophets have said the same thing and had the same message.
READ Amos 5:21-24 (ESV)
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
READ Micah 6:6-8 (ESV)
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
You see there is a temptation for anyone who believes in God and is following Him to do exactly what the Pharisees are doing. The temptation is to go through the motions, only obey the letter of the law, or twist that which is true into something that is not. The temptation is to judge and blame and cast doubt. The temptation is to do religion… not have a relationship.
What they are doing has to do with hypocrisy, lips, and hearts. Those are three key words in the passage we are focusing on in Mark 7 today: ‘hypocrites,’ ‘lips,’ and ‘heart.’
READ MARK 7:6-8 (ESV)
6 And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; 7 in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
KEY WORD: HYPOCRITES
I find the word ‘hypocrite’ to be a very interesting word and a distasteful word. I think even when I say the word ‘hypocrite,’ it just sounds bad. I automatically think of it as a bad word or a label that is undesirable. The root of the word comes from theater and describes someone who impersonates and plays a part. It has to do with wearing a mask on stage and pretending to be a character. It means to simulate, pretend, or to fool. A ‘hypocrite’ is pretending to be something we are not.
Jesus never looks fondly upon hypocrites. We find in the Scriptures that Jesus is filled with grace and mercy for those we might call ‘sinners’ and those of less desirable character, but Jesus is hard and difficult on those who are hypocrites and are blasphemers against the Holy Spirit. If you appear to be Godly, but on the inside are empty, He has a harsh word.
READ MATTHEW 6:2
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
READ MATTHEW 6:5 (ESV)
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
READ MATTHEW 6:16 (ESV)
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
And perhaps the most telling passage of all…
READ MATTHEW 23:13–15 (ESV)
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”
Jesus’ perspective on those who feign Godliness, but really are not is that these folks who seek to be praised by others, seek to be seen by others are children of hell and so are those who follow them. Jesus speaks true.
I believe that hypocrisy exists in the Christian faith in two forms. One we can do nothing about and the other we can. First, hypocrisy exists because we serve a holy, perfect, and righteous God who calls us to be holy, perfect, and righteous. None of us are. By the very nature of the call of Jesus to be like Him in all things… we will fail. We do fail. We all sin. We all sin on accident and we all sin on purpose. There are sins of omission and sins of commission. The sinful nature every person deals with does not go away when we become a Christian. That sinful nature is paid for and we are called to fight against it. So… in that sense… every single one of us is a hypocrite because we want to desperately be something we are not. I would even say that the word ‘hypocrite’ doesn’t even fit as the word to use because failing at something does not mean we were pretending. This type of hypocrisy we can do nothing about but look to Jesus and trust in Him. We claim the blood of Jesus because we are sinners. In the end, this is not hypocrisy at all.
Second, hypocrisy exists because we do it on purpose, are faithless, twist the Bible to meet our own needs, manipulate to look Godly, and we give up. This is the kind that Jesus is focusing on in His words to the Pharisees. This is real hypocrisy. This is the play acting, pretending, and lie-filled living that makes Jesus go on the offense when talking to these religious leaders. Jesus recognizes that these men before Him have twisted the Word of God and are leading people away from God. They look Godly, but are not. They play a religious leader in public, but not in private. “They are not a religious leader, but did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.”
Overall, what does hypocrisy look like in our day? What does hypocrisy look like in Christianity in America? What does hypocrisy look like in our church? What about us?
* Confusing politics with Jesus and voting for immoral laws and candidates
* Confusing patriotism with Jesus and ignoring evil in our society
* Coming to church to be seen as a good person
* Coming to church only to drum up business
* Telling others that playing cards in church is evil, but you play cards at home
* Keeping your Bible in your car so that you can have it for Sunday
* Teaching your children and grandchildren to be pure sexually, but you live with someone
* Christians claim the sanctity of marriage, but divorce at the same rates as non-Christians
* We claim we want a friendly church, but if someone sits where we want then we glare
* Saying that Jesus and God is love, but we post hateful biting things on social media
* Anytime a Bible verse is misused out of context to hold power or abuse
* Having blessings and curses come from the same mouth
* We never admit we sin
The word ‘hypocrite’ is a bad word because it means we are playing or faking on purpose. It is a word that sheds light on our weaknesses and in places where we fail, but does so when we cease to care that we sin. What should we do? Clearly Jesus rightly judges that hypocrisy is a sin. What should we do?
First, take our walk with Jesus seriously. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is not a one-time thing or a fad or a phase or a thing to do when we are kids. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is a lifelong commitment to become more like Jesus every single day. It is a process. It is moving upward. It is moving towards Jesus. It is growing up in our salvation. It is continually being forgiven and redeemed. We must take our faith seriously and live it out. Walking with Jesus needs to be part of our identity and not just a thing for Sundays.
Second, be humble in the things we say. Many times our mouth gets us in trouble. Sometimes truth comes out of our mouths, but it is not combined with love. Sometimes tactfulness and patience is the order of the day while we let truth sink in. Being humble and patient and letting the Holy Spirit do His work is what is needed most often. It is important that if we say something is true that it matches in our own lives. It is important if we talk the talk to walk the walk. Practice what we preach.
TRANSITION
The first key word in this passage is the word ‘hypocrite’ and it is a pretty heavy word. It’s a bad word. The next key words are ‘lips’ and ‘heart’ and they fall under the umbrella of the first word. ‘Lips’ and ‘heart’ dig deeper into what Jesus is teaching and how He is going on the offensive with the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law.
KEY WORDS: ‘LIPS’ and ‘HEART’
RE-READ MARK 7:6-8 (ESV)
6 And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; 7 in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
Jesus is making a huge contrast in this passage. He is exposing the Pharisees and their views as counterproductive for their spiritual health and the spiritual health of the people they are leading. The contrast is between the ‘tradition of the elders’ and then what the Bible actually teaches. I want you to notice that Jesus does not use the phrase that the Pharisees and Sadducees regularly use… they call these rules… ‘the tradition of the elders.’ These rules were handed down over many years by many teachers and leaders. What does Jesus call these rules? At the end of verse 7, Jesus calls them ‘the tradition of men.’
I think that is very telling. Jesus downgrades these additional rules and regulations that the religious leaders cling to as not helpful or authoritative in any way, but rather just human-centered rules and in no way are divine-inspired boundaries. Jesus says they are just men enforcing opinions.
It is important to note that Jesus does not condemn all tradition or thinking for ourselves, but He does not want our thoughts or our traditions to override the Scriptures. Only the Bible is infallible and divinely inspired. The Bible is the foundation for truth in our lives and measures all other things we know and learn. The Bible is God’s Word and when we read the Bible we encounter God Himself. We in the Church can have traditions, but we must take care to distinguish between essential spiritual truth and human traditions.
Remember the key words are: ‘lips’ and heart.’
[Verse 6] When human tradition or human rules overtake the Scriptures in priority and authority, it leads to our lips honoring God, but our hearts being far from Him. There is a mismatch on the inside of us. It leads to hypocrisy where we forget our first love and we end up not honoring God and we honor everything but Him. What we say is important and our words must match our heart and our mind and our emotions and the faith that we proclaim.
[Verse 7] When human tradition overtakes Scriptures, it leads to God’s people worshipping in vain. Everything we do in a worship service should be rooted in the Scriptures and not just done because we’ve always done it that way or because we want people to see us in a certain light. If we just go through the motions, we end up being a club and not the Church. The Church is a group of sinners that have found Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and we gather to celebrate His life, death, and offer of grace to us. God is the point. Helping people to find and follow Jesus is the point of who we are as the Church.
[Verse 8] When tradition overtakes the Scriptures in priority and authority, it leads us to hold onto human traditions and not to the Word of God. It is only the Word of God that is eternal and will not fade or perish. It is only the eternal principles of the Bible that will keep us heading in the right direction towards God. Human rules fail. Humans fail. God never fails. We need to make sure we distinguish as a Church those things in the Bible that are eternal principles and those things that are human traditions. We need to anchor ourselves in the eternal principles.
ILLUSTRATION… A Knights Tale
The movie ‘A Knight’s Tale’ is a 2001 adventure romantic-comedy movie starring Heath Ledger. It is inspired on some plot points to Geoffrey Chaucer’s short story ‘The Knight’s Tale,’ but has its own story.
A Knight's Tale (Sony Pictures) is about a squire named William Thatcher who dreams of competing in jousting tournaments, but is forbidden to do so because he is not of noble birth. Only people of noble birth and are knights can joust. In the beginning of the story, his master Sir Hector dies. William decides to masquerade as a knight in order to sign up for some jousts and beats other real knights all over the English countryside. William literally dresses up like a knight and passes himself off as one. He puts on a helmet and calls himself a knight. He wins and provides money and food for himself and the other servants. William assumes the name ‘Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein from Gelderland.’ It is totally made up. None of it is true.
Towards the end of the movie, skipping the romantic-comedy part of the movie, the group travels to London for the World Championship in jousting. Upon arriving, William recalls leaving his father to squire for Sir Hector and learn to become a knight, hoping to "change his stars." It sort of happened. William visits his poor peasant father and William’s enemy in the film finds out he is faking. The enemy finds out he is not royal or noble or even a knight. The authorities are alerted.
William is arrested and placed in stocks. He is in trouble. Through a twist of fate during the tournaments, William has made friends with Prince Edward who reveals himself and declares William to be a knight.
Now, the message of the movie overall is that we should never give up because a person’s true worth is not tied to a label or social standing or money, but from the inside. To have success, you must have confidence, determination, and a great ability to knock people off of a horse with a long stick.
Actually, the message of the movie is that hypocrisy is okay as long as you have friends in high places that will sweep everything under the rug. The real lesson here isn't ‘believe in yourself,’ but rather ‘fake it until you make it and have rich friends.’
Now, I realize that this story is sort of about hypocrisy and sort of not. It is definitely about hypocrisy, since a man pretends to be a noble knight and is not. Yet, the movie is not about hypocrisy in the Church… in the Christian faith… which is what we are talking about.
Honestly, I don’t want to share a story about how a preacher fell into sin or how a church secretary embezzled money or about a national ministry that lied for money or all of the other stories you expect to hear. I don’t want to talk about #ChurchToo and how many churches sweep sin away and try to hide it. I don’t want to tear down the Church.
Honestly, I also don’t want to share personal stories about how my mouth gets me into trouble and how my anger makes me ashamed or the 100s of other ways I say one thing and struggle to live it out. I don’t want to share shameful stories from my past, my present, or predict how I will fail in the future.
Honestly, I don’t want to do any of those things. I do, however, want you to be honestly mindful of hypocrisy in your mind and in your heart and on your lips and to stomp it out when you find it. That is what I want. I don’t want to share stories that make us shake our heads at the Church or at other Christians. Maybe I should, but I don’t want to.
ESSENTIAL KING JESUS
We are making our way through the Gospel of Mark that I’ve themed ‘Essential King Jesus.’ Each week we are taking a look at one passage in a chapter. First week, chapter 1. Second week, chapter 2. And so on. My prayer overall is that as we make our way through the Gospel of Mark, that we will encounter the Essential King Jesus and bolster our faith or perhaps find it for the first time. And… each week I want to share with one essential truth that is important for us to believe and then also communicate to others about Jesus. We are going to focus on the Essential King Jesus.
As I reflect on Jesus’ words in Mark 7, the Essential King Jesus in this passage is: Jesus distastes hypocrisy.
APPLICATION
We apply these words from Jesus in the manner I already said. We honestly and prayerfully self-examine and we make changes to stomp out hypocrisy in our minds, emotions, and bodies. We are not perfect, but on purpose hypocrisy has no place in our walk with Jesus. This is important for us to know and it is important for those that we share the Gospel with that they know this as well.
INVITATION
My invitation to you this morning, you who are here and are not a Christian, is a little different. I certainly invite you to come forward and place faith in Jesus. But I also invite you to have a conversation. Not a one-time conversation, but a conversation where you bring your list of hypocrisy that has turned you off from Jesus or the Bible… and we talk about it. You will talk. I will listen. I will talk. I hope you will listen. I invite you to have a conversation with the person who brought you to church. Talking through these obstacles to Jesus is something we want to do.
PRAYER
