"You have neglected justice, mercy and faith"

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus went to the heart of the matter when he called the religious leaders of his day blind Pharisees and hypocrites! The word hypocrite means actor — someone who puts on a show to draw attention to themselves. The scribes devoted their lives to the study of the Law of God and regarded themselves as legal experts in it. They divided the ten commandments and precepts into thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for anything else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! Jesus chastised them for neglecting the more important matters of religion, such as justice and the love of God. In their misguided zeal they had lost sight of God and of his purpose for the law.
What was the point of Jesus' lesson ? The essence of God's commandments is love — love of God and love of neighbour. God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. Love is costly and sacrificial; it both embraces and lifts the burdens of others