WEIGHTIER MATTERS

 

Saturday, April 27, 2024

 

WEIGHTIER MATTERS

 

Matt 23:23-24

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

 

          It is interesting to me that in the original language, both judgment and mercy are preceded by definite articles making the reading THE judgment and THE mercy. These religious leaders were fastidious in paying their tithes, and teaching others to do the same, but they had no time for correct decisions and no heart for mercy.

 

          How many faithful church folks have developed careful habits of keeping certain rules but have missed the reason for keeping them? There is no data, but we occasionally see it.

 

          Jesus did many things that appeared to some as being unfaithful to the sabbath. He walked through a “corn” field and ate on the sabbath. This was witnessed by the Pharisees, and they shamed Him for it. Moreover, Jesus healed a man’s hand on the sabbath, in church no less. What they could not see was that Jesus was LORD of the sabbath and had a keen understanding of what was the weightier matters of the law.

 

          Faithfully perform your religious duties but do not forget judgment, discernment, and showing mercy.

 

Mic 6:8

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

Lord let me never be confused regarding my duties to You and to my fellow man. AMEN