I suspect I am not the only one who is tempted by this passage to point fingers at others who fit the description of the Pharisees, while earnestly wanting to be of service. Many Divinity students I’ve known, especially those with a focus on Social Justice find this passage juicy in this way. It’s all too easy to look at those who have power and authority, and see them in the light of Jesus’ critique here.
They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues - Have you seen the Cardinal’s mansion here in Chicago?
They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. Jesus often critiques public displays of piety, saying that the reward is in the ego boost that affords. I think of passages like this when I see fish magnets on the backs of cars.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
This behavior is my greatest temptation into self-righteousness. Religious leaders who set themselves up as gatekeepers of God’s love, mercy and presence; who say they know who is and isn’t deserving of grace; they get under my skin. And here Jesus seems to be pretty annoyed with them as well!
Do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. Here I have to pause, however. The question “Do you practice what you preach?” is something I think we can all take a moment with. We all need to look at ourselves.
Am I, in pointing fingers at those I label Pharisees in my mind, thinking the way these gatekeepers do? Am I forgetting Jesus’ admonition to not fret about other’s sins, but instead look at my own?
We are not, Jesus tells us, to be gatekeepers. “You have one teacher; you have one Father--the one in heaven; you have one instructor, the Messiah.” This could equally be direction to not submit to gatekeepers. We can have direct experience of God, and God’s messiah, Christ Jesus.
This could lead one to an individualistic point of view, “It’s just me and God; me and Jesus, I don’t have to listen to anyone else.” We do not live in isolation. We don’t have to have authority over one another to discuss, get feedback and reality checks on what God seems to be saying to us.
The greatest among you will be your servant. But even sincere servants can lay heavy burdens on the shoulders of others. It’s all too easy when being of service to sincerely believe you know what is best for the person you’re helping. Even if it’s clear that what you’re offering is not something they really want?
Which brings us to the central paradox of today’s scripture; All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. It is all too easy to read this passage in a traditionally messianic sense of the deliverer who will revolutionize the social order.
Mary’s hymn sounds much like this interpretation:
“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”
Jesus’ sayings, however, often are intended to induce a reversal of a way of thinking, rather than a reversal of social order. What if we do not look at this passage as referring to an event, but rather in a chorological sense? First, all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and then all who humble themselves will be exalted. It could be a perpetual cycle.
A symbol one sees in ancient manuscripts is the wheel of life, showing people being raised to new heights and then falling to new lows. If you look closely though, it is often the same person that is a King at the top of the wheel that is a beggar at the bottom. Not that I take this literally. Rags to riches stories are few and far between. The one per centers are not likely to ever end up on the streets.
I do believe we are called to work for social justice, do not get me wrong. It is more our attitude towards social justice that I think is addressed in today’s scripture.
Rather, let us consider the differences between Pharisees and disciples as the battle within ourselves; the constant struggle with ego and true-self, or in Pauline terms, flesh and spirit.
One way to think of the exultation of the humble, is through a profound spiritual experience. Spiritual enlightenment does not “cure” us of our ego, however.
I had a friend who was practicing deep meditation for years in an eastern tradition. He told me once he could feel his moment of enlightenment coming on, and expected to be rid of his personality forever. He was greatly disappointed that when it came, he still had to deal with his old personality. He could see it for the false self it was, but it didn’t go away.
Another description of enlightenment I’ve heard is to imagine yourself as living in a dark room. In the corner is what looks like a coiled snake. Enlightenment suddenly fills the room with light and you see it’s only a coiled rope. But the room goes dark again. It looks like the snake is still there, but somewhere deep inside you know it’s just rope.
Throughout the letters of Paul, you see evidence of his profound joy at the Good News he received in his encounter with Jesus. Nonetheless, he admits there are things he still struggles with. He knows his faith freed him from the bondage of sin and the full weight of the letter of the law, but time and time again he falls into rivalry and slips into wanting to lay down rules.
When I say ego, I’m referring to it in a spiritual sense; where our selfishness, dishonesty and defensive fear reside. I am not referring to a healthy sense of self, seeing ourselves as the cherished child of God we are. Having said that, let us look at this passage as if the Pharisees are our ego, and discipleship our loved and loving spiritual core:
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it;
In other words, the ego is intimately connected to our thinking mind, which has much information that is useful to us. Our knowledge of scripture and tradition, for example; or our ability to recall the time we saw the coiled rope.
but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
I have read that’s it’s not even possible to entirely practice what we preach. We human beings have very high ideals that are well worth striving for, even if we can never get there. It does us good to examine our actions, however and see how close we come.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
Where and when do we put burdens on others? What our our expectations and are they reasonable? Do we treat others the way we ourselves wish to be treated?
They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
It doesn’t say we are not to have phylacteries and fringes; self-adornment is a fun and a fine thing. We don’t need to hide our faith, either. It’s when we do these things in someone’s face, or demand that someone look at us that the ugliness of the ego shows up.
They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.
We all want to be validated, to be seen by others as we are. How easy it is for that basic human desire to become distorted, though. For us to spend lots of money on prestige items; to monopolize conversations; to manipulate people to see us how we’d rather be seen than how we truly are.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.
The best definition of humility I’ve ever heard is to remain teachable.
And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father--the one in heaven.
Our true sense of worth comes from being a child of God. No accomplishments, honors, wealth, or any other way we seek some other sense of worth can sustain us. It all comes down to our right to be here simply as a creature loved by God.
Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.
Last week we heard Jesus’ summary of the law: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
If we can truly love God, as God loves us; Love ourselves as God loves us; and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, then we will live out the spirit of the law, whether the letter is fulfilled or not. These two commandments are not easy, which is why we need a community of people committed to them, for mutual support as we struggle with them. We serve each other in this way, both in the support we give and in witnessing others struggles that remind us of our own.
The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
Our greatest sins I believe happen out of a kind of amnesia. We forget that we once saw that the snake is really a rope, and so we defensively, aggressively or passively harm others. Or we can convince ourselves that the light has remained on - be blind to our ego’s existence. Let us remember that we are both Pharisee and disciple, and that we need community to help us discern which part of us is prevailing.
Readings for this sermon:
Joshua 3:7-17
The LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses.
You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God."
Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites:
the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan.
So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap."
When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people.
Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water,
the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.
As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children,
urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.
Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,
and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.
And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father--the one in heaven.
Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.
The greatest among you will be your servant.
All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
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