The sun and a sunflower.

Some more thinking about how Jesus loved the Pharisees ( love your enemies…)

Here are some words for hypocrisy: two-faced, insincere, pretending,play-acting, dishonest, hollow, deceitful…

Jesus speaking: ‘You Pharisees and scribes, hypocrites! You shut up the kingdom of heaven for others even stopping those who are trying to walk in. Not only that but you don’t even go in yourselves.’

He then uses some words to shock them into knowing what a dangerous position they are in much like a parent screaming at a child about to walk into danger.

Jesus used these words to describe them when speaking to the crowds: blind guides, snakes and a brood of vipers, full of greed, self-indulgent and like whitewashed tombs. Strong language for the Pharisees and a warning to the crowds. (Matthew 23)

But why?

Because this is what Jesus was warning them about and what He wanted to do for them:

Jesus speaking:

‘ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look your house is left to you desolate.’ Mat 23:37

So loving anyone in Jesus’ way means you warn them strongly about coming danger. Hypocrites are always the most difficult to talk to because being two-faced, one never knows which face you are talking to.

George Harrison’s view on hypocrites:

‘ It is better to be an outspoken atheist than a hypocrite.’

And a few more quotes:

‘ The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that’s also a hypocrite.’

Tennessee Williams

‘He who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars general good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer, for Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organised particulars.’

William Blake

Take care,

Sandy 🙂