Today's Gospel in Art - You hypocrites!

HYPOCRITE, by Christopher Wool,1989, © Christopher Wool

Gospel of 26th August 2019 - Matthew 23: 13-22

Jesus said: 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men's faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.

'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when you have him you make him twice as fit for hell as you are.

'Alas for you, blind guides! You who say, "If a man swears by the Temple, it has no force; but if a man swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound." Fools and blind! For which is of greater worth, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? Or else, "If a man swears by the altar it has no force; but if a man swears by the offering that is on the altar, he is bound." You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred? Therefore, when a man swears by the altar he is swearing by that and by everything on it. And when a man swears by the Temple he is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it. And when a man swears by heaven he is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.'

Reflection on the Screenprint

During His ministry, Jesus was a man who was loving, friendly and caring, but He was also a teacher who commanded respect and authority. In today's reading we see quite a sharp side to Him where He uses the strongest language to condemn hypocrisy. Of all the people (rich, sinners, tax collectors,…) who managed to upset Jesus the most, were the hypocrites, those who were more interested in the outer appearance of religion, rather than in the inner value of what lies at its heart. Just imagine having Jesus talk to you like in today's reading, it must have been quite a rebuke! But that isn't bad thing. We do need at times for people to tell us as it is, point out our faults, what they see wrong in us. Hopefully after being struck by Jesus' words today, the audience did repent and change its ways.

The word hypocrite came into the English language from the Greek word hypokrites, which means 'an actor' or 'a stage player'... to read on see: www.christianart.today/daily-gospel-reading/154