Saturday, May 30, 1998
Saturday, May 30, 1998
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. (Matthew 23:4
NRSV)
The leaders toward whom Jesus' criticisms were directed had thousands upon thousands of rules
and regulations. They loved to debate the fine points of the law for hours on end. What started as
the Ten Commandments became a book of laws and dos and don'ts. These laws were too much
for the average person. Meanwhile these same leaders were failing to keep what Jesus considered
the second most important commandment--to love their neighbor as they loved themselves.
Jesus said in verse four, "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulder of
others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them." When Jesus said this, he
was talking about all the laws added to the commandments. These additional rules and regulations
had become a burden to the people. And the leaders did not even live by them.
I remember a student who had music test at school. When the student arrived home that evening,
she said to her parents, "I think my music teacher must be religious. As we turned in our
examinations, she kept putting her head in her hands and saying, "Oh my God! Oh my God!"
Obviously, this teacher's response to the examinations was not a religious one. And being a great
teacher does not make us religious. We do, however, need to become much more sincere and
helpful to others, unlike the religious leaders of Jesus' day.
Prayer: God of all, may my life be one of sincere love for you and those you send me to
serve. Amen.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA